I spent the rest of the morning and the vast majority of the afternoon trying not to work myself in to a frenzy of nervous energy. The last couple of days weighed heavily on my mind, my thoughts had cast out like a net out to grasp at meanings from the little words and visual cues my herd had given me. So I spent the time distractedly reading and puzzling in my head what to say. The books I chose were of limited help, although they did help to crystallize a few ideas.

Intellectually I knew, well I thought at least, that the idea of herding was a natural progression of friendship. But the extent and scope of what a herd entailed was lost to me.

Furthermore, I liked the idea of being in a herd. Knowing there were horses that would welcome me in to their home, and in turn their beds, was a comforting thing. The cold loss of my family and friends was tempered by the warmth of their welcome.

My body was still an issue for me. Being in an admittedly beautiful horse body, with all the curves and caveats that entails was, even after a year, still new and uncomfortable. Yes, I had learned, in my own way, to accept the changes, but I did not wish to go 'full hog' and be taken in a much more womanly way.

My body, even if it was not the one I was born in, was still my own. I definitely wasn't prepared to be spread open and taken like a horse woman.

My mind was still very much that of a man.

Would I one day come to open myself like that?

I puzzled that for a moment. Maybe?. I couldn't definitively say no, to do so would take away the future choice should I choose to make it. But could I see myself doing so now? That was an entirely different proposition with an altogether different answer.

No.

And I would not be pushed.

I closed the 'Advice on Herding for the Modern Pony' book I had been scanning, got up and went to my room. A quick glance at the clock told me it was getting on for four o'clock, Rarity would be closing up soon and she, Flutters and AJ would be heading over to the castle. Rainbow likely shortly afterwards.

I took a couple of moments to grab a towel and head for the shower to waste some more time.

The heat and pressure of the shower had worked well to relax my aching shoulders and loosen the tension from my body.

I stepped in to a kilt, pulled it up over my waist and breasts, then tied a bow around the back of my neck. Covering myself helped me feel like I had an armour which would protect me against anything. It was a stupid thought, but going around stark bollock naked was something I felt sure I would never do.

I heard voices from down the hall so I finished getting myself ready, huffed a couple of deep breaths, then booled down to the library, which seemed to be the meeting place the horsies had chosen.

Rarity was clad in one of her more conservative ensembles. Well as conservative as a horse woman was likely to get anyway. She was wearing what appeared to be two thin belt like strips of fabric with a slight sheen. One over her generous bust and the other over her hips. It didn't leave a lot to the imagination. The two strips of fabric had intricately woven knots and braids which dangled down several inches, pushed aside by her tits and dick.

I hummed in appreciation. The dirty minx.

Fluttershy was sat on the sofa plastered to Rarity's side, with an arm draped around the Fashion Horses' middle. She was wearing, for some reason, a poncho.

I glanced up at the window.

It was an absolutely standard Horseville day, not a cloud in the sky.

I dismissed that weirdness and my eyes panned over to AJ, sitting on the arm of the sofa with her meaty dick hanging off the side. She was as naked as the day she was born and talking animatedly with Rainbow, about what I couldn't bring myself to give a single fuck.

Rainbow herself had her back to me and was bouncing on her hooves as she gesticulated wildly with her arms. I imagined her dick was bobbing for apples at her front.

Finally The Mysterious Autismo was sitting on her armchair with a book in her hand and one leg crossed over the other, as naked as Rainbow and AJ.

“Hi Brian!” she said as she glanced up at me and beamed me a massive grin. The other horses looked around and up to me as I came to a standstill a few paces from the table which was sitting between them.

A chorus of 'hi's' and 'howdy's' echoed her.

“Hi bints” I said offhandedly “everyone alright?”

A collection of affirmatives was the response.

“Ok, so...” I trailed off.

My mind went completely blank as I puzzled what to actually say. Now the hazing thoughts of my heat had been weathered I now found myself wondering what I actually wanted to achieve with this meeting.

Did I want them all to just stop asking to slip me the package?

Or did I want an explanation as to how I had found myself in a six way relationship?

I allowed the thoughts to brew for a moment and my right hand found its way to the back of my left giving it a scratch. I spared the collection of lovelies before me a quick look to see patient smiles and in Speedy Horses case a sly grin.

The cheeky fucker.

I raised a brow at her and she seemed to get the idea that this was super serious business.

And escalated her sly grin to a more lascivious one.

I rolled my eyes at the oblivious horse.

“So, that happened” I said and pointed to my covered flaps and alluding to the heat I had experienced. “wasn't really ready for it, truth be told” I flopped my hands around trying to weave my thoughts in to something a bit more profound, “then I touched all your dicks and tasted some splooge” I concluded.

A round of nods from the horses in front of me, and a couple of brighter smiles. Particularly from Speedy and Clothes Horse.

“Yeah” I admitted “I actually enjoyed that, that's what I wanted to talk about y'kna, I don't want to enjoy it. But at the same time I don't want to neglect you all”

“But you aren't neglecting us Brian.” Autismo's face took on a decidedly more curious expression. “and you didn't taste my cum”. Rainbow huffed.

