FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I jump out of my sleeping bag and run. I don't stop for clothes or shoes or any other luxuries. Donned in nothing but a pair of briefs I run.

By bare feet beat the ground, the icy wind ripped across my body as I sprint from danger. I know this is futile, no mater how fast I run, my pursuers are faster. I need to find somewhere to...THERE! I turn suddenly, slipping on the wet moss, but I recover and break for the place where a partially fallen tree has exposed its roots. The exposed roots look like they might protect a space large enough for me to hide but too small for my pursuers to follow.

My change in path doesn't go unnoticed. As one closes in behind me, slowed down slightly by being forced to dodge the trees and bushes. Another makes a dash for the tree, hoping to cut me off. It too, is slowed by the trees.

I make it, but just barely. No sooner do I dive through a gap then a long fur-covered arm reaches in after me. Grasping frantically for me, I kick at the arm which causes it's owner to growl deeply before pulling his arm out of the gap, this is replaced by the snarling face of what can only be described as a werewolf. Amber eyed and black furred, staring me in the eye, primal, deadly. I stare back, shivering, before it lets out a short bark and moves out of sight. I sigh a little in relief, but I know I'm not out of danger. I'm trapped.

I hear growling above me, as well a scratching sounds. Horrified, I realise that they are digging. It is only a matter time before they get in.

I'm going to die. _I think. _I'm going to die. And there's nothing I can do.

Hope lost, I do the only thing I can do to protect myself. I just move back against the wall of my safe haven. As far away as possible from the gaps in the roots. Some more sounds from above tell me that it's futile, and that they'll get in sooner or later. But for now, I focus on trying to keep warm.

I press myself against the back 'wall' and rip up some moss to cover me and stay the cold, then I hug my legs to my chest and shiver myself into a state of partial slumber. It's not sleep, I'm much to scared to sleep. But I'm also much too tired to stay awake, so my body and mind compromises with a dormant state.

This state does nothing to stay the cold though, and I shiver uncontrollably.

At this rate I'm going to get sick. I think. I laugh at this, illness is the least of my worries right now.

Speaking of...I try to control my shivering and just listen...nothing.

At first my heart leaps, they've gone! _I think to myself. I almost jump up...almost. _No...no they're not. I move back against the wall again. My shivering starting again. It's a trap. They want to lure me out.

I know I can't just say here, I'll have to leave eventually or I'll die of exposure. But I can't just run away because they'll catch me.

I can't outrun them. __I can't out wait them....but maybe, just maybe I can outsmart them.

With this sudden revelation comes a short adrenaline rush, I look around for anything that might aid me. I see a length of exposed root. I crawl over and pull on it, I feel it shift but otherwise my attempts are futile. I brace myself with my feet against the wall, it's unpleasant. The wet soil squelches at my touch and I almost pull away in disgust. But I can't afford to.

Gripping root again I heave backwards, with a groan the root moves out of the wall, taking a large chunk of soil with it. I fall backwards and review my efforts.

The stick might prove useful, perhaps not as a weapon but a tool of some sort.

As I study the fruit of my efforts I hear digging once more, apparently the wolves have realised that their ruse had failed and resumed their efforts to reach me manually. More soil falls from the ceiling, soon.

Rather than sit down and accept my fate I look for more options. My previous actions retrieving the root has left quite a large hole in the wall. I move closer.

I wonder...

I stab my stick into the earth there, to my surprise it sinks in easily. I look around to get my bearings but I see that this place is almost directly opposite the way I came in. And if I manage to dig through it, I'll be in a position that puts the trees trunk between me and the digging wolves. Maybe I can make it.

I waste no time, I stab at the wall to loosen the dirt pulling chunks of roots away and throwing them to the side. The sound of the wolves excavations drown out the sound of mine, but I take chances. Listening carefully for any changes.

This goes on for a couple of hours. I'm resting when they finally break through.

I can see that the volume of dirt falling from one point in the ceiling has increased tenfold, I can hear their scratching louder than ever. Deciding that this might be my last chance to dig I crawl over to my escape tunnel.

Suddenly, a huge arm bursts through the ceiling and and a huge paw drabs my upper right arm. I violently try to pull away from the offending limb but to no avail. No matter how hard I hit it or pull away it refuses to relinquish its iron grip. In a final act of defiance I reach for my stick and stab at the arm with the sharpened end only to fell it crack and break under the force of my blows.

With tears running down my face I twist in the grip desperately trying to worm out of its reach. As I frantically pull I feel the pain in my arm go from dull to exruciating. I cry out as my arm twists in a way that the human arm was never supposed to twist. I cry out in agony, fear and anguish. My life is over, I'm going to die here. Cold, alone and in pain.

