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Peggy looked out of the stable at the retreating form of the young man. Tears were flowing from her eyes. It really wasn't fair, but she supposed she should have expected that reaction. She rubbed her eyes mournfully. Still didn't make it any easier to take, especially since she did like him. A lot. He'd been so attentive and kind to her, and he was clever and smart. She had hoped, no, she'd PRAYED that he'd be different, that he would see her as the young women who's conversation and company he desired. Not as a freak. She stamped her foot hard into the ground in frustration, the tears still flowing, looking at the horseshoe shaped imprint her front hoof left.

It had been going so well, he'd come to retrieve the custom tooled saddle she'd carved out for him. It was probably the prettiest and most ornate piece she'd made, but it had been a labor that she didn't mind because it was going to the person she'd lost her heart too. He'd paid her, with even a bit extra for the extra work, and had stayed to chat. He'd complimented her, smiled adoringly, then convinced her to finally come out of her sanctuary. She'd been reluctant, but after convincing her that there was NOTHING that would scare him away from her beauty, she'd finally relented and opened the half door.

He'd lied apparently.

He'd stared in disbelief at her horsey bottom half connected to the thin waist he had complimented just minutes before.  His jaw gaped at her four horse legs, which her master had told her were actually very attractive and well shaped, his eyes went down to her hooves and then back to her flanks and dark brown tail that matched her hair so completely. Her chest, which he had leered at so completely earlier, heaved in anxiety, but his attention was fully on her horse lower half. He'd given her one look of utter shock and panic .. . picked up his saddle and run away without a word, leaving her with a broken heart and wet cheeks.

So much for being in love no matter what.

She let out a shaky sigh, kicked the door closed hard enough to leave a dent with her back hoof, then ran off into the forest to her favorite tree and started crying.

It wasn't fair. Her whole existence wasn't fair. She sobbed into her hands, reliving her whole strange existence. She was not only a freak in appearance, but in how she came to be. Her mother had given birth to her in the normal horsey way, back legs first. It wasn't until her master had pulled her completely free that everyone realize there was something really wrong.

A normal horse foal does not have a human torso where the head should be.

For a while they though she wouldn't survive . . . that she was too oddly made and weak. But her master's wife was a kind and gentle soul, and the creature's cries were so much like a babes that she melted and took the malformed waif into her care. It took a while to sort out how to feed her, and they did manage to work out how to have the little one nurse from her mother. The position was awkward, but it did work once they convinced Mother that it was the best way to operate under the conditions. Mother cared for her odd offspring as best she could. But Peggy needed more than just motherly love from her horse mother. Her brain was that of a human, but her master and his wife didn't consider this fact until the moment she said her first word. Then it finally made them focus on the fact that she wasn't just a freak of nature . . . she needed to be taught the same things a normal human would need to know. How to talk, how to read, how to deal with others. It was a rocky existence for all of them, but they managed somehow, and Peggy grew up to be a rather clever and talented young woman . . . who just happened to have four hooves instead of two feet.

Her master had taught her how to work leather . . . how to tan it, carve it, and the standard shapes for saddles and bridles. When she'd gotten older she'd realized she was going to need something a little more supportive for her upper half. Her master's wife had chuckled at her problems with galloping, but her developing chest made it painful to do anything but walk, which was unacceptable to Peggy since she actually enjoyed a full gallop, so she learned how to make herself a bodice that would keep things in place and fit her strange torso at the same time.

Along with her leather work she learned how to sew. It had been decided that she shouldn't go about with her human parts exposed. It made the master and his wife uncomfortable, and she really didn't like it either. So she and the master's wife figured out how to make clothes to fit her strange body, to hang over her horse parts in a way that looked right and wasn't constricting to movement. She also had to learn how to groom herself, which was tricky given that her arms were barely long enough to reach back to her flanks and tail, but she managed and learned and took pride in having pretty clothes,  shiny combed hair and tail, and slick fur. She may be a freak, but she wanted to look as nice as possible despite that.

She also was taught how to read, and she devoured every book of history and mythology that her master and his wife could find. She tried reading aloud to her mother, which was usually accepted with a drowsy look and flicking ears. It wasn't easy having a mother that couldn't talk to her in the same way she talked to her master and his wife, but she was able to communicate using horse language with her mother, she learned that early on. Her mother had been just as confused as her owners, but took it in stride and loved her odd offspring in every way . . . content to just spend time with her daughter out in the pasture, even if she insisted in making all those odd noises that the other humans made.

Peggy sat by the tree and pondered all of this, the tears still flowing. The one question that was never asked but everyone thought about was this. How had it happened? How had a normal mare given birth to a centaur? She flicked her tail pensively and stomped. It was a complete mystery. From everything she'd ever read, Centaurs were magical creatures that were always described as male. Never was a female Centaur mentioned. That made her even more of a freak if that were true. She rubbed her eyes again. She remembered finally asking her mother if she knew who her father was, or as well as she could given the linguistic limitations of horse speak, and she had really no idea how it happened. In a normal situation the mare would know how and when she got pregnant, but in this case her mother simply didn't remember how it had happened or who it was. The simple fact that she was pregnant was a complete shock when she realized it. So Peggy's existence was a complete and utter mystery to everyone involved. She sniffled, starting to go from tears to that general depression that hit her after incidents like this. Like her heart was coated in shadow and sunk down into her stomach.

