FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Master and Taffy boarded a simple bus headed North, and for the most part Master stayed quiet. He clearly did not see the need to rescue Taffy from the Tanek, and really did not believe that it was worth losing a man for. His hood gathered attention, and some people decided to leave the bus and wait for the next one. However, some decided to stay, and a few even came onto the bus. Taffy paid them no mind at first, because she felt responsible for what had happened. As soon as the bus started moving, she looked over. There were five large men with half-capes, and a human woman beautiful beyond comparison, wearing a red robe. She had long vibrant blonde hair that went down the the middle of her back, and looked like an attractive looking white human.

Taffy tugged on Master's sleeve to get his attention, but he wasn't in the mood to care. The Tanek did not seem to notice Master. The woman laughed, "Can't ever get a bus that doesn't smell like urine, right?"

Master laughed back, "You got that right." He leaned his head over, just as she did, and they stared at each other, then they both sighed, "Why did it have to be you?"

She kept her cool, even though her men were visibly anxious, "I don't want to do this, you know. Since it seems my men have failed, it's up to me to retrieve Chelsea's blood. Please hand her over, I promise she won't be hurt or harmed in any manner." For a Tanek, she was really sweet and sincere.

"Come on Susuka, you know that the Lilith would be all over my ass if I did something stupid like that. Listen, Princess-"

"Never call me that!" She was pissed, and her guards sensed it. Taffy, on the other hand, just realized that this was the most important person in the Tanek, and that her name was very misleading, "You don't have a chance here, we have snipers all along the bus route, not to mention me and my men are heavily armed. I would assume you have nothing more than your knives on you, correct? That's what I like about you, you really stick to tradition Master." She wasn't sincere any more. Taffy knew she was right, however, and looked to Master for answers. She saw his eyes flicker up for a second, then a smile cross his shadowed face. Taffy tried to follow his eyesight, but was blinded by the setting sun, "So, would you like to join us, Taffy? I promise, you will be my aid, perhaps even one of my personal bodyguards." Susuka had put a hand on Taffy's knee.

"Um... how did you get your name?" She was trying to buy time for something, but she wasn't sure what.

Susuka leaned back, "Well, it is tradition for the leaders of the Tanek to name their child after the most respected warrior in the family. When I was born, it was a woman named Susuka. She was an amazing warrior, even in her old age. She fought with a katana, which she gave to me as a present. So, you do want to join us?"

"No," Master chimed in, "her instincts were giving Fate some time. She saw my eyes, but she didn't know what she was looking at. Now," He stood up and took a seat between Taffy and Susuka, "I didn't expect you to be so very foolish. But, it is to be expected. The Tanek are know for barbaric fighting styles. If you would be so kind as to do what I say for the next few seconds, you should be fine, okay?" He put a firm hand on both Susuka's and Taffy's head and pushed them to the floor, dropping down himself as all of the glass on the bus shattered and all of Susuka's guards fell, full of holes, "You do remember, that the military is also after our families, right?" He was strangely calm about everything.

"Dammit! An ambush! My men are dead, dammit!" Susuka was full of anger and fear, while Taffy was one gunshot away from soiling her paints. Master, however, began to slowly crawl along the floor, making sure to stay out of the eyesight of the hidden snipers, "What are you doing?! We're all about to die!"

He began to sing, slowly at first:

"And the angels rise as the demons fall,

the stars in the sky don't care at all.

The holy shall taunt us with their hymns,

but we won't ever fall to their whims.

Always protecting our sacred ten,

we will make this world into ours again."

He repeated the short song, and as he did, Susuka began to sing along. Each repeat was a little faster. He reached the fallen Tanek and grabbed their guns. He tossed two to Susuka and kept two for himself. Taffy crawled under a bench seat as Master pointed to her bag. Almost like she could read his mind, she pulled out the winchester and cocked it. The weapon was loaded. She took aim at the front of the bus, where the only door was. Oddly enough, the song was comforting, and made her completely forget her fear. It reminded her of a song a mother would sing to a newborn to stop it's crying, and she was sure that a mother's voice was ten times as comforting as Master's, who made it sound a little creepy. Master hopped to his feet and walked tot he back of the bus. Bullets came flying into the bus, but they all missed Master. They were shooting for where he would flinch and duck to, not where he was standing. The look in his eyes was terrifying, not because they looked scary, but because they showed no emotion at all.

