Briar's POV

Those narky old ladies were off their nuts (and god help me if they heard me say that). I might as well put a Santa hat on it and call it Randal. I was still mostly at a loss as to what, exactly, I was supposed to do, especially in this gloomy, depressed-looking forest. Although, if our native planes were warped versions of our favorite places… I smirked at the satisfying image of Zenery being chased by carnivorous books. But only for a moment, since I’d my own troubles to tend to. I furtively glanced around, suspiciously picturing what might be behind every crackle. As soon as my brain leapt to man-eating unicorns, I decided I’d much better hurry and find these gates Zenery mentioned. While I was at it, I summoned my sword and my falcon, who I’d affectionately christened Gwalchmai, or May Hawk. She peered at me sarcastically.
‘Is there anything you need, your highness?’ I grinned.
‘You’re a nice sort of creature, aren’t you? I need your help.’ She still looked unamused.
‘Does it have anything to do with remaining in this exceedingly depressing place?’ I affected unconcern.
“The sooner we get out of here, the better. We need to find gates.” This time I spoke out loud. Gwalchmai ruffled her feathers.
‘How many?’ I shrugged.
“I’ve no idea.” She glowered at me, but took flight.
‘Don’t move until I return.’ She wheeled overhead before arrowing in a northwestern direction. She returned but a moment later, clearly in a panic.
‘RUN!!! INTO THE WOODS!!!’ She screeched.  
“Wha-“ I began, before noticing the sinister shapes stirring in the direction she had just come from. Without hesitating a second longer, I turned and plunged into the woods in the opposite direction. Gwalchmai followed a moment later, landing on my shoulder.
‘They can’t follow us here- they’re too big to pass through the heavy forest easily.’ I didn’t inquire as to ‘Their’ nature. Instead I focused on what our next move ought to be. Gwalchmai tapped my ear with her beak.
‘I did discover that there are two gates, and none in the north.’
“How do you figure that?” She shifted restlessly.
‘I… can feel them.’ She was clearly uncomfortable, so I didn’t inquire further.  
“Can you figure their location?”
‘No.’ I sighed.
“Well, at least we have somewhere to start!” I picked a random direction, carefully keeping my sword at the ready. Milaek and Azami claimed they would protect me from mortal danger, but somehow I was fairly sure their definition of mortal danger differed greatly from mine.
Three hours and a lot of dead unicorns later (it turned out I was quite correct in imagining flesh-eating unicorns as a common predator on this plane), we finally discovered the first gate. It was green and glowing, not unlike the spot that had first pulled me here, but with intricate shifting designs in a darker green floating within it.
“Well, here goes nothing.” I cautiously stretched my hand towards it. When it didn’t pull me in, I touched the circle. My hand disappeared. Gwalchmai fluffed irritably.
‘What are you waiting for? Go on.’ Muttering about upstart birds with ridiculously high opinions of themselves, I stepped through.
“JANEY MACK!!!”
I had stepped right into a clearing of unicorns. They focused their flaming eyes on me, pawing the ground and snorting.
“Nice horsies… nice horsies…” I backed away slowly, feeling for the gate.
It had disappeared.
And I was surrounded by hungry carnivorous unicorns.
Oh shi- Luckily for me, Azami and Milaek apparently did consider this mortal danger. Azami’s irritable voice echoed through my skull.
“Ride the unicorns, you dull boy! They’ll find the gates for you.” Wondering how, exactly, I was supposed to have known this, I swatted aside two of the black beasts that were closing in on me and hurriedly swung myself onto the back of a third, kicking it hard in the sides. It needed no extra urging, however, because as soon as I had mounted it the other unicorns made a mad dash for me, disregarding the fact that I was on one of it’s fellows. Snorting, my mount wheeled before setting a hard pace southwest. As soon as I caught sight of the green circle, I dived into it, tumbling out onto the arena floor (which was mercifully no longer ice).  My head slammed into the floor.
“never again…” I croaked.
Azami appeared, smiling at me in what I’m sure she thought was a kind manner.
It was plain frightening.
“Sadly, this will have to become regular.” I think it was at this point that I completely blacked out.