FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

As Dawn made herself at home, dozens of questions ran through her mind. Especially about her liberator, Riku, who was perhaps the most mysterious individual she'd ever met. Though she was grateful, she wondered just how he was able to revoke the sentence so easily. The markings that covered his body raised even more questions. They were unlike any she had seen before. None of the other Vorprysian jackals possessed such brandings.

Her new bed was like sleeping on a cloud, and she had what was perhaps the best night's sleep in her life. As she awoke early the next morning, she heard a knock at her door. She gave a stretch and yawn as she stepped out of bed, wearing nothing but a long white t-shirt and a pair of pink panties, though easily concealed by her top. As she opened the door, she was greeted by a female figure.

A Guflor stood before her, more specifically a goat. Her fur was white, and she had short, curly blonde hair. Her eyes were green, and she had small horns that curved towards her face. She wore a white apron, much like a chef would, and under it, a silky pink blouse and a skirt that reached a tad below the knees, and was covered with white roses. On either ear lobe hung a silver crescent moon earring. She smiled warmly at the vixen.

"Oh my. You're even cuter than Lord Wyvernshade let on," _she said with a giggle. _

"O..oh." The vixen blushed slightly, flattered and a little embarrassed at the thought of him. "Hello."

"You are Dawn, yes? A pleasure to meet you. I'm Melody. I've been asked to guide you through the daily routines today. And to answer any questions you may have."

"I..it's nice to meet you."_ The fox nodded and gave a bow, but was stopped halfway with a paw on her shoulder._

"Now now, I appreciate the gesture, but there's no need for such formality. Save it for the master, okay?" _Dawn blushed and nodded. _"You must be hungry. Get dressed and I'll fix you something to eat."

"Okay." She shut the door behind her, looking through her wardrobe and noticing a maid's outfit, with a rather short skirt. She blushed hard at the sight of it. She stripped down to her cute pink panties as she slipped on the skimpy uniform, posing and looking at herself in the mirror. She wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it. She was happy to be given a chance to make a new life for herself. She felt cute, but at the same time, she felt dirty, and easy. She heard a knock at her door.

"Hey, are you ready yet?" Melody spoke from behind the door.

"Hmm? Oh yeah. Sorry." She opened the door and stepped outside with the goat. She could feel the Guflor's eyes on her, inspecting the uniform.

"Oh my. Don't you just look precious in that uniform," she said with a giggle, "I can already tell Master Riku won't be able to keep his paws off of you."

Dawn gave a meep and a hard blush. "D..does that happen often?"

"Oh yes. 'Tis one of the many perks of serving a watcher."

"W..watcher?" She cocked her head.

"You don't know? Ah well, I guess you aren't from around here, are you? Come along, I'll explain over breakfast."

Dawn could feel her stomach growling, and giggled, "Yeah, I am kinda hungry."

---

She followed Melody to the first floor and into the kitchen. It had everything you'd expect to see in a kitchen. A cooking pot sitting over a fireplace, a dining table, a counter with numerous herbs, spices, loaves of bread, and other ingredients. The shelves were stocked with bottles of wine, milk, and juice. A pleasant scent filled her nostrils as she couldn't help but take a sniff. She was nearly drooling.

"Oh, that smells wonderful."

"Have a seat, and I'll fix you a plate. How does egg and sausage sound?"

"It's been so long since I had sausage." Her mouth watered at the thought of such a delicacy. She sat down at the table, and a plate was soon placed in front of her. The first bite sent her taste buds on a journey. "So delicious."

"I'm glad you like it." A glass of juice was handed to her as she scarfed down the first smoked meat log. As she finished chewing and swallowing, and wiped her lips, she began to speak.

"So is this what you do? Serve meals?"

"Yes. It's kind of a family tradition. I come from a line of great chefs. My grandmother taught my mother, and my mother taught me."

"Interesting." She took a sip of her juice and continued. "I'd like to know more about Riku. How did you meet him?"

"Oh Riku and I have known each other since we were little ones. My family has served the Wyvernshade family for generations."