He opened fire to select locations, never firing more than one bullet before changing positions. Then, he stopped singing and jumped out one of the windows, leaving the guns behind, "Why did he leave us?!" Taffy was losing control of her fear.

"He didn't, he's giving us an opening. Go!" Susuka stood up, and opened fire in select locations like Master, but she used much more ammo to accomplish her goals. Taffy had a strange thought at first, wondering why these two enemies would be helping each other, but she wouldn't understand until much later. Susuka stopped shooting and lowered her weapons as a heavy object fell on the roof of the bus, then another, "Damn fearless bastard..." Susuka muttered under her breath. Master swung into a window without so much as a drop of blood on his clothes. Without a word, he threw the dead driver from his seat and got comfortable.

"You know that you need to leave, right? Your men are about a mile away, so hang tight princess." A snarl crossed Susuka's face and she quietly left. Master drove the heavily damaged bus down the street and Taffy was finally about to learn about her past. Unfortunately, as she tried to open her mouth to speak, nothing came out. Though she felt comfortable, her mind was fried. Taffy took a seat, never letting go of her rifle.

It was an hour ride, hampered by the flat tires on the bus, but they finally reached the compound. There were very large wooden walls, at least twenty feet high. Taffy looked around, but she couldn't find a door, "Um... how are we supposed to get inside?"

"We climb." Master parked the bus (even though it didn't have the ability to roll down a hill on its own anymore) and left. Taffy picked up her bag and slung the rifle over her back. She followed him up to the wall, but still couldn't see what he meant by "climb." Taffy thought a ladder would come down, or at least a rope. Instead, he did a short run up the wall and grabbed onto a barely visible notch in the wood. He then proceeded to jump up to another, climb some more like it was a rock wall, then do a few more death-defying leaps. He reached the top, looked down, then shouted, "Your first test: get in to out compound." he hopped the wall and was out of sight.

Taffy stood there, her mouth wide open in shock. She knew that she couldn't even hope to do what he just did. Not just that, but there is a bus that is smoking profusely, gathering unwanted attention and she was carrying illegal firearms. She needed to get in, fast, or she would have to go to jail. She looked around frantically, and saw something interesting.

Three of the hooded Lilith were hopping over the wall from the inside on to a nearby building. They were each carrying bags, but that wasn't important at the time. It was maybe a five foot gap between the compound and the building, a little much for Taffy, but it was her only choice. She quickly ran over to the building, trying to avoid people, and scouted out the building. Luckily, she found a fire escape and the ladder was lowered. Unfortunately, Taffy knew that this was going to be the easy part. Without a struggle, she reached the rooftops to see the three hooded Lilith looking through their bags, "Um, excuse me, but can you help me get into the compound? Please?"

A female wearing a tight tan shirt, dark brown pants, and a brown hood looked up a laughed, "I'd love to, but I was told that this was your first test. Ah, where are my manners, my name is Erika, what is yours?" she stood up and bowed.

"W-wow. I didn't expect anyone to be nice to me. I'm Taffy." She was thrilled, because at first she thought that everyone was as cold and heartless as Master, "So, if you can't help me, can you give me tips on jumping? Gym wasn't my best subject in school." Taffy coyly kicked the ground as Erika laughed, "What?"

"No, it's nothing. I just thought since you wee feline you would be able to out-jump any human. But there I go, forgetting my training. Listen, all you have to do is clear you mind, and just jump with everything you've got. Sorry to cut this short, but we have a delivery to make. Best of luck to you!" Erika, along with the other two, picked up their bags and began to go down the fire escape. She was sweet, and so far, the best friend she had, which wasn't saying much.

Taffy carefully put her gun back into her bag, then put that on her shoulders, wearing it like a backpack. She eyed up the jump in front of her, then trembled in fear, "I can't do this! This is crazy!" It was impossible to clear her mind since she was imagining all of the ways she could fail. Then, she heard police sirens. They were good at forcing a decision: jump, and possibly fail and fall to her death, or be tortured until death by the police. Without another thought, she ran and jumped into the air. At first, it looked very good for Taffy. She was clearly going to make the jump. Her left foot landed on the top of the wall, then her right, "Yeah! I made it!"

