FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Faster... I need to go faster... His mind raced along with his legs as he struggled to push himself further. His hindpaws padded along the ground at an alarmingly impressive rate, even for a cheetah. The cub bit his lower lip in an attempt to stifle his excitement. Three loaves of bread meant a feast for him and his family tonight. Combine that with the leg of lamb he had swiped from the butcher and you had a meal fit for a king; at least in his mind it was fit for a king. The young feline had heard stories of how well the nobles ate. Who could ever imagine being able to eat three times a day and still have things left over? It was so wonderful that it almost seemed a fairy tale to his youthful mind. Yes, one day they would all live a life of luxury like the nobles. He had plans to achieve this very end.

He spotted the door ahead. A small house, run down and broken in various places yet it was still home. He had just stepped inside when he felt himself leave his hindpaws, falling to the ground with two others lying atop of him. The two furs grinned down at him as they held their embrace. Milo and Nyssa always made coming home a sort of hazard, albeit an enjoyable hazard. "No! Get up, get up! You'll crush the bread!" The three scrambled up as he checked inside his bag. Thankfully nothing had been damaged and he carefully set out the three loaves and the leg on top of a nearby table. The two younger furs began to drool at the sight of so much food.

"Sevelle! Where...How... I have never seen so much food at once! How did you manage to get it all?" Nyssa was a frail little feline, a cheetah like him though her ability to enjoy their natural agility was somewhat limited due to her chronic illness. She never really seemed to get better, though Sevelle was thankful that she did not seem to be getting any worse either. A good meal like this would help her regain some of her strength.

"Oh, I have my ways. No need to trouble yourselves over that little matter. 'Sides I thought you would just be happy to have it. What does it matter where it came from, right Milo?" Milo didn't answer. The cat was too busy sniffing at the wonderful aroma rising from the lamb. He was an interesting one. A fur of few words he was a bit of an anomaly here in Rellan. He was not of a breed from this area. His fur was a snow white minus the tip of his tail which was tipped black. He seemed softer in his features than did other species which resided in this area. Somehow Milo seemed less... wild? Some called him a Siamese, whatever that meant. His eyes were also odd, being a reddish brown similar to the color of rust. The small feline was also afraid of the outside. It seems that his type were often sought by less honorable adults in order to be sold into slavery. Several had come over the years for that very reason. Sevelle was thankful he had never been sold; thankful to Moira for taking care of them all these years.

As if being summoned by the thought Moira stepped out of a nearby room. She yawned and a door shut somewhere further back. "Well now what do we have here? Quite the haul today Sevelle. I assume you remained unseen?"

The cheetah grinned proudly, "As always! No one catches the great Sevelle Valeros!"

Moira chuckled softly, running her forepaw through her thick brown hair as she eyed the feast before her. The lioness looked him over, a considering look in her eyes. "You will make a fine husband one day lad. I think Nyssa should probably stake her claim pretty quickly, else some other sly feline will snatch you up for herself."

Sevelle's grin grew as he puffed his chest out, "There's enough of me to go around. I think I will have multiple wives, if I even decide to take a wife that is..."

"Oh hush now, none of that. I am not raising you to be a womanizer. Besides I doubt you could handle more than one at a time." She winked at him as she began separating the food into portions for each of them. Sevelle was glad for the smile, but he also worried about Moira. Something had been off with her the past few days. Her smile no longer seemed to reach her eyes. Not to mention the fact that the number of male visitors did not match up with what little money they had. Either she had dramatically lowered her price, or something else was taking her money. "Now then how about we put our jaws to better use hmm? Milo seems to like the idea."

"Yes ma'am..." The slender feline seemed so frail. His thin frame looked as if the slightest touch would break him in two. Sevelle was not sure how Milo and Nyssa would survive if something happened to him or Moira. For that reason he resolved to protect them all. The two would always be taken care of, no matter what.

