FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sorry no yiff in this chapter. I put in too much violence and fighting! It has been a while since I worked on this story sorry but I have had other things on my mind.

Hiroto and Kyra spent most of the day questioning the captive pirate. He told them that the slave ring had been established about a year ago and that most of the slaves were brought into the city by ship. They had always waited until one of Brunin's men was working at the custom's clerk station so they could sneak the slaves in. As far as the ferret knew the slaves just worked down in the immense cave system underneath the landward side of Karyd. In addition the pirate told them about numerous well trained soldiers that were fiercely loyal to Brunin. He knew that the High Elder had plans to change the entire city to his liking and the slaves and soldiers were at the center of his vision.

The ferret told them everything he knew about the passages and caves beneath the city revealing several other entrances, one of which was outside the city where slavers from the land brought more slaves. He named more Elders of the Council that were involved, either directly or indirectly, all of which who knew the true plans and were going along with it. The two captors listened as the pirate told them what he knew of just about anything he thought would be relevant to the slave trade, pirate ships and their captains involved, the people that were in charge in the caves, what they did to slaves, and even his personal opinions on everything.

Once they were done with the pirate the wolfess and fox agreed to let him go on the condition that they would send him off on a merchant caravan leaving that day and that he never would return to Karyd.

The pirate readily agreed thanking them profusely for his life and even waving and smiling happily at them as the caravan left the city.

Hiroto turned away, his smile hidden by his mask. The wolfess looked at him with her usual scowl. "This incursion is very dangerous to all of us. We must find a way to stop it."

"Of course. We cannot let Brunin's plans see fruition, for the sake of the city," said the ninja.

By the glint in his eyes Kyra saw that he already had an idea. "What are you thinking?"

"He said the main way to import slaves were from pirate ships right? Well it just so happens I have a friend in the business," he told her as he strode off leaving Kyra confused.

"Business? What business? You mean a pirate? Hey!" she hollered as he rounded a corner and disappeared. "That pompous, arrogant, two-faced scoundrel! We'll see who will take care of it." She spun on her heels and stomped off, her tail twitching in irritation behind her.

Hiroto visited his friend Skein the otter at his shop at sunset. The information dealer had also just figured out that there was slavery in the city and was as unhappy about as the ninja. After a brief meeting the ninja departed confident that his friend would see to it that the ships the ferret mentioned would not be bringing slaves into Karyd, one way or another.

By then the sun had sunk into the horizon and darkness had fallen over the city like a cool blanket. The black fox was making his way to one of the entrances to the caves, traveling on the rooftops, when he noticed that he was being followed. There was a figure behind him that seemed to show itself or let a scuffle of feet be heard every now and then. Letting out a chuckle he turned slightly to lead the stalker on a merry chase to find that another figure was off to the way he had turned. Even before he saw the third figure on the other side Hiroto had figured out that they were herding him somewhere. They were heading with the wind so he wouldn't be able to smell what was ahead of him so he constantly reoriented his ears around him trying to pinpoint what or who was there.

Soon the ninja landed on a roof his instincts told him was occupied. The presence did nothing and stayed hidden. Well if a meeting they want I might as well oblige them he thought as he stopped and stood calmly. "You have words for me?" His normally cheerful voice was dark and devoid of emotion.

A small mouse emerged from the shadows in front of him. "You are indeed quite good at what you do, ninja you have my compliments. I am called-"

"I know who you are," Hiroto said. He wanted to hear what the assassin had to say but that didn't mean he had to be polite. "You are Brunin's top assassin, maybe the best in Karyd, you call yourself Padfoot and you specialize in rare and exotic poisons."

Somewhat taken aback by his familiarity, Padfoot didn't respond right away. "I have a proposition for you."

The Captain of the Guard returned to the barracks to find a worried badger that was her sergeant. He had fret over her disappearance the night before and was relieved to find she was alright. Though the news she brought quickly reigned in his joy. Upon hearing about the slave cavern Sergeant Goze immediately demanded a direct attack from the Guard. Kyra though had other plans.

