FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Finally, it's finished. I hate church, mused Xio. Truth be told, in church he spent most of the time lost in his thoughts, daydreaming. Recently, he'd been daydreaming what it'd be like to go to the city and go to university. Often in these daydreams he'd end up beaten up at some scrappy alleyway, or having constant anxiety attacks and nowhere grassy or quiet to turn to. The only part of the church he liked was the hymn singing; Xio took pride in his broad Falsetto vocal range. Like a little Matt Bellamy, people often claimed, from the rock band Muse.

Music was one of the big reasons he wanted a smartphone. All his parents said was "not until you're 18!" Xio didn't think it was very fair, but on the other paw, he heard so many stories on the TV about smartphones and health, and how they've been turning youth into zombies... People being tracked down and abducted. Xio definitely didn't want that.

He stood up once the priest had announced he was finished, and patiently waited for the furs to filter through. He thought this was important since most other church-goers were older, with a lot of them having walking sticks or other similar apparatus.

A particular fur caught his eye; right from the front and at the very end, a family he'd never seen before chatted to the priest. A lady and man in their 30s both stood in a triangle with the priest. The male looked to be a blank panther, with long, slender whiskers, and he had jet-black fur and a more flat, aerodynamic head. He wore a formal suit, with a yellow tie dotted with black spots that matched his shiny eyes. He was large, nearly 2 metres tall, and broad, similar to dad, and piercing yellow eyes that briefly met Xio's before returning to the priest.

The lady was much more petite - a similar size to himself and still feline, but her face and nose looked akin to a house cat. Her fur was black in places but had a marble pattern, with light grey blotches scattered on her face and shoulders where Xio could see. She wore a floral, pink dress, with an old style brim hat that contained a black feather, showing off her triangular ears. Xio shrugged, assuming they were new people from out-of-town, strolling out of the church when he bumped into someone just outside of the door.

"Ooft... sorry!" He reflexively blurted, before realising who he'd bumped into.

For a moment, all he saw was black, until he stumbled backwards. The black, fluffy nape of someone slightly taller than him greeted him. His eyes scaled down, noting a lime green t-shirt, and ¾ length jean shorts, and his snout picked up the distinct pungent odour of Lynx Africa. The body in front of him turned around and had a striking resemblance to both of the adults he'd seen talking to the priest. The furred person standing before him featured the silky, jet black fur that he'd seen earlier, but with the head and body shape more closely resembling the female; a domestic cat, with long, shiny whiskers sprouting from either side of his confused smile. Two smallish triangular ears pricked up in surprise at being bumped into, and his bold, yellow eyes looked down slightly to meet Xio's hazel ones.

Xio blushed as he observed the boy in front of him. Slightly larger than himself in terms of height, breadth and size, his stature looked 'normal' if there ever were such a thing. Handsome, came the first word to form in Xio's panicked brain.

"Oh h-hey," stammered the wolf boy, his face beet red, twiddling nervously with his small paws. Hey? HEY?! Nice one, dork...

"Hey! Are you local here?" Purred a middling pitched voice. His chops bent upwards into a captivating smile that immediately warmed Xio's chest; the wolf could feel his heart beating firmly and quickly inside of him. He felt a strange pit form in his stomach, and his paws shook in nervousness as adrenaline shot through his body. Why do I feel like this? Am I really this nervous about meeting someone my age?

Xio slowly smiled toothily back at the cat in front of him, his eyes wide and focused directly on the cat. He didn't realise it, but he intensely stared back at the cat, his eyes vibrating ever so slightly at the intensity of his focus.

"Y-yeah I am? Are you? Areyouthenewboythatmovedin?" He rushed, his words collapsing out of his mouth like a falling LEGO tower. The cat's left eyebrow raised up at the sight of the wolf, wondering why he was so nervous... he could smell how nervous the wolf was, his delicate snout wiggling slightly.

"Yeah I am! I'm Oscar. We moved in two days ago." He extended his paw firmly, like he was offering a business deal. Xio looked at the extended paw in front of him; slightly larger than his, with delicate pink paw pads concealing claws beneath. Xio's sweaty paw grasped Oscar's and he gingerly shook it up and down, in an immature way that made Oscar giggle just a little, breaking the shake. To Xio, the cat's pawpads felt soft and delicate, like a gentle leaf, or a moth wing.

"O-oh cool! You're like, the only other guy my age here.. i think.. if you are my age! My name's Xio a-and if you wanna hang out I'm just up that road!!" Blurted Xio excitedly, who pointed at the road sloping up like a kid pointing out an ice cream van. Oscar chuckled lightly and let out a gentle nod in understanding.

