FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

After a rather terrifying time on the insect planet, I was horrified to find out that we had been given three weeks rest. Draco went off to his planet, and Simba went to his. Javid went to Covington's place, and Salbar continued the rites of purification of the soul, ever seeking oneness and unity within himself. There was a creature who would go to heaven when he died, if he ever did. I was less concerned for my immortal soul, I'd already spent enough time out of body, and didn't think much of it.Isn't it just typical, the afterlife is like this life, just you can't interact with anyone.

O.K., sorry, I'm being cynical.Each to their own idea. But I immediately rushed to Silverine's office. I knocked gently on the door, and as Silverine spoke in reply, opened the door.

"Ah, Alduin, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Ryan Lewis and his team are going to a planet, correct?"

"There has been a slight reshuffle this week, giving the scouts to work with new ones. Myself, Kodey, Ryan and Thomas Nagoya are going to this planet."

"I'm coming with you, and if you don't let me, I'll find a way to turn up all the same."

"I take it you're bored."

"Immensely, Silverine. Besides, Ryan is under my protection on Central, I would like to see how he goes about his business on a planet fall."

The Lupogriff sighed, no one liked to argue with me." Alduin, while I understand you are looking after Ryan, is he allowed to go around without a leash?"

"Who said anything about telling him what to do? I want to keep behind him, so he's got someone to fall back on."

"He's got myself, I could take the weight of him and several others." Silverine replied.

"Then why do you always go with Kodey?" I asked gently, and Silverine rolled his eyes.

"O.K., clever. You can come, just why?"

"As you said, I have nothing to do, and I'm not going to spend my weekend reading about bloody awful political idiots on the television and newspaper. Besides, I've read every book on the book shelf at home."

"Then get some more." Silverine suggested.

"A planet fall is infinitely more exciting than a book."

"You haven't seen some of the duller trips then."

"Try me." I retaliated.I heard a polite cough, and turned to see Kodey sitting on his seat with a look of amusement.

"Morning, Kodey.I'm coming, whether he likes it or not."

"I'm beginning to see that." Kodey replied with a grin," As I recall, the only reason you have exciting trips is because you get yourself into difficult situations."

"Only by accident and co-incidence.Everything else doesn't count." I retorted, and Kodey laughed.

"Accident? Sure." the reindeer held the word for a longer time than was entirely necessary, and I smiled.

"And don't worry about kit, all I'm taking is my cat suit and sword."

Silverine looked up."You are going on a planet fall in fancy dress?"

"I said it has a purpose, and you know I have those launchers."

"And audio equipment.So why?"

"Have you ever wanted to go on planet fall in your knight armour?"

"There's a difference between knight armour and cat suit." Silverine said mildly.

"And that suit of armour is a damn sight more glittery than mine, and a lot louder. Mine is perfect for stealth."

"You mean with all those flashing bits on it?"

"You mean the ones that I detached?" I smiled wider, and Silverine rolled his eyes. The glitter could come off and on with no difficulty, and I had removed it all to save for a later date.

Silverine gave in, and I returned in quarter of an hour in my black suit. Everything was attached, gloves and claws as well, and with the exception of the teleporter and my face, I could hide in the shadows, undetectable. I scrapped the idea of any weaponry but my sword. Ryan noticed me outside the Great Hall.

"Why the outfit, Alduin?"

"I'm testing it's practicality on a planet."

"You're coming with us?" Ryan sounded hopeful.

"I am. Silverine gave in." and Ryan burst into a wide smile.

"Excellent." he walked into the Great Hall with me.

People turned as we entered. I sat down on a bench near the dais with my fellow human, and Runo pulled up a seat.

"Where do you think you're going looking like that?"

"I?Runo, I go where I will, in what I will. Besides, this suit is deceptively good."

Silverine entered, wearing his full armour and carrying his halberd. Kodey walked with him, and Thomas entered not two minutes later, slotting clips for his pistols into his belt. He looked at Silverine, me, Kodey, and Ryan, and smiled.

