Companions Chapter 12: Parceph
#12 of Companions
[Companions Chapter 12]
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WARNING! The following text contains explicit adult subject matter. It is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18, then you must stop reading now. The author has taken steps to ensure that this story does not appear in any subject-inappropriate or age-inapropriate forum. This version has been posted with the author's permission to Yiffstar.com.
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* _COMPANIONS_
* by Evoquus
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* (c) Copyright 2002, Evoquus, All rights reserved.
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* Feedback is appreciated: [email protected]
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Rating: NC-17 for explicit sex: M/M, Human-Stallion-Mare, Anal, Oral
Chapter 12: Parceph
Late in the day, I tended to my injured mate, forcing him to stay off his feet while I fetched his dinner.
"This really is not necessary," he said to me as I dropped mouthfuls of slobbery grass in front of him.
"Nonsense! You need to heal. Allow me to help you."
"It is very kind of you," he said, munching the shoots, though he seemed to be humoring me. "My legs are not broken. May I at least get a drink of water?"
"No, you stay here. I'll get it."
"???"
I went to the creek and sucked up a mouthful, then returned with my cheeks bulging. The attempt to transfer the water was an abysmal failure. Most of it splashed into his nose and eyes while he choked on what little actually went in his mouth. He glared at me, silently dripping.
"Okay, okay. I'm an idiot."
He got to his feet and kissed me on the head. "A thoughtful idiot."
"Wait, wait, wait. Give me one more chance."
"Companion..."
"Just do this for me, please" I said. "If it doesn't work, I'll let you go."
He sat back down in a huff, and I galloped back to the creek. I came back carrying a large sloshing bucket in my mouth. He perked his ears as I set it down in front of him, then he drank vigorously until he was quenched.
"Where did you find that?" he asked.
"Find what?" I grinned.
"The b..." His eyes opened wide. The bucket was gone. "Un - fucking - believable!"
"Believe it."
"The water wasn't virtual, was it?"
"Nope. Just the bucket."
He laughed and shook his head.
"Yeah, I know, I know. Whatever are you going to do with me?" I said, sitting down next to him. I so enjoyed pleasantly surprising him.
There would be no sex tonight with his injured ribs still knitting. I had no trouble with that. Whatever it took to make him better was all right by me, and retaining his essence was a prime factor. We were both content just to hug and nuzzle and kiss, and then share a virtual french apple pie.
"I am one lucky son-of-a-bitch," he said, licking his lips.
"That makes two of us."
The next morning was cool and overcast. We had been huddling together throughout the night to keep comfortably warm. Despite the cold, we both had slept well, and waking up next to him was always the best way to start a new day. He awoke soon after me, and the first thing we did to make the morning bright was to exchange our tongues.
"Why don't Hipponaurs have morning breath?" I asked, while continuing the passionate kiss.
"What is that?"
"Hmm - maybe I should keep my mouth shut."
"Not while my tongue is in it."
"How are your ribs?"
"Sore, but solid."
"Would you like to test them out?" I moaned, starting to get very horny.
"You read my mind," he replied, wetly mashing his lips harder into my own.
"I'm going to stand up now," I said, refusing to break away.
"Me too."
We held onto each other's tongues while we clumsily gathered our legs and rose to our feet.
"Oh Companion," he growled, "I want to fuck you so bad."
"And I want you to fuck me so GOOD. Come and get me, Stud."
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!!" screamed a white mare galloping toward us at full speed.
Rovaun pulled his tongue out. "Shianna, NO!"
She broadsided me and sent us both tumbling down a grassy slope.
"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU CUNT!! YOU FUCKING CUNT!!!"
We rolled together down the slope, which was not dangerously steep. When we got to the bottom, I ended up on top of her, pinning her to the ground.
"Here we go again," said an amused Rovaun at the top.
"Fucking CUNT," she said defiantly to me. I looked menacingly into her eyes, and she spat in my face. Without blinking, I slowly licked her saliva off of me. That must have wigged her out because she just gaped in terror. I bared my teeth and slowly brought them down, causing her to turn her trembling head and shut her eyes. Then I planted a big loud kiss on her cheek.
"Good morning, Shianna. How are you today?" I still held her down.
She gasped and looked at me, hearing a familiar voice, but not making the connection.
"What?"
"Guess who."
"Wh... Who?"
"Oh come on! Don't you recognize me?"
She looked closely at me. "Aren't you Zhorelle?"
"Nope."
"Look, I don't know what game you're playing..."
I stuck my human head out at her. She screamed and threw me off like a rag doll. Rovaun burst out laughing. Shianna got to her feet and looked at him then at me.
"What the hell is going on, Rovaun!?"
"Meet my Companion," he said to her.
I got to my Hipponaur feet, then stepped out of them.
She gawked at me as I held out my human arms to her.
"Danny? You're alive!?"
She came up to me timidly and allowed me to hug her. Then she pressed her chin into my back to see if I was real. I would later explain to her that that was no longer a valid test.
"Can I get some of that, too," asked Rovaun as he approached. We made a Wraith sandwich and it felt so good to have the whole family back together again.
"How is Tantau?" I asked.
"He's wonderful. But he's asleep right now so pulleeeze don't wake him!"
"Talking your ear off, eh?"
"Oh, if you only knew!" she said, exasperated.
"Trust me," I laughed, "I know."
I released the horses and smiled at Shianna.
"How... Who..." She shook her head at me. "What, when, where, why!?"
Rovaun and I giggled. Shianna was simply frustrated.
"Is that Zhorelle?" She nodded at the vacant horse.
"No," I said, patting my horse head. "Zhorelle is currently enjoying a third degree suntan. This is me, now. What do you think of my new body."
"Which body?" She looked back and forth between my Human and Hipponaur self.
"This one." I stepped into it and brought it back to life. "Ever do it with a mare?"
"Companion."
Shianna turned to Rovaun for answers.
"His soul is compatible with her body," he explained.
"Ohhh," she said, suddenly understanding most of it. She walked up to me and gave my Hipponaur body a cautious hug. It was still difficult for her to see me as friend rather than foe. "I'm sorry for attacking you, Danny."
