An Impossible Breed {Adam}

[Claire Littleton]

It was a golden afternoon, warm but with a cooling breeze. The light filtered through the tree-tops of the Amiraen Forest, reaching the ground in speckled patches.

The unicorn had enjoyed simply laying in the sun in a little clearing for a while, listening to the serene sounds of the forest around her - the soft rustle of trees in the wind, the warbling song of birds, magical and mundane alike.. Her woods. It was as much a home to her as any place ever had been.

Now she moved through the forest soundlessly, seeming almost to float over the twisted bramble and raised tree roots like fog, or sea foam coalesced - a whisper of white among the trees. The unicorn soon reached a crystal clear lake with small, draconic-shaped creatures swimming through it, and bent her long neck to drink. When she had her fill, she stayed by the lake-side, gazing at her reflection in the water.

Her eyes remained the same, in color at least - it was the only physical thing that stayed unchanged when Claire shifted. They were still cornflower-blue, or violet, or something in-between.

[Note: Claire's unicorn form looks pretty much exactly like the unicorn from the movie The Last Unicorn. Pictures can be found by a simple Google search of "The Last Unicorn", and I'll link to a couple of the better ones I have saved when I get home. ]

[Adam Abbot]

Adam was walking through the forest, branches and leaves had decided to turn against him today, and he was therefore actually covered in leafs and small nearly unnoticeable bruises. He didn´t really know where he was going, he just had this urge to walk this specific way, like if something where calling upon him or something like that, it was very weird, maybe some magical creature in distress or something like that, Adam had no idea but he just walked the way the urge wanted him to.

Adam forced his way through a bush, it ripped a little hole in his pants, but that was nothing. He looked out onto the lake, and then he saw it, the magnificent beauty, he had seen nothing a like it, sure in the books they described and their elegance and beauty, but that was in books. Seeing them in real life was not something that could be explained in books.

Adam looked at the Unicorn, it was like he was watching an angel, and so exotic yet it had a familiar aura around it, like if he knew the unicorn, obviously he didn´t since he knew no unicorns.

Adams mouth stood wide upon as he kept looking at the unicorn, he didn´t say anything, he was afraid he might scare it away, if he said just the slightest sound.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire tilted her head slightly as she gazed at her reflection, wondering if this was how her mother had looked as a unicorn. All unicorns looked fairly similar, at least to someone who wasn't used to seeing them day after day - which was the vast majority of all people. She knew she had her mother's eyes, although her mother's had been slightly lighter, more lavender than cornflower-blue. She wondered if this was how her mother looked now - if she was in some forest somewhere, if she'd found her way back to her original form, somehow..

Claire dipped her head and breathed over the water in a huff, distorting her reflection with ripples. In all likelihood, her mother had died of starvation somewhere. It was foolish to think otherwise. Even if her mother had lived, she probably wouldn't entertain the same concerns for where Claire was.

A sound caught her attention, and her ears twitched in the direction it came from. She quickly raised her head, then stood stalk-still, like a startled deer. Then, a human came into view - and Claire took an astonished step back. It wasn't just any human - it was a human she knew, a human that she cared about how he saw her. What if he somehow recognized her? Claire hesitated, unsure what to do - run? Stay to see how he would react?

[Adam Abbot]

"I mean you no harm." Adam said, quietly, he didn´t know what to say, or even if he should say anything, maybe he should just have kept his mouth shut, but not it was too late, he had spoken, maybe the sound of his voice would scare the magnificent being away, Adam sincerely didn´t hope that would happen, since he would like to stay a little and watch the creature, it´s beauty made him think of Claire actually, she was the closest thing he could come to a human as beautiful as this creature.

Adam couldn´t repel that feeling of familiarity like he knew the magnificent being that were there, standing only a few meters away from him. Adam moved his hand down into his pockets, and withdrew his wand from them, he then held it out into stretched hand, and slowly placed the wand on the ground. "See I do not want to harm you." Adam said as he stood back up, he hoped that the intelligence owned by the unicorn, would be enough to see that Adam was not a threat, that he didn´t want to do any harm.

Adam looked at the unicorn, the amazement, and adoration was shining from him as a lantern in a very dark cave. That fact was not hard to see, besides his mouth being wide open, people would also be able to see it in his eyes, and even hear it in the voice he had just used for a few seconds ago.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire was startled by the open admiration Adam showed, though really she shouldn't have been, she supposed - unicorns were remarkable creatures. Even as one, and thus the glamor was diminished to her, she could acknowledge this. But how would he react to knowing that this unicorn was.. Wrong? Was human on the inside. It wasn't supposed to be possible. She was - an abomination, really. Unicorns were the furthest things from humans, and she felt that she was shaming the species by existing, tainting this unicorn body by having a human mind.

