FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Gahar? l?la was the kind of club that for all intents and purposes should have gone out of business long ago. The structure was shoddy, the art was outdated, and the service was fair at best. But for whatever reason, since it was built thirty some-odd years ago Gahar? l?la remained one of the hippest joints in town simply because that's where everyone went when they needed to forget who they were for a night. Some people with fancy marketing degrees or vivid imaginations had tried to explain the success of the quaint little operation by pointing out the unchanging managerial style of the owner Kate, or by noting the easy access from downtown, but regardless of the reasons, the fact of the matter was that Gahar? l?la was here to stay, and even time hadn't changed that.

The small warehouse-turned-dance-floor was brimming with people of all shapes and sizes, writhing en masse with slurred speech and species, the high-beam lights streaking through the thin layer of fog that drifted slowly down from the industrial fog machine vaguely hidden above the rafters, blanketing the scene in hazy cover and vibrant tones. The air thrummed with heavy synths, heady scents, and sultry looks, and Brahma felt right at home. His tail flicked to the beat, lashing, jumping, each and every step he took hit hardwood with the bass. And each and every eye he caught would turn to look again. This was the scene he had grown up in, fur on fur and paws on flesh, and it was here that he had learned the rhythm of a body.

A voice came over the speakers, barely audible over the pounding subs, "This goes out to all you loners out there!" The DJ was speaking with the beat, and fit seamlessly into the song, not disturbing the vibe already set, "So get on out there, shake some tail, and give us what ya got!" And the pace quickened, the pulsing mass in the club's center keeping time and keeping closer. Brahma took a step to the side and approached the bar that stretched the length of the club on the right side. As he reached the black granite countertop, he leaned confidently between a pair of furs who had just broken he ice. He grinned inwardly as the young cheetah to his left gave him a monstrous glare, and couldn't help but smirk as the tigress to his right changed from indignant to appraising in his periphery. The barkeep wasn't long.

"Heya Cat, what brings yer stripey ass down here?" Brahma laughed at the burly Croc and shot him a quick wink, yelling back over the heavy techno that filled the air.

"Just needed some time away from the office, same as always."

The Crocs stoic muzzle split a toothy smile, "Yer lyin' hasn't improved a lick since I've met you y'know. Office my ass."

"Two Hurricanes on the rocks Phil, one for me, and one for this beautiful young lady." The Croc stopped grinning and crossed his arms and Brahma very faintly heard Phil's tail slap the ground in exasperation. With a toothy grin Brahma added "Well, what else do they pay you for big guy? Certainly not your looks," before turning to the tigress beside him, the cheetah he noticed, had already left. Phil dropped his act and chuckled to himself before turning around and grabbing a bottle or five, pouring various colored liquids into two glasses. "Which of course is rude of me, my name is Brahma, and you are...?

The tigress' eyes hid a shy smile as the fur around her cheeks very slightly grew darker and her tail slowed to a gentle waver behind her. Her ears folded backwards ever so slightly as she responded just barely audibly over the loud music. "My name's Diana, it's nice to meet you...Brahma was it?"

He smiled warmly, she was such a nice girl, "That's me, and I hope a hurricane is fine with you, had to make a guess." She smiled again and nodded, her ears coming back to the fore again. "And what brings you to Gahar? l?la on a night like this?" he purred so gently through his teeth. Diana's shoulders relaxed visibly, and she rolled her eyes before looking out to the dance floor.

"Some friends of mine come here every week and they dragged me along tonight since I don't drink and their DD never remembers to stay sober. Most boring night of my life." She laughed to herself and didn't notice Brahma's smile falter for the second it did, and by the time she looked back at him he was smiling yet again, leaning ever so casually against the counter.

"That's why I always come alone, never have to worry about who I need to wait on...or leave with for that matter..." She chuckled for just a second, but very quickly quieted again as she faltered. His smile was just as inviting as before, he made sure he looked just as personable as ever, but a gleam in his eyes showed his discontent. It was then that Phil decided to drop off their drinks. He picked up the bill Brahma handed him before moving along to another customer, and the silence between Brahma and Diana stretched on for a few precious seconds, Brahma grinning wide, Diane trying hard to break eye contact with the larger feline.

