FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Soft blankets tugged on Veronica's leg. She groaned softly, kicking out into the cool air, trying to rearrange the comforter, then withdrew her legs back under the cocoon of warmth beneath. She came slowly into awareness, not opening her eyes but rather lying there, breathing deeply, luxuriating in the comfort and thinking. Remembering.

The night before, her black winged panther savior had led her into the den. There he had shown her a secret cabinet, in which were stored two small packets of strange crumbs--one a deep red, the other green. They were crushed herbs of some sort, and Xavier had smiled as he explained in that gloriously sensual voice. The red was invigorating, cinnamon and whatever else... The green, calming, relaxing. Eucalyptus, menthol, peppermint, or something like that. He removed a black porcelain statue from beneath the television cabinet, set it on the coffee table, and grinned. She'd chosen the green--relaxing. She didn't want excitement, not now. She wanted peace.

Xavier had then stepped aside and showed her the statue. It was phenomenally beautiful--a black swan, glinting and gleaming, its neck swept upward and bill opened slightly. The eyes were rubies, throwing tiny pinpricks of blood red light. The swan's wings were partially outstretched, reaching, graceful and very realistic. The statue overall was exquisite, tasteful and just a true work of art.

Veronica had admired it while Xavier looked on proudly. He then sprinkled just a bit of the green herbs into the swan's bill, and with a small wooden match, set it alight. The smoke--earthy and fresh--twisted up through the bird's nostrils, filling the room with the calming scent of eucalyptus. It was beautiful to both the eyes and the nostrils, and Veronica stayed beside it for a long while, staring and inhaling.

The two had sat down on the couch, talking quietly, the swan being the focus of their attention (well, it was in the polite sense, but really it was there to defuse tension). They spoke about politics, about evolution, about morals. At this point, the conversation grew interesting--to the white tigress, at least. Xavier had become quiet, somewhat withdrawn, thoughtful. Veronica pressed him a bit, asking about his morals; he had smiled softly, launching into a sad soliloquy that showed how often Xavier pondered the subject.

"I do what I think is right, or whatever is the lesser evil. But I can never know if serving the lesser evil is serving good. I mean--what do you do if you're offered the choice to kill one man to save a species? Some people would kill, some wouldn't. What if it is a species of butterflies? Of plants? Yes, they each have their place, but most consider them 'lower forms.' But maybe this man is going to save mankind down the road, or Furrs. Then what? How do you weigh life? If you can kill a man to save mankind, do you do it?" He fell quiet for a moment. Then, "Most would. I probably would. Most humans would--but then what does that say about us sentients? Maybe if we are still willing to kill to save ourselves, then we're still... " He trailed off, and shrugged. There was no way to politely segue into other conversation, not that Veronica could see, and so she just nodded in agreement and stared into the smoke. Finally, she spoke, feeling through the silence that Xavier wanted her opinion, perhaps justification or approval.

"All we can ever do," she said quietly, "is what we think is right at the time. We can't second-guess, or feel guilt later, even if it turns out to be a wholly wrong choice--we have to make our decisions, feel confident making them, and then accept that we've done our best. And if you ever don't know what's right, ask a group of children," she added as an afterthought.

This prompted such a total silence that she turned and looked at the black feline beside her. He was watching her with a total admiration that almost frightened her. He smiled, and reached out a paw to gently stroke her cheek.

"You," he began, then broke out in a grin, "are brilliant."

That had been last night. They'd had more chitchat, then gone to bed; he'd chastely kissed her on the forehead--a tender and nerve-wracking moment for a tigress who'd never had gentle, consensual physical touch with anyone--and then they'd gone to sleep.

