“Knock it off!” Kroanette yelled out before banging into the side of the caravan again.
“You knock it off!” Specca shot back while trying to help Squeak pull away from the centaur. Daniel reached over and tried to undo the whip around Squeak’s arm before Kroanette yanked on her end, causing Squeak to stumble over and nearly fall off the seat. Specca and Daniel grabbed her and tried pulling the girl back while they continued to race along the trail at a high speed.
“Watch out!” Triska yelled out from the cabin’s doorway.
Everyone looked ahead to seeing a sharp left turn coming up before a drop-off, with Daniel gasping then grabbing and snapping the reins.
“Whoa, Lucky, stop!” he called out.
The horse quickly started to slow down and skid to a halt on the trail, with Kroanette then running past and yanking Squeak out of the front seat into the air. The ant girl tumbled to the ground causing the centaur to stumble off-balance and then fall into a roll as well, with everyone watching as the two tumbled across the worn trail before flying off the drop-off and down out of sight.
“Squeak!” Daniel called out.
Two splashes were heard up ahead, with the group then quickly jumping off the caravan and racing over to the end of the trail. Ahead of them they saw a large river running across, with a wooden bridge over it further to their left and a swampy bog to the right where it met with the tall fields of grass. And down on the shore of the river Squeak and Kroanette were seen, with the ant girl slowly getting up while dripping wet and the centaur once again stuck face first into the water with her rear end and hind legs kicking about in the air. Squeak took off the whip from her arm and tossed it aside with a small splash before looking to the centaur with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance.
“Should we just let her drown and be done with it?” Alyssa asked flatly.
*****
The tall fields of grass swayed about in the breeze while Lucky started to eat some of the plants with a gentle grunt, the horse taking the time for a snack while waiting for the group to settle their little problem. Atop the steep hill next to the river Daniel and his friends were looking at a very stubborn centaur who was shaking her hair to get the mud and grass out of it. She was soaking wet from the waist up after having landed in the river a moment ago, while standing next to her Squeak was watching the centaur with a stern expression as she was dripping wet from head to toe.
“Alright, let’s get something clear here,” Triska stated while crossing her arms. “We are not following you. We are not after your treasure. We are not in the mood to be dealing with this all day. Do you hear us?”
Kroanette spit out some water with annoyance then looked to her with a glare.
“Okay, if that’s true, then how come I keep running into you?” she shot back before trying to wipe the mud off of her chest, with Daniel trying not to stare at the rather large bust size of the girl while she did so.
“Because you’re lost and have no idea where you’re going,” Alyssa answered with a dull stare at the centaur.
“I am not lost!” Kroanette shouted at her. “I never get lost! I know exactly where I am and where I’m going!”
“Really?” Specca questioned. “You were screaming how lost and confused you were earlier before running into us, not to mention you were going in circles over and over again back there in the fields.”
“I just got turned around for a moment, that’s all,” Kroanette snapped. “I know where I’m going. The legendary courier Kroanette does not get lost!”
Squeak shook her head and pointed to the centaur with a stern expression, squeaking at the monster girl while wiping some dirt and grass from her hair. Kroanette just stared at her for a moment then tilted her head a bit.
“Come again?”
Squeak stomped her foot and pointed at the centaur with a few stern squeaks before Daniel walked over and lowered her arm, the ant girl looking to him worriedly as he watched Kroanette with a slight smile.
“Look, we’re traveling towards the village of Eston, is that where you’re heading?” Kroanette slowly shook her head while watching him carefully. Daniel nodded then gestured around them at the surrounding landscape. “Then you know we’re not following you. Tell you what, you know where you’re going, right?”
“Of course I do,” Kroanette snapped while crossing her arms, her breasts bouncing a bit over them as Daniel tried to keep his eyes on her face.
“Alright,” he reasoned. “Then how about we leave first, towards our destination, then you can leave for yours when we’re not around. That way you’ll know we’re not following you.”
“Fine, that works for me. Off you go then,” Kroanette scoffed while looking away.
Daniel nodded then looked to Squeak, the girl wiping some dirt and mud from her hips while ruffling her hair with another hand, her tunic hugging her figure and outlining her own bust and waist. Triska, Specca, and Alyssa watched Kroanette with dull stares then glanced to seeing Daniel just watching Squeak with a curious eye, the ant girl looking down and around at herself while not noticing the boy was focused on her. She bent over and picked out a few long strands of grass and leaves from her boot, in doing so her breasts hung down and bounced a bit in her tunic before the boy. Daniel blinked then quickly shook his head and looked away while using a hand to wipe his forehead, mostly to hide his view of the ant girl before him. The other girls glanced to Squeak as she turned and bent over to wipe off some water flowers from her boot, her figure displayed perfectly from the side as Daniel looked away with an uneasy expression.
“Um, Squeak? Are you okay?” Daniel asked while glancing back to her. The ant girl nodded and squeaked something before looking back behind her and gently wiping some water off of her insect abdomen, her breasts bouncing a bit in doing so which Daniel took notice of. The other girls glanced to him worriedly then to Squeak as they realized she was being eyed over by the boy.
