FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Still running in the forest, Zeidak and Kolana were coming up to their destination. To pass the time and constant action of tree-dodging, they held conversation after conversation about each other and things that they did in the past.

"You did what?" exclaimed Zeidak.

Still laughing, Kolana said "Well, we got the information we needed, so we didn't need him anymore. I figured I could still have some fun before they killed him. I sat on his lap, as if I was going to reward him for the information. After I saw his expression change to that of him believing me, I pulled the base of my tail right up against him. He didn't know that I strapped on a line of spikes to the bottom of my tail before I began the interrogation. Then, after I was sure I was there, I stood up and pulled my tail against him, tearing up his crotch and what was supposedly in it. After a moment of his screaming, I grabbed his maw shut and clamped down on his neck, but to this day I can't figure out if I killed him by breaking his neck, or suffocating him." Looking over to Zeidak, she saw part of his tail camouflaged. "What, you think I'll bite you the next time I go for a kiss?"

"Heh, it's not the kiss I'm worried about." he laughed. "So what did the guards say when you did their job for them? I'll laugh if they--" Zeidak paused, as well as stopped running.

"What is it?" asked Kolana.

"Something's.... rotting..." said Zeidak, sniffing the air.

Smelling the air as well, Kolana found the same scent. "But, where is it?"

Using more primal methods, Zeidak stuck his tongue out in the air to better pinpoint the location of the rotting smell. "Found it, follow me."

About a hundred yards from them, they found a mutilated - almost inside out - rotting corpse. Noticing the scales of what was left of the body, they figured it to be the messenger.

"Damn, I gotta get lessons from whoever did this." commented Kolana.

"Long as you don't try them out on me," said Zeidak. "Crap, the message isn't here. They must have taken it." looking down, he noticed a series of impressions in the ground that looked like paw prints. "Well, we may be able to follow them with these. It's getting dark though, we should find somewhere to camp."

Agreeing with his idea, Kolana said "Find somewhere for us to sleep near the corpse, the smell will help hide us. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like eating that... stuff that you call rations. I'm going to go hunt for something, I'll be back soon." That being said, she ran off into the woods.

Figuring she would have a difficult time hunting, Zeidak lazily searched the surrounding area of the carcass. Finding a clear spot under a nearby tree, he laid down with his back propped against it. Putting his hand on his hidden dagger hilt inside his jacket, he began to nod off.

Opening his eyes, he found that he could only see out of one of them. Sitting up, he found himself to be in a large tent with other injured soldiers. Getting up, he almost fell over from light-headedness. Wandering around, he found a mirror. Looking into it, he saw half of his head in bandages, as well a blood soaked spot where his eye was. Returning to his bed, he tried to think of what happened.

"Sir, are you alright?" asked a familiar voice.

Turning around, he found Aylar lying in the bed next to him. Aylar is one of the soldiers from Zeidak's squad, a lizard, who fancies archery. "Aylar, what the hell happened?"

"Well sir, it was anyone's battle yesterday. They almost had us if you didn't shout to stay in the rocks; else their archers would have mowed us down. I was out of their reach, but I saw one of those damn lions walking around the rocks with a big mace. After seeing her slam it down and bring it back up bloody with scraps of scale on it, I decided to try and take her out with my bow. I had the bow strung and ready, but then I saw her swing up the mace again, so I shot and was able to hit her arm. I wasn't sure if she hit her target or what, but I strung another arrow and shot her in the back. After she fell down, I ran up and jumped down at her with my dagger into her neck, like you trained us. When I was sure she was dead, I turned around to find you lying unconscious against the wall with half of your face torn off. It grazed you Sir, you would have been fine if the damn thing wasn't spiked. I tried to take you back to camp, but I got ambushed by a wolf and he clean cut off my arm. We'd both be dead if one of General Lockwood's flyers hadn't picked em off, thank god he sent out those dragons with us." summarized Aylar.

"I see..." said Zeidak, contemplating what was going on.

"Err, Sir, are you alright? You're bleeding through your bandages... Nurse!" called Aylar.

Reaching up to his left eye bandage, he found it to be soaked with blood.

"What are you doing out of bed!" said another familiar voice. "Lay down, before I have to give you something to make you."

Looking up, he saw Kolana in nurse outfit, with a few too many buttons on her top loose. Laying down as she said, he allowed her to unwrap his bandage and begin to apply another, trying not to stare at her --

"You awake?" said Kolana.

