Jackson woke up from laying down on a green patch of grass; sweating and gasping as his eyes bulge in shock. Standing up to see he was lying in his backyard; the lawn mower on its side with a massive crack on the motor housing and a horseshoe sized dent on the cowl that protects the user from the sharp blade. Rubbing his head as he shakes the cob webs off he sighs in relief as he stares at himself.
“That was one hell of a trip,” Jackson sighing in relief that the whole experience was a dream. He smiles as sees his cargo shorts hairy legs and socks and sandals on his feet. A fashion faux pas for some, the deputy preferred comfort over fashion when on his days off. He bends down to inspect the damage on his lawn mower and tries to wonder what happened to it.
“It’s as if one of them Centaur folk,” Jackson scratching his head; “stomped on it. Dam it all felt real.”
“What makes you think it was just a dream;” Jackson whips his head around in fear at recognizing that voice. His face runs cold as a Centaur steps out of the back door of his house.
“But this house is unsuited for your new form,” The centauress smiling.
“Fuhhh,” Jackson stands in fear as the centaur Goddess Epona stands before him. Standing a solid nine feet high; Epona’s face was framed by hair that shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors; cascading down her body with her mane and tail matching suit. Her breasts bare as she felt no need to cover her flawless porcelain skin in garments. Her human like torso merging into the lower body of a horse; a horse with silver fur replete with polished copper like spots that dot her rear flanks. Pawing the ground with ivory white hooves, Epona shakes her head at the scared deputy.
“Don’t stand there slack jawed,” Epona lowering herself; “climb up on me so we can have a chat. That wasn’t a request,” Epona looking serious; her smile gone as she stares at the deputy who reluctantly climbs on her back.
“Hold tight Joseph,” Epona standing up and effortlessly leaping over the fences; galloping through the back yards. Jackson struggles to stay on as he closes his eye; unable to focus as Epona gallops at such a speed, her hooves striking the ground sound like the distant peels of an incoming thunder storm.
“Just so you know,” Epona speaking through the din; “you are unconscious. This is a dream and here we can talk face to face.”
Jackson squints as he senses Epona reducing her speed and shifting into a brisk trot. He groans as he recognizes the location. It was a portion of the state highway where he and Steve met. Ahead was the accident scene of a drunk driver smashing head on into and SUV carrying two children with a seven month pregnant woman as the driver.
“I figured you’d know this place,” Epona seeing the carnage and shaking her head; “it has been on your mind all day hasn’t it?”
“Not one of my best days,” Joseph finding his words as he witness’s himself watching as Steve arrives and starts to work on saving the woman’s life.
“Fetal pulse is weak,” Jackson hears as he watches the paramedic pull out a scalpel from his kit.
“I don’t want to watch this,” Jackson looking ashen; shuddering as Steve cuts into the woman who passed away to pull out the fetus.
“Why,” Epona turning her torso to look at the man on her back; “according to your superiors, you did nothing wrong. You tried to apprehend and stop the driver. The drunk was the one to cause this.”
“He may not have if I didn’t try to pull him over,” Jackson uttering the words as he sees his uniform self, trying to keep a four year old and a seven year from running to their dead mother. He realized that they saw their pregnant mother getting in their eyes, butchered by one of the paramedics.
“But he may have regardless,” Epona walking closer to the woman who an assisting officer came by to drape a sheet over her. Steve and his fellow partner had the premature fetus in the back of the ambulance and were already racing to the hospital. “Did the child survive,” Epona approaching the dead mother; her question directed to Jackson as she crouched to let the deputy off of her.
“Just barely,” Jackson shaking his head; “I watch the father fall to pieces as I had to inform him at the hospital. I had to tell him his wife died. I regret not telling him that his kid’s witnessed her death. An image that assuredly scarred them for life.”
“And the driver,” Epona pulling the sheet off the body; “what of him?”
“He got off on a technicality,” Jackson gritting his teeth; “despite the overwhelming evidence brought to trial, the charges against the defendant were dropped because the high priced lawyer argued that his client was unable to understand his rights as they were read to him at his arrest. Because he was too FUCKING! DRUNK!”
“Language,” Epona snapping a dirty look at the deputy; “you want to know why we are here?”
“I don’t know,” Jackson getting glib; “Tear me down and then piss on the remains?”
“I just might do that,” Epona scowling; in no mood for his sass. “So please, by all means push my buttons.”
**********
“So if I wake up,” Jackson watching the traffic wiz by as he and a centaur goddess stood in the grassy median; “I’ll be female.”
“Yes,” Epona making the vehicles dissolve on the pavement. She beckons Jackson to turn his head and witness a centaur mare trotting down the highway. The upper torso was slim and toned; muscles taught under soft hairless skin. Looking up, Jackson sees pert breasts with dollar coin sized areolas; the nipples at the end stand stiff and tilted up. A white mane running down her back and blending into her shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Pointed equine like ears; her eyes sparkling azure blue. Her face youthful looking and was clearly a feminine version of his masculine expression. Looking along the equine half, Jackson couldn’t help but admire at near pale white fur. He gingerly approaches and places a hand on the side and feels the softness of the short course fur.
“A Nokota. A wild breed of horse native to North Dakota,” Epona speaking as Jackson walks around and inspects the horse’s rear; “it is rare for one to have a chance to view their new selves before they wake up,” Epona rolling her eyes as Jackson moves the tail to see the leathery equine vulva sitting below the puckered anus.
