FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Come on!"

"I'm going fast as I can!"

"It's not fast enough Leaf it might be right behind us!"

"No it's not-"

"WHA-AAAAGH!"

The two sisters stumbled and fell rolling into a ditch, groaning with their shining emeralds pressed tightly against their chests now filthy and tacked with dirt across their smooth diamond-shaped surface. Lifting their heads, they sat back against the muddy slope and took a moment to catch their breath.

"I haaaaate thiiiiis," whined Leaf.

"Me toooo," cried Sand. "D-do you think, Oddie and mother are okay?"

"Y-yeah, they're fine they're both clever...but, I'm worried about Barkie."

"H-he's got Eggy with him, he'll be alright!"

"Wh-what if he gets lost?!" Leafrunner staggered to her feet with trepidation. "If something happens to him-"

"Eggfang won't let anything happen!" insisted Sandrunner leaping up to stand fully. "She's THE most clever of us, you know that!"

"Y-yeah...yeah you're, you're right...where are we anyway?"

"I don't...know."

The sisters looked up over the top of the ditch to see something on the horizon. A scattering of lights across the landscape that glinted and shimmered in the dark sunset.

"What is that?" asked Sandrunner cocking her head.

"Might be water?" replied Leaf cocking her head in turn. "I hope it is, I'm so thirsty."

"Me too, we've been running so much through lotsa weird things!"

"Yeah like that big...roundy thing..."

"...you okay sis?"

Leaf gently nudged at Sand's pale cheek, giving a soft lick to her worried face.

"I...mmmm I don't know, I think...do you think Oddie was right, that maybe we shouldn't have come here?"

"If he was right, does it matter now? We're here now, we gotta get through this with what our family taught us, we're not gonna die here!"

"Really?"

"Sure!" Leaf nuzzled her twin happily with a long drag of her tongue across the snout. "When we're together, NOTHING can stop us, we just gotta focus."

"Right...yeah, you're right, okay let's go!"

Cautiously sniffing the air for any enemies, they traipsed up from the dirt and walked towards it over a large field scattered with broken columns and desiccated ruins. To the far east was a giant mountain range of icy peaks capped fully in snow, sending a ruthless chill through the plains as they hopped over thick slabs and clambered onto pillars half-sunken to the world in trying to find a good vantage point. The walk across the plain was far longer than expected as they eventually sat down against a cool flat stone.

"Uuuuuugh how far is iiiit?" murmured Sand.

"I don't know," said Leaf in a huff, "why are you asking ME?"

"You're the big sister!"

"We were born together you moron!"

"Don't call me a moron!"

"Well who couldn't kill that mudbeast earlier?!" Leaf stood up with accusing snarl as Sand stammered in defence.

"Y-YOU WERE THE ONE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT!"

"So what?!"

"IT WAS YOUR FAULT!"

"No it wasn't!"

"YES IT WAS!"

"Quiet."

A voice came from the other side of the thick stone slab causing their heads to turn. But they barely had the chance to look when a set of thick steel claws clamping on their snouts before lifting their entire bodies up, one in each hand as they struggled and kicked with frantic muted shrieks before deep red eyes pierced into their gaze.

"You annoy me. Why not make yourselves useful...and run?"

Far and away in the hills of the island's ruins, something crunched with devastating force through a thick marble block as it tumbled down the rolling slopes in two hefty pieces, before splashing into a pool of oily mud. The sun was just starting to sink into the horizon as Knuckles stepped out of the old service tunnel from the Hydrocity, brushing his namesake clean of granite dust.

"Alright, hoo, we're out."

"Thank you," replied Oddclaw stepping out from behind him. "This...is a very odd place."

"The Marble Garden Zone...part of my people's civilisation long ago."

With Barren following up from the darkness, they bore witness to the ancient city now wholly consumed by the island's flora. Grass and weeds crushed marble between their thorns, the centuries of a great people now remnants of white, purple and orange sculptures. The winding twisting valley amidst arches and passageways hinting at homes, libraries and workplaces, scattered pots, broken spines of old texts. Footprints in the dust gathered round old fires and stoves.

The sounds of the earth and sky resonated throughout as birds chirped and whooping cries of grassland beasts echoed partially throughout the valley as they began walking down the hillocks taking in the fresh air and gorgeous vistas. Despite the crumbling end of a civilisation there was a sense of beauty to the landscape that Oddclaw noticed, the straight angular slopes of broken arches and torn roads pockmarked with weeds that burst slowly through the marbled walks.

"What lies beyond here?" asked the raptor.

"The old carnival zone," replied Knuckles, "the former badniks live there now, built it up as a community for them to stay on here."

"Are they good people?"

"Usually yeah, but there are some bad ones here and there they try to police. But they're alright, they won't bother me."

"Do you think they might know about your thief?"

"I doubt it, this guy wasn't from around here."

Clambering onto the wall of a ruined house, the guardian gripped the mortar with one hand as he scanned the horizon for any possible disturbances. Barren took this time to approach her son asking:

"I have never seen stone like this before."

"It is not natural," replied Odd, "the guardian's tribe made this stone themselves as their home."

"What?! What is it with these warmbloods and stones, why do they not just enjoy being OUTSIDE like us?!"

"Because they are prey?" Oddclaw made a shrug with open hands and pulled lips. "They may not feel safe in the open?"

"Most of our prey we have hunted in the open plains, that is no excuse."

"Yes but how many warmbloods have we killed? Not many, because they hide in the stone."

"......hmmmm..." Barren cocked her snout to one side with an eye peering up to the sky. "That is true...I suppose it must be that, stone makes them feel safe."

"We are hunters after all, we do not need stone though does Alpha not live in stone himself?"

"That was for Eyeclaw's sake, he chose that for their home because he was sensitive to...things."

"Ahhh...I miss Eyeclaw."

"I know."

The mother gently nuzzled her son's face, purring a low sound of empathy to help soothe the growing scent of sadness he emitted.

"You were so good to help him on his last journey."

