FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

(I have not done enough post editing of grammar and fine tunning as I need yet. I will complete that soon, but for now I just needed to reach this point and get it off my desk or else it might sit there forever. My apologies for all the echoes.)

They had spent a great deal of time in one another's company hidden under sheltering limbs, isolated sounds of cool wind parting through leaves, seeing and feeling each other's past and present as if they were truly there. Recalling of homes and friends and family, Abby learned how to show him herself without any loss in translation, and the moments passed by all too fast. There was little time left before the sacrificial purge by death the villagers planned.

'I need to go back,' she confessed reluctantly to Leaf through thoughts in the wolven form they shared that night. Her eyes held onto the babbling creek that lay before them touched by glints of moonlight, wishing this peace and comfort would hold her hypnotised. But framed by with her body's peril on the street, her thoughts would not let that be.

'You will die. There is no avoiding that end,' Leaf questioned her conviction honestly. 'There is nothing left there for you. Won't you consider not experiencing the pain they will inflict and stay here until the end?'

Abby shook his head with the full control she maintained while within his freely given body, relaying unavoidable intentions and relinquishing selfish whims to remain, 'I have to go. It doesn't feel... It isn't right to be like this,' the explanation came broken without any true understanding of the meaning.

Leaf could only guess what her heart intentions were trying to invoke, then after a moment's thought, despondently accepting through a gruff dismissal, 'if you so choose.'

She shut out the woods and began to pull from the form of the wolf, 'thank you, Leaf.' Tentatively, a fearful image where something unexpected would occur because of her new magic held firm in the back of her mind. 'Perhaps this connection wouldn't be possible again, or worse I would find my body refusing to accept me once more?' Without any concept of the certain costs of being a witch beyond ostracization, she continued her release of their mind's union.

Starting with the senses of his legs, she pushed away as one forcing sleep on themselves, her immediate anchors to him were soon free. The rhythm of his deep paced breath, that brought in mingled scents of the woods were released back with Leaf reluctantly. There was a feeling of belonging that this carried, and though she was greatly in need of that now, the future was much more important now.

She floated away from his Self. And though she felt a pang of remorse in giving up the comfort and peaceful time they had, Abby needed to face herself and do what she could to return to her son, assuring her own tenuous future. Her mind and his body separated to became two once again.

The dark place in her mind, the world of these open thoughts she could comprehend, relit to reveal again the incalculable creatures surrounding her Witch's limits. Each of them an animal of some kind, and all of them could be engaged as any person.

It was a daunting concept when thought to conclusions, but that would be considered another time. 'If there was another time,' she rightfully worried. In this sightless landscape, the tendrils of her body reached and found her with whispered messages of pain and needed attention. Whatever sliver of salvation she could work would need to be found quickly, there was no doubt there.

Abby took and entwined each of her body's questings with her will, knitting them as part of herself once more. 'Closer. Closer,' each asked her back; Abby would not resist with her renewed determination and returned to her center. 'This will not be in vain. There wouldn't be forgiveness from anyone for a mother who would not make every effort to be there to raise him. Even futile ones.' For herself it didn't matter, but doing anything and everything possible to go home to Thomas, did.

'Abby, my witch, be careful so I would see you again,' Leaf said in thought with a curious taint of apprehension.

She searched for a moment for Leaf to respond to directly, but he was no where to be found by magic. 'He is purposely hiding from me.' Abigail speculated, 'and probably doesn't want to have me use him as a crutch I might abuse when desperation rears after my plotting fails.' She corrected herself promptly, 'if, not when. I know better than to think like that. Now of all times...'

Abby once more took control of her Self, enduring a wracked body with all too much clarity. This time, she would not allow it to take hold of her actions and emotions. Managing the feelings like a terrible background noise that was ignorable with enough focus on other matters, she pushed the aside. There were more than enough other matters that would not wait for her to heal.

Her eyes lifted open to take in the village from her tortured position. Across the way, she made out what looked like a clothier by the white paint scissors that were proudly displayed on the door. Within, it was black and quiet, though likely the owner was upstairs on one of the two floors of the building that billowed a small thin gray banner from its chimney. The houses further up and down the street gave small hints to their owners; a butcher's mark, some undeclared structures, and some merchants that could not be determined from that vantage.

Twisting her head, being the only available movement in her contorted position; the two guards were seen propped against a building. One sat while the other stood with drooping eyes, looking for all intents, that they alternated naps this night. Both still beared sheathed swords far too ready to draw in defense, and both were surely unwaveringly dedicated else they chanced an ending on this table along with her. Abby set dealing with them aside for now for when an good idea would come. 'Hopefully.'

The building they rested against was a carpenter's shop. On the painted door, a toothed white saw was displayed. Though that likely could be anything from a lumberjack to a toymaker, there was enough wood scraps stacked along the sidewall that at least somewhere in the building blades of a fashion could be gotten. Great if she could wield something inhand to fight with. Useless, because she had no way to do that with her tourniquet like bindings that had surely left useless bloodless limbs.

