The Rogue Anthology

Appendix 10 - Accepting My Twin Mates

~ Astennu and Badru meet Heru for the time and it's all from our favourite stallion's POV (apologies in advance for how anthropomorphised it is XD) ~

Heru

The warm sun above and the cool grass below. What more could I want? I rolled through the soft greenery, stretching out my neck to soak up the rays while I still could before it was feeding time.

The rumbling sound of one of those metal things could be heard in the distance, along with a cloud of dust rising as it drew closer. I didn't pay too much attention. Those things stopped by all the time, carrying those two-legged creatures. They would walk by our paddocks and make that ridiculous clicking sound that some of the other horses liked, trying to gain our attention. Some of us would then disappear into those large metal contraptions, never to be seen again.

That wasn't about to happen to me.

I had been in one of those things before and I had fought those two-legs every step.

The distant voices grew louder, interrupting my nap. I lifted my head to see three of those two-legs leisurely strolling past the paddocks. One I recognised. We all saw him around here regularly, showing others like him around. The other two I hadn't seen before, but they looked identical to each other.

"Any ideas what you're after, Alphas?"

"Don't look at me, I don't know a thing about horses. My brother just needed another driver for the trip."

"Strong is a definite, they gotta be able to carry a wolf. Other than that, I think I'll just know when I see them."

They approached my paddock, leaning against the fencing. I snorted. It wasn't the first time I gained attention. The two-legs were always looking at and admiring me, and who could blame them? I hauled myself up, shaking out my pale gold coat and flicking my long tail and mane.

"What kinda breed is that? It's beautiful"

"He's an Akhal-Teke. Never thought I'd actually get to see one. Stallion, right?"

The two identical two-legs spoke, not that I understood anything they were saying. They must have been saying things about me because their eyes followed my movements.

"Yep, he's ungelded, and a whole handful too. Kicked a stable hand clear out the barn last week. He's been here a little under six months and won't let many near. I'm about the only one he'll let feed him and that's on days he's feeling generous."

“Is he broken-in?”

“Sort of. I’ve gotten him to take a saddle and a bridle, some of the time, but he won’t let anyone climb up. He gets a lot of looks because he’s pretty, and that’s the trap with him.”

There was something about that one creature. The one that looked at me with a small smile and then promptly turned away. Why wasn't he trying to get my attention?

What was that two-leg's game?

I trotted over to the fence, intrigued, wanting to sniff out this unusual one.

"He can't be all bad, he's coming over to say hi,” the two-legs I wasn't interested in tried to stroke my neck.

How dare he think he could just touch me!

"Badru, I wouldn't try and stroke-"

But I was too incensed to try and figure out what they were saying, stomping my front hoof. I flattened my ears back, squealing, and snapped out, just managing to make contact with my teeth.

"Gah!" He leapt back. "Damn thing bit me!"

"You were warned, Ru," my interesting two-legs chuckled.

His identical copy growled and began to walk off. This two-legs growled at me and thought he could just leave?… I'd show him.

He was one of those changing sort. The ones that shifted into a big dog and thought they could dominate me into doing as told. I had seen his kind a few times in this place.

I charged up the fenceline and reached over to snatch at him. He was faster than any I had seen before and made it out of range of my attack, turning to snarl at me.

"Beast."

He stalked off.

I snorted, happy to have won. Most would run away and show fear. This one fought back. This two-legs, the wolf, he was a fun game to play with. I disliked him, of course, but he was fun all the same.

I whinnied and took off in victory around my paddock, making sure wolf-boy knew his place.

"As you can see, he might be beautiful, but he's a little temperamental. He's never taken to anyone, really."

The other one hadn't left yet. He had looked at me a couple of times but he hadn't done anything else, not even paid me any attention. Everyone paid attention to me. Why wasn't he?

"Is it alright if you give us a few minutes? I like his spirit."

“Take as long as you want, Alpha. Just watch your hands with him. I’ll go see if your brother still has all his fingers.”

The two-legs I knew dipped the thing on his head that he always wore and ambled back in the direction that the fun wolf-boy had gone, leaving me alone with the intriguing one… who still wasn’t paying any attention to me. He took out something round and green from his pocket.

Apple! My favourite and he brought it for m-

He swiftly rubbed it against him and took a huge bite, turning away from me... he didn't bring that for me? Rude, why not?!

I tried to reach over his shoulder to grab it, nickering to demand my treat, and he nudged my nose away. I was being denied? He smelt like the other one, the fun one. He was a wolf too? Why wasn't he trying to tell me what to do like all the others? Why wasn’t he looking at me? Why wasn’t he trying to stroke me as all the other two-legs did?

My two-legs was different from all those I had met before.

I rested my head next to him, on the crook of his elbow, hoping if I was nicer I would get what I was after. His fingers rubbed at my nose, sliding under my chin to scratch. I sighed, having never felt such bliss.

I was so lost, I never noticed the sweet scent till I felt a nudge and discovered my denied apple had been offered. Was that all I had to do to get my attention from him? Just let him scratch my chin? I guess I could allow that. His hand slipped up the side of my face, rubbing between my ears. I stretched out, loving the scratches and chomping the rest of my treat.

And out of the blue, he stopped and began to walk away.

Where was my two-legs going?

Normally, I was satisfied when they left, because I was the one that chased them. But I didn’t like this. I didn’t want him to go yet. I whinnied, calling him back and trotted to catch up, nudging his shoulder for more affection.

