FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Owen lifted the heavy trunk, hoisting it onto his shoulder as he followed the barely legible path back to their farmstead, Lachlan following like a meek foal. As they returned, Feredwyn blinked and finished hanging up a sheet on the clothes line, then looked from Owen to Lachlan then back again. Owen acted like nothing had happened, as he dropped the heavy trunk on the ground with a resounding thump, then cocked his leg and put his right hoof on it like some theatrical pose.

"We're back," Owen snorted, flexing his muscles beneath his coat and trying to look all dominant and theatrical.

Feredwyn brushed her paws over her apron, then flicked her glance from Lachlan to Owen and back again, before she sighed and marched over to Owen and stared up at him.

"Are you mad? Bringing that back here, we've discussed this and - " Feredwyn growled, as she poked a furred finger against Owen's chest, then she paused, her nostrils twitched and she slowly turned to look at Lachlan, who visibly flinched then turned away.

"Well, where was I supposed to put it? I know I'm strong, but that's sealed with an iron padlock and - " Owen began, then trailed off as he seen Feredwyn's attention turn away from him, then he snorted, crouched and heaved the heavy trunk up and carried it behind the simple log cottage.

"Oh, Lachlan - " Feredwyn sighed, as she seen the blood that had run down Lachlan's head and across his shoulder.

"It's - nothing." Lachlan whispered, as he flinched when she touched his shoulder, his ears slowly flattening. "An - accident, nothing more...I got - careless."

Sitting Lachlan down, Feredwyn made him strip his heavy patchwork coat off, then the shirt as she fetched a bucket of water and a cloth, before she began washing away the drying blood from his shoulder and neck.

"Doesn't look like an accident to me!" Feredwyn frowned, then lightly cupped the base of Lachlan's injured ear, hearing him draw a sharp inhalation of breath. "Tell me, what happened? I'm going to guess..."

Owen returned, then squatted down nearby, the look he shot Lachlan left the young Colt trembling, which Feredwyn misinterpreted as being pain, rather than fear.

"It didn't go to plan," Owen grunted, as he stood and began pacing. "Oh, I know what you're going to say, so don't start !"

Turning about, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Owen, Feredwyn marched on him, then her anger rose as her wedge-like tail frizzled.

"Owen Blacktail!" Feredwyn snapped, her tail frizzling wider, as she stamped a cloven hoof in anger. "You mean to tell me -"

"I - took care of them, and before you get your gorgeous tail in a twist," Owen replied with a light chuckle, trying to defuse her rising anger. "I recognised them - they were two of the ones who orphaned our daughter. So, you just reign in love, as I did the world a favour. Now, there's no one that can identify us...and Lachlan here, he's still green, but he learned a valuable lesson today, didn't you Colt?"

"They - " Feredwyn began, then her anger drained away like water down a drain. "You certain you weren't seen? Also, you know how I feel about you falling back into old habits!"

With a snort, she slapped him across the cheek with enough force, to rock his head to the side, then he winced and touched his cheek. "I deserved that - "

Lachlan watched the interplay between the doe and Clydesdale - realising that Feredwyn loved her equine husband - and genuinely feared for his safety, and surprisingly, his own as well. "You're sure - " Feredwyn sighed, then turned back to Lachlan, before pausing and glancing over her shoulder. "That you can't have this tracked back..."

"My love, do you think me a fool?" Owen laughed softly, as he shook his head. "I'm sure, there's nothing that will bring them down on us, now, just settle, and brush down that tail of yours, I know how much you hate it when its all frizzled like that..."

Lachlan winced and continued washing away the blood from his shoulder and ears, before he winced and put the bloodied cloth back into the bucket. He still felt guilt and shame at lying to Feredwyn, but Owen had made it clear - Feredwyn was not to know - or the punishments would be dire indeed...

*

Frustrated, confused and more than a little hot under the high necked collar that felt like her uniform was trying to strangle her. Frustration built on frustration, as she wandered around Stringybark, pondering the theft from the Doctor's business, and the now abnormally late stage. Up to two or three hours, were not unheard of - but as she tilted her hat back, she squinted at the sun and surmised it was closer to late afternoon...and the stage had been due about eleven that morning. Finally, her resolve clarified, and she strode purposefully to the Police station, then walked around behind it to the stables.

Here, she found her favourite mare, a Dappled Grey, and saddled her, before swinging up into the saddle and picking up the reins. With a whicker, the mare stood patiently, her greyish white tail swishing away the flies, and she'd have stood there indefinitely, awaiting her mistresses order.

