FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Katya stalked through the bracken. Her sharp, kelly green eyes peered out of the Autumn-tinted leaves that disguised her ginger fur as she eyed the white and brown rabbit munching grass a short distance from the edge of the forest. A little bit farther and she could pounce. Her prey wouldn't have a chance to escape. Katya slipped forward into a patch of ferns, crouching low. She tensed her muscles for the powerful leap that would allow her to snatch her prey.

The rabbit's head turned, and her eyes met Katya's. Shit! Katya prepared to dash after the alerted prey, but to her utter amazement and confusion, the rabbit bounded over to the patch of ferns and peered in at her.

"Hiya!" the rabbit piped cheerfully. "My name's Farida! What's yours, kitty?"

Baffled by this strange, apparently suicidal, behavior, Katya slowly stood and blinked down at the rabbit, who gazed up at her with a friendly smile. After a moment's hesitation, Katya seized the rabbit tightly by the arm. She didn't know what this rabbit's deal was, but she was only prey. She'd fill Katya's belly whether she was crazy or suicidal or whatever. The rabbit glanced down at the hand on her arm bemusedly before smiling back up at Katya curiously.

"Hi kitty, haven't you met a rabbit before? You can look me over if you want to. I've never talked to a cat before. Do you understand me?"

"I understand," Katya replied awkwardly. "I, um, you realize I'm going to eat you, right?"

The rabbit's cheerful visage took on an expression of mild concern, "Eat me? Yeah, I guess I knew that. I'm glad you can understand me. I've never talked to a cat before."

"I've never talked to a rabbit," Katya admitted awkwardly. She didn't understand this rabbit. Didn't she care that she was going to die? "I'm Katya," she added embarrassedly.

The rabbit grinned, "Nice to meet you, Katya! Can I tell you you're very beautiful? Erk, I guess I just did."

"Um, thanks." This conversation was insane, not to mention a waste of time. Katya could simply pull the rabbit in and reach her jaws around her throat, but she had to know why she'd given herself to a predator so willingly. "Are you not afraid to die?" she pressed. "Why didn't you run when you saw me?"

"A little, but I know I'll see my loved ones again. I didn't run because I thought you looked nice. I know you're a predator, but that doesn't mean you're cruel. I understand you have to eat me, but if you're not hungry now, I'd like to talk to you longer."

Katya frowned, considering the rabbit's request. She was curious about this prey, and she didn't think she'd get away. But she was worried another predator might take her from her. "If you'll come home with me, we can talk more before it's time for dinner," she offered.

The rabbit beamed happily, "That sounds nice! I knew you were a nice kitty! Lead the way!"

Katya turned and pulled the rabbit with her into the woods. The rabbit followed willingly for a few steps but then stopped. Did her brain finally catch up with the fact that she's about to die? Katya turned back, prepared to deliver the killing blow.

"You're kind of squeezing my arm," the rabbit remarked. "Could you hold my hand instead?"

Bemusedly, Katya nodded. She released the rabbit's arm and took her hand firmly. The rabbit's smaller hand squeezed hers back, and she smiled up at Katya affably.

"Thanks, that's a lot better."

Katya turned to lead the rabbit on, but the rabbit bounded up to walk beside her. Katya glanced down at questioningly, and she smiled. With a mental shrug, Katya continued. They were about halfway through the the woods when the rabbit leaned her head against Katya's arm. Katya glanced down at her but decided not to mention it. This rabbit was weird, but she was still Katya's prey. She'd satisfy her curiosity, and then it would be dinner time. Even if she felt a little awkward and even a little sorry for this confused rabbit, she would still eat her. If she didn't, another predator would.

The rabbit let out a wistful sigh. "This is nice, Katya," she murmured. "It's almost romantic."

Katya glanced at the rabbit but didn't respond.

The rabbit looked up at her. For the first time, she looked a little sad, "It must be very intimate to eat someone. I'm sorry I won't be able to enjoy that with you."

Katya swallowed uncomfortably. "It's, um, not really like that. Prey are really just meat."

"Just meat?" the rabbit asked worriedly.

Katya looked at her embarrassedly, "I mean, um, right now you're a person, but once you're dead, you're my food. I don't really think about what the prey I eat were like when they were alive. I usually only get to see them alive for a minute or two, and they're always scared."

The rabbit gazed up at her sadly, "I'm sorry, Katya. It sounds hard to be a predator."

You're the one who's going to die. "I guess. It must be hard being a prey too."

The rabbit nodded, "It is, but you're making it a lot easier. Thank you, Katya. You're very kind."

I'm still going to eat you. "I'm glad I can make it easy."

"I hope I'm making it easier for you too. It must be hard to see your prey so afraid. You're just trying to survive."

Katya wasn't sure the rabbit was making it easier. It would probably be more difficult to kill someone after chatting with them, but she'd manage. "So are they. I don't blame them for being afraid."

"But it's better this way," the rabbit pressed. "It's better for me to go with you willingly. That way, we can have this time together."

"You might have escaped," Katya replied. "You had a chance if you'd run."

