FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Is daddy still sleepin'?" asked the hatchling.

"Yes." Shadetooth rolled her blue eyes above the five infants crowding in front of her. "You asked me already."

"B-b-but, we got sumthin' to show daddy!"

"We found a thingy mommy," squeaked another child, "a fishy thingy!"

"You can show him when he is awake," said their mother licking them across their heads, "a hunter must be patient. Now go play over there until your father is ready."

"Awwwwww..."

The teeming little beasts scarpered off towards the trees where they began to play hide and seek, chasing after each other and practicing their hunting skills. Shadetooth snuggled back in against her mate who murmured:

"Another stonefish probably."

"Mmmmhmm," she mumbled.

"Thank you for chasing them away, I just...need a little sleep hhhuuurrraa-a-aaaaa--awwwwrrhhhh..." He yawned heavily with tongue languishing on his teeth.

"You have not been sleeping well, are you alright?"

"I am fine, it just happens."

Turning herself over towards him with a slight kicking of dust, she looked upon his face which seemed rather tired. His eyes drooped with growing bags and his silver pupils began to lose their lustre becoming a dull grey.

"I am sorry you could not go with your family," she said gently.

"I have my family here, Shadetooth," he murmured. "Please, I would rather spend time with my children and mate than fight my two shrieking sisters who keep trying to bite my little brother's cock."

"HMHMHAH, those two helped train you for these children!"

"They did...hah...I am almost afraid of leaving them on their own."

"Why?" she asked raising her head.

"Because I always looked after them," replied Fishclaw staring up at Shadetooth. "I do feel like a father to my brothers and sisters."

"I am sure they are fine, they have Eggfang with them."

"That is true...she always said our family needed two mothers and she fit that role well."

"And your younger brother Oddclaw is quite clever."

"He is...once he stops worrying about his father he can do great things that other hunters cannot. Maybe he is old enough to become the father of my family."

"Hahaha, perhaps he is."

She said no more and curled up against him. Another hour of napping helped them wake up sharp and ready for the morn as they went to greet their children. The chocolate-brown mother stood by the maroon-backed father whose grey eyes glinted at the youths chasing round and through the trees.

"I'm gonna catch ya!"

"NUH-UH YOU WON'T!"

"Yer never gonna find meeeee!"

"HAH, I gotcha!"

"N-NO AIIIIE, NO FAAAAIR!"

"Now yer DEAD, I killed ya, I killed ya GOOD!"

"LOOK, L-LOOK IS DADDY AN' MOMMY!"

The five ran up towards their parents who stood proudly, the 2-foot tall gaggle of hatchlings clamouring to speak about their new discovery.

"Daddy daddy!"

"We found a THING daddy!"

"A fishy thing!"

"Hohohohhh really now?" said Fishclaw with chirring tone. "Is it a BIG fish?"

"U-um, nooooo but it's FISHY!"

"Haha alright then, show me where it is."

The children practically dragged their father with pulling tugs at his tail and legs towards the sandy shore with Shadetooth following behind them. The sixth child of the family was waiting with something strange in front of him, a large wobbly-looking mess of tentacles with the same colour of the water itself.

"LOOK, THERE IT IIIIS!"

"We caughts it daddy!"

"DO NOT TOUCH IT!"

He warned them away with a sudden bolt forwards on realising what it was, the children shrieking and pulling back from their new catch as he peered over it. It did not seem to be moving, but it did not smell dead.

"Did any of you touch it?" he asked.

"Uh-uh!" said one of his daughter. "It looked bad!"

"But is a fishy thing!" squeaked a son. "And we found it!"

"Yes you did," replied their father, "but this is a poisonfish, if you touch it then you might die."

"DIE!?"

The children backed away from the jellyfish laid out upon the beach as Fishclaw checked it over. He looked around for a large stick and dug it in the sand beneath the slimy beast. Gripping one end of the stick by his teeth, he hoisted the flaccid creature up with tentacles dribbling over each side before flopping it back into the lake.

"There, now it is back in the water."

"B-but what if it sting somebody daddy!?" cried one of the youths.

"Ahhh but the poisonfish will leave us. See, the poisonfish do not come close enough to the shore to attack us, they like to eat small fish, not hunters."

"So why wuzzit there daddy?"

"It must have been swept up here by accident in the strong wind last night. But that was good of you to tell me first and not touch it, I am proud of you all!"

The hatchlings clamoured with rosy cheeks and cheerful smiles with swelling chests full of pride. Shadetooth shook her head with a chuckle as they began pestering him with requests.

"You gonna hunt fer fish daddy?!"

"AH WANNA BIG ONE!"

"Pleaaaaaaase daddy ahm so hungryyyyy!"

"Alright alriiiight," he said nipping lightly at their heads, "just stand over there and be quiet, alright?"

"Okay," they whispered as they scattered off to where the grass met the sands. The raptor father stepped into the waters making sure he did not cross paths with the jellyfish who had now thankfully disappeared back towards the centre of the lake away from the shoreline. It helped to show them patience in turn as he watched and waited for the fish to come close. His breaths began to slow down as he felt his eyes constrict into the thinnest pupilled slits. The world started to fade from him, the shoals around his feet frozen to a solid like warm ice round his sturdy clawed feet.

