FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I could hardly contain my excitement as I felt the slight jar of the skiff sliding into the dock. In the years I had been studying these strange machines, never once had I thought I would actually get to experience Wildspace, yet here I was, all four-footed fur-covered 650lb of me.

You see, I'm a member of a race of tauric felinoids known as lyrians. In more mundane terms, it means we look like someone took the upper body of your typical catfolk and glued it onto the body of a "great cat" where the head would normally be. Altogether, it leaves me a bit over 5'8", and about as long in body, so needless to say, the trip was a bit cramped for a gal like me.

Being originally from one of the northern tribes, my fur and markings bear some semblance to the mundane snow leopard; silver-white fur covering most of me, speckled with darker spots. Paler white fur on the other hand cover my underbelly, coming up my front before ending at my muzzle. My ears themselves are black, but thanks to an accident with a magitech device my headfur(which most humanoids would call hair) was permanently turned a lavender color.

Today, like most days, I was wearing a dark red corset of sorts. Not only does it compliment my fur and hair well in my opinion, I've got what would be considered a fairly large bust for a biped, so the support is more than appreciated. What was different was the saddlebags hanging off my flanks, carrying the small amount of luggage I had brought with me. It's actually more than what one would think, as I had adapted some of the principles I had learned from my studies and each one was actually a gateway to a small subspace pocket, letting them carry far more than their size.

As the doors opened, I again fought down the urge to squee. I was old enough to not act like a giddy schoolcub, dangit, and I'm sure seeing a large feline 'taur squeeing would be enough to disturb some less-stout-hearted folk. At least that's what I told myself anyways.

Padding through the doors, I took a deep breath... and began to cough. Breathing the air was like drinking smoke and rotten eggs. Gods, what was that stench? As I got my breath back under control, the few other passengers who had been sharing the skiff passed by on either side of me, barely seeming to even notice the smell, though one elf did seem to wrinkle his nose. After a few more moments it didn't seem quite as bad. I was able to push the odd smells to the back of my mind, and take my first real look around.

I'm not sure what I expected before, but it certainly wasn't... this. My imagination has conjured up plenty of images of gleaming stone and metal, kept clean and maintained by the magitech that makes them work. Instead, it was like I had stepped onto some run-down dock on some backwater seaport shantytown. Hells, the dock I had left below was cleaner than this place!

Reaching back to my bags, I pulled out the note I had received a month ago, that was supposed to have been the invitation to what I'd always dreamed of. I let my eyes roam over the words once more:

Dearest Swiftwind,

I know it has been your fondest wish for many winters to experience the source of the wonders we have uncovered and learned of. I know you were disappointed that I didn't bring you with when I left, but the time was not right. I've since heard from your father how much you've grown into your own; a shining example of a proud young lady lyrian. I do believe now you may be ready for the greater wonders of the worlds beyond the worlds.

Everything we theorized was correct. Our world is but one among many. Where a island might rest in water, our world rests in a greater ocean of nothingness, which is itself contained within another sphere. The space beyond this sphere, which I have come to know as Wildspace, is filled with a strange substance unlike any I had every experienced. I would almost call it pure elemental magic, but the technical term is phlogiston according to those that sail it.

I have attached some of my notes to this letter, but I hope to tell you everything myself. The bearer of this letter will be able to bring you to the spacedocks above our world, where travelers who pass come to ply their trade. Onc e you are there, seek out the Lazy Sue. The captain of that vessel owes me a favor. You should be able to take passage aboard it to Rakshanispace, and the world of Raksha. I will be waiting for you there.

Your friend and uncle, Lythander

Tucking it back safely into my saddlebags, I padded down the docking platform, ears half-folded at the loud sounds around me. Even the layout was like that of a seaside dock, which of course means there should be taverns close by.

