FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Leomon pulled aside the green plant barrier, and destroyed it's structure into piles of leaves.

Both of them had decided it prudent to don at least their trousers to minimize distraction for either one of them.

Robbie kept busy packing their stuffs into their bags, and getting things cleaned up around the campsite. He'd made sure to clip his digivice to his belt before doing this. He didn't know very much about camping, but he had learned a couple of things from the lion. As he started to roll up the bedding, he glanced at the lion who was gazing outside at the entrance.

After tightening up and tying it off the bedroll, he walked over to Leomon; he laid his hand on the lion's forearm lightly. "What's going on?"

Leomon looked down and smiled briefly, then returned to studying the horizon. "There's smoke clouds to the south. Probably another village." He hoped the village wasn't on fire. The patterns weren't clear though -- whether they were from chimneys or random fires. He had a strong hunch that was their destination.

Robbie peered at the same spot with speculation. "That's where we have to go?"

Leomon grunted. "It's possible. Did you finish putting our packs together already?"

Robbie nodded. "Yeah. Just tied off the last bedroll." He studied Leomon for several seconds with some confusion; the lion had frowned while staring off in the distance without replying. He wasn't sure what to say, and turned back to pick up his backpack.

Without another word, Leomon walked toward his lover, then picked up half of the stuff on the ground, and glanced at him. He smiled slightly. "Let's go. It looks like it's at least a half day's walk."

Robbie hid the dismay by pasting a solemn expression on his face; it seemed like all they ever did was walk. Granted, he really ougn't complain -- it had gotten a bit easier with the more walking that he did. He followed behind the lion in silence, and was starting to feel a bit grungy. He supposed that in the digital world there might not be a bath for several days unless you got lucky with a river, bathing spring, or a village's bath. Robbie was slightly surprised to realize that he was getting used to this strange world.

Leomon glanced backwards, and recognized Robbie's state of preoccupation, and sighed mentally. He was plagued with questions that suddenly occurred to him -- Was Robbie starting to regret things between them? It was clear that Robbie desired him, but did he truly want a relationship? Was it possible for them to do so or was the relationship doomed from the beginning? Or was it just simply that Robbie was just that way -- someone who liked to think?

Robbie pulled himself out of his introspection, then looked at the lion's broad back and tail idly swishing back and forth. He resisted drooling at the muscles that flexed every time the lion took a step. He mentally berated himself for being a horndog, but had to admit to himself that he was lucky to have Leomon here. He knew that he probably wouldn't have survived very long without the tall lion's help and guidance. And there was the digivice of his -- as far as he knew, it hadn't activated for a while. He hoped it just meant they were on the right path so far.

Both of them had been walking through a forest that let some sunlight in, but remained relatively cool. Robbie couldn't see the smoke anymore, although he thought he could smell it. It was hard to tell what smoke would smell like around here, but a lot of the same 'laws' seemed to apply here. His feet were getting a little sore. "Leomon -- how far left?"

Leomon stopped and sniffed the air, and stared into the distance of the smoke he'd been tracking. "At least two or three hours."

Robbie nodded, feeling slightly winded, glad for the pause. The pace had been a bit quicker than what he was used to. He panted slightly. "That's cool." He wasn't sure if he wanted to bring up bathing issues or even suggesting a short break -- for Leomon seemed too distracted to talk. He hurried his steps to walk beside the lion, and touched his paw. He was hesitant to speak. "Do we need to hurry?"

Leomon's attention focused on his mate, as he stopped moving. He shook his head. "No. I don't think so. A fire would have spread here by now. Do you need a break?"

Robbie felt happier that there didn't seem to be a fire to worry about. He looked at the lion, and assessed his condition. "Umm, yeah. A couple minutes or so." He rubbed his eyes lightly, then slid to the ground with his back against a tree trunk.

Leomon frowned, as he crouched down, and stared at Robbie. "Are you certain you're fine?"

Robbie surpressed a vague sense of irritation. The lion's overprotectiveness was sweet, but at times it seemed a bit much. "Yeah. I'm just tired. This pace's faster than I'm used to, and the distance too."

