FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was cold, and dark. And I was alone. The full moon shone bright above, casting long dark shadows in the snow bound forest around me. I pulled my coat closer, wishing I'd brought my compass. I hadn't expected to get lost on my short trek to clear my head. Sometimes my dad could be too damn protective. A howl rang through the air, and my tail curled. That sounded too close. I looked around and blinked, the shadows seemed to be moving. The darkness seemed to be moving towards me, the hair on the back my neck stood up, and I heeded the warning. I turned and ran.

I wove between trees and looked back panting. The shadows behind me were growing darker, shapes pressed out, as if trying to escape the thin film of darkness, their claws shone as they reached towards me. I could hear the wolves on either side of me, their paws hitting the snow, their panting breath as they ran after me. Teeth clacked behind and below me. I knew the wolves were on my heels, but I dared not pause long enough to look back and see what else is following me. My ears folded back and I tried to run faster. My boot knocked into a muzzle as I lengthened my stride as far as I could go. That's when I heard a growl behind me, and teeth sink into my wrist. I cried in pain, as the creature's momentum dragged me down into the snow.

It let go as it slipped on a patch of ice, falling away. I could hear the others surround me as I lifted my face from the snow, and blinked the crystals away from my eyes. The pack leader was in front of me, barring his teeth. I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see. I heard what sounded like paper on the wind, and then a deep roar that shook the very earth beneath me. I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking the monsters of the darkness were attacking from their inky depths.

A thud in front of me made me open eyes. I saw golden furred paws in front of me. A clawed paw entered my vision, and I looked up at the dragon bent in front of me, offering to help me up. His fur was bristled out a bit, and in the moonlight, looked like gold fire rimmed his being. He wore not much else than a loincloth, and an ornate sword strapped at his hip. His wings were spread slightly, blocking me from the wolves' view. His sharp blue eyes looked at me with such deep concern as I took his paw, looking me over. He helped me up, and folded his wings firmly behind him, and I gasped, seeing that the dark monsters had sneaked up on him.

They looked like wolves on two legs, but horribly wrong, dripping like goo, but were more shadows than solid mass. The closest one sprang at the dragon, sinking its drooling teeth into my rescuers neck. I screamed and backed a way as it tore a chunk of flesh from the dragon before me. He didn't even flinch. The wolves attacked too, sinking their teeth into an arm, and his legs. The dragon looked at me, and reached for his sword, inhaling deeply. As his paw wrapped around the hilt of the weapon, the world exploded with light.

I had to shield myself for a second. He roared again, and I felt it, even as I hear it. I felt the rage in his roar, the defiance, and the very earth seemed to tremble under his power. Everything was silent after that. I blinked several times to get my vision back. The first thing I saw was the dragon standing just a couple feet away, but he was on fire, engulfed in blue flames. But it didn't scare me. I was more concerned about the look in his eyes.They looked like he'd continue to rage against the world. I reached out, and gently touched the back for his left paw. The flames around him lessened somewhat, and he looked down at me with those hate filled eyes. I couldn't bear to see that, so I looked around and gaped. All around us was a mess.

Wolves were missing their heads, still soaking the snow crimson. Others looked like they'd been kicked to death. The monsters of the shadows were unrecognizable piles of flesh, and clumps of meat, and blood spread out from where we stood like a blast radius. I looked back at the dragon, meaning to ask if he did all this in the two or so seconds he'd roared and blinded everything. He was panting, his mouth open, blood soaked the fur around his mouth, and dripped from his fangs. I looked down at the paw I was touching, and saw that both of them were bloodied, his sword even more so. I gently took just his finger in my paw, and held him, looking at him with wonder. He was still looking at me, I could see the concern returning to his eyes, as the flames seemed to soak back into his body. The dragon's eyes glistened, and a single tear fell from his right eye. That's when I recognized him. I suddenly knew why he protected me, and why he looked concerned.

"Dad?" I choked. My eyes were wet too.

"I thought I was going to lose you." He said, his voice scratched with pain, as the dragon scales of his neck seemed to melt into his skin, and sprout dusty brown fur. The rest of his gold fur changes colors, to the same dirty brown as my own fur. His horns shrank, and receded into his skull, and his feature became more dog like, as he wrapped me in a huge hug. I cried into his shoulder.

"Thank you, dad. I love you." I mumbled into his fur.