Ashrain

4. Waking Hooves

A commotion roused Hongjoong from his slumber. He lifted his head from his pillow in alert, his ears strained to pick up on the reason for the sudden disruption. For a moment, the house laid in silence apart from Wooyoung's regular breaths by his side. Then, a distant crash followed by a familiar yell urged Hongjoong to his feet. He threw Wooyoung's arm off his hips and slipped into his pants so hastily his feet got stuck and he struggled to take another step. With the laces open and dangling from his middle, he raced out of the room while Wooyoung shook off his disorientation.

The steep staircase nearly became Hongjoong's grave when he jumped down the stairs. The clamour grew louder as he neared the source of unrest. Right ahead, the back door stood wide open and two voices hollered over each other in the stables.

Hongjoong skidded to a halt in the entrance and took in the situation.

Their four-legged centaur friend had awoken. With eyes wide in terror, he cowered in the corner of his bay and pressed as much of his body as possible against the wall as if he wanted to slip right through it. He struggled to push himself up and pained whimpers escaped his red lips whenever his hind leg gave out under his weight.

The moment Hongjoong arrived, the centaur launched the wooden bowl Hongjoong had prepared for him to drink from at Mingi. The farrier dodged the missile with his arms thrown over his face. One hand cradled a bunch of fresh bandages.

"I'm telling you this is a misunderstanding!" Mingi called under his hands, desperate.

"Who are you and where am I?!" the centaur screeched back. His voice didn't break despite his upset and Hongjoong imagined it was rather smooth when not agitated. He was surprised they spoke the same language. Only the hint of an accent carried in the way the centaur rolled his tongue.

"In safety! We picked you up in the forest!"

"What for?!"

When Mingi dared a cautious step closer, hands lifted as he would do to half-broken horses that despised getting their hooves treated, the centaur scrambled further against the wall. His hands frantically felt around for another weapon.

At once, his eyes fell on Hongjoong in the door.

He yelled again, eyes wide as he gawked at Hongjoong's exposed chest and his human legs. Wincing, Hongjoong covered his body with his arms, self-conscious.

"Why are there so many humans here? You plan to sell me to some ghastly slave trader, don't you?!"

"Who would want such a flighty horse?!" Mingi snarked back.

Hongjoong watched as the injured leg kicking over the ground started bleeding again and coloured the bandages red.

The centaur gasped in indignation.

"I am no horse!"

Before Mingi could inform him what his requirements for being considered a horse were, Hongjoong lifted his hand placatingly.

"Please, Sir Centaur, let us explain ourselves." He lifted his splayed hand when Wooyoung came skittering behind him, fingers on his knives and ready to defend the brothers. The naked chest of the hunter heatedly pressed against Hongjoong's fingertips when he strained to stay still.

Suspicious, the centaur glanced between the three of them. His hair fell over his shoulders and chest until the area where his human half grew into his horse body. It was just short enough not to tickle the white fur on his back.

In his moment of peace, the centaur took notice of his hurt leg. Wincing, he reached for it and clutched his hand around the soaked bandage. Finally, he settled, but not without sending the assembled men a wary glare.