Yet she couldn't help but trust him - she wanted to trust him. She was sick of only the professors knowing about who and what she truly was, though she knew it was for her own protection. Someone could easily exploit her for her hair, her blood - her horn, she thought with a shiver.

But she had glimpsed the heart of this human before her - and her instincts, both human and unicorn, told her that heart was good, and could be trusted.

Claire stepped forward slowly, then tentatively stretched out her neck to extend her muzzle towards him, offering for it to be touched, a true sign of trust, keeping her eyes - telling, if he realized what their similarity to her human eyes meant - on him the entire time, unblinking.

[Adam Abbot]

Adam stood there he could do nothing but watch as the magnificent unicorn moved closer to him, it was actually a pleasant thing, it was like it had an aura around it that made him more calm, and happier. He looked into her eyes; they were so similar to Claire that it was impossible to be a coincidence, but he didn’t mind actually it would make him happy if it were true. Adam would let nothing hurt this being, of course not Claire either, he would protect them with his life, if he could just be with this being a little longer, he knew how sought after unicorn parts were, but if anyone as much as laid one hand on this being, then he would kill that person.

Adam slowly moved his hand towards the unicorns muzzle; He let it gently touch it, it was smooth as far as he could tell, it felt very good, he could stand there, and touch it all day. “So, do you live around here?” Adam looked into the unicorns eyes; he had no idea why he asked that question, he was not even sure if the unicorn could answer, he hadn´t seen anything in his book that could suggest that the unicorns had the ability to communicate with a human.

He looked yet again into the unicorns beautiful eyes, they seemed so familiar, like he knew this creature, he kept pushing the thought away, but without knowing he said. “Have I seen you before?” His voice was calm, and sweet, like if he was talking to a lover or a very good friend.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire relaxed into Adam's touch - it was gentle, and reinforced her belief that he wouldn't hurt her. And even in this, she was an aberration - most unicorns hardly ever deigned to let anyone touch them, and when they did, it was only virginal girls they bestowed that honor upon. The unicorn within her flinched a little at the touch of a male, but her human sensibility balanced it out.

At his question, she tilted her head, wishing she could speak.. Well, she could shift back into human form, and then speak, confess that he did, in fact, know her.. Of course, her clothes were tucked away into the hollow of a tree, back near the clearing she had sunbathed in before. But with the unnatural speed this form gave her, it wouldn't take her very long to return there.

After a moment of indecision, Claire finally took a couple of steps back, then lowered her head to point at the ground where Adam stood with her horn, then stomped one delicate cloven hoof imperiously, trying to convey the message "Stay here," as clearly as she could think to. Then she turned, and with a small wicker like silver chimes, darted away through the woods.

She wove around trees and leaped over thick, raised roots, moving like quicksilver. A few moments later, she reached the small clearing, and quickly located the tree where she kept her clothing every time she shifted. She took a deep breath, then shut her eyes and concentrated. A faint, silver mist rose in slow curls from her skin as muscle and sinew began to move beneath her pelt. Her form began to distort, and there were a couple of sick-sounding pops as her joints dislocated, and repositioned themselves, bones stretching and shrinking. Before too long, Claire knelt nude in the grass, panting from the exertion of shifting back so soon after changing into her unicorn form. She gave herself a moment to recover, then stood, shaking only slightly, and grabbed her clothes out from the hollow, dressing as quickly as she could. She shimmied into dark jeans and a sapphire blue blouse with sleeves that flared once past her elbows. She ran her fingers briefly through her hair, though she missed a couple of leaves, and they remained there.

Satisfied that she looked presentable, Claire set off - barefoot - at a swift clip through the forest, back to the lake where she had left Adam. It took her longer to get there than it had taken her to leave in her unicorn shape, but she arrived presently, only a little winded. Even as a human, she had better running endurance than most people. She stepped tentatively out of the trees, her earlier apprehension returning, and gave a small, shy smile to Adam. "Hey," she said quietly.

[Adam Abbot]

Adam watched as the Unicorn took it's leave, he had kind of guessed that it would do that sooner of later, he knew that most unicorns only allowed virginal girl to touch them, so it was kind of a feat to touch this being, maybe it was the fact that Adam was still a virgin, that had something to do with it, or maybe he was simply to handsome to resist, or even better yet, maybe it was because of the forest smell he had aquired because of the walking in here. The unicorn tried to message him or something before it took it's leave, he wondered what it had tried to say, but he guessed it would come back so he could ask it, not that he would expect and answer if it did.