"I felt terrible that he would not let his own son come with him," muttered Oddclaw with heaving shoulders. "Does Alpha hate me mother?"

"No!" She nipped his cheek to pull his gaze back towards her. "Of course not, he understands his duty and he could not leave us, that is the burden of the Alpha."

"I...I know."

"I know you and I have our differences, but you are still my son and I am proud of you no matter what."

"You...you are?"

"Of course I am, why would you think I was not?!"

"Because when I try to help the hairless you are always so mean about them."

"I was worried." She stepped back with an uncertain scent scritching her claws in the grass. "I know what they can do."

"They kept me for cycles," said Odd putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know how you felt, but I made friends and I trust them with my life. They do not understand our world and I want to help them only because without my help they would be blind morons running into danger or make things worse for us without knowing!"

"Yes...they are imbeciles hmhmhmhm."

"They did not have a mother like you, they were not born in this world and I want to make sure that no one is harmed from stupid mistakes. That is why I am their Voice of the Nest."

"Which we have not had in cycles!" added Barren swishing her tail playfully. "But that does not mean it is not needed. And it was not something I ever would imagine you in. But, I am proud of you, I may worry about the hairless, but I do not worry about you. You are your father's son."

The way she said this was different than how she had said it before, giving Oddclaw a spring of hope in his heart as he hugged her tightly. She nuzzled against his neck in turn before the sound of boots landing on the grass made him turn.

"We got something," said Knuckles. "That jetbike that shot at us, it's parked right over there."

"What do we do?" asked Odd. "Do you want to capture or kill?"

"Capture, I need to know who hired him."

"What is happening?" asked Barren.

"The beast from the sky that attacked us is nearby. We must trap him so we find his leader."

"Then it is time we show this warmblood how WE hunt prey. May I offer advice?"

"So ya found 'em?" said the voice near the bike.

"Yes," replied his radio. "The thieves shall make a good temporary distraction for those pursuing."

"Nice! I still get paid right?!"

"Of course, you obtained them regardless of how they come to me."

"I still got a couple with me, didn't get all of 'em before that knucklehead shooed me off."

"I thought your weapons would be more than enough to face him."

"I couldn't bring 'em in with me, you know that, that's why YOU couldn't get in the first place cuz o' his uh, wutchamacallit, automated system or whutever."

"Hmm. Even your smaller inventory did not fool his tribal security?"

"Nope! But hey, I scooped up four of 'em, that's more than half!"

"It will do."

Trudging boots clumped the grass before kicking at a splendid-looking hoverbike, minus a small dent in the rear of its blue chassis, lined with fool's gold for its engine vents and handlebars.

"Damn thieves dinged my Queen though, hope you taught 'em good!"

"You will be compensated."

"Nice, 'preciate it! So where you wanna meet?"

"The remains of the Flying Battery."

"Gotcha, I'll see ya when night falls."

The rider clicked off his radio before bending over towards the dent of his bike, pulling out a white handkerchief to try and polish up the damage. The constant squeaking of smooth steel against cloth pierced the quiet atmosphere until it started to slow itself down. Then he heard a click.

"GOTCHA!"

He turned and fired, pulling a revolver from his waist which fired off a popping sound that pinged off a nearby stone. The click had activated a tripwire he set up nearby but there was nothing there, aside from the small cork that he had shot from his gun which rolled softly down the grass.

"Hehhh? Welllll maybe over HERE!"

Bang went his gun again to his right but still nothing came at him. He fired to the left and behind curious of where his enemy could be knowing that SOMEONE was nearby. He scritched his head and holstered his gun after reloading it, stuffing corks into the chambers.

"Damn flickies, this place is too damn quiet. Welp, no sense standing around-YIE-AAAGH!"

Something pounced on him from above as thick scaled haunches planted on his chest with ruthless force, pinning the lone gunman to the dirt whilst staring at Barren's primal hazel eyes. Trapped underneath her was a purple-furred creature resembling a long-legged weasel with lupine face, lanky arms and brown hunting gloves which matched the colour of his fedora. A long single tooth jabbed from his upper lip as he snarled at the raptor.

"Thought I got rid of you."

"Not yet," said Knuckles walking up with Oddclaw beside him. "When I'm done with you you'll be glad to see the back of me."

"Heh...you train dinosaurs now knucklehead?"

"You really wanna test me?"

"PFFT, test?! Yer talkin' to Nack the fanged sniper here!"

"I thought it was just Fang?" replied the guardian crossing his arms. "Which is it?"

"Depends on who's askin'," replied Nack smugly, "now you gonna let me up so we can have a nice chat, or do I gotta exercise my rights?"

"You don't HAVE rights, you STOLE my people's emeralds!"

"I didn't steal nuthin'!"

Knuckles turned towards Oddclaw who walked over to the airbike and checked the side compartment for storage, after the guardian pointed out where it was. Sure enough there were two crystals shining blue and red exactly the same shape as the ones Sand and Leaf had before.

"Caught red and blue handed," replied the raptor.

"That just fell on the ground," barked the weasel, "I was returning it, what ya don't believe me, I saw the REAL thieves run off somewhere, two of 'em just like this one on top of me!"

"THAT is my mother, so watch what you say."

"EH!? ...jeez, well alright, alright I-i give, you...wanna call the guy I'm running for?"

"Yes."

"Press that button on yer left, that'll open where I keep my phone."

Oddie pushed the button indicated, but instead it blasted him with hot smoke that blinded him briefly with a shriek as he staggered back. Barren looked up in response as Nack slammed his fists into her chest to hurl her off and leapt onto the bike, revving its engine with his boot kicking the emerald cache closed.

"TRY AN' CATCH ME NOW SUCKERRRRRAH-HAHAHAHAHAAA!"

"GET BACK HERE!" roared Knuckles. "COME ON AFTER HIM!"

Whilst the guardian raced off to keep on the jewel thief's tail, Oddclaw stumbled and panted from the smoke blistering over his eyes which ran heavily with tears as Barren rushed over to his side.

"Are you alright?!" she asked.

