FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A crowd gathered to one side of the grassy clearing, eagerly anticipating the show with excited murmurs. Looking over all the faces, Emaatet couldn't help a satisfied smirk. Excellent, she thought. The wolf was always happy to have an audience, and this town's turnout was pretty good. She'd gotten the impression they didn't see many Agrisians here, and she was perfectly content for them to ogle.

With a bit of subtle posing, she showed off a little of the pattern that covered her body. The magical bright blue dye stood in stark contrast to the sandy beige tones of her fur. Tilting her head lifted the wide brim of her hat, putting her bright yellow eyes on display. With a wink here and a smile there, she played the crowd for a little fun. Oh, he's cute, she thought, teasing the end of her long brown braid and waving it at a man near the front.

Better than all that was the woman standing across from her; the champion they'd put up to meet her challenge. The feline was quite tall at around seven feet, but that seemed to be a common thing for Fioans in these parts. The tallest Emaatet had seen before was around six foot, only a bit taller than herself. But many here were taller still; the referee nearby, for example, pushed the upper end at nearly eight foot.

Her fur was orange and white, and the black stripes that accented her body looked suspiciously like the referee's. They also shared hair of the purest white, though hers was significantly shorter, barely flirting with her shoulders. Regardless, Emaatet thanked her good fortune for the overcast sky. As was typical of most Fioans she'd encountered, the woman was pear-shaped and toned. There was a confidence in her posture the wolf had seen, and shattered, many times.

The Fioan was dressed, if you could even call it that, in traditional style. A loincloth that reached her ankles, hung from a belt of large beads, and a simple top that left her shoulders and midriff bare. At least she's wearing an undergarment, she thought. It was a surprisingly uncommon choice here, the wolf had noticed. All taken together, though, it made sense enough; much like her own home, this place was warm and arid. But where Agrisians favored lighter fabrics and retained their decency, the cats simply wore as little as they could get away with.

A young man carrying a pair of staves ran up to the referee, who took them and passed one to each woman. The four foot pole was a little dinged up, but definitely a hefty, dense hardwood, still perfectly serviceable. The Fioan had her hand atop the end of hers, holding it much like a cane for how short it was to her. The sight might have been comical if didn't highlight the disparity in their stature. The tiger could likely wield the heavy weapon in one hand, and she would probably have to for it to be of use. Armed combat was well-trodden ground for Emaatet, but any fool could see her disadvantage in this case.

The referee motioned for them to ready. Sure enough, the Fioan held her staff by one end like a sword, taking a low stance and tucking her free hand close to her chest. Emaatet took a stance more appropriate for staff work, but she knew she'd have to abandon melee as soon as possible, for more favorable terms. Which was such a shame; the initial fight made for good pacing, and she _so_enjoyed the warm-up.

A determined smirk masked her thoughts, eyes fixed on the Fioan. The woman held her gaze with a relaxed smile, almost looking amused. There was an alertness about her eyes, though. She definitely wasn't taking the outcome for granted. The referee took each weapon in hand, holding them crossed on front in himself as he laid out the rules of engagement.

"To incapacity or yield." His deep voice boomed, heard by even the furthest parts of the crowd. "Ready?"

"Ready." Both women replied in unison.

"Begin!" The referee released the staves, backing off the field. They did him the courtesy of waiting until he was at a safe distance. In that time, Emaatet found herself tempted to gauge the woman's combat prowess. It proved too great to resist, and against her better judgement, the wolf made a play.

With a quick motion, she dipped the end of her staff just enough to disengage. Her intent was lost, as the woman almost instantly thrust forward. Wide-eyed, the wolf barely had time to repurpose her movement and deflect.

Fuck, she thought. The Fioan was much_faster than anticipated, and much stronger. Even accounting for leverage, the force Emaatet needed just to push the thrust aside was surprising. She had little doubt the strike was simply making a point, and that she had been _allowed to defend. Okay, she thought, bad idea.