The four of them ate ravenously. The meal had been one sorely needed and each of the four felt better afterwards. With full bellies they prepared to retire to their beds as night darkened the sky outside. After a quick prayer and the exchange of goodnights the house was silent once more. Sevelle smiled into the darkness, pride filling him as he thought of how he had been able to finally satisfy the hunger of his family. It had been a long time since they had been this full, and all of it was thanks to him. It was a good thought to have in his head as sleep overtook him. Hopefully pleasant dreams would follow and make for the perfect end to a wonderful day. Nothing could go wrong at this point. All was finally looking up.

A crash and a bone chilling scream resonated through the house. Sevelle jerked awake and scrambled from underneath his covers. Milo was nowhere to be seen and their bedroom door stood wide open. The cheetah ran into the common room, stopping short as a dagger slammed into the wall in front of him. The large lion glared down at him as he yanked the knife free from the splintered wood. "Well now little runt, how's about you stay right where you are. We will get to you as soon as we are finished with the others. We hear you are quite the thief, lucky for you." His gravelly voice held an edge that made Sevelle's fur stand on end. His ears twitched nervously as he stared up at the large feline. A scream to his right pulled his attention away. It was Moira.

"Stop it!! She is innocent! Take me instead! Just please leave her be! She is too frail, you'll kill her!" The lioness struggled against two more large felines gripping her arms tightly. One was a lion that had to be the dagger wielder's twin, while the other was a heavy set cougar with a terribly exaggerated under bite. The two grinned sickeningly as they looked on at what was happening, holding tightly to Moira as she struggled to free herself. Tears streamed down her face. Sevelle took off towards her, dodging the lion's attempt to grab him as he readied himself to attack the overweight cougar. As he jumped a forepaw caught him by the tail and slammed him roughly to the ground. The pain took his breath away, yet not as much as what his eyes were now taking in. His movements now put him into a position to see what was causing Moira such grief, and Sevelle felt a scream of his own rising up.

A large white tiger covered in scars stood towering over Nyssa. He panted as his hips thrust powerfully in between her legs. Nyssa had obviously cried at some point, but now she just lay there taking the punishment. One eye was bloodied and swollen shut, the other lifeless and unblinking. Her small frame shook with the force of the tiger's thrusts and Sevelle thought he could see a bulge moving pushing up into her abdomen. Why was he doing this to her? Why was this happening? Milo... where was Milo? The answer to that last question came like a blow to the gut.

Sevelle caught a glimpse of him, the small cat was being held by another figure inside Moira's room. A canine? The small cat was bleeding from a gash in his head. The canine was tall and thin, with massive arms and... was his muzzle sewn shut? The canine held Milo by the arm, effortlessly keeping him from touching the ground. The scarred tiger grunted as he slammed into Nyssa one last time before pulling out, leaving Nyssa bleeding and leaking some kind of thick fluid as her limp body slid to the floor. His voice was like thunder rumbling in the distance. "Bring up the kid. I have another load I'm just dying to spend." The canine threw Milo onto the bed, holding his arms down and pulling back to strike with a fist. "No. Not this one. I like when the cubs struggle. Makes them tighter."

Sevelle watched in horror as Milo was violated. The cat screamed and struggled, yet the canine held strong as the tiger assaulted his frail body. The cheetah struggled against his own captor. He had to do something, anything to save Milo from this. He managed to turn and slip free an arm. Reaching out he found purchase on the handle of something within the lion's coat. Without thinking he pulled the handle free and plunged it deep into the side of the great feline's head. The body fell limply to the floor. One of the other's called out.

"Holy fuck! That little shit just killed Nald!" The exclamation drew the attention of the two inside the bedroom. Milo whimpered as the tiger paused mid-thrust. Sevelle took this time to attack the cougar holding Moira. The dagger clenched tightly in his forepaw found its way into the fat cat's gut. He screamed as he moved on to the other lion. His next foe was prepared for him. A forepaw caught his arm as the lion's fist met his muzzle violently. Pain blinded him and he felt himself hit the floor. Somewhere Moira screamed once more before all went black.