Creatures flew overhead with wings creaking to a lethargic stupor, the buzzing of insects becoming a slow burning sound he blocked from his hearing as he focused with purest intent upon the waters in front of him. Ripples scattered with sluggish means, reduced to the speed of tree sap as he could hear his own blood beating within his skull. His muscles sang with subtle symphonies knowing exactly what limits they could reach with shadows in the water coming close to investigate. One came too close. His maw opened wide before his mind could even think as he dove his head into the water with bubbling gasps round his nostrils to clamp down his snout upon a thick meaty prize. Red consumed his vision briefly before he pulled himself up and stepped back towards dry land with a healthy-sized fish between his jaws as his children cheered.

"YAAAAAAAAAAY!"

"YOU DID IT DADDY!"

"WOOOOW DADDY YER SO FAST LIKE FZHOOM!"

He dropped his first one on the sand but stopped his children approaching.

"Now now, I need two, remember a fish can only feed three of you."

Fishclaw soon caught another one through the same ritual, focused pure gaze, slowing breaths, the world shrieking to a halt silently before a shadow swam lazily near him enough to plunge into the lake and snatch another free of its bounty. He tossed the fish alongside its brethren, offering them to his children who gladly devoured with three on each fish. The father stood next to his mate who chuckled with pride at his skill.

"Such a wonderful mate you are."

"Even if my breath smells like fish?" he joked to her.

"Oho come on I was just teasing you!"

"You are not the first, perhaps think of something new if you want to tease me proper."

"Hhhhhmmmmm...well it is hard to tease the male who gave me six children."

Shadetooth licked across his cheek, chirring delightful whispers to his ear of sweet nothings that made him shiver at the idea.

"I can tease another part of you then."

"Mmmmmm which part?"

"Perhaps you can plunge...your meat..." She gave a long dragging lap of her tongue across his throat. "Into my other mouth?"

"Ohhh..." The scent of arousal thickened from Fishclaw as he felt his cloaca bulge. "Are you that hungry?"

"Yesss...your meat is...delicious."

"Mmmmmph...let me feed you after our children are finished eating."

"Hmhmhm, spoken like a true father."

"BAAAAARKCLAAAAAAW! BAAAAAAARKCLAAAAAAAW!"

"I cannot smell him here," muttered Moonclaw.

"He has to be here," said Eggfang, "He ran this way I am sure of it...these damn annoying things get OUT OF MY WAY!"

She lashed her claws out in a vicious kick against one of the large mushrooms that populated the woods they were now in. Moving further from the tropical climes of the Angel Island's jungle shores, the two females ventured towards a temperate forest of deciduous trees and ginormous fungi that stood taller than them. The scents of flora unknown to them were thick and luscious, almost pungently sweet aromas from the various mushrooms of the hills in the great forest. The cloying stench however was an obstacle, blocking their ability to trace Barkclaw's movements as the soft loamy moss crinkled beneath their feet with springy steps almost.

Middling beasts roamed the forest air from shimmering blue dragonflies to dappled birds of paradiso, a wide branching set of autumnal, spring and summer colours drenching their vision. Moonclaw could not help but admire the new lands whilst keeping her eye trained for any sight of the mottled brown raptor.

"Wait!" Eggfang stopped in front of her as she looked to the ground. "He was here!"

The ashen raptor looked over to see a fresh set of clawprints heading off through mud.

"It has to be him," said Eggfang.

"Would he go in one direction?" asked Moonclaw.

"We have no other choice. Should we split up?"

"No, we do not know what danger lies here."

"Hmmmm...but we can cover more ground, surely we are capable alone."

"I would not want to risk it. I know we are strong but the beasts here may be great and terrifying."

"Alright, let us go."

Heading along the printed trail's direction they watched Barkclaw's feet travel through large old hollowed logs and down hills with scattered leaves. They rushed down slopes and careened into leafpiles searching ever constant for the brother's trace. Swirling green, brown and yellow scattered across their vision amidst further wandering, a cool breeze draping between the branches above their heads within a thick canopy that sunlight occasionally crossed over to. Small bridges of light slanted on their snouts as Eggfang sighed gazing up towards the verdant sky.

"I hope he is somewhere safe," she muttered.

"I am sure he is fine," assured Moonclaw.

"You do not know that, my brother is sensitive and anything can upset him!"

"I would not say ANYTHING but-"

"Did you watch over him since he hatched from his egg?"

"N-nooo?"

"Then do not assume you know my brother like I do."

"I did not mean that, I am just trying to be calm now please do not bark at me when I am helping you find him!"

"...yes...you are right." Eggfang growled a trembling frustration as she looked to the ground kicking a loose rock. "S-sorry...I am worried for him."

"I know." The older female nuzzled her friend's cheek. "We will find him and bring your family back together."

"You are a good friend...most of the tribe do not understand Barkclaw, nor want to be patient with him."

"He is Oddclaw's brother, so I will do what I can."

"Then...can I ask you something?"

"Perhaps."

The long-toothed raptor turned towards her grey companion who already seemed to form distrust in her red eyes.

"Do you want to mate my brother?"

"Wh-wha-...why are you asking?!" said Moonclaw backing herself away.

"Because I need to know, do you want to mate with Oddclaw, or do you want to remain his friend?"

"That is none of your business!"

"We feed you and give you our nest, it is absolutely my business Moonclaw."

"Fine, no I do not want to mate with him."