"I forgive you," I said. "I'm sorry Zhorelle was such a fucking bitch. What did she do to you, anyway?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. I'll never get my revenge, now." She sulked a bit, then looked at me and lightened up. "I still can't believe you're alive." She hugged me tightly again and started to sniffle. "Despite your denials to the contrary, I always felt your death was my fault."
"Guess what, Shianna, I didn't die. However, if you like, you can take the blame for my soul ending up here, and to quote a lovely Hipponaur mare: 'I couldn't possibly be happier!' Thank you ever so much."
I kissed her and she giggled through another sniffle.
"And now you'll get to raise your son after all," she said, with a hint of disappointment.
"Shianna, you don't get off that easy. I'm going to have to insist that you help raise your son. You see, I'm currently pregnant with my own Anthraun."
"[Gasp!] Really??" She gaped at Rovaun who smiled warmly and nodded. "That's completely fantastic!" she whinnied. "Tantau won't be alone - he'll have a playmate! A brother! And we can raise them together! Oooohhh, quick, quick, tell me his name!"
"His name is Tattoo. And he's already proven to be one tough hombre that don't take no guff from nobody."
"Oh my God," she laughed, "Tantau is exactly the same way." She planted her own loud wet kiss on my cheek. "Thank you, Danny! [Kiss] Thank you! [Kiss] Thank you! [Kiss] Thank you!"
Shianna and I walked back up the hill sharing our stories of recent motherhood.
"I can see that misery will be enjoying plenty of company from now on," grumbled Rovaun, trailing behind.
"So, do pregnant Hipponaur mares get morning sickness?"
"What's that?"
"Waking up every morning with your head in the toilet."
"Ew."
"No, puking your guts out."
"That happens to pregnant humans?"
"It's quite common."
"Sheesh! I wouldn't put up with that at all. It's a miracle your race survived."
"Oh come on, Shianna. Are you telling me if Tantau were causing you to barf every morning you'd get rid of him?"
"No! Of course not! Not Tantau, anyway. He's Rovaun's son... and yours. I'll endure anything for him. Now, if he were Bouceph's son..."
"Bouceph!" I said stunned. "Are you Bouceph's bond mare?"
"Y... Yes, didn't you know?" she said nervously, looking back and forth between Rovaun and myself.
I slowly turned to Rovaun. "No... I was not aware of that little tidbit. Why Rovaun, you pervert, you've been doing it with your own son's bond mare?"
He lowered his head sheepishly. I certainly was not one to pass judgement, but it was fun to make him squirm a little. He raised his head again, defiantly.
"I make no excuses for my actions."
I kissed him. "You don't need to, my dear. I'm just teasing. It actually makes sense in a way - you both can't stand Bouceph, so it's only natural that you found each other. What does Bouceph think of your relationship?"
"If he cared one iota for Shianna, then I never would have touched her."
"Then it's a good thing he's such a jerk," said Shianna, smiling to Rovaun.
"Yes it is," I agreed. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we also have HIM to thank for Tantau finding such a compatible womb."
"That had not occurred to me, Companion, but the idea does have merit."
"See?" I said. "Everything's working out just fine." Then I looked at Shianna and realized something. "Um, Shianna, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at some other clique spreading the word?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I met up with some friends from that clique and told them all about your death... I mean... you know. Anyway, they took the news back for me so I could catch up with Rovaun sooner." She turned to him. "I didn't want to keep you from your son."
"I see," he smiled.
"They seemed to understand the severity of the situation," she continued, "but didn't think it would be a problem, with the possible exception of Parceph. Nobody knows where he is."
"Oh God, Rovaun, he's looking for another human Companion!"
"Possibly."
"He's doing it because of me. We have to warn him to be careful."
"Parceph is an intelligent being. He knows to be careful."
"But his emotional state could make him careless. If something happens to him I'll never forgive myself."
"Companion, I do not even know where to begin looking for him."
A timid young Hipponaur approached us, looking at Shianna with soulful eyes. "Are you Tantau's mother?" she squeaked.
Shianna turned to me.
"Hello, Malaya," I said warmly. "This is Shianna. She's Tantau's mother. Shianna, meet Malaya, Tantau's dream date."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Malaya."
Malaya could barely be contained. "Can I talk to him? When can I meet him? When will he be born? Ohhh, I wish I could marry him right now!"
"Take it easy Malaya, or you'll scare him away," I smiled at her.
"Oh," she said, looking down, "I'm sorry."
"I don't see any harm in letting her say hello," said Shianna.
I got down on my knees for her. "Let me give you a tip, Malaya. If you want to catch Tantau, you have to be subtle. Just be your charming self, but don't be pushy. Make Tantau think he's the one catching you. Then you'll have him wrapped around your little finger... or hoof. Okay?"
"Okay," she grinned. "You're sneaky."
"You bet I am! How do you think I hooked Rovaun?"
"Hey!"
"Watch, Malaya. Rovaun still thinks he did all the fishing."
"...But I did!"
"See?"
She giggled delightfully, while Rovaun snorted.
"Tantau is awake, Malaya," said Shianna. "Would you like to introduce yourself?"
"Ooohhh, I'm too nervous right now! Someone else talk first." She turned around to gather her wits.
"May I?" I asked, as if anyone could really prevent me from pressing my head into Shianna's belly.
"Hi," said my tiny son to me - the son I had died for. I was instantly overwhelmed by emotion and could barely continue this simplest of conversations.
"Hi Tantau. I am your Daddy, and I love you..."
"Hi Daddy. Daddy died."
"Yes, but I loved you so much that I came back."
"I love you, Daddy"
I broke away and set down to cry.
"Companion, are you all right?"
I nodded. "I'm j... just so happy to be here and be able to talk..." I pulled myself together and sniffled. "It must be the hormones."
Rovaun took over the conversation with his son. I couldn't hear it, but I could tell he was equally moved by communing with Tantau. He pulled back and said to me, "He wants to talk to you again."
"Really?"
Rovaun smiled. "He knows who you are. Yes, really."
I resumed the position.
"Hi Tantau."
"Hi Daddy. I'm glad you came back."
"Me too, son. And I'm here to stay. I love you very much."
"I love you, Daddy."
"There is someone else who wants to say hi to you."
"Okay."
I stood up and summoned Malaya, who nervously came up to Shianna and pressed into her. She held still for a moment, then adjusted her head and held still again, then dropped her head and stepped back.
"He won't talk to me," she said sadly.