Where did she come from? It was the one question no one could answer with any clarity. There were many theories of course. A male Centaur was her sire and he'd just used her dam as a sexual release, not knowing offspring would occur. Thoughts of some man having relations with her dam and somehow creating her (this made her giggle because the idea that a man would be capable of impregnating a horse was so laughable that even depressed it struck her as ridiculous. The third, and most probable but also most mysterious, was that magic was somehow involved. But why? Why would someone use magic to bring her into existence and not give her any kind of reason?

She sniffled again. No reason. No one like her. Nothing but her mother, her master and his wife, and her job gave her any real purpose. She obviously had no hope of finding a mate . . . or even anyone to dally with as many of the young people in the village did behind her master's barn where she slept. She knew the process . . . both human and horse, but having relations with a horse was as repugnant to her as most of the humans found her to be. As much as she loved her mother and her kind she knew they weren't where she needed to look for companionship. She needed . . . someone like her . . . or at least someone who could accept her for what she was, hooves and all.

She sighed, knowing that the likelihood of that was very low. The young man who'd run away from her was the first opportunity she'd ever had at something like that, and obviously he wasn't as . . . open minded . . . as he had claimed. She wondered if he would tell anyone in the village. She never was told to keep what she was a secret, at least not openly, but her existence wasn't widely know, nor was what she was. Would it be a problem? Would this cause trouble for herself or, by extension, her master and his family? She suddenly went from depressed to worried. She had to tell her master what had happened, he always was a good judge of what to do to solve problems that came up. He had a lot of common sense, and Peggy held him in fairly high regard for that and his abilities and willingness to raise her. She got up from under the tree and galloped quickly to her master's house.

Her master was where she normally found him at this time of day, on the porch resting.
"Peggy?" He lifted his hat so the brim was no longer covering his face, "What's the matter m'girl? Y'look like you've been cryin'." He frowned, concerned.

Peggy rubbed her eyes again, she was terrible at hiding her emotions, even when she made the best attempt at it, "Yessir." She sniffed. "Thomas was here to pick up his saddle."
"And?" Her master sat up straight and looked her in the eye. He didn't have any real paternal feelings for the strange centauress, but he did have a certain feeling of responsibility for her, being the one who helped bring her into the world.

"He wanted me to come out so he could see me." Peggy blushed. He'd been so sweet and complimentary, convinced that her bottom half would match the top half he'd seen so many times. She blushed thinking about it, then rubbed her eyes again.

Her master sighed, "And I take it you did?" He looked concerned, "What was his reaction?"
Peggy sniffled again, "He just stared . . . then took the saddle and ran off without a word."

He nodded. This might be an issue if Thomas decided to blab to everyone about the nature of his little charge. He wasn't sure what might happen, probably nothing. They lived far enough away from the main town and from most people that it never came up before. Peggy was, by nature, a very shy creature. She didn't search out new people or places, content in her life as it was. That was her mother's influence . . . her dam was the calmest horse he'd ever owned, never a lick of trouble from that mare. Just the one strange little offspring who was now standing before him with eyes full of tears from what was probably her first heartbreak. He sighed. He'd seen it with his sisters often enough, but how was it avoidable if you were half horse and were attracted to humans? He thought again of trying to locate a herd of centaurs, but his previous attempts had been complete failures. Granted, he didn't have access to much information and wasn't willing to travel all the way to the city and the main library to find out. But . . . maybe it was time to set his little filly off to find the information for herself. "Do you think he might tell people about you?"

Peggy sniffled and nodded, "Probably. Thomas isn't known for keeping secrets." Actually, he was a horrible gossip. It was a common held belief that women were the common gossips, but Thomas was worse than any woman Peggy had met. She didn't mind it though, she'd learned a lot about the ocean town just down the hill from her master's farm from Thomas' ramblings about the different people and their relations, squabbles, tragedies, and general misbehavings. "He'll probably tell the first people he sees."

Her master nodded. Smart young thing that she was, she had Thomas pegged. "Well then, we need to either brace ourselves for a group of people coming to gawk to see if he's actually telling the truth, or . . ." he paused and looked at her.

"Or what?" She looked concerned, she didn't want to be stared at or made fun of for the way she looked, the idea that people would come here JUST to see what she was seemed terrifying, her tail and twitching flanks gave away her agitation at the thought, even though the rest of her was still.

Her master took a deep breath. "Or it's time for you to go off on your own and find a place where you will be more accepted for what you are. Oceanside is as far from the educated areas of the Kingdom as anyplace can get. I can't leave and find out things for you . . . perhaps it's time you found out a few things for yourself. Yer past th'age that most fillies . . . horse or human, leave to find their own way. I know yer smart and clever and you've got the abilities to support yerself. I have faith you'll do fantastic. Maybe you'll be able to find other Centaurs and they kin help ye figure out where y'came from." He looked at her, wondering what her answer would be.

Peggy was rendered speechless at his suggestion. Leave? But . . . this was home! Her mother was here! Her master, her workshop, everything she'd ever known was here. How could she go out in to the world the way she was? Exposed for what she was, in the open, with no place to hide? But in addition to those thoughts, the idea of finding someone like her, a centaur, someone who could understand who she was . . . that idea became more and more intriguing, especially in the face of seeing all those people she knew staring at her like she was a freak. It would be different if it were strangers, but she knew these people, known them most of her life. That terrified her more than facing the unknown.

