FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Original story by: Courgus

Translated by: Erazaa

The day passed without any further reaction from Varshgar. Adriana still hoped that Varshgar would wake up soon. But the hoped-for reaction was not forthcoming. The day had almost passed when Darios came to fetch her for dinner. He had gotten some meat and fried it. In addition, he had fried some Ashbar tubers and put them in it. He had garnished the whole thing with some herbs and some lamb's lettuce. Adriana got up only reluctantly from her place next to Varshgar, but she was hungry, if she should be honest.

Darios knew that she would have preferred to stay there.

>>He will surely wake up soon.<< he said confidently.

Even if he was not as sure in his thoughts as he wanted to pretend. Adriana looked at him and knew that he was playing more than being serious. However, the food on the table smelled wonderful and Adriana couldn't help but give in to her hunger. They both sat down at the table and Darios looked at her. She was about to put a big piece of chicken meat in her mouth, but it wouldn't fit. He had to grin when he saw that she had overdone it. Her head was slightly tilted, and she looked at Dario's when she noticed that he was looking at her.

>>What is it?<< she asked with her mouth full.

>>Oh... you know...<< Darios had to stifle his laughter because her look was even funnier now.

>>Yeah? Why are you laughing?<< she asked with narrowed eyes.

>>Your look... << he said laughing to Adriana.

She grinned and had to laugh as well since she was infected by Darios.

The two laughed boisterously as they had not done for a long time. The fact is that the war between the wolves and the humans had claimed many victims on both sides. The two siblings lost their parents and relatives in this senseless war. Already the parents were scholars, but they struck a different tone in dealing with the wolves. They were always for a peaceful solution and even went against the warmongers. The evening fell on the small hut and Adriana sat again at Varshgar's bed. She had sat down on the stool again and laid her head on his belly. Darios saw this as he went to check on her.

"Still she is worried. So far, our approach doesn't seem to have done any good. Unfortunately." he thought and walked over to Adriana. Carefully, he lifted her onto the bed and laid her against Varshgar.

"Maybe the closeness will bring him back..." he pondered as he made his way back to his desk. He opened a book on alternative methods of healing. Darios was still trying to find out as much as he could. His hope was that there were other approaches. Unfortunately, his knowledge of the wolves was so limited that he could only make assumptions.

10th day, month of spring seed in the year 981

Our attempts to get Varshgar back on its feet have so far been of moderate to no success. We have investigated many approaches and tried a number of things, but he continues to sleep. So far there is no reaction from his side. We still hope that he will stay with us and return. We also hope that he will still be the same when he wakes up.

Even though I write about hope, it is slowly but surely fading away. Again and again we suffer setbacks or get no results. Adriana still hopes so much that we will make it. I cannot share my fears with her. With each passing day I have to think more and more about what to do if Varshgar doesn't wake up.

Unfortunately, I am at a loss in this regard as well.

My knowledge about wolves is so limited that I don't even dare to make a vague guess. Because everything I see can be wrong.

There is a chance that we will break more than we save.

Darios looked up from his journal in which he was keeping his notes and his gaze stopped at Adriana and Varshgar. He sighed heavily at the thoughts that plagued him. Since there was simply no reaction from Varshgar so far, he could hardly tell what and if anything had worked at all. Then Darios looked at his book again and closed it. On the one hand he was disappointed in himself for not being able to find a solution and on the other hand he was furious. Finally, he stood up because he could hardly keep his anger in check. He took a torch that lay next to the fireplace and lit it on the fire before he went to the door. One last time he looked over his shoulder at the two and went out.

Darios walked around the hut to the small shed where the firewood was stored. His hand grabbed the doorknob and opened the shed. The door swung open and he stepped inside. There were still some logs in the firewood storage, but he desperately needed to relieve his anger. His eyes fell straight on the axe that stood right next to the chopping block and placed a log on it. Darios' hands clutched the axe very tightly, and he was determined. Then he let the axe crash down on the block of wood, and it split in two. The anger was now written all over Darios' face. He breathed heavily as he looked at his work. Actually, he couldn't believe that he was so angry, because he had always been the calm one of the two. On the other hand, he couldn't help it. The anger spurred him on. So he took wooden block after wooden block and hit it again and again.

Another time he wanted to strike, but his strength began to fail. He held the axe in his hands, but it hung on the ground. Enraged, he screamed and mobilized his last reserves of strength. Darios yanked the axe upwards and shouted:

>>Why can't I save him?!<<

The axe whizzed upwards and then his strength failed completely. He lost his grip on the axe, and it was about to hurtle downwards. Startled, Darios squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the axe to hit him.

"I'm sorry, Adriana!" he thought to himself as his thoughts raced past him.

Once again he saw everything he had experienced with her. He had always looked out for her and made sure she would be okay. He was her big brother, after all, and he had to take care of her after her parents were murdered. There was no one else but Darios and Adriana. A moment later Darios wondered what had happened because the axe had not fallen down.