---

"Riku and I share a lot of things, including a birthday. We were born only seconds apart from each other, and have been inseparable ever since our mothers first introduced us. Riku was always a quiet one though and mostly just kept to himself. But he was never afraid to speak out and take a stand when his loved ones are concerned..."

"Mother use to ask me to get supplies for her at the markets. She was usually too busy to do it on her own. She always told me to be careful and to never go alone. I won't be making that mistake again. I remember three jerks that use to harass me on a regular basis whenever Riku wasn't around, until he caught them in the act. Up until this very day, I never head to the markets alone without an escort."

Roughly thirteen years before the current event...

A young goat girl, just barely entering her teen years, was on her way home after doing some shopping for her mother. Food and ingredients mostly. It was something she did oft She was strolling along the streets casually with the wind flowing through her hair. But she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched. A trio of ruffians around the same age, if not older, were observing her, stalking without her noticing, getting closer and closer until one of them was able to shove her face first into the ground, causing her to drop and spill the supplies she was carrying. She grunted as she tried to catch herself with her bare paw, but only ended up scraping it against the asphalt. She winced in pain as she tried to stand back up, looking back only to see three characters staring her down. To the left, a hazel eyed bluejay. Nothing particularly unique about him. To the right, a pale green, yellow eyed crocodile. He was larger than the other too, and was obviously the muscle of the group. The only thing more frightening than his size was his toothy grin and sinister glare. The one in the middle, obviously the leader and the brains of the three, was a white jackal with dark green eyes. She tried to pull herself together as they surrounded her and sneered.

"Look who it is," the jackal snickered, "Riku's little moocher."

"W..what do you guys want?" she said in a desperate attempt to sound tough, but her voice betrayed her by coming out all squeaky as tears filled her eyes.

"Aww, is the little goat gonna cry? You gonna hide under your friend's tailcoat like the little runt you are?"

"L..leave me alone you jerks!" The little capra forced herself up and tried to run away, but was quickly shoved and pinned into the side of a building.

"Don't you dare walk away from us."

She grunted and whimpered as the leader continued to push her around. "St-stop it!"

"Look at you. You think you're all high and mighty just because you happen to live with a noble family. It's about time you learned your real place in the world, right boys?"

"P-please don't hurt me." She pleaded with weak sobs.

"Oh, we're gonna do a lot more than that," he said with a raised fist.

Another jackal, black in color with brown eyes, and the same age as the goat, happened to be walking by, returning home from his own daily routine. He noticed her being harassed, and was all too familiar with the leader of the trio. He snarled and approached from behind as the bully was about to lay his hand on the poor girl, grabbing his fist just before it reached its mark. "Leave her alone!"

The white canine growled. "Stay out of this, Riku! It doesn't concern you!"

"It does when my friends are involved." He was quickly greeted when the croc lunged for him. Riku responded almost instantly as he stepped to the side and grabbed the lizards arm, flipping and throwing him to the ground with little effort. The avian made a charge at him next, aiming for a punch in the gut. Riku dodged it just in time and tripped the blue jay as he forced himself forward, making him fall face first into the croc. The leader snarled angrily, releasing the goat girl from his grasp.

"I've had about enough of you. Get him!" As soon as the other two were on their feet again, all three made a charge at Riku, all at the same time. As the bird and lizard got close enough, he quickly grabs them by the neck and knocks their heads together. As they dropped, he grabbed the leader, flipping him and slamming the canine hard into the sandstone walkway, leaving a slight dent and a crack as he pinned and grabbed the bully by the neck. He let out a low growl. "Screw you, kid."

"Now listen to me," Riku said with an intense glare, "You leave Melody alone, or things will only get worse for you. Understand?"

The white jackal huffed and spat at him. "Whatever." As he was released and got to his feet, he turned around and started running away, the other two soon following after him. Riku watched as they fled the scene. Once he was sure they were gone, he reached out and helped his friend up. "Are you okay, Melody? Did they hurt you?"

"T..they pushed me down." She whimpered a bit as she held her hand. It was scraped, swollen, and throbbing. "But other than that, no."

