Stallion Mage: A Horse Shifter Mpreg Romance (COMPLETE)

Return To The Mountain

Alvarr heard his two tormentors escape, but instead of relief and freedom, he could only feel the cold. A great shiver rippled through the mage's body, as if an icy finger was reaching toward his heart.

Laren folded his legs and knelt beside him. "Shift," he encouraged. "Get yourself across my back, and I will carry you back to the Elders."

Alvarr shook his mane. "You must get me to Elder Pastor in the mountain cave," he said. "He is the most skilled healer."

"Very well," Laren replied, "but hurry. We have little time to lose."

Alvarr swallowed, preparing for what might happen when he changed to two-legs. Willing Nature to protect him, he shifted, and a sharp scream tore out of his throat at the pain. The gash was deep, and the wound itself wasn't a clean slice, but damage done by blunt, heavy hooves.

Alvarr swallowed down another moan of pain, not wanting to worry his mate. "I can't walk at all," he gasped. Unfolding himself, he dragged his body over his mate's and wrapped his arms around Laren's gray neck. He found the position uncomfortable, but it was the only way he would be able to get to Elder Pastor. "I'm ready, I think."

"I'm standing up. Do not fall," the leader warned, and slowly rose on his strong, steady legs.

Alvarr's eyes rolled back as sick pain throbbed down his leg. It dragged limply over Laren's flank, and the deeply torn muscle and skin stretched until fresh blood seeped out. He clutched Laren's neck so tightly his hands ached. He was probably hurting Laren too, but the leader stood strong.

Just hold on, the mage told himself, burying his face in Laren's gray coat. He could tell that his blood was smearing onto Laren's flank, but could not tell how much of it there was. There is nothing I can do about it but seek the Elder.

Laren started to move through the snow. Progress was agonizingly snow, but the leader could move no faster, or the mage might slide off. The slow strides and Alvarr's pain made him fall into kind of a stupor; he could feel Laren's ribs expanding with each breath, and he was comforted by his mate's warmth against his front.

We are doing what we can, he thought. I will get through it. He just had to hold on and survive.

As Laren made his slow, careful way toward Elder Pastor's cave, pain finally loosened its hold on Alvarr's thoughts. Thane and Nassor were no longer a threat, but Alvarr had to admit that he was not comfortable with how final it all was. "Thane and Nassor will die," he said.

"It's not a sure thing," Laren replied, as naturally as though they had been having a conversation all this time. "They are strong stallions and will recover from the wounds you... their wounds. They can still survive."

That is true, but it is far less likely without being able to eat the grass I might grow, Alvarr thought.

As though the leader had heard the mage, Laren continued. "They were a danger to the tribe, and... to you." The great gray stallion paused and swung his head around, nosing at Alvarr's leg, draped over his side. "You, yourself, asked for help with them. Help that I..." He shook his mane and continued on. "Perhaps I should have given long ago. They will bother you no longer. What else would you have me do?"

Alvarr sighed. It was as much of an apology as he was going to get, but perhaps no more needed to be said. It was done. "I'm not questioning your decision."

"You aren't?" Laren's question somehow conveyed amusement and weariness.

"No," Alvarr said. "There are no easy answers, it seems. As an earth mage, any loss of life... disturbs me."