FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Set the scene.

It's a quiet evening, the sun is just about to set across the horizon, throwing a collage of colors across the sky. A few wisps of clouds dot the atmosphere here and there, but it's otherwise clear.

A medium two story house rests on the edge of town. Made of rich mahogany wood, it sits on thick wooden stilts that raise it about a foot and a half off the ground. The reason? A wooden dam up the valley. All enclosures, buildings, and residences are required to have stilts of some sort, or be raised off the ground by a hill just in case the dam breaks to reduce damages.

And it wasn't just if the dam broke. The dam was required to let out water every month so the dam could hold better and not be too overburdened.

Arc, her brilliantly white fur standing out against the darkening atmosphere, knelt down beside one of the corner stilts nearest the door. She did this on occasion to make sure they were holding, as well as to see if they needed an extra coat of wax to help with the wood not warping as much.

The albino fox ran her fingers across the base of the stilt, noticing how it was getting a little engorged compared to the upper half. It wasn't so bad that it needed to be replaced. Not yet, at least. An additional coating of wax should suffice for another few months, but depending on how bad the warping persisted, it would probably need to be replaced.

Standing up on her paws with a sigh, she interlocked her fingers and raised them high above her head, stretching her back. She had been hunched over for the past half hour, examining the stilts. She even went as far as to crawl under the house itself to examine the four stilts placed near the middle section for support. She wanted to make sure her and her spouse were safe

Now her fur was dirty in many places and she longed for a bath. But there were still things That needed to be done before the night was over.

Walking up the porch steps to the front door, she headed inside. Walking through the living room, she turned down a hallway past the main bedroom, and opened a door into the bathroom.

Her claws clacked softly against the marble tile as she knelt down next to a large metal tub, big enough for two people. It was already filled with water, she did that every morning, it just needed to be heated. Grabbing wood from a nearby pile, she placed a few in a tin container cut into the floor underneath the tub, added a bit of kindling, and lit it with a couple strikes from a flint and steel nearby. Blowing softly to help stoke the flames, she stood up and walked out of the bathroom, letting the fire heat the water for a bath later.

Now she had to get dinner started for her and her spouse. Her spouse, Nyx, had gone out about an hour ago to turn in their latest bounty, a couple of runaway convicts from the nearby dungeons. It would probably be around another hour or so before Nyx got back. She liked to have a celebratory drink or two at the local pub whenever they completed a bounty.

So Arc would be sure that when Nyx got back, there would be a hot meal ready for the two of them to share.

Since chasing the convicts had taken all day, Arc wasn't feeling like anything too extravagant. Some fresh salted venison picked up this morning, vegetables from the raised garden boxes in the backyard, and a little bit of seasoning would make a pleasant stew with minimal effort.

It was while she was chopping a few carrots that Nyx came through the door, hanging her cloak on a coat rack and her scythe on hooks nailed into the wall beside the door. The shark-cat hybrid looked relieved to finally be home as she tossed a bag of coins onto the couch with a clatter. The drawstring untied a bit from the landing and several gold coins scattered across the cushions, some clattering to the floor.

Nyx ignored the mess, instead heading straight for the kitchen and to where Arc was cooking.

"You're home early." Arc said as Nyx gave her a quick peck on the cheek before wrapping her arms around Arcs waist and resting her chin on Arcs shoulder, closing her eyes for a bit.

"I decided not to get a drink today," Nyx said. "I kinda just want to be home right now. Besides, we have wine in the cupboard, we can share a glass with dinner.

Arc nodded, smiling slightly. "That vould be pleasant."

Arc could feel Nyx watching her as she chopped the last of the carrots and moved onto the peeled potatoes.

"From the slow way you're cutting these vegetables," Nyx said. "I'm guessing you haven't had a chance to just take a minute to yourself yet."

"I like to keep self busy. I can relax later vhen in bath." Arc replied, finishing a potato and moving onto another.

Before she had a chance to cut it, however, Nyx gently grabbed Arcs hand and took the knife from her, bumping Arc aside with her hip.

"I'll finish this, you go sit on the couch and I'll join you when this..." Nyx took a moment to observe the ingredients on the counter and in the pot on the stove. "Stew is simmering."

"Vhat about you? You had to escort prisoners back to dungeon, no? Vouldn't you need rest more than I?"

"I had plenty of time to sit around while I waited for the warden to catalogue that the prisoners were back and in their respective cells as well as get our pay." Nyx motioned with the knife toward the couches. "Now sit."

Arc knew better than to argue with Nyx on matters she was set on. It was like, how did the phrase go, talking to a wall? Something like that.

So, giving in Arc made her way to the couch and sat herself down, picking up the scattered coins as she did. Putting them back in the small drawstring bag, she placed the bag on the small table in the middle of the living room and leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes and folding her arms across her stomach.

"I would've done that later." Nyx called from the kitchen after hearing the coins clatter against the small table.

"I know, but I am already here, no?"

Arc heard Nyx dramatically sigh, and she chuckled a bit, listening to the sounds of Nyx rummage around the kitchen and curse when she dropped something on the floor.

About 5 or so minutes later, Arc heard the sounds of a lid being placed on the pot, and Nyx's paws across the wooden floor as she made her way to the living room.

Crawling onto the couch, Nyx rested her head in Arc's lap, paws dangling off the edge of the armrest and her long tail sprawled across the floor.

Arc looked down at her spouse who was, in turn, staring at her. "Comfy?"

"Very." Nyx answered, reaching up and lightly flicking Arcs dangling feather earring and watching it sway back and forth.

Arc leaned down and gave Nyx a quick kiss before leaning back again and closing her eyes once more.

She idly started playing with Nyx's hair, something only she and a few close friends were allowed to do. Most people who touched her without permission were injured.

Nyx started to gently purr in Arcs lap, meaning that she was extremely comfortable.

"Your cat half is coming out." Arc said.

"Mmm, cool. Can I join you in your bath later?"

"Of course."

And then the two fell silent, enjoying each other's company. After an exhausting day of constant running and tracking, combined with the soft couch and the comfort of each other, sleep quickly took the both of them.

They would wake up later to slightly burnt stew and a lukewarm bath. Nyx would gripe about both, chiding herself for falling asleep. Arc wouldn't mind as much. She'd blame herself for falling asleep as well, but the stew tasted fine, it would just be a pain to scrape the burned residue off the bottom of the pot, and with Nyx's company in the bath, she'd hardly notice the temperature of the water.

But for now, the couple slept soundly, enjoying the simple things in life.

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Thank you for reading! May your inner fire burn strong