“Well yeah, I mean I wasn't going round and scooping great globs from any horse I passed, was I!” I said indignantly, and a little louder than I meant to “look, I still want to be the same person I was before I came here, I like the person I was.. am” I continued in a more conciliatory tone “my heat made me feel like I was losing myself. Ignoring the person that my parents, family and friends had made me to be.” I cast another glance over the women to see if they understood. “I need an absolute promise from you all. If this” I circled my hand in a vague motion “thing is going to happen” I said hoping that they would pick up on the fact I was now talking about the herd “I need a promise from you all.”

“I promise!” blurted out Speedy.

“Jesus fuck Dash, you are fucking demented” I said with a smirk “you haven't got a fucking clue what I was going to ask you to promise, but I'm glad you did, I need you all to burn all your Wonderbolt memorabilia”

“WHAT! NO WAY”

“But you promised Dashie” I said with a pout and a wobble of my lower lip, I supposed there was some benefits of being a horse woman. I could see the other horses smirking and raising their hands to cover their faces.

Speedy Horse started looking side to side shiftily for a moment before she sighed and said “Fine!” with a dip of her head.

I smirked right in her face, feeling slightly flattered at how quickly she accepted the losing of all her prized possessions for me, but also a little annoyed at the fact she hadn't even bothered to listen to what I wanted.

“See Rainbow,” I said with a firm tone “that is exactly the problem we have here, I feel like you all, some more than others,” a pointed look at Rainbow and Twilight “have selective hearing.” the look on my face softened and I hoped I was giving a more meaningful glance at the five sets of eyes that looked to me “I want you all to promise to listen to me and accept what I ask of you when we are talking about putting your dicks in my foof” I looked at the horses again. “I need you all to do that horse thing you do and promise”

The largest misgiving I had with being in a herd with these horses was the fact that I was feeling pressurized to accept a 'stiff middle arm' right to the cunt. I hoped that having them listen to me, and not just pay lip service, would allow me to be more comfortable with myself. There is nothing worse than someone drawing attention to something you are not comfortable with. Imagine one day you woke up and you had a big nasty scar on your forehead, and no matter where you were people were pointing and asking 'how did that happen?' or 'did it hurt?'. It would get old pretty fucking quick. That was somewhere near how I felt about my 'hairy axe-wound' when around these lot.

I had grown rather attached to their furry arses. I don't think I could give them up for the sake of my flaky masculinity, I certainly could for my sanity though.

I wasn't a man any longer.

I was a fucking horse, for fucks sake.

Not necessarily time to act like it though, and take a stiffing.

“So I'm not burning my things?” Rainbow said in hope.

“No, Speedy. I just want you all to listen to me, and accept what I say when I mean it.”

“YES!” she blurted with a fist pump.

“So you need to all do the horse thing you do”

With a roll of their collective eyes they all stood and went through the retarded motions and then poking themselves in the face. The gestures didn't mean much to me, but it meant a great deal to them so I was pretty chuffed they all agreed.

Once done they all sat down.

“Now on to the heat thing.” I said. “I want you to absolutely ignore everything I ever say while in heat and if I ever ask you to stiff me, I want a firm punch to the throat” I couple of shocked gasps sounded from the direction of the sofa “I want you to instead listen to and remember what I say now instead;” I took a moment to allow them to settle. “I don't want a dick in me. And I don't want to make a decision about doing so when my mind is clouded by hormones or the whatevers that caused me to want dicks the last couple of days. Comprende?”

I was getting a couple of queer looks at that last demand so I allowed them the time to formulate their thoughts. Purple Prose took a moment to speak up.

“But Brian, allowing your body to accept what it needs is a natural part of being a pony, your...”

“Oi!” I cut her off, “this isn't a discussion here. I need to trust that you will do as I ask, and I absolutely need to believe that you will.” I said, she had the grace to look chastised, so I went on. “I can't accept that my body is going to make decisions like that on my behalf Twi, otherwise what is the point of being me?”

She had a thoughtful look, and for a moment I thought she was going to say something more, but a look of conviction crossed her features and she gave me a firm nod.

“Thanks” I said, “I need you to do that horse thing again and promise”

Another round of flapping arms and prodded faces as they repeated the mantra.

Weird horses.

“OK, now on to the dynamics of herd relationships, otherwise known as; 'how the fuck did that happen' eh?” I said with a bewildered look, “were all in a fuckin' herd eh? How the fuck did that happen?”

This time it was not The Great and Powerful Autismo horse that piped up but Clothes horse.

“Whatever do you mean, darling?”

“What I mean is,” I puzzled out what I was trying to say. “where I'm from we don't just fall in to a 'herd', we kind of ask a question and get a 'yes' or a 'no', so when did that happen eh?”

“That seems quite strange dear, why would anypony say no to such an intimate friendship?”

“Gah!” I brought my hand to my forehead “are you serious?”.

“Of course Brian, we would never say no to someone who was as close to us as you” Flutterflaps chipped in.