Sevelle awoke to the smell of smoke and burning fur. He took a moment to allow his vision to clear before looking around. Tears streamed down his face as it all rushed in on him. Moira lay dead before him, her body alight and blackening. Nyssa lay at the foot of the bed, twisted and broken. Her eyes were cold and no movement came from her small chest, which Sevelle now noticed was caved him on one side where the tiger must have stepped on her while taking Milo. The cheetah took a few shaky steps forward, his legs slowly regaining strength. Milo was there, on the bed. He was still breathing, though it was obvious he couldn't move. Sevelle had to hurry; they would not die here.

Carrying Milo out was one of the most tiresome tasks of Sevelle's short life. The small feline was not heavy, but the cheetah was still weak and it was painful to move quickly. Outside a crowd gathered to try and put out the fire. Sevelle felt other's grab him and pull the two cubs to safety. The drone of words around him kept him awake for a time. He saw a group of black cats surrounding Milo. They had similar features to his friend and seemed to be debating about something. He struggled to rise as one of the group picked his friend up gently and began to walk away. Someone else held him down. Moira and Nyssa were dead, Milo was taken, and Sevelle was now without home or family. He almost welcomed the darkness as it slowly engulfed him, carrying away his pain.

Sevelle awoke to the sound of gulls cawing and men shouting as they begun the day's work. He yawned and stretched, standing and wiping the tears which dampened the fur of his cheeks. The memories did not wake him anymore, but the pain was still strong. It had been 12 long years since that day. He was no longer a cub in body yet it had been years since he had been a cub mentally. After that night he had spent the next year searching for Milo. Finding that the Arrenhale monks had taken his friend had filled him with resolve. The monks only took those who were meant for higher purpose. It was up to Sevelle to ensure that when he met Milo again he would be able to be of use to him. Now Sevelle was captain of five ships, though being a smuggler was not exactly what he had originally had in mind. Still, he had made a lot of friends this way, and he had grown into someone that he could be proud of. Now he just had to meet with his friend and offer his services.

Milo of course would be glad to have him back. His friend was a powerful king now, and of two kingdoms no less. The cheetah had heard rumors of Milo being named the High King. It had been centuries since one of those had existed. Would Milo really obtain such a distinct position?

"Hail captain! Top of the morning to you! The winds seem to favor us this day!" Dornell was Sevelle's first mate. A wonderful canine with a knack for handling a crew. Sevelle almost thought he should be captain at times. The canine, a Rottweiler was what Dornell called his breed, motioned for Sevelle to search the horizon. The cheetah breathed deeply the salt air. It was one of the few comforts left to him, though he would not lie and say that he was not happy. On the contrary, this was the happiest he had ever been. Sailing with such a fine crew was a privilege and one that he did not take lightly. He smiled as he noticed the harbor in the distance. The tall buildings greeted them with a shimmer only brought on by the rare white stone used in this particular kingdom. Finally, they had reached Vallose.

It was earlier than he expected, though he still would not be able to see Milo until much later. His cargo and crew came first. There was lodging to think of as well as food and other provisions to oversee the necessary resupply paperwork for. Normally this was not his method of resupply, yet today his cargo was legitimate. It would be rude to come into Milo's port on an illegal basis.

"It is beautiful my love. A wondrous sight to behold. You're sure your friend will remember you?" Melaine, his beautiful mate and one day his wife, stood beside him. She was a work of art. The curvaceous fox stared out at the city, her muzzle pulled back into a grin. The beautiful blue of her eyes was made all the more apparent by her bright red fur. A bit shorter than he, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. With her he could never feel unhappy or alone.

"I am positive. We lived together for 6 years after all. He is more like my little brother than just my friend. You watch he will welcome me with open arms. This will be a reunion to remember my love." He pulled her close, purring as she nuzzled him lovingly. The wind picked up, carrying with it the scent of fisheries and sweat. It was a comforting scent, though one would not really call it pleasant. He was finally going to face his past. Here he would truly show just how much he had grown. This fine fur by his side, along with his crew and the five ships he captained would serve as a testament to his own internal strength. What's past is over and done with, nothing could change what happened. The future was never something one could foresee, save for a magus of course. The present was Sevelle's specialty. He lived for the moment and that was how he planned to continue for the remainder of his days.