Brahma picked up his drink, and tapped it against hers lightly before purring out between his teeth, "Here's to the night darling." Then he broke eye contact with her and looked back out at the dance floor without a trace of concern for Diana. When he looked back a moment later, she had left.

From what he could see, tonight was a fairly busy day for Gahar? l?la. The floor was nearly full, and the line was still filtering in from outside; there had to be someone here worthwhile; and it was then that he saw the fox. The crowd cleared for a moment, and towards the center of the dance floor amidst the flashing lights, a young todd was gliding around the stage, hips swaying and shoulders moving, and not a soul in sight could match the grace of his movements. He was wearing a deep red tang top which complimented the colors of his ruddy orange fur, and a loose black short-sleeve button-down which concealed his frame in just the right ways, but showed off his lithe shoulders and subtle movements in all the others. As his frame swayed in time to the beat, the hem of his shirt would lift just enough to give a teasing glimpse of his slender hipbones and the lines they made as they delved down past the edge of his dark blue jeans. And as he turned and stepped around the floor Brahma noticed several dyed blue streaks which ran from the base of his neck and were lost below the collar of his shirt.

To say he was attractive was an understatement. Brahma began to look at others around the fox, and saw that they too had noticed him, with his provocative dancing and visceral presence in the room, eyes would turn and one after another furs would approach him as casually as they dared, and for a moment or two he would dance with them, moving in closer and fur brushed fur, orange meeting spots and stripes and black, but sure as they came, each girl would be left as the fox moved on, stepping to his own rhythm, dancing his own dance. He was masterful in his work too, he never granted hope that he would stay with anyone, but he never turned down a dance partner either. And there it was, something telltale in the way the fox would brush against each partner in turn, back to back and side to side, and the way he'd roll his hips with each heavy downbeat that was barely perceptible and completely explained his ease at ignoring so much feminine attention. And Brahma knew exactly who he was taking home, come hell or high water.

The tiger's first step from the bar was strong and purposeful, and even before he hit the floor his paws were setting a sturdy beat. His shoulders rolled in time with the DJ as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, stepping between flurries of paws and clumsily thrown elbows. Then he was through the maze of spots and scales and just an arms breadth from the fox and the two were unmatched in grace and style. Brahma kept watching the fox, examining the way he moved with the music and how his eyes were mostly closed as if feeling the rhythm and nothing else, and just then the fox turned, eyes opening, and their eyes met. Brahma was startled by the vivid blue gaze on the handsome muzzle and the fox gave Brahma a quick wink and then he was gone, replaced immediately by dancing bodies and colored lasers caught on the fog.

Brahma shook his head and fell back into step, trying to scan the club as casually as possible for the todd, but with such a crowd it was almost a lost cause. He was approached himself by a fairly attractive mouse, and it wasn't everyday a rodent of her stature would engage a big cat like him, but that wasn't impressive enough for him tonight. He wanted that fox. Still, she was a welcome distraction from his foxy encounter, so he danced with her, letting her soft white fur slide against his, his paw gently cupping her waist as he moved her closer. Soon her body was flush with his, and they moved together, her back against his chest, his paws caressing her sides, and his eyes checking the sides of the room for even the slightest hint of orange. And there it was, leaning against the bar and talking with Phil, the fox was just now picking up a glass holding a deep blue drink before he turned back to the floor and looked Brahma straight in the eyes, that damned smirk returning to his muzzle, a knowing glint in his eyes. Brahma's claws unsheathed gently and he ran them up the mouse's sides, dragging them with just enough force to be felt through the fabric, and he felt her shiver before he stepped back from her, eyes on the fox, and headed straight for the bar, gliding gracefully in and out of the flailing bodies on the way, leaving a very confused rodent in his wake.

Brahma slid his paws into his pockets, hooking his thumbs just on the lip of each, and sauntered towards the bar as he left the dance floor, looking the fox over as he approached, those blue eyes following him all the way. The fox leaned back on the bar using both elbows to support himself, he was the first to talk as Brahma closed in, his voice smooth and controlled in a higher baritone register, his smile on a gentle upward curve. Brahma had to swivel his ears forward to make out the words over the loud music.

"Hey there tiger, something I can help you with?"