Leomon softened slightly and nodded. "Gets easier. Do you want a fruit bulb before we leave?" When his mate nodded, he set down the provision bag and dug one out then handed it to Robbie. He helped himself to one also, savoring the sweetness of the fruit.

Robbie took the food with gratitude, and devoured it, then felt better within seconds. His earlier suspicions on whether the edible bulbs were packed with vitamins were confirmed. He glanced at his lion lover and grinned. "I think we can keep going now." He climbed to his feet, with the aid of the lion's paw.

Leomon pulled him close to his chest and squeezed his mate softly for a moment. He was tempted to stay like this for longer than five minutes, but he reluctantly let go. Perhaps there'd be time for that when they reached the village and were shown to their room for the night.

Robbie had inhaled Leomon's musk when his face was suddenly pressed against the lion's chest fur. He smiled, feeling a bit better. He was still feeling a little nervous about what to expect from the villagers, whoever they were. He hoped they were as nice as the Merchantmon.

He glanced up at Leomon's face, laying his hand on the lion's broad chest. "So, do you know anything about this area?"

Leomon was quiet for a second. "Not very much. I've heard legends of half horse-men digimon living around here, but I've never met one. Other than that, we haven't run into any darkness-possessed digimon, and I'm not certain why."

Robbie frowned, suddenly realizing they'd only run into one creature so far. "That's true. I'm surprised we haven't blundered into any yet since we left the cave."

Leomon shrugged. "I haven't scented many digimon in the area either -- either they've fled, or they're in hiding. It's too quiet."

Robbie felt a shiver of dread. That never boded well when things were 'too' quiet. "Right. Um, let's keep moving then."

Both of them resumed their walking; Leomon first, then Robbie following him silently.

Robbie's thoughts drifted back to the digivice's comment about a guide showing up -- so far there'd been no guide yet, although there was a possibility that they'd be at the village.

* * *

A few minutes later, Robbie started to feel a strange sensation of paranoia and nervousness. He started dismissing it being in a forest that had nearly no sound other than the two of them. It was eerily silent, and only served to make Robbie feel even more on edge. Darting glances all around him, he didn't like the shadows that were beginning to appear under the trees. Without warning, Robbie cried out and crumpled to the ground, feeling crushing pain explode in his mind.

Leomon whirled around and roared Robbie's name in alarm and scrambled to his side. Holding Robbie, he did everything to try to find out what was wrong to no avail. The lion felt anguished and confused because he didn't know what to do to help. Robbie had no visible injuries, but he was in obvious pain. His mind raced around in circles then he remembered that his mate was capable of sensing emotions. That's it! It must be. He darted his glance down to Robbie's digivice and frowned. It was silent. The lion wasn't sure what it meant.

* * *

Robbie gritted his teeth as a slimy coldness began to slither inside his own mind. Part of him screamed that it wasn't HIS pain, but someone else's, but Robbie couldn't fight the onslaught of the emotions running through him -- panic, anger, coldness, desperation. Then the flood of emotion was abruptly cut off as a strange presence touched his mind, and Robbie gasped as he was somewhere else.

"You! You're the one I sensed!" A strange digimon clad in shabby rags and a floppy hat, and holding a staff was staring in surprise at Robbie while sitting on a boulder jutting from the ground.

Robbie frowned. This digimon reminded him of a Wizard by his attire. "Who are you? Where are we?"

He darted a glance around in fear, then scruntized Robbie intently before speaking. "No time - I need your help now! I'm being overtaken by the Mist, but it hasn't been able to do it completely. Use your Gift. Find me!"

Robbie could sense something encroaching the edges of his mind, and shuddered.

Without another word, the wizard digimon aimed the staff at Robbie, and a blue ethereal glow shimmered around the top then it flew at him, knocking him away.

He blinked as he heard Leomon calling his name with worry. Robbie didn't know what had just happened, but he could still feel the pervading fear shining like a beacon in the distance. He flew out of Leomon's grasp without a word, and started running toward it.

Leomon yelled after Robbie to stop, but he either didn't hear or wasn't listening. He cursed under his breath, then launched to his feet, and started running at full speed after him. His mate better have a good explanation. There were unknown dangers here and he'd gone running off.

