FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The air was filled with fast flowing, harmonious chords. The music sang out over the spectators seated upon the soft grass, creating a web of interweaved notes and tones. The song was accented by a powerful male voice. A piece of glinting copper flew through the air; it landed with a soft clink amongst a pile of similar coppers by the musician's feet. The musician increased the speed of his song, melding seamlessly into a different tune.

The spectators were enjoying themselves; some got up and danced, while others simply rocked to the rhythm. More coppers were tossed into the pile. The song gradually slowed down, until it reached the final strum of its tune. The musician's fingers stuck the perfect ending chord, making the small crowd cheer and clap. Several more coppers were tossed into the pile. The crowd was in good spirits as they walked off to do their business.

The musician counted his earnings: fifteen copper coins. Not much, but it was enough. At least he could buy dinner for two more nights. He stuffed the coins into his dusty trouser pocket, and retrieved his lute from the grass. Before he could go anywhere, though, a bouncy girl appeared in before him.

"Where do you think you're going, Yarik?" the girl asked, arms akimbo, her voice like a hot summer breeze. Yarik rolled his lavender eyes irritably.

"Av'ay from here." Yarik adjusted the lute under his arm, patting his pocketful of coins. The girl stood firm.

"Well, you're not leaving."

"V'y not?" Yarik crossed his arms. He was a foot taller than her at six four. He looked down at her impassively.

"Because, you promised me that you would...help me with something." She cocked her head to a side. Her breasts jiggled distractingly.

"That doesn't mean that I can't go somev'ere first then come back." He made a move to push her aside. She simply moved backwards a step, continuing to block him. He could easily move her, but he wanted to end the argument first. "V'ill you move?" Yarik grumbled.

"No. I won't. You promised-"

"You are a very irritating girl, Tyri." Yarik shifted her gently sideways. She glared at him in annoyance.

"But you-"

"V'en I made that promise I never said v'en I'd do it."

"That's just the problem-"

"That iss not the problem. Now excuse me, I 'aff things to do." He shifted her sideways, passing quickly despite her attempts to hold him back. He ignored her irritable pout as he walked quickly away from that pile of exasperation, towards the innards of the city.

He walked down one of the dusty roads of Ferrel's lower districts, the scorching sun heating the ground to unbearable temperatures. Yarik found himself practically hopping as he moved barefoot down the road.

The city was surprisingly quiet today, as the heat scared all the citizens indoors. The marketplace still was still as bustling as ever, albeit to a lesser extent. Yarik forced his way through the sea of coloured outfits, ranging from expensive to cheap and ragged.

He made his way up a flight of stone steps, rising up above the slowly churning sea of vendors and shoppers. He headed along one of Ferrel's many elevated roads, this one stone. It was even hotter than the dirt, and he ended up skipping uncomfortably along the road, and down another set of stairs. Here was the Ferrel River, for which the kingdom and its capital were named after. He relaxed at the feeling of cool stones beneath his pads.

He waded through the river - it was knee deep here - walking onto the opposite shore. Above him was yet another elevated road, but he veered away from the stairs leading up to it, heading to a long wall under the road. These were all houses, with the road up above serving as ceilings.

He made his way down the row of small buildings, stopping in front of one with a red wood door. He unlocked the door with a key he produced from his trouser, and headed inside.

His house was very simple, and very small, but very functional. It was only two rooms: the front room had a few wooden chairs and a table, while the back room held a bed.

He padded towards his bedroom, kneeling on the stone floor, and shoving himself under the bed. Under here was a well hidden wooden box. The only real purpose of the bed was to hide this box, and for sitting on during the day. The room had come with a bed, but he had no need for it: he found sleeping hanging from the ceiling more comfortable.

He pulled the box out, slamming it onto the floor. He unlocked it with a different key, and marvelled at its contents: nothing. He deposited seven of his fifteen copper coins into the box, locked it, and placed it back under the bed. He stood up, and turned towards the small mirror. He rested his lute on the dresser under the mirror, adjusting the grey fur on his face subconsciously, and running fingers through his long brown tinged hair. It made its way down to his waist, and he took the time to sway it left and right, enjoying the softness of it.

He made his way back out the front door, locking it securely. He looked up at the sky with squinted eyes. The sun was hot, and he didn't feel like walking all the way across the city again. One more performance and he'd have enough money to buy himself a pair of sandals.

He decided to go a different way: being the only Flying Fox in the entire city, he was the only citizen who had access to the luxury of flight. He checked his surroundings, making sure that there wasn't anything blocking him from taking off. He positioned himself in the river, directly between the elevated stone roads, and unfolded his wings: huge grey wings with brown tips that spanned the entire river. He took a breath before leaping into the air. He flapped his arms furiously, the ground no longer supporting him, but the invisible force of air.

He soared up over the ground, the heat from the roads creating powerful updrafts, allowing him to circle up over the city. He made lazy turns through the air, just enjoying the feeling of the breeze flowing through his fur. His hair streamed out behind him, and he used his fluffy tail as a rudder to keep himself straight.