"Alright." Eggfang turned back towards their path. "That is good to know."

"Why are you even asking?!" said Moonclaw with a sneer.

"Because Oddclaw told me the same thing, and I am glad that the two of you are honest with each other."

"Oh, h-he did?"

The female in front turned her head towards her with tail bristling.

"...is that a problem?"

"No, just I am surprised is all that-I did not know you had asked him."

"If you want to be our friend that is fine, I just needed to know if that was all you wanted. Would you ever want children?"

"No," replied Moonclaw suddenly.

"Why?" asked Eggfang cocking her head.

"I...I-i do not want to."

"That is odd...hmhmhm, perhaps that is why you are friends with my brother."

"Yes...yes, that is hha ha, that is why we are friends! After all no one would want this female past her prime when there are many younger and more fertile than I."

"Do you believe that?"

"I do, I have had my time."

"Had? Wait, were you a mother before-"

"NO!"

Moonclaw's shriek sent several birds from their branches as Eggfang became curious even more by turning back fully towards the older female and peering closely with her eyes.

"You speak much faster than usual about yourself and children."

"I just do not want to waste time when your brother needs to be found!"

"Fine, one more question then I will not speak of this again. What happened to your family?"

"Huh?"

"You can tell me...I will tell no one, I have guarded many secrets amongst my brothers and sisters."

"Well I am not one of them," said Moonclaw haughtily, "so I do not have to tell you."

"That is true," conceded Eggfang. "You are right, I will not ask again, but...please do not feel that you cannot speak to me about anything."

"Why do you care about this?"

"Because every time we speak of children I can smell your fear, and I am worried about you. Are you alright, Moonclaw?"

Her eyes softened with a gentle purr towards the ashen raptor as Eggfang nuzzled her cheek against Moonclaw in reassurance. The comforting semi-embrace between females helped to soothe her spirit but not completely lower her defence as she gave her last word on the issue.

"I am alright, but my family is my business and no one else's so I am sorry. Please, let us speak no more of them."

"Alright. Sorry."

"It is fine, but...if I need to speak with someone, I know now that I shall come to you, so thank you."

"I am here for you. Now, let us find my brother and get this family back together."

After a long travel whilst feasting absentmindedly upon small bush-tailed creatures and amphibious slimy croakers, they found themselves in an area where the leaves became much smaller to resemble that of petals. The shift in colours was dramatic as they moved from green and brown to white and pink, along with a sweetened smell in the air that intrigued them.

"What wonderful trees," Moonclaw murmured, "I have never seen anything like this."

"Hmph, my sisters would love this," replied Eggfang sardonically, "but they love anything shiny and look what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Taking something that so obviously exposes them when they are SUPPOSED to be skilled hunters!"

"Oh come on they were just having fun, we are here to explore not to hunt!"

"I would agree, except that those two ALWAYS do this!" Eggfang turned with a sudden flourish of silk petals sweeping behind her tail. "The only time they seem to get food for the family is when one of us comes along to supervise."

"I did notice they were rather...excitable," said the grey raptor diplomatically.

"They are hatchlings whose minds have not grown with their bodies, they are imbeciles."

"Are you angry with them?"

"No, I am disappointed in them. They are such skilled hunters when they work together, they know exactly how the other one moves which make them WONDERFUL hunters, but they are such lazy morons that a shiny stone distracts them from proper hunting!"

"I wonder why they are like that...that and their obsession for sticking things up their vents."

"I do not know where that came from," sighed the long-toothed hunter in frustration, "and out of all my family besides Barkclaw I fear for them the most."

"Why?" asked Moonclaw.

"Because they are reckless fools, they will be responsible for their own deaths one day and nothing can stop them. ...wait...do you hear something?"

They cocked their ears towards the direction of the largest tree in the area that draped itself in rose and white, a clear blossoming maiden that towered over the others surrounding it like the grand priestess of a ceremony. Beneath the tree were two creatures sitting opposite of each other staring upon a flat square with black and white stones upon it. One of them resembled a giant praying mantis the size of them, but the other was a brown dull-looking raptor they knew instantly.

"B-B-, BARKCLAW! BARKCLAWWW!"

They raced over towards him but he did not look up, the raptors keeping their distance however from the strange insect, who wore a black robe of golden trims and a beige steel hat that resembled an Asian pilgrim's straw hat.

"A-are you alright?! We were so worried when you ran-"

"SHHH!" He shushed them harshly without turning his head. "Playing."

"Wh-what?! What are you-we have been looking everywhere for you!"

"I am here now. I am fine."

"...oh. Well, I am glad you are safe."

"Yes. Are you alright?"

"I am...thank you for asking."

The females watched fearing they had stumbled into some odd ritual as Barkclaw carefully pushed one of the stones forwards, before taking it up in his mouth and making a patterned movement to ensnare three of his opponent's black stones. The mantis raised his lone single arm to his chin, a steel-grey contraption held together by a series of joints and wires before he spoke with a robotic voice from his metallic incisors, starting and ending each sentence with bass computerised tone.

"Very good... I am most impressed."

"Wha-what the-" gasped Moonclaw. "You...you speak our language?!"

"I have, are you his family that was searching for him?"

"Well, yes...is this your friend Barkcla-"

"SHHH!" snapped the brother. "We are PLAYING."

"O-oh, s-sorry."