As I looked down the pathway at the signs for the buildings, each lit with magic, I felt a tug on my arm. Glancing down, I saw what could only be a gnome, but he was nothing like the forest-dwellers I had known. This one seemed to be covered in half-working machinery and leather, and he was plainly trying to get my attention.

"Ma'am, how'd you like to try one of my patented, one-of-a-kind Super Deluxe Type 28DX Feel The Power Of My Soul Sure-Kill Rocket Blades? Or at least it would be patented if the administration would recognize my once-in-a-century genius of the amazing Doctor Eastpeak. But I'm sure a large strong person like yourself would love to pay the measly 5000 kranix for the privilege of owning one of the inventions of the genius of Wildspace!"

"Um," I tried to interject, but he'd apparently only paused to take a breath.

"Oh how could I not see it! One such as you is a lover, not a fighter! Well then, even the great genius Doctor Eastpeak can understand the wiles of the heart! In that case for those lonely nights, I can also offer the Type 96 Luxury Super-"

Not liking where this was going, I shook my arm free and tried to take another step, but he was wrapped my foreleg so fast he might as well have had a teleporter. "Please wait, large amazon cat woman taur person! Surely there's something in the amazing inventions of the great genius Doctor Eastpeak to peak your interest!" His strange goggles had half-fallen over one eye, and in any other situation I'd find this whole situation comical. But not today.

Letting off an exasperated sigh, my tail swaying in annoyance, I shook my foreleg, trying to dislodge the determined gnome. "Look, I'm not here to buy anything. I don't have any of this kranix-"

And with that, just as quickly as he'd appeared, he'd disappeared again. Rubbing my temples, I throttled the urge to throttle something, letting my claws scratch through the grime coating the stone dock floor to vent a bit of my frustration. So much for an enlightened society!

A short walk later, I'd finally located a tavern that didn't appear half falling apart. It seemed as good a place as any to start trying to track down the Lazy Sue.

As soon as I pushed the door open, the strong smell of cooking meat hit my nose, reminding me I hadn't eaten today. The messenger had mentioned something about spaceward trips and full stomachs not playing well together, so I'd skipped my morning and afternoon repast.

Trying not to drool, I padded into the establishment and made my way to an unoccupied table. However much my stomach was grumbling at me, my parents had raised me better than to let that control my thinking. Besides, as I'd pointed out to the gnome, I didn't have any of this "kranix" that they apparently use for money around here. I did have some gold, and hopefully it would work here as well.

Moving a chair out of the way, I nicked the cushion form the seat and placed it on the floor. Tossing my bags on the chair, I lowered my hindquarters to sit on the pillow, taking some of the weight off my paws. There was no way I was going to sit on the floor itself with how grungy it was and covered with who-knows-what, and there wasn't enough room anyways to lay myself down.

Curling my tail around my paws, I prepared myself to wait a bit with how busy it was, but surprisingly I didn't have long to wait before a busty orc in what most would consider a fairly revealing dress came by, a tray piled with dirty dishes perched on one hand.

"What'll it be, luv?" she asked in a rather bored voice. "House special tonight is calamari and Ankheg soup." I know what an ankheg was, and there was no way I wanted to have soup made from that, but curiosity got the better of me. "What is kala-mary?"

Obviously trying not to roll her eyes, the orc barmaid responded with what seemed to be practiced ease. "Squid meat. Ya know, those tentacley things that live onderwater?"

"Ah." I nodded knowingly, even though I had no idea what she was referring to. "I just never heard it called that. What do you have in the way of steak?"

Without even pausing, she rattled off a list of fixings and meat types that made my head spin. Not wanting to betray my ignorance any further, I simply asked for several steaks cooked "medium," whatever that meant.

As I waited for the food, I counted out what would hopefully be enough gold to pay for the meal, and maybe a little information besides. Still, I had to fight to ignore the feel of eyes on me, though I couldn't stop my ears from twitching nervously. While I wanted to think they were just attracted to my charming good looks, the realist in me couldn't help chalking it up to 'taurs just not being that common a sight, if the relics I had examined years ago were anything to go by.