The wolf slid her weapon down the woman's, hoping to force her backward and create some distance. It was swiftly pushed away instead, the woman standing firm as she pinned the wolf's weapon to the ground. The motion forced Emaatet to hunch over, and they exchanged a look. She knew the woman was waiting to see what she would do. She wouldn't wait long though, and a little smirk was all the warning she gave. The wolf ducked just in time for the tiger's staff to swing over her head. It caught the tail of her hat, and she watched as it flew off, landing a good distance away. When she looked back, she found the end of a staff only a few inches from her face. Looking past it, a rather unimpressed feline.

"Guess you got me." Emaatet gave an unconvincing grin.

"_Sure_I do." The Fioan said, her voice deep and even.

Well,_she thought, _if we're both ready to move on. As though returning the favor, she gave only the smallest warning in dropping her staff. She swung her arms up as she straightened and stepped back. A rush of crystal clear water sprung up from the ground between them, catching the Fioan in the chest and face. In the same motion, Emaatet whisked herself away to safety. The feline simply stood there, sopping wet and looking a bit deflated, sighing heavily as though she'd just been pranked.

Emaatet settled herself well away from the woman, several tendrils of water idly swaying in place around her. One retrieved her hat, and she took care to position it just-so on her head. She couldn't help a smug grin as she eyed the woman, looking between her and the crowd for reactions. With as large and modern as this town seemed, she didn't expect water magic to frighten them. That typically happened in smaller, more rural places. Or human lands. Her grin slowly faded, though. There was no fear, but neither was there a single face of shock, nor awe.

"Usually gets a bigger reaction. Or... any reaction..." The wolf complained to herself, folding her arms and pouting. Outside of the Great City, superstition and fear still surrounded hydromancy. Not nearly as much as the earth mages faced, but enough that she'd had to flee town more than a few times. Oh well, she thought with a shrug, I guess it could be worse. She turned back just in time to see the gigantic woman barreling toward her, surprisingly dry and quickly closing the distance. "Ohhhh no you don't!"

With a quick gesture, she raised a pair of walls to collide across the Fioan's path. They were too large for her to do anything, and the mage smiled as she saw the tiger stop short. Wasting no time, she threw a wave directly at the woman, breaking the barricade and pushing her back. From there, it became a trivial task to keep her well out of range. The distance gave Emaatet plenty of time to see the woman's intentions and intercept her attempts to close in. The show was hers to run now, and she could start having fun.

The first order of business was to put the feline on defense. Calling up quick little whips, she began harassing the woman's legs. The tiger was quick and agile, but Emaatet wasn't exactly trying that hard to hit her. Through a little misdirection, she would occasionally manage to trip the woman up, but it was always a short-lived advantage. She would spin, twist and flip out of harm's way effortlessly, taking any tumble in stride.

Emaatet was careful not to let the woman trick her into giving ground through roundabout maneuvering. It was obvious that she wasn't so preoccupied with evasion that she couldn't at least try. The mage let her get a little close now and then, a tease at success before driving her back. The dance went on for several minutes, and as entertaining as it was, the novelty wore thin rather quick. If this was all the Fioan had to offer, there was little point in dragging it out further.

"Maybe I expected too much. Giant cats seemed so promising." Emaatet said to herself. With a quick, rigid motion, the mage struck the space in front of her. A whip of water lashed out, quicker than rest, connecting squarely with the Fioan's face mid-movement. The force spun her around, and the crowd gasped as she landed on her back, kicking up a small cloud of dust. It hadn't even cleared before the onlookers erupted in shouts and cheers.

Remarkably easy to win over, this lot, she thought.

The Fioan climbed back to her feet, making odd faces and massaging away the pain in her short snout. She pulled her hand away to find it bloodied, stained red like the fur on her face. She blew a wad of blood and snot from her nose, and with a shake of her head, the lingering disorientation was gone. She looked perfectly alert.

