The Karn Dominion, The Hybrid War, Suzy Gets a Foal
The Karn Dominion, The Hybrid War
Suzy Gets a Foal
by William W. Kelso
Suzy had been grief stricken since her foal had died. She wandered aimlessly, calling out for it in soft whickers, not really understanding why it didn't reply, or come to her. Some people say horses do not grieve, but they are so very wrong. Her owners had taken the foal to the vets a few days ago, but had never returned. She loved her owners as they were good to her, and the female human had also been very upset, making those strange sounds that humans did when they were sad. But all she knew was her foal wasn't there, and she was confused and so worried. The other horses tried to comfort her, but she was still upset as only a mother can be when her baby is missing. And she called and called.
She had no way of knowing what was happening, and wouldn't have understood what was happening anyway. The Karn invasion of Earth had started about the same time her foal had fallen ill. Within a few days there was panic in the human world, and within two weeks almost all local and Federal control had broken down as terrified people, and those people already infected with the mutagen viruses, had panicked and chaos reigned until the viruses had run their course. It took a few days to a month for the transformations into new hybrid species to take place in approx. 99% of the human population. And soon the colonists would arrive to start preparing the newly conquered world for their masters. They did not invade by force of arms, but instead used incredibly advanced biotechnology in the form of mutagen viruses to transform the intelligent species of a world into new Animal hybrids that would be useful to the colonists. It was much more effective, did little damage, and caused few casualties. The effect on the native intelligent population was not considered of any importance. And when the colonists arrived they would find intelligent, but docile, livestock waiting for them.
Suzy's owners had already been infected when they had taken the foal to the vets, and had not been able to return to their ranch because of the mental and physical trauma they were experiencing as they underwent their own transformations. After a few days the livestock became distressed when no one came to feed or milk them, and the horses broke out of their stalls to forage for food and water. The horses found their way to the meadow and were content enough as the windmill was still pumping water, and there was plenty of forage. But Suzy didn't notice, she was sick with worry for her foal.
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Mary Lynn was three years old when the invasion started. At first mommy and daddy had gotten very sick, and she was scared by the strange noises and crying. Then she had gotten so sick herself, and didn't understand what was happening to her. She had cried and cried, calling for her mommy, but no one had come. When the pain finally stopped she was so thirsty and hungry, and hurt all over so bad. She didn't understand what had happened to her either, but she knew it was something horrible and amazing at the same time. She didn't know why she now had hair all over her body, and had funny lumps on the end of her legs instead of feet, or why her nose was so big and she couldn't talk anymore. All she could do was make strange whining sounds. But she did think her tail was interesting, and kept trying to grab it. But sick and weak, and unable to find any food in the house that appealed to her, she finally went outside and began to wander aimlessly. It didn't bother her that she was naked, and anyway none of her clothes had fit anymore. She found lots of other strange people animals also wandering in a daze, but was scared of them so stayed away. She found a water hose and got a good drink that way, but was still hungry. To get away from the other hybrids and all the noise and confusion she finally wandered out of town. Laying down to rest under a tree, she realized the grass smelled good for some reason, and took a tentative nibble with her big new teeth and tongue, and found out it tasted pretty good, so ate her fill and was full for the first time in several days.
She was awakened by cold rain and loud thunder and lightning, and even though she knew what it was she still panicked, running and squealing through the rain as the loud noises and flashes of light caused her new flight instinct to kick in. She ran and ran until she was exhausted, and it was dark now and she'd always been scared of the dark, and was even more so now. As she stumbled through the night she suddenly emerged from the brush and saw some buildings. She was attracted to one of the larger building by the smells coming from it, smells of food and a new smell she found comforting. She opened the gate to the fence, and hurried over to the stable as it was starting to rain again. It was dark in the stable, but she could see pretty good in the dark now. She wandered around, finally finding some sort of cereal in a bag, and sticking her big nose in it she ate ravenously. It was so much better the grass had been! She was so tired and soaking wet, and was shivering from the chill night air, so she looked for a good warm place to sleep. She didn't want to go outside again, so looked around the stable. Finally she found a stall full of fresh hay, and fluffing up a pile to form a kind of nest she curled up and cried herself to sleep. She still didn't feel good, and wanted her mommy or daddy so bad!