'I'll just have to rely on others to do anything at all for me,' she plotted with little enthusiasm. Realizing that the guards were not exactly careful observers, seeing they did not miss her company when being with Leaf for so long, she let go of her own body once more to search the field of thoughts in the dark place for animals that could aid her planning.

'First, I need to get myself free. No matter how good everything else goes, if I don't actually move from this place, it'll be no escape at all,' she mulled movie plots while listening to the animals. With even the limited use her Witch's talent that night, the concept of distance and form of her subject was becoming easier to garner. What seemed completely random and arbitrary at first revealed senses and approximate locations. As long as she knew where her body was, Abby could gauge where the animals were in relation. With a large portion of luck, there would be no need to alternate to the nonexistent plan B.

What was easily won by taking Leaf's body when invited, would likely be more like the experience of the den resting male and female earlier, who shoved her away soundly. Abby needed to find someone unaware, not as quick to respond if she were clumsy, in order to use them.

She wanted to ask, she thought of begging and pleading for aid and be rewarded honestly with a welcome union between her and the host, but there was little time to attempt such, and her persuasive powers were not of saleswoman caliber. It would surely not gain Abby results; these were not men that could be guiled with a wink and a hair flip. 'I have to take what I needed,' the concept of necessity forcing this posture was distasteful, but she would not blanch from a fight to live.

'It is my life after all, and they won't be in any danger,' she reasoned. Listening carefully for any that might be sleeping nearby, Abby picked up a soft hum and a muddied mind barely salient enough to notice. She approached the animal careful to be soft and unobtrusive in its thoughts. Just enough to enter in then take up the whole of its body before the creature could cast her out.

She reached forward towards the animal and gently brushed against its thoughts. Feeling a heat that was akin to being next to an open fire, a strong scent filled her consciousness. It was of food, fire, and another who's musky perfume gave an untenable impression of comfort.

By care, or likely blind luck, this creature had not yet felt her trespass, but that will come to a head soon as she tried anything beyond listening. She kept herself small and proceeded to find the edges of its dream, a way from its dreams to the real. An act wholly unfamiliar, but she managed to find the slumbering body and its dulled senses bordering the animal's imagination.

Spreading herself like a blanket, she began to cover all the muscles and nerves of this form. It was small, that was for certain, and warmed by its curled posture. She stretched within the limbs and began to rise up from the ground, hoping to let the sleeping owner remain in their undisturbed imagery.

Eye's that could take in light that didn't truly exist revealed a tunnel though clay and straw strands. She blinked and suddenly decried her host choice with a confirmation of a quick view of her front paws and claws, 'I'm a mouse? And I... itch?' Her concentration attended to the body, 'I think I can... Oh no, are those flees I feel? Oh god, I think I'll be sick.' She refrained scratching at her body by the smallest margin fearing waking the owner, 'please let this be a quick run. Please let this be really quick.'

Initially the thought of chewing through the ropes that bound her came, 'It would be immensely simpler, but would be just as immensely time consuming. And it's not like it'll answer the still unplanned miraculous escape either as there is no way this little body is carrying me to safety.'

She contemplated her situation carefully, 'the guards would probably notice at some point during the ten minutes it would take anyways, no matter how sleepy they are. I guess I'll see if anything in this building can help.'

Traversing the wall's interior, she followed the mouse's tunnels until the path began to turn upwards then immediately lead to a small little slit into a black space. She snuck her head outside, strangely able to fit in the space that looked far too small, taking in the clothier's shop beyond.

It was lit with a trace of reflected moonlight through shuttered glassless windows and a barred wooden door. Along the low ceilinged space, walls held bits of cloth and partially used bolts of wool of various qualities. None more than simple, but it was more than she owned so sarcasm had no place here. In the center of the back of the room a table stood with some unfinished materials strewn about. Within piles of materials a bright metal reflection showed her means to an end, 'that will do,' she lauded her fortune.

'What will who,' a male voice overlaid her own thoughts in question sleepily. The true owner of this mouse body she borrowed continued, 'Wait a... What's going on here,' panicked thoughts came when he suddenly saw the situation more clearly, 'Who are you? Why can't I feel my feet. My toes! I can't wiggle my toes! You broke my toes!'

'I am a dream,' Abby hoped to distract the male with a lie, and return him to his slumber.

'A dream? You are telling me I am asleep when clearly I don't feel asleep?'

'Yes, very much so,' she persuaded with the tact of a brick, 'go back to sleep and dreaming of kitchens and other mice beside you.'

'Oh... No I see now. Yes, all a dream, yes,' an inexplicable calm fell on the mouse's impressions as he gained a better sense of his situation. 'Would you be so kind as to scratch my ears? I can't dream properly if I am all itchy.'

'Yes, about that,' Abby began, to only think better about honesty. Her remorse for her actions gave pause to the quest and she accepted his request. 'Yes, I'll take care of that right now.' Bringing a sharp clawed paw to the scalp just behind the ears she scratched and felt a wonderful sensation of complacency.

'Exactly right, my dear. That's perfect,' an accidental thought of plotting forewarned Abby to his underlying goal of subduing her subtly, 'why don't you also... So I can get back to sleep and good dreams of course, just rub my back against the wall here with these straw...'

