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The herd of Centaur known as the First Order was one of the most isolationist herds known in the land. Centaurs were not known for seeking out company of other races but the First Order herd took this to an extreme. No one could say that they had ever seen a member of the herd before, nor could anyone say that they had run across them and lived.
Armitage insisted on keeping the herd as far away from Humans as possible. Humans, he said, could not be trusted and the herd was far better staying away from them. They moved whenever the seasons changed, pushing further into the wildlife to keep away from prying eyes and dangerous minds that would cause them harm.
Techie thought his brother was overreacting. Surely Humans couldn't be that dangerous! They only had two legs and they weren't nearly as strong as their people were. Why should they be afraid of them?
He wondered this to himself as Armitage gave another one of his long speeches to the younger members of the herd. The older Centaur stood ramrod still, hands folded at the small of his back as he spoke loudly, ensuring he could be heard by everyone. His face was severe and unmoving as he told the dangers of those who were not Centaur, painting a picture of horror and pain.
“The Human Republic is a den of liars and snakes! They take and take and give nothing in return. They allow their own kind to live in squalor if it means a few of them will live in luxury. They have no concept of taking care of a Herd!” He waited a moment, allowing his words to sink in before he spoke again. “They bind animals and torment them until they are broken and forced to obey them. They are so averse to work that they would rather have animals do it for them. If they ever saw us they would consider us the same as animals! They would..!”
One young foal raised a hand and his tail flicked in brief annoyance before he nodded his head. “I thought Humans had two legs?”
“They do. They have two thin spindly legs and…”
“But you called them snakes.”
“Yes, and…”
“Snakes don't have legs.”
Techie covered his hand with his mouth, barely covering up a laugh when he saw the way his brother’s eyebrow twitched in rapid succession. He coughed and cleared his throat when his brother looked at him sharply, cheeks burning slightly in shame as he looked to the ground.
“Go back to your parents,” Armitage muttered, flicking his tail once in his brother’s direction, ordering him to stay. He spoke again when the young ones had left, arms crossed over his chest. “And what did you find so amusing?” he demanded.
“You take things so seriously, brother,” Techie pointed out. He approached his brother, smiling as he touched his arm in a calming gesture. “You act as if our herd is in danger!”
“It is in danger!” Armitage insisted, “one of my scouts said he saw Humans moving through the lands near here. If we do not move on before they see us we could all be in grave danger.”
“How so?”
Armitage sighed, closing his eyes as he counted back to ease his annoyance towards his brother. “Humans are dangerous. They are focused on overpowering and subduing others. What do you think would happen if they decided they wanted to control us?”
“A Human cannot subdue a whole Herd. I've seen what our defenders do to the few that have been spotted. They get trampled into the dirt like worms!”
“You don't know them,” Armitage whispered.
“I wish I did,” he muttered. He winced when he saw the way his brother’s eyes widened in horror and he held up his hands in defense, shaking his head as he tried to stop the tangent he knew was coming. “Armie…”
“You are forbidden from going anywhere without another member of the Herd,” he hissed. One of his front hooves dug into the soft earth, tearing up grass and soil in his agitation. “I will not have you going anywhere near the Humans! Do you understand me?”
“Yes…”
Armitage took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he allowed his body to relax. He clucked softly as he approached his brother, placing his hands on his shoulders. He leaned forward, resting their foreheads together as he offered a sad smile. “You are the only family I have left,” he whispered, “Our mother was felled by a hunter when you were still a tiny foal and our father...our father chose to desert the Herd for his own selfish wishes!”
“Rae helped us,” Techie offered, knowing how fond of the old mare his brother was to this day, years after she had passed on.
He laughed and nodded his head. “Yes, she did,” he agreed, “and I will forever be grateful to her and her patience for raising two colts she did not give birth to herself. If not for her I'm not sure I would have been able to take care of you properly back then. I wasn't strong like I am now.”
“You're our herd leader for a reason, Armie. Everyone looks up to you,” Techie agreed with a nod.
“I do not know what I would do if something happened to you. Please, promise me that you will stay safe and avoid doing anything that will put your life in danger.”