"Hey,"

Adam heard the familiar voice of Claire, the only being in his world that he cared more about than the unicorn. "Oh hey Claire... I am sure you’re not going to believe me, but only a few seconds ago, a Unicorn was here." Adam looked happily at her as he spoke, he knew it would sound unbelievable, but still, Claire would believe him. Adam hadn´t thought of the possibility of Claire and the Unicorn being the same being, or maybe he had, but the thought was far away now, the appearance of his best friend had made everything else seem unnecessary. Adam smiled at her, she would think he was crazy or something, everyone knew there weren´t any unicorns out here.

“Oh Claire, I wish you had seen it, it was the most beautiful being on earth, besides you of course, actually I think it had your eyes.. At least they looked very much alike.” Adam kept smiling happily as he spoke about the unicorn, he had gotten used to saying embarrassing things around Claire, so he didn´t react when he practically said that she was more beautiful than one of the most beautiful beings on this planet. Adam didn´t move much from the spot where he had been standing with the unicorn, he could still see the hoof print the unicorn had made.

[Claire Littleton]

A flush colored Claire's cheeks as Adam spoke, and she looked down, fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt. "I believe you," she said softly, stepping lightly further into the clearing. She tilted her head, much like she had moments before as the unicorn, and looked up at him from underneath her eyelashes. "I'm.. glad you think so. Because, well.." She couldn't think of a way to say it. It all sounded ridiculous in her head.

Turning away, Claire leaped lightly onto a fallen tree, now a moss-covered log, and walked along its length, one foot in front of the other, in perfect balance. "My mother wasn't a witch," she said in a rush. Then, swallowing hard, she continued, more slowly, "She wasn't even human. But she was transformed into a woman by a very powerful wizard, when a spell of great consequence went awry. When she met my father, they fell in love - or at least, as close to love as she was able to feel. I think she was capable of love, though, at least for him. When I was born, she.. Couldn't really connect with me. She couldn't process the fact that I was hers. She paid me little heed, and was never very good at taking care of me, as she'd often forget I was even there. Mostly it was my father who cared for me."

She turned, and walked back the other way across the log. "Then a couple of years ago, he died. My mother was torn apart. He was really the only human she could relate to. Without him around to remind her, she stopped eating, stopped caring for herself. By then I was old enough to care for my own needs, but I didn't know how to do the same for her. She vanished, not too long after his death. Nobody knows if she died, or if she somehow found a way to return to her original form. I was at Beauxbatons at the time. Then my abilities were discovered, and I was transferred here.. And from there you know the story. Professor Iving took it upon herself to take me on as her ward."

Claire looked down at the little creatures swimming through the lake, so she wouldn't have to meet his gaze as she said, "I wasn't entirely honest with you before, when I told you what my mage was. I am a healer. But I'm also a shapeshifter. I can take on the form of my mother's true species." She paused for a long moment, gathering her nerve. "Her name was Amalthea, and she was a unicorn."

[Adam Abbot]

Adam followed her with his eyes as she walked around while telling her story, it was a great story about her, and the way she told it just made it that much better, she was really a good storyteller, and kids would enjoy her company when she was telling stories.

"I wasn't entirely honest with you before, when I told you what my mage was. I am a healer. But I'm also a shapeshifter. I can take on the form of my mother's true species. Her name was Amalthea, and she was a unicorn."

Adam looked at her, amazement and disbelief was painted on his face, it was obvious that he was trying to comprehend that information he had just gotten, like a computer he was processing the sounds coming from Claire' beautiful lips. A broad smile came on his lips as he finally figured it out, the answer ad been in front of him the whole time, and yet he had been unable to see the simplicity of it. "So... You where that Unicorn." Adam said, his voice was happy, and there was not the slightest hint of fear or hatred in his voice, actually it sounded like he was happier than he had ever been, happier than any person had ever made him, it was like opening Christmas-presents and he had just gotten the big red bicycle he had hoped for, just in this case the big red bicycle was a very beautiful and as Adam thought talented young Witch with a MAGE.

“Why didn´t you tell me?” Adam asked, as he moved closer to Claire, with the same gentleness and care as he had shown the unicorn.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire turned to look down at him from atop the log, flinching a little as though waiting for some sort of blow, but when he spoke, her apprehension was dispelled, and relief was plain on her face.