Then, the great hand releases me. I fall face first into the dirt and quickly crawl as far away from the new opening as I can. Cradling my wounded arm I begin to sob loudly. I cry because I know my death is inevitable, because my life would be so short. But most of all, I cry for what might have been, what should have been.

As I cower in the corner sobbing I see the hand pull out of the entrance it created. Only to be replacedby the face of one of the creatures, the hole is still too small to allow them in completely, but they can see me. Another arm reaches for me, falling but a foot short. The creature strains against the roots but can come no closer, giving up its futile attempt it drops its arm and just stares at me, whining softly.

I don't stare back, I can't bring myself to look it in the eyes. A sound to my right startles me, I look over but it's just two more wolves attacking the origanal entrance, hoping to widen it. I don't know where the others are, for I counted at least four of them earlier. I ignore those two, looking back at the one in front of me. Finally gaining courage to look it in the eyes, one green...one blue. I see intelligence in those eyes, behind the bestial instincts. _At least it's not growling at me. _I think. In fact it's as quiet as anything. Aside from the occasional soft whine.

"Leave me alone..."_I whisper to myself. But I see the beasts ears twitch and take the chance that it might understand me. I say it again louder. _"Leave...leave me alone. Please."

It stares for a few moments before moving away, for a moment I actually think that I succeeded. That I convinced it to leave me be....but no. My victory was short lived as the wolf simply stood up and walked over to it's packmates to help them dig me out.

Defeated, I almost begin sobbing again. I almost give up here and now.

No.

I won't give up. I won't. I crawl over on all fours. Limping, if it might be called that, on my injured arm. Kneeling down beside my tunnel I take a fragment of my stick in my uninjured hand and, after turning to make sure the wolves couldn't see me, began to hack at the wall once more.

I slave for hours, My work slowed both by my inadequate tool and my injury. By the time I reach what I think to be the final stretch it's night time. I think about how long I've been down here, over twenty-four hours by my reckoning. Turning around I see that the wolves have managed to widen the entrance to almost three times it's original diameter, two wolves are slaving on it now, they must take it in turns I think, regretful at not having the same luxury. Soon it'd be large enough for them to follow me in...this is all the motivation I need to keep going. With new-found strength, I ferociously hack at at the wall.

I don't have to dig for much longer before I finally break through. My stick breaks through the last layer of moss easily and the cold air rushes in. I let go of the stick, I have to shake it loose because my hands were raw and sticky with blood.

I brace myself. Widening the hole so it won't hinder me on the way out. I look behind me and listen. Content that the wolves haven't noticed me breaking through. I take a deep breath, hold my injured arm to my chest. And I run.

I make a dash for the bushes, knowing that they'll slow the wolves down. I jump between small gaps and dive through brambles and gorse, no longer caring about scratches.

I am small, I am light, I am fleet of foot...Sometimes that is enough. But not everytime.

My arm slows me down, I'm exausted, I'm bleeding. In the end these infermities prove to be too great. I hear them growling behind me, I feel their warm breath on the back of my neck. I feel a weight hit my back...and everything goes black.

....................................................................................................................

I awake from a sudden hard blow to the gut. I double over and clench my stomach, i make no sound because I have no air in my lungs. I gasp repeatedly, trying desperately to replace the air pushed out. I'm only half successful, though I can breath again the blow leaves an ache in my abdomin that prevents me from brathing deeply.

Now, and only now to I look up. It's dark, to dark for me to be out in the open. No, this is the kind of darkness afforded only by an enclosed space.

_Am I under the tree again? _I ask myself..._No _comes the answer, The ground is hard and dry, my surroundings offer no light whereas the fallen tree was riddled with holes, light would pour in.

No. This is somewhere else. I squint, allowing my eyes to dart across the darkness...They're there. I know they are. I can hear them breathing.

I hear a sudden rush of movement, I flinch, expecting another hit. Instead, I feel a furry paw wrap around my uninjured arm and heave me up, I struggle to get my feet under me but this proves impossible as I'm dragged along the ground. I cry out in pain as my other arm is scraped along the rock floor, mercifully this doesn't take long. As suddenly as it siezed me the hand releses me. I sigh in relief for the pain has lessened, but my breathing quickens as I remember my situation. I shuffle back intil my my back hits a cold stone wall. I gather that I must be in some kind of cave. When notnhing makes any move to harm me I allow myself to relax a little, but still take care to watch out for any other signs of movement. I can hear them moving around.

A spark...another...another. A flame...it grows steadily. Gradually a small fire burns brighter. Illuminating my surroundings. There isn't much to see, the fire illuminates an expanse of a bare, rock wall. The ceiling is high enough that the light doesn't reach it. The floor is bare black rock all over except near the fire where furs have been spread for comfort. Two of the beasts crouch over the fire, feeding it.

Feeding...

This is it. They're going to eat me. I'm trapped. I can see two of them crouched over the fire, and hear a couple of others moving around in the dark. I hug my knees to my body, trying to make myself smaller. They seem to be ignoring me, thankfully.