He held her paw gently, looking her in the eyes. "Let's just get you home. Mother will take care of this."

"T..thank you, Riku." She planted a gentle, loving kiss on his cheek, causing him to jump and blush in surprise.

---

"So Riku was able to take them on all at once?" Dawn asked.

"Oh yes," Melody replied, "Riku always had a dream of protecting and serving his people. He wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and join the knighthood. His mother was against it, of course. Said it was too dangerous, and it would crush her if something ever happened. But still, he showed great determination, Valeria, his mother, respected his wishes, and signed him up for training once he turned twelve. He was the top of his class, unsurprisingly, but it would be years later before Riku would be eligible to join the military ranks."

"Whatever happened to his father?"

"We're not sure. Valeria never spoke of him. I just know he was a renowned hero of the Vorprysian nation. Valeria, on the other hand, is a well known alchemist who spends most of her time tending to the ill and injured."

"What about you, Melody? When did you decide to follow the family tradition?"

"I was set to follow my mother's footsteps pretty early in life. For the most part I just helped her around the kitchen. Cleaning dishes, fetching ingredients, that sort of thing. The first time I ever cooked my own dish, though... I thought for sure it would be a disaster. I was so nervous. But it just turned out I had the natural talent. There was more to it than that, though. When he stood up to those jerks.. that's when I started to feel something deeper for him..."

It was early in the morning on a cold winter's day. Riku had just awakened from a good night's sleep, and after going through the usual morning routine, he made his way to the dining room. It was pretty quiet, though. The adults were nowhere to be seen. He was only met by a young goat teen, wearing an apron if a few noticeable stains. She smiled as he sat down at the table.

"Good morning, Riku," _she greeted warmly. _"How did you sleep?"

"Not bad," _he answered. _"I'm a little surprised to see you up this early though."

"Yes, it is quite early," _she blushed, _"I actually got up this early to surprise you with something."

"Oh? What is it?" _She moved towards the stove, a pot boiling as she lifted the top and stirred. A pleasant scent filled the air and invaded his nostrils, almost making him drool. _"That smells amazing."

She blushed as she continued stirring the contents, looking back towards him. "I thought I'd start practicing my cooking for you. I mean, if I'm gonna follow mother's footsteps, I may as well get a head start."

"Oh Melody, you didn't have to do that."

"I know, but..." she stuttered, "I wanted to. I wanted to thank you for what you did for me back then."

"Back then?" _He pondered for a moment. His ears perked once he realized what she meant. _"Oh you mean those jerks."

She nodded, staring at the floor shyly. "Yes. You were so brave. You didn't even have to think about it."

"There's really no need to thank me. I would've done it anyway."

"W..well I just started thinking about it again the other day, and just remembering how you were. And seeing you today..." She turned away as her face became burning hot.

Riku cocked his head, confused by the goat's reaction. "Melody? Are you okay?"

"Huh? N-nothing. I just don't know how to tell you..."

"Tell me what?"

She mumbled for a moment, trying to build up the courage to speak as she looked up slightly at him, simply muttering, "I.. I love you Riku."

Riku blushed brightly, staring at her a moment before giving a smile, standing from the table and pulling you into a hug as he stared into her emerald eyes. "I love you too, Melody."

The capra's eyes seemed to light up. "Y..you do?"

He nodded. "I do." _She began to tear up, tears of joy pouring down her cheeks. Riku sat up from the table, and embraced her with a kiss on the forehead. She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. After holding each other for what seemed like forever, Riku sat down again as Melody prepared a bowl for him. It was a thick stew, filled with beef and a variety of vegetables. He took a bite. The taste was just indescribable. _"You made this?" _She nodded nervously. _"It's amazing"

"I'm so glad you think so," she said with a smile.

---

"You still haven't said anything about the watchers." Dawn proclaimed.

"We're getting to that. Don't worry," Melody proclaimed. "I take you're not very familiar with the Vorpysian customs are you?"

"No. This is the first time I've ever been to one of the cities. What sort of customs are you talking about?"