"Your turn."

The insectoid carefully moved one of his black stones to clack and sweep two of Barkclaw's white. Barkclaw raised an eyebrow, staring patiently for five minutes with eyes roving back and forth until he swiped the last of his opponent's pieces.

"Excellent!" cried the mantis. "You now understand how we play on this island."

"That was fun!" said Barkclaw smiling. "I should play it with my brother too."

"What is this?" asked Eggfang sneering confused.

"It is how they play on this island."

"How is THIS play, there is no hunting and it is just stones!"

"It requires intelligence," replied the steel bug, _"to read your opponent and take what he has." _

"Really?" The long-toothed sister reared her head back with a growing intrigue. "Reading your opponent?"

"By understanding how your enemy thinks, you then learn his weakness."

"Hmmmmm...that DOES sound interesting, and there is no fighting?"

"One need not always fight in order to destroy one's enemy."

"And I take it you are not our enemy?" asked Moonclaw leaning closer.

"No, unless you so desire to destroy me through cruel means."

The mantis stood up on jointed legs, creaking with the sound of oils and gears revealing a long sword seath tucked against his waist. His eyes glowed with unnatural light, blank and emotionless as he bowed with respect to the newcomers.

"I am honoured to meet the family of my play-opponent."

"How do you know our language?" asked the grey raptor.

"My mind is...different to that of flesh. Whereas you are of blood and bone, I am of stone and fire."

"Wh-what, are you...were you made by the hairless?"

"Yes," said the robot with humble nod and courteous sweep of his left remaining arm. "I was made by a hairless who so built a tribe of us to conquer other lands. But I no longer serve him, nor do many of my former tribe and, to answer your question, my mind of stone can learn languages much faster than that of flesh. Your brother has taught me much of you in the time we have played."

"I...see, you are an odd creature."

"Yes," replied Barkclaw, "I like him, he is my friend."

"But you only just met him!" said Eggfang shocked.

"But I like him. He is nice and he plays with me, he is clever too."

"To learn our language so swiftly he must be...how did you meet him?"

"I was, hiding...I was frightened." The male lowered his mottled head with a whimpering sound. "The noise, hurt my ears, I was frightened, I, i-i-i it, it hurt I am sorry, I ran, I was bad-"

"Noooo no no no, shhhhh..."

Eggfang lowered herself to him and gently nuzzled within an inch of his scales, breathing calmly on his cheek.

"You are fine now...and I am sure our mother and brother will be fine too, wherever they are."

"Oh, i-is Oddclaw alright?!"

"I do not know, but he is with mother so he will be fine."

"Yes...yes he, he will be fine."

"Your family are separated?" asked the praying mantis.

"Yes," replied Moonclaw, "have you seen any like us besides Barkclaw?"

"No, sadly, I have lived here since my alpha left us behind on this island."

"Your, alpha?"

"A bloated moron who seeked to conquer lands that were smaller than his pride. There are many others like me, some who are friend but others who are foe and remain loyal to that wretched hairless."

"When did he leave you?" Moonclaw sat herself down feeling tired whilst Eggfang kept close to her brother.

"It was many cycles ago, I do not know how long that would be to you. He was defeated by his enemy, a warmblood who ran like the wind. My alpha's legacy remains scattered across this island as pieces of stone and ruin. Worthless to all except my tribe who scavenge to heal themselves, including me."

He showed off his hand fully, a three-fingered limb with surprisingly complex machinations in its sinuous wiring beneath the steel-armed carapace. Scars of battle and burning wounds littered its surface which fascinated the raptors.

"To think the hairless can create those like you," muttered Eggfang looking up, "and yet you are not born from the egg, is that right?"

"No," stated the robot, "we are born from fire and stone inside shining mountains that the hairless built. That is the best I can explain through your language."

"Do you have a name?"

"My slave number was zero-one-zero-one-zero-zero-one-zero, zero-one-one-one-one-zero-zero-one, zero-one-one-zero-one-one-one-one-"

"Uhhhh o-okay, I-"

_"Zero-one-one-one-zero-one-zero-one, zero-one-one-zero-one-one-zero-one, zero-one-one-zero-zero- zero-zero-one." _

There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a few seconds, fearing more number would start pouring in from the insectoid mouth until Moonclaw asked bravely:

"Do you have a NAME though?"

"I have taken a new number, as zero-one-zero-zero-zero-"

"N-NO, NO, no more numbers, a name PLEASE!"

"Oh...my apologies, I forget hunters do not speak my language. I am not certain how to translate my name to your language."

"I see," replied Eggfang standing up with Moonclaw in tow, "well it was wonderful to meet you, and thank you for keeping my brother safe."

"Can he come with us?" asked Barkclaw softly.

"Wh-...why?"

"He lives here, he knows the island, he can find our family faster than we can."

"That is true," said the robot, "I can help you if you so desire, but that is your choice."

The two females looked at each other nervously, uncertain in their trust towards the stranger whose scent gave off nothing to indicate his true intentions of either deceit or honesty. The absence of smell made him even more distrustful as Moonclaw asked:

"We would not ask if it is troublesome for you."

"I am a wanderer," he replied, _"I find you fascinating, as visitors to this island and I want to ensure that you are safe from those who wish to do you harm. That...and I like your brother, as one who understands me." _

"He...understands you?"