"No, dear," consoled Shianna. "He just doesn't know how to hear you yet. But you keep trying. In a day or two, I promise you two will be talking up a storm together."
"Okay," she said, retaining a glimmer of hope.
Tattoo was now awake as well. "Shianna, let me try something." I stood side-by-side with her and pressed our bellies together. Soon, I heard a high-pitched energetic buzzing.
"What are they doing?" gasped Shianna.
"Total data dump, would be my guess," I said.
The buzzing settled down after a short while, then an entirely new sound emerged.
"Oh my God, what the hell is that?" said a disgusted Shianna.
"Let me guess," said Rovaun. "Tavern drinking songs."
Shianna moved away from me, but our kids continued the ditty on their own. Then she looked at me coldly and said, "I'm going to kill you."
"Please forgive me, Shianna," I chuckled. She snorted and walked away, closely followed by Malaya.
The joys of communing with Tantau for the first time were soon offset by my renewed concern for Parceph. He had saved my life, or rather, caused Rovaun to save my life; nevertheless, I was alive now because of him.
"How far away is Parceph's clique, Rovaun?"
"About six hour's travel, but I doubt that he is there."
"I know, but that's where to start looking."
Shianna turned around. "You're going to look for Parceph?"
"I am," I said. "I owe it to him."
"Then I shall join you, Companion" said Rovaun, without hesitation.
"And so will I," chimed in Shianna.
"Me too!" cheered Malaya.
Shianna dropped down to her. "Oh, no, Dear, it is much too dangerous for you to leave your clique."
"But... but I want to talk to Tantau..." She started welling up again.
Shianna hugged her, not sure what to do now.
"Shianna," said Rovaun, "Perhaps you should stay here with Malaya until we return. I am sure she can teach Tantau some more appropriate Hipponaur songs."
Shianna stood up, disappointed, but understanding. The search for Parceph would be optimal with two Hipponaurs. Three would slow the posse down. She came over to us and we all hugged as horses.
"I hope you find him," she said. "And hurry back. I love you both."
"Don't worry, Shianna," I said, "It is our destiny to bring him back. Rovaun and I have some unfinished business with him."
Rovaun glared at me to shut up.
We both smooched her simultaneously, then said good-bye to Tantau, making it clear to him that we would return. He seemed to be perfectly okay with that, and it wasn't that he didn't care, but rather that he simply trusted us at our word. Tattoo was far more cynical. I hoped I could eventually turn him around.
Malaya followed Shianna around like a loyal hound. Fortunately, not only did Shianna not mind, she genuinely appreciated the extra attention. I had no doubt that Tantau was in good hands.
After a quick breakfast, we headed for Parceph's clique. If we controlled our sexual urges, we could be there by early afternoon. For most of the way, we traveled side-by-side.
"Thanks for coming with me, Companion," I said.
"That is what Companions are for."
"Not always... I mean, we don't have to do EVERYTHING together."
"That is true. There are times when solitude can be peacefully rewarding."
"Especially when I'm annoying."
"Especially." Then he changed the subject. "Companion, what do you think of Tantau?"
"I think he is absolutely wonderful!"
"I heartily agree," he said, now sounding a bit troubled... and I knew why.
"One cannot help but compare the two, can one?" I said.
"No, one cannot help it," he sighed.
"Tantau seems better adjusted."
"Yes," he said as if being relieved of a terrible burden. "I did not want to say anything to you regarding that."
"It's understandable, though, Rovaun, considering Tattoo's history."
"Of course, I am aware of his unfortunate past, and I will truly love both of them as equals to the best of my ability. But in all honesty, I will tell you right now Companion: I seriously doubt that I will ever forget that Tantau is half me, whereas Tattoo is half Zhorelle. When all else is equal, Tantau will always win with me."
"I understand, Companion. And since we are being brutally honest, I will confess that right now, I feel the same way. Tantau is half you and half me - he's perfect. And that just means that we both are going to have to spend more time with Tattoo than with Tantau to make up for our bias. Uh... he can't hear us right now, can he?"
"No, other than possibly sensing that we are talking about him."
"Hmm... How are you Tattoo?"
"I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too. Are you enjoying the ride?"
"Yes. Where is Tantau?"
"Do you like Tantau?"
"Yes. Where is Tantau?"
"We had to leave. But we will visit him again, okay?"
"Okay."
I turned to Rovaun. "Wow. Did you hear that?"
"I think so. He already sounds more confident."
"It must have been the data dump - it went both ways. The cowardly lion just got some courage from the Wizard."
"It would seem so, and I am already regretting what I just said about him."
"Talk to your son," I insisted, coming to a stop.
Tattoo and Rovaun engaged in a lively conversation for several minutes while I eavesdropped. Tattoo seemed to be completely renewed, changed for the better with the knowledge that he had a brother, and now Rovaun couldn't get enough of him. When Rovaun finally hung up the phone, he jammed his lips into mine for a big slobbery kiss.
"He is just as perfect as his brother!" he said joyfully.
"Let's try something... Tattoo, do you want to play a game called 'Hide and Seek'?"
"Okay."
"I'm going to hide. And while I'm hiding, I want you to sing the funny 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' song. When you're done, see if you can find me."
"Okay. Row, row, row your boat..."
I easily stepped out of my body and made out with my Companion for the minute it would take Tattoo to finish all permutations of the song.
"You are a genius," moaned Rovaun, sucking on my face.
Sadly, it was over too soon when Tattoo, who could suck much harder, finished singing.
"Oh, you found me!" I said, back in my body again, making him giggle with delight. "Would you like to play that game again later?"
"Yes!"
We resumed our way to Parceph's clique. Tattoo continued to be in good spirits and never tired of his travel songs. Fortunately for my sanity, the constant galloping vibration often lulled him to sleep. Rovaun's spirits seemed equally lifted, and whenever he was cheery and excited like this, I always found him to be especially attractive. And as usual, all I could think about was jumping his bones. However, for once I managed to control myself and let him hold on to his essence for a while.
When we got to the clique, the news of Zhorelle and the Wraith had already been disseminated, so there were no shocked surprises when we were seen together. We were welcomed warmly and offered a nice green meadow to rest and dine on.
