FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

(edited 12/10/08 for font correction and version update)

Dawn light filtered in through an unshuttered window making James stir and yawn beside Cill. The bed had held up despite the vigorous punishment of the previous evening and he felt sure that the Keep would have wondered at some of the noises emanating from the former storehouse. Cill tended to be rather vocal and she had made it quite clear that there was no need for her to be quiet now.

Several of the sleepless and strained novices in the nearby barracks would certainly have been able to sleep if she shown more restraint. The whispered rumors were that James had caught something and tamed it ,or that he was cursed and changed into a terrifying beast at night and had to be chained down to stop him eating everyone.

Most were dreading the morning roll call and training but feared the jeers and catcalls they would receive from their peers if they attempted to be ill or absent from the lineup

James blinked as he remembered something and after gently pulling a thread from the bedding, wrapped it around one of her major talons, making a knot where it touched.

That would do it; he thought with a smile and put the string in his pocket. He would go and see Marlow about finishing his gift and though it would cost him the last of his gold for the month, he thought it would certainly be worth it.

The fire had banked during the night and he hopped over the cold flagstones towards it and made the most of the remaining heat as he pulled on his hose, breeches and jerkin.

He sniffed the clothes ruefully and wondered what Cill made of the smell - it had been several days since he had been able to wash them and he made a mental note to ask Jane if she could arrange for cleaning and repair.

Making his way to the chest from his room, he poured some water out into the basin, washed his face, shaved, and ate some parsley for his breath's sake. Finally, he strapped on his sword and with a smile at the still snoring dragoness, quietly made his way out into the yard and up toward the training grounds.

Joe sighed at the novices as they milled round in the damp morning air. He knew they were scared but was waiting until everyone were present to tell them what was going on and to get them used to the idea that a Dragoness had moved in for a while.

There was evidence of several cuts from nervous twitches while shaving and many had heavy bags under their eyes from lack of sleep or wine sneaked into the barracks to calm shattered nerves.

Standing there with his hands behind his back, he endeavored to look cool, calm and collected in the face of the evidence against it. Eric sensed the tension in him and sidled up for a word.

"Sir Joseph?" he mumbled "Are you gonna tell us what's going on with James? There were some mighty strange noises coming from his house last night" he leaned closer "A' Roaring and groanin' it sounded like Sir," A nervous hand scratched inside his jerkin ineffectually, twitching as it did so.

Joe grinned at the man "Ya'll find out soon enough lads. Now get in line and be quiet," He said as he saw James walking swiftly up the path towards the trembling men.

"Ahh young James" he purred in that pleasantly sadistic way drill sergeants have long perfected "Sooo glad you could tear yourself away from your new ...responsibility long enough to join us"

He had to show the others that James was nothing to fear and that he was going to be treated no differently.

James snapped off a textbook salute and moved to stand at his accustomed place in the line "Sorry Sir... had to find where everything was in the new quarters"

He avoided the Master-at-arms gaze and struggled to stop a huge smirk appearing.

Joe saw this and stepped up to him "Something funny novice?" he snarled, red nose and twitching mustache an inch away from James's face.

"N-no Sir" said James as the smirk threatened to push his ears apart.

Joe stepped back "There have been complaints" he said loudly, still looking at James "Strange roarin' noises in the night. Ya wouldn't know anythin' about them would ya?"

James squirmed as Joes gaze pinned him to the spot - this wasn't fair - but two could play that game.

"That would be my Dragoness Sir. She wasn't happy with the food you sent and had bellyache all night so she's pretty ...tetchy ...this morning," he said, struggling to keep his face deadpan.

There was a collective gasp as the rest of the novices stepped back from James as if he had sprouted scales and fangs himself.

Joe paled and tugged his mustache in dismay "Ah...so ...she's still hungry then?"

James nodded "She drooled all over the bed this morning" He found that he was enjoying this even as the rest of the novices were whispering to one another and trying to sidle off.

"I think she was looking at the stables Sir"

Joe reached out and grabbed James by the front of his jerkin and pulled him close "Now lad. Ya tell her to stay away from my mare or ..." he looked at the smirk on James's face and scowled.