"Y-yes, yes I-a-aah, my eyes are like fire!"

The mother ran over to a puddle of water and slurped some into her cheeks, before pouring it out over his face like a mother bird giving food to its baby. The hot burning irritation cleared as Oddclaw gasped with relief.

"H-hhhh, haaaah thank you."

"Come on, we have to catch that beast!"

The raptors hurried after Knuckles as the airbike zoomed further on towards the horizon. The red-dreaded guardian flew across the grassy hills with rapid-fire feet, keeping his gaze forwards to watch the landscape and the enemy fleeing who raced across the sky with burning trails from his twin-set of engines. Hair streaked out behind the echidna as he hopped over blocks and swerved round pillars at a constant pace despite the gunman's best efforts to shake him off. Soon the mother and son had caught up with claws kicking up the dirt beneath, their primal instincts taking over in pursuing their newest prey.

Over and under they ran through the valley of ruins, vaulting over plinths and kickjumping off the sunken pillars. Sliding through muddy trenches gouged into the earth, they barely slowed their pace as the robber's jetbike droned constantly throughout the darkening dusk.

"RUN ALL YA WANT," crowed Nack turning his head back to them, "BUT UNLESS YOU PUNKS CAN FLY YOU AIN' NEVER GONNA CATCH ME!"

"I'LL CHASE YOU DOWN!" roared Knuckles. "COME BACK HERE AND FACE ME COWARD!"

"WOULD A COWARD DO THIS?!"

Tapping a button on his handlebars, the bike opened a rear compartment that started dropping small red balls across their path that suddenly exploded. Oddclaw jumped onto a set of broken pillars to the side and over the ensuing blasts, whilst Barren veered sharply round opposite of him as Knuckles put his fists to his face and divebombed straight through. The fire smouldered at his clothes and hair like wax candles, until he rolled fast onto the other side putting out the flames before he was up and running again. The hoverbike started veering to try and drop a line of bombs in their path, but the spacing between blasts allowed them to duck and swerve round the chaotic bursting fire.

More detonations started to cause ruins to collapse around them, sinking cinderblock and crackling pillars that fell apart from the waves of disturbance from all around them. Shattering booms and crumpling pockets of earthen craters as the raptors strafed and ducked past the deadly orbs whilst Knuckles had a better idea. He unhooked one of his small belt pouches and scooped up two bombs inside it, before hurling them back towards the bike which shuddered and grinded with fat puffs of charcoal smoke.

"A-AAAAAGH DAMMIT, WHUTCHA TRYNA DO TO MY MAJESTIC QUEEN REDILOCKS?!"

"JUST GIVING YOU A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE PUNK!"

"FINE, LET'S SEE HOW YOU HANDLE AN OBSTACLE COURSE THEN!"

He pressed another button to open a new compartment next to his seat, which contained a very tidily-arranged set of weapons neatly glimmering up at him. He grabbed one particular weapon reminiscent of a sawn-off shotgun, aiming towards a large pillar and blasting at its base before gliding straight past whilst it crumbled behind him. The crunching groan of ancient mortar came treacherously upon his pursuers like a sword from the heavens as they rushed with all their mightiest of speed to streak past its growing shadow.

Dust clouded up behind them in a crushing boom as they raced onwards, the airbike dashing between jagged pillars and half-crushed arches slanting downwards as Nack fired his blasting laser to weaken more of the ancient ruins. But a chain reaction soon occurred as he flew into a long trapezoid hallway inside an old house, cragged and uneven walls of grey and orange stone. The ground started to give way from the tremors caused by the destruction Nack had caused, a deep rumbling that burned through Knuckles and the raptors' feet.

"LOOK OUT THE GROUND'S CAVING!"

The guardian's cry of warning was heeded as Barren and Oddclaw leapt upwards to an old staircase which itself began to sink with the rest of the house. The ceiling was pulled down towards them as the walls submerged into the unstable earth, causing problems for the weasel as he yammered with panic.

"WH-WH-WH-WHA-WOAH, WOAH, NONONO NOOOOnononono!"

Forced to ride low to avoid the crunching roof, blocks came falling from above with deadly crushing weight as all four of them avoided the plumes of dust and crunching mortar that soon caved the earth itself in. The land sloped and vaulted suddenly like the back of a giant serpent as Barren leapt frantically between hillocks whilst Oddclaw wallkicked back and forth between slabs of stone to reach higher.

Knuckles dug his clawed fists into the walls and gained extra height to glide effortlessly through the narrowing space, ready to hone in on the thief who curved in snaking motions around the falling debris leaving trailing smoke behind. They soon found an exit above them, the original entrance to the house in a form of slanting stairs as they raced to the top before it crumbled in as mother and son charged forwards together right behind Nack's vehicle. But it was Knuckles who landed on top of him by grabbing at an awning and swinging forwards to slam his feet into the jetbike.

"WHA-...H-HEY, YOU, GET OFFA MY QUEEN!"

"Only after I get BACK my emeralds!"

Nack tried to turn and fire his laser gun but the echidna swerved his body back hard with one fist gripping tightly onto the bike. He lined up his other hand ready to slam into the weasel's face, driving his knuckles into the purple face as he yelped with bleary eyes. He started to drive erratically, desperate to shake his pursuer off with vicious turns and swings until he hit the back of his bike against a thick slate of stone, causing him to spin furiously out.

"A-AAAAH, I CAN'T, I-I-I CAN'T STOP IIIIIIT!"

Seeing the incoming wall Knuckles leapt off quick as he could to roll onto the ground safely, watching the thief plow his bike sideways through an old temple wall amidst crackling stone and a sharp burst of brittle dust. The sound of the engines soon ceased as the raptors caught up with him.

"What happened?" asked Oddie.

"His vehicle went outta control," replied Knuckles. "Come on, we need to get those emeralds back."

"Is he still alive?"

"If he is I'll make sure he's punished."