"'ere you go, luv." My momentary introspection was ended by the clanking of dishes as the orc barmaid dropped several plates of steaming meat in front of me, the smells blasting through my nose and causing my stomach to remind me just who was boss here.

Using most of my willpower to avoid diving right into the meal, I placed most of what I had counted out on the table. "I haven't had a chance yet to change my money. Is this sufficient?"

Picking one up, she weighed it in her hand, then to my surprise bit into it, before nodding. "Yer gold's good 'ere, luv. Anything else?"

Lowering my voice a bit, I slid another coin towards the small pile I had already counted out. "I'm looking for a ship as well, called the 'Lazy Sue'."

"We don' carry that 'round here," she answered more normally as she gathered up the coins, including the extra one I had slipped in. "but ah'll see what ah kin find."

I didn't even bother with knife and fork, as hungry as I was, and simply tore into the steaks with tooth and claw. Not onl were they delicious, but they were extremely juicy as well, and I had to be careful to not get any juice on me. The feeling of being watched faded as I ate, presumably due to my fairly obvious reason for being here.

I was about halfway into my third steak before the scrape of a chair drew my attention back from my meal. Looking up, I found a dwarf, clad in leather and metal plates, sliding into the seat across from me. "So, I 'ear yer after the chant 'bout a ship."

This dwarf had seen many winters, from the streaks of grey in his beard and hair. There was also something about the way he moved into the seat, like a well-oiled machine. Or perhaps a trained killer, I found myself thinking with a slight shiver. "After... the chant?"

"Info, lass, info," the dwarf responded with a sigh, covering his face with his palm a moment. "Spend too long in the Cage, and the lingo rubs off on ye. Anyways, a cutter I 'appen to know let slip a four-legged berk was looking fer a certain ship." I nodded in confirmation, perking my ears his way as I took another bite of the steak, and he continued. "Captain's a bit barmy I figger, but right 'nough sort. If yer just lookin' fer work, though, I know a few places around 'ere that have plenty o' jink for you exotic types."

The wink and leer he gave me almost made me lose my appetite, but with how delicious the food was, that wasn't going to stop me from finishing what I'd ordered. "Not looking for work," I responded between mouthfuls, "Just transportation."

With a little shrug, he leaned his chair back, putting his boots up on the table. "A lil' jink might just 'elp me remember where I saw them docked. A basher's gotta eat, ye know?"

Fingering out a small amount of gold, I slid it across the table as I started in on the last of the steaks. The dwarf counted the money out with practiced ease, then snatched it up in one smooth motion that again made me wonder what he actually did for a living.

"They're in Down Below, berth 5. I wouldn't wait too long either; the chant is Xane's been sleeping with the magistrate's daughter, and it won't be long before someone rattles their bone-box about it in front of the magistrate."

He stood to go, but I gestured for him to wait as I quickly swallowed the last bite, the juice still dripping off my muzzle and whiskers. "What's 'Down Below'?"

The dwarf merely rolled his eyes as I licked my muzzle clean, muttering under his breath about 'clueless flatlanders'. "Look lass, 'ow do you think yer able to traipse about up 'ere without floating off? Th' same spells that keep ye down also work on the otha side of th' dock. The patrols only guard this side, so most o' the cross-trade happens there."

My puzzled look faded to understanding, as I recalled what I'd seen as the skiff had flown up to the station. I'd noticed movement on the underside, though I'd been too busy trying to take it all in to really look at it. "So how-"

"Not my problem." The dwarf dismissed my next question with a wave of his hand. "Ye got what ye asked fer, and I'm not addle-coved enough t' give up the real dark on Down Below to a clueless flatlander."

Nonplussed, I watched him disappear out the door, hand on forehip. Well, at least I had something to go on now, and a meal in my belly. Lifting my haunches, I leaned my lower half down and bent my upper body back, stretching out in what little room I had before gathering up my bags.