"Well it only applies to the jackals, the ruling class of the nation. You see, jackals have a unique connection with the gods. Their blood is magical and divine. When they come of age, they go through a rite of passage. It is... a ritual of sorts in which they enter a coma like state, while their spirit travels to the realm of the gods. From there, they are imprinted by one of the five. Riku's father bonded with the fire lord, Atemis. So it was only natural to think he would do the same. It didn't work out that way though. I remember when we turned eighteen. He was so nervous about it. He wouldn't even come out of his room. I also had a lot on my mind, but Riku was at the top. I wanted to find a way to help him. And I could only think of one way..."

Riku stood alone in his bedchamber, pacing back and forth as he became more and more nervous with the passing of time, waiting for his initiation he was to have the next day. It was difficult for him to relax, let alone sleep, and it would probably look bad if he showed up exhausted. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a knock on his door, and a familiar voice on the other side.

"Riku? Are you there?" He immediately recognized it as his friend, Melody.

"Y..yeah Melody. Please come in." _The door opened. The goat girl leaned against the door frame in an alluring manner as she tried to show off her silk pink nightshirt and thin, peach panties. Riku was awestruck by the sight of her, blushing as he almost immediately became flustered. _"M..Melody?"

She blushed as well, rubbing her arm nervously as she entered the room. "I was worried about you. You seem really stressed lately about the initiation."

"More than you can imagine," he answered, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Nobody's allowed to speak of it, so I don't know what I should expect."

She approached and sat next to him, leaning closer to him until they were almost shoulder to shoulder. "I know how difficult it must be for you. But that's why I'm here. To help you in any way I can." He glimpsed at her, trying to look her in the face, but was distracted by her outfit, and had a good view of her cleavage. He quickly realized what he was doing and looked away, blushing harder as he felt his heart beating faster, and an urge between his legs. He felt a gentle paw on his cheek, slowly guiding him to meet her gaze once more, a warm smile putting him at ease. _"It's okay. You can... touch them if you want." _Riku's entire face was red at this point, his heart skipping several beats.

"A..are you sure?"

She nodded as her paw rested on his thigh, rubbing gently. "Yes," _the capra said with a blush. He was hesitant at first, reaching for her chest slowly, finally cupping her breasts in his paws and squeezed gently. She let out a muffled moan. _"Mmmm~."

"D..do you like that?"

She giggled with a nod, leaning towards him with a look of loving adoration and desire. "I want you to... take me, Riku. Take me... and use my body as you please."

It was near impossible for him to resist her at this point. He leaned in, resting his forehead against her own. "You know I love you, Melody. But this.. This is a huge step outside the boundaries of our friendship. If we go through with this, there's no going back. We don't have to do this. Not unless you're absolutely sure this is what you want."

"It is what I want." She looked up at him, their lips just barely an inch apart, _"And I can tell.. It's what you want, too." _Her answer was all the encouragement he needed, taking the sweet goat girl in a lip lock as his paws explored her body, rubbing gently across her smooth, snowy white fur, reaching behind her as he grabbed her butt. She couldn't help but kiss back, moaning into his muzzle as their tongues met and invaded the other's mouth. Melody almost instinctively rubbed her own paw downwards towards the jackal's crotch, feeling the large bulge between his legs. Riku gave a huff and moan into her snout as they continued to tongue wrestle, breaking away for a moment as he slowly began to pull off her night shirt, revealing her luscious orbs. He started kissing along the side of her neck as he rubbed his fingers across her panty line, sliding them between her legs. He could feel the garment getting wet with her juices as she cooed and brushed against him, urging him to keep going. He began to slide her panties off, throwing them to the side and exposing her full figure. He broke away from her for just a moment to observe her nude form. He was in awe. Her beautiful white fur, that petite figure, those glittering, emerald-like eyes, and the cute way her small tail twitched and wagged... it was almost too much for him to bear. She couldn't help but blush and look away as he gazed at her body, but gave a surprised meep when she was grabbed and pulled close and received a kiss on the nose.

"You're so beautiful."