Abby paused her scratching to reaffirm her sense, 'you... You're... You conniving little...'

'Oh? I'm the vile one? You naughty Witch,' his thoughts pointedly divisive.

'I am not... Look I'm sorry. I have to do this, there is no time to ask if I want to live,' she justified halfheartedly while starting across the cobblestone floor towards the glint of moonlit steel on a high table edge.

'It's all right my dear, I know that you have to and it's ok.' He implied with a indifferent tone and suddenly images and feelings were transposed on her own by the mouse. Images of resting and quiet. Peace and comfort. Self indulgence and excess. Laying and eating. A full stomach that carried in her mouth the melted taste of cheese.

'Stop it. Stop it,' she willed to block his attempt to deride her concentration and control.

The mouse smugly saw a chance for an opening, 'why don't I share the dream with you? Wouldn't that be nice? It'll only take a moment, then I'll let you finish whatever you are here for.'

Abby reeled at the battering of his mind against hers. Even though smaller, the little animal had a great sense of his Self and it gave him power to drive her to the back of his mind. Though her own unfamiliarity was partly to blame, trying to focus on the act of climbing up a bolt of rough-hewn wool that rested colorlessly along side the table was turning more difficult rapidly.

'I'll start with my best memories, you'll like them very much,' the mouse whispered and began recalling a female mouse he met in a dark tunnel. She was white with tan's and only slightly smaller than herself.

His memories, began to supplant her own drive to clamoring atop this dark bolt. The scent of strong oil musk filled her nose and her body began to respond to the images reflexively excited. Awkwardly pausing to comprehend the images, she railed, 'wait, what are you doing. No stop that,' she tried to assert her presence over his. 'Go back to your dream, Mouse,' Abby ordered with her hastily gathered will.

The mouse softly and invasively continued his recollections, 'that's ok. I'll just do this to pass the time for myself then. I won't interrupt your dealings, Witch. I promise. Please continue with whatever you were doing,' his thoughts lies, but they were determined and overwhelming her little by little.

She shook her body to ignore his pressing thoughts, and continue onwards, slowed. The objects about that could grant her a distraction were dowsed in darkness and shadow. Even with a mouse's eyesight, she had a hard time relating the shapes and their placement.

His dreams, in contrast, were vivid, bright, and prominent. Where she would see dark shadows, his memories began to come through like a word stared at too long becomes something foreign. Her sight through his body was being corrupted and diverted to elsewhere, and she was failing to counter it.

'Stop that,' she ordered him once more. He continued regardless, recalling the female mouse that he came upon and how she welcomed his body next to his that cold day. The warmth and company stirred the mouse body, and she was much too unfamiliar with dealing with such things to hold him back.

'Wait, that's not right. Oh now I recall. We were next to the fireplace, and she had found me sleeping and came close to nuzzle with me,' he orchestrated images of the wanton mouse pressing herself to him. Abby in turn began to submit to the feelings, and stopped her ascent of the wool cloth ramp towards the table, to experience the meeting he was revealing slowly and eloquently detailed.

'No, stop this, Mouse,' she protested weakly.

'I'm just passing my imprisonment, Witch. You can ignore me can't you,' his question a taunt that Abby grasped desperately to escape.

Scrambling through senses that pulled her down to relive the scene, each of them dulling the desire to resist, She thought of the fleas that had infiltrated the coat of this mouse. Sending all her concentration to their itching bites, slowly her vision through his eyes began to leave the stone, fire, and fur to show once more the shadowed pieces of fabric and the tabletop goal.

He continued his memories of the mingling of the mouse and his scents with all the affections they shared, but the itching had given her a handhold against the indulgent desires. She scurried along the fabric then made a small jump to the table, 'almost there.'

Her claws clicked against the smooth surface, but moving erratically as she was battered with the repulsive feeling of itching skin and the welcoming promise of pleasant comfort by a mouse that asked nothing but shared pleasure.

She felt what he did, every part of his body was hers to comprehend, and the new sensations he was recalling could be mirrored in this possessed body as well. She fought against his attempts, and held him off long enough to reach the metal shears that were atop the table. Sharp and precise without an touch of defect, she could see the end of this torment nearing.

'You know? What I didn't see coming was that she had known me and wanted nothing but to bear my seed. What she did first was this,' the mouse explained, recalling when they began to join and it sapped Abby's remaining concentration. She accepted his experience that night with the female over everything before her. Feeling his body, but now unquestionably her's behind the mouse to take her.

She reviled what was becoming of her, and nothing was left to grasp when she fell into his dreams. She despised being undone by the smallest of animals, with no path to save herself. Then she realized how this is no different that that man who attempted to rape her. This mouse was tempting her to the same ends.

She knew how to escape, and began twisting his memories. Abby thought of the first man she met in this strange world. The hunter who attacked and positioned her to take her by the stream. The pain caused when he struck and kicked her to the ground came powerfully clear above the promises of the mouse. How those dogs around her attacked when she began to fight back cemented her Self, and she dwelled on each bite of the dogs, and the tearing of her skin to awaken her mind.