The temple had an open doorway and was rather solidly built, placed high upon a thick plateau that oversaw the rest of the old tribal township as feet clacked on carved ancient stone. The darker hues of this temple being more of a coal-grey gave it a sense of austerity, with tall arching roof and an enormous central room where ceremonies would take place. The other side of the hall was a series of pillars on three floors presumably for the viewing gallery, as well as the smouldered crash site of the Majestic Queen on the ground floor in the corner. Nothing was heard, not even from outside as Knuckles stepped forwards cautiously, seeing the bike was clouded in fumes but thankfully not on fire despite no sign of the thief behind it.

click

"NO!"

BZZHHHHHWWW

Oddclaw shoved him from behind just before the cacophonous blast of a laser rifle pierced the silent temple, charring the ground where Knuckles had stood only a second ago.

"DAMMIT!" cried a voice from the second floor. "I was ready that time too, you punks are REALLY testin' me now!"

"You can't even fight like a warrior!?" challenged Knuckles getting up from underneath the raptor. "All you do is run away and hide and shoot me from your sights!"

"It's CALLED being tactical, somethin' that your thick-headed dreads wouldn't understand!"

Shining from the second floor balcony, the long gleaming barrel of a sniper's rifle peered down upon them with a small fedora behind it. Oddclaw muttered something to the guardian as another click aimed itself towards Knuckles, right before the raptor pulled him away from the firing line where another violet laser streaked across the cobbled floor.

"Oh COME ON what's your deal dinoboy?!"

"I am faster than you," taunted Odd, "it is not my fault you are a bad hunter."

"WHAT!? I'm the best damn bounty hunter money can buy you li'l gutterlizard!"

"Does that mean money is worthless then?"

"G-GUH, YOU-OKAY, YOU'RE GOIN' DOWN FIRST!"

"Hm, that's the Shikago way then." Oddclaw readied himself into a fighting stance. "I bet you cannot even hit me, thief."

"I'LL SHOW YOU!"

_cli-click- BZZHHHHWWWW _

The raptor rolled fast to his left veering away from Knuckles and Barren who skirted out of his range of view. Oddclaw started teasing him between each shot, dancing on the spot with a chittering laugh only further angering the sniper. But he always managed to hear that telltale click of the trigger that allowed him to dodge in time no matter how much noise that Nack would make.

"You can't even hunt a shiny stone right you pig!"

"SHADDUP!"

cli-BZZHHHHWWWW], the raptor dove left into a crouching roll.

"THE ONLY THING YOU'RE GOOD AT IS, GO AWAY!"

"SH-YOU-wait whassat even mean-NEVERMIND, FOSSILFACE!"

_click- BZZHHHHWWWW _, the raptor cartwheeled past the laser strike at his feet, almost mocking the weasel by this point.

"YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A LOT OF TALK AND A BADGE!"

"WHA-BADGE?!" ranted Nack. I'M NO STINKIN' BADGER YOU SUNUVASNAKE!"

_cli-click- BZZHHHHWWWW _, the raptor dodged then backflipped completely over the piercing shot before landing on his feet, jogging on the spot with lurid grin up towards the sniper.

"YOU DO STINK! YOU STINK, LIKE A HOAR-HOUSE AT LOW TIDE!"

"Wha-wha...WHAT?! WHASSAT EVEN MEAN YOU JERKWAD?!"

"IT MEANS YOU CANNOT EVEN SHOOT ME YOU STINKIN BAH-JURR!"

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

But before he could fire off his next shot, something punched viciously through the floor right next to him as a blur of red burst through with tremendous uppercut. Knuckles grabbed the thief and socked him clean in the jaw, hard enough he dropped his rifle and fell over the balcony to hit the floor from a short height. Groaning with a cough, he staggered up on his feet as he watched both raptors come towards him. The fanged gunman sprang up with twin revolvers from his waists, firing at both Oddie and Barren with a peppering blast of corks that while were not lethal, most certainly hurt with the impact of rubber bullets.

"A-A-OW, G-GAH OWWW!"

"HOW DO YA LIKE ME NOW YA CHEAPFACED LIZARD?!"

The volley burst across their faces and chests causing them to recoil back with stinging pains and small welts before they started circling around him. Nack fired off all his corks in a spreading shot to keep them at bay with turning spin on the ball of his foot. Knuckles came down hard from above with a roaring slam of his giant fist, punching through the stone floor with a cracking crunch that impacted a sagging small crater of dust from around him. Nack desperately dived out of the way at the last second before firing off his last cork straight into the echidna's head.

He reloaded quickly into both with a special feeder of corks chambering into each revolver, running sideways to make a scattershot of rubber pellets in his efforts to keep them back. Despite being non-lethal the corks shot hard enough at their bare skin to bruise as Oddclaw rolled to the side beneath a hail of pellets as he pounced at Nack's feet, clawing at his knees which forced the gunman to shriek and fall back from scarring furry welts across his legs.

With no time to reload he kicked Oddclaw hard in the face and pulled out another weapon that was strapped to his back, a short-looking shotgun that blasted with devastating force and three lasers that spread out from its chokepoint. Knuckles jumped high above the thick laser strike whilst Odd was hit in the leg hard enough to send him to a crumple. But surprisingly the laser didn't tear through his skin, instead it diffused on his thigh like a solid giant punch that left him winded in pain. Barren charged forwards in counterance and kicked both her feet straight into the weasel's face, scraping across his fang and clawing at his cheeks before shrieking to bite down on his skull. He slammed the gun sideways into her mouth to wrestle with her, jaws open and drooling to chomp and gnash upon the thick warm gunmetal.

"G-GET OFF, GET, OFF YOU STUPID HANDBAG!"

"FILTHY WARMBLOOD!"

His gun made a strange vibration moan as it recharged itself, heightening in pitch before it was ready as he fired hard and shot his gun sideways out of her teeth. Raking steel across her fangs she shrieked with a burning taste on her cheek, forced off the weasel as he started running circles round his pursuers to keep dodging their strikes. The raptors lunged as Nack rolled, but clumsily so as he yelped with a sprain to his leg which he shook off and braced himself to fire once again at the two beasts. It was unfortunate for him that he had forgotten about Knuckles whose feet went slamming to the side of his face in a full-on takedown as his purple cheek went scraping along the ground.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!"