She started to pace restlessly, her hooves kicking up dust and her tail slapping wildly as she thought of her options. He master watched carefully, "Peggy, I know some people in the city down the coast that might be able to point you in the right direction at least. I'm not saying you have to leave forever, you're always welcome here." He smiled fondly at her, "I know yer dam will miss you dreadful, but even she knows this is how things work. Why don't you jest go and see what you kin find. If you don't find anything that will help, yer welcome to come back and live here for as long as ye can stand it." He chuckled and patted her long horse back, "I think it would be good fer you."
She looked at him with panic in her eyes, "But . . . I don't know the first thing about anyplace other than here! How would I even start?!"

Her master smiled gently, "I'm not jest gonna send you off completely unprepared sweetie! We'll git you packed up and outfitted right! Ye'll still have to deal wit th'potential lookie loos, but I'll keep ya busy and out of sight if that comes up." He grinned, "I'm jest as curious as you are to find out where ye came from little one, maybe ye'll be able t'find out and come back and tell me?" He chuckled.

Peggy blinked. Go? Really go? Find out where she came from and how it was possible for her to exist? Was it even possible? She was already feeling homesick just from the idea, but part of her wanted to just go and find out, run away from the heartache she still felt from Thomas' reaction. Could she go? Would she find any answers? "You have some ideas of where to begin, master?"

He smiled and patted her human back, "I do m'dear. I also have maps and contact information. We'll get started getting everything together and I'm sure we'll be able to get you on your way by th'end of the week. Yer bow is in good shape, yes?"

She nodded. She never went out away from home without her bow, partially to hunt and partially for protection, although her hooves could help in her defense when needed, her mother taught her a lot of tricks about defending herself that way. "Do . . . do you really think I can do this? Go out by myself and find what I'm looking for?"
Her master nodded. "I do. I think you've got a good chance of getting to the root of the issue. You're a smart little one. Let's start getting you geared up and prepared." He led her to the stables.

Peggy felt her heart pounding in a way it hadn't ever done before. She was starting to get excited about this prospect of hunting down answers. An adventure. Just like in so many books she'd read. The practical part of her was pretty sure it wouldn't be as simple or straight forward as most of those tales, but just going off to someplace new intrigued her. She could do this. Couldn't she? She took a deep breath and followed her master. Well . . . she'd give it her best shot anyway. What harm would come of just trying to get some answers? She followed her master, wondering what ideas he had and where she would end up going.

Her master got together supplies and gear as she put together a harness for a way to carry everything and still be able to move well. Saddle bags were the best option, but they had to fix them so she'd be able to secure them herself. Clothing would be leather mostly, with a few cotton shirts. She studied the maps and all the information that her master found and gave her. Then the crowd descended.

It was a mob . . . not an angry one though, thank all the gods. Just a curious one, wanting to see the "freak". The master's wife tried to shoo them off angrily, but it just made them more persistent. The master went out to try and reason with them, but in the end Peggy just decided to get it over with and face the crowd.

She walked out in full gear, leather and saddlebags, her bow and arrows over her shoulder, her hair back in a tail mimicking her real tail, which was swishing pensively. The silence was deafening as everyone finally got a good look at their expert leather worker. No one seemed able to speak. Then, sooner than expected, the noise started, all at once and with no real pauses for the other people to be heard, questions were hurled at the master his wife. Peggy backed up in alarm; it was too much all at once, too much noise and confusion. She just wanted to run away in fear from it all. She backed herself up into the porch as the people started approaching, wanting to touch her to see if her horse half was real.

Suddenly her master's voice rang out, "Oy! Leave her be!" Amazingly, everyone stopped and looked at him. Peggy was suddenly aware of how much respect her master held with the townspeople, but even Thomas never told her why that was. Not that she ever actually asked, "Now. Ye all git on home and leave Peggy be. Ye know her already, she ain't any different, she jest is now showing all herself. An' dun worry 'bout no intruders or curiosity seekers neither, she's going away to find out where she came from so it ain't gonna be any bother to us." His voice and face were stern and solemn as he stared at his fellow townsfolk. "Now git."

Amazingly, they all did what he asked, but not without a few still curious and even a few threatening glances in Peggy's direction. She didn't know what she could have done to gain that kind of anger, but she suddenly felt that leaving was the best course of action now, the sooner the better. Her heart ached still, but she didn't want to find out what the angry looks would turn into if she continued to live with her master. That made a chill run down her entire back all the way to her tail. No . . . she had to leave, no matter how difficult it would be. She stomped her hooves and swished her tail as the villagers straggled away.

Her master watched them leave, and when the lot of them were out of sight down the hill he turned to Peggy, "All right, let's git you set so ye can take off first thing in th'morning. Yer gonna have to pass through th'village on yer way, so be careful." He patted her gently then continued to get things ready as if nothing odd had just occurred.