No one knew of Parceph's whereabouts. When he had returned from the bonding ritual, he had spoken of a new resolve to put his life back together. Then the next day he said farewell to the clique, but did not divulged his destination. Everyone wished him well and was happy to see him finally pursuing his dream again. With the Wraith's revelation about Humans and Anthrauns, no one gave Parceph's actions a second thought. Now, of course, they were as equally concerned for his well being as we were.
Most Hipponaurs ignored any human relics that they occasionally encountered, but Parceph delighted in collecting them. He had an old wooden trunk that he kept protected inside an indentation in a large rock. It was ancient and severely weather-beaten. Rovaun pulled it out and opened it, breaking the cover off its hinges that had completely rusted through.
"I know Parceph will forgive you," I said, "but I'm sure glad it wasn't me who busted it."
Despite his fascination with humans, Parceph's trunk was remarkably sparse. Apparently, he did not prize every human artifact he encountered, and instead, chose his possessions carefully. Yet the eclectic collection didn't make much sense to me. I recognized a few things from my timeline: a McDonald's Happy Meal toy, an Alkaline 9 volt battery, both jokers from the same deck of cards, and a Zenith television remote control. Then there were a few items that had to be hundreds of years old: a twisted wire-framed pair of spectacles caught my attention. Had those belonged to his Companion? There were some ancient documents as well, but they flaked off in the breeze, basically destroyed by time. There was one piece of paper that was still in good shape, and Rovaun took an interest in it. He pulled it out and set it down to study it.
"This is... unusual," he said to me.
All I saw were a few hieroglyphs and some symbols that looked like cuneiform, except that the symbols were composed of U-shaped pieces, like hoofprints in various directions and groupings.
"This is basic Hipponaur writing," he said.
"You guys have a written language?"
"Yes, but it is very primitive. We use it primarily to make simple announcements at common gathering places or well-traveled crossroads. We don't write novels."
"Rovaun, this paper is laser-printed."
"Yes, I am aware that a human was involved in its construction, not only because of the medium, but also because of the message."
He pointed out various areas with his hoof. "This symbol means 'Greeting.' This one here is 'Companion.' And these two symbols inside the circle..."
"Let me guess: 'Human' and 'Hipponaur.'"
"More precisely, 'Human' and 'Hipponaur Stallion,' and since the symbols are the same size in the circle, that implies equality."
"Rovaun, this is practically an invitation written just for Parceph! Where did he get it?"
"I don't know. The syntax is not quite right, but that might be understandable if it was written by a human. It may not have been intended only for stallions."
"What is that last symbol that looks like a funky rock formation?"
"It is a funky rock formation. I recognize it - it is in Arizona, eleven days travel from here."
"Eleven days! We don't even know if that's where he went."
"No one said this would be easy."
"I don't suppose it's next to a highway."
"I believe it is ten miles from Route 66."
"Really? That's great! We can drive... oh shit, I'm a horse."
"Oh shit, so am I."
I stared at my mate in consternation.
"Uh oh," he said. "I recognize that expression, even on your new face. Whatever you are thinking, stop it."
"I'm thinking I want to get to Arizona in less than eleven days."
"That would be nice, but not possible."
"Rovaun, if this is where Parceph went, he's probably already there by now."
"Perhaps."
"And if he didn't go there then the sooner we find that out the better."
"Companion, you are a horse, not an airplane. Twenty miles a day is the approximate limit of your travel, maybe up to thirty miles if the terrain allows. Significantly more than that and you will become lame for a day, ultimately making less progress."
"Point me to the nearest highway."
"It is not in the direction we need to go," he snorted.
"It WILL be if we hitchhike."
"Hitchhike!? Have you learned NOTHING!?"
"Rovaun," I grinned, "you said it yourself: We're HORSES. What can they do to us?"
"You are being reckless," he said, "but I can see I will not change your mind in this matter." Then he mentioned the real reason why he decided to go along with my plan. "And I, too, would like to find Parceph as soon as possible."
We told Parceph's friends of our intentions and where we were headed. Several insisted on joining us, concerned for both his and our safety. It took some creative arguing, but I convinced them to let us find him on our own for the time being. Then I made them promise to wait twenty-five days before looking for us. I expected to be back in half that time.
We headed to the highway which was two hours away. I still wasn't sure what the plan was, and was hoping it would come to me in an epiphany on the way, but it didn't. Rovaun kept nagging me for some sort of nugget or idea as to how we were going to pull this off. He was becoming really annoying.
"Any ideas yet," he asked for the umpteenth time.
"No, and if you ask me that again, you're going to get it."
"Get what?"
"It."
"Sex?"
"No!"
"You mean I WON'T get it?"
"Yes, now shut up."
"Are you telling me that you will withhold sex from me if I ask you that question again?" He seemed terribly amused.
"Yes."
He laughed out loud at the absurdity and said, "Any ideas yet?"
"All right, that's enough."
"I apologize, Companion. It is just that the thought of YOU withholding sex from anything is beyond my comprehension."
"Oh come on, I'm not THAT loose."
"And you are not exactly the Virgin Mary, either."
"Well, what about you?"
"All right, I will shut up, now," he said, perhaps uncomfortably.
"You mean, there's more to your sordid past than your son's bond mare?"
"Oh look, we are nearly there."
"Where? I don't see anything."
"Just beyond that ridge."
"That ridge that is four miles away?"
"Yes."
I laughed. "I'm going to find out sooner or later, you know."
"Later."
"Not necessarily. I know your weaknesses. You can be bribed."
"I thought you were going to withhold sex."
"I already did. Didn't you notice?"
"Hee-hee-hee, you are my kind of slut."
Just over the ridge, there was indeed a sparsely traveled highway below us. We made our way down to it with little trouble except that I had an embarrassingly difficult time jumping over a four-foot tall barbed wire fence. I ended up landing on it and scratching my belly. Rovaun licked the minor wounds clean out of habit for tending to me as a human. I found it very endearing.
"That is so unfair," I said. "You get to lick me, but there isn't anything for me to lick."
"You can lick this," he said, sticking his tongue in my mouth. We kissed deeply because we hadn't done so for a couple of hours.
"Any ideas yet?"
"As a matter of fact, I have. This way."
"Ahem. Arizona is that way."
"I know that," I said, turning around.
"So what is your plan?"
"You'll see. Just follow me."
