FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sithris groaned as he drug his feet and tail. The desert sand hot to the touch. Why did his companion insist on going through barren wasteland? As the dragons walked farther, Sithris noticed a cave. Perfect!

Rift was regretting his choice. He loved the heat, but something about that cave sent shivers down his spine. He couldn't tell Sithris though, not without a good reason. He reluctantly agreed and they both walked in.

Sithris was very curious. "It's pitch black in here. I wonder what potential treasures could be lurking inside."

Rift was glad that the darkness masked his obvious tremble. "We shouldn't be in here. Please, let's find a different cave."

The black dragon smirked and rolled his eyes. "If you're so paranoid, light up the cave. You are a fire dragon after all."

Rift does so, releasing a fireball down through the cave, the walls lined with spiders. Sithris seemed shocked, but not too bothered. Rift however was frozen in fear. He went pale, unaware of another spider slowly rappelling down.

Sithris gulped. "Rift, don't panic."

The orange tilted his head, the spider landing on it. Only when it crawled onto the tip of his nose did he understand the peril. Seeing the fangs on the little arachnid was the boiling point. With a blood curdling scream unlike what a male should sound like, Rift darted out of the cave.

Sithris sighed. "I'll finish looking around here and check on you."

Using his electricity as light, he ventured in further, growing mesmerized. The walls were coated in different pigments, making strange hieroglyphs. One specifically made his stomach flip. The image depicted a giant spider killing a dragon. The next showed it outside the cave, hiding in the sand.

Sithris stood still. "Oh no... RIFT!!!"

The cave began shaking, The black dragon had to brace himself to keep from falling over. He looked in the direction of the exit and saw a flame coming in. Rift was running in a full panic. Ignoring Sithris' questioning, Rift grabbed him by the tail and dragged him further into the cave. Sithris stumbled for a few moments before getting his footing.

A loud screech made him wince as he looked at Rift. "What was that?"

As of on que, a giant camel spider crashed into the cave, chasing after them. With a squeak, Sithris supercharged his and Rift's legs, allowing them to run much faster. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side. Sithris skidded to a halt as the cave came to an end. Rift however, hadn't noticed until it was too late, running face first into the rock.

With his companion currently disabled, Sithris had no choice but to stand and wait. The spider quickly caught up and stood in front of the only path out. It hissed in almost a chuckle.

"Ahhh, so you two are the ones." The spider's fangs moved as it spoke. "I'm Nerscene, Queen of the Arid Lands."

Sithris braved himself. "I'm Sithris, tinkerer of cogs and lover of shiny blue things. May I enquire why you chased my friend and I down this deep cavern?"

Nerscene swayed side to side on her ten legs. "Isn't it obvious? You're trespassing my lands. Not only that, but I have an arrangement from my employer for eating you two. I can't resist the feeling of creatures squirming on my fangs as my venom turns them to mush. Their lives fading away as their last sight is my fangs crushing their skull. Dragons especially are wonderfully delectable."

Sithris shivered at the thought. "Why did your employer send you to eat a couple dragons?"

Nerscene scuffs. "Dark red dragon with a missing horn said your friend is deathly afraid of spiders. Said everyone from his birth village knew that that orange pest was bitten by a Mountanian Recluse and spent nearly three months in a coma. I believe Keltin was his name."

The black dragon sighed."I'll assume that means there is no negotiating with you. I have no choice but to incapacitate you."

Rift opened his eyes and stared in fear, trying to back against the wall more before going still.

Sithris looked at his options. Either I fight, or Rift and I become a slush. I should be able to deal with it with ease... but I need his help...

Sithris watched Nerscene closely and leaned over to Rift. "I can disable it, but I need help."

Rift shuddered. "Please don't say I need to distract it."

Sithris nodded. "Then I won't say it, but you know it's what's needed."

The orange dragon stood up reluctantly, legs trembling. "If I die, your ass is haunted."

Pulling out a bottle from his satchel, Sithris uncorked the top and drank the contents. With a gulp, he disappeared, body and gear.

Nerscene snarled at the orange dragon. "Sacrificing yourself for your friend. Highly useless. I'll eat you, and then I'll find that talkative toothpick.

Rift looked at the ground. "He's not a toothpick, he's my friend. If you think otherwise you're dumber than you look.

Nerscene roared and starts running towards him. Right before she was on top of him, Rift rolled under, Nerscene ramming head first against the wall. Rift watched and Nerscene screamed in pain as two of her ten legs were sliced off at the joint. A once invisible metal tail spade now coated in blood, the wielder slowly coming back to visibility. Sithris flexed his tail, the spade strapped on with straps, his goggles over his eyes.

The spider spun around and hissed. "How dare you do that! You horrid pests! You will die in pain!"

The two dragons came at it from opposite sides, Sithris low to the ground with his stealth, and Rift charging with his strength. Nerscene swung a leg at Sithris, but missed. Rift however yelled in pain, the spider's leg hitting him between the eyes, sending him into a wall. Sithris took the chance and cut off another of Nerscene's legs, running over to his partner.

Sithris stopped in horror. Rift stood up with his eyes clenched around porcupine quill sized hairs, blood dripping from the part of his eyelids. He was about to ask Rift about his condition when one of Nerscene's legs slammed down on his pack, pinning him. Sithris screamed in pain.

Nerscene spoke with hate. "One blinded and one under me, stay quiet so I can enjoy your flesh."

She lowered her fangs over his neck, the potent venom dripping onto the ground next to Sithris. He closed his eyes, preparing for the end.

Rift shuddered. Please don't miss. Relying on his other senses, he launched at Nerscene. With all his strength, he headbutted her, forcing her off Sithris. The black dragon jumped up and watched Rift's desperate attack. Whoever struck next would win.

Nerscene pinned Rift to the ground and went in for the kill. With his last moment, Rift surrounded his tail spade in fire, jamming it through the spider's head. He panted, relief that he made it through the encounter.

Sithris ran over and pushed the dead Nerscene off his friend before checking on him. With a whimper of pain from Rift, Sithris opened his eyelids and gasped. Rift's eyes were fogged, pierced with the dead spider's hairs.

He was glad he had his goggles to keep himself protected, but he was nervous that Rift's eyes were beyond recovering. It was better to try though, which meant the hairs had to go. He winced, they looked exactly like porcupine quills, which meant that he had to remove them the same way. Without asking for Rift's consent, he grabbed a hair. He twisted it and pulled.

Every creature within miles of the cave ran off at the loud scream they heard.