"I suppose I have to tell everyone now you've dropped me in it right and proper," he whispered

James nodded and whispered back "Best thing Sir."

Joe scowled and dropped James back in the line "Listen up you low grade lummoxes!" he shouted, shocking the more nervous novices into dropping their swords.

"Get back in line, listen up and listen good as this is important" he cast a sidelong glance at James.

"There have been a few strange goings on here of late I know and well, I was just as curious about them as you were" he paced up and down the line of novices slowly.

"Young James here has done the keep a great service! He has personally captured and tamed a dragon!"

James looked shocked at the lie but kept his mouth shut. Joe had his reasons after all.

The novices all looked bug-eyed at the sweating James with new respect. He just hoped Cill was not awake and listening to this or he would be toast.

Joe kept walking up and down, pausing briefly behind a novice with his finger up his nose and swatting him "And this means he has new duties, new quarters and new training times if he is to be able to FLY patrols for us"

James flicked his gaze around, rapidly gauging the effects of the speech; there was a little jealousy and a lot of fear as well.

He wished he could say something to Joe about the possible effects of his words as he looked at the narrowed eyes and tight lips of his fellow trainees.

"He has suffered in the pursuit of his goal already what with the slight misunderstandin' with our priest but that has all been ...er dealt with" Joe hoped the men couldn't see his fingers crossed behind his back as he strode around them.

He had already had a quiet yet firm word with the two guards that had been outside the cell that night and warned them that a wrong word would have them guarding the same cell but on the wrong side of the door.

James groaned inwardly, this was not what he had expected. He had wanted to bring Cill out and have her meet the novices and greet them. Now they would all think she was a dumb animal. He could kick Joe for this stupidity.

"Now I want all of ya to stop this talk o' demons and such and let James get on wi' his dragon and let me make this clear...It is HIS dragon. None of ya are to go near it or interfere at all...Is that clear?"

There was a mumbled chorus of vague affirmations that Joe chose to accept as agreement. He caught James's furious gaze and sighed before turning to address the men again. "Good...Now get to the mess and get some breakfast down ya"

The novices scattered quickly then regrouped into smaller clumps as they muttered to one another.

James grabbed Joe by the arm "Joe!" he hissed "What was all that about? Cill will be furious and how will she ever get used to people if they're all terrified of her and think she's a dumb animal?"

Joe sighed again and pried James's surprisingly strong grip from his arm gently "Lad, ya saw those men. It was hard enough for them to accept the fact o' a Dragon let alone that she was intelligent and probably a damn sight smarter than they are"

James nodded as they walked along towards the mess hall "So how are we going to explain this to Cill?" he shook his head "I thought we could introduce her to them and let them see she's harmless"

Joe looked at him "Harmless? Lad ya got eyes haven' ya? She's sixteen feet of fanged fire-breathin' death ta those men... They'd be a'runnin' from here wi' their tail's 'tween their legs at th' thought o' a great beastie like tha' livin' wi' them"

He looked around nervously "Where is she anyway?" He asked "Is she just gonna pop outta thin air again?"

James shook his head "She was sleeping soundly when I left her but she might be awake by now" he concentrated a little on Cill, feeling her gentle thoughts as she slumbered. "Sleeping like a baby," he told Joe to reassure him.

"Good...I know it's hard ta swallow but as they get used ta her we will slowly let folks talk ta her an' get to know her properly" he gave James a nudge "after all...ya still have to finish your novitiate an' that's gonna take time"

James nodded and they walked into the mess hall together.

Marre was nervous and pacing the room as he pondered the coming afternoon. He did not know how to trigger James's magic except through some sort of extreme situation and he wanted his lab to stay in one piece after all.

Moona was sulkily sorting out scrolls from a pile stacked untidily in a corner. He was still smarting from the news that in horse-form, he was essentially and biologically a stallion and in a few months could soon be the proud father of a merrily prancing foal.

He tossed a scroll onto a pile and stared at Marre, he had not seen the old dragon this distressed since that time Shalla had turned his housekeeper Janna into a rat by mistake.