“As I said,” Epona having the centaur walk behind her to get Jackson’s attention; “you have two choices. And you should feel privileged to have these choices even though you did call me feckless bitch in my church. Option one,” Epona putting up a finger; “you accept being a centaur mare. You wake up and your memories remain intact along with our conversation and the herd welcomes you into the Haras.”
“And my second choice,” Jackson interrupting the goddess; getting a withering stare in return, urging him to stay silent as she continued.
“The woman’s who’s life tragically passed from this accident,” Epona replaying the scene and shaking her head as the drunk driver stumbles out of his car while the SUV is seen smoking and the driver not moving; “her soul will inhabit your body. Your consciousness will be locked away, waiting for the time her body goes into estrus. You will be reborn as a centaur foal,” Epona grinning wickedly; “there's just no guarantee that the stallion’s seed that will merge with the ovum you are part of will develop into a colt.”
“If I choose option one,” Jackson shuddering at the thought of being reborn with little memory of his previous life; “what of the woman who died in this accident?”
“She will be reborn as your foal,” Epona placing a hand on his shoulder; “like you she would have little memory of her past life and no guarantee she will be a filly when born. It will not be easy for you at first. Your body flooded with hormones geared for a body designed to gestate a fetus and birth it. You will struggle with your new urges. But you will have help from the other mares.”
********
“She is coming too,” Amanda sitting next to the newest centaur mare; staring at her soft face and smooth skin, the head herd mare couldn’t help but remark at how beautiful the former deputy became after turning into a fellow herd sister. Chris approaches and passes Amanda the tunic he caught when Jenny rode off with Sandy; shucking it off with a maniacal glee as she and his former steed gallop off to be alone.
“Thank you,” Amanda accepting the tunic just as the mare’s eyes open and look about groggily. “Here,” Amanda helping the newest centaur to sit up; “let me help you put this on.”
“Thanks,” was the only response as she slowly came too. Her body felt wracked in pain; as she tried to move her arms to put on the Tunic.
“You were in a lot of pain,” Amanda moving a lock of hair off to the side; exposing the bright blue eyes that are getting misty with tears.
“I talked to Epona,” The new mare blurting out in a full emotional meltdown; hugging Amanda as she started to blubber about the choices she was given. Only getting every other word through sobs and moans. Deducing that it could have been someone else waking up looking confused as Jackson waited to be reborn; Amanda helps up her newest herd sister while Chris signals Bolt, Ben, Midnight and Marcus to start rounding up the children that scattered from flailing metal shod hooves.
“Its okay,” Amanda hugging the Nakota centauress; “you’re alright now. Let’s just get you use to walking on hooves and we will get you a place to bed down.
Amanda guides the former deputy out of the town square just as Wendy June and Snow help up the horse that changed along with Jackson. Sparing a quick glance to see the new centaur stallion who was originally a Russian Don breed. Where his neck and equine head should be is now the upper torso of a tanned Samoan with a six pack abs, broad chest and shoulders. Smooth hairless skin with a tanned complexion. His eyes, a pale blue in color; his hair black and greasy looking as it looks wild and unkempt. A mane of dark brown fur runs down his spine ending where human flesh ends and equine fur begins. The fur in question was a light shade of brown; his hind legs sporting white fur and his tail flicking wildly.
Jackson couldn’t help but stare as her new body reacted to the fine stallion standing before her. Her hearts beating as she catches a whiff of his musk.
“Uhm,” Amanda sensing the two staring at each other intently and noticing the new centaur stallion’s cock sliding out of its sheath; “let’s keep things appropriate. We still have children about."
“But he looks handsome,” Jackson looking love struck; pawing the ground with a fore hoof as she felt the desire at being mounted and claimed.
“Yes,” he is a handsome specimen,” Amanda nodding; “but you need some time to adjust. No horseplay for you right now.”
“Same for you,” Snow seeing the stallion trying to approach but stopped when a child from behind approached.
“Amanda,” the girl yawning, causing the head mare to turn around; “I’m feeling sleepy.”
“Oh Maggie,” Amanda helping the thirteen year old girl with curly red hair up on her back; “I’ll tuck you in personally once I help our new herd sister okay?”
“Okay,” Maggie stifling a yawn as she gets jerked awake form Amanda’s equine muscles tensing as she walks with Jackson to the bungalows.
“What should we address you,” Amanda looking at Jackson; “as Joseph is not an appropriate name for a mare.”
“My Mom,” Jackson pausing as she hears her feminine voice more clearly; slowly getting use to walking on hooves as they make contact with the cobblestones for the main street. “She wanted to name me Josephine if I was born a girl.”
“A fine name for a mare,” Amanda nodding; “we have enough bungalows to house all of you.” Amanda checking to make sure Maggie is still holding on; “don’t be surprised if some decide to get frisky before laying down in a hay pile for a bed.”
“Will I be alone tonight,” Josephine turning her torso to steal a glance back to the town square; seeing the centaur stallion still staring at her rear as she walks further up the street.
“That is for Epona to decide,” Amanda answering; noticing the lingering stare; worried that Josephine might get plowed on her first night as a mare. “But if she wills it,” Amanda opening up a door that allows them entry; “then it will be gentle. She won’t allow a mare to be forcibly taken when she is not interested.”