"Oh." Emaatet held her composure, but couldn't help staring at the woman.

"I see." The Fioan said, recovering her sparring stick. Planting it firmly on the ground, she arched her body backward, puffing her chest out until a few loud cracks could be heard. She took a wide stance, head high and shoulders back, placing a fist on her hip and speaking through a small smile with a pleasant tone. "Business, then."

That... that's a first, the wolf thought_._ That move usually knocked them out of the fight, or at least knocked the fight out of them. She'd even added a little extra oomph specifically to account for the Fioan's stature. Alright, so she could take a hit. A real one. But it was _just_one. It was the first truly impressive thing about the feline this whole fight, but it hardly made up for the all that sloppy prancing. And now she knew the woman wasn't so fast on the fly. Emaatet threw out a few more diversions to lull the woman, then repeated the strike, harder this time, the water whipping up and jabbing straight for the face again.

The mage focused on the jet of water, watching as it... sailed over the woman. _Oh,_the wolf thought. She had ducked. The strike flew behind the tiger, its shape lost along with Emaatet's concentration, splashing harmlessly on the ground. The woman stood up straight, practically in challenge as she planted a fist on her hip again. She gave the wolf a disappointed, almost scolding look, as though she expected better.

Emaatet frowned as she processed the situation, but a little smile crept across her face. Been a while since I had to work for it, she thought. She met the challenge by ignoring the woman, taking a moment to limber up properly. The woman let her, waiting. Your mistake, she thought.

The dance began again, playing out much like before, but with increased vigor. The Fioan made it clear she had been putting in as little effort as the mage up to this point. Emaatet found herself able to keep pace, but it wasn't easy. Calling up multiple whips at once in rapid succession took a great deal more focus and effort. It was a rush she hadn't felt in a long time though, and she let it push her.

A single missed mark let the tiger get uncomfortably close. If she had missed again, the woman would have easily struck her. The narrow escape dispelled the wolf's revelry, reminding her that she needed an actual end-game. The Fioan definitely had greater stamina, and a war of attrition would see her win. It was time to change things up.

Seizing on a moment of retreat, Emaatet slammed her hands to the ground for a new trick she'd been practicing. The excessive use of her whips had saturated much of the field, creating the perfect opportunity. Two streams spread out like snakes from each hand, winding their way outward. The Fioan had stopped to watch her, curious. The wolf was immobile while performing the stunt, but she knew the tiger wasn't foolish enough to just barge in again.

Purposefully making itself known, a single stream slowly approached the woman head on. She was almost certainly keeping an eye on both it and the mage, but that was fine. As long as her eyes were in the right place. Long, slender ears took shape, standing tall as they rose up from the water that formed them. An equally slim head followed, its canine features fixing a glare on the tiger.

There it is, she thought, grinning wide. The look on the Fioan's face was heavenly gratification for Emaatet. Surely she had never seen such a thing, and was beginning to comprehend the Agrisian's capabilities.

All at once, and from every direction, the other three sprang up from the grass.

They pounced with teeth and claws bared, half-formed hounds each aiming for a different spot. The tiger dove into a roll between two, narrowly avoiding the collision. The hounds crashed into each other with a splash, reforming fully into quadrupedal shape and circling back. The streams spawning them stayed beneath their feet as they moved, and with their attention fixed on the Fioan, each one sunk back into the water. Emaatet quickly repositioned them for another strike, but as they leaped out, she felt a strange energy in the air. It was familiar, definitely magic, but she couldn't pin it down. Had that... _always_been there?

In the blink of an eye, all four hounds were frozen solid, and ice was speeding back along the streams to the source. She barely had time to wrench her hands away before they were encased. The shock was momentary, quickly replaced with an agitated snarl as her eyes snapped from the ice to the Fioan. You would be, she thought, I see why no one cared. It didn't really feel like ice magic, but she couldn't deny her eyes.