Drawing on her instincts to fight and survive, she let them grow unhindered by fear. She raged against this mouse and imagined how she would kill him. Crushing his body with one bite with the feral change. Her Self grew and took root strongly above his. Returning eyesight slowly left the hollow encounter of the mouse and she could once again know the real world.

The mouse continued his assault, but rage and hate countered him completely. She pulled it close and let it protect her. Abby would get free of the villagers, and she would go home again. No one would stop her, certainly not this insignificant mouse.

Slowly she rose from the table top and approached the shears with renewed purpose. Placing clawed paws on either side of one of the handles all the available strength in this body began to slide slowly towards the edge. Another strained surge, it crashed to the floor with a ringing clang of metal on stone.

'You can't hold me back anymore, Mouse,' Abby proclaimed in victory, though the mouse would not accept defeat and continued his attempts to corrupt her intentions.

A long effort of maintaining anger and hatred that was constantly being whittled down by the mouse's lust and love had passed painfully slow. Finally, the shears were slipped under the front door of the shop to complete her first plotting. 'I am done, you little conniving pestilence carrying bastard! You can have your parasite riddled body back now,' she remarked with crass disregard.

'Don't leave my dear, stay,' his voice softly desperate. 'Stay, stay with me and well share what we know, and we'll be better for it. You'll be happy with me,' he promised still pulling on memories of a new encounter overlapping the old.

Without acknowledgment of the plea, she began pulling herself from his body portion by portion. Grateful to find freedom again, but with a apprehensive dread she wanted to stay with him.

'Is it really something need do, my dear witch?' he continued grasping at her, refusing the solitude he would be left with.

She reached for her body's pain as a rope to climb to freedom, and she reached for the reality gladly. She needed to return to her form once more, there was only forward now, this lie the mouse offered would be short kept her from her family who would offer welcomed return far more special and gratifying than what this mouse reveled in.

Mouse laughed in thoughts that followed her, threatening, 'Witch, you think we are powerless to your presence? I will have you as mine.'

Abby returned to her body and anchored her Self completely. She knew the little one too well now, and with that familiarity, she pushed at him just as she drew herself within his form. 'If one works the other must too, like the couple did to me. I know I can do that as well, if not better,' she determined fatefully.

Making sure he would be the only recipient of her ire, she concentrated on his form and brought her will to strike the mouse. She knew it might be cruel, but he had already shown he would not leave her be. There was a connection for a moment as she encapsulated his Self with hers then she made it as small as she could then threw it as far as it would travel. Listening for a moment once her efforts settled, no sounds came from the mouse, and Abby returned to her escape plans.

* * *

The void of life, the force of repulsion she imagined for the male could not be gauged from her prospective, but she had her independence again. She would need to see if the little one was well after this was all done. 'Maybe he was actually harmed? Or maybe he was only severed from me?' There was no way to know, nor was there time. 'Later,' she promised in guilt.

Her thoughts raced with the possibilities of how to get the shears laying in the street by the door to cut the ropes. Trying to determine what would work, and what might be too big a risk. The actual escape was still far too impossible to consider for the moment, and she focused on getting to that point, then hope for inspiration.

'Maybe it is better this way. If I just go with what happens and do what I can,' Abby considered with the first step readied, and the last lacking wholly. 'But what would the other animal I need to borrow make me endure? What could happen if a larger animal would force me out from their body, or worse trap me? I could end up stopped as I just began. I'm counting too much on sheer luck, but what else is there,' Abby considered fatalistically.

There would be no help coming, there wouldn't be any police to call to save the day. The life she held onto so tenuously was worth fighting for, and there was no question in the end she will not be disappointed in herself. 'That is all that really matters. As few regrets as possible was the best outcome that would be had here,' dark thoughts determined.

She searched out the minds of the other animals that populated the area around the village. Quickly passing over the voices that seemed too far away or too small, she came to see through what hunting dogs she could find who rested soundly near their owners. It was there she would finally gauge her resources with who she could gain control over then come up with an impossible strategy to carry her body away from the butcher block overtop of two dead guards if need be. Sarcastically concluding, 'it's as easy as cake.'

It was not the first dog that she found who was mired in nightmares, hunger, fatigue, weariness, and unwanted. It was that all of them shared this sense. When she had before struck at them twice so far with her witches power, she felt no remorse to use them, and would have gladly liked to see them all dead if that was to occur.

Now their minds were before her open and exposed for honest scrutiny, Abby slipped from one dog to another and began to dissect her ideas and find the right match among the scatter hounds.

* * *

It was a long night, but the sunrise was welcomingly coloring the horizon to the West. Over tops of trees that formed a chaotic throw blanket, he smiled as of one who has not slept in far too long with dulled senses that have infected all things, "Almost now, Hali."

The guards tone distant and punctuated with a yawn that nearly pulled a muscle in his neck, "Yeah, sure," the older of the two commented simply to acknowledge his alertness, "Almost. Now's the hard part, looking like we didn't nap through most of the night so no one gives us grief the next two years."

"Lidhal will do it regardless, I feel like we earned this pay no matter what she'll scream and holler about in the tap house as watered down malt's get dumped in our laps. Can she do anything right? I bet that is a bad lay too."

