FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The foreign man in the front seat muttered under his breath, "Damn, why do I always get the freaks on the early shift? Should probably report this... ah fuck it, I don't care." He was referring to the two furs in his back seat. The first was a tall black lab, wearing a heavy black duster, staring out the window, a scowl on his muzzle. The other a young rat, sobbing quietly in his seat, wearing a torn open button down white shirt, and tight black jeans. The cabbie pulled up to the project the lab had indicated and stopped the meter. "Twenty-six, thirty-five." The lab sighed and dug into one of the pockets of his duster, pulling out a worn black wallet, and fished out twenty seven dollars and handed it to the driver.

"Keep the change." He said as he stepped out of the vehicle, pulling the sniffling rat with him.

"Gee thanks, sixty-five cents, I'm gonna buy me a nice house out in the hills and retire." The man said, the sarcasm heavy in his voice.

Asshole. Cygnus shouted in his mind as he dragged Jr. into the decrepit projects. He stopped out of habit to check his mailbox, empty as usual. "C'mon, we're going to have to take the stairs."

"What floor do you live on?" The white rodent sniffled through his slowing sobs.

"Eighth. Elevator's broken." The rat moaned out his disapproval, hanging his head slightly. The lack of sleep was starting to get to both furs, their ears drooped, their feet hurt, and neither one could keep their eyes open for very long before their bodies forced them to shut. The pair trekked up the flights of steps, and after an eternity, reached the eighth floor. Through the heavy, rusted, steel door they made their way to apartment H12. No need to un-lock the door, it was still broken. The lab ushered the boy into his apartment and shut the door, grabbing a nearby chair and placing it under the knob. Quinn's sobs eventually came to a whimpering end as his eyes roamed across the humble abode, eventually falling on the broken television. He stood there and wrapped his arms around himself, shivering as if he were cold. Cygnus walked to his refrigerator and pulled out the unlabeled bottle and took a swig, then put it back. "I'm going to sleep, you should too. We'll get up in the morning and try to scrounge up some cash so we can eat."

"Wh... where do I sleep?" Cygnus walked to the hallway and pulled a large yellow blanket out of the closet and handed it to the boy.

"The couch. I'll wake you up when it's time to go."

"Where are you going to sleep?" The rat asked, taking the blanket tentatively.

"My room, where else?" Cygnus replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice. The rat took a quick look around the room again, unsure of sleeping in the insecure area. As he turned to face Cygnus, he saw that the lab had left him all alone and was already heading into his room. He gripped the yellow blanket tighter and walked to the couch. He began to empty his pockets of their contents onto the wooden coffee table, his eyes staring at the weapons his father had bestowed upon him; the plain short sword along with a finely maintained .45 He sighed shakily, feeling like he was about to start crying again. Despite this he pulled a silver chain out from under his shirt. On the end of the necklace was a silver ring, scratched and dented from being constantly worn and dropped. Jr. sat down and pulled the blanket around him, not taking his eye off the ring, the only memory of his mother he had. It had been the engagement ring his father had given her. He lay down on the couch, the springs pressing through the thin cushions and into his side. He started sobbing again, his head already aching and his eyes red. He slowly cried himself to sleep in the unfamiliar apartment, clutching the ring tightly.

***

Cygnus closed the door and started to secure all of the locks, finally sliding a heavy metal bar across the door. He then began the arduous task of taking out and cleaning his weapons. He pulled out his Single action revolver, still fully loaded and placed it on his worktable. Then his Mac 10, ejecting the empty clip and placing them next to the revolver. He pulled out his supplies and set about cleaning both weapons. He knew that cleaning them so often wasn't necessary, but he wanted them to always be in peak condition. As he cleaned the guns he couldn't help but let memories of every battle he'd seen, or been part of drift to the front of his mind. He tore apart tonight's scenario, every move, every shot, trying to figure out how to avoid similar blade locks with his opponents. It was pure luck that the sun had come up. If it hadn't there would have been no way for him to hold back Mike. This was how every night ended for him. Sitting at a table, cleaning his weapons, and thinking about his skirmishes. The hunt consumed every aspect of his life, he never thought about anything else. Why do I do it? The familiar question blazed in his tired mind. Every night I sit and do the same thing. I should take a night, and just not hunt... I should just go out and find something else to... The thought dissipated quickly, realizing he didn't know anyone in the city aside from the rat that had just tried to kill him, the sobbing child in the living room, a few patrons in Cleo's, and the Kindred he had hunted for so many years. Comparatively speaking he had very few contacts for a hunter.

He took a deep breath and looked down the cleaned barrel of his revolver and blew into it. He clicked the pistol closed and set is aside and decided to be spontaneous for once and let his Mac 10 sit until tomorrow night. From his duster he produced his shortsword and knife. He ran a finger along the sword blade, feeling the nicks that tonight's battle had caused. The lab leaned down and opened one of the many drawers on his desk, examining the contents before pulling out his worn sharpening stone. He ran the stone across his sword, slowly fixing the imperfection. Why don't I know anyone? The world won't end if I take one single night to just go out and meet some people. He smiled his first smile in quite sometime. The thought of taking a bit of time off actually appealed to him.

