FSE

Furry search engine

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"You shouldn't stand," the nurse said, "you have been living off an IV for years now, There's no doubt you are a little dehydrated. Not to mention you aren't used to your body yet," I cringe as she says it's "my" body. There's no way in hell it is. I fold my ears down as I struggle to pull myself upright against the bed, my paws sliding against the floor. I dig my clawlike nails into the fabric, pulling my chest over the top, now finding myself leaning on the bed. I suddenly feel the doctors hold me, placing me back on the bed, "Can I get you something to eat?" the nurse asked. I nodded my head, still dazed from the fall and the coma. I looked down and shifted upright on the bed. I looked up just as the nurse returned, having apparently left as I adjusted my position. She put a tray on my lap. For what was presumably hospital food, it smelled great. That's when I noticed something else. I could smell much better than before. At first I thought the nurse was wearing strong perfume, but I realized I could just smell it easily. No doubt it was the new nose. One advantage I suppose.

I looked down to the tray, not expecting what was there, "Nurse!" I said, trying to get her attention. She turned around on her way out, "I think you actually forgot to cook this..." I gestured to the raw meat covering the largest section of the tray. Another odd thing was the lack of vegetables.

The nurse stayed where she was, "Don't worry, you can handle it now. You changed internally too. Others in your position found they prefer it this way."

I looked back down at the raw meat. Others? I would have to look into that later, "They might but I'm no animal!" I crossed my arms, trying not to show that I actually found the scent of the meat rather appealing.

"Well, sooner or later you are going to have to try it, especially once we release you," I almost asked why, but then I decided to take it one thing at a time. I sigh, tail slowing it's occasional waves, and my ears drooping in defeat. I then realized I now had traitorous parts of my body. Hesitantly, I poked at the meat with a fork, red juices squeezing from it, soaking back in when I removed the pressure of the fork, like a sponge. I took the knife and cut a small piece off, putting it in my mouth.

I began moving my jaws, finding my sharp, carnivorous teeth easily cutting through the meat, not unlike biting through a slice of bread as a human. The partly chewed piece fell onto my tongue, my taste buds picking up on it instantly like a shock. Clearly they were wired differently now, because it tasted nothing like what you would expect it to. The appeal wasn't in the flavor, but the texture, although it was slightly saltier. Needless to say, I guiltily finished it off.

Several hours of boredom and several quarts of water later, I managed to get off the bed, partially, as I balanced carefully on my paws, still not used to having a new center of gravity. I found myself using my tail for balance, a concept I'd never considered. Standing was a lot like being on my toes, but while having larger toes and a longer foot. I raised a leg, the joint not much different from before. Getting ahead of myself, I tried placing my paw down, forgetting to move my "lower knee" of sorts. I now found my paw further back than it should have been, pointed down. I put pressure on it, falling forward almost instantly.

By now I was used to basic standing. I got into a squat, slowly and carefully extending each joint, until I stood, wobbling a bit. I repeated the first part of my step, then remembered once more to angle my lower leg. Now the bottom of my paw was parallel to the floor. I placed it down, comically trying to keep my balance. I had taken my first step.

Repeating this with my other leg, my legs came together. I did this again, and again, and again. I had finally learned to walk in this body. I went to the end of the bed, where there was a folded hospital robe, the papery, cheap texture wrinkled. I picked it up and put it on, noticing a slice taken out of the bottom so it would fit over my tail with ease. Just as I finished tying it, the nurse walked in.

"Oh, you're ambulatory," she said nonchalantly, "if that's the case, we are going to have to ask you to leave. It's just the room has been on hold for years," she said, going to the closet in the corner of the room, "If you want real clothes, we have your BDU all patched up. It's been waiting in this closet for a long time," she grins, pulling out a digital camouflage desert patterned uniform, covered in pockets. One breast pocket had a patch above it, saying, "Marines," and the other breast pocket had a patch saying, "Caivano." I took it from her, putting it on. I almost put on the pants, but realized that I needed space for my tail. I looked at the nurse, "Sorry," she said, retrieving a pair of scissors from the cupboard. She cut a small hole in the back of the pants, and I slipped them on, the loose BDU pants fitting over the bent legs. My tail felt crammed, so I reached through the hole and pulled it out, wagging it a bit.

I thought about shoes, but realized nothing would fit. However, the nurse was already way ahead of me, coming back with a strangely shaped pair of boots with an oddly simple design. They were simple to wear, almost custom-fitted to my paws. I laced them up and walked a bit, nodding to the nurse, signaling I was ready to go.

She led me out the door, and what I saw amazed me. I saw a bluejay-woman, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, as well as the same custom boots. Doctors hurried about, and I passed a jackal-man. I felt dizzy, seeing so many others like me. I think I even saw dragon-people and a dolphin-person. The nurse led me to a heavy door at the end of a hall, a simple "exit" sign above it. She opened it, gesturing for me to leave. Not exactly the exit I expected, but I followed through. I said goodbye to the nurse, and stepped outside, the door slamming shut with an audible lock.

My paws landed right in mud. I looked up, noticing where "outside" was.

It looked like a third-world slum.