The Centaur Ranch

"You should definitely try and lay your hands on some of them," said James.

"I will try ... you have persuaded me," replied Sean.

They were sitting in Sean's spacious porch, overlooking the still unworked fields of his recently acquired farm. Sean was a European who had invested a part of his heritage in a farm located in a tropical area, and was now looking for ways to make it profitable. He was in love with the exuberant vegetation, with the warm climate, with the vibrant colors of the flowers and the sheer brilliance of the light. He was well read, and the idea of starting a venture with centaurs had now caught his imagination.

"Remember that they are very gullible, but can be easily irritated," James went on. "So, when you approach them, try to talk then into following you. Use the paralyzing shot only as last weapon ... and only if you are with a single animal: otherwise the others will attack you."

James was a professor of biochemistry with a knack for the wild side of his discipline. He had been working in experiments that would not be approved by his superiors, experiments to accelerate maturation, pregnancy and lactation in different sort of mammals. Now he was in a sabbatical year, and had decided to spend part of it with his friend Sean. He had read about the presence of centaurs in the area where Sean had bought his land, and now they were planning ways to catch some. They hoped it would be a profitable venture, but, even if it were not, the sheer audacity of the thing appealed to them. Since the times of the Greeks, nobody had ever approached a centaur, let alone tamed one. What was known about them came from reports by travelers and from ancient authors; James had collected all the available information, studied it, and had concluded that some hundreds of centaurs could be still alive in the tropical forest.

"I will go tomorrow to the area you think they can be in," said Sean.

"Good luck, then, said James. I'll be on my way, I have a lot to do in the lab."

They stretched hands. Sean watched as his friend stepped into his car and waved his hand. Centaurs ... what could be like to ride one? And were they apt for pleasuring humans? How long would it take to tame one? And would they produce anything valuable? He played for a moment with the idea of milking female centaurs and selling their milk. "Well," he thought, "we shall see ... first thing is to bring some into the stables."

Next morning, he woke up, took a good breakfast and gave his maid the day off. He took his map, some carrots, the case with the paralyzing shots that James had developed, and a gun, just in case. He headed east, towards the forest. He walked calmly, breathing the already warm air, and after an hour was well into the forest, following the trail James had marked on the map.

And the, suddenly, he saw. A group of young centaurs was frolicking and laughing in a nearby, wide clearing. Sean counted five females and two males; they were beautiful, their human torsos sprouting from the horse body. He noticed that they were very dark in complexion, with black fur and tails; they seemed to be in their late teens. They were some yards away, healthy, and magnificent in their young age. They were bucking, prancing, touching each other's bodies, laughing, and clearly having a very good time. The bigger male was trying to mount one of the girls; she was laughing and teasing him, as he tried unsuccessfully to grab her shoulders with his human hands. A butterfly sat on his forehead; as he moved his hand to take it out, the girl slipped away and hid behind a tree. Sean could hear her clear voice mocking the male.

Sean stayed there, behind a tree, rubbing his eyes and thinking how he would approach them. Then the wind changed direction, and his scent arrived to the centaurs' nostrils. They stopped playing and stood still, trying to locate the source of the smell; then a girl shouted:

"There! It seems ... it seems a human!"

The group turned to the spot where Sean was. They looked at him with curiosity, and Sean smiled: they seemed friendly.

"Hello, creatures," he said.

"So it is true! Humans exist!" shouted another girl.

The centaurs stepped forward with caution. The sight of a human, whom they knew only from tales told by the elders, as they were kids, was so novel and exciting! They sniffed Sean from a distance of some yards, as he kept himself still. He admired the well built frames of the centaurs, the brightness of the black skin in their human part, the strong muscles showing on the chest and arms of the two males, and his eye was caught by the perky breasts of the young females. He walked cautiously towards them and stopped: they made no move. He took a deep breath and said:

"You are such beautiful creatures! Please come near ... we can be friends!"

The centaurs looked at each other: should they trust the human? Then the pretty female that had been playing with the male stepped forward and came close to Sean. He stretched his hand and asked:

"May I touch you?"

"Yes," said the girl with a broad smile.