"Ready when everyone else is.I take it Alduin's coming."

"You try and persuade him not to." Silverine looked innocently at the ceiling. Thomas grinned.

"So who's pinging?"

"Same rule as always,I will if no one else does."

"I will." Ryan next to me announced. He had recently acquired his own teleporter, with a chess piece tattooed on the gold just below the gem. Silverine nodded, and I sat back.

"Good luck Ryan." I said, and Ryan nodded. Then he brushed his teleporter, and vanished. I set my headset on, interlinked glasses and microphone contact, and waited for him to arrive.Thirty eight seconds after he vanished, I got live feed from Ryan.

The human had teleported neatly into a temple. It was currently deserted, and as he looked around rapidly, I saw pillars around him. The place was about the size of a football pitch, the courtyard, and around him were pillars about fifty metres high. The sun streamed in, and Ryan looked around again, drawing out a scanner.

"Atmosphere, normal. Gravity normalish. Temperature, slightly chilly, but then anything is compared to Central's heating system.No sign of life."

He was standing on huge grey flagstones, and the pillars looked to be made of some slivered marble of likewise colour. He placed the teleporter on the ground, and we all teleported.

We arrived neatly beside the human, who was surveying the surrounding area. The sun was high in the sky, directly above, and all four directions were nothing but pillars and partial darkness beyond. Surely there were corridors, but we couldn't see them with out help. I started up my X-Ray.

Ah, perfect. I looked at the South wall, and saw a huge entrance.It had no door, but was about nine feet tall by eight wide. I nodded at the others.

"I'll check out that door, see where it leads."

"Right." Silverine nodded."Thomas, take the North. Kodey, Ryan, let's find somewhere less obvious to set up camp."

I jogged lightly towards the corridor. There had been a door in the doorway, but it lay in splinters around the entrance. There had been fighting here, I could see discarded weapons. There was no light in the tunnel, but I had audio amplification and X-ray, I could see where I was going. There were pillars either side of this corridor, which had widened to accommodate them.

I walked silently, noiselessly down this corridor, creeping like a ghost, ears trained for some sound. The passage curved to the left, and then to the right. Then I came to a door on the right, and I heard noise behind it. There was a lot of chatter in a very birdlike chatter. My translator would soon sort that out, but I had no wish to make contact just yet. I continued about fifteen yards down the passage, when I heard the door open.

I quickly hid behind a pillar, holding my right arm behind my back so who ever it was would not see the gold.I faced the door behind the pillar, and could see a pair of creatures walk out, one carrying a torch. They were coming directly my way.

"I fear it will end us, Jay. The ogres are well armed, and while our men do not know of our special room, and it will encourage them, fighting the creatures will go hard with us."

"What is this room you speak of? Have you been concealing it from me?"

"I have, the less who know about it right now the better.I'm certain the ogres have spies like we do." the two figures drew level with my pillar, and I saw them reasonably clearly.

They stood only at four and a half feet, maybe slightly taller. They had wings of iridescent blue, and their feathered tails were likewise. They had protruding beaks, and their eyes shot back and forth, looking around in fear. Their skin was a darker colour, whether black or not, it was hard to tell in the gloom. I could only see colour by the torch, and it's smoky yellow flame didn't help me distinguish. As they walked, I crept from pillar to pillar, following them.

"I discovered it not a week ago. It seems to be a blessing from the Ja'ryaq," he pronounced it ya-rarc with a harsh k on the end.

"I don't remember seeing those in my ornithology guide to birds." Ryan said with a giggle.

"Shouldn't be hard to recognise, there ain't that many birds that are five foot tall and walk on their hind legs." Silverine laughed quietly.

"Barring Giancarlo."Thomas added.

"Does he really count?" Kodey queried.

"No, not really." Thomas replied frankly.

"Blessings indeed.What does it contain?"the first bird creature said.