Techie hesitated, one of his back legs softly tapping the ground. “I promise.”
He smiled, pulling back happily as he nodded in approval. “Thank you, brother. I need to go and ensure our scouts are keeping their eyes and ears open for intruders.”
Techie held up a hand, waving to his brother as he trotted away. He felt a little bad about lying to him but he told himself that what Armitage did not know would not hurt him.
There were whispers about a group of Humans out by the border of their lands, where the trees started to thin out and the lands became flat and less green and full. Some said they could hear music being played around them. Surely such a group would not be dangerous to approach?
Tonight he was going to see a Human.
***
“Come on and take down that tent faster! I want to be moving on when the sun finally settles!” The heavily scarred and tattooed woman shook her head, placing her hands on her hips as she watched members of her crew taking down the tent that served for main events. “This place was a waste…” she muttered to herself.
The problem with running a circus was trying to ensure you always had something that brought people to you. People became bored too easily these days with attractions. She'd had to fire and get rid of various performers over the years, trying to remain relevant and interesting.
Of course, being interesting meant nothing if there were no people around to even look at you.
The woman known only as Ma-Ma growled, shooting a glare over at the one who had convinced her to come this way. “Come here,” she growled, gesturing with a single finger. She smiled internally at the way he looked nervous and unsure of her command, hesitating before finally approaching her.
“Ma, I was told this place had lots of people in it,” he said, “I was promised!”
She gripped the back of his neck and squeezed hard enough to hurt. “Where are they then?” she growled.
“I...uh…”
For a brief moment she considered breaking his neck and leaving his body behind but she vaguely remembered that she needed more bodies to keep the circus running. She sniffed as she let go of his neck, looking bored as she idly dusted herself off. “I could always use another exhibit in the freak show. What do you think? Maybe a Human torso that can double as a pillow?” she hissed.
“Ma, I'll do better next time! It was just a mistake! I'm sure…”
“For your sake you better hope the next place we go to can cover for this wasted time and money,” she warned, “now go and help take the tents down!” Ma-Ma watched as he ran off, shaking her head in annoyance. “I'm surrounded by morons,” she grumbled.
A small while later, as the last of their supplies was piled high into their wagons and beasts of burden; Ma-Ma looked up as someone called out that there was movement coming from the trees. She frowned as she looked up, moving to stand beside the one who had spoken up, following where he pointed. “Something dangerous?”
“Not sure, but something is coming through,” he said.
She held up a hand, making a few quick gestures in the air. Ma-Ma nodded in approval as her men immediately braced themselves, picking up weapons and things to lash out at whatever was coming. Whether it was performing or taking what they needed; Ma-Ma and her boys were always ready. They watched as the trees and bushes started to stir and were more than ready to lash out.
“Oh!” Techie perked up, smiling when he saw the group of Humans looking his way. He held up a hand palm out, hoping he looked friendly to them. “You are Humans, yes?” he asked.
Quickly Ma-Ma made a gesture and the weapons were lowered and hidden from the strange creature approaching them. Her mind started to work as she moved to greet him. His hair and tail were both long and a silken red color. It looked almost like woven copper in the moonlight, hair falling over one shoulder. His legs were thin but powerful; he was built for speed at least.
She smiled, her teeth showing as she idly moved the fingers on her left hand. “We are Humans indeed,” she said with a nod, “and you?”
“Brother says our race is known as Centaur,” Techie answered.
“There are more of you?”
“Of course,” he said with a nod, “but they don't know I'm out here,” he added, lowering his voice. “I saw your banners this morning and I wanted to see a Human up close just once! My brother says your kind is dangerous.”
“Overprotective?”
He laughed and nodded his head, running a hand through his hair. “Yes, I'm afraid so! That's why I had to sneak out here to see you!”
She hummed, her face soft and kind. “So he doesn't know you're here?”
“No,” he said.
Ma-Ma nodded at that. “Well! Why don't I show you around? I'm sorry it's a bit of a mess. Just follow me.” She smiled as the Centaur happily obliged, walking just behind her as he looked around at the packed up campsite.
“What is all of this? I've never seen such colorful things that were not natural.”
