CHAPTER 159

"So if it's a similar issue, that means he...his dick is..."

"Sort of. It's very long for a human penis, but short for a horse. But for me?" She winked. "It's perfect."

"I'm so happy for you," he told her, mentally adding that he was also happy for himself.

She snorted, and then let out a sigh. "I'm glad. We never really discussed our own relationship when we started being intimate, and I was worried that maybe you thought we were more than friends or something. Not that you'd have any room to complain, considering your current roommate situation."

"No, of course not."

"But the other part of that is that I am choosing to be monogamous with him. I just wanted to make certain you understood that our previous dalliance was likely our last."

He chuckled. "Intimacy is not the linchpin of our relationship. It's trust and mutual respect. I'll look back on it fondly, but your future happiness is what matters most to me."

She hugged him again, and they just visited for the next hour as the light of day slowly disappeared through the flap of the yurt. Loud music now played through the thick fabric of the yurt and he had completely lost track of time when a centaur pushed her way into the structure.

"It is almost time," announced the newcomer. "The shaman has requested your presence before the moon rises."

"Thank you." Zel dismissed the attendant with the wave of her hand, then looked at Mike. "We are the Moon Tribe, after all. It will rise over the trees just as I am formally given the mantle of chieftain. Kind of makes me nostalgic for that time on the cliff with you."

He smiled. That moment with Zel felt like years ago, but it had only been a bit longer than a month. She had been bathed in the moon's light while dancing to music from his phone, and she had looked absolutely radiant. Back then, she had been nothing more than an outcast, hidden from her people. Now, she was about to become their leader, and he felt proud that he had been such a large part of that journey with her.

"Help me?" she asked, then picked up an intricately decorated garment that slid over her shoulders like a cross between a shawl and a vest. He assisted her by straining out the fabric over her equine portions, then pulled the rest of her hair through it. He couldn't help but feel a little misty-eyed. Though the two of them had already agreed to make time once a month, it definitely felt like Zel was moving forward with a destiny that no longer included him.

And once she had her foal, then what? Between running the whole herd and having a family, would she even still want to make time for him? He felt like these were silly thoughts to be having at a time like this, and he rubbed the moisture from his eyes.

"Oh my." Zel put her hand on her stomach. "It all just kind of hit me right now. I'm their leader already, but after tonight, it will be official. The success of the herd rests solely on my shoulders, and now I'm absolutely terrified that I will fuck things up."

"Well, you could always do what I do when trouble comes knocking." He untangled one of her braids from the vest and then pushed a hair away from her face.

"Get really lucky, or try to fuck it?" Her eyes were full of mirth, and she leaned forward to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Um..." He laughed, whatever advice he had been about to give now gone from his brain. "Yeah, maybe. Or, you know, rely on some help from your friends. We'll always be around to support you."

"Thank you." Now that her garment was adjusted correctly, she stood tall, suddenly looking very regal. She giggled, then covered her mouth. "I'm kind of nervous."

"Then we can go together." He led the way and held the flap open for her.

A small group of centaurs were there to escort them, all wearing ceremonial garb. They walked across the camp until they were led onto a small hill that had been built at the edge of the main clearing.

Around them, a couple of large bonfires were already burning, and the music had reached a fever pitch. To the side, he saw Tink chasing centaur children, and Lily was sitting on one of the tables, surrounded by men who hung on her every word.

Off to the side, he heard a loud cheer and turned to see Kisa dancing next to the bonfire between a pair of centaurs playing instruments. The way she moved caused the light of the fire to roll off her dress in shimmering waves. It was impossible to follow her movements, but it looked like she was incorporating belly dancing, ballet, and acrobatics into quite the show.

She was currently doing a twist that flared out her dress, the curve of her buttocks vanishing into the shadows beneath the fabric. A few of the centaurs danced alongside her, doing their best to keep up, and Kisa twisted around to reveal the biggest smile he had ever seen. It was like seeing a different version of her, finally emerging as if from a long slumber.

"Mike?" Zel had paused to wait for him. How long had he been watching?

"Sorry," he mumbled, then caught up. Zel's aunt made it up the hill first with Quetzalli in tow and looked over her shoulder at the small contingent. Zel looked so much like her aunt that it was a little eerie.

The party below was in full swing, and when the shaman raised her hands in the air, the festivities halted almost immediately. Children were gathered up, and food was set down as the herd formed a giant semi-circle around the base of the hill.