"I'll show you." the second voice replied. They walked slowly, and elegantly, but their feet clicked on the stones, they had metal or claws on their feet.My own ballet flats made no such noise,and while they looked behind them constantly, I was always careful to keep my distance and cover. No one was talking to me across my mike now, I was in full stealth mode. I had verbally shut down everything, my launchers, my mike and interlink, and concentrated on dogging these two, hoping for more information.

After ten minutes, we came to a door. The second avian who held no torch started pulling at devices on the door, and it slid opened with a grating noise. They looked around fretfully, but I was again unspotted. They both went in, and I followed to the door, and looked around the corner.

My sentiments echoed the first Avian, Jay.

"My lord.It is amazing."

The room was an armoury, but such an armoury. Special shaped steel armour, made for these avians, hung on racks, gleaming gold in the torchlight. Helms made to fit them, arm bands of intricate device, plate mail back and front, although the back of the armour had been crafted to go around the wings, with special straps. There were no leg bands, this armour was for top half only. It was sensible, you needed to run in armour.

The room was circular, and in four caverns were huge stock piles of weaponry. Swords were in one, maces, morning stars, daggers, spears,shields a veritable arsenal. I noticed all of them were all a tad tarnished by age, but still perfectly serviceable.

Then the crowning jewel, the raised altar in the centre. A six foot dummy was adorned with my size armour, although made for a larger avian. A larger sword and shield hung there attached to the side, and on the dummy's head, a most beautiful helm.

This was not in the shape of an avian. This was dog like, canine, like a jackal. It so reminded me of my own jackal helm, except that was a flimsy job, this was truly astonishing. I crept into the room and hid behind a wall of shields.

"Blessings indeed!" Jay agreed," The lord himself has provided these in time for our fight."

"I know.Only one thing bothers me."

"What?" Jay looked worried.

"The large armour, we could never wear that, it is too big. You'd need to be more than six feet tall. Why was it put there?"

"Maybe it is armour made for him in his true form. He will lead us into battle."

"I wouldn't be so sure. It just looks like a larger version of ours, although minus the helm. Maybe we once grew to that size."

"Have you been drinking too much wine, Willowing? I am 72 years of age, middle aged, and yet I couldn't wear that except as a dress.We can't have ever been that tall."

"De-evolution." I thought," Many years have passed, and these creatures have grown to lesser stature. Obviously they were short to begin with, but their leader must have been tall to wear that."

While we were milling over this, Willowing spoke.

"My spies reported the ogres will attack. They are currently feasting along the corridor opposite the stone plain."

"We will meet them on the plain then. To fight with these weapons, we will need room. Tell each man to report here.Quick, we must hurry."

They both left, and the light vanished with it. The door slammed, and I was shut in the armoury.

"Right, armour, you're getting a change of owner."

Silverine spoke." Thomas just reported in. He heard loud carousing, like the avian said. He is hanging around there, in case he spots one of these ogres. What are you doing?"

I began buckling on the arm bands of the full sized armour, missing the one on my right arm, due to my teleporter was already on it, and I relieved the dummy of the breast plate. It fitted well, although because I was not an avian, the straps had to be adjusted a bit tighter.The dummy did not have wings either.

It was obviously made to not interfere with the wings in anyway, and was still pretty comfortable with all the padding. I grabbed the helm, and found that the cat ears fitted in the crevices left by the jackal's ears. If anything they were smaller, and I strapped the helm on, tight.I hid the sword in the rack with all the others, and was just heading back to the door when I heard an army of creatures walking down the corridor.

"Oh well,Simon says, be a statue." I stood in the dais, helm well down over my face, and with sword and shield like the dummy had been. The dummy had his strapped to his belt and the shield resting against his leg, so I did the same.

I saw out of the corner of my eye the door opening, and stood motionless. Avians swarmed in, all holding torches aloft. Willowing and Jay were giving out orders.