"If the Guard attacks outright the Elders may claim that the rumors of a slave trade were lies perpetrated by us to raid a harmless shipping company or some such trash. We need to do this quietly at first and then expose the Council," she explained.

The badger was still skeptical, "What do you suggest then, Captain?"

The wolfess smiled, "First I am going to change my clothes and then I think it's time we had a drink, don't you Sergeant?"

A short time later Kyra and Goze strode out of the barracks in simple tunics and unarmed. The badger wore a plain green while the captain wore a black one that accented her grey fur nicely. Together they walked towards the docks, Goze, now enlightened to his Captain's plan, didn't think it was the best idea, but stoically followed the wolfess.

When they reached the inn called the Red Horizon, Goze opened the door for a scowling Kyra. It was an old game the played, Goze the chivalrous knight to Kyra's not so helpless maiden. The two officers stepped through the doors nonchalantly and looked around at the disorderly crowd before settling in at the bar. The room was filled with sailors, many presumably pirates, and other shabby clothed creatures that had ill favored looks about them. Kyra and Goze's entrance crated only a glance from the crowd as no one recognized them as part of the Guard.

One fox was singing a drinking song to those around him, while at another table a few sailors argued over something heatedly, across the room cheering broke out among a small group of rogues. There were several tables around with at least four chairs to each table. At the back of the room there were stairs leading up to a balcony with more tables and drunkards. To the officers' right was the bar with plenty of stools and a barmaid behind the counter. A door behind her was used by servants scurrying in and out of the kitchen.

The barmaid, a young mink dressed in a low necked blouse and skirt, sauntered over and took the officers' orders for some ale. As they sat sipping their drinks Kyra let her eyes secretly roam around the room looking for her target. At last she spotted him in a corner table talking quietly to two other sailors. He was an average sized lizard with green scales and an eye patch over his left eye. His clothes were a little better kept than most of the others in the room, but it looked as though they were in need of a wash.

The lizard carried himself with dignity and an air of pure arrogance, fitting of a pirate captain. From the information she got from the ferret this was Captain Ergu of the Evening Glory, the pirate ship that brought the most recent batch of slaves into Karyd. His buddies at the table looked like they had seen their own shares of battle in their lives. The first, a rat, had scars on his muzzle and on the back of his head. He wore a cutlass on his left side and a knife on the other. Next to him was a tiger that had a considerable amount of muscle to his frame which showed through the tight clothes he wore. His alert orange eyes darted around the room looking for trouble and his tail swished around behind his chair.

Sergeant Goze noticed where the wolfess's attention was directed and quickly sized up the trio. The lizard looked like he knew his way around a struggle and the rat looked overeager and probably wouldn't be a problem. The tiger was the one Goze was going to have to look out for; he looked fast and almost as strong as the sergeant. "Well Captain," he muttered, "how do you want to do this?"

"As painfully as possible."

For them or us, thought the badger as he and Kyra stood up and made their way toward the pirates.

Lassun sat in the cellar with the bunnywife, his legs twitching with anxiety. The other two had departed with the pirate and the raccoon just knew that they were somewhere in the city stirring up trouble. While here he sat doing nothing. Gurda tried to get him to calm down telling him it was too dangerous for him to be outside, even at night. Eventually she gave up trying to convince him and after a stern warning to stay where he was she went upstairs to her room.

The young raccoon was reaching the end of his patience. He had been down in the cellar for days now and he couldn't do anything. All day and night he had to sit there and think. For a few minutes he paced around the cellar letting his boredom get the best of him. At last he had had enough. He worked his nerve up and tippawed up the stairs to the door.

Being very careful not to make noise Lassun opened the door and slowly inched his way out. Looking around the dark and empty room gave the boy some measure of confidence that the bunnywife was asleep upstairs. He started towards the door but stopped himself mid-stride. Shaking his head he went to the window and slowly opened it. This is what Hiroto would do he thought to himself.

The raccoon caught his foot on the sill and spilled into the alley with a thud. To his ears it sounded as loud as if he had smashed through several glass windows. He rushed out of the alley and sped towards another dark side street.