Sean petted her flank gently, hoping she would not step back. She made no move and he gained confidence: he waved his hand to her black torso and felt the satin-like touch of her waist. The centauress was somewhat tense; Sean could sense her blood flowing thinly under her skin. He had guessed she was in heat, so he took care not to frighten her; but she let his hand go over her fur. Seeing that she seemed to enjoy the caress, the other centauresses also came near the human. They sniffed his clothes and hair, as he felt a strong emotion: things were going well, and the sight of those naked young beasts around him was not unpleasant at all.

One of the girls took a fruit from a tree and offered it to Sean. He took it and continued to stroke the stunning beauty in front of him. He felt her pulsating neck as he bit into the delicious flesh of the fruit.

"Is he dangerous?" he heard one of the males asking the other.

"Doesn't seem so," said the other, who was larger in frame and seemed to be the leader of the group. "We are seven, he is one." As he uttered these words, he came near Sean too. Sean was a bit nervous; he stroked the male's arm with caution, sensing his strong biceps. The centaur wanted to show courage: he let the human do as he wanted.

"Do you live here in the open?"

"Yes, said the male. We have just left the herd we were born in, and now we are on our own."

Sean's mind worked quickly. They had just left their herd ... so, if he succeeded in capturing them, no other centaurs would came to reclaim them ... and they lived in the open ... Then he heard the smaller male cough. This gave him an idea:

"You don't sound well, young lad ... do you have anywhere enclosed?"

The centaur frowned:

"Enclosed? What does this mean?"

"Stables, perhaps," answered Sean.

"What are stables?" asked one of the females.

"A place to rest, away from the rain ... to sleep in, protected from the wind..."

"Oh, that would be good!"

"Do you have a place like this?"

"No, we don't," said the bigger male. "Do you?"

"Oh, where I come from we build stables to honor you kind," said Sean, smartly. "But I cannot make one here, they are difficult to erect."

The youngsters looked at each other. The same thought was in their minds: what would stables be like? The idea of not having to tremble under the tropical rain was tempting; maybe this unexpected human could bring them a big new thing....

Sean took a deep breath, and made his next move:

"I have a place like this in my ranch, not far from here. Would you follow me?"

The centaurs looked to the big male: he frowned, as he tried to figure out what was at stake. The prospect the human was offering them was agreeable, but what would come next? However, he was confident in his and his fellow centaurs' strength and speed; if something turned out badly, they would simply go back to the forest...

"Yes, we will," he said, and looked around like it were a big victory.

Sean could not believe his ears. So easy ... he had expected some resistance, maybe some fighting. But he would not let his chance slip away from his hands.

"Well, in this case please follow me."

The group began to walk. He was at the side of the pretty mare who had come first to sniff him. He asked what her name was:

"Dara," she said. "This is Tonga (she pointed to a tall centauress), and the one who spoke with you is Kumbo. The one who coughed is Ximbo," she went on, jumping gaily from one leg to the other.

"And the other girls?" Sean asked.

"That one is Sheena ... and Suli, at her side... and that one at the end is Samba."

She walked with ease at Sean's side, as if she were willing to have some special kind of contact with him. The man's hand slipped along her neck, as he said:

"You will be surely happy with me!

So they walked for some time, until they reached a meadow. Sean decided to try his luck:

"Dara, I am tired ... can you carry me for a bit?"

The girl stared at him. "Carry you?" She seemed to hesitate.

"We have only two legs, is not easy for us..."

The mare laughed.

"You know, I had never seen a human until we met you ... You are funny, no tail, and all these things on your body ... It would be fun to try ... Ok, I will carry you!"

Sean did not wait for a second offer. He climbed on a stone and mounted the centauress. He felt instantly aroused by the sensation of being on top of her: her well shaped neck in front of him, her uncouth hair growing down to her finely chiseled shoulders, the glistening shade of black of her skin, all made for a very agreeable sensation at his crotch.

He pushed his knees in, to take control of his new mount. She could feel his weight on her, but it was not heavy to bear; she breathed and began to cross the meadow. As she entered the water, the other centaurs turned their heads to see, and Kumbo said, surprised:

"What are you doing, Dara?"