"Well, I'm at 3 Howling Way, one of the new ones that way." He gently mimicked Xio's pointing, pointing in the other direction towards the gully that housed the development area.

"Do you have Furrygram?" Oscar asked, pulling out his Pawphone 11. Sleek and modern, it shined in the sunshine as he unlocked it, holding it slightly at an angle. The reflection briefly blinded the wolf, and he squinted, before the phone reached a less blinding angle.

Xio sighed and shook his head dejectedly, feeling a twang of shame. "No, it's a long story but I don't have a smartphone... But I can give you my number? I've got an old Nokia at home," he explained. Oscar raised his other eyebrow in genuine surprise and was about to make a remark, when a voice he recognised all too well interrupted his thoughts from behind the wolf; the same two people talking to the priest appeared behind the wolf and flanked Oscar's sides.

"It's time to go, son," spoke the lady, whom Xio presumed must be Oscar's mother. Oscar's ears flattened and his expression neutralised, giving out a soft sigh.

"Let's talk soon, okay?" Oscar chirped in an almost fake enthusiastic tone,, turning around to leave with his parents. Before turning around with who Xio presumed was the father, the mother gave a suspicious glare at the wolf. Xio raised his eyebrows sheepishly, looking away in shame. Why are you feeling shameful? She just death-stared you! Monologued Xio's inner voice.

Xio watched in the same spot as the three cats walked and chatted towards a lavish looking 4x4 parked on the road. He didn't stop watching until the car shot off like a bolt of lightning; with the large panther in the driver's seat, the sound of a modern turbo diesel growled in the distance.

"Who was that, sweetie?" Asked Xio's mother, her voice tinged with a sense of nervousness. Lawry strolled over with both Xio's and his own bicycle, ticking quietly behind Clana.

Xio smiled a little at his mum, still holding a residual blush on his face. "I think I made a friend, mum!" He exclaimed excitedly, his tail wagging and a silly grin all over his face. Curiously, Clana's expression seemed that of worry and concern as she turned to look at her husband, who raised an eyebrow at her clearly anxious face.

Xio was totally oblivious to her reaction, taking his bike off of his father and mounting it. He turned to his mum, his tail wagging lightly. "Can we go and see the new houses? It's only a mile away!" He asked, his voice full of excitement. He bounced lightly on the seat, eager for Clana's response.

She bit her lip and shook her head lightly. "No, sweetie, it's too dangerous down there right now. They're still building the houses and it's a construction site. They're due to finish in a few months, so maybe we can visit then?" She offered as a compromise. Her tone was understanding, but direct and authoritative. Xio felt the same pit earlier in his stomach but this time, it was different; he felt his hopes there and then crushed. How could she say no?! This isn't fair, I don't ask for much!

"Mum, please?" he pleaded, "We can go together and I promise to stay riding with you!"

He saw that look on his mother's face; he knew all too well that she had made up her mind, and there was no changing it.

He felt a strong surge of feelings he'd never really felt before. It felt like betrayal, and hurt, especially coming from his own parents.

Clana shook her head softly again. "I just want you to be safe, Xio. Remember the near miss you had last year? I dread to think how much plant equipment will be operating down there..." Her voice trembled and her face fell, and her wide-eyed gaze fell somewhere near Xio's feet. Lawry rolled his eyes, and glanced at Xio; it was a glance the teen wolf knew all too well. He sighed sadly, ears and tail limp as he lifelessly stepped over his bicycle and sat, struggling to fight and lock away these horrible feelings tumbling away in his tummy like a tumble drier.

Maybe she is just trying to keep me safe... Came the justification in Xio's brain, although this potential fact didn't comfort him much. Clana regained her posture, and pulled her bike forward alongside Xio, placing a paw under his dipped head to raise it in line with her's.

"How about we cycle through Huntingfield Woods? We haven't done that in a while, and you always loved the forest," bartered the female wolf. Xio gazed emptily just above his mum's head, his thoughts swimming around so much so that it took him a couple of seconds to register what she'd offered to him.

"Oh the woods? Yeah, sounds cool," he responded in a despondent manner, although his ears and tail perked up a little.

He turned his bicycle towards the road leading north out of town, past the pub. Xio pedalled slowly up the incline; shallower, but lengthier than the one he'd faced earlier, it was familiar to him. He knew which gear to keep his bicycle in and kept a gentle pace, with his parents following close behind.