"You up there, drop your weapons and come back down." A megaphone from the police destroyed her balance, and she fell in the compound. Her eyes went wide as she fell, and unfortunately, she wasn't able to think. Suddenly, a man dressed in very simple clothing ran to her "landing point" and caught her.

"Hey, are you okay? That was one heck of a fall little girl." The gruff, older feline was not wearing a hood like Taffy had expected, "Ah, you Chelsea's blood. A pleasure to meet you. I am Artemis, and by coincidence, I happen to be one of the best artists around. Please refrain from making any jokes about that. Now, what is your name?"

"T-Taffy..." She was still dizzy from the fall.

He smiled, "Oh, don't worry about that, you'll get used to in in no time, or die trying. Ha!" Not a funny topic, death, but he seemed to enjoy it, "Please, let me hold your bag, I'll take you on a little tour around our home. And since we are close, I also need to stop by my shop for a minute, if you don't mind."

"No, not at all, but shouldn't I be looking for Master?"

Artemis gave a good, hearty chuckle, "Yes, yes, in due time my child. What's more important is that you get a brief overview of our home's layout. It will definitely help you later on. Come on, it's a little chilly out." He walked, faster than Taffy had expected, so she had to jog to keep up. Eventually, she entered a plaza area and got a better look at what the compound was like. The buildings were simple, yet had an attractive design. Plain and elaborate at the same time. Some of the buildings were painted, and there were many people moving about. Only a few had hoods. Taffy had a thoughtful look on her face, and Artemis had to ask, "What is it young one?"

"Um... why isn't everyone wearing a hood?"

"Ah, a good question. Only those who accept the teachings of the Lilith deep into their souls may wear those hoods. Having one removed or taken off is a terrible thing, and most prefer to commit suicide before they would let that happen. Everyone here accepts the Lilith's teachings, but those select few are special. They practically live by the faith. Of course, "Master" has to be the one to allow any to wear the hoods, so it keeps everything in balance. Strangely enough, a church of sorts was built focusing on the teachings of the Lilith, but it's mostly a place to go when you need some quiet or just an escape from daily life. Master has a grudge against it, but... it's really complicated. Perhaps I can show you a painting that may help." He opened the door to a plain wooden shop, with some of the most elaborate trimmings on the outside that Taffy had ever seen.

Inside, the walls were white, and many paintings were hung up. They were very beautiful, clearly made by a master artist. Some had a fantasy element added to a real-life event, others were just landscapes. Artemis signaled for her to wait, then went through a door with a staircase. Taffy looked around, and wondered how even the moon on a starry night was so captivating. A minute later and Artemis was carrying a large frame. It was about five feet by four feet. He set it down against a wall and Taffy was in shock again. It had a purple, mystical frame around the edge, and two people, one was clearly Susuka, and the other was a hooded man in a semi-loose back shirt with pockets all over and loose baggy pants. Oddly enough, the hood was black. Transparent hands were pulling on each of them, separating them as they reach out for each other's hand. The fingertips are just barely apart. The painting itself looked unbelievably real.

"This... is my masterpiece. I spent two months on it. It perfectly illustrates Master's hatred for the church of the Lilith. Two lovers, pulled apart by politics. One family, torn apart by politics. As he explained to me one day, letting politics enter the Lilith was his father's biggest mistake. Almost everyone agrees, too. The Tanek and the Lilith... about 15 years ago we were all one family in this home. Some petty old men decided that they knew what was best for the people, and then... no, this is too troubling for now. Eventually you will be able to learn the truth. For now, you should probably go back to your house. Left here from Chelsea's time, never touched except by your blood and your blood alone. Of course, you are the only one who can get into it without breaking down the door. Come, I promised you a tour, let's have one."

Artemis showed Taffy around the home. There were a few shopping districts, in which they used a specialized currency. Most business owners had lived in the floor above their store. A few housing areas created small neighborhoods, and even though they lived apart, everyone considered the compound a single neighborhood. Large sprawls of farmland were constantly being worked on, and there was a large empty district, where the Tanek used to live. A mine was producing a lot of iron and other metals, while a large building near a church seemed to stand out. A fortress inside a fortress, as it were. Artemis explained that this was like a capitol building, where Master conducted business. The church was obvious, but a few homes were less so. They looked like the others, but they were separated from the others. Artemis pointed out one, returned Taffy's bag, they said goodbye.