You selfish prick! Ah, and there's the voice of guilt. Don't you remember!? Remember what they did to you and your parents!? The smile on his muzzle quickly faded. Finally his knife was laid on the table. There were no scratches, no nicks, no problem with this blade, and its handcrafted mural on the side still shining brightly in the light of his lamp. Cygnus stood and placed each weapon back in its respective spot before moving to the bed and sitting down. He kicked off his heavy boots, sighing quietly as his paws were finally freed. He started to completely disrobe, staring down at his body as he did. I'm getting really thin, I need to go shopping. That kids gonna need to eat too. I doubt he's as used to going without food as I am. The canine finally lay back onto his bed, nuzzling slightly into the pillow. As he drifted off to sleep he did his best to not think about the nightmares he knew were going to visit him, just as they did every night.

***

The mage and the two Kindred tromped down the stairs in the ancient warehouse, the buck leading the way. The stairs led to a large room that might have once been filled with cubicles, occupied by men and women ceaselessly typing away at their computers, or possibly typewriters if the décor was as ancient as it looked. The walls were covered in dark green wallpaper, faded and ripped in several spots. There was even cherry wood trim along the ceiling and hardwood floor. "So where do we sleep?" The voice shook the buck from his admiration of his run-down hideaway.

"Just pick a spot and lay down. But don't go downstairs. You can explore this floor all you like, but stay out of the sub-basement." The fox who had asked the question shrugged his shoulders and walked into a side room where he plopped down onto the floor. The half Doberman, half horse followed the fox and laid down behind him, offering the fox something to rest against. Mike reclined onto Hark's belly, closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep. Hark was not far behind. The curse in their blood made it almost impossible to stay awake after daybreak, and the sun had risen almost half an hour ago. Rem watched the two Kindred interestedly. It was rare that two of the damned would actually sleep in the same room like that, let alone against one another. He shook his head in confusion, motioning from the stairs to the back of the room. From the darkness of the stairway came three rotting corpses. Each one swaying its head as it walked, allowing the cargo on their backs to bang against the walls until they entered the large room. The undead followed the buck, occasionally letting out a mournful groan, as if their mere existence caused them pain.

Rem grabbed hold of the handle on the large steel door at the back of the office, pulling it open he ushered in the undead. He followed them down into the dank basement, staring at his newfound prize. On the back of the zombie in front of him was an unconscious Kindred, the stake in his heart making sure he stayed that way. Since Rem was young he'd heard tales and myths about his ancestors using Kindred to perform powerful rituals and rites. The most common story was that of his great great uncle Shad Bloodmist. The story dictated that he was able to capture a "live" Kindred, extract its spark of un-death, and transfer it into his own body. From that day he was able to lift boulders, survive the most grievous of wounds, and even use the Disciplines of the damned. The whole story was in one of the heavy tomes Rem kept in his study, as well as a myriad of other Bloodmist family spells, rituals, and stories.

At the bottom of the darkened stairs Rem emerged into his own little kingdom. He looked from his desk, cluttered with papers, scales, pens, and other utensils far more sinister, to the door leading to his real study. The cervine leaned his scimitar he was still carrying up against the wall next to the stairs. This was his primary living quarters. Here was his afore mentioned desk, cot, a small bookcase containing his favorite books, and his small television. Thanks to the bit of knowledge he had about electronics he managed to fashion a "Black Box" so that he could get all of the television stations. He was surprised that there was even a cable wire down here, but he decided not to dwell on the fact. The room was quite cozy it was barely able to hold all three zombies, their payload, and Rem at the same time. The undead hauled their payload through a solid oak door on the left, but the buck stayed in his room. Well, that was an interesting start to the day. Might as well hit the shower before I go...heh, experiment... with my new subjects. Instead of following his rotted servants he went through a similar oak door on the right.

Rem had to pull several strings and talk to dozens of people, but he managed to find another Awakened to transform this storage space into a full bathroom. He flicked on the light, illuminating the room with a soft glow. The cervine ran his hoof along the dark green marble that made up his sink and most of the bathroom. He traced a single finger along one of the veins in the polished rock as he walked to the shower. Because this room was just as big as his living space, he asked the man that converted the room to put body sprays into the shower. The walls of the shower were also made of the dark green marble. Rem opened the frosted glass door and leaned in to turn on the water. As he turned the knob hot water sprayed from the shower head, and quickly started to fill the shower stall with steam. He closed the shower door and started to take off his black, chain covered pants. He undid the button and they fell heavily to the floor. He stood for a second and looked into the large circular mirror on the wall. The buck was a bit pudgy, but then again, living on fast food would do that to you. The white fur that ran from his neck to belly was slightly discolored, bits of dirt and flesh hung in the fur, while the coarse brown hair that covered the rest of his body seemed to gleam in light of the glass wall sconces. He loved his shower, but he didn't get to use it much. He spent most of his time experimenting in his study.