With Rovaun close behind, I walked along the shoulder of the highway, staying visible but far off the road, in case an inattentive driver came along. Several cars and pickups slowed down as they approached us, nervous that we might bolt out in front of them, then sped up as they passed by.
"This plan is brilliant," said Rovaun.
"Give it time."
It didn't take long. A young women in an SUV slowly pulled over behind us. She opened the door gently and got out, trying not to startle us.
"There's our ticket," I said. "Just act like friendly horses."
"Hey there," she said softly. "What are you two doing here?"
We stood together and allowed her to approach us, whickering and acting casual. She reached out to pet us and we let her do so, randomly snorting and picking at an occasional green shoot sticking out of the ground. She looked us over head to tail and forced our mouths open briefly, then she stood back in a quandary. Finally she pulled out a cell phone and called someone.
"Lyle, there are two horses out here on the highway about ten miles east of the Stevens ranch... No... Adult mare and stallion... I don't think so. You know how zealous he is about branding them... No, no marks of any kind... But... Somebody has been taking care of them. They have no fear of people... I can't just leave them here... Lyle, it will only take you a minute. Just bring the trailer. Please... Thank you, bye."
"Don't worry," she said. "We'll find your owner."
She continued to fawn over us, something Rovaun was apparently used to. He played the roll of domesticated equine so well that my mimicking him must have looked forced. She didn't seem to notice.
"You both are simply stunning. I'm going to have a few words with the careless clod who lost you."
She knelt down and examined our hooves, then seemed very puzzled - we didn't have horseshoes. Our hooves were in pretty good shape, considering, but it didn't make sense that such well-maintained horses showed no signs of ever being shod. While she was under Rovaun, I caught her looking at his privates.
"You've seen some action, haven't you, Beast." Then she looked at me the same way and smirked. "And so have you, Beauty." She stood up and brushed herself off. "We'll just have to get you two lovebirds home and cleaned up."
I considered my next move carefully, then decided to chance it. "Hey," I said to her, as a communing Hipponaur. It produced no response. "Hello." Still nothing. "Can anyone hear me?"
"I can," said Rovaun. "It is safe for us to commune in her presence. Only a very small percentage of humans can hear Hipponaurs."
"That may be true, but I am not entirely Hipponaur."
She still did not register any conversation taking place. I stuck my head out to the side away from her and whistled, then ducked back in. She got up and looked around.
"Careful," said Rovaun.
"Just testing. At least we know we have that option in case of emergency."
A few minutes later, an old beat up Chevy truck arrived towing a horse trailer. A cowboy in his forties got out and looked us over.
"I don't recognize 'em," he said to her, "but I agree with you - they belong to somebody. All right, let's get ropes on 'em."
I didn't want a rope on me, so I walked to the back of the trailer and waited impatiently to get in.
"Poor thing must be starving," she said, opening the trailer and letting us inside.
"Please explain to me how this gets us closer to Arizona," said Rovaun, as we traveled down the highway in the vibrating trailer.
"Let me guess, we're going the wrong way."
"Bingo. We need to get out of here, now!"
"No, wait. We're not going very far. Trust me."
"Companion, I will always trust you, but there is nothing of you to trust in this situation. You do not control it."
"Trust me," I said, kissing him.
He snorted and returned my kiss. "Yes, Dear," he said, whipped.
We turned off the road and headed toward a small ranch house equipped with modest horsing facilities. The trailer backed into a paddock and we were set free to roam the small enclosure that we shared with two other horses. They took notice of us, but were for the most part brain-dead equines.
"They're all yours, Nadine," the man said, reaching under the driver seat and then heading into the house.
"Fine," she muttered, "go back to your stupid game." Then she clicked at us. "Food's this way, my pretties."
We followed her into the small covered stable. Rovaun cringed at dinner.
"Ugh... hay."
"Eat up, Love," I said. "This could be it for now."
We filled up on the dry stuff, which was considerably harder to swallow than grass. A trough of day-old water with plenty of drowned debris floating in it helped make the hay go down, but didn't make it any more appetizing.
While we ate, Nadine busied herself preparing her next project, and I saw that I was about to get my first grooming. I couldn't resist wanting to go first, so I walked over to her and whickered my cooperation.
"Hello, Beauty. I thought you were hungrier than that."
I nuzzled her shoulder.
"You're welcome," she laughed. "And you know what's coming next, don't you. I wish Bonnie and Clyde were so eager to please. Okay, come on, girl."
She led me with a gentle hand under my chin to where she had set up bath time. Then she put on some rubber gloves and went to work. She shampooed me all over with the skill of someone who had done this a thousand times before. It was wonderful being tended to, and I could see why Rovaun enjoyed it. The deep brushing of my coat scratched areas I didn't even know were itching, and the massage was so soothing that I nearly fell asleep. Unfortunately, it was over way too soon. For a moment I had considered "accidentally" slipping and rolling into some muck just so that I could be groomed again, but the wolf whistle from Rovaun when he saw my luxuriously gleaming body nixed that idea.
"Companion," he leered, "someone's going to get laid tonight!"
"And spoil this shine? I don't think so."
She noticed Rovaun watching us. "Looks like your boyfriend is waiting his turn, Beauty."
I stepped aside to allow Rovaun to take my place. She stood up aghast.
"Oops," I said, forgetting that I'm not supposed to understand English.
"Urinate," said Rovaun.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
I lifted my tail and let out a long stream. Nadine closed her mouth and raised an eyebrow instead. This simple act managed to erase her momentary suspicion of higher intelligence. No thinking being would be so uncouth.
"Beast, you're next," she said, but Rovaun didn't fall for it. He just stood there until she got up and led him back to where she was set up. She worked him over just as efficiently as she had done me. I tried to make note of her technique without appearing to be a student paying close attention to his professor - pretty much the opposite of how I spent most of my college years.
"Mmmm - this feels as good as it looked," Rovaun sighed, while she brushed him.
Next she gingerly washed his balls with a very soft sponge.
"Hey, not too clean, lady," I said, forcing a snicker from my mate. Then I snorted when I saw her hand go down and squeeze him behind his sheath.
"Come on, drop for me, Boy," she said. "You know the drill."
His dick came all the way out and he looked at me like he couldn't help it - she had the magic touch.