"I..I am?" She smiled warmly and giggled.

He nodded and guided her paw to the belt of his kilt. "I believe it's my turn now." Melody blushed as she began to unwrap the strap and pull the jackal's bottoms down, letting his member flop out. It was throbbing and red, and it's size was around what one would expect from the average male, and it had a knot at the base as most canine members had, though it hadn't fully swelled yet. She rubbed her paw up and down his cock slowly as she looked up at him in the eyes, getting a full whiff of his intoxicating, natural musk. Riku bit his lip as she played with his meat, moaning quietly as he gazed down at her with anticipation. The capra slowly began to lick his sensitive flesh from base all the way to the tip, kissing the head gently, making huff out through his nose as he gripped the bed sheets. She started taking the shaft into her mouth, pushing her head down as far as she could before gagging herself, and quickly came up for a gasp of air. She felt her jackal lover's finger stroke gently against her cheek. "Don't go hurting yourself for my sake, love."

"It's okay. I can do it." She grabbed hold of his thick, throbbing dong, sliding it back in her mouth as she continued to suck him off. His back arched a bit as she came back down on his rod, hissing as the warmth of her mouth took him to the base.

"Well.. maybe I can.. return the favor?" She looked up at him, pulling off with a lick of her lips,and pushed him on his back as she climbed over him, bringing her rear around. Her womanhood came into full view, dripping with feminine juices, and now within mere inches of his face. As she continued stroking her his love stick, Riku grabbed her rump firmly, bringing it closer, sticking his tongue out to have a taste of her lower lips. He licked across the slit. She was sweet. Unique. He wanted more. The goat moaned louder with a curve of her back as she took the entire rod into her mouth, sucking all the way down to the base and slowly coming back up. He gasped out as she took it all in like a pro, bucking his hips gently as he began pressing his tongue into her folds, spreading them as he invaded. She moaned out into his cock as she felt it press against her throat, feeling completely lost in his musk as her snout pressed against his crotch and her lover's long doggy tongue explored her lower halls. He rubbed his thumbs across the edges of her sex as he traveled through her depths, savoring her unique flavor as he wiggled his tongue vigorously and lapped against her walls. She wiggled her hips gently, allowing him to venture even deeper as his muzzle pressed against her rear. He continued thrusting gently into her face, using her mouth as a cocksleeve with his lips pressed against her womanhood, trying to taste every inch of her virgin walls, causing her to moan out louder into his shaft and grip the sheets. He murred loudly into her pussy, making his snout like a vibrator and stimulating her even more as he continued wagging his tongue back and forth. She was drooling over his red cock as she felt her eyes roll back behind her head, completely taken away by lust and pure bliss. Her toes curled as she was taken over the edge, cumming intensely all over his muzzle.

Riku huffed and pulled his tongue out, chuckling as he lapped up the juices. Melody looked back at him and blushed. "Oh. I.. I'm so sorry." She felt a pat on her bum, noticing a smile on the jackal's face.

"No need to apologize."

She breathed heavily as she crawled off and laid back, spreading her legs and presenting herself to her lover. "You didn't get to finish, though. Shall we.. continue to the main course?" she said shyly. He climbed over her, looking the sweet goat girl in the eyes as his flesh rubbed against her sex.

"Are you ready for this?"

She gripped the sheets beneath her, biting slightly on her lips. "Y..yes." _He placed a paw at either side of her, balancing himself as he positioned the tip of his cock towards her entrance, pushing in gently, stretching her tunnel out, and once he was deep enough, broke her virgin barrier, causing her to grit her teeth and muffle a squeal. He sat still for a moment to let her adjust, comforting her with a loving kiss on the nose. _"I.. I can feel you throbbing inside."

"Is it too much for you?"