"Draeth, you are a cynic I tell you," He laughed, "She at least looks good when she's biting your head off. And when she's picking up the tip we drop on the floor purposely. I mean, you wouldn't try?"

"I wouldn't go that far as to say no," Draeth amended, "But I don't know if it would be worth the effort to gag her and tie her down so she's civil and proper like I want them."

Hali could only yawn once more in response, neither agreeing or disputing the man's disclaimer. His eyes rose and examined across the way, carefully searching the street before them, "You hear something," he asked with a cautious concern that only comes from knowing fear personally. "There," he pointed toward the corner of a building and the sound of a crunch of bone came clear. Then another, as something was taking to food still baring bones.

Draeth held a hand up, obligated to his promise; won earlier that night by Hali with a bad run of Fish on the boxes they threw. Drawing out his militia issued broadsword, that after 20 years, he would claim as his, he approached the sound to know the cause.

Hali looked at the Witch who was tied before him and placed a hand on his sword, ready to strike the unmoving form. His tone malevolent with brazen insinuation to the unresponsive woman, "I heard of your kind. I know what they say you can do, so I'm not so stupid as to think that it won't be easier just to hack away at your body until the magic stops. I know that works on your kind." A careful grin of pleasure escaped his lips and his eyes drifted to Draeth to make sure all was well, or if he need slay her ruthlessly.

The partner in duty was across the street and came to the corner with a sigh, "Gearn's mutt. What's his name there Hali?"

Hali let the distraction take him, "What? The big one? Vischer's roaming about on the street? How'd that stupid creature manage to get free of his pen?"

"And steal a rather large turkey while at it too."

"Steal a... That mangy flea bitten mongrel... If that is one of mine, I'll have its head! I just caught four yesterday and had them hanging," he words ended as he came towards the animal with a blood brewed rage forming. The large longhair shepherd of motley browns named was feasting feverishly on its find. Feathers and limbs that were torn apart to allow the sharp teeth to tear at the flesh and muscles of this early breakfast.

Draeth let hali check on his possession ad returned to keep an eye on the witch in the middle of the street. Hali inspected the act for a long moment, then confirmed his suspicions of larceny by canine. 'Vischer, you rotten sonofabitch!"

His broad sword was drawn and brought up high to master all his strength in a single lethal blow to put the thieving sheepdog out of his misery, "I'll teach you, you worthless demon stained excuse for a pet. You don't be stealing from."

Draeth interrupted Hali's diatribe of epitaphs and insults with a scream of abject pain and crippling. He fell to the ground with blood pooling quickly under one of his legs. Screamed in-between releasing anguish breaths he warned, "behind us! Turn around you Gyth raping fuck!"

* * *

Abby hung low within the shadows of the wood piles of the Carpenter's shop. Her eyes were dim and picked up the light in the darkness poorly, but it was unquestionably better than her real sight.

The two men who guarded her body were before her turned all their attention on the food bribed dog, Vischer. 'A more than an adequate distraction,' she reveled in self praise for talking the pleasant, but starved dog, into her service. Though that event was all too brief.

Drawing in a heightened breath of fear, a guard began to stand over the long haired animal, and it turned to fear for the kindness of her large ally. When the sword was drawn up and the unintelligible words began to sound shrill and laced with dire intent, an end came to patience.

There was nothing she could do to stop Hali from attacking with his sword, but poor Vischer deserved better then where she led him. Willing or no. She had taken over this young hunting hound and broke into a shed to steal the turkeys, bad luck saw that it happened to inflame the guard to killing. 'Maybe it will be good luck in the end,' she hedged being forced to act.

She picked her target, the brown haired man who would go by Draeth according to the real owner of this body, whose thoughts washed over and receded by whims as the two learned to accept one another.

Getting to the point where the bitch, Falsha, would stop torturing and attempting to force Abby out of the body was long fought and finally won with the taste of pies, breads, and thievery. Bribes do wonders to heal over wounds she was beginning to grasp.

Abby's will mustered and charged forward with all her efforts. Quietly arriving from the shadows, there wasn't a howl of warning, or attempt to instill fear in this man, she only wanted him to suffer. What she felt for the villagers was unwavering in loathing, and nothing told her different.

The voice of Falsha fear of these men tried to take back her senses, begging as the fearful hound's nightmares had dreamed before the witch possession. Her instincts rose as her foot falls kicked up dirt, 'Kill.' She had been holding them back since she took sight of the men around her body in the street. And it was barely conquered, but now they deserved to be in charge, and she put away her societal expectations to strike.

Instincts encouraged vocally, her own she realized now; rough and single-mindedly demanding blood for blood, 'Take his leg, bring him to the ground and tear him open.' Images of her sinking her jaws into the Achilles heel came overlaid in her vision, and her body in full charge acted.

Thoughts urged as thunder, 'kill him. It's the only way, to escape.'

She sided with the violence all too quickly, and worse the female, Falsha, joined in, hungry for the fight, eagerly encouraging, 'yes. Get him. Show we are strong together. I am not a weak pup.'