Dornell stepped up beside his captain. "Well sir, tis a fine port ahead. It feels a bit odd docking under legal circumstances like this... Not that it is a bad feeling. Just not quite as exciting. A good jolt to the nerves makes for one hell of a day if I do say so myself."

"That's true my friend. I'm not gonna lie and say I am enjoying this boring entrance, but it is a necessity if all is to go as planned. Besides you and the crew will have plenty to keep ya busy. Vallose has some of the finest women in the world, save for Lyrose." The feline winked at the fox as she beamed at the comment. "They are as feisty as you will ever meet, and from what I hear are even more so behind closed doors. Should give you a good time as well as some combat practice to boot."

The large canine grinned, his brown and black muzzle showing off his perfectly white fangs. Sevelle had always been impressed with how Dornell managed to keep himself as well as the entirety of the crew so well kept. "Now you have my attention sir." He flexed his well-muscled arms in anticipation. He wore a sleeveless leather jerkin and a pair of white linen trousers bound with a length of rope. It was the preferred attire for Sevelle's men and the cheetah could understand why, though he himself usually preferred to remain more free up top. "I think the rest shall be excited to hear this as well."

Sevelle nodded, his attention had been drawn away from his first mate by the sight of a large white structure jutting up from within the approaching city. It was magnificent, with perfectly white walls and gold filigree decorating the battlements. Was this truly where Milo now lived?

"The Shining Castle, the Holy White, the Light of Vallose. It is as beautiful as the stories told, my love." Melaine looked on with a sense of awe. Sevelle chuckled at the sight; it was a rare expression for the fox.

"Yes it truly is magnificent. It seems even grander than when last I saw it. Milo should lie within the tallest tower, the Tower of Hope."

"Tower of Hope? I heard it was named the Tower of Justice."

The feline nodded, "Oh it was. From what I hear it has been renamed since my old friend took over. For the better if you ask me." The two furs paused as Sevelle spotted a crew member on one of his ships signaling trouble. "Dornell!"

"Sir. I see it. Unfortunately I feel as if I know what they are signaling about..." His tone made his captain wary. He motioned for Sevelle to follow. The three descended into the ship's hold. There two other members of his crew stood next to a crate, the top pried open carefully in an obvious attempt to check the cargo. It was routine for him, nothing went unchecked before they made port. Any damaged item was a blemish on his own reputation. Sevelle stepped up to the container, his heart skipping a beat when he caught sight of what lay inside. The fur on his tail stiffened as he glanced at Dornell.

"How did this happen? We checked every container before departing. Tell me how the hell we ended up with a container of Lift?! Anyone?!"

"Sir," a young canine spoke up, "we did not feel it necessary to rifle through any of it. We were told the one who paid for transport wanted as little contact with the goods as possible."

Sevelle could not hold them accountable. The client did specify that none of the leather inside was to be touched. "Damn... Search them all. Toss every ounce of the stuff overboard. Signal for the other vessels to do the same. We are not drug runners. If anyone is caught taking even a taste of it I will have a forepaw from them." He knew none of them would dare touch the stuff, not after seeing what it had done to the furs of Barrenport. Lift was named so for the feeling of floating one was said to feel from eating it. This feeling was accompanied by an unnecessarily bright disposition and an increase in energy. This sounded to goo to be true to those who had never been exposed to the substance before. Unfortunately that euphoria was followed by a darker effect. It seemed that the drug devoured the body over time. One would start to decay a little more with every taste until it left them disfigured and eventually dead. Sevelle would not be responsible for bringing this plague upon Milo's kingdom.

"Sir! We have another problem. There's an imperial cruiser heading our way. It seems they spotted us dumping the cargo."

_Great..._Sevelle groaned as he stepped back out onto the deck. This was turning out to be one hell of an entrance.