Taffy went up to the door and noticed a similar hole to the one she found on her great grandmother's box. She took off her necklace and put it in. Like before, the door popped open. Inside, it was surprisingly clean. And empty. There was a small cot, made for a feline such as herself, an armoire in the corner, something covered in a sheet, and a door that led to a bathroom. Taffy set the bag down and carefully walked over to the covered object. She grabbed the white sheet, then pulled it off. It was basically a wooden block, with a stand on top of it. Also, a note:

"Dear Taffy. I may not be around to see you grow up, so I am going to leave you everything I can. In the armoire, I've left all of the coins I have earned, my diary that should help you understand your abilities, and a book about our blood's history. This stand was made by Chelsea, specifically for her guns. I love you, but I've learned that I may have complications giving birth to you. If so, I would gladly give my life so that you may live your own. I love you my daughter. Do us proud."

Tears welled up in Taffy's eyes as she finished reading. Part of her had hoped to meet her real mother, but now it was clear why she was being raised by another woman. She set the note back down on the stand, then placed her guns in their rightful place. She opened the armoire, and on a shelf beside the hanging clothes were two books and a large and small bag. In the large back were simple coins with numbers on them, everything from 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, in five digit increments up to fifty. There was about a thousand dollars worth of coins, and in the small bag there was about twenty dollars worth. She picked up her mother's diary, and began to read. There were odd things, things that didn't seem possible, but everything led back to abandoning fear.

Taffy set it down as her tears ceased. She then looked at the clothing. There was a smaller note on one of the sets that said to put them on. It wasn't what she saw the hooded Lilith wear, but it wasn't exactly casual wear. The shirt was light blue (Taffy's favorite color) and tight with long sleeves, and the skirt was a light purple and went down to her knees. Both items were made of lightweight breathable fabric. A set of boots in the closet seemed to go well with the little ensemble, even though they were pretty much folded cloth with a rubber sole. On the top of the right boot was a small slot, and in the armoire was a knife that would fit perfectly. Attached to that was another note that said to always carry a weapon. She put the knife into the boot, then put on a belt she found. Since the skirt had only one loop for a belt, half was a normal height on her left side on on her right it sagged down. There was a notch for the small money bag, so she tied that on. She was actually happy with her appearance, even though it was simple. She left the house, making sure to bring the necklace, then went back to the shopping district. Despite what had happened to her, she hadn't eaten since last night, and it was already past noon. There was a small little bakery with wooden tables and chairs outside. People were gladly eating and talking to each other, and they did seem to be enjoying the food, Taffy thought she would give it a try. She walked inside and looked at a menu by the door. The special today was fresh caught salmon, and Taffy licked her lips. Sure, it would be pricey, but definitely worth it. She looked at the price, and it said that it came with a half loaf of fresh bread and a slice of honeydew melon, all for 1 dollar. She walked up to the person at the counter and asked, "It that all really one dollar?"

The canine smiled and nodded, "You must be new here. 1 coin can buy quite a bit. So, I can tell by the look in your eyes that you really want it, so that will be 1 coin!" Taffy reached into her bag and pulled out a coin marked with a 1 and handed it over, "One moment, ma'am." He told someone in back with a calm voice, and within a couple minutes she was handed a thin wooden tray with generous portions, "I actually went and caught the fish this morning with some of my partners, and I can assure you from personal experience that a lack of chemicals added to stimulate growth really makes it taste better. We actually have a self-sustained fish population, so enjoy!" he bowed as Taffy went outside and sat at an open table. She picked up the metal fork and took off a bit of the filet.

As she bit down, she thought she was in love. It had a perfect fishy taste, with just a hint of some unidentified seasoning. It was firm and tender, and it was her favorite new food. She forced herself to slow down and enjoy every bite. A few minutes later, and a hooded woman walked up to the table and sat down, "Hey Taffy! Glad to see you made it!" it was Erika.

"Oh my god, this is so good..."