"Yes," she said, unable to hold back a smile at the happiness in his voice. "Only the professors know. They have cautioned me against telling others, as unicorns are coveted for black market goods. There are many who wouldn't hesitate to exploit someone such as me. And half-breeds, especially such unnatural ones, are not always well looked-upon."

She shrugged, looking a bit embarassed. "I guess I didn't want you to think of me as something disgusting. What I am goes completely against nature, after all. Humans and unicorns were never meant to be.. Blended."

[Adam Abbot]

Adam nodded, of course it was understandable, she could become an item sold on the black market, she could, in worst case scenario even end up as a slave, of course slavery wasn´t going on here in this country, but in other countries, surely a woman as beautiful as Claire would be much sought after in any country.

"I guess I didn't want you to think of me as something disgusting. What I am goes completely against nature, after all. Humans and unicorns were never meant to be.. Blended."

"Claire... There is one thing you can never make me think about you... And that is that you could ever be something disgusting." Adam said, as he looked into her eyes, they were as beautiful as ever at least so he thought, but he wasn´t going to comment it this time, he had probably done it so many times before. “Claire… If nature was against what you is, do you really think it would have allowed it to be created? Well I don´t think it would.” Adam said, as he hoped that she would get the meaning of it, she wasn´t some disgusting freak that broke a few natural laws or something, she was just an innocent woman, with a little mixed genes.

“So… Claire… Do you come here often?” Adam looked out onto the lake as he spoke, it was very beautiful as far as he could see, he could Imagine Claire coming her, bathing maybe. Adam shook his head slightly though he also blushed a little at the same time, a picture of Claire bathing naked in the lake had just formed in his head, he quickly forced it that thought out into the outmost corners of his mind, maybe he would take it back later, but not now.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire smiled gratefully at him, and said, "Thank you." What he said did make a lot of sense, after all, and was comforting to her.

She stepped lightly down from the log, looking out at the lake as well. "Yes, I do," she said, walking up to the edge of the lake. "I spend a lot of time in the forest. It's very peaceful out here - very few people come out this far. This lake is one of my favorite spots. The water is safe to swim in and drink as well - although it's pretty much safe for me to drink most anything. I'm immune to most illnesses, though I can still be injured like anyone else."

[Adam Abbot]

Adam smiled as she commented her extremely good immune system, so there were some good things you got when you were a mixed specie, Adam couldn´t help but think about what other good things you got because of the mixed genes, first one was obviously the stunning good looks, secondly a good immune defense, and thirdly, well he hadn´t really thought about a third thing but he knew it were there. "It sounds really nice out here." Adam commented, as he looked out onto the lake, he could understand why she would come here, not only because of the peace and quietness, but also because of the lake, it was filled with life.

Adam walked up to Claire at the edge of the water, he didn’t know why, but when he was with Claire, he was calm, no thoughts ran through his head, well besides the picture he had thought of before, but he could do nothing about that, it kept forcing its way into his mind, well he didn’t really try to make it go away either, it was a pleasant imagination, and unless Claire could read minds she was never going to find out that he even thought like that sometimes.

Adam watched the lake, he got like an urge to go out into it and swim, but he refrained from doing so, since he would rather stay up on the ground with Claire, and he didn´t know how to ask her in a way that wouldn’t sound perverted or just downright wrong. Instead he decided to ask about her, so he could get to know her even better. “So Claire, besides a strong immune system, and obvious beauty, does being a mix between a unicorn and a human give any other good things?” Adam smiled slightly, he was focusing on the good sides of being a half-breed instead of the bad sides, since it wouldn´t be good if he Made Claire sad.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire smiled over at him, and while she thought about his question, she stepped forward until her feet sank into the silty red-brown mud a little and the water rose to cover her ankles. "Well," she said, tilting her head back to gaze up at the treetops, where birds and creatures of indiscernible shape flitted back and forth, twittering. "Animals tend to gravitate towards me a bit. And plants thrive better where I frequent - which is part of why Professor Iving likes my help in the Greenhouse so much."

She shrugged. "I'm a bit quicker than most humans while in human form. That's pretty much it - nothing extreme, really, while I'm in human shape." She didn't mention the fears she had concerning her half-breed genes to him - she didn't want to scare him off now, when he was taking it so well. He didn't need to know her concerns that she may take after her mother, that she may be incapable of the most human of emotions - love. It was her greatest fear that she would never be able to feel love.

[Adam Abbot]

"Well, Animals tend to gravitate towards me a bit. And plants thrive better where I frequent - which is part of why Professor Iving likes my help in the Greenhouse so much...I'm a bit quicker than most humans while in human form. That's pretty much it - nothing extreme, really, while I'm in human shape."