Brahma took note of his odd accent, definitely not from around here. He grinned knowingly and walked to the bar next to the fox, forcing the todd to turn with him to keep eye contact. "I suppose that all depends on you now, doesn't it?" He winked almost imperceptibly before turning and signaling to the bartender, giving the fox a moment or two without any of his attention. Three. Two. O---

"And whattaya mean by that...?"

Brahma looked back at the fox, gauging his reaction: eyebrow raised, head cocked just a touch, but it looked too put together, too deliberate. Brahma turned back to the bar as Phil arrived and took his sweet time ordering an appletini. Then he turned toward the dance floor, leaning back on the bar like the fox had been earlier, then turned his head and looked straight in the fox's eyes once more, meeting his quizzical stare with a subtle intensity. "Well, it all depends on whether you want what I'm offering. Because if so, then I'm sure we can come to some sort of...mutual arrangement." Brahma turned back to the dance floor again and saw a soft smile creep up the corners of the fox's muzzle as he leaned back into the bar, his body language shifting into a more lax, fluid state.

"Is that so... sounds like an interesting proposition," He ran his tongue just along his upper canines. He took a small step closer to Brahma, his paw brushing up against Brahma's on the counter as if by accident, his eyes locked on the tiger in front of him. "and what exactly did you have in mind?"

Brahma continued looking nonchalantly out at the floor, a soft smile playing at the corners of his muzzle, "To start with I think we can both agree that there's got to be somewhere more comfortable to go over the details." He gave just the slightest pause before the last word, giving a quick glance over at the fox. "And I'd be more than happy to host our little meeting at my place; it's not too far from here..."

The fox grinned even wider, his toothy smile clearly visible in Brahma's periphery. Then he leaned in even closer to Brahma, his warm breath hot on Brahma's neck as his muzzle stopped just short of Brahma's ear, a rather liberal gesture considering their current social surroundings. The fox whispered ever so quietly so that only Brahma could hear him over the pounding bass.

"Thanks kitty, but I don't do hookups. Try a drink first next time."

It took about two seconds before Brahma's mind caught up with what he had just been told. He blinked a few times as his confident smirk melted away and he looked back over to the fox, his elbow slipping on the bar counter just a bit so he almost lost his balance. The fox was still there, that suggestive smile still plastered on his face, ears erect and cocked out.

"Oh, and I'd recommend that whole name thing too." It was the fox's turn to look casually back out at the dance floor, "Works wonders I hear." His grin widened. "Mine's Kit by the way. Maybe I'll see you around." And with that, Kit looked back at Brahma, gave him a playful wink, then walked back off into the crowd, his hips and tail swaying in time to the music. Brahma just stared on ineffectually, his jaw hanging open just a bit as the fox disappeared from sight and was lost again in the crowd.

Brahma shook his head to clear it, but didn't exactly succeed, his tail hanging limp in the air, his ears askew of their own accord. He turned back to the bar to find a martini glass filled with a cool green liquor waiting for him and Phil giving him a quizzical look.

"What was that all about Stripes?"

"Nothing Phil...here ya go..." Brahma handed Phil another bill and a bit of change, grabbed his drink and swirled it aimlessly before taking a sip. As he did, he looked down at the bar, and the fox had left behind his glass, and underneath it was a napkin with green pan scribbled on it: 'Maybe we can talk again later cutie', and below that was a barely legible phone number scrawled out under a water-stain. Brahma read it, read it again, then quickly stuffed the napkin in his pocket, looking around to see if Kit was watching him, but it didn't appear so.

The rest of the night was a bust. Sure there was a pretty girl or six, but he just couldn't get that fox out of his head. He'd lose focus whenever there was a flash of orange in the crowd and head off after it only to find out it was a road construction worker using the restroom, or a minx with garish tastes in dress. Eventually he decided it was time to call it a night.

He hardly even noticed the drive home, taking the turns on muscle memory and zoning out as the street lamps passed. He would occasionally glance at the napkin he had deposited in the passenger seat and see the fox again; that triumphant smile, that roguish wink. He pulled into his drive, parked his car, and stopped for a moment just to replay the scene between him and the fox. There had to be something he had missed, some cue which had gone unnoticed. If he could figure out what he had overlooked, he wouldn't be so unlucky next time.

As he fell into bed he started formulating what he would say to get that damned fox right where he needed him. One way or another, Kit was going to be his. And from the looks of it, that fox would be a worthy opponent, and Brahma always loved a decent chase.