The tiger saw the approaching off duty Guard members first but he didn't know them as such. He warned the other two of them and then all three awaited the arrival of the badger and wolfess.

"Greetings Captain Ergu, on behalf of my master I would like to thank you for your most recent... shipment," Kyra stated.

The lizard narrowed his eyes at her. "Ah dinnae know ya, yer master or what yer talkin' about."

Kyra had to give him credit, this pirate wasn't as stupid as he looked. "Oh I'm sure you do Captain, or if you don't I'm sure that my master will take my advice and lower your pay a bit. He is very high up you know and I'm sure that may get the message through your skull that he or his servants are not to be trifled with."

"Huh, our pay be low as 'tis. Any lower an' we'd be eatin' seaweed fer rations," said the rat bitterly. The captain silenced him with a glare.

"Alrigh', servant, Ah'm sure 'e dinnae send ya 'ere jus' ta thank us. What's yer real task?"

Now that she had the pirate convinced of her fake identity it was time to go to work. "He sends his thanks and humbly asks when you might make port again."

The captain nodded his head and sniffed angrily. "Weel ya tell dat un dat if'n 'e wants more shipments 'e'll 'ave ta wait. We gotta go further out ta pick it up. Cargo's scarce closer in d'ya ken?"

Kyra took on an irritated face and even twitched her tail a bit. "Hmm, well I am not so sure that my master would like this news. He is on a tight schedule here. Mayhaps I will tell him you are indeed fit for lower wages."

"Listun 'ere missie," the captain snarled pounding his claws on the table, "Mah crew and Ah 'ave allus been loyal to 'is 'worship' an we hauls in more cargo den any udder ship out der!" The tiger began leaning forward and the rat slowly reached for his weapons.

Kyra tut-tutted, "Temper Captain, wouldn't want to upset your employer by brawling with his modest servants would you? After all I hear the Guard is out looking for scum on the street, I wouldn't want to have you thrown out there to be picked up."

Her insult had the desired effect as the pirate Captain roared and flipped the table and swung at the wolfess. Before his paw got close the badger caught it in his grip and smashed the lizard's own fist into his face. The captain staggered back a little dazed.

"Now Captain didn't your mother ever teach you to never hit a lady?"

The tiger moved next, quickly trying to swipe at the badgers belly with his claws. Goze stepped back and let the blow miss him before he kicked his footpaw into the tiger's face. The pirate captain charged at the occupied badger with his head down. The drive hit Goze and both of the combatants went to the floor in a heap.

Kyra meanwhile faced off against the rat armed with his cutlass and dagger. His strikes were more than a little clumsy and the wolfess had little trouble knocking the cutlass from his grasp. Not realizing he was being baited closer the rat swung his dagger at Kyra. She simply grabbed his wrist with both paws and used his own momentum to throw him into the next table over knocking drinks and food onto the floor. The patrons at that table decided that that offense was worth getting involved for and the three sailors stood up to join the fray.

Still wrestling on the floor with the lizard Goze saw them and used his fight to roll under the sailors' paws knocking them all in a heap on top of him. One of the sailors knocked another table to the floor sending ale and food scraps on them and more sailors and pirates began to clash. The wolfess growled at her sergeant's interruption and turned to the recovered tiger. He was quick and had a long reach so Kyra made sure to stay alert and kept something between them.

The pirate used short punches and tried a few swipes of his claws until he knocked a chair out of his way and committed to a stomp intended for her knees. The Guard Captain dove at his middle and sent him tumbling to the floor with her on top landing with a knee to his groin. Howling in pain the tiger stayed down clutching his crotch.

Sergeant Goze struggled out from under the writhing mass of bodies on the floor with a few powerful shoves and throws. By now fighting had broken out all around the tavern and many tables lay overturned. Punches were thrown at random creatures in the way of other fights and several chairs were broken under other creatures' bodies. The sound of glass and pottery shattering came from most sections of the tavern. The place full of villains and lawbreakers had quickly turned into a madhouse.