Abby pulled back fearing that she was being dragged into a bottomless pit of feral emotion, 'No! This is wrong, stop this, you don't need kill.' But her diluted will had surrendered everything to the moment, and now she had no control of the body.

Hoping to garner restraint in the coming conflict and the female hound who saw and embraced the chance, she searched for anything that would aid. But she came away empty. Abby was fighting against herself and this young hound out to prove herself, and nothing from her past seemed right to derail the emotions.

The hound possessed form came low behind Draeth and balanced the weight for her hind legs to propel her in a surprise attack. Abby could rail against the will of the owner and herself to bring control back with rationalization, but that held no sway over such strong hatred and lust.

Mouth salivating, opened wide to feed her splintered mind, aching to know this animal's limits, she proclaimed with two voices of horror and relish, 'I will not die here.' Her eyes beheld the ankle with ferocity, eager to taste the blood that would be drawn, and see the prey fall helplessly.

'Break him,' she heard herself say as another person. And Abby saw, knew, where the muscles were weakest, most vulnerable; they struck with unerring purpose. Reeling from uncontrollable actions that could not hold back her feral nature, all that would occur was unstoppable, and she accepted it.

In a fluid motion her weight bore forward on her paws while gleaming teeth snapped down on the isolated hamstring of this man that wouldn't be protected enough by heavy woolen stockings and pants.

Draeth screamed in shock at the sudden surprise attack, "Fregh ahn! Av nil senshurdos vee wathas sen"

The young hound, surprisingly strong for her size, caught the flicker of praise, 'I know.' They united at that moment. Jaws locked tight around the tendon of the man's ankle, twisted, then pulled with all their efforts, drawing a leveraged mouthfull of muscle and blood.

What little was left of Abby screamed unheard opposition, but defeat would not be accepted now. She tried forcing herself once more in prominence that blood had been drawn hoping that a moment of self adulation would offer her a point to exploit.

'I will not go further,' her mind thrust itself from under the need to attack, reinforced with the revulsion of prospective. 'Let go,' she demanded with perseverance, and the body began to return to reason.

'We are strong together, Witch,' Falsha praised.

The fight was abating and though she could only perceive dulled input from her senses, the well honed hobbling that they committed released enough to pull from the man and seek escape. Falsha slipped to the borders of the mind, and fear of the repercussions was starting to show. 'We have done enough,' Abby spoke quietly and calmly to maintain the peace between them.

The man fell before her and the other, the younger, turned and brought his sword to bear in a charge at her. Abby, let go of the man's muscles hanging from her jaws, 'run. I have to run now.' Her legs braced low, pushed to the side then spun around; easily avoiding the charge of Hali, to make him to give chace away from her own body.

'Fight,' her instincts roared to life once more. The female hound considered the concept as it reached her.

'No! Do not. Run. You'll die,' the unavoidable conclusion where she fall to Hali's sword was completely oblivious to consideration. Abby tried to bring forth these images to reinforce her motives.

Falsha refused to accept it after so recent a victory, 'I will fight. I will bring him down too.'

'You will die,' Abby asserted while leaping on a pile of ten foot long logs with bark still attached, taking to full speed. Her claws tearing at the bark, finding additional speed. "Follow me you bastard," she said aloud in taunting, but what came only sounded in excited barks.

"Hali! Dinrah! Av ih genrass dinrah," The fallen guard screamed aloud in warning at Hali who was deaf to the world in his chase of vengeance. Draeth could not move, so much as drag himself along the dirt and stone road where he was felled. His hand scrambled and found the blade he lost when knocked down, then gripped it with white knuckles of panic.

'Turn and kill him, you can do this. You are stronger. You know this,' her thought betrayed her determination.

'Don't run as a coward. I am a hunter, I will not cower beaten when I have the greater strength and speed,' the young hound echoed in her own thoughts, deftly striking Abby's attempts to maintain control. She felt her control slipping little by little as the chance to escape a fight became more and more unattainable.

'Give Vischer time,' she countered with weakening resolve, hoping to quell the rage and adrenalin consumed thoughts.

'Turn and fight,' the pup cried in frustration.

'You can't run forever. Take your stand as you did at the stream. Bring him death. Take your pound of flesh from him for what they did to you. Kill them,' she considered, recalling vivid loathing for the villagers that tortured her. How the man who caught wanted to rape her when at her weakest. Feelings for vengeance become too strong to bury.

She lost control of the hound to the wild once more. Abby reached to grab hold of anything to reclaim some power over the body, but she had delved too deep into the moment. Desperately, Abby pulled away from the female. Hoping that maybe, if she could get back to her body, she could send her magic against the young hound and quell her by force.

Her instincts refused to abandon her ally after putting her in so much danger. Forcing Falsha's death by the sword of this guard, but there was a chance if she returned to her body. It was the only way to save Falsha now. She tore her mind from the pup, seeking to return to the fight just as quickly. It was not far.

'Don't die,' she drove her mind to its proper place then focused on just one thought. 'I have to stop her to save her.' Abby rallied her thoughts and grew stronger. Her eyes fluttered open and took to the scene in the street with a moment's comprehension.