"Since we have met, he has shown me great respect and kindness without fear. That, is a rare thing on this island and I wish to repay that to him by becoming his friend. If you will allow me to be such."

"Well...I...if...if Barkclaw wants to be your friend I do not think we can stop him-"

"I do," said Barkclaw with wide-eyed hope, "he is nice to me! But I would like to give him a name."

"Hmmm..." Eggfang remained uncertain, licking her lips with anxiety as she pondered on a name. "Stonewing?"

"No, a new name. A name that...others do not have......OH!" The male raptor hopped with a barking. "Stonevoice!"

"Stonevoice?" asked the metallic beast.

"Yes, because you have a voice that comes from stone!"

"That is a GREAT name!" cried Eggfang with pride. "Do you like it, stranger?"

"Hmmm... Stonevoice is a good name, I accept it."

He lowered his head to its utmost point in full subservience to the raptor family. Barkclaw walked up alongside him to sniff at his steel build with a strangely calm aura radiating from him. Eggfang was shocked with saucer-shaped eyes blinking dumbfounded before she remembered herself.

"Our family might still be back that way, can you take us there swiftly?"

"I can," said Stonevoice, "I shall take you back now."

In only half the time it took for them to head back through the mushroom hills, they found themselves staring into a rather terrifying abyss, a deep broken pit at the bottom of the cliff next to the waterfall. Despite them calling out to their family there was no response from any beast nearby which had them fear for the worst.

"N-no," stammered Moonclaw, "n-no they...they could not have fallen in!"

"If they fell into the deep," stated the robot, _"they will be in the water caverns." _

"Will they be safe?"

"The caverns are great and they reach far beneath the island. I know where the caverns are and I can take you to where their water flows out."

"Alright," said Eggfang turning back towards the mushroom hills, "take us to where the caverns will go, and as soon as we regroup we can discuss whether we want to stay on this island any longer."

"Mother said we will be here two days," added Barkclaw.

"She did, but if this island is too dangerous we may leave before that."

"Okay."

Whilst returning through the fungi-filled woods however, the raptors sensed danger from around them as the mantis murmured to them:

"Enemies."

"Yes," said Eggfang, "keep walking, let them think we are unaware."

"Stonebeasts such as me, can you fight them?"

"We fight together...Barkclaw, are you ready?"

"Yes," he muttered.

"This is what we will do, when they come do as I say..."

They did not slow their pace, waiting for their pursuers as the sound of buzzing filled their ears from above and to their sides. The moment before they struck Moonclaw jumped up high to bite at the nearest fiend before Eggfang joined in to pull it hard to the ground and rip its head clean from its body, sparking violent shots of electricity as she turned her face away sharply. Barkclaw ducked and swung his tail towards something from the east, smacking its head hard enough to lunge its body forwards before a crushing punch came straight from Stonevoice's fist.

"AAAAAAAARGH!"

The creature crumpled between them resembled a blue legless monkey with yellow beak and silver tail as it jumped up with a snarl on its steel face.

"WHUT'S YER PROBLEM BOLTHEAD?!"

"Our problem," replied Stonevoice in their common language, "is that we do not tolerate miscreants be they metallic or otherwise."

"Oh that's rich look at you fancy boy with yer robe who you tryin' to impress huh?!"

"If you did not wish us harm, then why attack us?"

"We wanted to ask ya directions, yanno...like regular folks."

They soon saw the group of metallic foes appear from around them in a circle. Two creatures resembling rhinoceroses with a large wheel for a foot, a few floating blue caterpillars at least 5 feet long each that shimmered with electrical vibrations, and also the monkeybot now standing amidst the raptors.

"But now," he added, "since ya got all ornery on us, we may hafta teach ya a lesson."

"Typical," said Stonevoice looking away from the chimp, "a tyrant creates his own excuses, you cry foul because we defend ourselves from your attempted assault."

"I weren't assaultin' nuthin'! LOOKIT THAT, ya broke my friend!" He pointed guiltily towards the severed headless caterpillar now twitching on the ground. "That gonna cost you extra."

"Extra what, limbs? Patience? ...lesson in manners?"

"RINGS ya bug-eyed freak, you got any?!"

"I have no need for that."

"Well dat's a shame...seems like we gonna hafta see whut makes ya TICK inside that robe of yers. An' dont try to fight, cuz we outnumber you's an' yer meatbag crew."

"Hmph. Do you know what a gang is little monkey?"

"Whut?"

"It's where cowards go to hide. THIS...is a family, and they will not be stopped in their quest."

"WELL AHM STOPPIN' YA NOW!"

The monkey swung his fist as the mantis slipped back on small wheels hidden beneath his heels. There was a flash almost like lightning between him and the robot ape as Stonevoice's hand slipped towards his sword and sliced him at almost-supersonic speed. The chimp stood quietly, silent strangely as he looked down at himself.

"......whuh...uhhh- G-GHHHRRRKH!"

He came apart in two at his chest, severed diagonally as his top half slid down to the dirt in shooting sparks, his lower half just slumping dead as his crew backed up.

"WH-WHUT HE DO!?"

"WHO CARES JUST WASTE THE SPARKWADS!"

"Prepare yourself!" shouted Stonevoice to the raptors.