The city sprawled out below him, a gargantuan sea of browns and greys, and a silver glittering line winding through the centre. He banked in a lazy arc over the marketplace, his shadow swiping over the stalls below, as if a furtive thief crept amongst the crowds, secretively selecting items from the stalls.

He wafted over the patch of grass he performed on earlier: that hyper girl Tyri was there, entertaining a small crowd with her flute. The fox girl swayed left and right as she played an exciting tune. Yarik descended so he could catch the song; a complex mixture of high notes greeted him, luring him down towards the waving vixen.

Yarik slowly circled downwards, spilling air from his long, slender wings, until he could release it all and fall with a soft thump to the grass. Tyri jumped, but didn't stutter in her song. Yarik began to sway as well, grinning hugely, causing Tyri to scowl.

After the song faded to nothing, and Tyri honoured her monetary reward of six copper coins, Yarik clapped his hands. "You see? You can still make money v'it'out me," Yarik said cheerfully. Tyri scowled.

"Maybe, but I'd make more if you'd just get your lazy ass over here and play your damn lute!" She was irritated, but not angry. Yarik looked into her narrowed brown eyes, his own eyes filled with humour.

"V'atever, I'm here now." She crossed her arms.

"Where's your lute?" His ears drooped slightly.

"Not...here..." she punched him on the chest.

"Go get it," she said forcefully, "I need enough money for dinner tonight!" Yarik rolled his eyes. He pushed her aside roughly, extending his arms, unfolding his wings. Each wing stretched from his wrist down to his hip, and extended way out passed his arm's length. He stretched completely, extending the skin connecting his wrist to his waist expertly. With a deep breath, he leapt into the air, flapping up over the city, circling upwards on the swirling currents.

Tyri stood, flute to her lips, waiting for Yarik to begin. A crowd had accumulated around them, bigger than usual. They waited impatiently for the song to start. Yarik timed them in with a tap of his foot. On cue, they launched into a sombre tune which mimicked a requiem in a sense: slow, sad, and heartless. After a few moments, the song gradually increased in tempo and pitch, until the two musicians were swaying to their own sounds. The crowd seemed to like it as well, as coins began landing around the vixen's and the flying fox's bare feet.

Introduction finished, the song seamlessly changed key, as Yarik began to sing:

"All my thoughts flow freely on,

My memories, a perfect song,

Come v'ith me and v'e will touch the stars...

Pretend that we are all alone,

V'it'in our world, our perfect home,

Toget'er we will reach up for the stars..."

He paused as they played a short interlude between the verses. More copper coins landed around them.

"And I thought,

That it v'ill all 'aff been perfect,

So I thought...

Days go by...

I look up to the sky,

And I think of you...I think of you...

"On my knees,

In a dim lighted room,

My thoughts flow on trying to consume,

Myself in thiss, my mind, my hope,

I'm not faithless,

Just paranoid of getting lost or that I might...

Lose...you.

"And I thought,

That it v'ill all 'aff been perfect,

So I thought...

Days go by...

I look up to the sky,

And I think of you, I think of you..."

Tyri played a short, but sweet pre-chorus on her flute. Yarik strummed chords with supple grey fingers, black claws striking all the correct strings: the product of years of practice. Suddenly Tyri stopped playing, removing her flute from her lips for the chorus. Tyri was not as good a singer as Yarik, but they still made a perfect harmony.

"Come with me, I've said goodnight,

Close your eyes and I'll close mine,

Remembering me, remembering you,

Hurt the first, the last, between.

Come with me, into the sky,

I'll hold your hand, and you'll hold mine,

Raising me, raising you,

I'm not faithless, you will see."

_ _

Tyri played a high pitched riff of cascading notes, Yarik playing a fast paced series of chords and notes, fingers sliding up and down the neck of the lute frantically. Yarik began to sing the final parts of the song:

"And I'm praying that v'e v'ill see,

Something there in between,

Then and there that exceeds all we can dream..."

Tyri left the instrumental to Yarik, singing a short solo verse:

"There's something there, in between,

Changing you, changing me,

Let's keep it there, for all to see."

_ _

They played yet another chord filled interlude, more coins flying their way, as they started the final verse:

"Come with me, I've said goodnight,

Close your eyes and I'll close mine,

Remembering me, remembering you,

Hurt the first, the last, between.

Come with me, into the sky,

I'll hold your hand, and you'll hold mine,

Raising me, raising you,

I'm not faithless, you will see."

_ _

After the final chord, the crowd cheered and clapped. The two musicians bowed deeply, receiving more copper coins.

After the crowd had dispersed, Tyri and Yarik gathered up all the coins from the grass. Yarik loved the feel of all the copper between his fingers, as if it was cool flowing water swirling in his palms. Unfortunately, he had to share half of it with Tyri.

Yarik wasn't very good at math, but managed to count up the total and divide it by two: in the end, he received eighteen coins. He almost leapt in joy after he counted up his total amount of money. He had thirty three copper coins! Forty would buy him a decent pair of sandals. He was forced to throw out his previous pair, and it had been days since he'd worn shoes on his feet.

He said farewell to the exasperating vixen, who was even more exasperating as she was eighteen coppers richer.