FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Here's the fifth chapter, and it looks like some tough shells are starting to crack too. Maybe there's more going on in Rhael's head then he lets on after all?

---

Charts, graphs, maps and calculations filled the terminal screen in front of Wrena as she hit the plastic and glass buttons before her. The retrofitted personal quarters she and the two others with her were using as the colony planning office was still a mess of tablets on the desk, cables across the floor, and the pile of trash all swept to one corner. The couple of weeks since everybody's big meeting had been getting gradually less stressful, but not all of the problems had been solved yet.

"So, as you can see from the maps and scans around the Exodus, we're kind of on the edge of a forest and hillside here," Wrena pointed to the big 'X' on the gridded display. "And not far to the south the trees are a somewhat less dense."

"And that might be easier to clear-cut for more farmland first. Do we know where any rivers or lakes are yet?" Amina leaned onto the edge of the computer and tapped the glass with her clawed finger.

Wrena changed the scale of the map, increasing the displayed radius. "Yeah, fortunately there's a mountain fed river, or maybe a stream about two or three kilometers from here. We could probably dig an irrigation canal in about a month, assuming that the terrain isn't too bad."

"And what exactly constitutes bad?" Rhael questioned, standing alongside the seated loboth as well. "We're not talking swampland or anything are we? Because I really don't want to get all muddy and nasty, let along get the digger stuck."

The two females looked at Rhael with a surprised look. "You're afraid of getting a little wet and dirty?" Amina teased. "The only male here, and he doesn't want to get his fur all matted."

"No, that's not it at all," he retorted with a sigh. "It's just that, who knows what could be in some alien swamp water there. I don't want to get some kind of horrible parasitic bugs in my fur or anything. I had that happen to me several times back home. Do you have any idea how bad yellow-back fleas itch?"

Wrena giggled at the Rhael's attitude, giving him a consoling pat on the back. "Aw, it sounds like you really hate those bugs huh? Well, I don't want to get any from you when we're together next week either, so lucky for both of us the ground isn't swampy. It's actually rockier I think."

Rhael moaned at the good news. "Oh great; if it's not one thing it's another isn't it?"

"How rocky is it? Are we going to need more than the digger and a couple of loboths with sonic hammers to break through it?" Amina said, trying to break the playful girl's attention away from Rhael.

She turned her head to look at the lieutenant, but her paw remained on the other loboth's back. "Oh, uh, I don't know yet. You'll need to send out a survey team for that. I haven't left the ship yet myself actually."

"Well, I'll draw up a team to take care of that tomorrow then. What's next Wrena?"

"There's a lot to do yet; dismantle the ship, find metal ore in the ground, start building real houses... You know, that kind of stuff. But..." Wrena started fidgeting around in her chair, clearly distracted by something, and let go of her hold on the male. "Honestly all I can think about is me and Rhael."

"What?!" Isn't it bad enough that I can't walk down the corridor or sit and eat without being stared at or whispered about?" Rhael responded in shock. "And now I can't even work without everything turning to, to this?"

"But-but what's so bad about it? Don't you want to get up on top of and tie with me? Doesn't the idea of making all those puppies with me and Amina and everyone excite you though?" Wrena pleaded to him, both verbally and with the desperate look in her eyes. "But I'm sure you're at least looking forward to our time together, right?"

"Even if I was, that's beside the point. It's stressful enough as it is knowing the position I'm in here. All I want is a little peace and quiet from the constant flirting and sexual advances. It's not like you're all never going to get a turn at some point."

Amina couldn't help but join in too, walking around to his other side. "It sounds like you really do want to do this, Rhael. But nothing about any of this is easy for anyone. If you're all there is to keep their hopes up, then please, try not to make it any harder than it has to be by being cold and mean to them."

"Please Rhael? Amina's right," the seated loboth looked up at him and grabbed his brown furred arm. "Won't you please let me have this? The family I used to know is long gone. I just want somebody I can hold and love again."

"I can't make you love anyone or even enjoy doing what you have to do Rhael. And I can't help that I also want what everyone else wants from you too." The other wolf grabbed his other arm, "But we're all in a hard spot. Anything any of us can do to make it any easier would be wonderful. I know I've said it before, but I didn't want to be in charge either. There wasn't much choice in the matter however; it just happened that way."

With nowhere to go, and with the two females latching onto him, Rhael didn't have much other choice than to simply agree. Even if it was only to be able to go back to doing real work again, he just wanted to retain some degree of normality in the chaos that was now his life. "Alright, fine. I'll try and be nicer about this to everyone. But that's not because I like it or anything."

"Thank you Rhael. I'll try my best to not let things get too out of hand for you too," Amina smiled before giving him a quick lick on the nose, inadvertently distracting him from the danger that leapt up from behind.

"So that means you do want to give me all those pups to love after all don't you!" Wrena jumped up from her chair and wrapped her arms around the unexpecting wolf from the side in one swift motion, sharing the same level of thanks as Amina but saying it in a much louder way. "That's all I wanted to hear! But why do we have to wait until next for that? Why can't we just do it today?"

"Mirie set up a schedule for a reason, Wrena. If you're allowed to go sooner, then we'd have to let everybody do that. It wouldn't be fair, and there's bound to be some medical reason for it too I bet." Amina watched on as the engineer nuzzled Rhael with her face, "maybe I should talk with her about what to do with you loboths who seem to be a bit overly horny. She might have a suggestion."

Wrena didn't break away from the helpless and uncomfortable male to let him speak. "I know what'll work..."

"But I don't like that idea, Wrena," he managed to reply.

"I think he's got a point Wrena. If Rhael is going to be more open and friendly to everyone, it's not because it's an invitation to just jump all over him."

"Or is it?" she retorted with a chuckle. "He wants this as much as I do, and we know it."

Amina shook her head in doubt. "No, I think we all need to remain professional about this. I don't want to hear about someone going as far as having their way with Rhael. You wouldn't want him to just do that to you while you were trying to work, would you?"

"You already know the answer to that question Amina. Just look at her," Rhael continued to be treated like a large plush animal, being petted and cuddled by his equal-sized master. "And she's not the only one who's tried doing this to me either."

"Well, in any case let's try and put this behind us and get back to work, Wrena." Amina tapped her on the shoulder, bringing the overly affectionate loboth back to reality. "I believe that we were going to try and find a place to store and process all the lumber around us next, weren't we?"

---

Who wouldn't want what Wrena does? As simple as it would seem to find, their situation isn't making it easy. Without saying too much, I want to try and do more character backstory and development in the following chapters; try and get to know some of these characters a little better.

Not much else to say now, just the usual I suppose. Let me know what you think. I love to hear writing quality feedback. It helps me improve more than just simply reading and writing does alone. Maybe you've got your own angle and opinion being made about some of these characters you'd like to share. I'd love to hear them.