"Am I dead?" he asked himself. Darios hardly dared to open his eyes and look, but then curiosity prevailed anyway. Slowly he opened his eyes. Very timidly he did this because he was afraid to see something he didn't want to see. The first thing he saw was a pair of feet illuminated by the sparse light of the torch.

>>Well?<< he said softly and moved his head upwards.

In front of him stood Varshgar who had stopped the axe at the last moment. It still hung over him like an ominous messenger, but Varshgar seemed to have it under control.

Then he looked into Varshgar's face. He grinned slightly and then said to him: >>Looking for adventure?<<

Darios still looked into Varshgar's face and did not move. It took him a moment to fully come to himself.

>>Varshgar...?<<

He picked up the axe and set it down next to the chopping block then turned to Darios and nodded.

>>Yes. You helped me as far as I know.<< Darios nodded slightly as this was not how he had imagined the first meeting and conversation with him. Varshgar took the wooden block from the chopping block and sat down in front of Darios.

>>I overheard some things when I was... asleep...?<<

>>Well... I don't know if you can call it sleeping.<< Darios answered him.

>>All right. Be that as it may. I know that you are Adriana's brother. Besides, I heard the heroic cry you made.<< Varshgar elaborated.

>>Yeah...well...<< he stuttered as he thought about what to say to Varshgar.

Varshgar grinned wryly at him, but then the conversation between the two was interrupted in an instant. Agitated and totally panicked, Adriana came shooting out of the house, shouting: >>Darios?! DARIOS! Varshgar he's gone! Gone he is!<<

She ran around the corner and was catching her breath when she ran over Varshgar, who was sitting on the chopping block. Adriana opened her eyes and saw that she was lying on Varshgar.

>>So...Adriana...<< he said curtly. She turned bright red and jumped off of him.

>>Sorry Varshgar!<< she called out as she sat on the ground next to him. Darios chuckled and reached out his hand to the wolf. He accepted Darios' help gratefully and Varshgar's paw and his hand slapped together. The scholar helped the wolf back to his feet and Varshgar also started to laugh while Adriana was still sitting on the ground.

>>What is so funny now?<< she asked with a high red head. Then Varshgar reached out his paw to her and helped her to her feet. When Adriana stood again she began: >>I was worried about you...you had suddenly disappeared.<< she said softly.

Varshgar nodded and then put his left paw on her shoulder.

>>I thank you for your unwavering hope.<<

She looked up and straight into Varshgar's face. He smiled, and she returned his smile as it pleased her greatly. Her hope had paid off, and now she could smile again. Varshgar turned to Darios and put his paw on his left shoulder.

>>I thank you for your help as well.<<

Finally, he bowed to both of them and then Darios asked what he wanted to know: >>Can you tell me what you experienced? Was there anything at all?<<

>>I will tell you everything I overheard but maybe we should go inside.<< he interjected and the three disappeared back into the house. Darios and Varshgar sat down at the table while Adriana made some food.

>>So what I overheard was very vague. I know that you two have tried many things. Unfortunately, I could not move. Again and again I had different dreams that were all more than just strange. None of them made any sense.<< Varshgar told Darios. Darios nodded and listened carefully to Varshgar's explanations. He took in the details but could not make sense of them himself.

>>... Finally, I woke up earlier and followed your scream.<< Darios considered for a moment what Varshgar had just said.

>>Wait... you just woke up?<<

Varshgar nodded as he repeated that. >>Yes. I went outside and grabbed the axe.<< he said. Darios was now even more stunned than he would have thought possible. Above all, he was surprised by Varshgar's incredible speed. He thought about how he should say it now and then elaborated: >>That would mean that you must have been incredibly fast.<< he said to Varshgar and he began to think.

>>So... I was fast before... But...<< Varshgar started to think.

Speed had never been a problem for him, but now that Darios had mentioned it, it seemed strange to him. Even if the distance between him and Darios was hardly worth mentioning, he still had to go around the house. "How can that be...?" thought Varshgar strained, and Darios looked at him.

>>I suspect what you are thinking...<< he said and Varshgar looked up. >>I have some notes on that. Varshgar... did the term furies mean anything to you?<<

Varshgar thought about it and shook his head.

>>No. I'm sorry. I've never heard that before.<<

Darios nodded, as he had already expected this answer. He stood up without further ado and went over to his desk where he grabbed the book about the encounter. >>Here.<< he said and gave Varshgar the book with the page about the report. Varshgar read the report carefully and tried to understand it, but he did not know the warriors described. Then he finished reading the page he looked at Darios.

>>No. Nothing.<<

Darios nodded and then elaborated: >>I think it is a lost technique or martial art.<< But Darios was interrupted as Adriana arrived with a lovely fragrant meal. >>So... Now let's eat something first.<< she said and put the bowls down for the two of them.

It smelled wonderful and Varshgar was enchanted by the smell of the food. His eyes almost shone as he examined the bowl. He couldn't help but lick his mouth and then fill his belly.