"Let's go Jess," Kelsie clucked at the mare, then lightly touched her hooves to the mare's sides. "We got work to do!"

Happily, the mare snorted, then flicked her ears forwards and began trotting down the main road, her head turning slightly from side to side, before Kelsie tapped her sides again and they broke into an easy, distance consuming gallop, soon leaving Stringybark township behind them.

Kelsie loved riding Jess, and as they passed small farm-holds and fields, Kelsie relaxed the grip on the reins and let Jess have her head, for which the patient mare was well accustomed and happily galloped along, her sides billowing as she drew each breath, but from experience, they both knew Jess could maintain her gallop for hours. Birds flew through the late afternoon sky, and a gentle breeze blew, as Kelsie and her mare enjoyed the ride, but all too soon, Kelsie picked up the reins and turned Jess's head.

"This way girl," Kelsie sighed, as she had enjoyed the freedom of the reckless galloping, but knew she had a job to do.

As they worked together, Kelsie's eyes scanned the sides of the road as she reigned Jess into a slow, steady trot. It wasn't long, before she heard the whicker of curious horses, and she pulled Jess up short, then frowned as she seen two unharnessed horses grazing at the side of the road, a few hundred feet further down the dusty road.

"Jess, walk up," Kelsie whispered, as she placed a gloved paw on the mare's neck.

Obediently, Jess slowed to a walk, then stopped as the horses lifted their heads and whickered again, and this time, Jess responded in kind. Sliding from her saddle, then approaching carefully, Kelsie moved quietly, so as not to frighten the horses - holding her gloved paw out, then watching as they looked at each other, then one stepped forwards, stretching its neck out and sniffing at the filly's outstretched paw. With a gentle touch, Kelsie stroked the nose and forehead of the horse, before she moved slightly, then her eyes widened as she seen the unmistakable brand on the gelding's shoulder.

"How'd you get here - " Kelsie frowned, recognising the brand as belonging to the stage company. "No harness, no tack..."

Nuzzling her, jess placed her head over Kelsie's shoulder, then playfully knocked Kelsie's hat off, which fell to the dust.

"Jess, behave yourself!" Kelsie admonished her mare gently, then stroked her nose. "Now...two stage coach horses - but no stage, no tack..even if it got wrecked, there'd still be harnesses and..."

Jess nudged Kelsie again, then Kelsie took the hint and mounted, before giving Jess a light slap on the neck with the reins, coaxing her into a gallop again. Confusion compounded on confusion, until after rounding a bend in the road, Kelsie gasped and involuntarily pulled sharply back on the reins, causing Jess distress, the mare crouching in the haunches and skidding to a halt, stirring up the dirt and dust, whilst Kelsie sat astride her, staring wide-eyed at the wreckage and the corpses that lay before her.

After a dozen moments, she shook herself, and instinctively cursed herself for a fool, as she snatched her pistol from her holster and quickly slipped over the side of Jess, who danced skittishly, sensing her owners distress. Crouching, Kelsie peered at the woods nearest the bodies, using Jess as a shield, before she placed a paw on Jess' belly and stood, holstering her pistol. A murder of crows lit from the wrecked stage and the bodies on which they'd been feeding, before Kelsie pulled a scarf up over her mouth and nostrils, and approached. Several crows remained perched on the still forms, cawing raucously, but as Kelsie un-holstered her pistol and fired off a shot, they took wing and scattered, their unnerving croaks, cries and caws chilling her blood.

"Get out of here, go on, get!" Kelsie screamed at them, as she waved her paws.

Sickened, she dropped the pistol back into her holster and walked closer, cold dread clutching at her entrails as she seen up close, the blood and torn flesh of the two humans who lay sprawled lifelessly. Kelsie didn't need to check for vital signs - she could tell by the glance she spared each corpse, they were well and truly dead. Falling back on her training, she tipped her head back and let her eyes go unfocussed as her mind tried to build a chain of events that lead to the murder. Stepping lightly, her hooves clicking on the hard dirt road, she made mental notes about the position of the bodies, empty holster and back rifle sling, the cut and unbuckled harness which had once been affixed to the team who had drawn the now ruined stage... Each thing told a story, and as she began to walk a wider and wider circle, more of the picture began to take shape in her head.

"They were hit hard - taken almost by complete surprise - " Kelsie spoke, her ears twitching as she knelt in the dust, then picked up a empty shell casing and sniffed at it, before dropping it again.