Sensing the fight had begun in earnest, Eggfang rallied her friend and brother to their positions as agreed beforehand. Moonclaw focused on the two rhinobots that revved straight towards the family with roadkilling frenzy, their twin-horned spikes crested upon their snouts glinting within the forest sun. She dodged one and leapt over the other forcing them to turn fast in an arcing spin back towards her. The silver-scaled raptor planned her attack in swerving past the first rhino before slamkicking her feet into its side, knocking it hard to the earth on its side with shrieking spinning wheel. The second one however did not charge straight on but made a circle round her, speeding up faster and faster to try and disorient her. But all she did was smile without moving her head, hearing the droning roar of its engine move from left to right and around once again. Then it charged just after she leapt on the spot and slammed her claws down upon its smooth back, riding it frantically as it panicked and tried to get her off.

"G-GAAAH A-AAAAAGH GIDOFF ME! GETOFFA ME YA FREAK!"

"HAHAAAAA NOW YOU ARE DEAD, ONCE I BREAK YOUR SHELL!"

Her jaws lunged down upon the crested rhino head scraping her teeth against the steel as the rhino swerved and spun despite her hanging on with perfect balance. Barkclaw teamed up with Eggfang as the swarming floating caterpillars dove towards them like a flocking storm, burning the air above them with sordid electrical charges in undulating motions. The sister tried to bite at one when it started to glow causing her to get shocked through her skull and recoil with a shriek.

"A-AAAGH HURTS!"

"Try again meatbag!" cackled one of the bulbous beasts. "Think you can figure us out huh ya stupid bugeater!?"

Swirling twists of their bodies caused them to charge in spiral motions, slapping their heads and tails with striking sparks across their heads amidst the raptors dodging. Barkclaw however realised the pattern as he yammered to his sister:

"When they are not shiny, kill them!"

"What?!"

"They do not hurt, if they are not shiny!"

"Are you sure?!"

"Yes, let me do something!"

She sensed his earnestness and waited for the next attack, hurtling blue bodies trembling with thunderous energy as they struck and crossed against each other like the slowest lightning bolts. But after two of them swerved past to barely miss jolting their feet, Barkclaw leapt upon Eggfang's back and sprang upwards with a sudden lift from his sister. The forceful leap sent him straight upon two of the steel bugs as he slammed his claws hard upon both their bodies, ripping their heads off with violent pulls and sparking fizz. Eggfang grabbed one of the twitching bodies in her teeth and swung it towards another caterpillar, swatting it out of the sky hard to land before she jumped and ripped its face, shrieking static as its death cry.

"HAH, does that hurt now you wretched beasts?!"

"WH-WHAT THE HECK!?" shouted one of the two remaining bugs.

"JUST KEEP FLOATIN' AN' STINGIN' YA NIMROD!"

The rhino that had been toppled over forced itself back up through a sudden exhaust fume in a gust of toxic heat, wavering on its wheel slightly before it saw its friend being currently hijacked by Moonclaw trying to rip its head off. Revving the wheel hard it turned towards a small hillock to make a fitting ramp, aiming in the direction of Moonclaw's caperous attack in order to slam on top of her and dislodge her from the other rhino. Charging up with a burning mist of black smog the motorbot roared towards the grass knoll and leapt to the air heading towards her. But it had not taken into account the robot swordsman.

"WH-WHAT THE- NOOO-GHHRRRRHHK!"

Out of nowhere came a shimmering white blade reminiscent of a giant claw, spinning towards him with devastating slash clean through its entire body. The rhinoceros rolled its eyes upwards and fell to the earth in two halves amidst a small brief explosion, the whirling sword-like appendage making its way back to Stonevoice through a magnetic force from his body. Trembling energies shimmered in the sky as he caught it deftly by its handle, turning towards the second rhino.

"YOU, JERK, THAT WAS MY SQUADMATE!"

Shrieking with fury in his eyes the wheelbot charged with horns low ready to kill as Moonclaw stayed steady upon its chassis. She smiled towards the mantis who nodded calmly and waited for the signal. Within closing distance as the motorbot bellow a cry of vengeance, the raptor clamped her jaws upon its frilled head and viciously turned it hard to the left, forcing it to spin careening out of control towards him.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAA_AAAAAAAAA AAAAAARGH! _"

Beneath the earth another battle was raging as Knuckles slammed his giant fist into the face of a crab-like beast, crushing its head inwards to the base of its giant drill-shaped shell on its back. The force of his punch was so great, that it sent the robot skidding on its treadmills fast towards the wall where it burst upon impact. Nearby Oddclaw was ducking fast beneath a small gang of horsefly-shaped drones with giant eyes and smaller versions of itself hovering around in circles, trying to peck and lash at the raptor's skin with striking whip attacks of their long slender abdomens.

"Come on ya lizard," buzzed the bluebottled bots, "try an' hit us!"

"S-STOP IT!" shouted Oddclaw. "If I had my gun you would be dead already!"

"Well watcha gonna do without it HUH?!"

"THIS!"

He jumpkicked against a wall and backflipped hard, striking his feet upon the head of the largest insect to crush it into the stone-cobbled floor. The steel endured the weight, but he grabbed its tail and swung it vicously against the wall to crack it fiercely into a sparking wick, desiccated and causing the other bugs to become incensed with rage.

"OH YOU THINK YER HOT BITS DO YA, HOW 'BOUT THIS?!"