“We’re a circus,” she explained, “we travel from place to place and put on shows for people. In return they give us money and food.”
“It must be so nice to be able to travel around and meet so many different people,” he hummed.
She laughed, nodding her head as she stepped over to a plain looking wagon. She looked over her shoulder, gesturing for Techie to walk on ahead of her. “It has its advantages. The only issue is ensuring you've always got some kind of attraction that draw people in.”
The Centaur carefully climbed up the few steps that led up into the wagon. He peered inside curiously, his tail flicking as he stepped in to look around at the poster covered walls. “What kind of attractions?”
Ma-Ma smiled and slammed the door shut, plunging him into darkness.
***
“Where is my brother?” Armitage asked for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He had become worried as soon as he woke and found his brother was missing. Immediately he sent out scouts to look for him, questioning everyone in the herd about where he could have gone.
He flicked his tail sharply when he was answered only with a shrug and a shake of a head. He dug his hooves into the ground and he hissed. “Techie...where are you?” he wondered aloud, frowning to himself.
“Armitage!”
He looked up as Dopheld came trotting over, nodding to him. “Report.”
“We've found your brother’s tracks. They led into the trees and out of them on the other side.”
“And my brother?”
“The...the tracks become muddled and then are gone,” he answered sadly, wincing when he saw Armitage’s nostrils start to flare. “We fear he...may have encountered someone…”
“We will find my brother! I don't care about the cost!” he shouted. “Go out there and look for him!”
***
He was kept locked away in that wagon for several days. He kicked out and screamed, trying to free himself. In the end however his body became weaker and his legs gave out under his body, leaving him on his side.
Techie looked up when the door was opened and he growled, trying and failing to push himself back onto his hooves. “Let me out of here!” he demanded. He lashed out with trembling fists as two men approached him but his wrists were soon grabbed, his arms twisted painfully behind him to keep him still. “You have no right to do this to me!” he shouted.
Ma-Ma snorted, shaking her head. “Do you know how rare your kind are? You keep away from Humans mostly. People will pay anything to see a Centaur up close. You're going to be our biggest attraction here!” She smiled as she approached him, bending down to meet his glare. “Our own pet Centaur. I'll even ride you around to show you off! We’ll be the envy of every other traveling show out there.”
He spat in her face, the large blob of spit landing just between her eyes with a splat. “I will never let you get anywhere near me!”
The men holding the Centaur gasped at the action. Quickly they tightened their grip, watching Ma-Ma closely now. She was not the kind to be trifled with and neither knew what she would do after this.
She closed her eyes as she straightened up. Quietly she wiped the spit from her face, looking down at her hand as if confused by what she was looking at. “You think so, hm?” she asked, her voice soft and almost pleasant.
She glanced over at the two men holding Techie and nodded faintly before stepping closer. She grabbed him by the head, smiling as she held him steady. “I think, you need to learn your new place in my show,” she purred.
“Let go of me!” He winced when she ran her thumbs over the lids of his eyes. His heart started to race as panic set in, noticing how her thumbs continued to play over his eyelids. “What are you..?”
She plunged her thumbs into his eyes, piercing them with her nails. She concentrated on her work as he shrieked and thrashed under her, focused on destroying and removing the wet orbs in a spray of blood and fluid.
***
He was one of the best smiths the small village had ever had. If his temper matched his skill he would have been well-liked too. Unfortunately, Matt was not one to control his emotions around others and it was only because of his skill with the hammer and furnace that he had not been driven out years ago.
He didn't mind too much. The people came to his forge when they needed work done and knew well enough to leave him alone so he could concentrate on it. They paid him and left, there was no reason for anyone to waste his time and theirs with idle talk and foolish questions.
Matt hated having to go into the village proper but he supposed he had to purchase his food and cloth from somewhere. He was glad at least that his tall stature and short temper made sure no one would try to overcharge him for what he needed.
He was musing about this as he purchased some eggs from a local woman, accepting the basket she offered to him with a nod and a small grunt of thanks. He was ready to head back when he heard music and shouting nearby and he looked up with a frown, tilting his head.