Jolting awake, he tackled her and brought his knife to her neck, as he was trained to do so. Sighing, Zeidak said "The hell is wrong with you? I'm pretty sure you knew I was going to do that," returning his dagger to its hilt.

"Well maybe I just wanted you to get close without me having to ask," Kolana said, pulling him closer and giving him a kiss. Giggling, she looked down and asked "Now then, who were you dreaming about?"

Looking down to see what she meant, he simply answered with a "Let's just say, you need to borrow a nurse uniform when we get back."

"Heh, I don't wanna know, but I'll think about it" she winked.

"Now then, what were you able to catch?" asked Zeidak.

"Well, actually I got lucky on my hunt." she said with a cocky tone. "For dinner tonight, we'll be having deer," pulling a dead buck out of a bush. "And for dessert," she said with a sly smile. "A good helping of pain," pulling out a bound, knocked out panther.

"Well well, you were lucky. Dinner and a show. Nicely done." commented Zeidak.

"Why thank you," she said. "Now then, let's eat before he wakes up, I can't wait to start the torture," she said with a large, maniacal grin.

Roughly an hour later, Zeidak left to dispose of the remains of their dinner while Kolana thought of ways to get the information out of her captive. Upon his return, Kolana had devised a plan to help fool the panther into giving out what she needed to know.

"Hey, wanna help get info out of this guy?" Kolana asked with a sly smile.

"Yes, because we need that report... And no, because of how your looking at me. Depends, what do need?" said Zeidak.

"Don't worry, you get an easy role. Just sit down at that tree across from the panther, and then wrap your arms around it. I'll tie them and you just act unconscious with your head dangling." explained Kolana.

"Alright." Zeidak answered, going to the designated tree. After sitting down, Kolana brought some rope from her pack. Before she started to tie his hands to the back of the tree, he said "As long as you untie me when we're done." he joked. Smiling, she continued to tie his hands.

"Now then, to tie him up." Kolana said, getting up from the ground.

"I thought you did tie him?" asked Zeidak, looking over at the limp body.

"Of course I did, but in order to get the most accessibility when torturing, especially when using a tree, you need to tie them standing up and making an X with their arms and legs. It's much easier that way." replied Kolana, tying up her victim as said.

"Well, how long you think till he'll wake up?" wondered Zeidak, already annoyed at his role in helping her torture.

"Not sure, but enough time for me to make a fire and heat up some branders I brought." said Kolana, digging through her pack. After she found some matches and her branders, she laid them down and went off in search of some kindle and firewood.

Knowing that he won't be doing anything major while she tortures their captive, Zeidak began to nod off as best he could in his current position.

Moments later, Kolana returned with a bundle of sticks under her arm, some kindle in her hand, and a dried out stump with her tail wrapped around it. While she was assembling the firewood, she noticed that Zeidak had been quiet the entire time she came back, and looked back to see him with his head down and back slouched, off in la-la land. Heh, exactly as I wanted him... Hopefully he won't wake up before I'm finished; I need that panther to believe he is my captive.

Once the fire was burning powerful and bright, she placed her branders into the embers, hoping the thin metal will heat quickly.

"Ugh... Mhrr... Wh... Where..." mumbled the panther.

"Ah-ha! So the kitty finally wakes up from his little nap," Kolana said with a snicker, getting up from the fire.

Eyes blurry from the knockout poison Kolana had used, and the strong light from the fire, the panther could not make out who his captor is. "Who... Are you..." said the panther.

"I am... Reisha. I run a neutral business of information gathering, usually whoever pays me the most means they get information about their opponents. Originally, I was out here looking for one of Lockwood's soldiers, because Taeo was paying quite handsomely for information about a certain piece of land he was trying to gain. I found this lizard out here, scouting, but then I got a call that Lockwood was looking for information as well, and was paying the exact same amount as Taeo. So, I thought... Why not get both ransoms? I'll get the information out of him once I'm finished with you," Kolana said, retrieving one of her branders, now cherry hot. "I'm not a huge fan of branding people with symbols and whatnot, I prefer them to feel pain, not be ashamed of a mark on their skin later on... If there is a later on for them. So, mine are quite simple, they have a circular print, with spikes on the bottoms, so it can really affect ‘em."

The panther was sweating already, at the sight of the red hot branders, though he was trained to resist any torture for the good of his leader. Though he wasn't going to like the outcome, he stuttered out "I-I'll never tell you our-r infor--" he cut himself off as Kolana began to wave the branders back and forth in front of his face.