The bugs swarmed all at once into a ball of flies as they rammed him against the wall, slamming Oddclaw in the chest as he staggered from the crush with a bruised pain in his ribs. But Barren came tearing from the side into the haze of flies and snapped at their abdomens before spinning it like a flailing mace, battering and crushing the other smaller bugs straight out of the seething mass before thwacking the final one against the wall.

"NEVER touch my son again you FILTH PEST!"

The two turned towards the last opponents, two crabs with spiky cones on their backs that they soon fired off like missiles, veering in an arc towards them. Both mother and son looked to each other as they ducked underneath and rushed towards the hermit crab bots with brazen claws and rabid teeth. Barren snatched the eyestalks off of one to rip and sever to total blindness, causing it to spin wildly frantic with fear and shock until she barged her head against its treads to send it over into the deep water. Oddclaw did the same by pulling at its eyes and swinging it like a hammer even further to the great abyss.

But they did not realise that the drill-missiles came back to them, churning through the air with deadly slow force until Knuckles blurred past them to raise his fist in an uppercut towards one which sent it careening to explode against the wall, before punching the other one by the base of its torpid shaft into the water itself with devastating speed. The explosion became muted apart from a simmering foam on the surface to bubble hotly.

"Phew," said Knuckles landing on his feet with clapping hands, "that takes care o' that."

"What were those things?" asked Oddclaw rubbing his bare chest. "They looked like beasts but made of stone."

"Stone? Nah that's steel, they're called robots, or badniks rather."

"Bad-nicks?"

"Robots from the last guy who was here. Human called Robotnik."

"Human? There was another human-n-nnngh."

He sat down as Knuckles walked over to check his bruise. Barren stood over with fretful nerves.

"Are you alright?"

"I am fine," he said to her, "my body is just a little wounded."

"D-do not TOUCH him-"

"Mother please!"

"Hey-ey calm down!" The echidna swatted her snapping jaws away despite her best attempts to push him from her son. "I'm just trying to figure out where your son's hurt."

"He is going to heal my wounds," translated said son, "let him do it."

"He was trying to beat our family's heads in before!" she shouted back at him. "How can you trust him now?!"

"Because he admitted he was wrong and if he wanted us dead, he could have let you drown in the water-a-aaagh!"

Knuckles pulled out a small medkit from his satchel after checking Oddclaw's breathing, dreadlocks smothering the scaled chest.

"Well good news is your ribs aren't broken," was his diagnosis, "just a pretty big bruise but I got ointment for that."

He smeared some of the ointment along the raptor's bruise then covered it with a bandage firmly circling round his torso.

"That should keep ya, let that bruise heal itself for now."

"Ahhh, thank you," he replied sitting up carefully, "that feels nice."

"No problem. So like I said, yeah this guy Robotnik, tried to take over my island, steal those emeralds and left a whole buncha his army wanderin' around."

"Are they all dangerous?"

"Ehhh not all of them." The echidna shrugged helping Oddclaw back on his feet. "Some of 'em disbanded, wanted to live normal lives, got tired of fighting so they all went over to the abandoned carnival which they sorta rebuilt into their own robot town."

"Oh, is that good?"

"Well yeah if they're not fighting sure that's good. But you got punks like these who tried to fight us, at least these guys don't got any animals inside 'em like they used to...that's the one good thing about these badniks rebuildin' themselves after Robotnik left, no need for enslavin' new ones."

"Enslaving?" asked Oddclaw.

"The robots used to have animals inside them, for a power generator."

"...I...I do not understand."

"Ehhh takes too long to explain come on let's go, your mom's getting antsy."

"Enough barking!" she ranted stomping feet. "My daughters are being chased by some beast and if we do not find them soon I will have YOUR head for it warmblood!"

They walked along a lonesome bridge of sturdy brick and mortar stone from olden days as the damp echoing atmosphere sent chills through the raptor's skin, shivering to their bones as Knuckles lead them away from the waterlogged paths and trekked upwards to the ceiling of the catacombs. The barest light they could see came through cracks up above or through ancient beacons lit along the paths from sconced torches or electrical crystals contained in their own totems, giving a warm glow to the yellowed stones and looping aquaducts that went in full circles towards the abyss.

Knuckles adjusted his hat cautiously in gauging a potential way out, leading them on a separate passageway that ended in a worn wall with thick cracks through excessive wear. He started climbing first to show it was safe as Oddclaw followed with Barren coming up behind in a rather sluggish pace. Despite not being especially high, she was exhausted by the time she reached the top as her large clawed feet jammed into the holes with her mouth occasionally grasping at a jutting block to keep steady.

"O-ohhhh spare me," she whined, "I have not climbed anything like that in cycles."

"It is just part of exploring right mother?" replied Odd with cheerisome attempt.

"I am not young, please remember that."

"Really? The way you were play-fighting me today back home made me think I was fighting one of my sisters!"

"HAH! Hmhmhahahaha, youhuhu are such a fiend with your words, you know that?"

Her son simply grinned with a nonchalant shrug, hugging her tenderly to rejuvenate her spirits as her mood became more jovial whilst he added:

"I would not have stayed with you if I thought you would slow me down, right mother?"

"No of course not," said Barren preening with exposed neck, "well, what do we do now?"

"Where do we go now?" asked Oddclaw to the guardian.

"Lemme see..."