As a dedicated water mage, Emaatet was a more powerful hydromancer than any equal who chose to divide their attention with cryomancy. But life saw fit, on occasion, to remind her of the consequences; a not-insignificant vulnerability to said ice magic. The rarity of those blessed with the element meant she hardly had to worry about running into such peers. When she did, though, they were always a drag to fight. However, Emaatet had acquired a handy little trinket for such occasions, and the Fioan had just tipped her hand. With a touch and a word, the pendant half-tucked into her shirt inhibited any ice magic from interacting with her own.

She reached down, placing her hands near the ice. It was magically inert without either of them acting upon it, meaning the wolf couldn't simply will it to melt. Starting over was no trouble, but to her surprise, the ice rapidly melted anyway. That strange energy lingered in the air again.

She could guess at the Fioan's motivation for wasting the effort, but it really didn't matter. She was eager to take another ice mage down a peg or two. Or several. The streams went forth and the pack formed anew. Racing along the ground, they quickly surrounded the Fioan, all four pouncing again.

Fast as before, all her water froze and she again only narrowly avoided being caught. Emaatet stared at the ice in shock and confusion. This shouldn't be possible, she thought. She fixed a hard glare onto the Fioan. The charm had never failed before, and she suspected it was still doing its thing. It had to be the woman, but how? More importantly, what could she even do about it? This wasn't exactly the kind of thing one could plan for. Frustrated, she wanted nothing more than to drop the whole of the ocean squarely on the tiger's head.

Actually,_she thought, _that's not a bad idea.

Mustering all her strength and concentration, Emaatet thrust her arms up, encircling the Fioan with a massive tidal wave. The top edges came together, cutting her off from the world. If she froze it, she'd be trapped inside. If she didn't, the wolf could ensnare her more tightly. Victory in sight, the mage brought the walls down on the woman. But that strange energy returned.

Without warning, her bubble burst with a wave of steam, obscuring the field and forcing everyone to shield their faces. The force was enough to blow Emaatet's hat right off her head. The energy spiked again, and the air grew cold. The steam abruptly stopped in place, condensing into a fog so thick she couldn't even see her own feet. The crowd murmured to one side, ghostly whispers in a sea of gray. It felt unnervingly like being dead.

A bright light flashed to life, heavily diffused by the fog. Warmth washed over the mage in waves, hotter and hotter. The fog thinned, making the air thick and muggy, leaving the wolf feeling sluggish and short of breath. The heat became more intense, like standing in the sun at the peak of summer. Emaatet fell to one knee, conjuring a splash of water, desperate for the cool touch. To her dismay, she watched it vaporize the instant it touched the air.

As the fog finally cleared, she saw the Fioan, stood in the same place as before. Her fingers were splayed open, hands engulfed in flame as she held them out, palms up. She stared at the water mage with a serene expression. Closing her hands snuffed the flames, and the oppressive heat dissipated from the field. With a step back, the woman launched into a sprint, barreling at her once more.

Emaatet couldn't think, only stare, baffled and breathless. What, in the name of any and every god, was she supposed to do here? Who was this woman? What was this woman? How was she doing any of this? Dual elements maybe, that wasn't unheard of, but it still left so much unexplained. With the tiger nearly on top of her, Emaatet calmly put her hands up.

"I yield."

The Fioan halted on the spot, barely out of arm's reach. She casually sat in front of the wolf with her legs crossed, hands folded on her lap, as though that had always been her intention. She gave the mage a curious, almost concerned look as the wolf fell back onto her butt.

"You feeling alright?" She asked with a motherly tone, confusing the mage further.

"Yeah..." The wolf's reply was a bit absent, still staring at the tiger as she caught her breath. "I'm fine..."

"You don't seem fine." The woman observed with a grin, and a hint of teasing.

"How...?" Emaatet started, gesturing vaguely around herself. It was still too difficult to think clearly, let alone form full sentences. "How. Just how?"