She shook her head. "N..no. I can take it. It'll only hurt for a bit. Just please, go slow." He nodded, giving her a kiss on the lips as he started rocking his hips gently, massaging the capra's insides with his dick as he spread her virgin tunnels a little at a time. She gripped the bed sheets tighter as she felt the canine's length digging deeper inside of her, huffing as he started to passionately make love to her. He continued with his gentle pace, desperately trying to resist his lustful urges and give in to instinct, less he cause her more discomfort. Her moans grew louder as the pain subsided, wrapping her arms around him and pulling the jackal closer to her. Their bodies were pressed against one another, feeling each other's love and warmth. He dug his claws into the sheets and let out a quiet howl, slightly tearing the bedspread as his lover's moans continued to grow louder and drive him into a frenzy of lust. "F..faster. Please.." Her plea was all the encouragement he needed. He began to move faster, pushing her body into the mattress under his weight as he slowly increased his pace. They were in sync, matching each other's every breath and heartbeat. He further increased his speed, breathing heavily against her neck. "Oh Riku!" The sound of Melody shouting his name drove him insane, kicking him into overdrive as he increased the power of his thrusts, digging balls deep into her and rocking the bed. Her moaning grew even louder as she felt the entirety of his hard cock inside of her, crying out in pure ecstasy as she was claimed. "F-f-fuck! Oh gods, yes!" She began leaking pre again as she was rapidly approaching her second orgasm, and felt him squirting inside her as well. His huffed and howled out as he began approaching his climax, his knot swelling up and pounding against her opening. She gripped him tightly and dug her nails into the jackal's back as she drew closer and closer to her end.

"F-fuck!" A groan of discomfort escaped him as he was scratched, but was quickly replaced with bliss as he continued to plow into her, their hips slapping loud against one another, no longer able to hold back as he clamped his jaws down on the goat's shoulder. She screamed in pain and pure passion as she finally came, squirting her juices across the bed sheets and on his length. Riku muffled a loud groan into her neck as he pushed hard into her, popping his knot inside and locking them together in a frenzy of ecstasy, passion, and total screaming abandon, spraying a torrent of his hot cream into her trench.

"Oh yes!" Both collapse from exhaustion as they finished, breathing heavily. Riku managed to find the strength to look up into his lover's eyes, both of them breathing in sync. He nuzzled and kissed her lovingly on the lips and rested his head on her shoulder. Melody held him close.

"Melody..." he said weakly.

"Riku..." she returned.

"I love you..."

"I love you, too..." The two slowly drifted off into slumber, embraced in each others arms as their worries seemed to just disappear for the night.

---

Melody seemed to be lost in thought, reminiscing in the affairs of her past with Riku. She had forgotten about Dawn, who was trying to get her attention.

"Melody? Hello?" Her voice finally caught the goat's attention as she snapped back to reality.

"Oh, sorry. I always get a little flustered thinking about those days. Now where was I?"

"You were putting Riku's mind at ease before the day of his initiation. And you still haven't said anything about the watchers," Dawn exclaimed.

"Right." _Melody sighed. _"Well when the time finally came and Riku went through the rite... he wasn't really the same after. It was a rather difficult time for him then. When he came home, he just wasn't himself anymore. He avoided everyone and stayed locked in his room for the most part. Even me. But then we had a surprise visitor. And that visitor changed his fate forever."

---

Several days after his initiation, Riku continued to hide from society. Even Melody, who grew more concerned by the day. She didn't even get a chance to see him when he came home. She sat alone, pondering. "I wonder what's going on through his head," she thought aloud. "There must be something I can do to help." After mulling over it for so long, she finally came to a decision. _"Hmm, there is... one thing I could do." _She returned to her own room, rummaging through her wardrobe and pulling out a nice set of lingerie. It was a silk, light blue, sleeveless babydoll top that didn't reach down any further than her lower abdomen, and a pair of light pink, lacey panties. She was sure this would get Riku's attention. She headed towards Riku's bedroom. She barely brushed her hand against it with a knock as it seemed to open on it's own. She looked inside, and didn't see her canine companion anywhere. But she knew he'd be back. So she sat on his bed... and waited.

A few minutes passed. Riku pushed open the door, and immediately hid himself behind it when he noticed the capra laying on her side on the mattress, the lingerie showing off the sexiest parts of her petite form. "Do you like what you see?" she said in a seductive tone.

