FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The following novella was written as a collaborative effort between myself and Dragonatic for the People. Project started March 2010. All characters and content are copyright to their respective owners.This series will only be made available for reading in its entirety for a limited time only, with parts released periodically!! All comments, critiques, and criticisms are welcome.

Across the countries, Donichus rode. He knew Talos was behind this, figuring that the bounty hunter he'd hired had gotten to Jaqaran and was no doubt bringing him back to his former master. If he found the bounty hunter, he'd find Talos. Find Talos, he'd find Jaqaran. Though, in what state he could be in, Doncihus preferred not to dwell on. One thing was certain, however, if any of them had laid a single claw on the boy...

The raptor had to pause for a moment to take a breath. He needed to save what energy he had for later. This time, he wouldn't be relying on dark magic or surprise to give him the advantage. In fact, there was hardly anything strategic about Donichus's plan. He wasn't pumped with magic, and it was likely they knew he was coming. From this, he deducted it may be possible that he may not come out of this alive, but he could never just leave Jaqaran to his fate; he couldn't before when they first met, now it was even less likely. No, his advantage didn't lie in either magic or surprise - it was going to be through his own power. If he were to save Jaqaran, provided he was still even alive, Donichus was relying on his bottled anger to fuel him through the oncoming fight.

He'd taken on and defeated many foes before now. Talos would only be another of the world's loose ends that he'd tie up. However, it was another uncertainty that Donichus would ever recover if he were to unleash his wrath. He worried how Jaqaran would respond to that, and then began to question if he could still love him in spite of it. Then again, this was all granted Jaqaran was still alive. If he weren't...

Donichus took another breath. When he opened his eyes again, he looked around, only now getting a real glimpse of his surroundings. He was in a small forest; it was a shortcut he knew to many of the back countries where he could stay off the main road to avoid detection. Overhead, just enough sunlight penetrated through the canopy to see clearly, but not enough for his shadow to be cast on the ground. This sent a chilling wave of uneasiness rippling across his body.

A whistling sound flew out in front of him, and Donichus only had enough time to jerk sharply on the reins of his horse before something hard, cold, and metallic grazed the edge of his face. The raptor shrieked in pain, confusion, and astonishment as he lurched forward and fell off his mount. The horse yipped in similar sentiment, swishing its head repeatedly to the sides before galloping off somewhere.

Donichus was quick to recover, jumping back to his feet and gripping the hilt of his concealed weapon with a clawed hand. One side of his head stung, but he couldn't let it distract him. As he scanned over his surroundings, taking small and cautious steps back to his horse, another dull thunk revealed another throwing knife embedded in a nearby tree trunk. Donichus took a moment to familiarize himself with the scent coming from it, his olfactory chamber running it over and over in his mind until he felt he could recognize it anywhere. This whole process took no more than a couple seconds. Donichus lifted his head and tested the air. Slitted eyes contracted as detection set in and he grabbed the knife that was stuck in the tree.

Layers of browned leaves crunched under Donichus's feet as he waited for validation, and it came in the form of yet another screaming knife hurtling in his direction. The raptor's agileness allowed him to duck in time, and the weapon dug itself in the ground. It only took a mere glance to see that the angles in which both knives faced pointed in the same direction.

Tossing up the bladed tip of the knife into his palm, he sent it spinning up to a shaded part of the canopy, where a loud holler echoed across the treetops. It was then a dark lump came crashing to the forest floor, its fall broken by snapped tree limbs and a downpour of foliage. It hit the ground and like a predator to downed prey, Donichus fell upon it, ripping off the cowl that hid its face from view.

Pinning his captive firmly to the ground by straddling him and suspending a powerful hand at the throat, his claws only starting to dig under the skin, the ferocious dinosaur roared into his face, "WHO ARE YOU! WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME!"

The black panther squirming under him was at a loss, his words choked to a gurgle by the hand pressed to his throat. As Donichus's knees immobilized each of the panther's arms, it came as a shock to him to realize that, as one of them was touching to moist soil, his captive only had one. He reached down and wrenched off the panther's cloack right out from under him and saw that the stub of where the second arm should have been was filled grainy, white sand that was falling away the more his captive struggled.

Donichus remembered what Jaqaran said - how he was able to fend off his attacker the night of their siege on Tyrannio. "You! You're the bounty hunter, aren't you?" The dinosaur's eyes burned, his nostrils flared, and the grip on his throat became ever tighter.

In a desperate attempt to throw him off, the panther pitched his legs up from the ground, throwing Donichus over. Donichus only got back to his feet before his attacker launched himself at him, tackling him to the ground. In a messy ball of teeth, claws, and fists, the two forces repeatedly collided. Donichus was able to get on top again and land multiple punches to the face before the panther lifted a knee to the raptor's groin.

This temporarily blinded Donichus and he crumpled off of him again. "Low blow... low blow," he repeatedly gritted to himself before the panther picked him back up and slammed him against a nearby tree with his one good arm.

Donichus, still rather dazed, could only hunch a little over, clutching with both hands at the space between his legs. "This might complicate things a little...."

"I know it's a little hard for you to pay attention right now, so let me make this easy," the panther said to his face. His breath smelled of sour milk. Donichus's olfactory chamber was screaming. The bounty hunter cocked his head and spoke dangerously close and calm to him. "Where is the boy?"

"Wh... what're you... WHAT?"

The panther launched a fist at Donichus's gut and the raptor doubled over to the ground. He lifted himself up with his arms, coughing down at the ground.

"I'm not going to ask again," he said.

"I thought... you... don't you have him?" Donichus was still facing the ground and the panther leaned down over him his voice still dangerously low.

"Don't play coy with me. You've hidden him somewhere. Where is he!"

The reality of Donichus's situation slowly began to dawn on him, and Donichus took a moment to collect his breath. "I didn't hide him. I swear."

Again, with his one good arm, the panther reached around him and held another one of his throwing knives to Donichus's throat. "But you know where he is." The hunter's face sounded directly behind him, the humidity of his breath creeping along the crest on the back of Donichus's neck.

Donichus closed his eyes and took in a slow breath, nodding his head slightly. "Yes... actually, I do." And in one swift movement, he threw his head back, butting the panther - quite forcefully - right in his face.

Donichus didn't see the hunter fall back, flat on his back. Nor did he see how for a few seconds, the panther could only see cross-eyed. But he did notice how wide they became when Donichus was standing over him, his sword drawn to his throat. The fire had returned to the raptor's eyes and his voice was as hard and cold as the steel of his weapon. "For what you did to Jaqaran, I should end you right here. Right now."

"Unless you're as much a tormenter as you are a murderer, then do it now," the panther affirmed. Blood was trickling from the top of his head, staining the fur.

Donichus saw that the panther truly was ready to die. He could almost hear his own sword demand to be washed again with blood. And Donichus wanted it. Ever so. His blade began to quiver excitedly to the thought. That familiar rage he felt; that selfish compulsion for retribution on behalf of all those who'd suffered under him. Yes, there was no doubt in Donichus's mind that he deserved to die.

But was his death Donichus's to deal?

His maw pursed together. It would take next to no effort to lunge forward and stick the blade right into his heart. His mind was shouting at him to do it. It'd be so easy and quick. Before he knew it, he had his sword raised over his head. They locked gazes.

"I am neither."

And he quickly spun around, dealing a dynamic blow to the side of the panther's head with his tail. He fell limp and unconscious to the soggy, earthen soil. It was all Donichus could do to stare down at him pathetically. After another quick glance around his surroundings, he sheathed back his sword and wiped the dripping streak off one side of his face. Retrieving back his cowardly horse, he made for his destination post haste.