The consequences of being different...

[Anonymous]

Seda understood she was different from the other soldiers. That much was obvious. How often did one see a centaur working as a soldier? They were normally nomadic and didn't associate with humans, or any other creature for that matter, unless they absolutely had to. But Seda was extremely loyal and she felt drawn towards the people of Serendipity. They were peaceful, for the most part, and the agricultural nature of the kingdom was especially pleasing.

She had been standing in the large courtyard near the center of the Academy, watching the students and fellow students milling about, and she realised something that she had never put thought to before. These others did not truly believe she was a soldier because she wasn't as close to being human as they were. They probably thought she was meant to be like a stronger form of the horses the high-ranking soldiers rode into battle on. The thought of allowing someone to ride on her back made the hair on the back of Seda's neck bristle.

But her thoughts were torn away from that for a moment when she saw two students watching her for a moment, then laughing and whispering to each other. She glared at them, stamping her front hooves and moving toward them a few paces to show them that she had indeed seen what they were doing. That sent the students running off and Seda sighed, retreating into a corner. 'They probably think I'm just some sort of dangerous animal that can't be trusted,' she thought, her throat choking up with held-back tears.

[Anonymous]

Just then, as the dejected centaur moved away from crowds, there was a sudden flitter of black and white as a magpie, sleek and formidible and large for his species, swooped down from a nearby tree and landed, bold as you like, on Seda's broad equine back.

Pica, as the bird was called within his Council, immediately let out a chortling caw and began sidling erratically up and down the centaur's back, bobbing his sharp head and flicking his long tail feathers.

"Pickings? Any pickings for Pica? Any flies, ticks, nasty troublesome things? I'll gobble them all up, yes?"

[Anonymous]

Seda's equine back shivered as the magpie's claws poked at the skin and she flicked her tail at the slight annoyance. Looking over her shoulder as best she could, Seda raised an eyebrow at the bird. "So you see something that looks vaguely like a horse and assume that there would be something to pick off her back? I'm sorry, but I don't think there is. Unless you really feel like looking, which you are welcome to. I have nowhere to go at the moment and I'm sure the task is much easier when the subject is standing still."

[Anonymous]

(OOC:I'm am so, so sorry for taking so long to post. >.< )

The magpie tipped his head comically on one side as the centaur spoke, his beady black eyes staring straight into hers with a bravery that did not match his form. However, Seda's words did cause him to cast a more pensive gaze along the centaur's back. She was right - her hide was glossy and well-groomed, with no sign of parasites.

Pica grumbled quietly at this, but had another idea. He resumed hopping up and down the centaur's back, only this time he was searching for something else - now he was searching for any wounds or exposed skin. Despite being of high rank amongst his kind, he was not above the lowly task of picking at the soft flesh left exposed by open wounds. It was a nasty habit that many of his species indulged in, and the magpie was still making the mistake of imagining Seda to be suffering from all the same ailments as a herd animal living out on the plains...