"Take everything but the stuff on the dais to our hall. We will prepare for battle there. You four, start taking the spears. Eight of you carry the armour, the rest will take the shields and other weapons. Time is of the essence, so let's spend it wisely."

With the many glowing torches, I had changed into bionic form to stop my large amounts of pale skin showing.

"What a wonderful statue, Willowing." Jay said," It stands tall and erect in mysterious black, except for the armlet of gold. Do you not see it's weapon?"

"It is truly a sight to behold. One wonders what it's purpose is, that large armour. But let us not dwell on that.I have not seen this much armour for countless years since we were driven up here by the ogre creatures. There will be enough for all of us men?"

"I can but hope. The women and children will stay behind, we have enough weapons here for a few of them too."

Avians left carrying armfuls of various fighting things. The entire show took about ten minutes, and the living statue on the dais was looked at by all, so stood like, well, a statue.

The armoury was emptied, and with a final look at me, Willowing shut the door behind him, and the feet retreated into the distance. I sat down, gasping for air.

"We haven't started the music yet, Alduin." Ryan laughed.

"I'm sick of playing that Musical statues. Besides, we're all too good at it."

"So, there is a war on tomorrow?Between those bird creatures and what ever they are facing, these ogres?" Kodey asked.

"Sounds like it, and I don't think it's going to go well for either side." Silverine replied.

"Wars often don't." I replied distastefully."Although I wonder what everyone's going to think when they see me."

"I can imagine." Ryan laughed.Silverine spoke.

"Kodey, you followed Alduin, where are you now?"

"Oh, about."

"Really, how about?"

"O.K., I'm in the avian chambers."

"And this!," I announced, laughing,"from a reindeer who says he couldn't be subtle if he tried! Nice going, Kodey."

Silverine showed his appreciation." Well done, can we see what it is like?"

The interlink showed a magnificent domed room, about eighteen metres high. The entire place was again, large. The entire avian tribe appeared to be there, easily five hundred, maybe six or seven.There were bonfires going which provided light well enough, the creatures were indeed black skinned except for their dark blue tails and wings, and the men were going around fitting armour to themselves. The women and the small children were huddled at the far end, engaged in sowing, feeding and hugging one another.

Jay was instructing a couple of younger avians how to put on their armour, pulling the straps gently to show the youngster how it was done. Of Willowing there was no sign. Kodey was getting himself into armour without any fuss or drama, and with no help, as that would ruin the disguise.

"You are not going to join the fighting, are you, Kodey?" Silverine asked.

"No." Kodey replied, although I guessed he was thinking about doing so. Silverine left it at that, and Kodey turned off his interlink and mike so as to remain unsuspicious.

The door opened, and as I scrambled to my feet, I saw Willowing standing there, looking amazed. The statue had come to life! He had borrowed Jay's torch, and while he couldn't see my face, he could see my movements.

"What.. how..." he began, and then went down on one knee, his feathered hand against his opposite shoulder, looking down at the ground.

I stepped down from the raised step." Willowing, I'm not going to deceive you..."

"My lord, I would not mind if you did.Did you send us the armour?"

"Willowing, look at me.Look through the helm at my face." Willowing hesitated, and then obeyed. His soft features looked so adoringly cute in the torch light, as his black eyes stared into mine. Then he began to look scared.

"You aren't, you don't have..." he looked to where my non-existent wings were. I sat down, and Willowing took a step back.

"What are you?"

"I am not your lord, Willowing, although I am prepared to be one for your men. You know, as a man of command, that you must inspire your men, give them hope and courage."

"Yes." he said dutifully.

"You see this statue, I hid it behind a shelf over there, and you say to everyone it is not alive. Then it appears to have come to life, you cry it is here to help you against the foe.Does that not seem like it would work?"

"It would work?" Willowing repeated.

"This tall statue of armour has come to life to fight with you, what would you think?"

"It was a sign from the gods?" Willowing said, rather promptly.