Erika laughed, "Yeah, I'd imagine you aren't used to organic food like that. You mind if I take some bread?" Taffy signaled for her to grab a piece, her mouth too full to speak, "Thanks, I forgot to eat breakfast this morning. Say, nice clothes, I haven't seen anything like that since the late Sydney." Taffy stopped eating.

"That was my mother..."

Erika waved her hands frantically, "Uh, it's okay! Death is just another stage of life, right? Sorry, I didn't know. But, you should be proud! Your mother was one of the best tailors to ever live here! I actually bought a shirt once, and it was amazing. It was lightweight, let the breeze through to my skin, yet kept me warm and cozy at the same time. Wow, Damon really outdid himself with this bread. You should try some before it cools off too much."

Taffy took Erika's advice and took a small bite of the bread. It was warm, and surprisingly tasty, so much so that it could be a meal by itself, "Wow, that's good. Hey, Erika, do you know what spice they use on the fish? I've never tasted anything like it before."

Erika smiled, "You know, I asked Damon, the head chef here, what he used, and it turned out that it's just a natural taste. The waster they fish in is so pure that the fish don't feel any stress, and somehow that makes them taste better. Hey, you're armed, right? Can I see what you have on you?" Taffy decided it couldn't hurt, since Erika had pulled a short sword, much like the one the wolf had, out and set it on the table. She pulled the knife out of her boot and set it on the table, "Woah! I've never seen anything like this before! Light, balanced, sharp, yet easy to conceal. This is ancient, girl! But damn, I knew that the blacksmiths here say they make things to last for eternity, but I haven't been around for long enough to test that out. My sword it great, but pretty new. Check the hilt, at the base of the handle is the blacksmith's mark. Mine was made by a guy in the next shopping district but the mark on your knife... never seen it before. Huh." She handed the knife back and Taffy put it back into her boot, "Hey, I got an idea! Let's be friends! Come on, please?" She was begging.

"Um... okay?" As Taffy finished the fish, she realized that it was much more filling than she had anticipated. She quickly ate the melon slice before she was full then offered the rest of her bread to Erika, who gladly ate it. Taffy took her tray and utensils back inside to a counter that said "return here" and then went for a walk with Erika. Taffy didn't want to make a bad impression, so she made sure that her table was clear of any crumbs. Luckily, this seemed to be a common thing as the entire compound looked clean.

As Erika led (or dragged, as Taffy saw it) Taffy around, they eventually arrived at what looked to be a store that sold weapons and ammunition. Erika barged in, "I'm back!"

A large bear with a hammer on his belt waved back, "So I see, and you have a friend with you. Pleasure to meet you, I am John, the blacksmith. You've obviously met my little messenger here. Let me tell you, nothing like a Lilith faithful to get a job done. Ah, but I'm rambling again." he had a gritty voice.

"Hello, I'm Taffy, nice to meet you. To tell you the truth, everyone is much nicer than I had expected." John and Erika raised an eyebrow, "That is to say, it's not a bad thing. I've just spent most of my time so far with Master and he's... well..."

"Cold? Emotionless? Yeah, he's always like that. I think it's the way he was raised, but John thinks that it's because he was born without a sense of fear. Of course, he knows more than me, so..." John handed her a few coins, about five coins worth, "Thank you!"

"Um, do you mind if I ask why you have a hood but you don't go out and... do whatever hooded people do? Also, what do hooded people do?"

Erika was more than happy to answer, "Well, just because we have a hood doesn't make us a fighter. It is simply a sign that we have turned ourselves over to the Lilith. I deliver weapons like swords and axes and other metal crafts along with others every once in a while to store outside of our home. All that medieval stuff and swords fetch a nice price, and you'd be surprised the demand for our crafts."

John chimed in, pride clearly in his voice, "I only save the best things for our people of course, but the things I send out are top quality. And before you ask, we use the outside money to fund special projects, like expanding our home if we need to. Since we are an official religion, we are tax exempt. I never ceases to amaze me, though, how much their money inflates in a short period of time. We have a certain amount of money in our home, and that amount never changes. Of course, we have no jobless or homeless. Everyone can get a job here, if only to buy food. You've seen a traditional home, right?" Taffy nodded, "Well, they only come a little bigger than that for families and such. Most of our time is spent outside. Argh, rambling again. Sorry about that."