As I stepped out I noticed it was growing darker, as my home planet below us was slowing sliding between us and our twin suns. I paused a moment, just drinking in the sight of that beautiful azure globe hanging before me as if placed there by some giant hand. To think, everyone I've ever known all live down there, and most of them will never know this.

Shaking off the growing melancholy, I turned and padded off with no particular direction in mind. Logically, from what he said that means that the gravity here must reverse at some point. So, at some point I would go from falling down to falling up. The plan that was rapidly coming to mind seemed crazy, but it just might work.

Moving quickly, I made my way between buildings, towards the darkening planet above. After several minutes of walking I found myself at the observation wall. While tall enough to prevent a normal biped from falling over the edge accidentally, it should present no real obstacle for me. Luckily, there was a lamppost nearby as well.

It took a couple minutes of digging before I was able to find enough rope to make this work. Knotting one end around the lamppost, I wrapped the other end around my lower body in a harness-like fashion. There, everything was secure. Now to see if I was right.

I glanced around nervously as I backed up, ears swiveling to make sure no one else was nearby. I didn't want anyone coming along thinking I was trying to commit suicide, or who might guess what I was actually up to.

Thankfully, the coast was clear. Gathering my resolve, I dashed forward and leaped into the air. I felt my claws scrape stone below, but somehow I managed to clear the wall, and found to my surprise I was floating!

I felt a momentary surge of panic, as if I was going to fall onto the planet below. Without thinking, I waved my limbs uselessly, which sent me into a small spin. It seemed like the air was getting thinner as well as I tumbled further from the platform.

Forcing down the sense of panic and the dinner I'd had not long before, I grabbed onto the rope and started to pull myself back. Again however, it was not what I expected and the first tug sent me careening towards the wall. Gritting my teeth, I prepared for the shock, still spinning slightly as I flew towards the stone surface. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as bad as I had been anticipating when I slammed sideways against it, but that's like saying a punch in the ribs doesn't hurt when you expected to be smacked with a sledgehammer.

Once I was close to the wall again, I felt a slight downward tug. Wincing at my bruised side, I took advantage of it to swing my rear down, putting me in a position reminiscent of some explorer scaling a cliff.

Experimenting with a slight push, I drifted down, using my pawpads on the wall to keep control over my descent. After what seemed like an eternity, I felt the pull lessen, then stop. Moving very carefully, I twisted my upper torso to look further in the direction that moments before had been "down" and saw the wall seemed to continue a bit further, but now I could see an edge with stars beyond it!

I gave a push, then felt a sense of vertigo as down became up and up became down. I felt a sudden surge of instinctual panic again that almost knocked me away from the wall before I got myself under control again. No, I was not falling on my head with my tail in the air; I'd simply found the swap point.

Giving the rope that was still trailing behind(below?) me a gentle tug to judge it's tautness, I estimated how far I'd come. While there wasn't much farther to go, I was about out of length. Regardless, I certainly didn't have enough give to go the rest of the way. Still, it was with a certain trepidation that I undid my knots and slipped out of the rope harness. Now or nothing, I thought, and bracing myself, pushed up along the stone as if I was trying to climb up the wall, my claws scrabbling for purchase as I tried to keep from losing my grip and "falling" away.

I could see the edge... and then a paw slipped. I felt a sinking sensation as I felt my lower body start to drift away from the wall while my hand reached out for the ledge. So close...

Suddenly, a hand darted out past the wall, grasping my wrist. The sudden torque sent me into an arc that brought my entire body around, up over the wall, to slam flat on the ground with a resounding thud. Pain exploded behind my eyes, and everything went black.

***************************

When I came to I found myself staring into a metallic face. It seemed sculpted to resemble that of a human, but with glowing gems for eyes. Not exactly the most reassuring sight to wake up to. I jerked slightly in surprise, then winced as the pain hit, which seemed to produce a caricature of a smile from the face. "Ah, the feline bioform lives. Excellent."