The next morning was foggy and cool as the ocean fog rushed over the hill as it usually did on summer days.  Peggy stood at the top of the hill looking down. She'd said goodbye to her mother, who did take the news rather well, as if it were something she'd been expecting for some time. She was going to miss being able to sleep out in the pasture snuggled next to her warm body. Peggy sighed and continued to stare down the hill through the drifting fog. She was going to miss her master and his wife as well. She was going to miss everything. She was coming to the sudden conclusion that adventures really weren't things she'd actually wanted. But  . . . she couldn't stay . . . she had to find things out and stay away from those villagers that seemed to have some sort of animosity toward her. All of this she knew, she had all the information and maps that she needed. All the supplies she could carry. Now, if she could just get her hooves to move. She continued to stare down the hill, seeing shapes that she knew were trees in the fog, but imagining them much more sinister.

She probably would have stood there until the fog burned off when the sun got higher in the sky, but a squirrel running through the branches of the oak trees overhead suddenly dislodged an acorn that smacked her in haunch, startling her into a sudden canter that carried her down the hill toward the ocean village.

The fog drifted around her thickly until she came to the bottom of the hill and approached the village, tucked up against the rocks along the coastline, partially carved out of them, partially carved into them. The main road ran through and past it, following the coast to avoid the more hilly and treacherous terrain of the coastal mountains. She continued her fast pace, feeling the need to be quickly through the village and avoid any possible trouble. She dodged the random stray cat and roaming dog as she sped through. Heads popped out of windows at the sound of horse hooves, and stayed open to watch the strange sight of a female centaur speeding through the village.

She rounded a corner and came face to face with a group of fishermen mending their nets in the middle of the road with no concern for the possible danger of that. She grimaced, then gathered her feet under her without slacking her pace much, jumping the nets and clearing them without landing a single hoof on any of the netting. She was rather proud of the jump, probably the best she'd ever done when she thought about it later. There were shouts of surprise that followed her jump and continued run, but she didn't even bother to look back at the fishermen. She was getting a good pace and it was exhilarating. She'd never run like this before, so fast for such a long time. She imagined she'd be winded by the time she was clear of the village, but right now the feel of her heart pounding with her hooves and the wind blowing through her mane and tail we the most amazing thing she could think of. She smiled, finally getting excited about her adventure. Maybe this would be all right after all. The feel of a rock landing on her back followed by an angry yell made her speed up.. Was she being attacked?!

She dared to turn around briefly and saw that, indeed, a group of young men were running after her, tossing rocks in her direction. Why?! She was already leaving! There was no need to be so cruel! Her eyes filled with tears and she sped up again, thankful that the fog was still covering the sun and the wind was cool on her face. If it had been hot this kind of running would have been completely unbearable. Despite that she could feel foam on her legs, and her lungs were starting to burn from the speed. Finally she saw the end of the village ahead. Unfortunately, there was another net being mended, and this one was spread quite wide. She didn't think she'd be able to jump it and she was afraid of tangling her legs in it if she simply ran across it or jumped and landed near the edge of it. She looked quickly for any other option, and saw that the wooden boardwalk was somewhat free. She smirked. They wanted her gone, then she'd oblige, but it wasn't going to be pretty. She suddenly shifted course and jumped up to the boardwalk, dislodging several fishermen, knocking down three barrels of fish and managing to get one of her tormenters tangled in the net they'd been chasing her toward.

Her hooves clattered on the wood boards as she reared to keep the path clear in front of her. People scattered and dove out of her way as she ran at the fastest pace she dared to. The wood was a little damp and she didn't want to slip and hurt herself and she had to duck low to keep from slamming her head against the store front signs, but she also wanted away from this place as soon as possible. She skidded dangerously as she managed to avoid trampling a child that ran out in front of her suddenly. After that she leaped back onto the road and sped up to her fastest speed, heart pounding as she heard the angry yells and cries from behind her fading away.

At least they weren't going to keep chasing her now that she was free of the village. She didn't slow however, not until the road went around a bend and she couldn't even see a hint of the village. She was panting and sweating, exhausted and terrified at what had just happened, praying that that was going to be the worst that was going to happen to her. She knew deep down that it probably wasn't, but she wanted to be hopeful at this point or she was just going to collapse with despair. She slowed down gradually, not wanting to get a sudden leg cramp from the unaccustomed exercise.

She looked around and started taking in the scenery around her. It was beautiful. The fog hadn't lifted and everything still had that cool grey look to it, but the ocean looked and sounded calm. Louder than she was accustomed to, but she liked the crashing she was hearing against the rocks. The rocks were sticking up out of the water in strange shapes, some large and rounded, others tall and sharp, all of them covered in bumps and harboring birds if they were far enough above the waves. She walked slow, enjoying the new sights and sounds, absorbing it all and trying to commit it to her memory so she would be able to tell her master what she had seen and how it made her feel. And, amazingly, even after the fear and excitement of her run through the village, she felt calm looking over the ocean and its rocks and gnarled trees. She began to notice the bruises where the rocks had hit her, but there wasn't any serious damage done. The road had a sandy feel to it, pleasant on her hooves and easy to walk on. Initially she'd been tempted to stop and rest, but was finding that just walking slowly and taking in the scenery was pleasant and restful. Just off the shore the fog was starting to burn off and sun hit the ocean, lighting it up brightly. Peggy smiled. Perhaps the day would be a good one after all.

