She woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and the light of the sun invading the bedroom. Smiling as she stirred from her slumber.
“That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time,” the Australian Brumby mare purrs; stretching her human half as she effortlessly gets up on her hooves. Noticing her mate moaning; as he too, begins to wake up. The paint horse now a centaur stallion yawns as he opens his eye to see Zoey staring down at her.
“This reminds me of our night we first transformed,” Pegasus commenting as he gets up on his hooves; “you staring at me and oozing desire. It’s a wonder I didn’t get behind you and mount you then and there.”
“Chris and the rest, would have had a cow,” Zoey nickering in return as they exit the room; pausing to see Beth, the Latino who equine half was that of a dales pony with charcoal black fur.
“We should let her sleep,” Pegasus speaking as Zoey enters the smaller bedroom; watching her mate crouch down and gently shake the filly awake.
“We all have busy days today,” Zoey responding; “no one is sleeping in. Now wake up Beth,” Zoey turning her gaze back to the Latino filly; “you got school today”
**********
Beth still looked bleary eyed despite having a shower and doing her morning business in the communal bathroom. While her foster mother helped to clean her up, the filly would have rather had Zack touch her back there. She spotted the English Black colt stealing looks her way last night during dinner; even her eyes wandered towards where he was sitting many times he looked away. Pretending not to stare at her, as she did the same to him; an act he two performed as they did their business together in the washroom.
“You like him don’t you,” Zoey seeing her foster daughter eyeing up the colt as they leave; walking to the village square, only the sounds of their hooves striking the cobblestone street breaking the silent din that was once filled with chirping birds only moments ago.
“I don’t know,” Beth finally answering; “all I know is I can’t help but stare at him.”
“And he stares back at you,” Zoey responding with a smirk; recognizing the tell-tale signs of love, the heavy breathing; flushed skin, mild stuttering. Remembering her own moments of being struck senseless, the last tryst prior to becoming Pegasus’s mate was a boy from Michigan. Her team was visiting out of state and competing in a tournament that lead up to a qualifying spot into the Kentucky Derby. While she and Pegasus competed in Steeple chasing, her tryst was a jockey that was riding a colt, vying a spot in the prestigious race at Churchill Downs. It was a quick torrent affair before leaving; she didn’t win her race and he failed to qualify, yet both left content.
Now Zoey felt happy along with contentment as she now accepts her new life as a centaur mare. Spending it with her former steed now her mate and lover. She remembered the first time they mated; it was shortly after they transformed. She becoming the Australian Brumby and he gaining the upper torso of a well-toned muscular physique with chest hair. Their first time was frenzied and admittedly clumsy. While she did climax, mostly from the excitement as she was bathed by his powerful musk; feeling his thick shaft pumping virile seed in her womb, made Zoey sink within herself. Swimming in a sea of ecstasy as she enjoyed the ride; her body responding of its own accord as it reacted to Pegasus’s intrusion and ministrations; clamping down on him as her muscles began the process of milking the stallion and encouraging him to explode in her. His mounting and subsequent dismount, finalizing her transformation into a centaur in mind, body and soul.
She breaks out of her reverie to see the same message that Amanda wrote down on the same blackboard that they found several days ago. Rewritten many times, thanks to rain and adjusting to the new centaur script; a mixture of ancient Greek and Roman Latin, it still said the same message as before.
‘A message for everyone! We need volunteers for important job roles! Please write below your name and preferred role.
‘Amanda – Head mare. Farmer. Wendy – Hunter. Farmer. Lucy – Miller. Nurse (working alongside Ben). Ben – Farmer. Doctor. Dentist. Luke – Stock taker of village buildings (supplies). Marcus – Miller. Midnight – Hunter. Farmer. Lightning – Priest. Town records. Bolt – Building inspector and repair. Daisy – Building inspector and repair. June – Miller. Snow - Stock taker of village buildings (supplies). Chris – Head stallion. Farmer. Fred – Blacksmith.’
Zoey cocks and eyebrow as she sees under the message a line added to the roles.
‘Josephine – Village protector; Dairy farmer; Moonshiner’
“Something wrong?”
Zoey turns her torso to see Amanda approaching the russet red furred mare with a silvery white colored mane and tail. The Nonius mare approaching and seeing Zoey staring at the blackboard.
“I didn’t expect the former deputy to pick a variety of duties,” Zoey adding her name to the list.
‘Zoey – Village Protector; Stylist.’
“Your mate and Josephine’s have yet to put their name down for duties,” Amanda wondering what Zoey had in mind as stylist.
“Pegasus muttered something about a lumber mill and tree harvesting,” Zoey shrugging her shoulders; “you could put that down or wait for him to explain. He was still showering,” Zoey adding; looking about and noticing Beth and Zack spending time together by the communal fire pit.
“Breakfast will be after church,” Amanda feeling Epona’s touch; “our goddess wants a word.”
“Again,” Zoey also feeling the pull; noticing the foals also looking towards the structure; “is this about last night?”
“Yes,” Amanda answering; observing those in the barn milking the cows coming out as well as various other buildings. The smell of fresh bread wafting in the air made her salivate at the thought of toast and the possibility of sandwiches for lunch as she trotted to the church.
Following everyone into the church it was easy to see Lightning and April already at the pulpit. Wendy and Midnight had a bow and quiver of arrows equipped; the two ready to go hunting before the call was made. A third centaur, a mustang with a Nepalese human torso was also similarity equipped; he was standing next to the Nakota Zoey recognized as Josephine. She wanted to talk to the former deputy, but was stopped when her mate showed up next to her along with Beth. Turning about, Zoey sees everyone in the church; even the remaining horse who became centaurs last night.
Turning back to the pulpit, Zoey watches as Lighting's eyes go white; a sign that EPona was using his body to communicate to the gathered Haras.
“Thank you all for coming,” the feminine voice coming from a stallion; sounding hollow as well as otherworldly. “I would like to stress that last night was something I don’t want to see happen again. An attempt to take a mate by force is not something I will tolerate. What Rasputin did was unforgivable and has paid for it with her life.” Epona adding the last to inform everyone that the Russian don with a Samoan human half was transformed into a mare prior to falling to her death.
“With that,” Epona booming; “the first law to be placed down is thus: The taking of a mare by force is strictly forbidden. I am loathed to speak of this, but that is the one crime in which gelding would be an appropriate punishment.”
‘Harsh,’ Zoey thought to herself.
“I will not allow this rebirth of the centaur race to fall from a disease born of bestial acts created through acts of sexual frustration. Which leaves me with a new wrinkle,” Epona pausing; allowing Lighting to take a breath before going on again. “Because of Rasputin’s acts, there is one extra stallion to the reaming five mares. This will require thought on my end, but thanks to the power of the portraits and my growing strength I think I can pull a single person or horse through to balance the scales once more.”
“Will we be the only village,” Wendy being the first to speak up; “are we solely the only ones to repopulate this world?”
“Chiron’s Grove is not the only village on Arcadia Centauri,” Epona answering; “it was just the last village that had believers of me. My magic managed to preserve it. Like a snap shot of the past. I managed to keep it from decay through centuries of neglect. Now that you are here, I can focus those magic’s on other villages. Pulling them through time and space; bringing them back to life as more humans and horses are brought to fill them. Eventually your descendants will all trade with each other; move to find mates and establish new Haras’s that will dot this world. Be faithful, be true to each other.”
With that, Lightning gasped as he felt Epona leave his body; using the pulpit to keep himself steady from collapse as his mate April comforted him.
“I think we should head back to the village,” Lighting composing himself; “we can all discuss Epona’s word over breakfast.