He tried hard not to stare as he kept himself hidden. "What are you doing in here, Melody?"

"Well, I noticed you haven't been yourself lately," _she said as she stood up and slowly approached the door, _"I wanted to help you relax."

Her approach only encouraged him to conceal himself more. "Mel, I really, REALLY, don't want company right now."

"But why?" _Her tone changed from a loving, seductive one to one of concern. _"What's the matter, Riku? Everyone's worried about you. We haven't really seen you since the rite."

"I don't really want to talk about it."

Melody continued getting closer as she tried to peek behind the door. "We don't have to talk. I'm just... trying to help you. Like you've helped me before." _She reached around, grabbing and holding his hand. _"I'm here for you, no matter what."

Riku said nothing for a moment, giving a heavy sigh. He felt guilty hiding from everyone, especially his best friend. "I thought the rite would be just like everyone else's. I'd go in, get an imprint, and be done with it. But the gods... They rejected me. And instead gave me these." He finally stepped out from the shadows, revealing a series of dark violet markings. The patterns were strange and difficult to describe, but they were certainly unlike any she had seen before. They covered his wrists, upper arms, back, and eyes, and a small symbol resembling a diamond sitting atop a crescent moon on it's side. His brown eyes had also turned violet. She was in absolute shock. His appearance had changed so much. It was like meeting a total stranger.

"By the gods," _she said hesitantly, _"What does it mean?"

"I... don't know. The elders... they just whisper to each other and tell me nothing. Except to go home and wait." He leaned against the wall with a huff. The jackal's sorrow and frustration was apparent.

"I'm sure everything will be ok," she comforted. "You just need to give them time to tell you what's happening."

"Y..yeah. I hope so." _He sighed. _"But the wait alone is killing me.

"I understand." _Melody gripped his hand tightly, and moved herself closer until their bodies were pressed against one another. A loving smile filled her face as she blushed and rubbed up against him. _"Is there... anything you'd like me to do to help with your... anxiety?"

He stared at her, eyeing up and down her figure as he finally got a good look at the outfit. "Well, if you have any ideas, I'm certainly open to them," he said with a flirtatious grin. She leaned in for a kiss as she melted into his arms. But they didn't get to enjoy each other's company for long before a loud knock was heard. She broke from him with an annoyed sigh, and went downstairs without second thought.

There was another knock as she drew closer and again as she made it to the door. There were two figures standing before her. The first was a lioness. She stood around five feet and eight inches. Her fur was light brown, and she had wavy, dark red hair that parted and reached down to her shoulders. Her eyes were fuchsia in color, and she had markings similar to Riku's visible on her body. At least the parts that weren't covered. She bore the same symbol on her cheek, however. She wore a set of black leather armor. It was sleeveless and cut out just above the belly. The lower half reached just below the knees. A strap wrapped around her held a quiver filled with arrows on her back, along with a sleek. On her belt loop held two sword holders, and judging by the shape, they were curved, which was a favorite weapon of choice for the feline races in the eastern forests of the Aflia nation.

To her right was a much larger dragon male, who stood up to six feet and two inches. His scales were gray in color, and he had white hair tied in a ponytail. His horns were straight and jagged upward from the middle. His eyes were violet, the same as Riku's, and like him and the lioness, the dragon also had the same markings across his body. His armor was a bit bulky and heavy compared to the cat next to him, comprised of black steel. Spikes protruded from the shoulders, belt loop, and kneecaps, and he possessed a black steel axe that seemed to give off a strange purplish glow. There was also a rod with it that looked like it might be an extension to the weapon. Heavy weapons like this were preferred by most of the reptilian races in the Whaji nation. The dragon seemed to be eyeing her in a rather curious way, as if intrigued. "Are we interrupting something, miss?" he chuckled.

Melody cocked her head, before she realized she was still wearing her rather... revealing nightwear, and gave the brightest and hottest blush anyone had ever seen, hiding herself behind the door in embarrassment. "Oh, sweet ancestors, I am so sorry!" she squealed.