"No, it's okay. You're helping me understand more about this place. Um, I was wondering if you knew what this mark was on my knife." Taffy pulled out her knife and handed it to John, handle first. He took a hard look, then his eyes went wide in surprise, "You do know who made it, then?"

"I wouldn't be a blacksmith if not for this person. A woman named Raven, a master of her craft, made this blade specifically for herself and her blood. Beautiful feline, I mean, I only knew her when I was a young child, but you never forget someone like her. Sweetest thing there ever was. I got my first job sweeping up the store while she worked. Ah," he laughed warmly, "she used to give me candy every week. A wonderful woman. How did you come by this?"

"From a book my mother put together, she was my grandmother. Wow..." Taffy was in shock, since her blood was famous here.

"Really?! Amazing! Sorry for not noticing sooner!" John bowed down, "You are truly blessed. Your blood has a long history. Your clothes are from you mother, aren't they? I know, my apron was made by her about twenty years ago when she was still only a teenager. It's stood the test of time like no other garment. I'm... sorry for what happened to her. But now, we have you! Death is a part of life, after all." Taffy had heard that before, and assumed it was a teaching of the Lilith.

"Thank you. Do you... mind if I look at some of your things? I have weapons, but you also make these strange bracelets that are... interesting. May I?" John smiled and gestured for her to look. This wasn't mindless window shopping, she had her eyes on something. A silver bracelet, with a chain attached to a ring that was mean to go over the middle finger. There was a light blue gem where the chain met the bracelet, "What is that? It looks so pretty..."

Erika chimed in, "Oh oh! I know! It's called a slave bracelet, a popular item, but I don't think it had much practical use. You should totally buy it!"

Taffy asked, "How much is it?"

John smiled, "Normally, three coins. But since you are related to my idol and inspiration, 1 coin will do." Taffy was surprised as her pulled out a large ring with many other rings attached, "Here, let me find your ring size." Taffy tried a few, then John was satisfied and went into the back with the bracelet. It was only a few minutes, but her had it ready, "Here, give me your left hand... there we go. And to let you know, this isn't just for show. It could block a sledgehammer without having so much as a dent, thought your wrist wouldn't do so well." Taffy smiled and admired the work, then gave John three coins, "Hm?"

"Please, this is amazing. I wouldn't feel right about it. If not for the bracelet, then for the history and teaching me about the currency here. Thank you." Taffy waved to John and Erika and left. As she turned, John handed Erika another bag and she slumped over. Taffy giggled and continued to stroll around. This was an amazing place with no crime, no pollution, no wanting, and amazing things and people.

As she entered a residential area, she waved tot he people and they all waved back, hooded or no. Suddenly, she noticed a shadow on the rooftops. She looked up, but instead of brushing it off, she said, "I saw you." A shadowed figure climbed down a ladder walked up to Taffy, then bowed, "Hey, it worked! I only saw your shadow, but-"

"A shadow is enough to sense danger. You are skilled, if unrefined. I have been asked to escort you to Master, as he would like to speak with you." The hooded figure was calm and collected, and did as he said. He led Taffy up to the capitol fortress, and inside, it looked like a larger version of every other building, but with reinforced walls. He led Taffy up a staircase, then gestured for her to enter a door. She did so, and saw Master, wearing the clothes she saw in the painting Artemis made, and a woman in a robe lecturing.

"I really wish you would wear your clothing, Master. It lets others know who you are."

"But am I not one of them? Why should I stand out? This is a conversation for another time. I have a visitor." The robed woman bowed, then left, "Congratulations, you made it. You also ate, found your house, made some friends, and bought a bracelet. Impressive. Yes, I had to have someone tail you. You found your way around relatively easily, good. Tomorrow we will start your actual training. Wear the tan shirt and brown pants in your bag, those boots you have on, and your weapons. That bracelet to, if you so desire. But not the hood, you must earn that. You have a question?"

"Uh, Master, is it true, were you born without fear?"

He smiled, "Yes, I've never felt any fear. You will never know the sensation, but after training, you will be able to master your fear. Now, walk around, enjoy our home, I will send someone in the morning to wake you."