The forest was a fair trek from the main crossroads of Huntingfield. Xio wasn't sure how far it was distance wise, but the ride to the forest was usually around 30 minutes long, and looped back around after. Here the concrete road leading out of town to the left featured a similar-width right turn that faded into stones and gravel.

The dewy, damp air of the forest began to fill Xio's lungs as it flattened his face. He was already beginning to feel better, his snout taking in the various scents of the forest up ahead.

Xio lifted his bottom as his bike bounced up and down jaggedly over the rough surface, careful to avoid any stones that looked sharp; he didn't want another puncture, especially with no repair kit on him. His father overtook him at this point, knowing the route to the woods like the back of his paw, his bike kicking up clouds of dirt that narrowly missed Xio. As Xio rode closer to the woods in sight, he was unusually lost in thought and out of touch with what was around him.

How am I going to see him again if I don't have his contact details? When will I see Oscar again? Does he even want to be my friend? A sharp jolt focused his razor-sharp senses back onto the road as his bicycle squirmed after trampling over a pothole.

"Careful sweetheart!" Yelled Clana breathlessly behind him. Xio slowed down a bit, letting his father create some space, looking around at the familiar surroundings.

Trees surrounded their every direction now as they'd entered the forest, with the blossoming green foliage creating a shady barrier from the Spring sun. Up ahead a petite, Victorian bricked bridge crested over a running brook that trickled slowly towards the river nearby. Lawry skidded his bike to a halt at the bridge and Xio did the same, powersliding next to his dad, eliciting a chuckle from him.

"Cool moves, son. Now, do you remember when I used to take you here? We used to catch the small fish," spoke dad, groaning as he bent down to sit on the dry mud bank, dipping his bare paws into the running water. "Come join me; the water's fine," he joked.

Xio complied, panting heavily from the hot ride there, and parked himself right next to his large, musky father, who didn't seem out of breath at all. Xio was amazed that his job could keep him so fit! He thought he was in good shape, but no exercise ever seemed to phase his father, save for anything involving knee bending.

Clana lazily laid her bike on the other side of the bridge and pulled out her pocket camera. She started photographing various trees in the area, and even knelt down to perform some macro photography of the shrubbery.

"I know there's an apple tree a few minutes away! I'm just going to get us some apples," she announced to them both, curiously leaving her bike and choosing to walk. This confused Xio, and was about to ask when Lawry took Xio's paw into his own.

"Son... I know it must be strange with new people moving in. Me and your mum... Well, mostly your mum is worried about the new folk moving in, especially since they're cats," he explained calmly. Xio paid full attention to his dad. It wasn't often that he spoke like this to the teen wolf.

"But dad... Oscar is nice! A-and I can finally make a friend!" he rebutted. Yeah, sure, like anyone wants to be friends with a scrawny wolf like you...

Lawry grumbled to himself at this argument. "Hrrm. I suppose it would be good for you to befriend someone your age. I just worry about your mother... She's worried sick of you. She has been ever since that near miss," added dad. His expression looked solemn, with his ears wilted down.

Xio blushed and looked away shamefully, trying to push away the images of what had happened several years back. He still remembered it like it was yesterday.

"Maybe I can convince your mum for me to go over there. I heard his father is applying to be a forest ranger like me," Lawry added with a toothy grin, showing off his well kept hunter gnashers.

Xio's body sprung up like a jack-in-the-box, his face lighting up like a beacon. "Please dad! I just wanna be in contact with Oscar! Pleeeease!" he pleaded. Wow, desperate much? Xio's excited face slackened quickly as his thoughts combatted his optimism, but the telltale signs of a wagging tail and perked ears told Lawry just how much Xio wanted this.

Lawry chuckled heartily at his eager tone. "I'll see what I can do. I have a feeling he's going to be tough to befriend. He gives off an alpha male vibe."

-

Xio chomped into the last bite of his wild apple. He loved apples; their sweet, juicy centres prickled his taste buds like nothing else. He knelt down to the soft, malleable muddy bank and dug a small hole with one of his paws, depositing the seeded core inside, before covering up with the clay-like bank mud. He'd got mud on his shorts, but in Huntingfield Woods, getting messy was an occupational hazard.

He suddenly felt the urge to pee; frowning, he looked at both of his parents, who seemed locked in a hearty debate about something irrelevant. "I'm just gonna go pee," blushed Xio who, even as a wolf, hated going in front of his parents. He knew his father was a much more au natural guy, but he despised his own body.

Clana smiled, redirecting her attention to the wolf teen briefly. "Okay Xio, just don't be too long."