**************************

That day went fast. Veronica came downstairs to use the bathroom, and found Xavier happily cooking another meal in the sunlit kitchen. She helped him feed the dogs, too--they were quite friendly and affectionate; Xavier said that he normally spent lots of time with them, let one or two in the house at a time, and that they preferred to stay outdoors but now wanted in because they missed him. They'd played with the dogs after a breakfast of hot oatmeal and cinnamon toast, and then Xavier had gone for a quick shower. Veronica cleaned up a bit, then paced, somewhat bored. She went to her room and picked out clothes for the day (they were going to go for a hike in the nearby forests, so she picked the black jogging outfit she'd hung out in yesterday for an hour or two, along with the sneakers). When Xavier emerged (resplendent as a well-dressed king in the bright white terrycloth robe) she slipped in to take a shower too.

Rinsing her body down with hot water, she was surprised to notice how... delicious... Xavier's lingering scent smelled to her. It was musky and masculine, but delicate too, like a... She tried to think of an analogy, and remembered the black glass swan downstairs. Yes, like that--fragile, but exuding power and a sort of dominant grace. She felt her body begin to react, and quelled it quickly, trying to push it away.

After finishing the whole shampooing of her coat and rinsing it all off, she shook her coat half-dry and turned off the shower, drying herself with a towel and quickly getting dressed. Xavier stood waiting just beyond, and was breathtaking--he wore simple black sweatpants like her own, and a black sweatshirt... But he looked gorgeous, the black-on-black making him look like a study in shadows.

The two went out the back door, heading across the feild toward the dark trees. The dogs came bounding up, panting and wagging their tails, racing around them as they walked. Veronica and Xavier gave them scritches and gentle pats on the head, neck and body, and the dogs charged off ahead, running to the trees and back again, obviously intent on accompanying them.

Xavier and the wolfdogs led Veronica deep into the dark, cool wood; the trees were tall and majestic, the forest floor bare, dark and damp, and the wind rustled through the branches. The whole place had a powerfully magical feel, and Veronica felt it singing through her body. The wolves ahead made the whole thing feel like a bizarre dream.

They hiked to a small stream, where the two sat on an overhanging rock, dangling their pawfeet in. The wolfdogs charged right in, panting, rolling and swimming in the cold water. It was a beautiful place; the water formed a wide, deep, mostly still pool surrounded by tall trees, where one could look up at the sky while swimming, or bathing, or whatever. The stream came from a steep bank on one side and threaded away into the trees on the other. For a long moment the two simply relaxed, enjoying the peace and the magic around them.

Eventually Xavier smiled, pulled the white tigress close, and pointed out the small fish in the pool. He was explaining the stream's ecosystem at length when there was a shrill squealing sound. They both jumped, and then he grinned at her, green eyes sparkling.

"Cell phone," he explained. He slowly stood, removing it from a pocket, and looked at the caller ID. For a long moment, he just stared blankly. Then, quietly, softly... "Oh, hell." He flashed Veronica one glance, and then turned and moved quickly off to answer in semi-private. She stared after him, concerned.

His look was one of very, very deep trepidation. As in, an emergency phone line that had been called by the President or something. What could be happening? Xavier stood facing away, pacing slightly farther into the trees, great black wings partially spread to hide his body language and the sound of his voice. The white tigress wouldn't have been able to make much out, but it didn't matter--Sarge, one of the wolfdogs, was right up in her face, panting and slobbering cool stream water all over her leg. She ignored the slobber and dug her pawfingers into the dog's thick ruff, giving it a good scratching; he wagged his tail gratefully as he leaned into her, ears back in a friendly smile.

After a moment, Xavier turned, snapping the phone shut and giving a brisk whistle.

"Come, let's go," he said shortly, avoiding her eyes as he began to stride swiftly back toward the house.

Veronica waited a moment before asking. When it was obvious he wasn't going to volunteer information, she spoke. "What's going on?" she asked. He threw her another glance, this one a "you wouldn't believe this shit if I showed you" look.

"Emergency situation..." he hesitated, then "at work." She noticed, but ignored the pause, for now.

"Dangerous?"

He shook his head. "Not likely. Just... unexpected. They need me right away, obviously."

"What do you do?" she asked at last, a bit out of breath from the fast pace.