Description
Peggy looked out of the stable at the retreating form of the young man. Tears were flowing from her eyes. It really wasn't fair, but she supposed she should have expected that reaction. She rubbed her eyes mournfully. Still didn't make it any easier to take, especially since she did like him. A lot. He'd been so attentive and kind to her, and he was clever and smart. She had hoped, no, she'd PRAYED that he'd be different, that he would see her as the young women who's conversation and company he desired. Not as a freak. She stamped her foot hard into the ground in frustration, the tears still flowing, looking at the horseshoe shaped imprint her front hoof left.

It had been going so well, he'd come to retrieve the custom tooled saddle she'd carved out for him. It was probably the prettiest and most ornate piece she'd made, but it had been a labor that she didn't mind because it was going to the person she'd lost her heart too. He'd paid her, with even a bit extra for the extra work, and had stayed to chat. He'd complimented her, smiled adoringly, then convinced her to finally come out of her sanctuary. She'd been reluctant, but after convincing her that there was NOTHING that would scare him away from her beauty, she'd finally relented and opened the half door.

He'd lied apparently.

He'd stared in disbelief at her horsey bottom half connected to the thin waist he had complimented just minutes before.  His jaw gaped at her four horse legs, which her master had told her were actually very attractive and well shaped, his eyes went down to her hooves and then back to her flanks and dark brown tail that matched her hair so completely. Her chest, which he had leered at so completely earlier, heaved in anxiety, but his attention was fully on her horse lower half. He'd given her one look of utter shock and panic .. . picked up his saddle and run away without a word, leaving her with a broken heart and wet cheeks.

So much for being in love no matter what.

She let out a shaky sigh, kicked the door closed hard enough to leave a dent with her back hoof, then ran off into the forest to her favorite tree and started crying.

It wasn't fair. Her whole existence wasn't fair. She sobbed into her hands, reliving her whole strange existence. She was not only a freak in appearance, but in how she came to be. Her mother had given birth to her in the normal horsey way, back legs first. It wasn't until her master had pulled her completely free that everyone realize there was something really wrong.

A normal horse foal does not have a human torso where the head should be.

For a while they though she wouldn't survive . . . that she was too oddly made and weak. But her master's wife was a kind and gentle soul, and the creature's cries were so much like a babes that she melted and took the malformed waif into her care. It took a while to sort out how to feed her, and they did manage to work out how to have the little one nurse from her mother. The position was awkward, but it did work once they convinced Mother that it was the best way to operate under the conditions. Mother cared for her odd offspring as best she could. But Peggy needed more than just motherly love from her horse mother. Her brain was that of a human, but her master and his wife didn't consider this fact until the moment she said her first word. Then it finally made them focus on the fact that she wasn't just a freak of nature . . . she needed to be taught the same things a normal human would need to know. How to talk, how to read, how to deal with others. It was a rocky existence for all of them, but they managed somehow, and Peggy grew up to be a rather clever and talented young woman . . . who just happened to have four hooves instead of two feet.

Her master had taught her how to work leather . . . how to tan it, carve it, and the standard shapes for saddles and bridles. When she'd gotten older she'd realized she was going to need something a little more supportive for her upper half. Her master's wife had chuckled at her problems with galloping, but her developing chest made it painful to do anything but walk, which was unacceptable to Peggy since she actually enjoyed a full gallop, so she learned how to make herself a bodice that would keep things in place and fit her strange torso at the same time.

Along with her leather work she learned how to sew. It had been decided that she shouldn't go about with her human parts exposed. It made the master and his wife uncomfortable, and she really didn't like it either. So she and the master's wife figured out how to make clothes to fit her strange body, to hang over her horse parts in a way that looked right and wasn't constricting to movement. She also had to learn how to groom herself, which was tricky given that her arms were barely long enough to reach back to her flanks and tail, but she managed and learned and took pride in having pretty clothes,  shiny combed hair and tail, and slick fur. She may be a freak, but she wanted to look as nice as possible despite that.

She also was taught how to read, and she devoured every book of history and mythology that her master and his wife could find. She tried reading aloud to her mother, which was usually accepted with a drowsy look and flicking ears. It wasn't easy having a mother that couldn't talk to her in the same way she talked to her master and his wife, but she was able to communicate using horse language with her mother, she learned that early on. Her mother had been just as confused as her owners, but took it in stride and loved her odd offspring in every way . . . content to just spend time with her daughter out in the pasture, even if she insisted in making all those odd noises that the other humans made.

Peggy sat by the tree and pondered all of this, the tears still flowing. The one question that was never asked but everyone thought about was this. How had it happened? How had a normal mare given birth to a centaur? She flicked her tail pensively and stomped. It was a complete mystery. From everything she'd ever read, Centaurs were magical creatures that were always described as male. Never was a female Centaur mentioned. That made her even more of a freak if that were true. She rubbed her eyes again. She remembered finally asking her mother if she knew who her father was, or as well as she could given the linguistic limitations of horse speak, and she had really no idea how it happened. In a normal situation the mare would know how and when she got pregnant, but in this case her mother simply didn't remember how it had happened or who it was. The simple fact that she was pregnant was a complete shock when she realized it. So Peggy's existence was a complete and utter mystery to everyone involved. She sniffled, starting to go from tears to that general depression that hit her after incidents like this. Like her heart was coated in shadow and sunk down into her stomach.