“Well, are you going or not?” Kroanette snapped. The group looked to her as she was glancing to Daniel with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, we’re going,” Daniel replied. “Good luck with your delivery.”
He started walking towards the caravan, only getting a scoff from the centaur in response as she looked away again. Squeak hopped after him for a few steps while swatting off some wet grass from her boot then tripped and fell to the ground with a squeak. Daniel looked back to seeing the girl stumbling up onto her feet with a weak smile and a shrug, squeaking once before she looked down timidly. Daniel shook his head with an amused smile and started back towards the caravan with Squeak following after, his eyes glancing back to her curiously as he found himself noticing the way her hips gently swayed with each step she took. As they walked towards the caravan the other girls were watching Squeak carefully.
“Did you see that?” Triska said worriedly. “Daniel was checking her out.”
“It looked like he was trying not to ogle her like that though,” Specca said defensively.
“Well he was, you saw him staring at her breasts,” Alyssa said with a frown.
“I don’t like this,” Triska mentioned nervously. “Her turn with him is tonight, and between her enticing saliva and her large boobs I’m not sure what Daniel may think about her if they… get too close.”
“Daniel is a human male after all,” Specca reasoned. “Surely he’s going to notice all of our features, it can’t be helped.”
Alyssa shook her head then glanced to Kroanette, the centaur looking up with an impatient huff while tapping her hoof a few times on the ground.
‘At least we don’t have to compete with breasts like hers. Still, I wonder if Daniel noticed her for how she is too.’
“C’mon, I don’t want to leave those two alone right now,” Triska said before running after Daniel and Squeak. Alyssa quickly followed after while Specca looked down at her own figure, wondering how she stood in comparison to the other girls. She then glanced to Kroanette as the centaur was impatiently wait
ing for the group to leave.
“If I may ask one question before we leave,” Specca mentioned, with Kroanette looking to her with a dull expression. “Earlier our friend tried to get you to stop attacking us with her magic, yet she was unable to do so. How was it you were able to defend against her power like that?”
Kroanette smirked and put her hands at her hips with a proud stance.
“Oh? I wasn’t aware she even tried. You see I’m immune to any and all magical spells being cast at me.”
“Immune? How?” Specca asked as the others were climbing onboard the caravan.
Kroanette chuckled and crossed her arms, her large breasts bouncing up above them as the centaur tapped her fingers on the gold bracelets on her arms.
“Enchanted refraction bracelets of course,” she explained. “With these I’m protected from any magical spells and curses thrown at me, a wonderful gift from my mother back home.”
Specca looked at the bracelets with wonder as they gave off a slight shimmer in the sunlight. Kroanette laughed and looked to them as she held her arms out.
“Enchanted refraction bracelets?” Specca asked. “I never heard of such things before.”
“I doubt you would have,” Kroanette boasted. “They were created for me and me only, perks of being the daughter of the centaur empress of the region.”
Specca blinked then looked at her with surprise.
“Wait, what was that? Daughter of… the centaur empress?”
“That’s right,” Kroanette said smugly as she looked up with a proud smile. “You didn’t know you were in the presence of royalty did you?”
Specca stared at her for a moment then slowly pointed to her.
“You’re the daughter of the centaurs’ leader of this land?”
“That’s what I just said, did I stutter?” Kroanette snapped back.
Specca stared at her with awe then slowly started backing up a bit towards the caravan.
“Daniel? Daniel!” she called out while keeping her eyes on the centaur. Kroanette watched her curiously as Daniel popped back out from the cabin in the caravan while Alyssa was at the reins.
“What?” he asked.
“Get over here, right now,” Specca called out while staring at the centaur with wonder. Daniel and Alyssa hopped down and walked over towards them while Triska got out and stood on the seat of the caravan.
“What’s wrong now?” Triska asked tiredly.
Daniel and Alyssa walked over to Specca who was pointing to the centaur with a shaky finger.
“What’s wrong?” Alyssa asked.
“She just said that she’s the daughter of the centaur empress for this region,” Specca said looking to Daniel. The boy and witch looked at Kroanette curiously as the centaur set her hands on her hips with discontent.
“Is there a problem here?” Kroanette scoffed. “I thought you would be leaving by now.”
“Is that true?” Alyssa asked. “You’re the daughter of a centaur empress?”
“Yes, that’s what she said,” Specca insisted. “I asked her how she was able to withstand your magic earlier, and she said it was because of those bracelets she has on her arms. They prevent any and all magic from touching her, and were a gift from her mother, the empress of centaurs for this region.”
Kroanette backed up slightly while holding hand down over her whip.
“Wait a minute, I see what you’re thinking,” she grunted before taking her whip out and cracking it at her side. “You think you can kidnap me for a hefty ransom, don’t you? You think you can bring me down, that I’ll submit to being a damsel in distress just like that? Well think again!”
“No, that’s not it at all,” Specca pleaded. “If your mother is really of royalty for your race, then Daniel would want to meet her.”
Kroanette looked at him carefully while keeping on guard.
“Meet her for what? What is it you’re after here?”
Daniel stepped forward while keeping his hands held up defensively.