The thought of that spoilt brat made Moona think suddenly. She had been more interested in the Keep than his mission. This realization coming belatedly, as he was clear-headed and minus the alluring scent of mare heat in his nostrils.

He wondered what she had in mind and sighed, perhaps he should tell Marre of his suspicions but he could see the old blue had a lot on his mind already.

He was startled when Marre stopped pacing and walked over to where he was stacking his scrolls "What do you think of James?" Marre asked the elf suddenly.

Moona blinked "I-in what way master? He seemed nice enough and he certainly loves Cill"

Marre sighed gustily "Imagine you have no power...suddenly you find you have a power that no other human possesses. How do you react? What do you do?"

Moona scratched his head "I don't know master, It makes my skin crawl to think about life with no mana"

Marre nodded "And yet the humans go about their shallow, brief lives ignorant of it and it seems to make no difference to them" He tapped his fore talons together slowly "James has the power now and there's nothing we can do about it but how do we ensure he doesn't abuse it?"

Moona scratched his head slowly "I don't know Master, bind him in an oath web? "

Marre grinned, "Well done Moona, you are learning. But it will have to be done carefully and with forethought for the future" his eyes lingering on the small scale high on the shelf. Moona followed his gaze and wondered but knew better than to pry openly into the affairs of Dragons.

Nokala hesitated as he completed the ritual of summoning. The head of the clan was an ancient crotchety Dragon known only as the elder Wyrm as no one could remember his original name and he certainly wasn't telling.

"Ah, young Nokalamandrios" came the mental hiss from the elder, old and scratchy as dry scales but still strong "What brings you to call me at this time?"

Nokala swallowed nervously "I bring good tidings Clan master. My Daughter Cidiliana has found a suitable mate who can provide and care for her"

There was an amused hiss from the elder "So I hear," he murmured before lapsing into silence.

Nokala shuddered "Er...What have you heard revered Clan master?" he asked... trying to probe before committing himself.

"This and that" the rusty voice of the Wyrm came, "You did blurt it out at the council meeting after all and I have my spies there. They thought it was hilarious"

Nokala lowered his head and sighed "Have you heard the whole story or just that which your spies have shown you Clan master?" he was going out on a limb here as the wrong word would land him in serious trouble for a couple of centuries.

"I would like to hear the whole thing... from the human concerned" The elder stated slowly.

A surprised Nokala lifted his head "I'm sure he would be honored Clan master. The ceremony is to be held at Ridgemount tomorrow night and your presence would ensure that those who have ... issues... with him to see for themselves."

The elder Wyrm made a rasping hiss of acknowledgement "That remains to be seen. It is only for you and your daughter that we do this, young Nokala. Humans have never set foot in the clan hall before and this one shall not leave if he cannot perform the ceremony"

Nokala swallowed "Yes revered Clan Master. He is stout of heart and courageous else Cill would not have chosen him. There is one other thing..."

He could almost feel the elder Wyrm leaning closer "And that is?"

Nervously shifting his wings Nokala cringed in anticipation "He has coupled with her already...and it appears he has absorbed some of her mana during the initial mating"

"WHAT!" the shocked yell came through the link like a thunderclap "We have given a human our most secret and treasured power by ACCIDENT?"

Nokala's teeth rattled as the elder's anger came through in roiling waves "He has no idea of how to use it Revere..."

His reply was interrupted by a low angry hiss "Bring him to me at the ceremony" then the link was gone, broken abruptly as if snapped.

Nokala quivered in every sinew as the last words of the powerful elder echoed through him. He dare not try to re-establish the link now. Poor, poor James he thought to himself.

James finished his breakfast and sighed. They were still all staring at him. He stared back at one man and watched him flinch. Pushing his bowl to one side, he shook his head sadly and took a drink of water from his mug.

He was surprised to see Jack standing next to him looking red in the face and shuffling his feet "James... C-could I see your dragon?" he asked shyly. "I've always wanted to see one and never thought I could"

James checked swiftly with his mind - Cill was still asleep so a little peek couldn't hurt he thought.

