A/N: Gender and sex do not work as the same thing for centaurs. Stallion and mare are their sex, and mean nothing to their overall roles in a clan aside from mating. They choose how to present themselves once they reach a certain age, telling others how to refer to them. They may take potions to better present themselves properly, but most are comfortable with their bodies and do not do this.
Wreathes of summer flowers decorated nearly every entryway in the village of Thundering Hoof clan. Centaurs of the clan were all preparing for the mating run. Eligible mares donned ceremonial bracelets around their legs and wrists and some tied their tails into a tight bob. Some went further to tie their manes so the more aggressive stallions couldn't grab them as easily.
Kyron had painted his chest already with yellow and red paint given to experienced mares who had foaled previously. His nipples were painted yellow, with streaks expanding out like rays of light. It was meant to summon milk to his chest for feeding his foal.
He used a red-orange paint mixture to draw lines and interlocking circles the way Galessa had showed him. The symbols would ensure he would birth a strong warrior to protect the clan.
Others would paint for speed or magical prowess in their wombs, so that they could provide hunters or healers. Every centaur did as they were instructed by the priestess, as she saw what the clan needed most.
The red roan centaur was already in heat, but this afternoon would mark the peak of it. He already believed himself ready to take a stallion's seed, but he knew to wait until the run. It had taken so much effort not to flare his sex the last few days. His body ached for a cock in it.
Kyron stood as soon as he had finished painting his body. He washed his hands in a wooden basin, staining the water orange with his body paints. The final touch was his horns. He streaked red along each tine with a cloth until he was satisfied they were painted properly. Finally, he was ready for the run.
Other mares were exiting their huts as well, all freshly painted with various pigments. Green meant a mare was new to the run. Extra care was taken with them, but they were also frequently sought after in the beginning. Blue meant this was their last year. They were either getting too old or preferred to hunt or protect rather than foal again.
Kyron followed the crowd toward the edge of town, eventually meeting a fellow mare he was quite close with. Asir had used red to paint twisting, barbed lines around nyr arms- painting for a strong-willed foal capable of using magic.
"Are you excited," ne asked as they came together in line.
"Of course I'm excited! I've been waiting two years to be bred again. It didn't help that Casodiem was teasing me all last moon with his-- well, you know," Kyron blushed.
"I know quite well," Asir said with a sly grin. "I caught you two more than once."
Kyron swatted at his friend, but the mare pranced a few feet out of reach with a laugh.
"Don't be shy. All the others are jealous he latched onto you like that. They all want him to breed them, what with how big he is. You'll be talk of the clan for the next few moons, I'm sure of it."
"I'm sure I'm gonna stab you in the backside if you don't keep quiet," Kyron chuckled.
Casodiem was a big blue roan stallion with long, sharp horns and an even longer cock. Ever since Kyron's last foal went into training, they had been flirting back and forth. All last moon, Casodiem had been mock-mounting him whenever they were alone.
As the mares lined up between a pair of short fences, he caught the eye of his stallion. Casodiem's dark skin and fur were painted with a striking gold. Lines on his chest marked him as an aggressive stallion. It was a warning to mares and stallions alike. He knew no other mares had to worry about the stallion.
Casodiem made it clear he had eyes solely for Kyron.
They shared a look between each other before their attentions were commanded by the priestess.
Galessa was a small brown stallion with streaks of grey throughout her fur-- a sign of her many years serving the clan. Her stones had been removed after becoming a priestess. She rattled her staff to get the ears of the last few centaurs talking amongst themselves.
She cried out to the clan, "Thundering Hoof!"
Each centaur stomped one foot and responded in turn. They all moved their legs restlessly, eager for the run to begin.
"Today, mares run to challenge the strongest and fastest of stallions to breed them. Today, stallions run for the right to breed. Though you may come to blows, I ask that you do not kill each other. Lives are only meant to be gained here, not lost or replaced."
Kyron spared a glance at his gold-painted stallion. He knew Casodiem would draw blood over a mare he wanted. Thankfully deaths during runs were incredibly rare, and most knew when to give up.
"Mares can deny any stallion they don't wish to breed with, but those participating in the run must be mounted by midnight. Am I understood?"
A chorus of "Yes, priestess" came from the crowd of mares. New mares were now antsy in the line. They shuffled their hooves, knocking into each other.
"May the sun guide you, may the fields stretch far ahead of you, and may you all find mates on the run," Galessa announced. As soon as she was out of the way, the line broke.
Mares began sprinting far ahead, and Kyron followed swiftly. A battle cry from the hoard of stallions behind them sounded the beginning of the chase. It could stretch for miles and miles out in one direction. He knew he would not be the furthest sprinter, but he already saw less experienced mares falling behind in the run.
Stallions were quick to overtake them, either mounting them immediately or fighting with each other over them. Watching centaurs with less endurance fall behind and get claimed made him even more excited. His hooves pounded through the grass, chest expanding with each heaving breath.
He inevitably ended up with the more senior mares at the head of the herd, red and blue paint mixing among their coats. It didn't take much longer for even some of those to slow and present for a stallion.
Kyron kept running, watching the number of stallions dwindle until there were only ten or so chasing the remaining mares.
Casodiem was among them, nearly leading the charge. His bulky body made him slightly slower than some of the lighter stallions, but he still thundered down the plains. Kyron broke off from the rest of the herd before he got too exhausted. He began to veer left, and behind him followed other centaurs looking to mate.
He slowed a bit, but made sure Casodiem knew he would need to work for it still. A jab on his ass made him buck in surprise. He turned his head to see a rowdy black stallion named Evanos just behind him. She had no clue that just behind her was Casodiem, chasing them both down with sexual fury in his eyes.
She made another jab at his backside, and he had no choice but to follow her directions. He separated away from the other mares by a good several side-lengths. A few more stallions followed them hoping for an easy prize in him.
Kyron bucked at her as she tried to push him down. He would not present to her unless made to do so.
As it turned out, Casodiem was even less willing to let Evanos have his mare. He caught up to her and used his weight to knock her out of the way. She fell back with a grunt of anger and tried to fight back, but he had the lead now.
Kyron turned back to watch him gaining on him. He grinned and kept running. Casodiem had more competition to fight off before he knelt for him. He could see the desire building in him. His muscles bulged and flexed under his painted blue roan fur as he chased him further and further away from the run.
Another stallion came up, but Casodiem in his frustration swung his arm out, hitting nym square in the face. Ne stumbled and reared, then swung nyr horns. They caught on his back, tearing the dark brown skin.
Kyron knew better than to feel bad for his potential mate. Casodiem would do much worse to nym if ne continued to follow. He kicked back against the attacks. Few kicks landed, but one that did sent the other centaur rearing. Ne snarled and kept running. They ended up neck-in-neck chasing their desired mare.
Kyron felt his energy drain and he began to slow his pace. Both stallions thought they would see victory now, and he wanted to see who would get the rights to mount.
Casodiem finally managed to gouge into his competitor's arm with his horns and knocked into nym, pushing nym away from Kyron until ne gave up and turned tail, bleeding from their chest and arm.