"Now now..." She said, in a more seductive tone, brushing up against the panther and keeping the brander afar with her right hand. "I'm sure I could be... Persuaded to let you go..." putting on a sly smile and getting closer to the panther, seeing his nervousness. "But... I was promised a bonus from Taeo if I brought him the report from that dead scout over there... If I don't get Lockwood's information, then I want that report for my bonus..." Her being very close to him now, almost rubbing, she could tell he was greatly considering the thought. "Now then... You wouldn't happen to know where that report would be... Would you?" she said, smiling with her long, thin tongue hanging out.

Eyes going back and forth in his head, pondering the outcome of his decisions, he was silent for a few moments.

"Fine then, I'll let you ponder that for a little," Kolana said, returning her brander to the blazing fire, but not without increasing the temptation by rubbing her tail against the panther on her way back.

After a few moments, she retrieved her brander and returned to the panther, which appeared to have an answer for her. Getting close again, she seductively said "Now, how's about telling me where that report is?"

Overcoming his returning nervousness, the panther said "I'll need proof that you're working for Taeo."

Turning from a seductive glance to an angry glare, Kolana growled "Wrong answer!" Grabbing his mouth shut, she rammed the brander into his left rib cage. Once the sizzling stopped, she released the panther's maw and went to retrieve her other brander.

"I'll... Never tell you where... The report is..." said the panther, panting from the pain in his side.

"I don't run this business because I don't get results babe," Kolana said, grabbing the other brander and returning her previous one. "I get answers, I get paid, and you live. Everybody's happy. Now, where's that report?" she demanded with a glare.

"Go to hell..." the panther said.

"I've been there actually, it's quite nice. Let's see how you like your stay, because right now--" she said, ramming the brander into his right leg, "You got a five star hotel in It." twisting the brander into his flesh. Ignoring his yelling and growling she lifted her foot up to his neck and clawed him from the neck down, holding herself back as to not let his guts fall out.

"Now then, last warning."- Shoving the brander into the scratches she made- "Tell me where it is before I make your stay at Hotel Hell permanent."

Mouth agape, but no sound coming out, the panther was silent for a few moments. Once he started to breath heavily again, she repeated her question.

"N.. Nhh..." the panther attempted to say.

"I see we still need some persuasion... Ahh, I know" she said with a sly smile, going to her bag and returning with the vile that Lockwood had given her. "Looky here hairball, see this stuff? It's a formula that will burn through anything... And don't think I'll waste it on your arms and legs," She said with a sadistic smile.

Wide eyed, the panther looked at her and then the vile, knowing what she was talking about. "O... Okay... I-It's behind the... The corpse of the sco... Scout... Under the buh... Bark of the tree." mumbled the panther.

"We'll see," she said, walking towards the direction of the corpse. Moments later, she returned with a laminated report, still closed, with Lockwood's seal. "Good boy, now just stay there." Walking over to Zeidak, she nudged him in the gut.

"Finally done now? I couldn't sleep with all his whining." said Zeidak, anxious to get up.

"Yep, he squealed finally." said Kolana, untying Zeidak.

"What are... You doing? You said... You'd kill him!" sputtered the panther.

"Hahaha, well, I guess he did fall for it, eh?" smiled Zeidak.

Confusion written all over the panther's face, Kolana began to explain what he had fallen into.

"Ya see babe, I don't have a business like I said I did. Hell, I told you a fake name! My name is Kolana, high interrogator of Lockwood's Armada. You fell for my trick. I simply had to tie him up and he acted unconscious." said Kolana, giving Zeidak a kiss.

Lowering his head in shame, he realized what he had fallen for.

"Hold his head down, just like it is now," she told Zeidak, who followed her instructions.

Not even struggling, the panther simply gave up, knowing there was no way out of his fate.

Uncorking the vile, Kolana poured the liquid onto the back of the panther's head, and was surprised by the strength of the formula. Not even having to pour that much, it soon left a hole into the panther's head, continuing to tunnel into the brain cavity. With only a brief scream of pain, the panther's body went limp and lifeless.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's get this report back to camp and give these orders to Lockwood," said Kolana, putting out the fire and returning her things to her pack.

"What about him? They may be able to pick up our scent if we leave him like this," asked Zeidak.

"Well of course we cant!" said Kolana, going back to her pack, retrieving a sack of unknown contents. Placing the sack on the ground, she took out one of her daggers and began to draw a large circle around the tree that the panther was tied to. Once she connected the points, she began to add details to the circle, as well as around it and on the tree itself.