“They say there's a circus setting itself up nearby,” the woman explained, “they must have come in to show themselves off. It's been some time before we had anything like it around here.”
“More noise,” Matt grumbled, rolling his eyes. “That's all we need around here is more noise.”
She laughed softly, shaking her head at him as she closed up her shop for now. “I'm going to go and see what they're about anyway. Perhaps you'll find that you enjoy it too,” she offered to him.
Matt frowned but relented, clicking his teeth together. He had been meaning to try and be less prickly towards his neighbors. Perhaps this would help him accomplish this goal.
He immediately regretted this decision when he saw how crowded the streets were. He looked over his shoulder, mentally weighing the pros and cons of slipping back to his home and forge when he heard cheering and music, turning back to see what was going on.
Streamers and brightly colored paper were thrown into the air. The pieces twisted and danced with the wind, seemingly performing along with the music. There were jugglers and tumblers weaving through the musicians and animal handlers, making the audience laugh with their wild antics. Performers shouted out their talents, showing off their looks or physical prowess as they went.
Matt’s eyes remained on the woman riding in front of this parade...more importantly the mount itself. He had heard stories about creatures with Human features but he had never actually seen one before and this one just looked so miserable as he moved, a cloth tied over his eyes, hands bound in front of him.
He didn't like this. He looked around at the others and frowned at how no one else seemed concerned about the creature covered in small cuts and bruises with visible ribs. He cursed under his breath and he turned and headed back to his forge, hands clenched and trembling.
***
He woke up with a pained hiss several days later. His body was slick with sweat, his skin cold and clammy. He growled to himself, getting out of bed and going to the wash basin to clean himself up.
He had refused to attend the circus or see any of its shows. It had moved on only the day before, leaving behind scattered posters and lingering confetti in the mud. Something felt wrong about the people there and that Centaur…
Matt gritted his teeth, pressing his lips together as he shook his head in a sharp motion. He had been thinking of nothing but that Centaur since seeing him during that first parade. Some of the other villagers who had attended said the creature was blind, the cloth covering his missing eyes.
“What happened to his eyes?” he had asked.
“I don't know but he looked so beautiful and sad! Like a real proper mystery. It's amazing that they were able to catch such a thing.”
Matt had been forced to bite his tongue hard enough to make it bleed in an effort not to lash out. How could these people see such a thing and do nothing? How could they see that someone was missing their eyes and think it somehow beautiful? Why did no one ask how?
The blind Centaur refused to leave his thoughts. He could still see that battered body carrying that woman down the streets of the village, hands bound and ribs showing. Why had no one else noticed these things? Or had they seen the signs of abuse and turned a blind eye?
He snorted at the thought. He had always been chastised for becoming too emotional over issues that did not concern him. This was just another to add to the list.
But this time would be different. He washed his face before dressing himself. He chose several more articles of clothing, stuffing them into a pack with some food and water skins. He considered a moment and then took a small kit of his tools with him, nodding to himself as he slung the pack over his shoulder.
This time he would follow through with what he was feeling. He was going to find the Centaur and find out the truth of his appearance and involvement with that circus.
***
He was kept in a cage when Ma-Ma did not feel like riding him around or putting him to work. To add insult to injury, a rope was tied around one of his back legs, acting as if he had the ability to make an attempt at an escape. He was blind and alone, he had nowhere to go even if he did escape.
Visitors came at times to look at him, sometimes tossing scraps of food inside. Most of it was half-eaten and inedible to him but he supposed it was the thought that counted. It had become a kind of safe place for him; when he was in the cage he wasn't being abused and that was some form of relief to him. Ma-Ma didn't dare lash out at him in front of guests.
He could hear the sounds of another group approaching and he forced himself to sit up. Ma-Ma had punished him last time for lying on his side when there were guests and some of the wounds were still struggling to heal properly since. He ran a shaking hand through his hair, wincing at how greasy it felt to his palm and fingers.
There was the usual sounds of wonder at the sight of him. He sat quietly while the Humans had their look, talking amongst each other. He had given up trying to appeal to them for help. The last time he had tried Ma-Ma had left him unable to walk for a week without a very obvious limp. He heard the sound of food being thrown into his cage and he made a show of reaching for it, sighing at how this made the Humans cry out in joy at such a simple gesture.