Jess stepped closer, ears swept back nervously, head held high as if she were guarding her mistress, as Kelsie knelt again and looked at the first human - he had been shot, and the unnatural angle of his neck, made her think he had fallen, possibly been the driver. Feeling the bile rising in her throat, Kelsie gagged and twisted away, dropping to her knees and nostrils flaring as she fought to suppress the urges to vomit. She hated this aspect of her job, it always gave her terrible nightmares for days afterwards, but the Sargent would demand a detailed verbal report from her...and she knew he couldn't be bothered to come out and inspect the scene for himself.

As she knelt on the road, coughing and wheezing, suddenly she screamed in fright as a powerful hand wrapped itself around her mane and yanked her savagely backwards, throwing her onto her back. Ask Kelsie moved to grasp her pistol, a strong furred paw gripped her wrist and bent it backwards, making her cry out in pain and fear. Looking up, blinded by the sun, her eyes streamed tears before they were blocked out by the head of a black furred weasel, who glared down at her through eyes like liquid night, a cruel, predatory smile on his face.

"Fancy meeting you here, filly..." He snorted, then stepped back.

Kelsie mentally chastised herself, for allowing a fellow Constable to get the drop on her, it'd look bad in the report...

"Oh, I _so_enjoy it...when you look angry..." Smirked the Weasel. "You know how to get me excited..."

"Touch me again Sebastian and I'll - " Kelsie snarled, as she rolled away and leapt to her hooves, shaking with fear and anger.

"You'll what?" Sebastian smiled wider, revealing his sharp teeth. "You're all alone out here little filly...no one is coming to your rescue, I could do whatever I wanted - whenever - I wanted...I've wondered, what you'd taste like..."

Kelsie froze in fear, the weasels gaze almost hypnotic, and with extreme effort, she broke the trance and snapped her wrist down then up, her pistol clasped in both paws and pointed straight between Sebastian's eyes.

"Try that again...I dare you - " Kelsie hissed, her blood pumping and finger a fraction off pulling the trigger.

Sebastian merely grinned, then shrugged and tipped his hat back, dismissing Kelsie's threat as insignificant.

"Quite a party, wasn't it?" He asked, as he looked down, then poked at one of the dead humans with a foot paw. "I knew these men, rough, violent, cruel to a fault...all qualities I admire..."

Kelsie kept her pistol out, as she trusted Sebastian about as far as she could kick him - he'd turn on her in a heartbeat - he made no hesitation, about what he'd like to do to her...and such thoughts chilled Kelsie to her hooves. Out of the three constables - Sebastian was the worst - in personality and general demeanour.

"Put that toy away Filly, before you hurt yourself - " Sebastian waved a black furred paw at her pistol, then favoured her with a lecherous glare.

"I swear Sebastian - " Kelsie shuddered in revulsion, then holstered her pistol.

"Oh, promise? Will you scream and plead when I take you? Will you try to fight? Oh please, promise me you'll fight...I find it, _so_arousing...it's making me excited already, so stop teasing!"

"You - ever - speak to me like that again..." Kelsie growled, as she flattened her ears and nostrils flared.

"Promises, promises - maybe later, hmm? We got a job to do here - " Sebastian teased, the menace in his voice all too clear, and once again, he snickered as he seen Kelsie shiver. "So - seems we had a double murder - I assume - you've already checked the stage? If I'm not mistaken, wasn't this one supposedly carrying about ten thousand pounds in gold and bank notes? Oh, wait, that's right - you weren't at that briefing..."

Feeling anger fight with fear, Kelsie stood her ground and placed her paws on her hips.

"I got here, no more than about ten minutes ago - I _had_started my preliminary investigation, then you so _kindly_dropped in...and nearly had your head taken off..."

"Oh,please!" Sebastian laughed. "I could have taken you out with ease - did you learn nothing when you we re trained? Or are all Equines just - slow learners? Never assume you're alone - how did you know you weren't being watched? How did you know that they weren't lying in wait - waiting to shoot you dead, or...more pleasantly..."

"Finish that thought, and you'll join them in hell, Sebastian - " Kelsie growled out, her jaws clenching in anger.

"There you go again," Sebastian purred, favouring her with another lecherous glance. "Getting me all hot and bothered - "

"Go fuck yourself, Sebastian - or better yet - get your stallion to do it..." Kelsie snapped, as she walked behind the coach.

"Would he be better than you, little girl? I haven't had a filly in _so_long..." Sebastian's mocking laugh come to her ears, causing Kelsie to blush.

From above, Sebastian seemed to appear by magic, standing on the slanted ruin of the coach, as he crouched and looked down at her.