"I'm carrying him, he said he was tired..."

Sean smiled to the lad as he stroked Dara's shoulder.

"How does this feel, Dara?"

"Oh, it is fun," she replied, water to her knees, as she moved easily with the man on top of her.

Sean moved his hand and felt her breast, as he pressed her flank with his knee. "Let's gallop a little!" He could hear the excited voices of the centaurs, talking about one of their kind being ridden by a human. Sean smacked her rump to hurry her; they had arrived at the other shore of the meadow. She began to gallop on the open field, and the others came galloping after her, worried about what could happen to Dara.

Sean smacked her rump again: "Race them, Dara!"

She increased her speed, her hooves hitting the ground in a steady gallop. Sean felt the wind on his face, held her mane firmly, and felt the exhilarating sensation of being in control of that fine specimen of her ancient kind.

Kumbo got near them and asked:

"Are you well, Dara?"

"She is very well, fast and strong," replied Sean as he smiled to the male centaur. He was cautious: until they were safely locked in the stables he had prepared for them, it was better not to irritate or frighten them.

Kumbo stayed by their side, watching closely to see if the human would hurt Dara; as she seemed not unpleased by what she was doing, he calmed himself. He was feeling responsible for the well being of the small herd, but all seemed in order, and soon they would see what stables were.

Dara was now in front of the group, as Sean directed them to his farm. At last it came into sight: acres and acres of land, encircled by a tall fence on all sides. Sean dismounted as they arrived to a gate, and unlocked it. The centaurs had stopped, looking nervous. Sean kept his hand on Dara's flank and said:

"Come in, beautiful creatures ... There is a place for you there, which will keep you dry from the rain." As he spoke, he opened the gate wide and marched in. He motioned for Dara to come: he had noticed that she had taken a particular interest in him, since the moment she had stepped forward to sniff him. He was reminded of the day when, still a boy of eight, he had bought his first dog: in the pet shop, several puppies were in a basket, and as he had come close to it, one of them stuck his neck out and approached friendly, wiggling happily his tail, as if it meant: "take me, I want to be yours!"

Dara went thought the gate, and one by one the centaurs came after her. Sean was an astute man: he did not close the gate again. He left it open, implying that the centaurs could walk back into the forest at any time. Of course they would not be allowed to; but for the moment it was wiser to keep them in the illusion that they could.

Sean walked through an unkempt field towards a row of stalls, speaking gently to the young beasts. There was a stall for each one, with straw on ground, and hooks on the walls; a trough for food, a bucket for water, and a tap which could be used for washing or drinking. On the front of each stall, a massive door could be opened in the upper third, the lower part being high enough to prevent any unwanted jumping from its occupant.

"Kumbo," said Sean pointing to the largest stall, "come here. This looks fit for your strength." The male moved in, looking curious into his new home. Sean gave him a hearty slap on the rump and closed the lower part of the door, clasping the huge lock to the doorpost. Kumbo turned his huge body and came to the window, surprised to see himself locked in: his head, shoulders and part of his chest were visible, as he put out an arm and fidgeted with the lock, unable to understand why it would not open.

"It is ok, Kumbo, we are good friends," said Sean. "The door is closed because there are many snakes here; it will protect you from them," he said, as he remembered that James had told him about the centaur's fear of the reptiles.

"Now Ximbo... you will be next to your comrade... come here, my lad!" And he locked the door after the younger male stepped in. Now both studs were behind solid doors and locks; Sean sighed, relieved, for he had feared that the males could have caused problems. After all, they were still untamed, and were much stronger than he was. He turned to a pretty female and nuzzled her, confidently. The other girls were peeking into the stables, curious as their nature made them. Sean opened a door and Suli came in. He slapped her rump as she entered, and was pleased to see that she took no offence at that.

"Sheena and Samba!" His tone was firmer now. He held out a carrot to each of them, as they approached him. "Time to make you know who I am," he thought, and said aloud: "If you want them, say: "please, master"!

"Please, master," he heard their pleasant, girlish voices say, as their fine torsos bent towards his hands. He moved slightly away the carrots: "Again!" They repeated the words, and received their carrots, as Sean petted them.