He should have listened to his brother. He had been so eager to see a Human. He should have been cautious. There were so many things he should have done and here he was now, caged and paraded around to make money for a woman who enjoyed hurting others.
The sound of the people faded away and he sighed and moved to lie back down. “You don't want to be in there.” Techie flinched and sat back up again at the whisper. “They're abusing you,” the voice continued, clear displeasure in the tone and words.
“...I only wanted to see a Human,” he whispered back. He bowed his head, his hair falling in his face. It covered his mouth, hiding that he was speaking to the odd Human. “I miss my Herd so much and she...my eyes…”
Matt frowned as he listened to the Centaur. This was wrong. This needed to be stopped right now. “Tonight,” he finally said.
“Hm?”
“I'll come back for you tonight.”
“I don't even know you.”
He smiled. “My name is Matt.”
“...I'm Techie.”
He nodded at that, “Techie, tonight I'm going to get you out of here.”
“She'll hurt you if she finds you,” he warned.
Matt just smiled, slipping a hand through the bars of the cage. He touched the top of the Centaur’s hand and found it a miracle when he only slightly flinched before holding still. “I know what it's like not to belong. I won't leave you like this,” he swore.
To his surprise; Techie found himself believing him.
***
Matt could be quiet and focused when he wanted to be. People often saw him as clumsy and foolish because of his awkward proportions, his work at the forge seen as a fluke at best. He certainly wasn't capable of sneaking around in the middle of the night.
He waited and watched as the campfires around the encampment started to dim. The drinking and eating was dulling minds and bodies, pulling them into a restful sleep. Ma-Ma herself had gone into the largest caravan, preferring privacy to count her money and plan where they would go next.
His eccentric uncle’s words came to him as he moved forward. The man was a warrior turned hermit, offering advice and training of the old ways to anyone willing to listen. He and his brother had been sent to train under him for several years before they chose their own paths. Sometimes he wondered what had happened to the odd one-handed man.
He lowered his head and shoulders, focused on making himself as small as possible. He waited until most of the fires were low and smoking, a sign of slumber and men not paying attention. He kept to the shadows as much as he could, stopping whenever he thought there was a sound. He moved straight for the cage where the Centaur named Techie was being kept and he crept up behind it, keeping his head ducked down.
Matt considered a moment before making his next move. He drew his tools and set to work, keeping quiet to avoid startling Techie and drawing a sound from him that could alert the others. He loosened the bars as much as he was willing to do, pulling them apart to allow himself to climb inside.
Techie lay on his side asleep. He flinched when he felt movement towards him and he slowly started to stir, pushing himself up. “Matt..?” A finger touched his lips and he fell silent, nodding in understanding.
It was a simple rope tied around Techie’s back leg. Matt allowed himself to smile as he picked it up, drawing his knife to deal with it. “I'm cutting you free. I need you to trust me once you can stand up, okay?”
“I trust you. I don't know why, but I trust you,” he whispered. His body trembled in excitement, realizing that the words he said was true. He laughed nervously, biting his lower lip to try and stifle it in fear. “Sorry…”
Without thinking, Matt set down the nearly finished rope and he pulled him into his arms. He hugged him close, rubbing his back to offer comfort and warmth. “Soon,” he promised. He waited until the trembling had subsided before returning to his work, cutting at the rope.
A hiss of triumph escaped Matt’s gritted teeth and he smiled, removing the remains from Techie’s leg. “There! Can you stand? You need to go as slowly as possible.”
“I...I can try…” Techie braced himself with his hands before pushing up. He winced when his hooves slipped on the wooden floor, struggling for purchase. He was prepared to give up and lay back down when he felt warm hands take hold of his arms, helping to pull him onto his hooves. He smiled, holding onto Matt. “Thank you,” he said.
“We’re not out yet,” he warned, “we've got to get out of here first.”
“Oh...I...okay…” he said with a nod.
Matt nodded and he went back to the bars again. He tested them as he tugged, nodding before turning back to Techie. “Okay, I've loosened up these bars but I'm going to need you to finish the job.”
