FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hejira: Sanguine Wave

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 29: New Faces

Lying beside each other atop the straw bed, which is covered in sewn together animal hides, Gareth and Sarvah look toward the ceiling. After a vigorous afternoon, evening and night together, they both slept in. With her head resting atop Gareth's arm, she rolls onto her side, her breasts pressing against him as she leans in. Tail wagging and back arching, she stretches, resting a hand atop his chest. She nuzzles his cheek before giving him a very soft, tender kiss.

“I wish I could lie here all day." Sarvah remarks.

“I thought you could do whatever you wanted." Gareth retorts.

“Leaders hardly ever get to do what they want. I sometimes wish I was never in charge; I'd much rather have a normal life." She answers.

Sitting up, she stretches again, her body purposely revealed to him one last time. Rising from the bed, she takes her clothes from the floor and begins to dress herself.

“Sarvah..." Gareth murmurs.

“Hm?" She turns to him and smiles.

“What will I do here?"

“What do you want to do here?" She asks, adjusting her top.

“No, I mean, will I be safe here? You saw how they looked at me. There aren't as many gray felines running around as you'd think." He explains.

Sarvah pauses. For all of her planning and the work she's done, she knows that he is correct; word still spreads relatively quickly in a world as small as this one, and eventually he will be a household name, both feared and despised. No one will care about his grief, or his past; they will only see a human slaughtering monster.

“We'll work through it." She assures him.

Chuckling, Gareth drops his head.

“What's so funny?" She grins.

“As often as I've heard you lie, this is the first time I didn't believe you."

“Believe me, Gare. Please. We will work through this. You have several hundred years to reshape your image." She replies.

“Do I?"

His words cut like a knife. She can feel an icy chill overcome here; the thought is unbearable. Unable to face that painful fact, she shakes it from her mind. Approaching her lover, she wraps her arms around him and kisses his cheek and lips.

“We'll find your place here." She reiterates, before kissing him again. “I'll see you later."

Leaving his humble home, Sarvah is struck by how many people take notice. Everyone walking by sees their leader as she emerges from Gareth's dwelling, their stares silently judging her. The icy chill returns. Brushing it off yet again, she marches through the streets and toward a section of town to oversee construction. Finding Rinahra there, she holds a scroll with Sarvah's instructions, dictating the underlings.

“Slaving away, I hope!" Sarvah chirps. “Give me that. I'm resuming control."

Taking the scroll from a startled looking Rinahra, she examines the work that's been done. Turning her icy blue eyes upward, the entirely Sahvorai crew look both amused and nervous.

“How has work progressed since I've been gone?" She asks the crew.

“Vigorously, ma'am." Rinahra replies.

A crewman subdues a laugh.

“... And how many more foundations have you built?" Sarvah asks.

“Sex. I mean, six! Six, ma'am!" A male overseer nervously replies.

More chuckle at his slip-up, even Rinahra. Sarvah realizes that she smells like Gareth; she doesn't care. Unamused by their childish humor, she is quick to act.

“Yes, I spent last night enjoying my partner in every way imaginable." She grins.

“Uh, ma'am?" The overseer murmurs.

“But before that I suffered through weeks on the road, half-starved and babysitting an overgrown man-child. I earned a hard fucking last night; far better than your wife ever had. Now, as the strongest and most capable person here, I suggest you get your lazy asses back to work." Sarvah snaps.

The overseer looks terribly embarrassed, his head bowed forward. With a wave of her hand, she sends everyone away. Turning to leave, Sarvah reaches out and grabs Rinahra by the back of her neck, pulling her closer.

“Don't undermine my authority again. You forget your place, little girl. If we don't maintain order here, all we have is chaos; you don't want one of those men to run this town."

“Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, ma'am." Rinahra sheepishly responds.

“Oh, don't thank me. Thank Gareth." Sarvah adds.

Letting go of her neck, Sarvah waves her personal assistant away.

“Sarvah must be the meanest leader out there." A Sahvorai girl remarks.

“No. There are worse." Naomi answers.

“Really?!"

“You haven't been away from this camp, Zahra. Women like Sarvah can build cities. Besides, she's sweet when you really get to know her." Naomi replies.

“Hm... Let's go find the other girls and see what they're doing." Zahra suggests.

The two girls slide off of a partially constructed wall in the distance, leaving right as the morning work crew arrives to resume building. Walking through the compacted dirt trails, the grass gradually trampled and torn away from countless feet, they head for the other end of the village. Kelly emerges from the small house that he shares with Naomi, whom he watches over, as her guardian.

“Hey girls!" He chirps.

“Hi Kelly." Both reply in unison.

“Doing anything interesting?" He asks.