“But what if I had said no!” I said trying to not sound exasperated “should I not have the choice?”

“Well of course you have a choice darling,” Rarity spoke up again “the choice is what the heart wants, the simpler question would be; does your heart want us? We are not strangers here after all.”

To this question there was a few knowing smirks cast in my direction, but more patient smiles from Flutters and Rares. I took a minute to replay the words in my head. Why was I getting so pent up about a label of all things? Was it because, I myself, had translated the word 'herd' in to 'marriage'? Was it the fact that our relationship had a type and could be packaged and wrapped up with a nice ribbon as a herd that was bothering me?.

Why was that?.

It was a realization that until now had eluded me. I was so bull headedly concentrating on the labeling of our relationship that I had entirely neglected to remind myself what I had actually shared with them.

I looked them over in turn.

Applejack and her strong physique; forthright and honest.

Rarity and her coy smile; caring and generous.

Fluttershy and her delicate features; kind and gentle.

Twilight and her brilliant mind; loving and sincere.

Rainbow and her athletic curves.

An absolute fuckin' demon in the sack.

I chuckled aloud.

OK yeah, it absolutely was a girly giggle. I'm almost certain that there was even fucking dimples, fuck it all.

“Yeah” I said. “fuckin' yeah pet” I concluded. It really was that simple.

We were horses, we weren't fucking married for fucks sake.

And I wasn't going to take a meaty insertion.

The rest of the evening was spent like a girly night in. A super girly night in, there was even a pillow fight for fucks sake.

It was nice.

I was in the kitchen getting myself a glass of water before retiring to bed, the other girls had gone to get ready and climb in to bed. They had all decided that the evening turn in to a slumber party and had escaped to Autismos bedroom and the mammoth bed she has.

I have no fucking clue where she got sheets that size.

Applejack came up behind me, startling me out of my thoughts with a hand to the shoulder.

“Hey, sugarcube.” she said giving me a gentle squeeze “y'all get the answers you were hankerin' fer?”

I turned around and wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my head on her shoulder and smelling the scent of wood and soil in her mane. “Not really, AJ” I said “but nobody ever gets all their questions answered in life do they?”

She chuckled and reciprocated the embrace “Don't reckon' so sugar,” she gave me a nuzzle to the cheek “ah reckon' yer right there” she broke the hug and took my hand. “Now come on sugarcube, times a wastin'”

She led me through the hallways to Twilights master suite and pushed open the door.

My heart skipped a beat and I held a breath.

Speedy was laying on one side of the bed, legs akimbo with Flutterflaps pounding in to her with great harking thrusts. Rainbows eyes were rolling in to the back of her head and her tongue hung out.

Fluttershy, was pounding in to Rainbow.

She knew her, I realized. She knew her in such an intimate way, and was going at her like a pneumatic drill.

And Rarity.

She was laying completely on the bed with Twilight on top of her, arms wrapped around the winged woman, who was grinding in to her, their hips moving in circles and legs tied in a almost double helix pattern.

Twilight knew her.

She knew her in such a profound way and she was providing her with the passion and heat she loved. Their lips met and they gave each-other a heated kiss, swirling their tongues.

The sight clattered in to my mind and blew away thoughts.

I was looking at this as a male still, I realized. A male with 'his' women. The sight before me cast away those thoughts and I knew that I was wrong.

This wasn't my herd, this was not something I had started and tied together with flimsy strings all centred around me as the focal point.

This was their herd, and they welcomed me. My perspective shifted and it all came together. I wasn't accepting them to my herd to be my horse wives to live with happily ever after. They were welcoming me with open arms to their lives, and their beds, and to their bodies.

I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for their selfless acceptance of my quirks and mannerisms, for I was absolutely an alien to them.

Rarity broke her kiss with Twilight and beckoned me to the bed with a hand.

She knew me, I realized.

I sob left my throat and a smile broke on to my face. Applejack gave me a quick look of concern before giving me a smile back and taking my hand and leading me to the bed to join our herd.

For that is simply what it was.

And I was going to be our herd's cock-tease.

I could live with that.

Fin.

Author's Note

So I have finally had the time to read over this, and honestly I am quite happy with it on the whole. Most of all the 'Rarity' and 'Fluttershy' chapters.

The first chapter feels a little clunky so I might puzzle out how to clean it up a bit in the future, the middle part of it kind of goes on a bit more than I wanted. I originally wanted the first chapter to be kind of an introduction but at the same time show Brian's meandering thoughts and his exasperation. If anyone has any suggestions you are welcome to pm or post a comment.

Re; the dream sequence at the start of the Fluttershy chapter. I know I didn't really spell it out. It wasn't a nightmare so Luna was not there to 'fix' it, he was having a horny dream about tree cocks and getting railed. Hence the massive hard on he had when he woke.

Finally the ending, although it to some might seem abrupt, I felt it fit in well with the fact that it was Brian who was the one who had the problem, the ponies didn't have the same hang ups as him so their almost dismissive (but for the most part compassionate) responses were kind of required.

Thanks