He brought a hoof up to his antlers, pressing the tip of one against his palm. He brought it back unmarked. Time to sharpen them again I guess, he thought to himself. Rem stepped out of the pants around his ankles and into the shower, closing the door after him. He stood under the hot water flowing from the shower head. I should call dad, he and grandpa would be ecstatic to hear what I caught today. I'll need their help to decipher the older pages of the book anyway. He grabbed the shampoo from the wall and lathered up his fur, craning his neck back as he washed his shoulders. The buck sighed heavily, having remembered how he had caught the three Kindred in the first place. I suppose the best thing we could do is lay low. They know about my abode. I'm going to have to move. The buck sighed again. I hate moving my research. He finished rinsing the last of the shampoo from his fur and stepped out of the large shower. He quickly dried himself with one of the towels hanging on the nearby rack and stepped back into his chain laden pants.

Rem walked back through his bedroom and through the door ahead of him, and was greeted by the powerful smell of rot and decay he had come to enjoy. The room was enormous, slightly larger than the warehouse above him. The walls were made of poured cement, the light gray occasionally interrupted by a splash of black soot, evidence of his previous failed spells. Lining the center of the ceiling were large dome lights, the kind most often seen in auditoriums with the cages around the bulbs. The room was basically empty, save for the far end of the room. This was where the magic literally happened. He had set up a plethora of corkboards, desks, bookcases, shelves, and metal storage containers here. Every day of experimentation, every idea, every blueprint he had ever made was here in his study. Along with all of his research, stood many of his experiments themselves. Corpses shambled around this end of the room, looking up as he approached. He ignored their stares, making a beeline for the large oaken desk in the corner of the room. He reached out and swiped several pads of papers onto the floor, revealing a hefty book. As one of the corpses shambled over to pick up the discarded paper, Rem sat down in the beaten up plastic chair that sat in front of the desk and pulled the book into his lap, grunting slightly as it slammed into his thighs. He stared at the books blood red cover, marveling at how it was kept in such pristine condition despite the centuries it was rumored to exist. The symbol on the cover, his family crest, was still clearly visible. It was a paw, palm outward, and all of the fingers extended save for the thumb, which lay against the palm. Wrapping around the hand were thorny vines, constricting against the hand, holding it together. He opened to the cover page, to the first words he had ever read.

To the Family Bloodmist

May your understanding of death.

Enhance your life.

Rem chuckled to himself. Who had written these words, who had originally given the book to his family, or even why, was a mystery lost to the ages. He flipped the page, and was greeted with a wall of the cursive handwriting. He ignored the script and continued to flip through the book, occasionally stopping to admire the hand drawn diagrams and illustrations that appeared in the manuscript. Most of them macabre drawings of cross sections of human and anthro bodies, others of hideous creatures engaged in combat. As he flipped through the pages his mind started to drift, strange yet comforting memories of his childhood floating to the surface.

***

The night was cold, as it usually was in the desert. A much younger Rem walked alongside his father. The elder buck wore a heavy black robe, similar to his sons with the exception of being much larger. The two walked through the dark, the larger male humming a tune to himself.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Rem asked his father, the concern heavy in his voice. His father had always said to never go out after dark, yet here they were.

"Rem, do you remember the little episode you had yesterday?" The young cervine nodded quickly, the visions and screaming still fresh in his memory. "You've been awakened Rem." He stopped and turned to his son, trying to contain his joy. "You can feel it can't you." It was a statement, not a question. He knew the boy could feel the energy now flowing through his body.

"Yeah, but it feels funny. Like I have ants crawling all over me." The boy shivered, scratching at the fur on his arms and legs, trying to rid himself of the imaginary pests. His father laughed a bit, ruffling his son's hair through the robe's hood.

"You're only eight Rem; it'll go away as you get older. Now, you asked where we're going? Tonight, I'm going to take you to see your first glimpse of the power you'll wield some day." He reached out and took his sons hand, leading him through the freezing dark. After what to Rem felt like an eternity his father stopped. "It's right here." He pulled a flashlight from the pocket of his robe and shined it on the ground, revealing a still, lifeless rabbit.

"Poor bunny." The young cervine said quietly, staring into the empty eyes of the rabbit. He had seen death, he was surrounded by it constantly since birth, but unlike the shambling lifeless servants he was used to seeing, the rabbit did not move. It didn't moan, it didn't lurch, it simply lied in the sand. "Why isn't it moving daddy?"Â

"Because it's dead Rem, truly dead. When a creature dies, their soul departs their body and enters the after life. What's left is simply a shell, useless to the previous inhabitant. But we can make use of it. We can lend this shell a bit of our power, allowing it to live again, in a sense." The elder buck looked to his son, hoping that he had explained it well enough. It was true that Rem had seen the servants. Hell, they had helped raise him. But he had never been faced with true death.

