FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Original story by: Courgus

Translated by: Erazaa

Roidros and Irana continued to walk along the path that led to the west. They had the settlement, Dorangtir, behind them and with it all the horrors it meant for Irana. She was glad that she could finally get out of the city. Away from everything that had been on her mind for a long time. It had been like a liberating blow, even if she had preferred to lead the decisive thrust against Ragoht. But that was less important at the moment than the fact that they had to get to Roidros' house quickly. His wife was already waiting there for her husband. Even if she would not count on him yet. Irana was glad that she had an ally who really wanted to help her. Roidros was quite the opposite of many, not to mention Baron Ragoht.

While Irana was still a bit lost in her thoughts, Roidros slowed down and told Irana to stop. From afar, he peered across the road past the houses of a very small settlement.

>>There in front.<<

Irana looked past Roidros along the road. In front of her were many fields and some farms, it seemed. Even though there was not a soul here, Roidros seemed to be a bit worried. Again he looked around. It almost seemed as if he was looking for something. But Irana did not want to disturb him, or she would have asked him what he was looking for.

The fields were surrounded by a small river that flowed directly around them, which limited the possibilities of escape. "I wonder if he worries about that?" wondered Irana. She looked back at Roidros and then down the street again. When still nothing was to be seen Roidros decided that it can go on.

>>Sorry for my caution. But it seems strange to people when I have you by the hand and lead with me.<<

Irana thought for a moment and then said:

>>I understand.<< And then she had the crucial idea.

>>Wait. I have a plan,<< she said to Roidros.

She reached into her pockets and pulled out a headband and held it out to Roidros.

>>Here. Take this and tie my arms around my stomach.<<

Roidros understood the trick with the headband since no one could see in the darkness how tight or not the supposed bonds would be.

>>Good idea!<< he said and had to grin at the same time.

>>As I said before. I am impressed with you.<<

Irana smiled at this compliment and looked at the knight who was about to tie the headband around her hands.

>>There. That should make it seem halfway real.<< Roidros said.

Although he and Irana had a plan, he still had a bad feeling about it. However, not that he helped her to escape but much more that this world slowly but surely went more and more down the drain. His look was still heavy and saddened because he had to bring his family somehow over the rounds. That was the only thing that now, for this moment, seemed to be the most important. Irana could see the look on Roidros' face, but she knew that she could not do anything. At least not now. She looked at the knight and said to him again:

>>I am grateful to you for everything. But you are putting yourself and your family in unnecessary danger. You don't have to...<< she continued, but then he shook his head vehemently.

She paused and looked down to her left. Inside she was uncomfortable with the thought that someone would risk so much for her. There is nothing that I could change now. Or even wanted to do in the beginning. What I did in the mansion was the right decision, for me. That doesn't mean I'm afraid of it. All that matters now is that I can keep you and my family safe. But I don't know where that is exactly.<< he said.

A moment later, he continued:

>>I just know that we have to get out of here before daybreak. We have to get out of the settlements and towns, then we'll be safer, I hope.<< he added and Irana slowly raised her head.

>>So no. It's not an unnecessary risk for me or my family. My wife understands, I'm sure of it. Even though she, like me, won't know where to go.<<

Irana nodded at the knight's words and looked him in the eye. In his eyes she could see that he spoke the truth. It was never very difficult for her to recognize the intentions of a person. And with Baron Ragoht, she had already recognized from the beginning that he was a scumbag. But fortunately that was now behind her.

>>Good. Let's go, come.<< Roidros said to her and held out his hand.

She held up her headband-clasped paws and Roidros began to smile.

>>There was something.<< he said with a grin. So the two walked, side by side, down the street to Roidros' house.

As they approached the house they could hear voices. One belonged to his wife, but the other was unknown to him. He quickly told Irana to duck and the two of them carefully crept up to the window in the bushes. Even though the shutters were already closed, they could look in through some gaps and take in some details.

>>So you don't know where your husband is right now?<< the man asked.

>>I can't see who it is. He has his back to me.<< Roidros said softly. Then he turned to Irana.

>>Can you keep an eye on the surroundings?<< he whispered.