"Who- wha-" I shook my head to clear it, which just about made me pass out again. Whoa girl, not a good idea. Maybe I'll just lie here a bit. I lowered my head back to the stone under me as the face pulled away. It felt like I had bruises upon bruises, and while the cold stone was uncomfortable, at least the cold was kind of soothing.

"I have not seen your kind before. Do they make it a habit to try and throw themselves into space? You do not have apparatus for flight." The voice had a sort of metallic grating to it as it spoke. With the pain receding a bit I was finally beginning to remember what I was doing, and why exactly I was hurting so much.

"Th-that was you that grabbed my arm? Th-thanks," I managed to get out between painful breaths. Hopefully I hadn't cracked a rib or something in that fall.

"You are lucky. I came to practice aim, as Captain Xane does not let me do so onboard. I think he is afraid I will shoot our navigator."

While the metallic voice laughed, I felt my tailtip twitch as what he had said filtered through my pain-shrouded conciousness. Wasn't Xane the name of the captain of the Lazy Sue?

"Yes he is. You have some business with him?"

"Urgh..." I responded. I hadn't realized I was speaking aloud, but the cat was out of the bag now, so to speak. Rolling onto my bellies, I raised a hand about to make a more intelligent reply-

-and puked my last meal all over the feet of my apparent savior, and lead to where I needed to be

Thank the gods he took it well.

I stammered out an apology, but he waved it off and helped me up onto shaky legs. We slowly made our wake back to the underdocks as we introduced ourselves properly, and I explained why exactly I was spacediving over the edge of a station. It turned out his name was Ripclaw, and he was a member of a race called the Forged. As I found out later, they were originally constructed for an ancient war. They had turned on their creators, seizing the means of their creation, and eventually drove them offworld. The resulting war had devastated the planet, to the point the Forged were pretty much the only ones capable of surviving there.

Ripclaw, like most of his kind, resembled a man sculpted from steel, but wearing metal armor as well. Unlike normal metal, it seemed to bend in places like a normal humanoid's body would, undoubtedly a result of the arcane energies empowering him. Strangely, he seemed to have pieces of metal sculpted to resemble parts of a reptilian creature attached to him as well, including something that looked similar to a dragon's head attached to his back.

In another stroke of luck, there were very few others around as we made our way past several run-down and makeshift buildings, presumably due to the time of day, or night as the case may be. In any case, before long we found ourselves at the underdocks, Down Below's equivalent to the docks above. Only one ship was here at the moment, and even this far away I could see the sloppily pained letters on the side that spelled out 'Lazy Sue'. Apparently the painter was lazy too, I thought with a dry mental chuckle.

The ship itself resembled a swordfish, complete with fin-like sails. Apart from the ballista mounted where the dorsal fin would be, the rest of the design have an impression of speed. As we reached the boarding extension, I realized this ship wasn't as big as I had expected either.

"Gleet thinks it about time you returned," came a high-pitched voice from the other side of the hatch. "Gleet gets bored by herself."

"Just open up, we have a visitor for the Captain," Ripclaw responded. The synthetic sound of his voice made it hard to tell for sure, but I could almost swear he was amused...

Regardless, the door slid aside, and I found myself staring down the barrel of some strange handhold weapon, being wielded by a kobold half my height. Boasting deep red scales, it was obvious she had some dragon blood in her, even without the tail and wings. She was wearing a leather outfit, with some sort of goggles pushed back on her forehead.

On noticing my condition, she lowered her weapon, tilting her head at me like an owl. "Good business then?" if it hadn't been for the strange weapon she held, the whole thing would seem strangely absurd.

"Yes Gleet, good business. Has that rigger the Cap hired shown back up yet?" the silver Forged asked as he led me past the diminutive guard into the hallway, my legs aching still with every step.