"So... if we bring back the bunny with our power... it'll be alive again?" Rem kneeled down and reached out to pet the rabbit, feeling how cold and stiff it was under his hoofs.

"Kind of. Its body will move, it will respond to our commands, but its soul will remain in the afterlife. It will simply be an empty moving vessel. Do you understand?"

"Yes... I think so. Is there a way to bring a soul back from the afterlife?" The cervine looked up to his father, expecting an answer, but none was given. The father simply stared down at the rabbit.

"Would you like to see how we create an undead servant Rem?" The boy nodded, hoping he didn't seem too eager. "This will be the first time you've witnessed a mages power in action Rem, it will mark you as a real Bloodmist mage. You'll be expected to start taking part in our rituals, help with experimentations, and eventually start adding things to the family journal. Do you think you're ready for that?" In truth, Rem wasn't sure. He had been allowed to read the book before. But the things described in it gave him nightmares. The thought of creating such things scared the young male, but he didn't want do disappoint his father and the rest of his family. He nodded, gulping audibly.

"Yeah... I'm ready." His father handed him the light, telling him to hold it on the rabbit. The elder buck then kneeled down and started to draw a circle around the small lapine followed by small runes around the inside of said circle. Each small glyph perfectly etched into his mind, as well as the sand. First was a double S shape, the ends of both S's opened up like jaws. The second was a circle with a spiral within it. The third and final glyph was an imprint of his father's paw in the sand. In the palm of the hand, he drew a chain wrapping around the middle finger and thumb. With a final glance over all three glyphs he placed his paw back over his imprint and his other over the corpse of the rabbit. Rem jumped back and dropped the flashlight as the glyphs started to glow bright silver, bathing the small area in a soothing light. But the color of the light soon changed. It started to darken, becoming a light blue, then shifting to a heavy purple, and finally a deep crimson. The young buck's eyes widened as he watched his father throw his head back and take in a loud raspy breath, but never removing his paw from either the rabbit, or the paw print in the sand. Only seconds passed before it all came to a quick stop. Rem's father stood and stepped back from the rabbit, a smile on his lips.

"Get the light Rem." He asked quietly. "You don't want to miss this." Still slightly shaking, Rem picked up the light, bringing the beam back to lie on the circle. The ground had been burned, especially where the glyphs were placed. It had gotten so hot in those spots that sand had actually been turned to glass causing the light to reflect back into Rem's eyes. He moved the beam of light to keep from blinding himself, but as he did he heard a sound; a loud popping from directly in front of him. He moved the light back into the circle...

***

Cygnus awoke from his light sleep due to the pounding on his bedroom door. He reflexively grabbed a shotgun from the wall, loaded it with two slugs, and cocked it. He didn't bother grabbing any clothing as he tiptoed to the door. "Who the hell is it!?" He shouted, listening intently for the response. After several seconds he could hear a voice, barely above a whisper.

"It's...It's me, Quinn. Can I come in?" The lab started unlocking the multitude of latches on the door before slowly opening, pointing the shotgun through the crack between the door and the reinforced frame. He could see the young white rat on the other side, wringing his tail nervously between his paws. Quinn stared down the barrel of the gun in his face, his eyes opening wide.

"What do you want?" Cygnus asked, still expecting someone or something to leap from the shadows.

"There are... people fighting in the hallway. I was just wondering if I could sleep in your room." The lab leaned his head out the door. He could hear shouting coming from the other side of his front door. From the sound of it, the landlord was trying to get last month's rent from his neighbor.

"It's just the landlord, you'll be fine." Quinn stepped back and folded his ears back, wringing his tail a bit more. He turned and started to walk down the hall, continuously looking about as if he were scared of an attack. The lab shook his head.

"Quinn, you can sleep in here. Just stay on your side of the bed." The rat raced back to the room and was instantly awestruck at what he saw. His eyes roamed over the multitude of weapons that occupied the small bedroom. These are all... his? He thought to himself as he walked over to one of the racks that held a particularly deadly looking sword with a serrated edge. Quinn was surprised by an unprovoked yawn, unable to suppress a bit of squeak at the end. He jumped as Cygnus started to chuckle and close the locks. "You're a hunter? That squeak sounded more like it came from a pup to me."

Quinn started to wring his tail again, bringing a paw to his mouth to nervously chew on the nail of his index finger. The insides of the rodent's ears turned a bright red from embarrassment. Cygnus walked across the room and yanked Quinn's paw away from his mouth. "Wh-what was that for?"