“Finish the job?”
“Kick them out.” He saw the look that crossed the other’s face and he smiled, tapping his arm. “You can do it. I know you can. Now, I'm going to sit on your back and I'll guide you. Once you kick them out we're going to have to move as fast as possible.”
“I trust you,” Techie said with a nod. He waited for Matt to climb up onto his back, adjusting himself on his hooves. “Hold onto my hair to guide me,” he directed, “just don't pull too hard,” he added.
“I promise.” Matt collected Techie’s hair, noting how unwashed it was. He wondered what it would look like when cleaned. “Come on,” he whispered.
Techie slowly turned, his heart racing as he braced himself. This whole situation was so impossible. Was he really going to escape from this wicked place? With this Human?
“Now!”
He kicked out without thinking to avoid losing his nerve. His legs shook and throbbed as his hooves made contact with the strong metal, vibrating between each blow. He could hear shouting coming from the men of the circus and the fear of this failing drove him to kick harder, sending the bars flying away.
Matt held onto his hair tightly as the Centaur whipped around, charging forward. “Just keep going! Follow where I tug your hair!” he shouted.
They went hurtling down and away from the camp, Techie’s hooves digging into the soft earth. An odd sense of fear and happiness twisted around in his stomach. He could hear that they were being pursued but he was forced to rely solely on Matt to guide him. He had to trust this Human totally, putting his life in his hands.
Matt guided the blind Centaur into the forest, lowering his head and shoulders to avoid hitting into any branches. He hissed as he struggled to maneuver him around trees, wincing as they almost crashed a few times.
He pulled back on Techie’s hair when they came across a river. He looked over his shoulder. He knew they were being pursued but he couldn't see anyone yet. He considered their options, nodding to himself. “Into the river,” he said.
Carefully Techie stepped into the water, gasping at how cold it was. “Where are we going?”
“Walk against the stream. It should cover our tracks. We’ll go as long as you can handle it, okay?”
“Okay,” Techie agreed with a nod. Carefully he moved through the water, keeping an ear out for their pursuers. He stumbled a few times, hissing as his hooves slipped on a few rocks in the ground. He pushed himself, the feeling of freedom starting to make his head feel light.
***
Matt waited until the middle of the next day before he thought it was safe enough for Techie to stop. They had gotten out of the water in the morning, Matt guiding Techie through the forest normally before they finally stopped. “We can rest here.”
“Are...are you sure? I can keep running if we need to,” Techie offered.
Matt looked at his trembling legs and he snorted. “Lie down and rest. I won't let anyone hurt you.”
Techie let out a grateful sigh, allowing his legs to give out from under him. “I've never run so long in my life!” he panted.
“But I think we lost them,” Matt said as he sat beside him. He looked over Techie, thinking to himself as he took off his pack. He dug around, producing a canteen and a rag. “Here...you need to get washed up.”
“Huh?” The Centaur gasped and held still as he felt a wet cloth being rubbed down his arm. “Oh?”
“I thought you'd like getting cleaned up a bit,” Matt explained. He watched as Techie started to relax and he smiled, continuing to clean his upper body of the filth and sweat, revealing soft and pale skin decorated with freckles underneath. “Can I wash your hair?” he asked.
“You want to?”
“I do.”
“If...if you want to…”
Matt smiled as he set to work, pouring water over his head before setting to work. The grease and filth soon came away, revealing soft red hair underneath. “Oh wow…” he whispered.
“What?”
“I...your hair is just really nice,” he said.
Techie blushed, laughing a little. “It's not that special…” he murmured. He smiled to himself as he felt the Human braiding his hair, holding still to keep it straight. “What will we do now?” he asked.
“Do? Well I've got to help you get home, don't I?” Matt asked with a laugh.
“Home...you would do that for me?”
“It's the right thing to do.”
The words made him feel safe and he turned and hugged onto the Human once more, burying his face into the top of his curly head. “Thank you...you make me feel so safe…”
“I promise not to leave you until you find your home,” he promised.
“But what if I don't want you to leave even then?”
“We'll have to see.”