Examining the symbols while she etched away at the bark of the tree, Zeidak began to realize what she was doing. "You never told me that you knew any rituals... who told you? That planet is supposed to be severely protected." asked Zeidak.

"Yea, protected by Lockwood's fleet." responded Kolana. "I'm guessing he doesn't make it publicly known that those who are very high ranked in his fleet gain the privilege of visiting that planet for training on how to learn rituals. Sadly, all I was able to bring was some Traun Paste that I made a few months back."

"You found a Traun Sprout?" asked Zeidak, amazed.

"Well, I had to for one of my tests, and then I had to turn it into the paste with other ingredients and perform the ritual that I'm working on right now." answered Kolana, now digging symbols connecting to the large circle around the tree.

"And how long did it take you to find one?" wondered Zeidak.

"About.. A week?"

"A week!?! It took me a month to find a cave that wasn't already cleared out of them!" boomed Zeidak.

"Why were you looking in the caves? If you paid any attention to the teachings, then you would have learned that they hardly ever grow in caves, and more towards the tops of waterfalls." said Kolana, examining the symbols that she created, making sure not to miss any.

"Whatever.." said Zeidak. Seeing her sit down and open up the jar of Traun Paste, a white mixture of rare ingredients only found on a secret planet, he wondered what she was doing so soon.

"What are you doing?"

Just popping off the lid of the jar, she looked back at him and said "Performing the ritual?"

"You forgot something."

"Oh? And what's that, caveman?"

Ignoring her comment, he said "You cant perform it without a transfer circle. Other than that, you have everything else."

Looking around where she was sitting, she noticed that he was right. She didn't draw anything that connected her location to the tree, even though she was in front of it. "...I was testing you." Kolana commented, trying to hide her embarrassment by finishing her symbols.

"Right." smiled Zeidak.

Once the transfer circle was drawn, Kolana sat down and opened up the jar of Traun Paste. Dipping her fingers into the paste, she lined the transfer circle with it. Once she was finished, she put the jar aside, making sure it was nowhere near the symbols. Once she was sure everything was in place, she went into a meditative state, chanting words under her breath.

Knowing what kind of ritual she was about to invoke by the words, Zeidak turned around so the tree faced his back.

Moments later, Kolana spread her arms out from her sides. At that motion, the Traun Paste in the transfer circle began to spread, flowing from the circle to the base of the tree and up its roots, coating all of the symbols in and around the tree. Once all the symbols were filled, she removed her bracelet and placed the largest of the gems into the circle, at the point of where the circle connected to the tree's base symbol. As the gem submerged into the paste, it began to glow a bright orange, trailing the paste as it had done before. Seconds later, the tree was glowing a bright, fiery orange.

Opening her eyes, she then spoke the final word of the ritual, "Adaero." The second after, the base circle around the tree erupted into a vertical, infernal pillar. For a full five seconds, the pillar burned as if it were a part of a star's surface. Then, as quickly as it came, it left, leaving the charred remains of the tree and the panther.

"There," Kolana said, getting up. "Now we can be off, can you get me my--" being cut off by Zeidak throwing her pack at her. Catching it, she continued "bag. Heh, thanks. Let's get out of here before they come running."

"Don't you think you should wait a moment? Or at least take it slow?" questioned Zeidak.

"Why? There's no point in waiting here, we need to get back to camp!" said Kolana, beginning to dash into the forest. However, a few seconds after she leapt into the dark woods, there was a large thud sound, as well as something falling on the ground.

Running over to her, Zeidak found her to be laying on the ground, groaning and holding her head. "There was a reason I didn't watch your little fireworks display. That bright light killed your night vision, so bravo on hitting the tree head on." Zeidak said with a smirk.

"Ass..." Kolana said, hitting him where it counts with a flick of her hand. As Zeidak fell on one knee, she sat up, checking if she was bleeding.

"I'll get you back for that one..." said Zeidak between clenched teeth. Getting up, he tried to walk off the pain, taking it slow until Kolana caught up.

Catching up to him, this time being careful as to where she went, they both took on a semi-jog until she regained her night vision, and Zeidak's pain subsided. Making their way back to camp, they estimated that it would be noon by the time they would return.

However, they were too busy dealing with each other that they didn't notice the large group of panthers stalking them. Not interested in only two kills, the dark felines allowed their targets to flee... for now.