"Nice one," she said, and then proceeded to gently soap and sponge him. His dick started pulsing to life while she washed its length. She slapped his flank and said, "behave yourself," putting a stop to it. She was all business.
I could tell that she truly loved horses, and was nothing but professional about it. I had tremendous respect for her. She even made me feel ashamed of my human self. When I first met Rovaun, my intentions were purely selfish.
"Okay, you're all done," she said, slapping his butt.
He trotted out into the paddock's late afternoon sun and I followed him, giving him a wolf whistle of my own.
"Will you just look at us," I said. "With a pretty bow on my tail, we could be in our own wedding."
He came up to me and nuzzled my face. "Would you like to get married?"
"I thought we already were."
"No, we are bonded, but not married. Marriage is an honored Hipponaur tradition that proclaims lifelong commitment to one's mate. It is a choice that must be made freely by both parties."
"Are there any tax advantages?" I kidded.
"There are no advantages, whatsoever, but there are a few disadvantages."
"Like what?"
"When a couple takes an oath of marriage, all of Hipponaur are also bound by that oath. A married Hipponaur that commits adultery violates that oath, as does the adulterer's partner. Even the spouse being cheated on is considered to be in violation of the oath."
"That doesn't sound fair."
"Perhaps not, but it always turns out that both spouses share the blame for the affair occurring in the first place. The violation of a marriage oath is just as serious as that of any Hipponaur oath. Honor cannot be restored."
"So if we get married, then Shianna is completely out of the picture?"
"No," he chuckled. "It is not adultery if both spouses give consent to the third partner, and particularly if both spouses participate. So relax, you can screw whomever I please."
"I promise to keep the list very short," I said, kissing him.
"I bet my list will be shorter," he replied, kissing me back harder.
"So if it is so awful," I moaned, "why do Hipponaurs get married?"
"They don't. But the few who do, do so to proclaim to the Hipponaur nation that they have found their one and only eternal Companion. It is a monumental commitment not taken lightly by anyone."
"That is so romantic. How many married couples are there?"
"Only two couples exist that are officially married. However, there are eighty-seven couples that have unofficially proclaimed their love and pretend to be married. The extra step of making it official forever is just too unnecessarily risky for most."
"Rovaun, would you marry me if I asked you?"
"In a heartbeat."
"Really? Why haven't you asked me?"
"It would not be fair to you. You are young and inexperienced. It would be impossible for you to make an informed decision of this magnitude. And also you seem to enjoy being such a slut, no offense."
"Offense not taken, because I'm YOUR slut. But you know I wouldn't have sex with someone else without your approval, right?"
"I truly believe that is so."
"And to me, you are the sexiest thing in the universe."
"And I feel the same about you, Companion."
"Then I have no doubt that we will be couple number three someday. I WILL say yes when you decide it is time to ask me. Until then, I will consider us couple number eighty-eight. I swear to Hipponaur that I love you. That's probably the easiest oath I ever made."
"That may be, but it still makes my heart leap to hear you say it."
We continued kissing in our shiny birthday suits, then a bright flash caught my eye. We both turned to see Nadine lowering a camera.
"You two are so adorable! Don't stop!!"
I looked at Rovaun, nervously. "I don't think it's a good idea to have our pictures taken."
"I agree."
We broke up and went to separate areas in the paddock.
"Oh, no... I didn't mean to startle you." She came into the paddock intending to take some more photos, perhaps for a Lost & Found poster, but neither of us would let her get near. She was dismayed at our sudden skittishness.
"I really spooked you two, didn't I? Okay, I'll leave you alone. Have a pleasant evening." She went back inside.
Rovaun came back over and nuzzled me some more. "We keep getting interrupted."
"I know."
"I like how your plan has turned out so far, being groomed, that is, but I still do not see us getting closer to Parceph."
He saw me studying the house, and didn't like what I was thinking.
"You are not seriously planning to ask her for a ride, are you?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Yes. We hit the road galloping."
"That'll be our backup plan. Follow me."
Though Tattoo was awake, he didn't mind letting me out. I opened the gate and crept over to the Chevy. After rifling around inside I came out with a road atlas and showed it to Rovaun.
"Where is the closest point that Route 66 gets to Parceph's rock?"
"According to that map, about halfway between Antares and Hackberry."
I put the atlas back and then went over to the driver seat. I reached underneath, pulled out the tarnished pieces of metal and jingled them in front of Rovaun's eyes.
"Oh dear Gods of Destiny! You are NOT going to drive!"
"Why not?"
"Because you will kill us all!"
"Nope. Our destiny is beautiful."
"Your Hipponaur body cannot fit inside the cab!"
"I won't be in the cab. I'll be riding in the trailer with you."
"Companion," he snorted, "may I remind you that you are a slave to Tattoo's whim? How do you expect to steer when he pulls you back into your body at sixty miles per hour?"
"That's not going to happen because you're going to keep him occupied. Come on."
I opened the back of the trailer and we both got inside with plenty of room to spare. I opened all of the windows to make sure my Hipponaur eyes could see the road. There were a few blind spots, but as long as I was aware of them, we would be okay.
"Hi Tattoo. Do you want to play Hide & Seek again?"
"Yes, Daddy!"
"Okay, but I'm going to hide really good this time. So I need you to sing a different song: "One Thousand Bottles of Beer on the Wall."
"No."
"Your Poppa Rovaun wants to learn the song. Can you teach it to him?"
"Yes, please teach it to me," said Rovaun, thoroughly aggravated.
"Okay."
Together they sang:
"One thousand bottles of beer on the wall,
One thousand bottles of beer.
You take one down, pass it around,
Nine hundred ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall..."
I stepped out of my body and started to close up the trailer.
"Companion," Rovaun said to me. "Congratulations. This moment shall live forever as the most annoying thing you will ever do to me."
"Never forget that I love you," I winked, then shut them in.
I carefully walked over to the cab and slid into the driver's seat. I was right at the physical limit of becoming disembodied, and found that I could not reliably grip the steering wheel. My hands kept passing through it as if it were made of congealed sand.
"Rovaun, can you get me any closer?"
"No, Companion. You are already at the front of the trailer."
"Damn. This isn't going to work."
"That is a shame," he said, relieved.
I got back out and opened up the trailer. Rovaun started to back out, but I stopped him.
"Are you still singing with Tattoo?"
"Yes."
