FSE

Furry search engine

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Leana sits curled up, legs pulled tight against her chest, as she rocks slightly in her bed. The feeling of dread that woke her out of a deep slumber clings to her like wet clothes, suffocating her. Unsummoned tears gather at the corners of her eyes blurring her vision of her darkened room. The snowkitten knows for certain something happened somewhere but she finds it impossible to discern anything else.

And she jumps, her body jerking quickly, when her cell phone goes off. A shaking paw gently picks up the noisy device while a slight sense of relief washes over her as Andrina's name scrolls across the display. The feline's finger can't hit the call button fast enough.

"I don't like waking you but I really need you right now," comes a scared voice.

The hair on the back of Leana's neck stands straight up as she hears her girlfriend's voice. "What's wrong, Andrina?" The lengthy pause only brings more panic to the cat. "Andrina?"

"Something happened to Erin. I can feel it."

Without a second thought, Leana quickly moves, tearing off her nightgown and snatching a shirt from her closet. "I'm getting dressed right now. I'll be over as fast as I can. Don't hang up the phone. Just keep talking to me." A quick swipe with the back of her hand brushes away the water as it begins running from her dimmed sapphires.

The hurrying female nearly bowls over her brother as he wipes away the sleep from his eyes. Yawning after her as she runs down the hallway, "Hey, what's going on?"

"I'll explain later! Check on mom!" she yelps over her shoulder while fingers hastily fix the twisted waistband of her skirt. Her phone remains between her cheek and shoulder as she moves towards the door.

"MOMMY!" cries a terrified child's voice. The shriek-filled nature of the call sends Ailee into a panic as she races down the hall to Keryan's room. Her heart thumps heavily in her chest as she reaches the entrance. A flick of her hand at the doorway fills the room with a bright light which does nothing to soothe the situation.

And Ailee freezes, staring at the pulsating Kiera stone hanging around her daughter's neck as she holds a stuffed bear in her arms, squeezing it in a death-like grip. The mother-instinct quickly overrides her body, pushing her to the bed and to the only one that means the world to her. As soon as she sits down a little bundle of trembling girl fills her lap and arms.

"She's hurt so bad, mommy..." Keryan cries while burying her face against her mother's chest.

"Who's hurt?" Arms hold tight to the sobbing child. Ailee fears the answer but already knows what it is.

"Miss Erin. I feel her pain. It's her tummy."

Knowing what her daughter did, and wishing she could change it, makes the tears fall all that much more from the adult's eyes. Keryan was so proud of helping Andrina and Koreen with the necklace given as a parting gift to the snake. And Ailee forced Andrina to explain what snowkitten powers were infused into the charm. It took all her control to keep from lashing out when she heard about one certain ability. It hurt even more when she learned it was Keryan's idea.

The idea was simple enough. And based upon the same thinking as Kiera stones, Keryan added a healing spell to the list. Only the spell wasn't like the Kiera stone's healing. The spell connected all those who were willing to the owner of the necklace. Meaning Koreen, Andrina, and Keryan offered themselves to help protect the snake. Their vitality now channeled through the necklace so many miles away.

"I have to help her, mommy."

Ailee rocks her daughter knowing she stood powerless to either help or stop the spell. "You already have," she whispers in a soothing voice. The Kiera stone grows in intensity and pulse rate as Keryan snuggles against her.

Then Keryan releases a death-filled scream, her body jerking against Ailee.

Leana quickly pushes through Andrina's front door as a shriek fills the house. A white flash races into the kitchen and finds Andrina face down on the floor, unmoving. "By the goddess, no!" She drops to the snowkitten's side and quickly pulls her over. A touch of relief comes to her as she sees her usually-perky friend breathing and alive though eyes remain only half open.

"She's dead," Andrina whispers with a hoarse voice. Leana doesn't have to be told who. She pulls her lover to her and they hold each other tight. "She wasn't supposed to die!" cries the snowkitten as she starts shaking.

"I know," Leana whispers in response as her arms tighten around the red and yellow haired feline. The cat nuzzles and kisses Andrina's cheek as she coddles her.

Eliki watches his mother as she stares out the window of the guest bedroom prepared especially for her. He spies the wetness on a cheek as the moonlight bathes her in a heavenly glow. "I'm sure the others are having a rougher time."

"Leana went to Andrina's. And Keryan..." Eliki fights back choking on his daughter's name, "is with Ailee."

And Koreen smiles. "She is a strong one. I would like to think that's me in her but she's more like you and Ailee than any of her relatives. Ailee is a good mother." She purposefully leaves out any reference to Keryan's maternal grandparents. The snobbish attitude of Ailee's mother remains something she hopes never shows up in the courageous little snowkitten. "Now will be the darkest time for us. And we must pray your friend finds her way back."

The male sighs, "Erin's been through so much... I don't know if she has the strength anymore."

Koreen snorts, "This is the same one who managed to keep my visit secret from everyone in this city until I stepped off the train, remember? If she can hide something like that from Andrina then she has the strength."

Eliki chuckles and nods, "It is rather hard to keep any secret from her."

"Leana picked a wonderful partner. I hope she doesn't take too long to ask her to marry her." The male barely has a chance to move before his mother weaves back and forth and collapses. A barely-audible voice croaks up to him, "Your friend is dead." Koreen's eyes close as she tumbles into oblivion, body going limp as unconscious claims her.

Stunned at the news, Eliki holds his comatose mother. "May the goddess guide you on your journey, Erin. You are loved by so many..." Tears roll down his matted cheeks as he looks up out the window at the full moon illuminating the night sky.