He tried to swing his shotgun like a club, but the guardian blocked it with a brazen white fist and smacked it hard with a hammerforce out of his grip, before slamming his other hand with open palm strike to break Fang's nose.

"NNNNNNNMMMM MMHHHHHH! MMMHHHH! My FACE you STUPID JERK!"

"You've lost your knack," quipped Knuckles smirking, "now give me those emeralds."

"Th-th-there in the bike!"

"Uh-uh, I'm not foolin' for that again, you can't fool THIS echidna twice."

"Betcha I can!"

"GIVE ME THE EMERALDS OR I'LL TURN YOUR FACE INTO A CRATER!"

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT!"

The rogue bounty hunter pulled out the two shiny stones from his backpocket. With Knuckles snatching them rightfully to put into his pockets, he got off of Nack and pulled him by the collar towards Oddclaw and Barren.

"Ask him about your sisters," said the guardian.

The raptor son noticed the shotgun that had been knocked aside, picking it up and noticing its design was similar to his own, except being more rectangular and a slightly longer barrel as he pointed it to the weasel's face.

"Where...are my sisters?"

"I-i-i dunno what yer talkin' about, what sisters?!"

"The two raptors that ran off with the shiny stones."

"U-uh, w-w-well I uh, I-i lost track of 'em, sucks to be you!"

"I will not ask again. I've used a shotgun before."

"H-h-hehe, heh, y-you? Really, y-you can't even wear shoes h-how the heck you gonna even work somethin' so complex as a gu-"

BZZHHHHWWWWWW. The laser spread triple across the walls, with one shot hitting the Majestic Queen which sparked even further into flames terrifying the gunman.

"A-A-AAAAH, NOOOO MY QUEEN!"

"Last. Chance." Oddclaw put the warm weapon on Nack's temple. "Tell me now."

"A-alright, ALRIGHT I KNOW WHERE THEY WENT!" The weasel shifted himself with a whimpering of bruises. "M-my guy, the one who hired me, he caught 'em an' sent them off to cause havoc."

"Caught them? They were kap-tchoored?"

"N-nah, he uh...he does this thing, I told 'em how fast they ran from me and uh, m-maybe he went an' put 'em to good use to get yous off our trail!"

"And where are they now?"

"I dunno, what am I his secretary!?"

Oddclaw shoved the barrel of the shotgun squarely to Nack's nose which pinched inside the hole to give him a squeaky voice.

"W-w-weet WEET ai knuu whirr!" The gun popped back with a FUUMP and pop as he wrinkled his nose. "A-aaah dangit you are such jerks, alright...knowin' my boss he's probably sent yer two friends towards the Carnival Zone to make distractions."

"And where is your boss?"

"A-a-at the ol' Flying Battery, I wuz gonna meet 'im there with the emeralds."

"Hmmm..." The raptor tapped the shotgun to the side of his head memorising the words. "Car-nivull...Knuckles, do you know where that is?"

"Sure do," replied the guardian, "just east of here, but there's a lotta mountains in the way."

"What's the fastest way?"

"The lava reef underneath...it's dangerous but we'll get there quick."

"Then let us go."

"WAIT!"

As they were about to leave into the darkening night ruins, the fanged hunter stood up with shaking legs.

"Y-you can't just leave me here!"

"Sure can," replied Knuckles, "your bike is toast, the emeralds are mine and soon I'm gonna kick your boss out of my home."

"C-can I at least have my shotgun back!?"

"No," replied Oddie. "Now you know what it feels like, thief."

With one gun short of his stock and no emeralds left in his possession, the thief threw up his hands in frustration before hobbling over towards his smoking bandit bike. The only thing he dreaded more than losing his Queen was reporting to his employer about a change of plans.

Far and away in the carnival of night, another group of creatures were approaching its glorious visage like a mirage in the desert. Across the great plains south of the mushroom hills, there lied only the great ocean to their west which became an eerie veil in the midst of night. The moon rose high with a swelling fullness that canvassed the entire field in a milky light, that shone to create a ghostly abyss of pale bladed wisps. The grass tickled across their feet as Moonclaw gazed upon the translucent stone in the sky.

"Great again," she muttered, "one-and-a-half cycles exactly."

"Why do you love the moon so much?" asked Barkclaw.

"Well...I am fascinated by it, like you are with the smallwings and crawlers."

"Oh. But you do not count the moon, there is only one."

"No, I know that but I want to understand it. Why is the moon so great tonight when other nights it is small?"

"I do not know," murmured Barkclaw turning his head away.

"Well that is what I want to learn-"

"Can you two keep walking please?!" said Eggfang huffily. "We can stand around gawping at the moon when we are not carrying a stonebeast on our backs!"

They nodded as they walked forwards alongside each other in perfect step like a marching band. Currently propped on their backs was Stonevoice without his legs, sighing as he stared upon the beauteous mirror of the dark starry night. The remains of his legs had become crushed and twisted inwards, the knees viciously forced within almost to the point of breaking causing him to shake his head.

"I am sorry for my mistake in the battle."

"It is fine," said the long-toothed female, "what matters is you are not dead."

"That stonebeast charged me much faster than I expected...I must admit he was clever to tear my legs with his... roundstone leg."

"Hopefully your friends can heal you."

"We are always healing our broken siblings, wherever we may find them."

"HALT!"

Two guards stood at the entrance to the carnival, reminiscent of giant crabs with large star-patterned shields.

"Who goes there?!"

"They are friends," replied Stonevoice, "please, let them pass I am wounded and require repairs."

"...wait, Dronin?! Issat you?!"

"Who else has can make you fall asleep with his voice?"

"Th-that's not true, that only happened once and we were-wha-H-HEY wake up!"

The guard smacked his fellow doorkeeper awake with a heavy claw that startled him.

"WHA-HUH-NNNGH wh-whaa whuh happen?!"

"Ehhhh Dronin's here. But who are these meatsacks?"