The rat pirate rushed at the badger with a cry of rage and the Sergeant threw a powerful punch into his face that sent some of his teeth flying across the room. He crumpled to the floor and lay there unmoving. Before Goze could look for another target a chair broke over his back. He set his teeth and turned around to the astonished cat pirate who held two sticks that had been part of the chair and punched him into another pair of fighters.

As the lizard captain got away from the struggle on the floor and he looked around. He saw Kyra bash a glass over a sailor's head near the wall. He rushed in behind her and wrapped his arms around her and squeezed, effectively immobilizing her. The wolfess flung her head back into his face sending blood out of the lizard's nose then she stomped on his feet to get him to let her go. The pirate stumbled back against a window on the wall. Kyra turned on him and kicked his chest which sent him through the window with a crash. He landed in the street in a rain of glass and lay unmoving.

The wolfess turned from the shattered window and caught a glimpse of her sergeant behind a tussle underneath the balcony. "HEY! Goze!" she shouted over the roar of the fray. The badger climbed on top a pile of moaning patrons and waved to Kyra. "Time to fetch the rest of the gang!" she called referring to the Guard. He nodded and started forward. Kyra saw movement above him and called out again, "Wait!" An unlucky sailor crashed through the railing and fell to the ground in front of the sergeant. "Now go get them," she said calmly.

Goze paused about ask if she would be alright and when she smiled with glassy eyes he knew that she had some frustration she was going to work out, much to the dismay of the inn patrons.

"So," Hiroto said, "Brunin sent you to hire me as protection for his slavery scheme?" The mouse assassin nodded and kept his face impartial. "Before I give my answer tell me this. One year ago there was a High Elder named Zang, he held much sway over the counsel was very respected by the public. Unfortunately he and his bodyguard suspiciously died one night." Padfoot had an idea of where the ninja was taking this. "There were no marks on the bodies and nothing was found to be in the food that they had fallen over. No investigation was pursued. If I am not mistaken such a devastating poison was apart of their supper, one that has no taste or smell and kills in seconds. Such a deadly poison would be known to you correct?"

Well this seemed a pleasant surprise. Maybe this ninja really did respect the assassin's abilities and possibly feared him. Smiling inwardly the mouse nodded. "There are a few poisons that could do such a thing."

Hiroto looked to the ground and spoke again. "And you have the access and abilities to pull off such an assassination attempt right?"

Another nod. What was he getting at? Was there someone the ninja wanted gone but couldn't do it himself?

"One more question. Zang and Brunin were rivals yes? Both had their own ideas on how to try and fix the problems with indentured servitude?"

Padfoot grew suspicious and titled his head slightly. "They were."

The ninja looked up into the mouse's eyes and behind his gray orbs the assassin saw raw hatred. Padfoot froze unable to tear his gaze from the ninja's blazing eyes. Zang and Krow were not only my friends and companions but respectable citizens of Karyd. You and your megalomaniac boss went way over your heads with this scheme. I hope you are prepared to face the end of your careers."

The black fox drew his katana and had already closed the distance between them. Only the assassin's instincts saved him from a fatal slash across his throat. He brought his dagger up just in time to deflect the blow. But the ninja was not finished, he came in again and again, striking with a fury that Padfoot had never seen before. The assassin was hard-pressed just to turn the blows, he couldn't even think of taking an offensive action.

The other three assassins quickly came to their leader's rescue. They surrounded the fox and struck with their own blades putting the ninja to the defensive. The four of them worked together and swung in harmony with cooperation that unmatched most Hiroto had seen before. Though try as they might they could not get past the ninja's katana which seemed only a blur or glint in the soft moonlight being filtered through the approaching clouds.

All the figures danced around the rooftop each looking for an advantage over their opponents, while another figure had made its way to the roof of a nearby building. When it stopped to rest at a chimney it turned and spied the fight. Lassun stared in disbelief at the ninja holding off four dark assassins. His eyes grew wide as he saw the skill and finesse of Hiroto's movements. Each swing and block was planned moments ago and it looked as though he was just going through the motions without any difficulty.