"Exactly.So you weave the idea the gods are on your side and have sent you this help. Now, you don't tell everyone what I am, and I will help you in your battle, does that sound like a good idea?"

"But, I don't know what you are."

"Willowing, what you know is what I am not, and that would worry your friends. It's not entirely like you, it's far too tall, and it has no wings nor tail.Now if you tried to pass me off as a friend, they would be suspicious. If you tried to pass me off as a blessing, it would work."

"Good for morale." Willowing nodded.

"So I will ask for one thing. I would like a long handled mace, to compliment my sword, and you will see me tomorrow morning."

"You may not be my lord, but you certainly are A lord. What is your name?"

"I am not Ja-ryaq, my name is Alduin." I rested a gloved hand on the avian's shoulder, and felt him shiver to the touch. They all wore very light trousers and light shirts, I noticed. I heard Silverine in my ear.

"You are not doing this alone, you hear me?"

"I'll be back in about two hours, guys, I'm going to get me some armour." Ryan Lewis added, and there was a bang of a teleporter.

"If we must insist in doing things with primitive weapons," Thomas yawned," than I shall be a scout, and keep track of the enemy. I am not a swordsman, and I do not wear armour, it is too heavy and too flashy."

"Good, someone sensible." I agreed, in Centralite, to the astonishment of my avian standing next to me." You're the expert in concealment, you do what you're good at, while I do what I'm good at."

"Yeah, causing havoc." Thomas would have been smiling.

"It's a niche I've filled." I replied, and then turned back to Willowing.I extended a hand to the avian, and with trepidation he took it.

"Now, sit here, by me, and tell me everything. If I am to act my part, I will have to know certain things."

So Willowing began to tell the story, and he sat beside me as I requested. He and his clan had numbered many thousands, and they lived in a great forest, but it had been ravaged by a thunderstorm, the fires burnt most of it down. The clan split four ways, with a promise to find the others with messengers if they found a safe haven. Willowing's group, under Jay's command had gone towards the hills, and found this ruined temple. They had camped under it's shadows for many weeks.

But there was a problem, as they arrived, they were aware of other creatures, always watching, and so they never sent a messenger saying it was safe. Then the ogres, who Willowing described as ugly, distorted creatures, attacked them one day, and the clan was forced into the temple itself. They had started growing vegetables in the temple, behind the room they lived in, and ate reasonably well from earlier provisions, but the ogres had blocked the only exit, and they were besieged. I recorded all this on audio, and found out something very unsurprising.

Willowing was scared. He was trembling to the clawed feet with worry. His men had reported a mass attack about midday tomorrow, and the numbers of the ogres was worrying, and they fought hard. The priceless gift of armour and swords would equal it up, but it pondered two questions.

1) Would it be enough?

2) Where did it come from? Willowing was still superstitious, and it might have been spirits, and this not not appeal at all.

As he spoke about the spirits, he shuffled closer, as if scared by the dark room. I took his torch, and propped it against some stones so it kept upright. Then I gently covered his shoulders with one of my arms, above his wings.

He trembled at the touch again, and I gently pulled, making my intention clear. Willowing looked at me, but my warmth to him overcame his fear of me, and I pulled him into my lap. I hugged him tightly.

"I do not know either how this gear came here, but you have naught to fear from it. It was made for you, so it's a gift.Now tell me.What do you fear?"

"I fear you, Alduin." I gently rocked back and forth, still holding him tight.

"Do not. If I wanted to hurt you I would have done so already. I am concerned for you, my little avian friend.You are too delicate and too beautiful, I do not wish to see you harmed."

Willowing looked away, blushing at my comment."You are right, we are delicate."

"I said beautiful as well. Those wings are so exquisite." I ran a gentle finger down the ridge at the top of his wings.

"Beauty is what you make of it. I do not think I am."

"You are pretty compared to me, don't put yourself down." I replied gently.