"They are my new friends," replied Dronin staring upside down from Barkclaw's shoulder. "They will not be any trouble, I promise."

"Alllrighty then," said the alert guard. "Let 'em through!"

Standing apart the three raptors were given passage into the new robot settlement. The place was bustling with all sorts of mechanical creatures resembling various living animals. From lively snakes and wily wasps to wheeling rhinos and legless monkeys whilst snappy-jawed fish swam happily amidst deep water ponds and trenches below glittering lights and converted fronts that were now either living quarters or shops for the denizens of this whimsical town.

Their houses were small, almost claustrophobic, but to a robot it was cozy with oil bottles for sale and electric chargers plugged to the walls for their sleep modes. Red, yellow and blue flashed across the many attractions now reimagined for a new purpose. The rollercoaster was now a transit system, the dodgems and ferris wheel a perpetual motion generator that supplied power to the former park with some of the old rides and stalls remaining as entertainment, sharpshooting galleries and coconut shys aplenty amongst a technicolour boulevard of gyrating red barrels and electric walkways, undulating like neon serpents.

"How did the stonebeasts come to build this place?" asked Moonclaw.

"We heard of a rebellion on a different island," explained the mantis bot, _"a group of lost stonebeasts that united to form a new tribe." _

"Is that the same tribe here?"

"No, they inspired us to change our ways and turn against our alpha. The ones who began this rebellion move between tribes to keep us unified."

"Do you have an alpha now?" asked Eggfang.

"No, we are a tribe of our own and so rule ourselves with respect, and kindness."

Most of the steel beasts gave a strange look to the raptors carrying the mantis on their backs, and those that came too close would soon welcome their compatriot who warned them back with his low cool voice.

"Hey-ey wuts all dis?!"

"They are my friends, do not pester them."

"O-oh, sorry mister Dronin uhhh d-didn't recognise ya there."

"Not to worry, I am not the only one-armed slicer here."

"EY DRONIN HOWSIT GOIN'?!"

"It could be better but I am well."

"Alrighty catch ya later!"

"You have many friends," replied Barkclaw.

"I know many, but none that I can call friend."

"Am I your friend?"

"Yes, Barkclaw."

"Why are they not your friends?"

"They are... different, like how you are different from your sister."

"Oh. Okay."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Eggfang turning her head to barely see the mantis on her back.

"What my fellow stonebeasts enjoy is different from what I enjoy. They call me too serious to be friends with for too long."

"Ahhhh I see. You hunt all day and so forgot how to play."

"Something like that...wait, here."

They halted alongside a large building that used to be a haunted house, the remnants of broken teeth and mangled ghosts hanging off to become reinvented as a medical symbol, two fibre cables wrapping around a giant screw. Stepping inside the darkened lair they found a long silver table beneath a spotlight, as a voice came filtering in much to the raptors' nervous surprise.

"Well. I have not seen any reptilians in years."

"Hello doctor," replied Dronin to the void, "I am in need of repairs for my legs."

"And are your friends also in need? I must warn you that I do not work well with muscle and flesh."

"They are here to carry me, that is all."

"I see, well, in that case please lie down here."

Relaying these instructions to the raptors, the praying mantis was laid onto the table as the lights came on startling the feral beasts who backed off. Staring upon them from a glass ceiling was a giant red pirahna fish, his toothy grin robust with shining steel and a metal domed cap on the front of his head.

"Do not fear," he called from behind the glass, "I am merely the chief sturgeon of this place."

"Wh-what is THAT!?" cried Moonclaw.

"A stonefish!?" gasped Eggfang. "And it speaks like the rest of these beasts do!"

"He will heal me," replied Dronin to them, _"do not fear, I will be fine." _

"How can a stonefish heal you?" asked Barkclaw stepping closer.

"The stonefish is clever, his mind surpasses his body."

At that moment they heard a beeping sound from the fish's cranium, his skullcap emitting some signal towards six spindly arms falling from the ceiling, wielding razor sharp blades in a variety of forms from the circular saw to precise small drills as the sturgeon ordered:

"I must ask your friends to leave for I must have absolute concentration if I am to rebuild your legs."

"I am sorry my friends," translated the bugbot, _"but could you leave until I am healed?" _

"Of course," said Eggfang, "come brother, let him heal."

"B-but, but-" whimpered Barkclaw, "will he be alright?"

"He will be."

"But......I want to stay with him."

"What?"

"C-can I...stay with you please, Stonevoice?"

The robot looked over to him with some semblance of a smile, parting his mandibles with a metallic whirr as he nodded.

"You can stay Barkclaw, but you must be still and quiet until I am healed."

"Yes...okay, I will be quiet."

Sitting himself down in a dark corner, the mottled male raptor waited with not a single sound much to the surprise of his sister and friend. The females were uncertain about leaving him, so Eggfang tried one last time.

"Barkclaw are you sure you want to stay?"

"Yes."

"Alright then. But promise me you will wait here until Stonevoice is healed."

"Okay."

With that, the two left as the sound of crunching steel resonated throughout the surgery, the cracked metal plates pinned beneath a multitude of drilling shrieking apparatus. Eggfang and Moonclaw looked around the carnival with uncertainty, their claws tapping the metal walkway which split off into two directions back and forth around the length of the city grounds. The constant drone of buzzing machinery began to wear on them deeply after the first five minutes.

"Ugh," snarled Moonclaw, "this place is awful."

"THANK you," gasped Eggfang, "I was thinking the same thing."

"Everything here feels dirty, somehow. The air tastes bad and the sound, UGHH the sound is like a slow fire into my face."

"I do not know how Barkclaw can stand this. Hmmmph, what can we do but wait?"

"We can always explore?" Moonclaw gave a lurid grin with raised eyes.

"What?!" The long-toothed female sneered at the concept. "No we have to wait-"

"Oh come now, Barkclaw is a good brother, he will not leave until Stonevoice is healed and that could take more than a day!"

"What can we even do on our own amongst this stonebeast tribe?"