Now that she was well fed and comfortable, everything that had happened came back all of a sudden. She remembered her daddy screaming and thrashing around the house until he had finally run off into the night, and her mommy had told her to be a good girl while she went for help, but she had never come back! And then she had woken up like this, and was so very, very scared. But this place was nice and it smelled good, so she finally drifted off to sleep. Mary did not realize what had happened to her, that she had been transformed in to a Human/Horse Hybrid, Mare by the alien virus. And that as a result of the retro aging function built into the virus she was now a 90 day old foal.
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Early the next morning Suzy continued her search for her foal, and after awhile it led her back to the stables where she had last seen it. She entered the barn and gave a sad despairing whicker as she had so many times before, but then she lifted up her head and swiveled and pricked up her ears when she heard a reply! With a louder whicker she trotted to the back of the stable as she received another answer! The replies sounded a little funny, but there was no mistaking the call of a young foal! Suzy came to a stop in front of the stall and looked at the small horse like foal lying in the hay. She gave a soft snort, taking in its scent which smelled so good, and she could also tell the foal was scared and skittish. She took another step closer, and dropped her head and gently nuzzled and lipped the young horse, blowing on its muzzle. She knew it wasn't own her foal, but she didn't care. All she knew was that it was scared and hungry, and she would take care of it if it would let her. The small foal looked up at her with big trusting eyes, and made some strange sounds, but returned her nuzzle and blew back which made Suzy so happy. Then it did something strange and held onto Suzy's leg with its strange front legs, but she didn't mind. She could feel and sense the foal was taking in her scent, imprinting on her and accepting her and Suzy was so very happy that she now had a foal to care for. Gently she kept nuzzling and licking the scared little foal, making soothing noises and taking in the little fillies sweet scent. She could never forget her own foal, but this made it less painful, and she gave a soft squeal of pleasure.
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Mary Lynn woke up with a start, a noise had woken her. Before she even realized what she was doing she had answered, or tried to, with a noise of her own. The noise had come again, louder and excited, and again she tried to answer. The noise sounded very familiar, and she was not scared of it in the least. Then she heard loud clopping sounds rapidly approaching the stall, and looked up as a great big brown horsie came to the door to the stall and looked down at her with big brown concerned eyes. It made a softer noise, and when she replied it entered the stall and started to kiss and nuzzle her, and then it blew its breath in her face. She found she liked the noises and attention, and blew back in the horsies face in reply, which seemed to delight the horse. It was so big and smelled so good, and before she even knew it she was hugging the horsies leg and holding on for dear life, and for the first time in many days she felt safe. And she could really smell the horse now, and it smelled so good, and she didn't want to let go. And the horse kept gently nuzzling and kissing her, making happy sounds.
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Suzy was overjoyed to have found the abandoned foal. She did not concern herself about where it came from or why it was different. It was a foal, and it needed her, and that was all that mattered. She stayed with it in the stable for a few days while they bonded and grew closer together, and she taught it some good useful things. It was very smart and was quickly making the right sounds to reply, or call for her. It also found her nipples and was delighted with the sweet warm milk, and Suzy was so glad to have a foal suckling at her again. When the food in the stable started to run short she led the foal out to the pasture to meet the rest of the herd. They greeted the new member with a little reserve, but after a few days came to accept her as a full member of the herd. Plus they were so happy for Suzy, that her grief and despair were over and she was happy again. The stallion who was Suzy's mate and herd leader had quickly accepted the new foal and taken it under his protection. The foal loved to play with the other colts and foals, and the loved to play with her. And those strange front legs came in useful, she could open gates and remove other obstacles, and they could appreciate that.