* * *

Robbie stumbled to a stop after several minutes of hard sprinting, and panted heavily, half-crouched over with hands on his knees. The fear was still pulsing at the back of his mind, and it was stronger, but he didn't exactly know how to find it. All he knew was that this digimon told him to use his Gift. He brought the digivice to his face, and frowned, seeing it remain silent. The foregone conclusion that leaped to his mind was that his power was actually active and controllable. Now, how to find this digimon?

Robbie took a deep breath, straightened up, and closed his eyes in concentration trying to visualize the approximate direction. He lost his mental balance the moment he recognized the lion's panic rushing toward him. Robbie's eyes flew open to see Leomon skid to a halt, with an expression of worry and alarm.

Leomon was vastly relieved that Robbie seemed alright, but he couldn't simply shove his worry aside. His nose was starting to detect signs of Digimon in the distance, but he couldn't discern anything specific. "What is it?"

Robbie shook his head. The fear was becoming more panicky. "No time..." He closed his eyes ignoring any other comment Leomon might have made, and tried to concentrate, using his empathy. His mind suddenly saw colors -- red and golden, concern and protectiveness. Robbie wasn't surprised when he realized he'd been feeling Leomon, but the wizard needed his help, so he shifted his mental direction and cast it out toward the fear.

An agonizing scream rang out and echoed through the silent forest, making Leomon's fur stand on end. He quickly darted a glance all around him, desperately trying to use his ears and nose to find them without any success.

Despite the terrible pain in the scream, he struggled to narrow his focus on his empathy. As before, he felt himself drawn into the chaos of the wizard's torment and managed to seperate himself just enough to get his bearings. His mind saw a white flame pulsating and growing dimmer with a grey-hued aura creeping into the center. With that fixed in his mind, he opened his eyes, and started running at his top speed.

Leomon chased after Robbie, trusting him to lead them to where they were needed. He didn't know exactly what was going on, and worried that it might also be a trap.

* * *

Robbie, unheeding of anything around him but the lure of Wizardmon's emotions, kept running until a final scream pierced his mind, shattering the link, and sent him to his knees with hands clutching his head. His eyes were squeezed shut from the pain slamming into him.

Less than thirty feet away was Wizardmon slumped onto the ground, and the mist slowly threading it's way around the head. It rippled, then concentrated blackness around the forehead and shimmered before fading away.

Leomon skidded to a stop when he saw Robbie, and noticed the digimon crumpled onto the ground, motionless. He growled under his breath when he scented the touch of the Darkness on the Wizardmon, but he was confused because it wasn't attacking, and Robbie wasn't moving.

Keeping a cautious eye on it, he knelt by his mate and whispered worriedly. "Robbie?"

Robbie fought against the negative emotions within his mind, as he got to his feet. "Uuugh... So much hate, so much pain..." He squeezed his eyes shut, concentrating on barricading against everything that he could feel, and was surprised to feel his sensitivity dull to a whisper in his mind.

Leomon decided Wizardmon wasn't going to move for a little while, and prompted his mate again. "What happened?"

Robbie frowned, and shook his head. "I'm... I'm not exactly sure -- Somehow I felt him, got sucked into his pain, and then he contacted me... Needed my help. I wasn't sure if I could find him, but he said I would be able to..."

Leomon glanced away from his mate to Wizardmon and snarled. Wizardmon had disappeared. Before he had time to react, a blue bolt of magical energy exploded against them from behind, sending them crumpled to the ground a couple feet away.

Leomon was quick to shrug off the effects of the bolt, and get back on his feet. He let loose a fist of energy at Wizardmon who deflected it effortlessly with his sceptre. He growled in frustration and kept trying to fling more energy fists, even though Wizardmon was deflecting each of them to one side or the other.

Robbie was slow to get to his feet, due to the stunning properties of Wizardmon's bolt. He cradled his head with one hand then his eyes widened when he saw Leomon blasting away with no effect. He watched Wizardmon gesture with his hand in a weird wiggling motion, and suddenly Leomon was flung backwards then hit a tree with a loud splintering sound. He stared with sudden alarm when Leomon didn't move. Robbie whirled back to stare at Wizardmon, and froze.