Where did she come from? It was the one question no one could answer with any clarity. There were many theories of course. A male Centaur was her sire and he'd just used her dam as a sexual release, not knowing offspring would occur. Thoughts of some man having relations with her dam and somehow creating her (this made her giggle because the idea that a man would be capable of impregnating a horse was so laughable that even depressed it struck her as ridiculous. The third, and most probable but also most mysterious, was that magic was somehow involved. But why? Why would someone use magic to bring her into existence and not give her any kind of reason?

She sniffled again. No reason. No one like her. Nothing but her mother, her master and his wife, and her job gave her any real purpose. She obviously had no hope of finding a mate . . . or even anyone to dally with as many of the young people in the village did behind her master's barn where she slept. She knew the process . . . both human and horse, but having relations with a horse was as repugnant to her as most of the humans found her to be. As much as she loved her mother and her kind she knew they weren't where she needed to look for companionship. She needed . . . someone like her . . . or at least someone who could accept her for what she was, hooves and all.

She sighed, knowing that the likelihood of that was very low. The young man who'd run away from her was the first opportunity she'd ever had at something like that, and obviously he wasn't as . . . open minded . . . as he had claimed. She wondered if he would tell anyone in the village. She never was told to keep what she was a secret, at least not openly, but her existence wasn't widely know, nor was what she was. Would it be a problem? Would this cause trouble for herself or, by extension, her master and his family? She suddenly went from depressed to worried. She had to tell her master what had happened, he always was a good judge of what to do to solve problems that came up. He had a lot of common sense, and Peggy held him in fairly high regard for that and his abilities and willingness to raise her. She got up from under the tree and galloped quickly to her master's house.

Her master was where she normally found him at this time of day, on the porch resting.
"Peggy?" He lifted his hat so the brim was no longer covering his face, "What's the matter m'girl? Y'look like you've been cryin'." He frowned, concerned.

Peggy rubbed her eyes again, she was terrible at hiding her emotions, even when she made the best attempt at it, "Yessir." She sniffed. "Thomas was here to pick up his saddle."
"And?" Her master sat up straight and looked her in the eye. He didn't have any real paternal feelings for the strange centauress, but he did have a certain feeling of responsibility for her, being the one who helped bring her into the world.

"He wanted me to come out so he could see me." Peggy blushed. He'd been so sweet and complimentary, convinced that her bottom half would match the top half he'd seen so many times. She blushed thinking about it, then rubbed her eyes again.

Her master sighed, "And I take it you did?" He looked concerned, "What was his reaction?"
Peggy sniffled again, "He just stared . . . then took the saddle and ran off without a word."

He nodded. This might be an issue if Thomas decided to blab to everyone about the nature of his little charge. He wasn't sure what might happen, probably nothing. They lived far enough away from the main town and from most people that it never came up before. Peggy was, by nature, a very shy creature. She didn't search out new people or places, content in her life as it was. That was her mother's influence . . . her dam was the calmest horse he'd ever owned, never a lick of trouble from that mare. Just the one strange little offspring who was now standing before him with eyes full of tears from what was probably her first heartbreak. He sighed. He'd seen it with his sisters often enough, but how was it avoidable if you were half horse and were attracted to humans? He thought again of trying to locate a herd of centaurs, but his previous attempts had been complete failures. Granted, he didn't have access to much information and wasn't willing to travel all the way to the city and the main library to find out. But . . . maybe it was time to set his little filly off to find the information for herself. "Do you think he might tell people about you?"

Peggy sniffled and nodded, "Probably. Thomas isn't known for keeping secrets." Actually, he was a horrible gossip. It was a common held belief that women were the common gossips, but Thomas was worse than any woman Peggy had met. She didn't mind it though, she'd learned a lot about the ocean town just down the hill from her master's farm from Thomas' ramblings about the different people and their relations, squabbles, tragedies, and general misbehavings. "He'll probably tell the first people he sees."

Her master nodded. Smart young thing that she was, she had Thomas pegged. "Well then, we need to either brace ourselves for a group of people coming to gawk to see if he's actually telling the truth, or . . ." he paused and looked at her.

"Or what?" She looked concerned, she didn't want to be stared at or made fun of for the way she looked, the idea that people would come here JUST to see what she was seemed terrifying, her tail and twitching flanks gave away her agitation at the thought, even though the rest of her was still.

Her master took a deep breath. "Or it's time for you to go off on your own and find a place where you will be more accepted for what you are. Oceanside is as far from the educated areas of the Kingdom as anyplace can get. I can't leave and find out things for you . . . perhaps it's time you found out a few things for yourself. Yer past th'age that most fillies . . . horse or human, leave to find their own way. I know yer smart and clever and you've got the abilities to support yerself. I have faith you'll do fantastic. Maybe you'll be able to find other Centaurs and they kin help ye figure out where y'came from." He looked at her, wondering what her answer would be.