Vischer was below her, the shears she stole were in his jaws, and he severed the last thread of the rope that bound her hands, 'thank you Vischer,' her mind sent him a wave of gratitude, then searched to locate the female hound.

'There,' Abby located her presence. 'Falsha! Run,' she ordered with a single-minded force of what strength her weakened body would muster. 'You have to run,' she cried, and focused her will on Falsha's.

Falsha responded with conflict and madness, 'he will fall to me. I won't give up this chance to prove myself to my kind.' Her mind then slipped from Abby's knowing.

She sounded out to all the world in her Witch's reach, 'you have proved yourself already, nothing else needs to be done. Live!'

A howl of pain sung from behind the carpetner's shop from the hound. Falsha's words came soon after to Abby again, 'I have this! I will.'

Abby felt nothing more as the mind of the young hound went silent. Her ears strained to listen to the fight and hope against all reason that she was simply blocked from the female. But there was no note of shifting feet on dirt; nor clothing stretching while swords and claws sliced through the air. "No, you couldn't have done that to her, you bastard," she whispered weakly in response to her death.

She wanted to get up so badly and rush to the fallen hound, but her shoulders would barely budge, though now freed of her binds by the shepherd. If there was anyway to control her limbs, she would have come to aid her allies, even in death.

But even if she could raise from her position, Draeth was approaching her, and would not allow her to get far. He whispered in a malevolent bent, "Ihn des. Ihn des agath." His sword in hand was dragged, scraping against the stones with a foreboding ring that suddenly paused. "Nisash? Ah vek misthi dose, Vischer," he questioned bewildered only long enough to get the words out then set his sword hand upwards.

Abby had no clue what he said, nor could see him well from her position, but the tone was enough to guess the intent, "Vischer! He saw you. Leave me."

'I have you almost free,' his voice simple but a stoic honor lain in his intent. The shears held in his clenched teeth stroked back and forth against the crude strands of the rope, severing it little by little. 'You fed me and kept your promise. I have to do what I promised. There is only one way to do that, Witch.'

"I did not ask you to sacrifice yourself. Leave me, there is another way," she lied.

Draeth with his crippled foot, leveled his intent, "Des jah,"

Abby was not going to let another falling for her. Summoning her will it was thrown at the shepherd dog. "Leave me," her command struck as a weapon, and Vischer cowered just in time as the sword swung into the ground next to him. "Go, it's ok," she pleaded in apology.

Vischer recovered quickly and let the shears fall from his maw to land on the ground, then backed away defensively.

Draeth let the dog have his life for now, his focus found Abigal vindictively, not wanting any more tricks to befall him, "Anjah, vek?" He laughed though having difficulty balancing on one leg while lofting his sword. "Uhl sen eaz midathane din blaughtraght joule kuaniss. Amna."

Hali was rounding the Carpenters house. She could not make out his form, but the sounds of boots striking the dirt and gravel determined was inescapable, then he added "finn gharl, Draeth."

She tried to move, pulling on her will and supplanting her bones and muscles to act once more after so long. The pull of the ropes had lessened with welcome relief, her head carried gravity welled blood in excess, but at least she was close to escape. 'There might be something that would reveal itself. Maybe. I have to try. I have nothing else to loose, and everything to gain.' Her thoughts found harmony in the goal, and she forced her stomach to contract and bring her from prone and helpless.

Draeth laughed so loud, that she could no longer tell if the hobbling of the man really happened, "des." His voice sounded in finality as a cold sharp blade rested upon her stomach just below her ribcage.

Abby froze a moment, then let her body go lip, yielding all her courage in an audible exhale that let her body fall limb back where she had occupied all evening. 'They won,' she accepted in self loathing defeat.

A low deadly growl came from the darkness and a series of barks foretold the fate of Hali. He did not have time to turn and bring his sword up to defend himself before a gray blur had landed on him with such a force that the man was thrown to the ground and the sword sent across the street.

The gray wolf, soaked thoroughly with river-water that pooled under his body as a rainstorm, reached her eyes, and Abby called to him in thought futilely, 'you came for me, but it is too late. Don't die here with me. You deserve better than that, Leaf.'

Leaf didn't respond to her. The block he held to her magic was still holding firm, and he would likely only be handicapped in his fight for her life with such self defeated conversation. Abby felt the shame of her final actions, and made a last attempt to apologize, 'I'm sorry, Leaf. Please forgive me. At least hear my last words. I know why you keep me away, but... Thank you for caring about me.'

Leaf's large form stood atop of Hali, and with gaping teeth, sunk them into his throat with deadly precision and horrific effect. The man's neck was opened and pulled from its place, then thrown aside as a rag. Draeth, who wavered next to Abby, watched shocked in shuddering breath as his friend died by the wolf's teeth.

Hali could barely make a sound but for a grasping of breath that was drown in blood and went silent.

Leaf's red stained and dripping muzzle pulled tight to bare teeth of equal color, turned his attention from the dead guard to the crippled Draeth who momentarily held paralyzed. A deep growl infused with blood-lust emanated and the street fell still for the longest of moments as the wolf allowed the guard a small opportunity to review his life before the end would come.