They're cruel. The fires breath allows me the slightest sliver of warmth, but just a sliver. It is enough to tease me, but not enough to offer any comfort. I stare longingly at it, ignoring the figures hunched around it.

I briefly consider trying to move closer...but decide against it. I don't want to attract attention to myself. I sigh softly and curl into a ball, my back against the stone and shiver silently.

I'm going to die. I'm going to-wait.

I suddenly feel a wave of guilt and horror wash over me, it extinguishes all feelings of self pity, I almost leap to my feet with my sudden horrific thought.

Thomas...where is he?

Where is he? I try to remember what happened that...oh it feels like an eternity.

We were camping, we'd stopped for the night. I... I growl in frustration at my shattered memories. I...I woke up and, the fire had gone out. I heard noises from the trees, I called forTom but he didn't answer. I heard more noises closer, with a burst of pure instinct I just leaped up and...ran. I...abandoned him.

Where is he?...Did he escape? Was he captur...is he here too?

I look around frantically, trying to see him. My heart sinks, I know my friend isn't here. I would know by now.

"Please..." _I speak softly, but aloud. _"Please be alive...please."

My captors glance towards me at the sound of my speech and growl softly, but otherwise don't seem to care.

All I can do is lie on my side and pray...I'm not religious but I pray. Not for myself, I know there's no saving me. But all I can do is hope that Tom made it.

"Please..." I whisper myself into a restless sleep.

...................................................................................................................

"Marcus."

I stir, I feel...good. I feel warm and comfortable and- My eyes dart open.

It's dark, and cold. With a crushing sense of dread I realise that it wasn't a bad dream. I squint into the darkness, I've moved. I'm no longer against the wall, I'm near the centre of the room. Closer to the dormant fireplace, I'm resting on a fur blanket with another over me. The wolves are nowhere to be seen.

I...I must have moved over at some point. I decide it's probably for the best if I-

"Marcus."

I start. Leaping to my feet, I know that voice. It's-

"Marcus."

_"T...Tom?" _I whisper.

_"Yes." _Tom whispers back.

I squint into the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice.

_"Where are you?" _I hiss.

"Here." _His voice answers. I stumble towards it, trying to avoid bumping into obstacles or worse. _"This way Marcus."

I know that somethings wrong. But I don't care, I'm just happy that Tom's okay, well at least as okay as I am.

"Where?" I ask when I can't find him.

"_Here." _The voice comes from right behind me, I start and spin round. I see nothing, just blackness.

_"Tom?" _Something siezes me, it holds my shoulders in a death grip. Pinning my arms to my side. I cry out in pain and terror.

"Tom!" _I cry. _"Tom, help me!" _My screams fade to sobs. _"Please...help me."

I hear them. Moving around. They've been watching me this entire time. They start lighting fires around the room, chasing away the darkness.

The one holding me drops me, I fall to my knees and let my sorrow consume me. Sobbing uncontrollably. I don't know why. Maybe it's the hopelessness, maybe it's fear, maybe it's failure.

_"Marcus." _I look up instinctively, I don't know why. I know he isn't there.

I'm right, I see not what I wish to see but what I expect to see...monsters.

I look back at the ground, tears running down my face._ "I hate you." _I whisper.

"No." _That voice. _"You don't." I look up. All I see is a wolf, silhoetted aainst the flickering firelight.

_"Tom?" _I whisper once again. The figure kneels down, but still towers over me.

"Yes, Marcus." _It says. _"It's me."

I look directly at him. I can see his eyes now. One blue, one green. Just like Tom.

_"Wha...what is this Tom?" _Tears are still running down my face. Tom frowns at this and wipes them away.

"Shhh. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

"No it isn't." _I sob. _"Nothing about this is 'okay'." _I shuffle away from him. _"I want to go home."

He put's a hand...paw on my shoulder.

"You can't."

"Why?" _I sob. _"And what are you?"

_"That doesn't matter." _He states. Offering nothing else.

"How can it not matter?" _I snap. He's taken aback by my anger. He let's go of my shoulder and moves back. I look around to see the other wolves watching in silence. I turn my glare back to Tom. _"Why am I here?"

He hesitates. _"It's...complicated." _He tries to avoid my glare.

"NO, IT ISN'T!" _I snap once more. _"You chased me. You almost broke my arm!" He suddenly looks me in the eye, his own wide. I sneer at him; "Don't look so surprised! I know it was you!...So you can at least tell me why!"

He grabs me again, the contact hurts my arm and I wince in pain. "I can't.". He let's go of me and stand up, leaving me on my knees. I stand up slowly. "I'm sorry about this Marcus. I really am."

My tears have started falling again. "Please Thomas." _He looks back over his shoulder. _"I don't undertand."