***
The pair had traveled as best as they could in the general direction Techie thought his Herd was located. He had lost his sight early on in his captivity and he could only go by memory to give Matt directions on where to go.
Techie had begun to give up hope of ever finding his Herd again. However, he found that while sad, this was not wholly upsetting to him. He had Matt at least and he felt that even if he never found his family again, he could at least spend his days with the Human and be happy.
Matt made him feel safe and happy. There were a few outbursts of anger from him but they were never directed at Techie and they ended as soon as they began. The Human was safe and Techie found himself wanting to stay with him.
He was just mulling about this while the pair rested and took lunch when Matt placed a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing into it to stir him. “Hm?”
“I see some Centaur out ahead in a clearing!” Matt hissed.
“We've seen small pockets before,” Techie said, trying to hide his excitement.
“Yeah, but this is like...a lot of them. Let's go and see?” He helped the Centaur up onto his hooves and brushed his flanks briefly before climbing up onto his back to lead the way. “This way!”
Techie moved at a quickened pace through the trees. Despite his efforts, Matt’s excitement was infectious and he found himself smiling as he trotted where Matt directed, stopping when Matt hissed softly in warning.
“These Centaur; do you see one with hair like mine?” Techie asked, trying to calm down his excitement lest he be hurt when it turned out it was not his Herd again.
Matt looked again at the Herd milling about nearby and he smiled and nodded his head. “Yes!”
“That's my brother!” Techie cried out, “our hair always made us stand out!”
“I'm going to wave him over!”
Techie smiled, shifting excitedly on his hooves. He frowned when a thought came to him. “Wait...does he see you waving?”
“Yeah! He's coming over!” Matt said happily, sliding off of Techie’s back. “He's running really fast.”
“...oh!” Techie quickly moved to shield Matt with his body as the sound of hooves thundering towards him became louder. He heard his brother’s muttered cursing and listened as he stopped short to avoid colliding.
“Techie!”
“Armie!”
Armitage pulled him into his arms, holding him close. He released him enough to look into his face, frowning when he saw the way his eyes were bandaged up. “Your eyes…” he whispered.
“I'm okay,” he promised.
His anger flared up and he glared at Matt, drawing himself to his full height. “Did you do this to my brother?! I'll trample you into bloody dust!” he roared.
Matt stepped back and held his hands up. “Hey, whoa! There's been some kind of mistake here!”
“Your mistake was coming here!”
“Armie, no!” Techie pleaded, resting his hands on his chest and pushing back. “He saved me! He helped me find my way home!”
He looked from his blinded brother to the Human and back again, frowning. Slowly he allowed himself to relax, unclenching his fists. “Is this true? He saved you?” he softly asked.
He smiled as he nodded his head. “I thought I would never be with you again, brother. I was so scared.”
“You've got scars on your flank…”
“I was being used at a thing called a circus,” he said, “but Matt saved me! He took me from that evil place and helped me come home! Can he stay with us? Please?”
“A Human? Staying with the Herd?” he asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he looked Matt over. Matt tried not to look too offended as he was stared at, crossing his arms over his chest, staying close to Techie. “He's rather scruffy looking…”
“Brother…”
Armitage sighed but looked back at Matt. “You will obey our laws, understand? Should you ever break a law or cause harm to my brother I'll have you trampled under Phasma’s hooves! I assure you that she keeps them especially sharp for such things.”
“I would never do anything to hurt Techie,” Matt firmly swore. He reached out and held Techie’s hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. “I'd rather die.”
“...of course my brother returns with some Human pet…” he mumbled. He looked over at Techie but smiled, resting a hand on his shoulder, “but I'm glad to have my brother back,” he confessed.
Techie smiled brightly, laughing as he turned and hugged Matt. “Come on! I want you to meet everyone! There's so much we've got to see and do!”
Armitage rolled his eyes as his brother allowed Matt to climb onto his back. He held his tongue however, watching as the Human helped his blinded brother to move effortlessly, across the grass to where the others waited to greet him. He smiled to himself, his brother’s return lifting a heavy weight from his chest.
He just wished the Human didn't have to be part of his return.