Wizardmon spoke suddenly with a colorless voice filled with malice, while a crackling black bolt hovered over the sceptre's tip. "You must die in order to fill the Digital World with darkness." He raised the sceptre slightly, then pointed it at Robbie, and released the bolt. The crackling bolt roared toward Robbie before he could react.

Robbie instinctively hid behind his arms, knowing it was probably futile, and felt fear coursing through his veins. His digivice exploded in white light as it thrummed against his thigh. He felt the familiar sensation of his digimon powers come to play to protect him in a protective cocoon. The bolt hit his shield fully and exploded into nothingness, but Robbie felt it give, very slightly. This digimon was strong -- possibly enough to kill him. The fear inside him grew stronger, as he frantically tried to consider his options.

The only option he knew was open to him -- was to use his powers again to hopefully free this wizard digimon without destroying him in the process. Once that was decided, he felt his fear drop away, and a stillness fill up inside his heart, then he closed his eyes in concentration.

His shield peeled away and dissolved into motes of light which gathered into several spheres of light that swirled lazily over Robbie's head. Robbie opened his eyes and stared at the glittering black gem affixed to the digimon's forehead, then released his hold on the light. The spheres of light swirled above Robbie's head quickly, then sped to it's target. Each sphere of light flared as it hit the gem, and vanished.

Wizardmon staggered backwards after each assault, unable to move -- for the gem's control was quickly being eroded by Robbie's attack, and also from within. After the third blast to the gem, it cracked, and dissipated after the fourth explosion, sending Wizardmon gasping and on his knees holding his head with one hand.

Robbie felt his knees wobble, as exhausted relief swept through him. He staggered, and collapsed to his knees, dimly wondering if Leomon was still alright. Blackness greeted him as he fell on the ground in a faint.

* * *

Robbie awoke abruptly to a splitting headache, and groaned deeply, as he struggled to sit up. His first thought was that he'd overdone it again. The second immediately after, he straightened up then quickly looked around for Leomon, and desperately hoping he was still alive. He didn't have to look far, as he took in the surroundings. Wizardmon was tending to a firepit that they were clustered around and he saw that Leomon was lying on his back within reach -- looking a little worse for the wear, but his chest was moving up and down slowly.

Vast relief swept through Robbie once he realized that Leomon was still alive, then he glanced at Wizardmon. He wasn't sure what to think - he had wanted to throttle Wizardmon for doing that to Leomon but the logical side to him knew that it was just the Darkness that had controlled him.

Wizardmon sighed and stopped poking at the fire. "He's fine. I managed to mend most of his wounds, but he needs to rest tonight. I'm sorry. I fought it off as long as I could."

Robbie nodded slightly. "...Right. Um. Who are you? You are the one I was supposed to help, aren't you?"

Wizardmon seemed to smile but it was hard for Robbie to see because it's mouth was covered with the cloak's flap. "Yes, that's me. I'm Wizardmon, and you are one of the digidestined, correct? What is your name?"

Robbie laid a hand on Leomon's arm then glanced up, feeling slightly self-conscious. "Um, yeah. Robbie. Nice to meet you."

Wizardmon smiled pleasantly. "Likewise - I am afraid we'll have to stay here for the night, but I have ample protections that I can set up around us."

Robbie nodded, feeling awkward for some reason. "I see. Thanks for helping Leomon..."

Wizardmon shrugged, and held out a stick with a couple of meat bulbs that Robbie hadn't seen immediately. "Least I could do. I took the liberty of roasting some of your meat bulbs, in case you're hungry."

Robbie chuckled and got up from the lion's side and took the stick then started eating it as he settled himself down close to the lion's feet.

No one spoke much for the next few hours, until Robbie found himself drooping into tiredness.

Wizardmon chuckled in a low voice. "Go rest -- I will put up warners while you sleep. No one should bother us until we wake."

Robbie nodded sleepily, wondering why he trusted Wizardmon. He had the feeling that if the Mist tried to enslave him, he must be one of the good guys. With a small yawn, he pulled and laid his bedroll out, stretched, and fell fast asleep on it. .

Wizardmon stood up, then traced magical symbols into the dirt, and charged them as he walked in a circle. As he completed the circle, a sparkle of light emanated from each symbol to meet in the center in a half dome. Satisified with his work, he smiled and settled down, to rest.

[To Be continued]