"If you want to really be a hunter, stop chewing your claws. Grow em' out. Guns and swords can be knocked out of your hand, these can't." Quinn blinked as he saw the labs claws. They were short, but they had been filed into neat little points. His gaze slowly moved from the labs fingers to his chest. Quinn could see his new mentor kept himself in shape. His chest was toned, almost picture perfect save for the multitude of scars across it. His eyes traveled down to the clearly defined six pack the lab possessed. The black fur barely illuminated by the streetlights and various neon signs below the window. He was thin though, as if he hadn't eaten in months. His blush grew deeper as he noticed the male still holding his paw was not wearing any boxers. He couldn't take his eyes off the sizeable sheath and sac. "We need to get some sleep kid." Cygnus ignored the boy's stares and slipped into bed, staying near the edge.

Quinn hesitated before walking over and sitting down on the bed. He kicked off his black and white Converse high top sneakers and pulled off his shirt. Damn it! This was my favorite shirt too. I'm going to have buy new buttons, sew on new ones; these stains probably won't come out either. The rat tossed the shirt aside and took a quick glance over at the other occupant of the bed before laying his head down. He was nervous about sleeping in the same bed with Cygnus, but his exhaustion quickly helped him drop off to sleep.

Cygnus stared at the wall; sleep straying just out of his grasp. It had been years since he had slept in the same bed as another fur. Let alone an attractive one. Thoughts of the rats toned chest and flat stomach rushed through the lab's mind. Stop thinking about it Cyg. He's way too young for you, just put it out of your mind and get some sleep. If Rook has info for you, you'll need the rest. Cygnus hated going to see that self-righteous hawk. He was cocky and arrogant, and the only jobs he knew of were always incredibly dangerous. The monetary reward more than made up for the danger, occasional injury and the special fee for the info... for the most part. Cygnus slowly started to drift off to sleep, but not before he felt the other fur shift and roll over in his sleep.

The rat rolled right next to him and draped an arm over the lab. Despite being extremely uncomfortable with the boy being so close he fought the urge to leap out of the bed. Instead he curled up and tried to get closer to the edge, but Quinn pulled him back. "Mmmm, Wubzy." The boy muttered in his sleep. He leaned forward and started to nibble at Cygnus's ear, cuddling against his back as he did so. If there had been enough light Cygnus would have been able to see a black lab with red ears in the reflection of the metal table across from him.

He didn't attempt to make Quinn stop though. As awkward as the situation was, it was nice have someone close to him again. He felt safe, and warm. Feelings he hadn't had since his parents were alive, almost seventeen years ago. A smile crept across his muzzle as he snuggled back against the rat. Maybe I'll keep him around for a little while.

***

Rem snapped back to attention at the sudden moan from one of his undead. He looked down at the heavy book in his lap and turned to the back of the book, where his own entries started. He picked up a black pen and started writing.

I've had the fortune of capturing several Kindred. Such a feat hasn't been accomplished in quite some time. I can't take all of the credit of course. Two hunters and two other Kindred showed up, and due to difficult circumstances, we have become an impromptu Coterie. It feels strange to be using Kindred terminology, but it seems to fit quite well. I am going to go back to Shad's writings and start trying to recreate his spells tonight. With luck, I'll be able to take whatever it is that gives them their power, and absorb it into my own body. Or at best, store it in some kind of vessel. My previous experiments will have to wait, despite my eagerness to finish several of them.

He stopped writing and set his pen down on the desk. Rem started flipping back through the pages, quickly finding the entries he was looking for. Here was a familiar page. A diagram of a spell circle with a drawing of a Kindred in the middle. Around him were a multitude of objects and symbols. All of the symbols were familiar... save for one. It was a cross inside of a circle, with what looked almost like a simplified flower in bloom behind it. He ran a finger over the shape trying to draw it in his mind, to mentally copy it into his memory. Where could Shad have learned this one? It's never been in any of the other writings, and no one's ever described anything like it. The symbol had always mystified Rem. He had never gotten the chance to ask his family about the shape. By the time he had stumbled across these pages he was already out on his own, and every time he called his family the shape had fled his mind in the excitement of hearing from them. He absent-mindedly flipped through the pages, hoping to find some sort of meaning or reference to the new symbol. Instead he found something that disturbed him greatly; several missing pages of the book. In between two pages at the beginning of Shad's journals, there were the remnants of five missing sheets of paper, only millimeters of them still clinging to the spine of the book. This... must be it! This must be where the description of that symbol was. But why is it gone? There have been pages missing before, but they've all been returned and taped back in. No one has ever even mentioned this one. There's very little left, they might not have noticed. I'll give dad a call.

