FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Aiyesh stared at the moonlight that managed to find its way through the tiny window far above her prison. The nights were getting cold again, had a full turn already passed? If it had, the fates either favored or despised her, maybe both. She could hear the noise building as the night wore on, its waves crested to ever higher levels with each surge. In her experiences, anytime the hairless gathered, they spoke at volumes greater than anyone sane would ever need to use. Not that she could make sense of that cursed babbling beyond more than a few words, but the sound of it all was overbearing and made her already sour mood worse.

A sharp click drew her attention away from the window, any hope of a peaceful evening faded with the arrival of that sound. The door opened, letting the light of torches spill into the room along with the noise from further down the passage. At the sudden light, the beasts in the room roused from their slumber, snarling and ferocious things confined within metal bars much like her own space. The keeper threw in a few bits of raw meat to the beasts before lighting the fire pit in the center of the room. It was a small mercy, her people grew sluggish in the cold and she'd nearly died as a result of it once. The hairless craved the thrill of bloodshed, whatever was provided to her was given with that goal in mind. She'd learned that much at least.

The fire's heat spread throughout the room, it's light bringing warmth and life to her limbs even as it kept the animals awake. Her own people lacked the fur coats of the those with whom they traded normally, but they were supposed to be this way. The hairless were some sort of abomination with long fur in random places though most of their bodies were bare skinned. Their appearance was unnatural, as were most things about them. They clad themselves in metal and cloth, or draped the pelts of their prey over themselves in an effort to impress each other. "Each have their own way", it was a saying common across the peoples and used to teach tolerance; but here, the words were empty. Brutal and savage wasn't a "way", there was no principle or guidance of any of the fates in so much as she could tell in what happened here.

There was a cruel efficiency to their actions. Heartless and savage sure, but not without thought. In just enough time for her body to warm up the door opened once again. Five of them entered and surrounded her space, each armed with a spear made potent by way of craft. Lightning sparked and crackled from the metal tips, a reminder of what power they held. A sixth entered the room, one which she'd seen many times before. This was her task master, the one to whom she must listen or face what the others held at the ready. He was taller than most, his top fur a reddish orange that contrasted against his green eyes. Unlike several of the other hairless males, this one lacked the longer fur around his chin and jaw.

"Kill, then eat," these were among the few words of their language she was taught. There was enough to issue their commands and little else. When facing off against beasts, concentrating on the task at hand was paramount if one wanted to stay alive. Figuring out the language they used wasn't something she was given time to do. The male dropped a small metal blade in front of the gate. The glint in his eyes was a clear enough cue. They wanted a messy victory, and an even messier show after the contest. It would rouse the onlookers to holler and shout their approval.

She faced many in the past turn, some were beast while some were of the people who had lost any sense of reason. Even a few hairless were sent against her. Her place was to win, always, but the end of her victory would be told to her before her gate was opened. The words she knew were used to determine the fate of her rival: "Fight" was used for when she should leave her opponent alive for another day. "Kill" was an order to take her opponent's life. Though she was fed with some regularity, it was never enough to fill her stomach. "Eat" was the last thing she could be ordered to do, and this meant she was to consume at least some part of the fallen. It wasn't something she'd normally do, but her people were one of the few that could eat the raw flesh of a beast without taking ill. Most others had to cook their food, as was true of the hairless, but they weren't above enjoying the spectacle of a beast being devoured for their amusement.

The male took hold of the circle at his waist which held the tiny metal sticks that could release the craft holding the gate closed. Perhaps these weren't truly craft at all, but rather some sort of metalworking beyond the knowledge of her people. How could ones so backward command such skill? The answer eluded her as did much about the hairless. A faint click told her the gate could be opened and that it was time for her to take another life. The fates had blessed her with the skills to survive, and in doing so had condemned her to live. She didn't bother to hide the hiss which escaped as she passed by, taking the small blade with her as she did so. She was allowed this much, though beyond this would earn a swift and painful retribution.

The passage stank. It smelled of the hairless and their drink, and far worse than these. Every time she tasted the air it was an assault on her senses. As usual, a loud voice sounded above the crowd as she stepped beyond the passage and onto the sandy floor of what the hairless called the "pit". It was the heralding of her arrival, and though they spoke not her name, several words were used regularly. Perhaps she was known to them as "Lizard", this word was always used at the end of speaker's announcement and it brought the spectators to their feet as the gate closed behind her. The walls of the pit were smooth metal measuring some eight meters in height. The sand floor and walls were already covered in blood and whatever smaller bits were left behind from earlier fights. Guards armed with the craft spears circled the walls and the eager crowd stood above these.

She entered the pit first, and her opponent second. It was the ritual the hairless observed every time. Perhaps whatever fates they answered to demanded this. Her mind was wondering, a result of her hunger. Whatever beast was brought out would be quickly eaten, they'd not fed her in a day and this had brought on her sour mood in the first place. The gate opposite her opened slowly. One of the wolf people stepped through, armed with a highly decorated sword and shield, and glared at her from across the pit. It growled its displeasure at being here, and to her surprise it spoke in the hairless tongue. The gray fur of its coat shined with the lights as it motioned its intent with the sword. Regardless of why the wolf was here, it took pride in its appearance and its ability to raise the expectations of the onlookers. The words it spoke were probably some form of taunt judging by the reaction of the crowd. The sword's blade was pointed directly at her head as the wolf bared its teeth in a mocking sneer.

This couldn't be her opponent, no it mustn't be. She frantically looked up, searching for the unique color of the male's hair even as the loud voice announced the arrival of her foe. No matter the reason, it was strictly taboo to take in the flesh of one of the people. Before the voice finished, she found her master. He looked down, scowling at her as he jerked his head in the direction of the wolf, there would be no change in his orders.

Perhaps her foe had mistaken her look of shock as fear, thinking she was searching for a way out of the pit. Fear was something she'd long ago banished from her mind, but her respect of the fates and their teachings had remained. The nature of the pit was simple, if she didn't kill the wolf, he'd take her life instead. He was better armed than she was and had a means of defense. In a situation other than this, he'd have had the upper hand. Those with fur could often fight for long periods without tiring as her people did, but so long as they were confined, she could force the fight to take shape as needed. Her reflexes and speed far surpassed those of her adversary. Skilled though he may be, this was a wolf of the hairless and had probably never even seen one of her kind. A spark of anger flared up, the wolf had disregarded her as little more than one of the other beasts kept on the other side of the gates.

She'd win, kill the wolf even, though she'd refuse the last order. The retribution would be immediate and fierce, but she wouldn't break as wolf had in spite of it.