With hand over his brow Knuckles stared across the enormous ancient city, mapping a route that would be most accessible to his aquaphobic companions. Oddclaw took this moment of rest, with Barren sitting down to catch her breath, to ask their companion:

"How did you become a...g-gar-dee-an?"

"It's part of my lineage," explained the echidna. "My family were all guardians, parents, grandparents, stretching all the way back to ancient times."

"So, you follow your family?"

"Yeah."

"Do you...did you want to?"

"Huh?" The red-haired native scratched his head gently turning towards the raptors. "Whadda you mean?"

"Did you want to be a gardeean...or were you forced to?"

"I...well, honestly I had no other option, my people were pretty isolated. I mean..." The echidna rubbed his neck with a glove-mitted hand. "You know what it's like to live in one place for all your life, never knowing anything else out there, so how can I be forced to be something if...if that's all I knew?"

"Yes...I...I understand that too. I have only known my tribe for years, I had nothing else but them and all they ever told me was that I could be a hunter, a father, a scout but I could not choose. That was what I was going to be, not what I wanted to be...but I did not know what else I could be."

"Yeah," replied Knuckles staring up at the roof of the undercity, "then you find out there's a whole other world of people out there doing all kinds of crazy stuff then you realise you could BE anything you wanted...be a writer, an artist, rock star, electrician, like anything."

"I am an ambass-siddor."

"Wait, what?"

"The humen, that is what they call me, I speak with them and my tribe so they do not fight each other."

"Huh...well look at that, see yer already breakin' outta yer shell!"

"I did not want to be. I am the only one that can be that, so I have to be...it is my duty."

"Well now you know how I feel, guarding this island." He leaned forwards to the raptor with hand on his shoulder. "You think I wanna be stuck on this island for all these years when I got this whole other place I can go to? I mean okay I'm not smart, heck there are plenty times I made some downright DUMB mistakes...but I just do my best. I WANT to protect this place, I know I have to. I don't wanna be here all my life but this, this is all I have. I'm tied to this place Oddclaw...I can't leave."

"Why?" the raptor asked.

"Because...because I'm afraid that when I do this place will all just disappear and then everything my family ever wanted, all my ancestors ever dreamed will just crumble into dust. You know why I'm after these emeralds? Because my people abused their power...we KNOW what they can do, and we need to stop others from abusing them like we did. Now I know your sisters don't mean anything, but they don't know what those things can do, they don't understand what they're dealing with.

"You are protecting these...ehm-murr-ulds, so you can protect others from them?"

"Yeah, basically."

"...ah, I see." The raptor put his claws to his chin with contemplation at this. "Then I will have to make my sisters give them back to you. I know how."

"Good, thanks. Sorry about the uh, fight before."

"It is fine! My family have made that mistake too."

"Heh, alright then."

Oddclaw offered his hand to shake with a smile, but Knuckles instead smacked his hand straight into the palm to give the firmest shake that stinged slightly into the raptor's wrist. But he took it nonetheless as the echidna pointed out the way.

"There's a spring over there we can ride on, which will take us up further towards I think one of the old service passages to Marble Garden. You up for a li'l jumping?"

"I am not sure about my mother," replied Odd, "but we will try."

"Alright let her know then."

"Mother we are leaving."

"Ahhh good," she said sitting back up with legs stiffening, "just recovered my strength."

They walked a small distance over towards a large red spring that sat prominently upon a ledge.

"Alright we jump this," explained Knuckles, "and just try to aim for that room up there."

"THAT?" cried Oddie. "B-but that, we cannot reach, we would need to fly there!"

"Well THIS baby'll get us flying. Now, watch me, then you and your mom follow."

Launching himself on the spring, the echidna shot up straight into the ceiling with a mighty BLUNNG that startled both raptors.

"Wh-what was THAT?!" shrieked Barren.

"I-i do not know!" gasped her son. "But, he said it was our only way forward."

"Are you insane?!"

"No, but he is I think!"

"...is this truly the only way forwards?"

"I...think so."

"HEEEEEEEEEY!" A voice called out from above as they witnessed a red speck in the distance. "UP HEEEEEERE!"

"Wha-tha-IS THAT HIM?!" cried the mother.

"I think it is!" said Odd happily. "That means this works, do you want to go first or me?"

"I will go first. I do not trust that warmblood being alone with you."

"Hmhmhm, alright. I will be there soon."

Bracing herself, the older raptor hopped onto the spring which instantly recoiled through another drastic BLUNNG! Her screech echoed throughout the abyss as a frightening call from a banshee, startling more than a few of its robotic residents who shivered in their steel carapaces as old rumours and ghost stories re-emerged from myths and fable. But to the raptor still standing upon the lonesome ledge, he was but a witness to the sight of his middle-aged mother sent flying over the chasm to shoot straight up towards another spring, then another, and a fourth until finally she landed in the old service passage entrance next to Knuckles.

"I AM HERE!" she shouted from above. "YOU CAN COME NOW, IT IS SAFE!"

"ALRIGHT, COMING NOW!"

Oddclaw jumped on, the third BLUNNG sending him off to dizzying heights that frantically scraped the breeze of the damp musty air across his cheeks, slamming into three more springs until landing beside his mother and the guardian. They headed upwards, leaving behind the sounds and shades of deep subterranean ghosts to become whispering legends between robots of the abyss.