Stallion Mage: A Horse Shifter Mpreg Romance (COMPLETE)

A Test of Blood

The creature's eyes shone a peculiar yellow-green color.  "Oo, oo," it grunted, and Alvarr realized that it never had been asking, "Who."  It is just a beast, and I am in its nest.

The mage backed away, careful not to look in the creature's eyes.  This shelter was occupied, but Alvarr could find another. 

He continued to step backward.  The creature stayed rooted to its tracks, breathing harshly, but did not chase him.

Alvarr backtracked for a few more minutes before he changed direction.  Even then, his senses were hype-alert, and his shoulders couldn't relax until the scent of the creature had faded. 

Thank Nature.  Ahead was a pile of stones that could serve as a crude shelter, at least on one side.  The mage walked toward it, trying to place his hooves silently, but the sound of his steps was still too loud. 

He paused and opened his mouth to taste the air.  No wind stirred, making it hard to detect any other beings or beasts in the area.  But it was foolish to travel at night, and Alvarr had to rest.  I'll just have to risk it.

Slowly, he approached the wall of stones.  They were jagged, as though they had been ripped out of the earth and tossed there by a great force, not like the rounded boulders by the river.  The moonlight showed their edges, but most of the rock was deep in shadow that could hide any number of dangers.

"Hello?" he said, listening for grunts or growls.  Only silence.  Alvarr's hooves clacked against a loose pebble, and he jumped to the side as it skittered.  He gave himself a shake.  No sense jumping at shadows.

The mage made himself move forward.  Closer, closer he came to the shadowed pile… and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw nothing there.  He looked at the base.  The sharp rocks did not make a comfortable resting spot, but perhaps he could change to man-shape and move them around.

He stood back to shift, when something -- a change in the air, the faintest sound -- warned him not to.  And then a blunt weight slammed into his side.

He stumbled and twisted his knee as he faced what had knocked him off balance.  His breath hitched.  It was the beast.  Alvarr had nowhere to run that wasn't covered with loose rocks. 

The beast shook its massive, tusked head.  "Oo, oo, oo.*"  With a sound like a branch cracking, it opened its jaw wide, showing its long yellow teeth and curved tusks.  Then, it looked straight at the mage and snapped its teeth together, over and over. 

Something dropped from the beast's mouth.  It was salivating.  Alvarr's thoughts raced.  The strange smell was blood on the animal's breath.  It wanted not just to run the mage off its territory, but eat him.

If it charged from the side, Alvarr would have no chance.  The tusks would pierce his coat easily and rip into the flesh underneath.  And that terrible snout would root around in his insides, until it found his soft stomach…

A hot wave of energy streaked through him.  "No!" he shouted, scrambling backward over the rocks.  His hooves slipped in the loose gravel.  He had to get away from this death-trap, otherwise the beast would corner him against the rocks.

The beast danced from stiff leg to leg, and sharp bristles fanned out along his neck.  With a horrible high squeal, it charged the equine.

Alvarr whipped himself into a curved shape, and most of the impact glanced off him.  Still, he felt the beast's raw strength and weight.  I could die out here.  He reached for Nature's protection, but found nothing but the murmuring field of energy from the parched earth.