***

The dream was the same, exactly the same as every other night, despite having a companion in his bed. Cygnus opened his eyes, and there was his mother, standing over him. She was wearing that same white sundress with the hand stitched roses on the side. Each petal and thorn etched into Cygnus' memory perfectly. Her face was ablaze with a proud smile. After all, today her son would finally be joining the ranks of their master's elite servants. Eleven years old, he was finally old enough to partake in his first sip of Vitae. She spoke wordlessly, what she had said that day lost even to the labs deepest memories. As if in fast-forward his day played in front of his eyes. He watched himself get out of bed and put on the same clothing he had every night for the last seventeen years. The same black pants and gray shirt with black vest. The deep crimson buttons down the middle reminded him of the Black Widows he would see outside in the grass. He slipped on the black dress shoes and walked to the dining hall.

The mansion hadn't changed. The same powder blue rug stretched down the long hall. Every door he passed was open and he was greeted at each by a smiling face of either a human or anthro of varying species. All of them congratulating him, comforting him, encouraging him. Every detail, every aspect was the same as before. One of the light bulbs had burned out on the third chandelier from the end of the hall, just like it had always been. As he descended the stairs there were fresh roses in the blue china vase on the oak end table on the landing, the dew still clinging to the petals glinted in the morning light pouring in from the giant bay windows. It was morning, and the ceremony wouldn't take place until after nightfall so that the master could administer the first sip. He had plenty of time.

The same breakfast of fresh pancakes made by the chef. Normally he would go out to help in the fields today. Pulling weeds, watering any dry patches, carting fertilizer, but not today. He was allowed free reign until night. He used the time just as he did every time. He played with the younger children for several hours, careful not to get his dress clothing dirty. Then he watched television until the shows started to run together. Finally, off to pester the cook, trying to learn the old cat's secrets of how to make such delicious meals. It all passed in a soundless blur... until dusk. In a rush all of the sound came back, the first thing he heard was his father walking in the door from his day of work in the fields. "Well hello there my little man. How was your work-free day?"

"It was great poppa! I played soccer, and saw a bunch of shows I've never seen before, and I tried to help Meesto make the meal... but he kicked me out of the kitchen when I spilled a bowl of chicken broth on him." The young lab lowered his ears, remembering how angry the cook was. The whole explanation exploded from his muzzle, the speed at which he tried to explain made it almost unintelligible.

"Well, at least you didn't do too much damage today." The elder lab laughed, the sparkle in his deep brown eyes comforting the pup. "I'm going to hit the showers and then go help them set up the decorations for your party, now stay out of the main hall until we come get you, okay?"

"Yes sir!" the young Cygnus shouted as he made a mock salute and ran off to his family's room. The master had always been good to his Herd. No one was over worked, everyone was well fed, and when the master needed to feed, he took from many servants, so as not to endanger any of their lives. And tonight Cygnus was going to get to join the elite. He was going to become a Ghoul. Only a chosen few were allowed to taste the masters Vitae, and even fewer were allowed at such a young age. This ensured that he would eventually become quite a powerful servant. With time he might actually develop some Kindred Disciplines as well as the increased strength and stamina that came with drinking Kindred Vitae. Cygnus spent the entire time in his room straightening his fur, fiddling with his suit, and polishing his shoes. He wanted to look his best for such an important night. He jumped as he heard the door open.

"Honey, it's time for us to start." His mother stood in the doorway, staring at her only child. The female canine was practically glowing. Even at such a young age Cygnus could see it in her eyes. She stepped forward and slowly lowered herself so that she could look her son straight in the eyes and started the speech Cygnus could recite by heart after hearing it so many times. "Cygnus, I know I've told you hundreds of times. But I'm really proud of you sweetheart. I look around at the children of the other families, and I just feel so privileged to have such a strong, kind hearted and well-behaved son like you. Not once have you ever disappointed me or your father, or done anything to embarrass us... too badly that is." She chuckled a bit. What memory could have been going through her head was a mystery even to Cygnus. She composed herself and stared into her son's eyes, her own a bit misty.

"I love you sweetie. And no matter what you will always be my little pup." She wrapped her arms around her son and held him tightly, almost to the point that he couldn't breathe, but he returned the hug, trying to comfort his mother just as he did every time. "I just can't believe my little boy is already so grown up." She burst into tears now, sobbing and clutching the boy. He was dumbfounded as usual. Once again he hugged her back, telling her everything was okay, that he would indeed always be her little pup. But this just made her cry more. Finally his father arrived to tame the situation.

"Come on..." A crack of thunder blotted out his father's voice, in the exact place of his mother's name. In his waking hours this would haunt Cygnus. Not being able to do her the simple favor of remembering her name would cause many sleepless nights on his part, but for now it was nothing more than the sign of a coming storm. "... The master is down stairs and ready to start. We don't want to keep him waiting."