"If it wasn't you today, it would have been someone else another day."

"But you would have had another day," Katya pressed. "Don't you believe your life in precious? You can't want to be a predator's meal. can you?"

The rabbit regarded her curiously, "Do you think my life is precious?"

Katya turned away embarrassedly, "I can't control what I am. I have to eat prey."

The rabbit squeezed her hand, "Of course you do, kitty, because your life is precious too. Don't worry about me. I decided not to run, and that's that. It was my life to give."

They reached the edge of the forest, beyond which the predator village stretched.

"Stay close to me," Katya warned.

They navigated their way down the streets toward Katya's abode. They got some funny looks, but the rabbit stayed close by Katya's side, and no one tried to steal her. It wasn't likely to happen in town anyway, but there were predators who might have taken the opportunity to drag the rabbit into their house and "have some fun with her." Katya hoped no one thought she was going to do anything so horrible. She'd make the rabbit's death quick and as painless as she could manage. At last, she led the rabbit though her door, which she locked behind her.

"This is your house? It's very pretty, Katya!" the rabbit piped. She smiled at Katya fondly, "But not as pretty as you."

Katya blushed. "Um, would you like tea or something? We can talk more here before, you know."

"Tea sounds lovely! Thank you!"

"Come with me." Still holding the rabbit by the hand, Katya led her into the kitchen. "I'll get the water boiling. You won't run away if I let you go, will you?"

"Of course not. I'd never make it out of town anyway, would I?"

"I doubt it," Katya agreed awkwardly. She let the rabbit go and got the kettle started boiling on the stove.

She was watching the kettle, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with her waiting meal, when the rabbit's arms slipped around her middle from behind. Hugging Katya tightly, the rabbit pressed herself against her back and nuzzled her between the shoulders. Katya put her hands on the rabbit's to pry her off, but something stopped her. She let her hands drop.

"I'm glad we could have this time together, Katya," the rabbit murmured. "I'm ready whenever you are, but I'll cherish every moment until then. I'll even cherish those final moments because I'll be with you."

Katya stood silently, unsure how to respond.

"It's alright, Sweetheart," the rabbit breathed. "I know you don't understand. It's alright."

Katya pried the rabbit's hands apart and turned, placing her hands on the rabbit's shoulders as she stared at her probingly, "Who are you?"

"I'm Farida. I told you that, Sweetheart."

"Who are you to me?!"

"Just someone who, in another life, loved you very much," the rabbit murmured sadly. "I still love you, Katya."

"You mean, like, you were reincarnated?" Katya asked in confusion. She couldn't think of anyone who she'd lost who would feel this strongly for her. Her parents were both still alive.

The rabbit shook her head slowly, "I don't know. One day things were just different, wrong. No one else seemed to remember. I hoped maybe you could, but I see you don't. It's okay. We'll meet again in another life. I'm just glad I was able to find you and be with you for a little while."

"This could all be a ruse to get me not to eat you," Katya pointed out; although, she didn't believe it. This rabbit might be insane, but she wasn't lying intentionally.

"I don't expect you to let me go. I'd rather be eaten by you than live the rest of my life without you."

"Were we both cats before or...?" Katya pressed.

"We were just as we are now. The world was different. Predators didn't eat prey anymore."

"So you really didn't know I would eat you when you approached me," Katya replied awkwardly.

"I've been in this world long enough to know you probably would. It was worth it just to be able to talk to you again."

Katya didn't know why, but somehow she believed every word of what the rabbit had said. Somehow, deep inside, she knew it was true, but what could she do about it? If she and this rabbit were really in love, then how could she kill her? But she still needed to eat prey. Could she let this one prey live while she ate others? How would Farida feel about that? Katya pulled the rabbit close and hugged her, and the rabbit hugged her back.

"Thank you, Katya. I know you don't really understand, but I knew you were kind," the rabbit murmured into her fur.

Katya put her hands on the rabbit's arms and pushed her back to stare down at her in distress, "I-I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt you," she whined.

The rabbit smiled gently, "It's alright, Katya. You are what you are, and I am what I am. In this world, that only means one thing. I've accepted that."

"I-I don't have to eat you! I can catch other prey! You can stay here with me!" Katya protested.

"Oh, Katya," she murmured wistfully. "What would you do? Forage for me as well as hunt? What would the other predators say?"

"I don't care what they say! I can't hurt you! I don't remember, but I know it's true! Please! Tell me what I can do so you can stay!" Katya cried.

The rabbit regarded her silently for a moment. "I didn't think you'd believe me. I don't know what to do."

"W-we could go out together!" Katya suggested. "I could protect you! We could move away from the village. I can bring you what you need if you tell me how!"

The rabbit nodded slowly, "We'll make it work." She pushed herself forward and hugged Katya tightly. "Thank you, Katya! I should have known you'd remember!"

"I still don't remember anything about what you said," Katya replied awkwardly.

"You remembered with your heart. That's enough," Farida murmured.

Katya hugged the rabbit back. Behind her, the kettle whistled impatiently, but it could wait. She and Farida were together again.