"I don't see why not Jack. You'll have to be quiet though as she's still sleeping" he replied, slowly standing and smiling at the nervous novice.

Jack went even redder and smiled broadly before following James out of the mess hall and into the bailey.

"Thank you James, Eric says it couldn't be a real dragon as they all died out years ago but I bet he's wrong"

James nodded "He is wrong. Cill is real and intelligent too" James grinned to himself. If he had to change opinions slowly, he could do it one person at a time. He hoped that it wouldn't take too long for everyone to get over their fear once Cill had greeted them properly.

James strode up to his new room and opened the door. Cill was still snoring away quietly on the bed and he let Jack in beside him to see her.

Jack's eyes bulged and he tried to speak as he saw the huge dragoness sleeping on the oversized bed. He stepped out the door and bent over, his hands on his knees as he breathed hard.

"It's real... and so big..." he panted as he looked at James who was concerned for his health. Surely it wasn't healthy to be breathing that hard. He patted Jack on the back gently "She is real and her name is Cill. She is gentle and kind and would not hurt you Jack"

"Where do you sleep if she is on the bed?" Jack asked once his breathing had slowed to normal.

James grinned, "She gets upset if I'm too far away so I sleep next to her," he admitted then sighed as the novice began to shudder again. "B-but she could eat you ..."

James shook his head "She wouldn't do that Jack. We respect one another and share our food with each other. She can talk and would tell her yourself if she was awake"

There was a tingle in his head "If who was awake?" came the sleepy voice of his mate.

James grinned broadly "Want to have another look at her?" he said aloud so Cill could hear "You don't need to be frightened of her"

Cill could sense amusement in his voice and tone and wondered what was going on when a new face appeared from around the door. One red and shiny with sweat.

Jack's mouth fell open as he met the green-eyed gaze of the dragoness and he felt rooted to the spot.

"Hello" murmured Cill to the novice who was gaping at her like a freshly stunned mullet. He was able to hear her, as he was more awed than scared by this time. His mouth opened and closed slowly but no words came out.

"Cill, this is Jack. Jack this is Cill." James said as he introduced the pair. Walking into the room, he wrapped his arms around Cill's neck "Sleep well dear?" he thought to her.

Cill hummed softly and nuzzled him affectionately "Very well dear...Is he just going to stare at me?" she asked querulously her gaze flicking back up to Jack.

"I think he's a bit overwhelmed and scared" murmured James to her "Hold on"

James walked over to Jack and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Its rude to stare Jack, say hello instead"

Jack jerked and coughed. He had fully expected to see James eaten on the spot but instead he had hugged the dragon closely and spoke to her.

"H-hello" he stammered to Cill shyly not knowing what else to say. "Pleased to meet you"

Cill's gaze flicked back to James. "I suppose they will all be coming in to stare at me?" she murmured.

James nodded and stroked her chin "Only till they get used to you then I suspect they'll conveniently ignore you as they won't know what to think. Joe has already made it clear that your mine" he grinned at her.

Cill rumbled amusedly and wrapped him in her paws in front of the astonished Jack "And did he also say that your mine?" she purred, giving him a mischievous lick on the face.

James spluttered and mock-struggled as he was soundly licked "Eeeww...Dragon slobber' he laughed and kissed her on the muzzle.

Jack was astonished at the sight. Not only did she seem to be friendly but just what was going on between the pair? He could not hear the private mental channel the two enjoyed but it was obvious there was something weird going on.

He coughed nervously and slowly backed towards the door "Thanks James and you too Cill" he managed to get out. He had lots to tell the others back in the barracks.

"That's ok Jack. Go and let the others know what you've seen and that they're not to fear Cill or treat her like an odd animal ok?"

Jack nodded quickly and took off back up towards the barracks at a dead run.

James grinned "I think it'll be round the keep before sunset that things aren't what they seem' he nudged Cill in amusement. "It will be a while before the others show though. They won't believe Jack at first and will have to see for themselves. "

Cill grinned back at him and gave him a prod with a talon "There is one thing we forgot"

James looked up at her "Oh? What was that?"

Cill flushed a little, as she looked at him "Where's the toilet around here?"