She let go of her son and stood, wiping the tears from her eyes, "You're right hon. Let's go Cygnus." She took her sons hand and led him out of the room as if he had never been outside of the room and might get lost. Down the hall, down the stairs and right in front of the large double doors that led to the main hall. Young Cygnus could hear voices inside whispering, but soon they silenced. Just barely audible were the sounds of heavy footsteps and the crackle of speakers. He could hear a much louder voice now, but the words were still muffled. His mother leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Don't be nervous sweetie, when the doors open, just walk down the aisle like we practiced." He nodded slowly, his nerves finally catching up with him. Just as he was about to turn and bolt, the doors opened slowly. In front of him, seated in church-like pews, was every single resident of the estate. The only ones that were not present were the night guards, Nicky and Russell.

"And here he is our newest guardian!" The voice boomed over the speakers. The hall erupted in applause and cheers. Cygnus tried not to get distracted by the fanfare, instead focusing on the dark red paint on the wall behind his master. The man behind the podium, the Kindred that saved his parents and himself from a lifetime of homelessness, was a mountain of a human. He stood at least seven feet tall, and had a heavy build with jet black, slicked back hair. He was wearing a black suit with dark crimson buttons that almost matched Cygnus'. The young canine started walking down the dark red carpet towards the imposing figure. He glanced up at the wrought iron chandelier and its many bulbs before snapping his attention back on his master. He stared back at Cygnus with a look of pride and love. As Cygnus neared the oak podium his parents stopped and let go of his hands so that he could complete the trip on his own. The man in front of him dwarfed him. He stared up into the soft features and dark black eyes of the man he was about to swear to protect. As the master opened his mouth to speak Cygnus glimpsed the sharp fangs in his mouth.

"Tonight, we are here to induct our own little Cygnus into the lofty positions of this herd. From this day he will be one of your protectors. He will become a Ghoul. The training will be arduous, long, and on occasion, painful. Many have treaded this path before you, each of them just as capable as the last. You have quite a reputation to live up to Cygnus. But I... we, have faith in you." He paused and pulled a long curved dagger from the podium. The chipped obsidian blade glinted in the light from the chandelier. His master raised the dagger to his palm and slid it across his skin. Blood started to trickle from the wound. He cupped his hand and let it accumulate into a small puddle. "If you want to turn back Cygnus... now is the time. No-one here will think any less of you if you do."Â The young lab shook his head vigorously.

"No, I want to do this. I've been looking forward to it all my life." The Kindred lowered his palm to the boys muzzle. Cygnus leaned forward and stared at the small pool of blood. He could see his reflection in the red liquid. He stared into his own eyes, the realization that in the tiny act of drinking this blood, that his childhood would be over. The coming years would be full of training, work, and almost nothing else. The masters Ghouls were rarely seen save for when there was a special event or holidays. He pushed the thought from his mind. He didn't want to disappoint his family. They were just as excited about this as he had been earlier. He placed his chin on the edge of his masters hand and opened his muzzle and the master started to tip the blood toward the boys mouth. As the Vitae touched his lips Cygnus could already feel... different. A bit sick, but stronger at the same time. As it flooded his mouth he gulped it down, the coppery taste tickling his tongue. As the last drop passed his lips he stood up straight and looked around. Just as he was about to ask if he had had enough, the convulsions started. He dropped to his knees and started to whimper. Two other Ghouls rushed to his side and tried to steady him. There was no pain, no pleasure, but a rush of energy. Uncontrollable power coursed through his veins. He clenched his eyes shut and threw himself to the floor. The two other Ghouls tried to hold him still so that he wouldn't hurt himself. Cygnus had situated himself on his side, staring at the door, in the perfect position to watch the tragedy. Barely audible above the blood rushing through his head he heard a series of pops and gasps. The entire congregation stood and looked towards the main entrance. Before anyone could make a move a man in a heavy black duster flew in through the doors, tearing them from their hinges with the force of his flying body. It was Nicky, one of the guards. Behind him were several others, all of them dressed in various clothing. One of them, a black bear wearing a pair of baggy blue jeans and a plain green T-shirt, was holding a gun. One that even Cygnus recognized as a Tommy Gun. He had seen several gangster movies on television, even Cygnus was aware of what this gun could do. He would have been paralyzed with fear if he hadn't already been immobilized by the effects of his first taste of vampiric Vitae. Behind the armed bear was a slew of humans and furs, all of them holding various weapons.

The master shouted into the microphone, "Everyone, run! Ghouls! Destroy them!" The Ghouls at the young pups sides leapt into action, sprinting at the intruders with lightning like speeds. Their advance was quickly put to a stop by a hail of gunfire. Cygnus watched in horror as his friends, the people he had grown up with, his family, were shot and killed before him. He could hear his master's enraged screams behind him. Just overhead he could hear several whistling sounds as the familiar decorative spears that hung behind the podium flew overhead at the door. One of the humans was struck dead center of the forehead and quickly burst into ashes. Another, a mixed breed dog was struck in the heart. The spear went clean through and slammed into the stomach of a heavy set man behind him. The two fell in a heap, the dog quickly starting to rot like a tomato left out in the sun, while the man struggled back and pried the spear from his black T-shirt. The third and final spear hit the bear, squarely in the middle of his chest. The spear shattered his rib cage, and hit his spine. But he wasn't fazed. The bear pulled the spear out and dropped it to the ground. The hole in his chest had already started to close. As this all took place the other strangers went about capturing the rest of the Herd that was still alive and dragging them out the door. The last of them... Cygnus' parents. They were pulled kicking and screaming from the room and into the night. Cygnus started to cry, the tears rolled down his obsidian cheeks and onto the carpet. He made an attempt to crawl away, but his convulsions had not yet ceased. All the pup managed was to bite his tongue and rip the elbow of his fancy black shirt. Barely audible over his own heartbeat, Cygnus could hear a voice.