Indeed the ninja was biding his time for an opportune moment. He had slowly made his way around the roof and now one of the assassins was in position. The ninja feigned an attack at the attacker to his right but instead rushed at the one directly behind him. The surprised assassin backed away. His footpaw slipped on the edge of the roof and he went sailing down to hit the ground far below.

Padfoot couldn't believe that this one ninja was still holding them at bay. His actions were unbelievable, if the mouse had not seen it he would never had believed that any one fur could take on the best four, now down to three, assassins in Karyd. The assassin tried a strike high at the ninja's neck while his companion next to him went low for his belly. The third assassin was still recovering his balance from the last attack. Hiroto ducked under Padfoot's dagger and blocked the second's blade pushing it back at him and following through slashing the assassin's legs.

He let out a howl and fell to the roof. Angered by the injury of his buddy the third killer rushed in to tackle the ninja. Hiroto simply sidestepped and tripped him sending him down to the streets with the first killer. Now it was Padfoot, the incapacitated assassin, and the ninja left on the roof.

The mouse retaliated for the loss of his cohorts and drew a second dagger. He leapt at the ninja and kept attacking with his two blades keeping Hiroto backing up. If the mouse could send him off the rooftop with a slip the fight would be easily won. When the fox was backed against the edge Padfoot redoubled his efforts while trying to stay back far enough so he would not follow in the pawsteps of the two assassins before him. The ninja would not go over so easily however he fought back just as ferociously until both of their movements could barely be seen.

Sweat poured down both of their faces as they battled for supremacy. Neither could be allowed to gain a step for that would determine the winner. If the fox lost one step he would go over and if the assassin lost one the ninja would surely regain a pawhold and defeat the tiring mouse. The injured assassin sat in a daze watching the furious combatants. He cold barely follow the attacks and blocks even with his well trained eyes. Finally he broke the spell, something had to be done or this amazingly deadly ninja would kill them both.

The mouse began to worry that his considerable skills would not save him from the terrifying display of deadly steel the ninja wielded. A very slight movement in his peripheral vision brought him some hope though. He sidestepped just as a dagger went flying past at the ninja. Padfoot smiled, it was all over now.

Lassun cried out as he saw the injured assassin throw the blade. It was a useless gesture. The ninja's fate was sealed. The raccoon would watch his friend and rescuer slain.

Hiroto had other plans. With more speed than any of the observers could anticipate the ninja leaped into the air. The dagger glided out over the street harmlessly and to the ninja appeared to disappear into the blackness of the now cloud covered night. Time seemed to slow down, Padfoot blinked and looked back at his fellow assassin. Something was wrong though. The assassin was sprawled on the roof unmoving. Only too late did Padfoot notice the shiny metal spiked disk implanted in his comrade's eye. By then the ninja landed right in front of the mouse and with a slash across his throat dispatched the mesmerized assassin.

Lassun gasped from his hiding spot. Even from his vantage point he couldn't discern what exactly happened. The clouds overhead were thick now and rain started to come down slowly at first until it was pouring down heavily. The soaked ninja stood on the roof breathing heavily as he sheathed his katana. The raccoon carefully made his way over to the roof where the fight took place with a few short jumps. As he landed on the roof he heard the ninja whisper to himself.

"Zang, Krow forgive me once again. It took me longer than anticipated to avenge you. Let your spirits rest peacefully."

Lassun walked gradually over to the ninja. "Train me," he said pleadingly.

The ninja snorted. "You wish to learn the ways of the ninja, boy?"

"Yessir. More than anything." Lassun clasped his paws together in front of him his wet fur clinging to his clothes.

Hiroto looked down at the young child. His voice suddenly became cheerful again and a spark of delight flashed in his eyes. "Well then if you wish to learn you must first loss some of that baby fat, chubby britches!" He laughed at his own joke and started walking away. "Come, let us get out of the rain. When this is all over if you are still serious I will train you."

The boy let out a whoop of excitement and followed his new mentor off the roof and into the rain swept streets.

So tell me what you think of my fights. I could've gone more detailed and maybe I will come back and redo it later but I wanted to get it posted without many more distrations.