"But your head isn't pressed into me."
"Communing with Tattoo no longer requires physical contact - only close proximity. We are fully in tune with one another,... though occasionally off key."
"Do something for me. Touch me."
"Where?"
"Just hold your body against me."
I closed the trailer again and got back into the cab. I just needed a little more mental energy, and it occurred to me where I could get it. I still had a complete body image profile in Rovaun's brain. As long as he remained in physical contact with my own body I could access it. I tapped into his brain as well as my own, and instantly became solid.
"Hold that position, Companion," I said, starting up the truck, "you just saved Christmas."
We pulled out onto the highway and headed east into the night. No one from the house chased after us. So far so good.
Driving down the road felt perfectly natural. It was scary to think I was actually driving this thing from the trailer ten feet behind me, so I stopped thinking about it.
"How's it going back there?"
"Surprisingly well. I am starting to like this song."
Then I heard them improvising:
960 buckets of milk in the barn,
960 buckets of milk,
You empty the cow,
And drink to Tantau,
959 buckets of milk in the barn.
I could hear Tattoo giggling with each new verse, and fell in love with my mate all over again. With a full tank of gas and Rovaun in the back, it was smooth sailing all the way to Arizona.
At the California-Arizona border all vehicles had to pass through an agricultural inspection station. It was about 10:00 PM, and the inspector looked fatigued by the time we approached the booth.
"Good evening, sir," he said to me. "Are you transporting any fruits or vegetables?"
"No sir, just my show horses."
"Where's the show?" he asked, leaning out to see the horses inside the trailer.
"Flagstaff."
"Uh-huh."
He looked down and made a note of my license plate from a security monitor. I looked at the monitor next to it and my heart stopped. No one was in the driver seat.
"Vaccination papers," he said, not looking up.
"Uh, yeah, they're around here somewhere."
I looked behind the visor but only found the car registration, and was really starting to wish that we had brought Shianna along. Then I leaned over and fumbled with the glove box, which was out of my Hipponaur field of view. I was able to open it, but could not see its contents. I reached in and grabbed a handful of stuff then held it up for my equine eyes to perceive - and I could not believe my luck. I handed the papers to the inspector.
He looked them over and chuckled. "Bonnie and Clyde, huh? Cute. Okay, best of luck to you," he said, handing the papers back.
"Thank you. Have a good one," I said pulling on through.
"Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, God."
"Are you all right, Companion," asked Rovaun. "Your heart rate back here is erratic."
"I'm okay," I hyperventilated. "Just a close call. How are you and Tattoo doing?"
"Tattoo is asleep. I think I tuckered him out from too much silliness."
"I can see that you will be as good with our ten thousand kids as Varyl."
He snorted. "What was that you said about horse condoms?"
"Heh-heh, I think I said that they don't make enough of them for you and me. I heard you singing with your son a while ago."
"Tattoo IS a joy to play with. I was wrong about his genetic makeup. He is not half Zhorelle. He is one hundred percent ours, Companion. You must have had a small amount of my seed on you when Zhorelle raped you."
I shook my head and grinned. "Whatever it takes to love him, Companion," I said to myself.
After another thirty minutes on Route 66, I pulled off onto a dirt road to nowhere then stashed the truck behind a large thicket. We would be hidden from the ground, but not from the air. At this point, I didn't really care what happened to our wheels, unless we couldn't find Parceph. I did, however, feel bad about stealing from Nadine. I would repay her somehow.
I opened up the trailer and Rovaun stuck his head out slathering my face with his tongue. I popped into my body then did the same to him.
"For your information," he said, "the tongue greeting is Hipponaur for, 'I can't believe I'm still alive!'"
"And we're alive because we're such a great team."
"We are alive because Destiny was playing golf."
"Or has something truly sinister waiting for us. That is the only reason I can think of why we got here so easily."
"Destiny does seem to always have it in for you in cases like this."
"Shall we meet her head on?" I asked, courageously.
"Not tonight. But we should make some distance between us and the stolen vehicle. This way."
I followed him into the desert. We left tracks that would be easy to follow if anyone cared to do so, but I suspected there was no one around for dozens of miles. After an hour of trekking in the moonlight we found an oasis that called to us.
"Care for a midnight snack?" he asked.
"I could eat sand!"
We quenched ourselves in a silty river and filled up on desert grass. It was better than nothing, but I was looking forward to getting home. We curled up together in the sparse vegetation to go to sleep.
"Our first day without sex," I said sadly.
"I am sure it was an anomaly," said my mate. "And to be honest, I really needed the rest."
"Am I too much slut for you?"
He smiled and kissed me. "You ARE too much!"
"Too bad!" I said, nestling into him and dropping off.
The next morning, the dawn bathed the desert with beautiful pink and orange hues. I awoke to an alien landscape of bizarre plants, brush and cacti. The diversity of life on this planet was never-ending. I took the opportunity to enjoy the smell of the relatively clean hide of my Companion while he dozed. His scent drove me wild and made me hunger for him. I spied his exposed genitals and decided to try something new. Being careful not to wake him, I licked his sheath and balls with my equine tongue. He moaned in his sleep and adjusted his position, exposing more of himself to me, practically begging me to continue. I reached behind his sheath with my hand like Nadine had done and squeezed him. Immediately he popped out. I opened my equine mouth wide and let him grow down my throat while massaging his balls. He continued to sigh and moan while lengthening within me. I began to panic finding it difficult to breath when he inflated to full rigid length, but a simple readjustment of position provided enough air to my lungs once he maxed out. It felt like he actually reached my stomach.
The fun began when he started taking over, pushing into my mouth and mumbling how good it felt and what a good cocksucker I was. I worked him over as best I could to bring him off, but he did most of the grinding. I felt my airway get tight again when he started to crown, but continually rotating my neck managed to keep my lungs unblocked for short periods. And doing so made his balls tighten up.
"Ohhh,... cumming," he groaned and pushed, "Cumming... "
I squeezed his balls.
"Cumming... Cum... fucking... throat... Bacchus!"
"Bacchus!?" I choked, as he blasted into my stomach.
"Rrrrrgggghhhh!" he mumbled, finishing the climax.
I soon discovered we were tied in this position while his glans plugged my esophagus, so I stayed there to contemplate the similar union between Bacchus and my Companion.
