Arath ran as fast as she could the human tied clumsily onto her back. Not the human, her human she thought. While the situation was dire he had mounted her and she had willingly let him on, well she'd forced him on but it was all the same in centaur culture.

  No time for those thoughts. She scolded herself she needed to get to the vilge healers before he died. She could already feel his blood seeping through her dress and it only made her run faster.

  She'd lied to him during their game slightly. They could have easily made it to her vilge before nightfall even at his slow pace, she'd just wanted to take a longer way just to spend an extra night with him alone. She had pnned to spend it seducing him into mounting her properly, an idea that had come to her after he confirmed he was interested in her.

  Stupid, stupid. Arath scolded herself of course a lone human male would attract attention but at least in the centaur vilge he would be protected. Their ws were strict and no one wanted to piss them off. But here she was now running through an unfamiliar region with Lazarus clinging to life on her back all because she was selfish. No wonder she couldn't become a true padin.

  The trees mercifully gave way to the pnes before her, the towering walls of her vilge bearly visible in the distance. Oh please. Anyone that will listen. Make sure I make it in time.

  Arath didn't hesitate in her next decision.

  Running speed 6 acquired.

  Running speed 7 acquired.

  Running speed 8 acquired.

  She'd been hoping to spend those 21 skill points on something that would have helped Lazarus stay with her but desperate times. The skills power washed over her and she could feel herself moving faster. Not a lot but just enough that it might shave off a few minutes on her arrival. She only hoped it was enough.

  ---------------

  Still in a dead sprint she came to the entrance only slowing down when the two centaur guards noticed her arrival.

  "Arath?" One of them asked in surprise noting both her and the lump on her back. A slight gre taking shape on his face as he noticed it was a living creature.

  Dam whatever god doesn't want her to save this human. She thought to herself. The centaur in question was a young male named Sabet that had attempted to woo her into his herd with promises and fttering. She would have fallen for it too if not for the head mare advising against it. She had said her tits were the only thing he wanted, not that it was super surprising hers were bigger than most mares but it was enough to turn him down.

  "Who is that thing..." Sabet attempted to growl but was elbowed rather aggressively by the other centaur guard, an older male with a few scars that spoke of hard fought battles.

  "Keep your personal life out of your duties." He boomed then turned to Arath. "Do you take responsibility for this elf on your back should anything happen inside these walls?"

  "Yes." Arath replied.

  The older centaur nodded then stepped aside either being polite or noticing her dire predicament. Arath yelled a thanks over her shoulder already in a sprint past the two of them towards the healers hut neer to outer wall on the south side.

  She arrived I record time the door already being thrown open as she entered.

  "Kayalett! Please be here Kayalett!" Arath yelled her body wanting nothing more than to colpse. She wouldn't let herself however and made her way towards the back of the rge hut.

  Most houses and shops were build big to allow comfortable movement of the centaurs that lived in this city. This house however was bigger still almost double the size of a centaur house. The reason for this came meandering out from the curtains that separated the business part of the building to the private.

  "Arath my dear. I didn't expect you back for another few days." Kayalett had bck hair cut just past her shoulders that was tipped with blood red accents. The hair itself covering half her face. The half that wasn't covered betrayed beauty beyond perfection, red lips begging to be kissed, skin so smooth a baby would be jealous. She had both the face and the body to turn any female gay. If they could get past the three golden eyes, one rge one where it should be and two smaller ones above it presumably mirrored on the other half that wasn't visible. They also needed to get past her four arms and entirely bck spider abdomen.

  Kayalett was an Arachne, a half woman half spider hybrid and one or Araths closest friends. A friend that also happened to be a healer.

  "Please Kayalett I need you to heal someone." The centaur angled herself to the side to show the arachne Lazarus.

  Kayalett didn't hesitate and was beside Arath in seconds. In her eyes Arath was very picky about her mates, she'd already turned down a vast majority of the stallions that hade made a pass for her so the fact that a male was on her back was astounding. She was however not surprised the young centaur maiden had gone for something smaller than herself, she did have a type after all.

  Kayaletts hands found the male her ethereal green magic flowing out form her fingers. She had a few skills in healing yet her most important one by far was a diagnostic skill that fed information about what ails someone directly to her. It was sometimes more efficient to tell someone to stop eating poison flowers than it was to cure the stomach ache it caused. Another skill she had allowed her to see where old wounds had been and to tell if they've healed naturally or magically.

  The information she received from those two skills alone would have killed all but the most battle hardened centaurs. Lacerations on his back and both shoulders, back from a type of leather probably a whip the arachne thought to herself. The shoulders were easily from a harpy, the jagged edges and infection building were common injuries she'd treated. But the ribs were a problem, on the right side only one remained unbroken and the internal bleeding alone should have killed him a long time ago. His body was tough, a lot tougher than it should be.

  But the tell tail signs of the regeneration skill were evident, probably the only reason he was still breathing. This man was lucky to have gotten such a skill as even the elf king couldn't figure out the requirements to unlock it.