Draeth pulled his courage from some unknown place and showed it in his posture that stiffened and rose high with only one functioning leg, "nih Vek, silhauyon?" His tone one of certainty, and Abby couldn't understand why. He said it again then the comprehension came to her, "nih Vek des kuanshasy mourness, silhauyon." A cool blade touched her body once more and pressed down to show his intent.

Abby's skin made way for the sharp edge, and pain was added to her once more. Blood seeped from the cut and slicked the blade and her stomach to prove its lethality.

She would have sacrificed herself to save the wolf by impaling herself on the blade, but his look. The eyes of Leaf that bore through the man to something within that would be extinguished no matter what path the man chose to follow in regards to Abby's fate allowed her the small moment to search her soul and find purpose to her life. 'It will be all right, Leaf. Kill him. You will know when,' she instructed with no concern if her last efforts would be in time or not.

Abby drew in a breath that cut as her chest deeper, 'it doesn't matter, as long as I fight to live,' she determined mirroring what she saw in Leaf's heart. Leaf was doing far more, for far less should not act for one who would not believe the same thing. As Falsha embraced the fight in welcome madness to prove to herself she had the right to live; As Vischer stood to release her regardless his fate and long as he held his honor; she wouldn't prove to be the lesser to them. Animals that not a day ago, she would have thought incapable of such greatness.

Her arm came from under her limp body, to her side, then stomach. She had so little control and strength, but no one was watching her and this was all that was left to her. All that was needed to survive,

Draeth waited with his eyes on the wolf for that moment when he would choose between the life of the witch or to kill her slayer.

The wolf growled long, deep, and slow, watching, waiting to be certain that Abby understood what was needed.

Abby smiled to him with reverence and praise then closed her eyes, no longer needing them to see the end.

Leaf sprang forward, his claws stretched to throw the man to the ground where he would then have control, and bring quick end to his life.

Draeth had a fraction of a moment to enact his threat, and struck forward with the blade to sink it into Abby's chest skewering her heart. But the blade somehow found no body. A scream of pain came from the witch, and he looked to see what had happened.

Abby sacrificed her arm for her life. She let the biting edge of the weapon slice through her arm to her bones, then pushed the sword aside. Blood coated the entire length of the silver blade and it ran freely from her arm onto the ground, but she would live longer than he would.

When Draeth's eyes returned to the charging wolf he was inches from him. Behind, he would put his hopes for vengeance into the villagers. Candles were lighting up in shuttered windows, brought out by the commotion in the street. His death was unavoidable, but their would come in a matter of moments. There was no escape for the Witch and unholy her pet. He grinned.

The gray wolf caught his target and used all his immense weight to push him against the neighboring building's wall. Draeth broke through the weak mud and straw wall, finding himself half inside the entwined in shelves, half exposed on the street.

Where he stopped didn't matter to Leaf. Following the momentum, he leaned over the man exactly as Draeth had Abby then tore into the man's stomach tearing out what would come.

Abby listened to his death as her own life quickly was leaving her. She, at least, would not be so defiled at the end of this night. There was a small reward for dying as a human being instead of a sacrifice, and she could accept that.

She turned and used her uneven weight to slip off the table, though her legs were still bound as an anchor, to be off the torturer's block was all that was left to do. She felt her eyes loosing focus, the edges of her vision were turning dark, then the ground struck her limp body.

Leaf's mind found her, 'can you walk,' he asked worried. His muzzle entered her narrowing vision to cautiously turn her face to his.

"I am leaving, you did everything you could, but it was not meant to be,' she said with dire purpose though a weak voice. "I can't... Leaf. Go. Go before they catch you. There is nothing left of me."

'I'll not let you die in your foes blood. I'll at least drag you away to be buried in peace, but I need you to be an animal to do so,' his words covered over an intention he would not explain to her, 'something small, so I can spirit you far from here by your scruff.'

Abby smiled, unable to laugh as her arm let out her life quickly, 'I want to be who I truly am when I pass."

'That, is unavoidable. When your magic ends, you will be who you were born no matter what you were doing,' his thoughts hurried in explanation, 'Abby, do so. Hurry, they come quickly.'

Abby had never attempted to transform when it was not forced upon her. She sought and sifted through thoughts with what remained of her strength, recalling the familiarity of each of the animals that she had come to know, and she saw what it was that connected them all.

Abby tried to think on the mouse's body, it would be the best one to emulate, but the past experience of being seduced repulsed her far too much. It would have to be another body. Turning to Falsha, the body of the small hound was clear and well known, but the memories of death and madness because of her actions unsetteled Abby. Forcing her to choose the last of the known.

It was easy to imagine her Self as the wolf, welcoming as long absent family. She drove into the conception with relish, and began to feel her body take to her will. It didn't hurt when the muscles and bones began to alter and orchistrate themselves. Maybe it was that she knew what was happening, or maybe deep down, it was truly wanted.

Abby felt her last fleeting moments of consciousness passing all too quickly. Leaf spoke somewhat annoyed, but accepting, 'you wanted this to be near impossible didn't you?' Blackness came once more before an explaination could be made.