“So you can be nice, when you want to be,” he smiled, rubbing my neck.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Never thought that horse would go following anyone,” the familiar one returned.

“He just needs some patience, is all. Someone to see past all the bravado… Does he have a name?”

“A few colourful ones from the stable hands. I usually call him Lordship, for obvious reasons. You thinking of one?”

“Heru. And I think, he’s the one.”

I let my two-legs take my lead rein and walk with me up to the yard where we came at night. He didn’t pull or rush me, he simply walked at my side, patting my neck. I could get used to this. I spotted the fun wolf-boy again. Had he come back for a rematch?

No one had ever taken their time with me as this wolf had. They all expected me to behave on their schedule.

Just as I was starting to trust my two-legs, I spotted what he was leading me towards… one of those metal contraptions that they arrived in and took us away in. And I wasn’t about to be shoved into one of these things again.

I pulled back on the rein, rearing up and voicing my outrage that they thought I could be tricked.

“Hey, hey,” the traitor was calling… and I would be lying if I didn’t find his voice soothing. “How about we do this together, ay?”

I snorted in his face, but he didn’t back down and neither did he push. He just kept on patting the side of my head and whispering in that comforting voice. He turned and walked into the back of the metal contraption, leaving my rein dangling and unattached. Had this been anyone else, I would have bolted, having my fun watching those two-legs try to catch me.

But this one… I knew if I bolted, he wouldn’t come running after me.

This contraption, if he arrived in this, did it mean it would take me to where he came from? And did that mean if I went with him, would I see him all the time?

I stepped up the ramp, for once, deciding to trust one of these things.

“Wasn’t so hard, was it boy?” He patted my flank, fastening the dangling rein through the loop.

He was passed a net filled with an assortment of forage for me, and, unlike I thought he would, he didn’t leave me straight away. He kept by my side, stroking my neck and flank while I ripped out pieces of food from the net. This wasn’t so bad, I guess.

My two-legs shimmied past me and out, lifting the ramp up and shutting me in. I could hear voices outside, but I was too focused on my food to care what it was about.

“All the horses you could get, and it’s the diva?”

“You’re one to talk, Ru.”

“Take care on your drive back to Washington, Alphas. And good luck with his Lordship, you’re gonna need it.”

“I’m not scared of a challenge or a little work. Thanks again, Holt.”

I heard some footsteps and a couple of slams, then a gentle lurch forward and we were off. The landscape began to pass, changing from flats and fields to mountains and forests. I began to wonder if there would be more of these two-legged big dogs where we were heading.

*

*

*

This new home had proved to be very entertaining indeed.

New two-legs to torment and have my fun with, my favourite one being my wolf-boy. There was nothing more I loved than finding new ways to rile my nemesis. The way he reacted and fought back had become my favourite game. When he snarled and growled, I knew I had won our match. He didn’t like having his dominance tested and neither did I. Luckily for me, I was never the loser.

His copy though, the one who looked and smelt like him, my two-legs, I looked forward to seeing him the most. It was quite the shock when he changed into a wolf in front of me, but I adored playing with this creature and racing him. He challenged me in new ways and showed me all over this new home, just the two of us. He never demanded anything of me, even when he fixed the saddle to my back.

The most memorable ride was one of our firsts, when I met quite possibly the most enticing mare I had ever laid eyes on. No matter how many times I had nickered for her, she had refused my advances and even flicked her tail in my face. Sugar, her two-legs had called her. I would remember that name. Our riders didn’t seem to know each other at first, and, despite Sugar not giving me the time of day, they at least became friendly. Hopefully, that meant I would see my Sugar again.

There was one individual, I just couldn’t figure out for the life of me and she intrigued me almost as much as my favourite.

A rather pretty two-legs that I had spotted around and she, too, ignored me. That was until one day.

She came out to my paddock, carrying my feed bucket. I had charged the fence to see if she would run, if she would be a new toy for me to torment, but she didn’t even flinch. All she did was raise an eyebrow at me. As she was about to place my bucket down, I headed it out of her hands, sending the contents sailing. That would get a rise out of her and some damn attention.

“Fine, scatter feed it is, rude boy.”

She just walked away…

Wasn't she going to try and pick it up? Was I supposed to eat off of the floor like a peasant?!

The next day, she was back, walking my feed bucket out to me in my paddock, under my shelter. I didn’t like having to poke around the dirt for my food and if I knocked it out of her hands once more, she would leave it there. I swallowed my pride and conceded to let her in. I didn’t know what it was about her, but I didn’t want to annoy her again. What I wanted was her attention.

This time, as I ate, she stood nearby, looking out onto the forest and the mountain. After I finished, I tried my best to prance in front of her to gain her gaze.

Nothing.

She plucked an apple out of her pocket, turning it around in her fingers… how had I missed that?

Was this pretty two-legs teasing me with my favourite treat?

I snorted, sighing as she took a tiny bite. She was going to discover my weakness. I couldn't have that… but I wanted that apple. I rested my head on her shoulder, nudging for what I hoped would be my treat.

“You’re actually asking nicely, instead of acting like a spoiled toddler?”

She offered it to me freely, on the flat of her hand and, for the first time, she stroked my face. Her hands moved under my chin, scratching me to heaven. This felt delightful, better than my favourite two-legs wolf, who was the only other one I allowed to touch me.

I sighed into her touch, stretching my neck out to offer more of my chin to her. Her hands moved up to my ears, finding that sweet spot in between. I leant the full weight of my head onto her chest, completely at her mercy.

This new home would do just nicely.