Xio scampered over the bridge, and continued along the path for a bit; he wanted to be completely sure that he was out of the eyeshot of both parents. He sniffled around and smelled something familiar: Lynx Africa. His snout sensed it was coming from further down the pathway. His nose led him forward, further down the path, his bladder kicking relentlessly at his gut to which Xio ignored for now, simply following the alluring scent.

That's when he saw Oscar knelt down, seemingly observing some kind of plant. Xio quickly hid behind a bush to the left of the path, hiding from view. He hadn't expected Oscar to be here, without his parents, no less! What is he doing here? Shit, I really need to piss!

Another kick-to-the-gut sensation startled Xio as he groaned quietly, unable to watch the cat any more. Still on his knees, he fumbled around with the waistband on his shorts and tugged his tighty-whities down with mere moments to spare, shooting a yellow arc of wolf piss impressively far in front of him. "Mmmmfffff..." he hummed, feeling the pressure release, the desperation and pain replaced by a strange euphoria and relaxation. The stream seemed to spray on and on, puddling up in front of him, and he was just finishing up when a voice sounded behind him.

"What are you doing?" Oscar's voice rang in his ear, and in a split second Xio tugged his sheath back in and whacked the hem of his shorts and undies up, leaving a notable wet spot on the front of his underwear as he fumbled his sheath back in.

Xio swung his body around to face Oscar awkwardly, the puddle of piss trickling slowly towards them, and his face flushed red, his ears wilted. "Ummm, nothing...?" He started, but Oscar raised an eyebrow, eyeing up the puddle, his nose twitching rapidly in front of Xio. "I really REALLY had to pee, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be weird!" he whined out, his face scrunching in embarrassment. He hid behind both of his paws as if they were doors, holding them over his face. What are you, 5? Jesus...

Oscar couldn't help but smile at the display, offering his paw to Xio's. "Hey it's okay, I've been there before," poking at one of Xio's shielded paws, and tugging him. Xio slowly lowered his other paw and accepted the lift up, standing up on his hind paws, his whole body shaking in humiliation. You idiot! Now he probably thinks you're a creep AND a perv! His paw is warm, and really soft...

"Judging by that puddle, you sure needed to go," chuckled Oscar nonchalantly. The brazen comment elicited a whine from Xio who was clearly shaken up and humiliated, his body tense and his torso swinging from left to right in nervousness.

"Ummm I didn't get to give you my number earlier! It's 07773 226624," blurted Xio. Oscar whipped out his Pawphone and his paw digits shifted at the speed of light.

"Got it! And hey, are those your parents?" Oscar asked, nodding at the two adults jogging towards them both. Xio whimpered and his face fell. Why can't they just go away for a moment? Do they need to follow my every move?

"Xio, what took you so long? We were getting worried!" Exclaimed Clana. She then noticed the jet black cat behind the wolf, her eyes shimmering at the cat, before returning to the wolf. Her tone shifted from the high-pitched worry, to a lower-pitched tone of disappointment and judgement. "Xio, you know you're not meant to be wandering the forest without at least one of us." She glared fiercely at Oscar, who's ears fell and his whole body tensed up in reaction.

Xio noticed Oscar's body language change and shot daggers back at his scowling mother. For once, he felt angry. Wow, the way she looked at him was totally out of order! "Mum, I'm fine! I went to go pee and I bumped into Oscar, it's no big deal," he hissed. Oscar confusedly looked over at the entire situation unfurling in front of him, his arms splayed out beside him, his back tilted back defensively. Just how young was Xio, and why was he being treated like a 7 year old?

"I-I'm just gonna go. Catch you around Xio," he remarked, before jogging away from the trio. Xio watched him leave with a vacant expression on his face that soon turned to confusion, when all of a sudden he felt a yank on his arm. He turned to face his mother, who looked a mixture of angry and hurt, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Xio, please don't be dishonest with me again. This isn't like you. Now come back so we can go home. We have chores to do," she sternly said, releasing her grip on his arm. Xio growled lowly, but was quick to shut his muzzle and push that noise deep, deep down inside of his body, like an angry purr emanating from his innards. His snout had wrinkled up in anger as he reluctantly trampled along back towards the bridge.

Have they always had this tight of a grip over me? How have I not noticed? Why are they doing this? He grumbled softly to himself as he felt uncomfortable in every way possible, and he smelled of piss from where he'd rushed his bits away earlier. He felt a powerful mixture of misery and loneliness as he saddled on his bicycle, the feelings of injustice swirling away inside of him.