Adam looked as Claire walked a little out, to a point where the water covered her ankles, it was actually quite nice to look at her like this, in her right element, he couldn´t understand how anyone would make her walk inside the pitiful imitations called the Greenhouses. "That is pretty amazing." Adam said, as instead of walking out into the water, made some of the water come to him. The water slowly, moved over the ground, like a tiny snake moving towards its meal.

"Sounds like it's great to be a mix." Adam said, as he smiled slightly, of course he didn´t know about the darker sides of it, but as far as Claire had told, it was pretty good, with lots of advantages, and few disadvantages. The water was now on the palm of his hand, and was slowly forming into and orb of water, like the ones used for watching into the future.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire smiled faintly, only a hint of sadness in the expression, and said, "I suppose it can be sometimes." In truth, she did love her times in unicorn form - it felt so freeing, and like she could finally take a deep enough breath of air. It was a release of sorts, when she could forget her worries and simply be.

Claire watched the water snake towards Adam's hand, and slowly a true smile began to spread over her lips as a hint of mischief glittered in her eyes. "Seems like it must be pretty great to have an active ability like hydrokinesis as well." She stepped a little further into the water, then suddenly kicked a little splash of water at Adam playfully.

[Adam Abbot]

"I suppose it can be sometimes...Seems like it must be pretty great to have an active ability like Hydrokinesis as well."

"Well it does have a few advantages..." Adam said, but before he could continue with what he was saying, Claire splashed some water on him, it hit him directly in his face, of course it was playful of her, she wasn´t being aggressive or anything, so he smiled as he said. "Why did you do that?" Adam couldn´t help but keep smiling, and with a slight movement of his hand, he got revenge, at least a gentle one. He made some water splash on her, though he made sure it hit gently, and not as roughly as it had hit him.

Adam looked at her, as playful as she had been of course if he had been serious and angry about it, she was doing a very wrong thing, since she was in his element, the water, he could do practically anything to her, without her even knowing it. Of course he would never do anything to hurt her, never ever in his whole life would he allow that, a creature as beautiful, and friendly as Claire should live a peaceful life, without ever having to think about any kind of danger.

Adam got up, and slowly walked towards her, the water felt cold around his feet, but it was nice. He walked towards her as someone who wanted to splash her with water, maybe even push her down into the water, of course Adam wouldn´t do that, splashing more water probably, but never push her like that, and his face certainly told that.

[Claire Littleton]

Claire suddenly looked sheepish, and replied, "Erm, I don't know - I thought it would be fun?" Worry assuaged her - was that not an acceptable thing to do? She made social blunders all to frequently, especially when she had just changed back into human form, and part of her unicorn mentality was still lingering. She had seem human friends do this before, splashing each other back and forth. Had she misjudged? Was it not okay for her to do this to Adam?

Then some water splashed her in return, and Claire looked relieved, taking that as a sign that she hadn't made some horrible faux pas. Smiling, she bent down to roll the legs of her jeans up to her knees, and when she straightened again, walked a little deeper into the water, so that it was lapping against her shins. Tiny fish swam around her legs, nibbling lightly and harmlessly at her toes as they investigated this new intrusion into their habitat. "What are you doing this far out in the forest anyway?" Claire asked, suddenly realizing that it was odd for him to be here.

[Adam Abbot]

"What are you doing this far out in the forest anyway?"

"Well, the water called me..." Adam said, as he looked out onto the water and then at Claire. Adam knew it sounded weird, maybe even mentally wrong, but that had been true, he had identified the thing that had called upon him, being a Hydrokinetic, made you have like a bond with water around you, even from far away, it could call upon you whenever it wanted to, especially when it was magical water. "I know it sounds crazy, but it´s like a bond, I can call upon water, and it can call upon me." Adam looked at Claire, the combination of her in water was hot, not too sexy hot, more beautiful hot, a thing which he liked, sure there were lots of nice looking girls at the school, but none of them would ever be able to ever be compared to Claire.

What should he say? Adam couldn´t think about anything to say, of course he could comment on her stunning beauty, but he guessed she was getting fed up with that , when you heard something too many times, you didn´t want to hear it anymore. Adam had to be careful when walking that fine line.

The fish in the lake began to also move over to Adam, but it was like they were more respectful towards him, like if they could feel he was something special, something far more dangerous than their normal enemies. Adam kneeled slightly, allowing him to touch the water without making his knees and upper body wet, he moved a hand down into the water, it was nicely cold, he could find no reason for the water to even contact him, which was certainly weird.