Sweet Slices in the Sand

The desert wind sang like a little flute through the hollow ceramic gourds. Knut’s big pink feet went puff-puff-puff in the soft orange sand. Right beside him, Dinkabel skipped lightly, her blue sun tunic fluttering around her knees like cheerful blue flags. Up, up, up the curved crest of the dune they climbed, peeking over the top.

There, nestled in a sheltered scooped-out hollow where the shadows lay cool and violet, rested the second unicorn. She had silvery-white fur that shimmered like pearls, and she was fast asleep. Her long eyelashes rested against her cheeks, and every time she breathed out, little grains of bright orange sand danced around her velvet nose.

"Look, Dinkabel," Knut whispered. His heart-shaped head gave off a soft, rosy glow that warmed the sandy slope. "She is having such a nice nap."

"A very nice nap," Dinkabel whispered back, patting down her braided hair. "Her sister on the snow world was trapped in ice, but this sister found the coziest spot under the whole golden sky."

They crept down into the hollow on tiptoe, careful not to slide too fast. Knut knelt down in the warm sand beside the sleeping creature. Her pearl mane lay scattered across her shoulder like silk ribbons. Knut gently tapped his fingers against his underpant-suit pocket, but there was no frost to melt here—only a sleepy unicorn who had tucked herself away from the noon heat.

Dinkabel knelt on the other side. She reached out one rainbow-colored hand and stroked the unicorn’s soft velvety ears. "Hello, little sister," she spoke softly, in a voice like warm milk. "The stars are shining soon, and your sister is waiting for you."

The unicorn’s ears twitched once, twice. Her pink velvet nose wiggled, snorting a tiny puff of dust. Then her round, dark eyes blinked open. She did not jump or run. She looked at Knut’s kind pink heart-shaped face, and then at Dinkabel’s bright rainbow cheeks, and gave a deep, gentle sigh of greeting.

"She woke right up!" Knut laughed happily. His tummy rumbled, loud and merry like a rolling melon. "And my tummy says it is time for a rest."

Dinkabel unslung the wicker picnic basket from her shoulder and set it flat upon the warm ground. She flipped open the squeaky willow lid. Inside lay thick, juicy crescents of star-melon, pale green and dripping with sweet syrup.

Knut took the first slice, but he held it out on both open hands toward their new friend. The unicorn sniffed the sweet melon scent, stretched out her long neck, and took a polite nibble. Crunch! The crisp star-melon made a marvelous snap between her teeth. She chewed happily, licking her velvet lips to catch every sweet drop.

"Good crunch, isn't it?" Dinkabel beamed, handing another slice to Knut and taking one for herself. They sat together in a circle on the soft orange dune, three friends sharing lunch under the golden clouds while a slow-moving herd of sand-tortoises plodded quietly in the far distance.

As the unicorn finished her sweet treat, she turned her head toward the sky, where the twin moons were beginning to peek through the haze, leaving Knut to wonder how they would carry both unicorn sisters all the way back home together.