The dragon chuckled, licking his lips a bit before he was elbowed in the gut by his lioness companion. "I'm Shani. And this is Kenji. We're looking for a young jackal by the name of Riku Wyvernshade, and were told to come here. Is he around?"

"What do you want with him?" she stuttered.

"Not that it's any concern of yours, but we've been informed that he may have been selected as a possible candidate for the watchers. Now is he here or not?" Her tone was rather aggressive, and seemed to distress the goat girl. She choked a bit as she looked towards the interior of the manor.

"R-Riku, it's for you!" she shouted.

About a second later, the pup came down to greet his friend, peering out the doorway to see the two figures standing outside. His heart skipped a few beats, and he gulped. They stared at him hard, observing his markings. "So it is true, then. You bear the marks of a watcher," the lioness stated.

"W-watcher?" he and Melody said in unison.

"A true guardian of Aberuth. The right hand of the gods. You have heard of the stories, yes?"

"I have, but.." Riku paused a moment, thinking long and hard.

"It means you have the power to hunt and kill shadows. Or shades, if you prefer." _the dragon stated. _"A bunch of monstrosities that roam and terrorize the land. Our sole duty is to keep them in check, so their numbers don't get too high."

"Lord Melomihr wishes to speak with you. Immediately." the cat stated with a glare.

"Who's Melomihr?" Melody asked.

"He's our mentor," _Kenji answered, _"He trains and teaches us everything we need to know about being a watcher. He's also the one you need to imprint with. Without him, you cannot complete your rite of passage."

Riku froze for a minute. He was in shock, and disbelief. He didn't know what to make of the situations. He had read stories about the power the watchers possessed, but he never thought such a title would be bestowed upon him. He quickly shook himself back to reality before giving an answer. "I'll meet with you in a moment then."

---

"So the watchers... they're like elite soldiers?" Dawn asked.

"Putting it simply, yes," Melody replied, "Their power is great. Even kings will kneel at their presence. They don't answer to anyone but Melomihr, and Melomihr answers to no one but the divine."

"How many are there?"

"There is only ever three at a time. Why that is, I couldn't say for sure." The goat sighed. "But still, as happy as I was for Riku, watching him leave that day... It was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. I didn't know how long he'd be gone, or when I'd see him again.. If I saw him again, that is...

Riku stood alone in his room. He was going through a few supplies, packing what he thought he would need for the trip, wherever it is it would take him. There was a knock at his door. Melody entered as it seemed to open on its own with little effort. "Do you have everything you need?" she asked.

He looked at her for a moment as she came in, "I believe I do, yes."

_She approached him, holding the jackal's hand as she stared lovingly into his eyes. "_This a big step in your life. How do you feel?"

"Honestly? I don't know how I should feel about it. It's a tremendous honor, for sure. But at the same time, it's terrifying to think about."

"I know it is," _she said as she hugged him tightly, as if afraid to let go. _"But just know, I'll be here with you every step of the way."

He returned the hug, "I know you will. And I'll always love you for that."

She smiled, resting her head against his chest and listening to his heartbeat. "I love you, Riku."

"I love you too, Melody." He planted a kiss on the capra's forehead. They just stood there for a long moment. A moment that felt like an eternity. "I'd better finish up here. And say goodbye to mother while I'm still thinking about it."

"Yes," Melody said with a heavy sigh, "You shouldn't keep the watchers waiting. Or Melomihr."

---

Dawn stared blankly at Melody as she finished the story, taking a final sip from her glass. "Well, I hoped that answered any questions you may have. Unless you have something else on your mind."

The vixen shook her head. "No, I think that'll do for now."

"Very well then,"_ _the goat replied, "Well, if there are anymore questions, you might have to ask Riku yourself. When he gets up that is."

"He's still sleeping?"

"He just came home not long ago. Watchers only operate at night, just as the shades do. I'm certain it has something to do with the sun, but I couldn't tell you for sure." _Melody thought to herself for a moment before continuing. _"Well, you'd better finish up. You'll be meeting the others soon, I'm sure."