Peggy was rendered speechless at his suggestion. Leave? But . . . this was home! Her mother was here! Her master, her workshop, everything she'd ever known was here. How could she go out in to the world the way she was? Exposed for what she was, in the open, with no place to hide? But in addition to those thoughts, the idea of finding someone like her, a centaur, someone who could understand who she was . . . that idea became more and more intriguing, especially in the face of seeing all those people she knew staring at her like she was a freak. It would be different if it were strangers, but she knew these people, known them most of her life. That terrified her more than facing the unknown.

She started to pace restlessly, her hooves kicking up dust and her tail slapping wildly as she thought of her options. He master watched carefully, "Peggy, I know some people in the city down the coast that might be able to point you in the right direction at least. I'm not saying you have to leave forever, you're always welcome here." He smiled fondly at her, "I know yer dam will miss you dreadful, but even she knows this is how things work. Why don't you jest go and see what you kin find. If you don't find anything that will help, yer welcome to come back and live here for as long as ye can stand it." He chuckled and patted her long horse back, "I think it would be good fer you."
She looked at him with panic in her eyes, "But . . . I don't know the first thing about anyplace other than here! How would I even start?!"

Her master smiled gently, "I'm not jest gonna send you off completely unprepared sweetie! We'll git you packed up and outfitted right! Ye'll still have to deal wit th'potential lookie loos, but I'll keep ya busy and out of sight if that comes up." He grinned, "I'm jest as curious as you are to find out where ye came from little one, maybe ye'll be able t'find out and come back and tell me?" He chuckled.

Peggy blinked. Go? Really go? Find out where she came from and how it was possible for her to exist? Was it even possible? She was already feeling homesick just from the idea, but part of her wanted to just go and find out, run away from the heartache she still felt from Thomas' reaction. Could she go? Would she find any answers? "You have some ideas of where to begin, master?"

He smiled and patted her human back, "I do m'dear. I also have maps and contact information. We'll get started getting everything together and I'm sure we'll be able to get you on your way by th'end of the week. Yer bow is in good shape, yes?"

She nodded. She never went out away from home without her bow, partially to hunt and partially for protection, although her hooves could help in her defense when needed, her mother taught her a lot of tricks about defending herself that way. "Do . . . do you really think I can do this? Go out by myself and find what I'm looking for?"
Her master nodded. "I do. I think you've got a good chance of getting to the root of the issue. You're a smart little one. Let's start getting you geared up and prepared." He led her to the stables.

Peggy felt her heart pounding in a way it hadn't ever done before. She was starting to get excited about this prospect of hunting down answers. An adventure. Just like in so many books she'd read. The practical part of her was pretty sure it wouldn't be as simple or straight forward as most of those tales, but just going off to someplace new intrigued her. She could do this. Couldn't she? She took a deep breath and followed her master. Well . . . she'd give it her best shot anyway. What harm would come of just trying to get some answers? She followed her master, wondering what ideas he had and where she would end up going.

Her master got together supplies and gear as she put together a harness for a way to carry everything and still be able to move well. Saddle bags were the best option, but they had to fix them so she'd be able to secure them herself. Clothing would be leather mostly, with a few cotton shirts. She studied the maps and all the information that her master found and gave her. Then the crowd descended.

It was a mob . . . not an angry one though, thank all the gods. Just a curious one, wanting to see the "freak". The master's wife tried to shoo them off angrily, but it just made them more persistent. The master went out to try and reason with them, but in the end Peggy just decided to get it over with and face the crowd.

She walked out in full gear, leather and saddlebags, her bow and arrows over her shoulder, her hair back in a tail mimicking her real tail, which was swishing pensively. The silence was deafening as everyone finally got a good look at their expert leather worker. No one seemed able to speak. Then, sooner than expected, the noise started, all at once and with no real pauses for the other people to be heard, questions were hurled at the master his wife. Peggy backed up in alarm; it was too much all at once, too much noise and confusion. She just wanted to run away in fear from it all. She backed herself up into the porch as the people started approaching, wanting to touch her to see if her horse half was real.

Suddenly her master's voice rang out, "Oy! Leave her be!" Amazingly, everyone stopped and looked at him. Peggy was suddenly aware of how much respect her master held with the townspeople, but even Thomas never told her why that was. Not that she ever actually asked, "Now. Ye all git on home and leave Peggy be. Ye know her already, she ain't any different, she jest is now showing all herself. An' dun worry 'bout no intruders or curiosity seekers neither, she's going away to find out where she came from so it ain't gonna be any bother to us." His voice and face were stern and solemn as he stared at his fellow townsfolk. "Now git."

Amazingly, they all did what he asked, but not without a few still curious and even a few threatening glances in Peggy's direction. She didn't know what she could have done to gain that kind of anger, but she suddenly felt that leaving was the best course of action now, the sooner the better. Her heart ached still, but she didn't want to find out what the angry looks would turn into if she continued to live with her master. That made a chill run down her entire back all the way to her tail. No . . . she had to leave, no matter how difficult it would be. She stomped her hooves and swished her tail as the villagers straggled away.

Her master watched them leave, and when the lot of them were out of sight down the hill he turned to Peggy, "All right, let's git you set so ye can take off first thing in th'morning. Yer gonna have to pass through th'village on yer way, so be careful." He patted her gently then continued to get things ready as if nothing odd had just occurred.