"You will." He whispers. He then speaks to the others. _"You know what to do." _He states then walks away.

I see the others begin to move closer, fear takes over and I try to back away from them. But there's no where to go. "Tom!" _I cry out, desperately trying to escape. _"Tom, please!...I don't understand!"

Then...pain. Gut wrenching pain. Blood flows freely from my shoulder, a pair of jaws is clamped tightly on my arm. I try to scream but I have no breath. I flail at hit the wolf but it doesn't move, it just keeps it's jaws clamped down. Finally after what seems like an age it releases me. I stumble back, my free hand clamped over the bite to slow the bleeding. I finally find my voice. "Tom!" I cry out. "Tom!" _I try to move back and trip, I try to scramble backwards but only succeed in harming myself. The wolves close in again. I curl into a ball as my cries for help turn to sobs. _"Tom...please."

By now the wolves have surrounded me, and stand still for a few moments. Suddenly one kicks me in the ribs...hard. This sets the ball rolling. No sooner do I cry out at the pain of the first blow when another comes, and another and another. Blows rain down, my pitiful attempts to protect myself from the assault end in failure...pain...Hurt...Nothing.

....................................................................................................................

I awake suddenly, the fires are burning. I lie near one, uncovered. my head rests on a fur covered log. I breath in deeply, as if I've been holding my breath for an age. Pain shoots through my chest. I wheeze and cough as my lungs fill with fresh air.

Now I remember. I remember what-. The 'pillow' shifts, I panic, With a wheeze that was probably intended as a scream I try to rise. My attempts are brought to an end when more pain shoots through my body. I feel every single scrape and bruise, so plentiful I could not count them. Each causes me to writhe in pain, my movement brings more pain...so goes the vicious cycle. I think this is it, it'll never end.

In my agony I don't notice the figures around me, holding me down. By the time i recognise their presence they agony has faded to a dull ache through my entire body. I wheeze softly.

_"Are you okay?" _One asks me. For moment I'm shocked that it can speak, then for another I'm shocked because it asked about my well being. Then it's shocked because I've hit it in the face with my free arm, which is promptly pinned again.

"What do you think?" I snap as I begin to struggle again, despite the pain. "Let go of me!"

They don't at first, but gradually they hesitantly let go of me. Maybe they know I'm to badly hurt to do anything. All leave save one, I know who it is.

"I hate you Tom."

_"I know." _Comes the instant reply.

"I don't think you do!" I snap again. Realising he's the one currently supposrting my head. "I trusted you! You were my friend and...I hate you so much." I break into sobs. Tom places a paw on my forehead, I try to shake it off but it remains.

"I know you're upset. And I understand that you have every reason to be." _He sounds upset as well. But I'm too angry to care. _"It had to be done Marcus. I wish it could have been any other way...but no other exists."

"Why did it have to be done?" _I sob. _"Why am I here? Why did they hurt me?..." _I pause for a breath. _"...And why wouldn't you help me?...I was shouting for help and..." He puts a paw over my mouth shushing me, then removes it.

"I know. And it tore my heart out. I wish I could've helped you, I really do. But I couldn't." _I can tell he's also on the verge of tears. _"I'm sorry Marcus. I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"It doesn't." _I urge him. _"Let me go...please. You don't have to kill me or-"

"Kill you?" _He interrupts. he sounds horrified. _"Is that what you think?...No no, we wouldn't kill you."

"So what then?" My sobs have turned into a steady stream of tears._ "Are you going to keep me alive just so your friends can attack me whenever-"_

"NO!" He almost shouts. He grabs my arms and pulls me further up his lap, I can now see his face, albeit upside down. He is indeed crying. "We're not trying to hurt you Marcus!...Not me, and not the others. All we want is to change you."

"I don't want to change!" I cry. _"I just want to go home!" _He leans down and strokes my head.

"And *that's * why we have to hurt you!" _He cries. _"To transform the unwilling they must be at their weakest."...It's the only way."

"Why do you have to change me?...Why can't I just be as I am?" I cry out.

Tom snaps._ "BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP YOU SAFE!"_

...I start sobbing again. "I don't want to be safe!" I argue. "...I want to be human!"

He digs his claws into my shoulders. "And that's why you need to change."

_I just sob. I know there's no convincing him..."I hate you." _This time I said it with such fury that even I was shocked.

Tom started to say something but I stopped him. "Don't ever speak to me as a friend again."

"Marcus please." _He urges. _"You know I wouldn't hurt you on purpose."

"No...I don't."

Tom is on the verge of sobbing. He gets up and walks away before turning. "Just one thing..." _I say nothing. _"Don't fight it Marcus. Or it'll only get worse."

"leave me alone."

"I know why you hate me Marcus..." _He pauses. _"Do you?"

(To be continued...perhaps.)