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As Mary Lynn held the nice horsies leg she felt the horse gently kissing and licking her again, and she liked the feeling. It made her feel safe and protected, and without even knowing she was bonding with the mare and accepting her as a mother. By listening to the horse she soon learned to make the correct replies to her sounds, and to ask "questions" herself. She instinctively knew the various sounds and their variations, and soon had no trouble communicating. And one day while she was lying in the hay resting with the big horse standing protectively over her, she felt something warm drip on her arm. She looked down to see some white liquid on her arm, and sniffed it curiously. It smelled good, so she licked it from her arm. Yum! She looked around for some more, and finally saw the source was the pinkish swollen lumps between the horse's rear legs, and she could smell the scent of the yummy liquid coming from there! Before she knew what she was doing she was nuzzling and nibbling at the udders, and finally finding a nipple began to eagerly drink the delicious milk. And she needed it too, the nutrients, antibodies, and vitamins in the mares milk were vital to her health. And Suzy let out a happy grunt and soft whicker of delight when the foal started to feed. The bonding was complete. And a few days later her mommy, as she had now accepted the mare, took her to a big open field where there were lots of other horsies like her, and they were all nice to her and she had other young horsies to play with, it was so much fun! As she became a fully accepted member of the herd she soon began to forget her other life, it seemed like a strange dream. She did know she was a little different, but the horses didn't care and neither did she. She still remembered how to open gates and stuff, so that was useful!
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It would be many years before young Human/Horse hybrid would come in contact with other hybrids like herself, and those from many other hybrid species. When she did she was scared at first, but since they were like her she quickly lost her fears. They taught her to speak English again using a Karn collar they had designed for more intelligent animals who could not speak without the translation programs built into the collar. By then her dam had mated and had other colts and foals, but she would always think of the big brown mare as her mother, and they still loved one another as only a mother and child can. She knew each horse in her herd by their distinctive scents and sounds. And yes horses do have names they call one another , there is just no way they can be translated into English.
Eventually Mary joined the resistance to help fight the invaders, and was assigned to a troop of other equine/hybrids as part of a support unit. She learned to help draw a transport wagon with a young stallion name Jeremy and a lovely little Donkey as her team mates, and to operate heavy artillery. The equines could not only pull and transport their own guns, but maneuver and serve them as no human ever could. And anytime she took leave she always returned to her mother and herd as they would always be her family, and she missed them terribly. An older mated Human/Donkey hybrid couple had taken over the farm and were caring for the herd now. And they were glad to be taken care of again after years of running free. Running around free was nice, but there was a lot to be said for a warm stall and good feed, and it was even better if the ones taking care of you were also members of the herd! Eventually she joined the small harem of the fine young stallion named Jeremy she had served with, and was soon a mother herself. While she was pregnant she stayed at the farm, and her herd mates were delighted with the new addition to the herd when she finally gave birth to a young colt, and her mate was so proud.
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Mary Lynn was one of the luckier children who survived the invasion plague. A great many had been unable to survive the trauma of the physical changes, or unable to find water or food had died during, or shortly after their transformations. Some had been lucky to have parents, or other adults, who changed before, or after, them to take care of them during their own change. The even luckier ones had parents who also became the same new hybrid species they did, but that was fairly rare. The cities, towns, and countryside had been littered with untold thousands of small pitiful corpses after the plague had run its course. That had been one of the reasons that had induced the hybrids, with the help of feral hybrids and a few remaining pure humans, to rise up after a few years had passed and fight back against the invaders. Almost all of them had lost loved ones, and in most cases their entire families, and the desire for revenge is hard to crush even with mental conditioning and drugs. The Karn made few mistakes, but they had underestimated the human spirits need, even in hybrid bodies, to be free. And they would pay dearly for it.
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