"Thompson, just stop while you're ahead! As powerful as you are there are just... too many of us. Simply surrender your Herd, and spare the bloodshed. You're just making this harder on the children." Cygnus turned his head jerkily and saw the bear standing at the front of the crowd, the Tommy Gun resting on his shoulder, and a sickening smile on his muzzle. Cygnus had only very rarely heard his master's name spoken. These men must have had a close tie to his master at one point. The canine's convulsions had finally started to slow, and the rushing sound in his ears started to die down. The voices were becoming much clearer.

"How could you do this Hector? This was completely unprovoked!" Thompson slammed his hand down on the podium, cracking the sturdy wood.

"Desperate times Kine lover, desperate times. Mike, go get the kid and bring him with us." From behind the bear stepped a fox wearing a leather jacket and blue jeans. His heavy boots thumped across the room and stopped right in front of Cygnus. He looked up into the eyes of an obviously young Kindred. His eyes still had a hint of life, and the pads on his palms were still slightly pink. Those palms grasped the front of his shirt and lifted him up. By now Cygnus had regained control of his body and he lifted his head to stare into the eyes of his captor. The fox stared back with a look that almost resembled pity. Or it could have just been hunger. From behind him Cygnus heard a howling, a familiar howl. His master was calling the wolves. He had done it on several occasions. When the wolves had come before they had been tame as a house pet, but they were different this time. The sound of answering wolves filled the ears of the occupants in the hall. The Kindred at the back nearest the entrance turned just in time to see droves of wolves come barreling out of the woods and latch onto the necks of their comrades piling the captives into trucks, just before they were tackled by the giant grey canines. Cygnus took this as a queue. He slammed his forehead down into the fox's muzzle. The bridge of his muzzle snapped and he dropped the child, stumbled back, and yelped in pain. This was the first time Cygnus had intentionally hurt someone. He looked to his master, as if for guidance. Thompson looked to the boy and screamed.

"Out the back Cygnus! Don't stop for anything!" Thompson reached into his black suit and pulled out an enormous handgun and started firing into the group of intruders. The sound was deafening, and the muzzle flash was bright enough to send one of the invading Kindred into Frenzy. His inner beast commanding him to run, and to destroy anything in his way. The Frenzying Kindred turned and ran for the door, slamming another Kindred into one of the sharp wall sconces. Cygnus turned and bolted out one of the side doors, finding himself in the kitchen, the smell of the meal that was supposed to be served still fresh in the air.

"You're lucky young pup; I almost bashed your head in." Cygnus jumped in surprise and jerked his head to his left. Meesto was standing there, a tenderizing hammer above his head, and a butcher's knife in his other paw. "C'mon now, run out the door that they bring the deliveries in. I'll try to hold them back. I was quite the brawler back in my hay days." Cygnus nodded and ran for the door as fast as his legs could carry him, which after ingesting the Vitae, was impressive for his age and size. He stopped at the door and looked back at the four foot five calico prepared to take on a group of Kindred, one of them obviously and elder, with just a small hammer and butchers knife. In a rush all of the memories of helping him in the kitchen came flowing back. Yet another close friend he knew he'd never see again. He almost started to cry again, but the cat's voice brought him back to his current situation. "What the hell are you waiting for!? Go!"Â Just as he opened the door the fox whose nose he had broken came in through the door, and was met with a hammer slammed down on his head. He stumbled backwards screaming obscenities. Without any more hesitation, Cygnus sprinted into the woods. As he ran the sounds of combat chased him. Even as the sounds started to fade, and the woods started to blur, his mother's voice rang in his head.

"I love you sweetie. And no matter what you will always be my little pup." His father's voice mixed with hers. "Well at least you didn't do too much damage today." His laugh got louder and distorted, taking on an eerie tone. Soon the trees were a grey mist, and the world was fading quickly.

***

Cygnus jerked straight up in his bed, tears dripping down his cheeks and onto his dark blue bed spread. He held his head in his paws and took several deep breaths. He was just about to get up when he looked towards the door, and found it slightly ajar. He stiffened and looked to the other side of the bed... Quinn was gone.

(Okay, I know there's no yiff in this one. But I guarantee that it will be in the next one. Until next time dudes.)