I removed a glove, unstrapping it, and gently stroked the soft downy feathers on the avian's front. He shivered, and looked at me.

"I fear you, Alduin, but most of all I fear of the unknown. Tomorrow, we will fight. Will I die? Will a friend?It is that I am fearing for."

"Then that is not something to be ashamed about.We are all scared of the unknown. But I can guarantee you this. Keep by me, your survival will be almost certain. I will suffer no wound tomorrow, my steel skin you saw me as earlier is too hard for any weapon here."

"I will be your right hand, Alduin." the avian replied, holding me tightly now.

"Now, go to your men. Tell them nothing of this encounter.I will appear tomorrow morning, early, and you remember, I would like a mace, and don't forget to practice your tones of wonder for when I enter. If you do it well, your men will laugh in the face of death."

Willowing smiled, and I released my embrace. He stood, and we both went to the door. Willowing stepped through first, and the coast was clear. I followed behind him, and we walked to the door of his clan's common room.

I bid him farewell, and he gave me a minute to get out of sight before walking in. I walked down towards the main square, and in the corner, behind some camouflage netting was Thomas, Silverine and Ryan.The camo was the exact colour of the grey walls, and in the setting sun it would be near impossible to spot had it not been for my X-Ray glasses. Ryan was smiling.

"The armour's all ready, just back at Central. I had an armourer several months ago make a suit for me. And I can always use my own sword."

"Well,"I replied," Just watch yourself. It might get pretty intense." I lay down. Ryan looked at my armoured self.

"You aren't going to sleep in that?" he asked.

"It's not comfy on my side, but I can lie on my back." I replied, and did so, my arms by my side. Ryan gave me a small pillow, and as the night sky came out, our little area was invisible to all sight. I noticed it got dark quickly around here. Silverine set out a couple of prox alerts, and then we all got some much needed shut eye. We had only been awake for a couple of hours, but we had to look our best for tomorrow, so Ryan obligingly pulse blasted me and then himself to get some sleep. Silverine had the rare gift many army types had of instantly falling asleep when and where he wanted to.

We were not disturbed in the night, or at least Silverine said not. He would know. Kodey briefly switched on to say he was fine, not one avian was aware of the reindeer's presence. As we all got some food to eat, we were made aware of an avian sneaking out of the front door. He looked around, warily, and then up. There was a red sky, an ill omen for the weather, and then the avian turned and walked back.

After the snack, Thomas vanished down the ogre tunnel to see if he could spot anything, and came back ten minutes later with a no. We didn't expect anything else, they would be keeping quiet. Ryan Lewis got into his armour, and then disguised himself to look like one of the avians in their own armour. I was working on an idea Silverine tossed up. Me, Silverine and Ryan would all be a leader of our own regiment, as it were. We would form up the avians on all three sides, behind a wall of grey shields, and as the trolls came forwards they would spring up, surrounding the trolls on three sides.

It was pure Lupogriff and human combination of thought.This would go well. Silverine would lead my left flank, Ryan my right. Now all we needed to do was convince the populace of the avians we were here to guide them and protect them. After the breakfast had been and gone, and we had given the avians an hour to prepare, although still three hours at least before the expected attack, I left the netting camo, and with Ryan Lewis walked towards the entrance. The way this would work was Ryan would rush in, looking like one of them, saying that this thing (me) was coming.

This would give Willowing enough time to prepare his comments of my arrival. I walked past the door, went about a hundred yards, and then turned. Ryan Lewis stood by the door, his black avian self shivering with excitement. I spoke to Kodey.

"It's show time, Kodey."

"I'm recording this for future reference."

"And you only told me this now?"

"Because I knew you'd not approve of it." the reindeer smiled.

"On the contrary, I like people to know how I act. Lights...camera rolling....and cue Ryan."

On this, Ryan Lewis grabbed the door handle, and ran into the avian quarters, a look of absolute terror and wonderment on his face.