"Follow me, you two..." They munched the carrots and did as they were told. Sean led them to the stalls on the other end of the enclosure, rushed them in and locked securely the doors. The stalls were spacious and well ventilated; he heard the voice of one of the females saying: "Oh, there is something soft here, seems a yellow grass, so soft!"

He called the last two mares, Dara and Tonga. "Would you like carrots too, sweet ones? Then say, "please, master!"

Both said what he asked, and got their carrots. Seen was feeling his cock bulging as the pretty black centauresses addressed him as "master." He hushed Tonga into her stall and locked the door. Then he turned to Dara:

"You! Go there and fetch me the bag that is on top of that pile."

Dara entered the stall he was indicating, and came back with a bag. The six other centaurs were now on their windows, the upper part of their human torso popping out, curious as ever.

"I have a special gift for my friends," announced Sean. Noises of pleasure greeted his words. "This is to show your importance to me... Come here, Dara... take a piece from the bag."

Dara put her fine hand into the back and picked a collar. As she did not know what that was, she stared at it puzzled, then at Sean. The collar was made of leather, some two inches wide; Dara stood still as the man adjusted the collar on her delicate neck, taking care to leave it snug but not too tight. As centaurs have hands, and could easily unbuckle the collars, he had provided each one with a small padlock, which he clasped briskly.

"That is very pretty on you," he said. He mounted her and directed her to Kumbo's stall. The young male was watching all with an attentive eye; he seemed uneasy and worried to see the human riding the mare he had been so close to cover an hour before.

"For you, Kumbo, the brightest necklace, golden outside! Lift you chin..." As he clasped the padlock on his powerful neck, he went on: "Wear this proudly, it is a special mark of honor, the golden collar!" And he stuck out his hand, looking directly into Kumbo's eyes. "Now, nuzzle my hand, Kumbo, to show that you are grateful for your new ornament."

The centaur stretched his head and rubbed his nose on Sean's palm.

"Very good," snapped the man as he petted the lad's curly hair. He thought in a flash of razoring it off: the would be more elegant with his skull bare, maybe a fine ring between his nostrils... But this was for later; he moved Dara to the other centaurs, collaring each with a gentle comment. He then turned to Tonga, and asked her:

"Do you want a collar too?" She nodded, expectantly. "Then ask for it, as you asked for the carrot." He opened the girl's mouth and exposed two rows of glaring white teeth. As he let her shut it, she said: "Please, master!" Sean's hand was caressing her neck; he could feel the blood beating at the jugular vein. He smiled as he clasped the lock in the collar buckle. This was going on better than his best hopes; the centaurs had accepted willingly the collars, and this was the first step into taming them.

He then told Dara, who had been following the whole scene with the utmost interest:

"Now you see that pole? I want you to circle it, my dear." The centauress walked slowly around the pole, feeling something hard on her back, near the line dividing her horse part from her human part. It was Sean's cock, which had grown hard with the sheer pleasure of riding that wonderful creature.

"You have much to learn, Dara," he said. He watched as Tonga turned around in her stall, exposing her strong black hips, her tail covering what Sean thought that should be a delicious, tight pussy. His blood got hotter as he played with the thought that Tonga, as the other females, could be taught to please him. Then he remembered that the mare he was on was in heat. He smiled and dismounted. What he had to do now was saddle her and take her to some place away from the corral; maybe she would accept him as her mate...

As he walked the mare towards the stall where he kept his riding gear, a young woman appeared in the enclosure. She was tall, about twenty-four years old, with long, smooth, brown hair, and was wearing a checkered shirt and jeans. A pair of short leather boots covered her feet. She was his assistant, a young biologist just fresh from her Ph.D.

"Linda, come here! See what I have brought!"

"Oh, what are they?" She stared at the curious black creature her boss was holding by a neck collar.

"Centaurs," said Sean. "Black centaurs... our new friends."

Linda walked by the stalls and caressed each one on his or her cheek. Her eyes brightened as she felt the soft skin of the females, and the strong bones of the males' faces. The centaurs looked pleased by her caress, but not overly interested: they receded into their stalls, looking around and touching everything with their hands, curious to learn about their new homes.