"MMMmmmm..." he moaned in appreciation, then stopped suddenly, achieving consciousness.
"Well good morning to you, dear Companion," he grinned. "I see you have already started on breakfast."
"Uh-huh."
"You're stuck, aren't you."
"Uh-huh."
"Hmmm. Perhaps that is appropriate," he said, smugly. "Though I can't think of a better way to wake up."
"So you were asleep just now?"
"Yes, pleasantly."
"It kind of looked like you were dreaming."
"Uhr... that could be," he said uncomfortably. I felt his glans start to deflate.
"What were you dreaming about?"
"You know... this."
"You mean me sucking you off?"
"Yes."
"You were having a dream of your destiny while it was actually occurring?"
"Yes, it happens sometimes."
"And in your dream you climaxing in my throat?"
"Yes," he said, not sounding amused anymore.
"And called out my name?"
His demeanor soured abruptly, and he went completely limp.
"It is obvious that you already know who it was," he said coolly. "And I fail to understand why you delight in humiliating me so."
"Oh no, no, no, no..." I said, quickly releasing him. "Companion, I'm not trying to humiliate you."
I tried to nuzzle him, but he turned away.
"Rovaun, don't you see? You are a GOD to me! Mysterious and wonderful, but I know so little about you. These little secrets I discover, you have no reason to be ashamed of. I delight in discovering them only because they bring you closer to me. In my eyes you become - and please take this as the compliment it is intended - more human."
He snorted. "Are you saying that I should keep NO secrets from you?"
"Of course not! You are entitled to your secrets as I am entitled to mine. But don't be surprised if I discover one every now and then. And I'm sorry that it is in my annoying nature to tease you about it, but then it's over and you're even more endearing to me than before. It's what we keep secret that tells the most about who we are."
"I have some secrets," he said gravely, "that tell some unfortunate things about me."
"You can keep them, I don't care. I have some horrible ones too. You may have scanned them, but I don't think you really understood them. I'm perfectly happy to keep it that way."
"I'm not sure that I should..."
"Did you murder anybody?" I asked, point blank.
"No."
"Rape anyone?"
"No."
"Are you married?"
"Of course not."
"Have you broken an oath to Hipponaur?"
He looked at me.
"That anyone will ever find out about... other than possibly me?"
His eyes softened and hugged me. "No, my dear Companion."
"Then guess what? You're not perfect. Welcome to planet Earth, my God of Love."
"It is great to be here," he sighed.
"I love you, Companion," I said. "I'm going to marry you someday. Which means eventually I may discover all of your secrets. Until then, I will simply enjoy the hunt."
"Happy hunting," he smiled. "And just so you know, your first Hipponaur blow job was superb. With practice, you could become legendary."
"Oh, I'll give you something legendary," I said, tackling him and climbing on top. I forced my mouth onto his while sitting on his flaccid but still distended member. He laughed and tried to throw me off, but didn't have the leverage.
"We do not really have time for this," he said reluctantly.
I sat up on him. "Not even a quickie?"
"No, because I promise the next time will take hours," he said, causing me to squirt all over him. He snickered.
"Sorry about that," I said getting off of him.
"Nothing to be ashamed of."
"Ooh, you've discovered my secret - You make me wet."
It was going to be a hot day in the desert, so we filled up more on water than on grass. Then we set out for Parceph's rock. At the top of a ridge, Rovaun scanned the horizon to get his bearings, and then confidently headed north-northeast. We were only an hour away.
"Companion, I must thank you again for your ingenuity in getting us here so quickly."
He was trying to shift some of his "Godliness" onto me. I guess it made him uncomfortable.
"I couldn't have done it without you," I said, refusing to accept it. "How many bottles of beer did you and Tattoo share before he passed out drunk?"
"We got down to four hundred and forty-one moles in the hole."
"Moles in the hole?" I chuckled. "That's a new one. Did Tattoo make any of those up?"
"Companion, he is a two-week-old embryo. Be grateful that he can count backwards from one thousand."
"That IS pretty amazing."
"He is a wonderful son. And to think that together we made both Tattoo and Tantau - that is what is truly amazing. They will be a joy to raise."
"Listen to you, Poppa. You are positively gushing."
"I know. I can't help it."
"Can you hear what Tattoo is singing now?"
"No. I can hear something but cannot quite make it out."
"I think it is 'Ninety-nine bliggles of blag in the blog.'"
"We have created a monster."
One thing I would really miss as a Hipponaur was music. I used to listen to it all the time and had built up a sizeable CD collection. When I wasn't physically listening, I always had a song in my head. It was at times like this that a tune would keep me occupied. While I walked side-by-side with Rovaun, I found myself thinking of an old favorite. I allowed the simple opening riff to play in my head, which consisted of a chord being strummed forward and backward on a guitar at a tempo that went well with our current pace. Then something truly magical happened. I found that my brain knew the song better than I did. The more that I concentrated on that riff, the more detail my brain filled in. It became so clear in my head that I could swear I was actually listening to it.
I extended the song's opening segment just to study it some more. The riff was brilliantly subtle and simple and made the song instantly recognizable. I heard every nuance of the forward and backward strumming exactly as I remembered it. Tattoo had stopped singing, intrigued by what he now heard. And he wasn't the only one.
"What is that?" asked Rovaun, curiously.
"Classic rock," I replied.
I pushed the "Play" button on the rest of the song, and then Dewey Bunnell's subdued voice sang his opening lyrics:
"On the first part of the journey,
I was looking at all the life.
There were plants and birds and rocks and things.
There was sand and hills and rings..."
Now the base and drums fell in with the guitar, causing my mane to stand on end at the clarity. I welled up realizing I had brought my whole hundred watt stereo system with me.
"I've been through the desert on a horse with no name,
It felt good to be out of the rain.
In the desert you can remember your name,
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.
Laa... Laa... la-la, la-laa laa, la-la-LA... Laaa, Laa..."
"'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain?" asked Rovaun.
"Hush."
We plodded along the rest of the way to the beat of _America_.
[Partial lyrics to "A Horse With No Name" written by Dewey Bunnell, (c) Copyright 1971 & 1972 by Kinney Music Ltd. Reprinted without permission.]
[End of _COMPANIONS_ Chapter 12: Parceph]
[Next in series: Chapter 13: In the Desert]