“Please, the whole reason we’re out here is to find and talk to monster races peacefully,” he explained. “We’re traveling around the land to speak to the leaders of your kind and others about living in peace with mankind.”
Kroanette just stared at him for a while before slowly raising an eyebrow.
“What?”
“We’re trying to talk to as many monsters as we can about forming peaceful relations with mankind, so that we’re not at war with one another and so that we can coexist together,” Daniel said with a kind smile. Kroanette stared at him for a moment then glanced to Specca.
“Is he being serious?” she asked flatly.
“Yes, he is,” Specca agreed. “We’ve already gotten support from an ant girls nest; they will be willing to give peace a chance with the humans very soon. But we need more support for this before we speak to the human rulers of Eden, we need to show proof that monsters would be willing to live peacefully with mankind, and not try to steal away and rape their men.”
Kroanette just looked back to Daniel with a bewildered expression.
“Really? You want monsters and humans to live together? Why?”
“Because I don’t believe all monsters are evil,” Daniel said as he lowered his hands. “There are some, like the Darker Ones in this world, who truly are malicious. But there are others, like Specca and Alyssa here, who can control their inner nature, and can be allies of mankind. We have so much we could share with one another, we could help each other survive in this world if we only worked together.”
Kroanette showed a puzzled expression then pointed to him with a small smile.
“Did you hit your head or something? That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of.”
“It’s not crazy,” Alyssa argued. “He’s trying to put an end to all the fighting and bloodshed between our races.”
Kroanette laughed and holstered her whip while smiling amusingly at Daniel.
“Wait wait, so let me get this straight. You want to talk to my mother and see if she’ll agree to the notion of centaurs and humans living together in peace?” Daniel and his friends nodded before the centaur chuckled and set a hand at her hip.
“Really now. And, why would we want that? You humans treat us like abominations, you look down upon us and even try to kill us. Mankind doesn’t want to ‘live peacefully’ with us. And even if they did, why should we care? We’re given our supply of men without trouble from our clients upon doing what we do best, being the fastest in Eden. Once I get my delivery taken care of I’m heading back to my client to get pregnant with a daughter of my own, I don’t need the man’s consent or happiness at all.”
“That’s great for you,” Specca mocked with a raised eyebrow. “And all the while your kind are treated as enemies of mankind and greeted with spears and arrows if they venture too far into human territory.”
Kroanette laughed and shook her head with a smug grin on her face.
“Man and centaur don’t ‘coexist peacefully’ together, that’ll never happen. Not that we need it to, we do our job and are rewarded with men to mate with, we don’t need to form ‘relations’ with man to survive.” Daniel opened his mouth to speak before the centaur held a hand out to silence him.
“Enough, I don’t want to hear any more of this nonsense. If you want to waste your life trying to talk to monsters about something as absurd as peace, then go right ahead. Notice that I’m not trying to take you away right now? I’m not trying to rape you at all, I have no need to. Want to know why? Because there’s a human male set aside for me for doing this job, and whether he wants to give it to me or not is irrelevant, I’m going to get his seed upon my return. I have no need to try and take a human out in the wild, and neither does any centaur.” Daniel looked to Specca and Alyssa with concern then to Kroanette as she waved them off towards the caravan.
“Now off with you, take your wild ideas with you and don’t get in my way again. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is going to stop
me from delivering my parcel to its owner,” she informed before reaching back into her bag and shifting her hand around. She froze for a moment then quickly rustled her hand in her bag before looking back to it with a jump.
“Wha… what the?” The others watched as she lifted her bag up and quickly looked around in it. “Hey, where is it?”
She moved her hand through the inside of the bag before it went through a hole in the bottom, the centaur then screaming as the others watched her with curiosity.
“No! No, it’s not here!” she screamed out with horror. She looked around quickly before slowly turning to look at the river down below. Daniel and the girls looked down to it as a few small waves rolled on by across the surface.
“Um, you don’t think…” Specca said softly.
“Well, there goes your free ticket to getting pregnant,” Alyssa said with a shrug.
Kroanette screamed then quickly jumped down the hill, sliding all the way towards the shore before she jumped into the river with a splash. The group watched as she dropped down below the water, bubbles forming up on the surface as the ripples traveled away from the abrupt entry.
“Can centaurs swim?” Daniel asked.
“Nope,” Specca and Alyssa said together.
After a while Kroanette surfaced again, thrashing around while scrambling back towards the shore.
“No! NO! This isn’t happening, I can’t lose it!” she cried out before she jumped back into the water. At this point Triska and Squeak were walking over to them, with the ant girl still wearing her wet clothing, while Daniel, Alyssa, and Specca were watching with weak expressions as the centaur once again didn’t come back up from the water.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Triska asked as she and the ant girl walked over and looked down at the river as well.
Kroanette surfaced again while scrambling back to the shore, coughing out water and crying loudly while flailing her arms around.
“NO NO NO NO!” she screamed as she shook her body to get the water off before looking all around the river with horror. She held her hands to her head and screamed while pacing back and forth along the shore as the group just watched her from atop the slope.
Chronicles of Eden - Act III Page 22