"Sniff out any sign of your family, perhaps they came this way!"

"...hmmm..." She gave it some thought, Eggfang scratching the ground pensively before giving her answer. "No, I am sorry but I cannot leave Barkclaw. After what happened with Oddclaw I would rather not risk being separated from him."

"I understand," said Moonclaw. "What if I go then, I will come back when I pick up the trail, does that sound good?"

"Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Only one of us has to be here, I am not family so Barkclaw will not be too upset."

"But he likes you, he practically sees you as family after bringing back our brother."

"He...does?"

"Of course, in fact I do too."

"...th-thank you." The older grey female dipped her head in respect before licking Eggfang's cheek. "I am honoured you feel that way."

"Well you are the only female besides mother I can talk to about things."

"Alright...new plan. I will go as far as that water over there, and then come back. Just if there is any possible scent."

"Fine," said Eggfang. "It would help if we found some trace of them, come back soon alright?"

"I will."

Strutting off down the palisade of lights, Moonclaw focused on her senses to try and detect something even close to the others. The heady mixture of oil and industrial solvents were a cloying garish smell of thick cool burning odours that made her slightly sick, as well as making her job harder in the night-covered city. Scorpions formed from steel along with mechanical dragonflies passed her by with suspicious looks, which she gave in turn until finally something caught her attention.

"...wha-...that..."

It was a faint whiff of someone she knew, someone of Oddclaw's family certainly with their earthen forest scent as she followed after the trace to make sure. The silver-scaled raptor found the trail ending within a large old building that had double doors gaping to allow entry. Between large crates and giant gears with hanging chains around a former factory, the scent continued its trail as Moonclaw caught small snatches of that fragrant lunar light above the world through shattered skylights.

"Well whadda you THINK?!" squawked a shrill voice just ahead.

"I d'no!" muttered a doofy deep voice. "I just make thuh food!"

"Yer on the committee, you GOT to have an opinion!"

"I didn' vote to be on thuh committee!"

"WE STARTED THE COMMITTE YOU DUMBOT!"

Seeing another set of doors, the raptor pushed it open with her head to find a crumbling lunchroom, tables broken in half with their attached seats twisting out of joint and a long lunch counter window opposite her. A large hole in the ceiling showed the remains of an offic above her head, but what intrigued her most was something in the very centre of the room between her and the lunch counter.

Sitting on top of a pinewood desk that had fallen from the office was a strange-looking beast resembling a long-necked bird, around 6'5'' with yellow beak and red-crested head whilst wearing a ragged-looking tuxedo that stopped just short of his legs. Beside him was an equally-odd creature around 3'2'' with large thick tank treads on either side of its green body, which had a pointed nose and screwbolt eyes all wrapped up in a shoddy suit with a big red bowtie.

"Why are WE on thuh committee?" asked the moletank.

"Because we're the founders!" ranted the squawking bird.

"But...wait, how come we're breathin'?!"

"HUH?!"

"Cuz we oughta have gills if we're founders!"

The bird craned his head up with dumbfounded look, smacking a steel wing over his eyes to slide it down his beak.

"You...are the DUMBEST BIGGEST paperweight I ever seen!"

"WHUT!? No I'm not, I don' even DO boxing!"

"BU-GUH-YOU-JU-GRRRRRRGH!"

Receiving a hard slap across his face, the tank's head spun wildly almost unscrewing itself before he grabbed his cheeks, thick drill-shaped arms on either side as he rotated his head back down into his neck. But in mid-screw he caught sight towards the doorway noticing the newcomer.

"UH, HEY, YER NOT S'POSED TO BE HERE!"

"Huh?!" The rooster looked up before frantically falling over the desk. "DOHOHOHO-YOW!"

Moonclaw craned her head trying to make sense of this, but before she could even attempt to parley the bird stood up with scowling beak.

"YOU AGAIN!?"

"Wh-what?!" cried Moonclaw.

"And you came here alone even, without yer little friend?! Ohohhh thaaaaat's rich, YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST WALTZ IN ON US AGAIN, AFTER WHAT YOU DID?! WELL I CAME PREPARED THIS TIME!"

"YEAH!" sneered the tank. "I MADE A SALAD FER YOU, AN' YER GONNA EAT IT!"

"DAAAAMN STRAIGHT!" The rooster cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck before whipping out a space-age blaster. "IT'S TIME TO PAY UP LITTLE LIZARD, BUHA-HAHAAAAAA!"

Firing towards them with a green-jellied shot, the raptor dodged as the tank revved himself up towards Moonclaw, whilst the rooster stood his ground and popped off a small spread of thick gooey pellets. Ducking her back beneath the shots, the jelly splatted onto the wall before melting like acid, sizzling slightly into the peeling walls at a slow indifferent pace. The smell of stinging acrid chemical made Moonclaw realise how dangerous it was as she focused upon the chicken gunner.

But the moletank raced at her with surprising speed over the scuffed linoleum floor and swung violently with hard shrieking drill-arms she dodged and swerved back to avoid, hitting the wall briefly to find herself almost pinned by the tank.

"NOW YOU'LL GEDDIT, YOU-DFFFH!"

She hopped onto his head with a mighty jump, scratching her claws upon his smooth bonce which punched his skull completely down into his round boiler-shaped torso.

"H-HEEELP, I CAN'T SEE!"

"YOU NINCOMBOT, YOU HAD 'IM RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Whilst his buddy ran round desperately in a circle like a headless chicken, the rooster bot took aim whilst closing one eye at the raptor intruder who hopped over broken tables, dodging every one of his shots despite his best efforts.

"HOLD, STILL YOU FREAK!"

Podgy bursts of gooey acid blasted from his pistol to smatter across the washed-out ceiling, burning through the asbestos in jellied liquid pus that dripped in colours of blue, red, green and yellow amidst Moonclaw's skilful dodging. Sometimes she would stop and wait, testing the rooster's reflexes as he stammered and fired a little too eagerly which threw off his aim. She ducked beneath the first shot, hopped over the next and swerved her head wildly for the third and fourth almost mocking the shooter.