“No. Just looking for our friends." Naomi replies.

“I heard a group of humans came to the camp late last night. Maybe we could check them out too?" Zahra says to her friend.

“Humans, huh?" Kelly scratches his full bear. “I haven't seen a human woman in a while... Mmm..."

“Uh..." Zahra and Naomi both flush.

“Let's take a walk!" Kelly chirps. “You can show me this human group so I can 'get to know' one or more of them."

“If you're lonely, there are Sahvorai women around who would probably like to 'know' you." Zahra hesitantly remarks.

“I 'got to know' a Sahvorai woman, and it was a little... Weird, for both of us. Some people, like Gareth, can get past it, but I'm just a human who likes other humans." Kelly answers.

“You don't like Sahvorai?!" Zahra asks in shock.

“No, I like them! Most of them are very nice, talented people. I just don't want to 'get to know them', like that."

“You know that you don't have to mask sexual references with inuendo as if we're young children, right?" Naomi remarks.

“Yeah, but you'll always be that innocent little girl to me." Kelly quips, teasingly messing up her hair.

Reaching the edge of Wildwood, Kelly stops and stares at a tribe of humans who are predominantly female. With tightly fitting hide garments, he has a flashback to watching one of Gareth's classic films. Though never a fan of non-animated American films, he was struck by the beauty of a woman named 'Raquel' who portrayed a cavewoman; these women's garments are quite similar, and many are equally as beautiful. One in particular, a brunette with hair just past her shoulders, a slender but athletic frame and modest, B-cup breasts, stands to the side.

Taking notice of one of the few human men among the blossoming town, the remaining few being a part of her own clan, she turns her body to face him. Resting her hands on the slender, bare flesh of her waist, she tilts her head slightly and smiles. As if to tease him, she quickly swivels her head, using momentum to push her hair from her shoulders. Raising his hand, Kelly smiles back and waves. Glancing left and right, she soon begins approaching the group. Kelly gulps as he feels himself growing nervous.

“Hello, children. Who's your friend?" The woman asks the two teenage girls.

“I'm Kelly." He replies. “This is Naomi and Zahra. Naomi is my little sister."

“Really? You two don't look related." She remarks.

“Our dad really got around." Kelly quips.

The woman raises her brow in surprise; it's apparent she doesn't realize that he is joking. Apologizing for Kelly, Naomi smooths over the growing tension by asking the woman about herself. As she speaks, Kelly thoroughly examines her form and her clothing. He notices a hide pouch that he hadn't seen before. With a rock-button securing a flap at the bottom, the hide pouch is thin and relatively flat, but long. Looking closely, he can see that she wears a knife on her left shoulder, upside down, and with a roughly six-inch blade.

“I'm Claire. My tribe are the Night Watchers." She says, as she ponytails her hair, tying it with cordage.

“Is your last name Redfield?" Kelly quips.

“No. I have never heard that name before, but I do not remember my previous one. It has been too long." Claire replies.

“When did you arrive, or where you born here?" Zahra asks.

“I came here about... One hundred and ten years ago, when I was only twelve years of age. I was still but a child, living in a small Frankish village. My parents joined the first of the Night Watchers, though they were both killed nearly eighty years ago." The huntress answers.

“That's a strange clan name." Zahra comments.

“We are a small group of humans, who only travel and hunt at night." Claire explains.

“An impressive feat, for humans." Zahra remarks.

“So... What do you hunt at night?" Kelly asks with a soft tone, taking a step closer.

Claire's eyes scan the portly human, her lips curling into a strange grin. He cannot tell if she's amused by his subtle flirtation, or genuinely interested.

“I only hunt for big game." She quips.

“Really? A little thing like you?" He steps even closer.

“You'd be surprised by what I can do. I like dragging the big game back home." She coos.

“Oh, please." Naomi mutters.

Kelly's brow raises as Claire rests a hand on his forearm, stroking him. He is amazed that she actually seems interested in him.

“Well, I'd better return to my people. We are planning to negotiate for permanent residence." Claire tells the three.

“Then I'll see you around?!" Kelly asks excitedly.

“Perhaps... If I allow it." She winks.

Turning and heading back to her tribe, Claire sashays away. Staring at her firm buttocks, Kelly hums with lust.

“I didn't know you liked older women." Naomi teases him.

“Age is just a number."

“Yeah, but hers is higher." Zahra adds.

“When I'm three hundred and she's four hundred, will either of us notice?" He retorts.