The next morning was foggy and cool as the ocean fog rushed over the hill as it usually did on summer days.  Peggy stood at the top of the hill looking down. She'd said goodbye to her mother, who did take the news rather well, as if it were something she'd been expecting for some time. She was going to miss being able to sleep out in the pasture snuggled next to her warm body. Peggy sighed and continued to stare down the hill through the drifting fog. She was going to miss her master and his wife as well. She was going to miss everything. She was coming to the sudden conclusion that adventures really weren't things she'd actually wanted. But  . . . she couldn't stay . . . she had to find things out and stay away from those villagers that seemed to have some sort of animosity toward her. All of this she knew, she had all the information and maps that she needed. All the supplies she could carry. Now, if she could just get her hooves to move. She continued to stare down the hill, seeing shapes that she knew were trees in the fog, but imagining them much more sinister.

She probably would have stood there until the fog burned off when the sun got higher in the sky, but a squirrel running through the branches of the oak trees overhead suddenly dislodged an acorn that smacked her in haunch, startling her into a sudden canter that carried her down the hill toward the ocean village.

The fog drifted around her thickly until she came to the bottom of the hill and approached the village, tucked up against the rocks along the coastline, partially carved out of them, partially carved into them. The main road ran through and past it, following the coast to avoid the more hilly and treacherous terrain of the coastal mountains. She continued her fast pace, feeling the need to be quickly through the village and avoid any possible trouble. She dodged the random stray cat and roaming dog as she sped through. Heads popped out of windows at the sound of horse hooves, and stayed open to watch the strange sight of a female centaur speeding through the village.

She rounded a corner and came face to face with a group of fishermen mending their nets in the middle of the road with no concern for the possible danger of that. She grimaced, then gathered her feet under her without slacking her pace much, jumping the nets and clearing them without landing a single hoof on any of the netting. She was rather proud of the jump, probably the best she'd ever done when she thought about it later. There were shouts of surprise that followed her jump and continued run, but she didn't even bother to look back at the fishermen. She was getting a good pace and it was exhilarating. She'd never run like this before, so fast for such a long time. She imagined she'd be winded by the time she was clear of the village, but right now the feel of her heart pounding with her hooves and the wind blowing through her mane and tail we the most amazing thing she could think of. She smiled, finally getting excited about her adventure. Maybe this would be all right after all. The feel of a rock landing on her back followed by an angry yell made her speed up.. Was she being attacked?!

She dared to turn around briefly and saw that, indeed, a group of young men were running after her, tossing rocks in her direction. Why?! She was already leaving! There was no need to be so cruel! Her eyes filled with tears and she sped up again, thankful that the fog was still covering the sun and the wind was cool on her face. If it had been hot this kind of running would have been completely unbearable. Despite that she could feel foam on her legs, and her lungs were starting to burn from the speed. Finally she saw the end of the village ahead. Unfortunately, there was another net being mended, and this one was spread quite wide. She didn't think she'd be able to jump it and she was afraid of tangling her legs in it if she simply ran across it or jumped and landed near the edge of it. She looked quickly for any other option, and saw that the wooden boardwalk was somewhat free. She smirked. They wanted her gone, then she'd oblige, but it wasn't going to be pretty. She suddenly shifted course and jumped up to the boardwalk, dislodging several fishermen, knocking down three barrels of fish and managing to get one of her tormenters tangled in the net they'd been chasing her toward.

Her hooves clattered on the wood boards as she reared to keep the path clear in front of her. People scattered and dove out of her way as she ran at the fastest pace she dared to. The wood was a little damp and she didn't want to slip and hurt herself and she had to duck low to keep from slamming her head against the store front signs, but she also wanted away from this place as soon as possible. She skidded dangerously as she managed to avoid trampling a child that ran out in front of her suddenly. After that she leaped back onto the road and sped up to her fastest speed, heart pounding as she heard the angry yells and cries from behind her fading away.

At least they weren't going to keep chasing her now that she was free of the village. She didn't slow however, not until the road went around a bend and she couldn't even see a hint of the village. She was panting and sweating, exhausted and terrified at what had just happened, praying that that was going to be the worst that was going to happen to her. She knew deep down that it probably wasn't, but she wanted to be hopeful at this point or she was just going to collapse with despair. She slowed down gradually, not wanting to get a sudden leg cramp from the unaccustomed exercise.

She looked around and started taking in the scenery around her. It was beautiful. The fog hadn't lifted and everything still had that cool grey look to it, but the ocean looked and sounded calm. Louder than she was accustomed to, but she liked the crashing she was hearing against the rocks. The rocks were sticking up out of the water in strange shapes, some large and rounded, others tall and sharp, all of them covered in bumps and harboring birds if they were far enough above the waves. She walked slow, enjoying the new sights and sounds, absorbing it all and trying to commit it to her memory so she would be able to tell her master what she had seen and how it made her feel. And, amazingly, even after the fear and excitement of her run through the village, she felt calm looking over the ocean and its rocks and gnarled trees. She began to notice the bruises where the rocks had hit her, but there wasn't any serious damage done. The road had a sandy feel to it, pleasant on her hooves and easy to walk on. Initially she'd been tempted to stop and rest, but was finding that just walking slowly and taking in the scenery was pleasant and restful. Just off the shore the fog was starting to burn off and sun hit the ocean, lighting it up brightly. Peggy smiled. Perhaps the day would be a good one after all.