The Centaur

4

I wake up, lying down.
I prop myself up on an arm.
Nicoli sleeps soundly on my flank.
I twitch my skin, trying to wake him.
He doesn't wake up.
I huff, getting up.
His head falls to the forest floor with a thud. He wakes up then.
"Huh?" he asks, lifting his head, sleepily.
"Nicoli, come, we must find way to fix me," I say, swishing my tail anxiously.
"Okay, let me get up first," he says, laying his head down again.
I stomp near his head.
He doesn't stir.
I bend down, grab him by the arms, pull him onto my flanks.
"Stupid human," I mutter, walking uncomfortably forward.
I sniff for the smell of deer. Deer are very wise and will know how to fix this.
I pick up a trail and head east.

I walk for several hours until I find them.
Nicoli woke up on the way there.
I bucked him off myself, disgusted that I was carrying him in the first place.
The deer are frightened by Nicoli's appearance.
They start to run.
"Wait!" I whinny, running after them.
I catch up to a large buck.
"What do you want, centaur?" he asks.
"Do you know of anyone who could help me? I was originally a horse," I explain, speaking in the deers' language.
"Yes, keep going east and you shall find the Cawns. They may help you," he says.
"Thank you," I say, bowing to the buck.
I run back to Nicoli.
"Well, what did they say?" he questions.
"They say go east to find... I can not say in you language," I say, "Come, slow human. You must fix me."