Continuing their walk around the camp, Kelly trials Naomi and her Sahvorai friend as they look for their other companions. Kelly, who simply has nothing else to do, tags along as the girl's chaperon. Nearing Gareth's home, the simple wooden door swings open and the gray furred male steps outside. Turning to his friends, he smiles and waves. Zahra stops, standing like a statue as both Naomi and Kelly happily greet their friend of many years. Glancing over to the rabbit-like teenage female, Naomi notices a distinct expression of dread.

“I-I'd better go. I'll see you later, Naomi." She says.

“Wait! What about the others? Are we still going down to the lake?" Naomi asks.

“Yes. Later." Zahra replies as she darts away.

“I guess she has somewhere more important to be." Kelly shrugs.

Naomi watches with consternation; turning to Gareth, she realizes what has just happened. As he approaches his two friends, he glances with his purple eyes, seeing the fearful looks and hearing the hurtful whispers about him as the townsfolk gawk. Zahra is terrified of Gareth, who is now synonymous with 'Red Claw' the bloodthirsty and savage murderer of humans. As many of the Sahvorai there have grown accustomed to humans through interacting with Kelly and Naomi, and many more are Feather Fingers, they too dislike and fear Red Claw for the things he's done.

“What are you doing today?" Kelly asks Gareth.

“I... I don't know." He answers, looking around at the staring villagers.

“Come on... Let's uh, find Sarvah and see about putting us to work!" Naomi nervously suggests, taking both Kelly and Gareth by their wrists.

Leading them through Wildwood only draws more attention, and Naomi can see that it isn't positive. Out of fear of tarnishing her own reputation, she rather impulsively releases both men; the shame of saving herself is immediate and powerful. Approaching the construction zone, they can see Sarvah talking with a blonde human woman of European descent. If they had to wager a guess, she appears Russian or perhaps German, with strong facial features. Turning to the group, which she sees from the corner of her eye, Sarvah grins wide and waves to them.

Carefully and almost fearfully approaching, Sarvah doesn't seem to notice the attention that Gareth is bringing. It isn't until the blonde human turns and sees the gray furred Sahvorai with purple eyes that she becomes irate.

“Who is this?!" The woman demands.

“Relax, Emma. His name is Gareth. He's my lover." Sarvah proudly exclaims.

Naomi and Kelly turn their eyes to Gareth, both subduing little grins of amusement. Gareth appears embarrassed; his head bows in a respectful greeting, but stays there for some time.

“He looks... Like someone we know..." Emma grumbles.

Her hand rests on a dagger that sits in a sheath tied to the waist-belt of her hide pants. Though they are long pants, unlike the skirts and loin cloths of her comrades, they are form fitting. Emma narrows her emerald green eyes, the wind fluttering her platinum blonde hair that reaches over and toward the bottom of her ample, DD-cup breasts. The beautiful, angelic woman stands ready to draw her weapon, her lips curled into a silent snarl.

“Yes, you fit a certain description..." She speaks in a low rumble.

“Gareth IS NOT Red Claw." Sarvah immediately interjects.

Everyone, even Emma, can sense that she is lying; most of her people know this for a fact. However, the look upon their leader's face is telling. Sarvah is truly worried for his safety. For all that he's done, she still loves him and she would do anything to protect him. None dare reveal the truth. Emma's fingers, once coiled over the handle of her blade, extend into passivity.

“Are you certain?"

“There are a lot of gray furred Sahvorai out there." Sarvah retorts.

“Yes, but how many are feline and have purple eyes?" Emma snaps back.

“Who said Red Claw was feline, or had purple eyes?" Sarvah laughs.

“Survivors..."

“Red Claw left no survivors. What description was given was from half-dead humans who were bleeding out and delirious from fear and exposure. How much of what they said was even accurate? Did the people who found them even hear them correctly as they choked out their final words? All we know for sure is that Red Claw has a powerful aura, and is a competent talent user." Sarvah explains.

Hearing her words but mistrusting her, Emma is forced to concede; the Night Watcher's leader has no proof of the contrary. With a deal on the table for a permanent home, Emma moves her hand away from her dagger and nods her head.

“My apologies..." She says through clenched teeth.

“It's okay. I forgive you." Gareth speaks softly.

With the situation defused, he turns to Sarvah. She looks to him with a little grin and a sparkle in her eye, nodding confidently. Though Emma was forced to accept the lie, for now, Gareth knows in his heart that it won't last forever. Nodding back, the melancholy in his eyes speaks volumes to the wolfess. With an almost psychic connection, he urges her to accept the reality of their situation. Her smile fades and she carefully looks around her, turning only her eyes.

Taking in her surroundings, she notes the anger, hate, fear and sorrow that the villagers silently express. A rift is growing at his very presence, and she worries that maybe this time she won't be able to make it work through sheer force of will. Was Gareth right? She certainly hopes not...