"Gleet think he long gone." She nodded for emphasis, resting her strange weapon on her shoulder. "You no blame Gleet's cooking for this one!"

"Well, I- wait." Ripclaw cut himself off midsentance, looking back out the hatch.

Twisting around a bit and wincing as sore muscles complied, I peered out into the darkness. Movement? Apparently curious as well, the little kobold flipped her goggles down and fussed with them a second. "Oh, this not good. Not good."

"Gleet, start releasing the moorings. I've a feeling we're about to leave now, rigger or no rigger."

As the scarlet kobold dashed off, the object of their attention finally got close enough for me to make out in the dim light.

"...why is there a naked elf wearing a sword belt running this way?" Given everything I'd run into since arriving, I'd found my capacity for surprise diminishing by the minute. Even still, this was pushing it. If it was possible to strain a sense of incredulty, I think I'd just done so.

If machines could sigh, I had a feeling Ripclaw would have, from the expression on his metallic face. "Let's just say our captain isn't the most circumspect about who he courts."

"How was I to know she was the magistrate's daughter?" the elf panted out as he reached the doorway, evidently having caught the last bit of conversation. "Just because she had the same last name and lived in his mansion doesn't mean anything! And I don't need you spreading rumors to the ladies about my prowess! I do that well enough by myself, thank you."

Evidently Forged couldn't eyeroll either, though he did a decent impression of it.

Now that he was close enough to get a good look, it was fairly easy to peg him as actually a half-elf, by the goatee he was sporting and the amount of body hair, which elves normally lack. he was fairly obviously a natural ginger as well. He was fairly fit, but if he did a lot of this sort of thing, that would be kind of necessary.

"And hello there, my fair lady," he added with a bow. "I apologize for my lack of dress, but I had most pressing business I had been dealing with, and unfortunately I was only able to escape with my sword."

"I... see that," I said, fighting to keep from grinning at the whole absurdity of it all. Escape with his 'sword' indeed!

"I'm sure you do," he responded with a wink, "and as much as I would love to stay here and chat with such a beauty, I'm afraid we must be going. Little thing about 50 or so guardsmen on their way you see. Must have me mistaken for someone else."

"I'm not leaving this ship." Lowering myself to the floor was a relief, even if I wasn't been doing it to make a statement. "I was told you can take me to Lythander. He told me you owe him a favor, and I'm here to collect."

The half-elf (who I was pretty sure now was Xane) stiffened a bit at the name, but recovered quite quickly. "Yes, well, I suppose it would be heartless to kick such a lovely creature off my ship when she's obviously hurt-" Whatever he'd been about to say was cut off as a crossbow bolt whizzed through the air between us. "-but now's not the time to argue! Ripclaw, let the rigger know we're moving and-"

"He's gone."

"-and take the rigging yourself!" The mostly-naked half-elf slammed the hatch shut as he finished the sentence without even a pause. "I'll activate the helm!"

I just laid in the hallway as they dashed off around the corners, listening to the thud of crossbow bolts bouncing off the hull of the Lazy Sue. All I'd wanted was to go meet my uncle, and now I was stuck on a ship captained by an over-amorous half-elf, whose crew consisted of a living golem and a miniature dragon, being chased by the local authorities. Not to mention that I felt like every inch of me was covered in bruises.

Shortly after, I felt the ship begin to vibrate with the power of whatever arcane energies it channeled for propulsion. Turning myself in place to try and get a bit more comfortable, I curled my tail over my paws and rested my upper shoulder against the bulkhead. A moment later bright glint caught my eye, and I realized there was a pane of some sort embedded in the hatch, made of some kind of transparent crystal.

Angling my head just right, I found I could see the docking platform, rapidly diminishing behind us. In less than a minute it was lost to the disc of the planet beyond, which was itself quickly diminishing in size. As I watched my former homeworld lose itself among the sea of stars, I found myself wondering just what in the Nine Hells I'd gotten myself into.