Irana nodded and turned her back to him. The house was difficult to see through a wall and already grown grain on the field, but Roidros wanted to be sure that there would be no surprises.

>>I say it again: we are loyal to the king. Even if no one likes the baron, my husband would never betray his king.<< said the wife of Roidros and her counterpart was silent for a moment.

>>All right. I want to tell you one more thing: If you cover your husband, you are as guilty as he is. Betrayal of his royal highness is a crime and for traitors there is only the rope.<< he said to her in a cold voice.

She let the words sink in and looked her counterpart in the face. Everything that the baron had ever done and that she knew about came back into her head.

>>Get out of here! If you ever bother me, my husband or our children again, the next head you should worry about is your own!<< she said harshly and coldly. Her gaze was fixed with anger at the man's audacity. He looked down at the floor and shook his head. Irana had overheard the drama in the conversation and was appalled that they were even bullying their own people.

"It's just unbelievable." she thought to herself as it slowly began to bubble up inside her.

>>What is going on?<< Roidros asked himself.

>>It's a pity. You know, I would like to help you. The baron is a good man. You should think about who you are with.<< said the man to Roidro's wife.

Her face was now almost red about this insolence that her counterpart afforded herself.

>>What do you think you're doing?!<< she raged.

Then he walked up to her and grabbed her hands.

Roidros' alarm bells were ringing, and he was about to run into the house, but when he turned around Irana had disappeared.

>>Irana?!<< he whispered as quietly as he could, but she had disappeared.

"Where did she go?!"

Roidros looked around and searched for her, but he could not find her behind him or beside him.

"I don't believe it!" he thought to himself when he finally found it. She had crept to the door and opened it so quietly that no one had heard. Slowly she crept ahead towards the two people in the house. She approached the two more and more and when she had come close enough she grabbed the man. Quick as a flash, she put her right arm under his chin and at his neck. She pressed her left arm into his neck and held him tightly. Now the man began to fidget and gasp as Irana slowly squeezed the air out of him. At the same moment, Roidros' wife let go of all resistance and was relieved. She looked at the face of the she-wolf and then said to her:

>>Thank you, my dear.<<

From behind the man's back she smiled and looked into the woman's face. Then she said to her:

>>No problem, Karinar.<<

Roidros, who was squatting outside the window, did not understand the world anymore.

"What the...?" he thought to himself and rose from the window.

>>What do you want from me...?<< asked the man wriggling in Irana's embrace.

She put her muzzle to his ear again and began to whisper. With every word she said, his eyes got bigger and bigger. If he could have, his mouth would have opened wider and wider, but Irana's grip prevented that. She grinned when she had told him everything that was important. And now his face, gradually, turned white. Karinar saw this and began to grin. She could vividly imagine what Irana had told him, and she liked it. Now Roidros entered the house and went to his wife. He now could see who the man really was.

>>Ammnir?<< he gasped.

The bailiff of the baron stood in front of Karinar and Roidros and looked at him. What do you think you're doing, you lousy...<< he said, but his wife stopped him before he could continue.

>>Leave him, my husband. He is not worth it.<<

Roidros lowered his head and looked at Karinar. A nod was the signal that he agreed with her.

>>So... what do I do with you...<< Irana asked but she stopped shortly after.

>>Oh I know...<< she said and dragged Ammnir outside.

Roidros and Karinar followed her, and she led them all over to the pigsty.

>>Would you be so kind?<< she asked Karinar.

She grinned wryly, nodded, and a moment later the door to the stable was open.

And while Karinar had opened the stable, Irana took her headband and stuffed it into Ammnir's mouth. At the same time she took a garter that Karniar gave her and gagged him with it.

>>So... And now I'll show you your kind! Here you go! I hope you get along as well as we do!<< she called after Ammnir, who stumbled into the stable. With his last steps, down the stairs he tripped over his own feet and fell into the dirt behind the animals. Shortly after, the sty was closed tightly again and all three had to laugh at what Ammnir had gotten. The only thing that could be heard from the stable was the squealing of the pigs and some muffled sounds of Ammnir talking to his new friends.