Stallion Mage: A Horse Shifter Mpreg Romance (COMPLETE)

Nature's Hidden Purpose

Alvarr stood over the resting colt, also shielded by those white panels.  How many people know about you now? He hoped, not many.

He put his hand on the small horse's forehead.  The poison had vanished.  Trembling new life energy leapt to greet the mage.  Does he know it's me, the one who helped him?

The colt was the color of pale sand.  Alvarr named him Doran, for wanderer, in his mind.  Safe travels wherever you go, little wanderer, he thought, stroking the colt's neck.  May the sun and sky always guide you.  May you always find safety under the stars.  Nature's blessings upon you.

Soft energy flowed from Alvarr to the colt andsettled over the young horse.  The mage jerked his hand away.  The last thing he needed was his magic interfering with anything else.

With one last look at the colt, he left the healing tent.  The air stirred his long hair against his back as he wavered in indecision.  He needed to seek the trees, to drain some of his power back into the earth.  But it was too far on two legs.

I cannot keep this a secret forever.  More people knew, and word would spread.  And when winter came -- if it ever came -- Alvarr would spend most of his time on four legs. 

No one was around him now.  What would everyone think if they knew I feel safer on two legs than four?

Alvarr shifted and headed straight for the exit.  No one saw him.  In fact, he did not hear anyone stirring in their dwelling, nor had there been a single hoofbeat or voice.  A disquieting thought occurred to him.  The tribe left their original camp after the mare-mage killed many of their number.  What was left was probably a lot like this -- empty.

The mage just hoped everyone was out looking for grass without romeya.

On swift legs, he ran for the forest.  His magic made green grass spring up in his wake, but it would not last.  As an experiment, he sent a tiny tendril of magic up toward the clouds, but got no answer.  Not even a mage could make it rain.

The dry, too-warm air rasped in his lungs as he cantered.  The forest would be cooler.  He could see the dark blur of trees ahead, their forms looking almost like animals. 

No.  The shapes were animals.  Alvarr faltered.  He could just make out three equines he knew all too well.  Why couldn't they leave him alone? 

Alvarr's instincts told him to race past them, to plunge into the trees where his magic would form a barrier that not even Laren could cross.

But the Elders had shown Alvarr some acceptance.  Alvarr had saved lives, and surely that was worth something.  And there was his horn… those three would see that he had changed.  The only thing was, would his magic flare up if he was threatened?

Alvarr hoped his courage and control would see him through whatever those three wanted.  He held his head up and trotted straight toward them. 

Nassor watched him with intent dark eyes, and the set of his wide chest and shoulders told Alvarr that he would not let the mage pass without stopping.  Thane stood a little turned away, as though he couldn't be bothered with him.  And narrow-faced Barron shifted on his slender legs.

"Greetings, mage," Thane said, his voice sounding cold as always. 

"Hello," Alvarr said, nodding to them.

"Where are you off to?"  Nassor moved closer, thrusting his nose into Alvarr's space.  His nostrils flared.

"The forest," Alvarr said.  He swung his head around to Nassor, who was forced to move back because of the mage's sharp horn.