"Well, that answers that - the money is gone, as I knew it would be..." He shrugged, seemingly indifferent, more intent on pushing Kelsie to breaking point. "So, way I'm reading this, is we got ourselves a highwayman - "

"What makes you think a female couldn't be a bushranger?" Kelsie shot back, angrily staring at him.

"Oh, please!" Sebastian mocked her. "A female bushranger? Honestly? Your kind wouldn't last ten seconds out here, living rough - killing people in cold blood, enjoying the - pleasure - of a woman..."

Kelsie tried to ignore the weasel's cruel words, but the fear rose in her, as she imagined exactly what Sebastian meant. It wasn't a pretty picture...

"So," Sebastian snickered, as he leapt from the wreckage, landing in a crouched position on the ground, then standing and dusting himself off. "As much as a dalliance with you would be - _entertainin_g - we got two dead humans - no loss, am I right? A locked trunk and no idea where it went, or who did it...an interesting mystery, isn't it?"

Kelsie had wandered away, following the iron shod hoof print's on the ground, examining them, but her back-swept ears kept a careful watch on Sebastian.

"Oh, so you're a tracker now? Oh my, you're just _full_of surprises.." Sebastian needled her again.

"I have eyes, and other senses - "Kelsie snarled at him, as she knelt and looked closer at the hoof print. "These shoes are crude - obviously by someone with blacksmithing experience, but lacking a proper forge..."

Sebastian walked up beside her, then looked down with disinterest and disdain. "You know this, how?"

Kelsie snorted and stepped out of reach of the weasel whom she hated and despised, before she turned about and cocked a hoof, showing off the well worn iron shoe that was nailed to the underside of her hoof. "This is why, compare that to the hoof print here, the shoe is large - and crudely made at that. Look at the toe of the hoof? It doesn't have the groove for strength and flexibility between the first and second rail, not to mention, the holes in the print, from the nails? They look crude and poorly made. These were definitely not forged properly."

"My, my my," Sebastian grinned at her, once again intentionally showing his sharp teeth. "You might have been paying attention in classes after all! Now, leave the work to a real constable, whilst you go back to playing at being one, shall we?"

He stood and glanced around, then wandered back and forth across the road, muttering to himself as he paused and checked another footprint, then brushed aside some leaves and twigs and picked something up and sniffed at it.

"Perhaps we should bring James in on this - " Kelsie pondered, as she began walking towards her mare.

"That canine couldn't smell his own tail with both hands and a hurricane lamp!" Sebastian laughed condescendingly.

"He's the best tracker we got - longer we wait, the colder the trail gets." Kelsie argued, placing her paws on her hips.

With a snort, Sebastian prowled back and forth, bent over so much, Kelsie wondered how he didn't just get on all his paws and feet and scurry about like one of his ancestors.

"Hmm, yes...yes..." Sebastian muttered, as he followed something, what exactly, Kelsie didn't know, but she was horrified as Sebastian reached out and dipped two fingers into a wet patch of roadway, then sniffed it and licked his fingers, an unmistakable ripple of pleasure running through his sleek, muscular form. "Fresh blood - very fresh..."

"You...you disgust me," Kelsie shuddered, as she retrieved her canteen from the saddle, then took a drink. "That's just - not right!"

"Do not knock something, until you've tried it - I wonder - " Sebastian purred, as he glanced Kelsie's way. "Would your blood taste as sweet?"

Backing away, Kelsie snatched the reins of her mare and moved well out of Sebastian's range - before she mounted and looked down from the back of the Mare, as Sebastian tasted another blood spatter, then like a blood hound, he began to follow the trail unerringly. "More here, look - on these lantana leaves - some more...and here, on these thorns - a - now this _is_interesting..."

Against her better judgement, Kelsie tapped Jess's sides, and the mare reluctantly walked forwards, before she stopped and Kelsie looked down at Sebastian, whose dextrous fingers plucked a few silvery hairs from the lantana bush.

"That could belong to anyone!" Kelsie snorted. "How many horses travel this road, how many people like me - we shed our mane and tail hair easily enough, I think you're grasping at straws Sebastian!"

Ignoring her, he picked up a stick and idly pushed back a branch of the spiky lantana, then touched his fingers to the blood spattered there.

"Maybe yes, maybe no - but explain this - filly- " Sebastian grinned up at her. "Why is there more blood here? I wonder - was one of these bushrangers shot? It would_explain the blood spray...I don't know what to make of the hairs - you might be right, but if my instincts are correct - I think we have our first true hint of who did this - _or what did this..."

To Be Continued...