"STOP, MOVING YOU-GAAAAAARGH!"

With brainless fury the brash long-legged chicken made its charge towards Moonclaw, firing his gun constantly in the hopes he would somehow manage to hit his new target. Dodging the frenzied fire by a turning duck, she swiped her tail hard across the rooster's beak to knock him down, but one of his shots managed to sear past her upper thigh and burn with a sizzling sting she gasped from. Not taking any chances, she lunged on the chicken to tear his wing with the pistol from his body, startling the badnik who began smacking Moonclaw around the face with his other wing.

"G-G-GET OFF, GET OFF YOU-GA-AAAAGH, AAAAGH YOU S-STOP IT, STOP IT GROUNDER DO SOMETHING!"

"UH, UH, OKAY!"

Hearing his friend in distress, the moletank turned towards the effortful struggle between tooth and steel as he charged with a rather pathetic cry of vengeance. Yelling with a thoughtless victory, he swung his drill too soon and cracked Moonclaw across the face with the green steel of his shoulder by a surprising strength, hard enough to send her flying back through the doors and into the main factory floor. The robots followed soon after, Grounder having his head pulled back out of his torso by the chicken gripping his antennae with a clanging pop.

"YOU MESSED UP DIRTBREATH!" shouted the rooster towards the raptor.

"YEAH!" barked the tank. "Now yer gonna EAT dirt!"

"You used that one already!"

"No I didn', I said he'd eat IT!"

"It WHAT?!"

"I...uhhhh-"

"DOH NEVERMIND JUST WASTE THIS PUNK BEFORE THEY RUIN THINGS AGAIN!"

Grounder screeched across the floor with burly arms out swinging, slow but powerful as he revved his drills with spiralling frenzy. The raptor's speed was too swift for him, dodging haymaker swings and crushing hammer-steel blows that crunched into the floor. Moonclaw grabbed for the side of his head with biting snap, avoiding his sharp nose before twisting it round hard to make him face backwards.

"H-HEEEEY, DON' DO THAT!"

"How is your neck not broken!?" cried Moonclaw. "Damn stonebeast perhaps THIS will break you!"

In the brief confusion she slamkicked her foot out into the back of Grounder's head, knocking him over to send his face hard to the floor. The drilling nose plunged into the ground, causing its spin to activate which was powerful enough to cause Grounder to violently whirl like a candy floss machine, surprising Moonclaw who was kicked hard across the chest by his whirling treadmill feet.

"GUH, AAAGH!"

"HELL-ELL-ELLL-ELL-EEEEEELP!"

"TURN OFF YER DRILL YOU BOLTBRAIN!" squawked the bird.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I FERGOOO-OOOO-OOOOT!"

"OH FER pete's sake!"

Taking advantage of Moonclaw's briefly stunned state, the rooster stomped over to his spinning friend and grabbed his wheels with robotic strength, pulling him free from the ground as he landed hard on top of him.

"Gee, thanks Scratch!" said the tank woozily.

"GET, OFF OF ME YOU REJECT!"

"SURE, anythin' fer you buddy-GUHHH!"

Before he could wheel himself off fully, the raptor came back with a vengeance as she slammed her giant sickled claws into his torso, knocking him down on his side as Scratch staggered back on his feet.

"HEY, STOP HITTIN' MY BUDDY, THAT'S MY JOB!"

The bird swung his arm out in a karate strike for the neck, whapping her hard enough to sting before slamming his fist to her chin to knock the raptor back. Moonclaw snarled waiting for the next attack as Scratch tried a spinning kick, whirring out one of his legs to go much farther than expected as it struck her hard in the head.

"Yeaaaaahehehhh you like that, YOU LIKE THAT YA FREAK, I GOT AN IQ OF FORTY I GOT ALL THE MOVES haaaacha-cha-cha-cha!"

He danced with cocky strut, swerving and punching the air like a midweight boxer waiting for her to charge at him once again. The raptor lunged with a leaping strike, but Scratch dodged away before smacking her with a three-hit combo and kicked her hard in the leg to knock her down once again. His confidence went up starting to moonwalk in front of her, defiantly slipping his dual-toed chicken feet back along the heel one after the other.

"EEE-HEEEEE, SHAMONE-YA! WHO'S BAD, I'M BAD BUHA-HAHAAAAA!"

"Guh, stupid stonebeast stop LAUGHING I will break that smile off your FACE!"

"OHOHOHHH whassat, you wan' more well ohokay then!"

Snapping her teeth with a vicious shriek, she tried to bite for his neck which swerved like a cobra before striking with his beak to peck her on the skull, hammering sharply to make her flinch and scratch her head.

"GA-AAAH, GET OFF, STUPID FLYER I WILL BREAK YOUR NECK FOR THIS!"

The bird stopped hammering but only to ready himself for a field kick swinging his leg far back and aiming towards the raptor, who saw through her dizzied throbbing vision just in time to dodge and grab his knee with her teeth.

"Oh no you DON'T!"

"WH-WHOAHHHOHOHO!"

With panicked flustering wings he tried to wrench himself free from her vicelike grip, the raptor turning herself hard in a circle to swing Scratch into a pile of boxes which clattered and crunched straight on top of him. Legs spasming from each weight that clonked and rolled across his body, the robot chicken whimpered from the dents all over him as Moonclaw panted covered in bruises.

"There...now...time to keep searching for the family."

"I would wait."

The sound of Dronin's meticulously-garbled voice came filtering from behind her as she saw the newly-repaired mantis, along with Barkclaw and Eggfang standing beside him.

"Oh! Stonevoice are you alright?!"

"I am now healed," he replied bowing, _"I see you have already met the ones who first rebelled against our alpha." _

"What?!"

Stonevoice stepped forwards on his new legs, glistening silver struts that clicked with sinuous stride almost effortless in his pace. Carefully he pulled up the rooster and the mole before brushing the dirt off from their chassis.

"Allow me to introduce you to the ones who made our new home possible. Scratch and Earther."