Again, he shook his head. "Nothing... Just a bit of--" another pause "consulting work."

She eyed him suspiciously; he glanced up at her and then back ahead, showing that he wasn't willing to elaborate.

"Okay," she said at last. "Are you going to be in any danger?"

"Again, unlikely," he replied, not rudely but in a thoughtful manner. "If I'm ever hurt, you'll be given a large sum of money with which to sustain yourself--I'll see to it," he added.

Veronica laughed dryly and he glanced at her; she tried to keep up, but was smirking with her eyebrows raised. She tugged the golden collar at her throat. "Not with this on, I won't," she answered.

He stopped cold, staring at the collar as if he'd just seen it. "Hell," he sighed. Then he reached forward, grasping the cool metal in two hands. She flinched back, unsure of what he was doing--and then his hands fell away with a loud crack, the golden band lying broken in two in his black paws. He handed her the two pieces and moved on, striding quickly across the field toward the back door.

She gaped and stared after him, holding the broken collar, dumbstruck. Yes, it had been on her neck for the past seven years; yes, it was a hell of a shock to suddenly have it--gone.

But she stood, jaw dropped, after him for a different reason: the collar was solid 18-karat gold, a soft metal but never one that could be just... broken off. And yet, he'd just done it, done it with no effort, done it without thinking twice.

Suddenly, up ahead, he froze, stiffened. And turned, slowly, to face her.

He hadn't even realized he'd done it, she realized. And now he did. The look he was giving her was careful, calculating.

The look of a predator.

Veronica turned and bolted back toward the safety of the trees. Her mind was screaming RUN!!! and her body was responding with a powerful burst of adrenaline.

Xavier stared after her for a moment, then sighed. "Veronica! Stop!" She ran faster. He kicked off, spreading his black wings wide, and soared after her, whipping through the air.

Suddenly there was something pressing against her hips as she ran, and then--then she was bodily lifted straight into the air. She was lifted up, up, straight at the trees--they were going to crash--then wheeling away, soaring back toward the castlelike house, the dogs following beneath them.

A lesser Furr would have fainted; Veronica struggled like the cat she was, yowling and whipping out with her hooked claws, trying to hit him with the broken collar. And then she was deposited lightly onto her balcony, and Xavier was beside her, letting her go and folding his wings, eyes lit up with green energy. She leapt back, fangs bared, eyes wild.

"STOP it," he commanded, eyes hypnotically focused on her, palms held up placatingly. She stepped back, and fell still, staring.

"I'm not going to hurt you--the collar must have just been brittle from going from cold to hot and back for so long. Metal fatigue. And gold's soft. Stop freaking out." Then he paused, and peered more closely at her. "Unless you were trying to run away, now that I've removed it?" he asked, voice suddenly quiet and... sad.

She shook her head as if coming out of a trance, feeling her fear ebb away at his show of worry. "You broke it," she said dully.

He sighed. "I need to go," he replied quietly, pushing aside her window. "Come on." He led her in, then vanished into the hall. A moment later he reappeared in his black suit and trenchcoat, looking rushed and stressed. He swept quickly into the room, tipping her face up to his with a single pawfinger.

"Veronica," he said quietly, looking her over. "I'm not going to hurt you, ever, I promise you that. Ever. When I get back, I'll explain all this," he said softly, indicating with a sweep of his paws the whole of the house and grounds. "And this," he added quietly, fingering the golden collar clutched in one of Veronica's paws. "But for now, I must go--I am needed." Then, softly and gently--ever-so-gently--he placed a soft, loving kiss on her lips. She was still in mild shock, and simply stared, eyes wide. He gave her a sad, grim smile, then turned and swept from the room in a whirl of black cloth and wings. A moment later a door slammed, and he was gone.

He returned twelve nerve-wracking hours later, a bloody, half-dead ruin.

******************

This will be continued shortly. *wicked grin* Suggestions and comments welcome; yes, it was relatively short, but there's a reason. *wink*