"Fine, but I'm telling you, nothing's cha—" I stopped talking as I realized I was—I was standing.
I was standing on all four legs, for the first time in my life.
"Zephyr," I murmured, my voice breaking as my eyes filled with tears.
"Shh," he murmured as he hurried to my side. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent as my heart raced hard enough to leap out of my chest.
I was standing on my own four hooves.
"Do you want to try walking?" Zephyr murmured in my ear, and I nodded quickly.
Zephyr took a step back, then reached up to wipe my tears away, both his thumbs equally gentle against my skin.
He took a few steps back, then waved me toward him, like I was a baby taking my first steps. In a way, I supposed I was.
Taking a deep breath, I moved my front legs like I would usually, and my back legs followed. A gasp slipped from my lipsas Zephyr beamed at me, and when I reached him, he pulled me into a kiss.
I poured all my excitement and joy into the kiss, knowing that if it wasn't for this man, none of this would've ever happened. I'd probably be dead by now.
Instead, I was here. In the arms of someone I loved, in a home full of people who cared about me,walking. I never imagined I'd be able to walk without my cart.
When we separated, Zephyr's cheeks were flushed, and I was sure mine were no better. His blue eyes were soft and warm as he gazed at me, and I beamed at him.
"Come on, I want to run. I never could run properly with the cart," I said, and Zephyr chuckled, but didn't protest as we headed outside.
Most of the people were off doing their chores, so it was just us in the Forest. Khush and Dustin—as well as their new houseguests—were inside, and probably wouldn't be coming out anytime soon.
Everyone would see it at lunchtime anyway, but I wanted to enjoy it on my own for the moment. On my ownwithZephyr, of course.
"I'm gonna run to the exit and back," I declared before doing just that, and I grinned as the wind tangled through my hair. I'd never run this fast because my cart would always pick up more speed than my legs and then I would fall or crash into someone. But now, now I could run. Really run.
Once I'd made a circuit of the Forest, I returned to Zephyr, who had a wide smile on his face as he watched me, his eyes twinkling.
"That was fun! Oh! You should get on my back! I could give you a ride," I said, and his eyes widened.
"No, thank you," he said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure it's taboo to sit on a centaur's back."
I blew a raspberry at that. I didn't give a fuck. Zephyr was my mate, and I'd give him a ride if I wanted to.
"Come onnnn," I whined. "It'll be fun! Pretty please?"
Zephyr sighed, rubbed at his face with his palm, then relented with another great sigh.
"Fine. But don't let anyone see."
"I promise!" I agreed eagerly, and with great reluctance, he hopped onto my back.
I took off with a whoop, and Zephyr laughed as he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding on as I ran as fast as I could.
"Okay, stop, stop," he said after a few minutes, sounding breathless, and I slowed to a stop.
He slid off my back, a smile on his face, and I grinned.
"Wasn't that fun?"
He rolled his eyes but didn't deny it, and I hopped around in place, not wanting to stay still.
I couldwalk. I couldrun. I felt like I could do anything.