"It's just fire magic." The woman answered innocently.

"What? No..." The mage frowned, incredulous. Her eyes darted all over as she tried to wrap her head around the idea. The feeling of the energy did make more sense to her, thinking of it as pyromancy, but that just raised more questions. The woman had apparently been reading her face quite easily, speaking up with a subtle satisfaction.

"I know that look." The woman brought her hands together, leaning forward and resting her chin on the peak they formed. The wolf regained herself, looking the feline in the face with great interest.

"I don't believe we were properly introduced." She said, upbeat and polite.

"We were." The Fioan smiled patiently, her tail swaying lazily back and forth behind her.

"Oh, right. Of course. Forgive me." The wolf offered a broad, apologetic smile. The way her ears flattened, however, gave away that something was amiss. Fuck, she thought, I do not remember that. She felt the woman's pale blue eyes boring into her. Caving to the pressure, Emaatet took a slow, hopeful stab in the dark. "Uhhhhmmmmm_mary?"_

"Mela." The woman corrected, her expression unchanged.

"Mela." The wolf repeated with a contrite tone and confirming gesture. "How did you do... all that?" She was quick to change the subject, sounding as though she was digging for the latest gossip, ears attentively angled forward. "And with just pyromancy? You have to tell me how."

"I _do?"_Mela sat up straight, feigning a childlike bewilderment.

"Well, no- I mean-" The wolf slouched as she backpedaled, her ears drooping dramatically. They perked up slightly, again hopeful as she amended her request, choosing her words more carefully. "Please? Would you?"

"Papa will want to look you over," Mela got to her feet, dusting herself off, "just to be safe." She extended a hand to the wolf.

"I feel fine. Bruised ego, maybe." Emaatet pouted, crossing her arms defiantly. "Is that a 'no'?" Mela let the hand fall to her side, looking the wolf over.

"I grew up with your type." Her tone was light and teasing, but she looked away thoughtfully as she continued. "A bruised ego can be life-threatening." Whatever was on her mind, she quickly set it aside, engaging with a more optimistic disposition. "He'll insist, with the way things ended. We'll get you cleared first, then we'll see about sharing." Her eyes flicked to the trinket and back again as she spoke, offering her hand once more.

Emaatet regarded the gesture with hesitation, then looked up to the woman's face. Her behavior felt well-practiced, like she had been in this situation countless times and knew it all by rote. Something about that idea, alongside the bizarre experience, took a bit of the sting out of losing. The feline's hand engulfed hers as she accepted the help, brushing herself off as Mela motioned to someone in the crowd's direction.

"I believe you have a visitor." Mela said, now looking behind the wolf.

I'm sorry, a what, she thought. Turning around, she found herself face-to-chest with a cheetah, the man that had caught her eye earlier. Standing at a respectful distance, he looked a bit awkward, nervously holding the mage's hat. He'd clearly lacked the nerve to speak up, and being pointed out had caught him off guard.

"I, uh, I rescued this from a vicious bush." He gestured with the garment, keeping it close and waiting for a clear invitation to approach. Emaatet suppressed a giggle, giving him a flirtatious smile instead.

"Aren't you sweet!" The invitation was granted with a small beckoning gesture, and he stepped forward, offering up the hat. She placed a hand over his, firmly tugging on his arm until he bent down. As he did, she reached up and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. In one fluid motion, her hand slipped off his, taking the hat with it. "Thank you." He lingered a moment, touching the spot and failing to hide his dumb grin. The wolf shot a knowing smirk to Mela, who returned the same.

"Hey." Emaatet tapped the man's nose gently, bringing herself squarely into his focus. "Shoo." She waved him off playfully, keeping a warm expression to ease his departure. She watched him meander back to the crowd, still touching his face as his friends excitedly swarmed around him.

Losing isn't so bad, she thought, this time.