  Her other skill was the one that gave her a small pause as for the first time in her life she mentally deactivated the old a skill. There were so many old wounds that they were overpped twice at the very least all around his body. He had to been a soldier and either he was very bad or was sent against some very bad things.

  What was the elf king thinking letting a single soul take all this burden. One of her hands brushed the hair on the side of his face in a kind gesture but one that revealed his ears. Not an elf.

  "Arath do you know..."

  "Yes I don't care how much it costs please heal him."

  Kayalett nodded in silence. For a human to have survived around here these wounds make more sense.

  The arachnes reservoir of healing magic was not infinite and healing the majority of the human would take it all so she had to prioritise. The ribs and internal bleeding were first. Taking a breath Kayalett used her powers to realign the bone and repair the internal flesh. She had to make a few small incisions to drain the blood from pces it shouldn't be. Arath whimpered slightly at the sight of it leaving him but was gd his breathing was starting to come out at a normal rhythm again.

  Kayalett for her part could already feel the drain on her power just from that. Her chances of healing the rest were very low. He was at least stable now and wasn't in any risk of dying.

  Taking the human in her arms she carefully pced him on a clear bench. Arath colpsed into a heap, the st of her strength fading now she no longer had Lazarus on her back. Kayalett smiled at the centaur, she hadn't known her friend to put this much effort into anything. It made her want to get to know him. An idea came to her as she removed his bandages and began to apply a cream simir to what Arath had used previously.

  Apart from the lose of blood the wounds from the harpys cws were in good condition rgely because of his skill. The ones on his back were almost fully closed off but Kayalett still applied some of the cream then wrapped him in some of her own silk.

  By now Arath was getting back to her feet, still a little shaky however.

  "How is he?"

  "He'll live."

  "Thank you."

  Kayalett smiled at her friend her pn already in motion.

  "Now to discuss payment."

  Arath didn't have the energy to say anything more and just nodded her head. Kayalett couldn't have that especially for what she was going to ask for.

  She made sure the door to her shop was closed and locked before heading into the private area of the house. Her kettle had already boiled as she was just about to have an afternoon snack before her friend arrived so she made some tea using a very expensive blend that helped recover vitality.

  Returning to the main area she found the two of them right where she left them. Arath not moving far from the humans side even as he slept. It was adorable to the arachne and only cemented her pn.

  She gave a cup of the tea to the centaur and one for herself then lowered herself to the floor. It was an awkward position for her spider half to be in but she needed to look as small as possible as per centaur tradition.

  Arath joined her on the ground sipping the tea ever few seconds. Kayalett let her regain her strength only talking when the centaur could breathe properly.

  "I would usually charge around ten gold coins for the healing and the silk I used on him." Arath nodded. "But I have a different proposal." She now had the centaurs full attention. "I would like to wave the payment in lieu of both your acceptance and help with joining your herd."

  Arath perked up at that, her first thought was that it wasn't her choice but she stopped herself before she could say that. If he didn't turn her away when he awoke she would be his first mate making her by default his head mare. This would give her considerable power in deciding who else got to join and how the structure of all the females in their family.

  What Kayalett was asking for was a huge price as instead of needed to gain the male and head females favour to join she would only need the favour of Lazarus. Ten gold was a lot of money but it now made sense to the centaur why she'd used her own silk as oppose to a ordinary bandage. This was a big ask and if she hadn't just saved his life Arath would have said no, even being her friend didn't mean they could instantly jump into bed with her new mate as tempting as seeing the arachne naked and submissive was.

  Plus there was the fact he was human. Even if he was infertile him being the only one of his species made him beyond desirable to potential mates add the fact he could fight on top and he was sure to be talked about for miles. There was a lot she needed to prepare if this was to be the case but he needed to accept her first.

  That just left this situation to deal with. She could say no and pay Kayalett but it would probably dampen their friendship. She also wanted to say yes and have the sexy arachne close should anything happen.

  Her mind made up she finally responded. "I will not say yes without first setting down some rules." Kayalett nodded lowering her head even more.

  Arath was could rightfully ask for almost anything now that she probably understood what was being asked for.

  "First I want two days after he wakes before you make your attempt. I do want some time alone with him." The arachne nodded this was reasonable.

  "Second I will not force him into anything, you have my approval and regardless of this deal I would like you to be with us but if he says no that's the final answer." This was slightly less reasonable but definitely valid if only because he was human. A normal head mare would be more than happy to have a successful business owner join her herd but him being human does give her more options once it becomes know.

  "Third you will be under me in all matters regarding the harem. I'm not to familiar with arachne family status so you will have to learn centaur family traditions." That one was easy Kayalett had spent too much time in the centaur city to remember her own kinds traditions.

  "That is all."

  Kayalett rose her mind already working overtime. "Thank you Arath. He is safe to move but he will require a lot of rest. If you don't mind I would like some time alone."

  Arath just rose to her hoofs and scooped up her human. She pced him back on her back a lot more comfortably now that she wasn't rushing and left the healers house making her way home.