FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

My anxiously brisk steps carry me along the seemingly endless hallway snaking ahead of me.

Room 301... Gotta find 301...

I look to my side, noticing the grand view that had unfolded right in front of me. The high quality glass windows are slightly curved to match the architecture of the housing complex, giving the illusion that the city was far closer than it actually was; the view was impeccable, robbing me of my breath.

"Woa..."

I can't help but stare for a moment, time seeming to span forever as my attention becomes fixated on the picturesque view before me. Buildings cascade into the heavens, their facets clean and glistening in the almost bleached light of the rising day. Dots of color appear at the crowns of the giants, their vibrance instilling a strange sort of wanderlust within me. To step just beyond these bounds and to walk endlessly among the most vivid of colours and shapes... what a fantasy that'd be.

"It's a gorgeous view, isn't it?"

I shake my head and look from left to right, attempting to find the source of the unfamiliar voice.

"Who- Wha-"

"Relax, bud. There's nothin' to be worried about."

Behind me stands a young male deer, his body lean and his eyes piercing like swords, his gaze drawing forth a timidness I'd thought I shed when I was a kitten. However, there was a glint of calm to be found in his eyes, and his posture didn't suggest any hostile motives; my initial unease shifts subtly as I take in the sight of his unfamiliar face: eyes as green as the crowns of the trees from back home, and fur that was an earthy brown, contrasted by the typical slinking lines of white that marked all of his kind. I managed to catch a glimpse of his antlers, too, their size suggesting he was no older than myself.

"The name's Kato. Pleasure to meet ya, Dave."

How the hell does he know my name?

I outstretch my paw meekly, trying not to be rude.

"H-Hello, Kato. It's a p-pleasure to meet you," I stammer, my paw quivering ever so slightly before Kato takes it into his own and gives it a firm shake.

"Master Nightfang's been waiting for you. I figured I'd pop in and see if you were still coming," he chimes, a strange smile forming on his slender face.

Master Nightfang has an assistant of some sort? Strange...

I simply stand there for a moment, half expecting him to say something else.

"A-Alright. I'll uh... get going, then," I mutter awkwardly, pivoting on my heel to depart for my Master's apartment.

"A word before you leave, Dave."

I halt mid-step.

"Yes, Kato?"

"Just take it easy. I can tell you're nervous, but Master Nightfang won't bite," he replies, a faint chuckle trailing his remark.

I nod thoughtful.

"I will... Thank you, Kato."

Without another word, we go our separate ways, like the passing winds of time itself; such a strange encounter that was.

I march on ahead, my eyes swiftly scanning the apartment numbers.

297... 298... 299... 300...

I slow down, coming to a stop before a room labeled "301".

This is it... This is where it all begins.

My shaky paw knocks at the door three times, the hollow sound of my knuckles against wood filling the empty hall. Not even the quietest of whispers seeps into the hallway, my curiosity urging me to slowly open the door.

With a hard gulp, I grab hold of the doorknob, slowly twisting it with my shaking, sweaty paw.

"Master... Nightfang?" I mutter through the crack, no response returning my query.

I peer through the splinter of space, hoping to catch a glimpse of the apartment interior.

"Ah, David, it's good to see you found your way. Please, come have a seat."

His voice is gruff and foreign, a strange twang to every word he speaks.

I don't dare to hesitate; I do as I was told, quietly shutting the door behind me.

As I begin to approach him, I take in every feature I can. He doesn't look as tall as I had expected, but the difference is likely noticeable. He has a slightly aged look, which seems to only add to his somewhat intimidating stature. His fur is a sleek black, peppered by patches of brown mixing with black and grey, two white circles covering the small distensions created by his eyes. His face looks rather serious, his cheek bones giving his image an over-all stoic tone, the thin scar running horizontally over the bridge of his muzzle adding to his mature look. His eyes, however, are a calm, clear purple, their low glow reminiscent of amethysts gently shimmering in the light of the moon. To complete his almost mesmerizing image, he wears a robe of a clean, dark fabric whose quality I'd never seen before, each stitch covering him in elegant perfection. I was absolutely entranced.

The hardwood floor makes not a sound as I gently tread toward him, his eyes still fixed on whatever he was watching.

"Come, sit down! There's no need to be so shy," he chuckles, patting the seat next to him.

I do as I am told, taking my place at his side.

"What do you see, David?"

His query takes me by surprise, my eyes finally finding the rather large crystalline orb resting on the small table in front of him.

I begin to focus on the orb, the clear, calming reflection within slowly transforming into the sight of a familiar valley from my home in the southern plains of Reytoria. The image is vivid, the daisies that dot the hillsides gently swaying in the breeze as the sun smiles down on to the seemingly untouched earth. The familiar sight of towering trees slowly comes into sight, their emerald crowns reaching toward the heavens like the great hands of the earth itself. Beneath one of the natural cascading pillars sits a small figure far too familiar to dismiss without a further thought; it was me.

I look more closely to see that my figure was not alone, but in the presence of another: a snow-white drake, with eyes like shimmering ice.

My eyes widen at the prospect, the rather large drake's arms wrapped about my waist. Together, we look happy. We both seem content to sit by one another, almost cuddling like a loving couple. The image was surprising, though it stirred a strange, tingling warmth within my stomach, reminding me of my adventurous days as a kitten.

"I see... a valley, Master Nightfang," I state reluctantly.

"A valley? Please, tell me more."

I inhale nervously.

"I see a valley that reminds me of home. I can see the daisies gently sway in the breeze and the trees whisper to each other. I find myself in the company of someone dear... It's... beautiful, to say the least."

Master Nightfang chuckles, looking over at me.

"You're certainly something, David. I did well to take you under my wing."

His thick voice laps at my attention like the calming waves of the coast, the subtle inflections of his bryveran accent drawing me in further.

"Thank you for having accepted me, Master Nightfang. It's a great honor to meet you in person."

The canine chuckles before adjusting himself in his seat.

"You sought me out and I am here to teach. Tis a simple notion, no?" he replies, the trace of an almost entertained tone of voice trailing his remark.

I nod silently, taking a moment to think on his statement.

"So then, David, what have you come to learn? What is your personal path?"

Personal... path?

I can't seem to manage a response, my words dangling at the periphery of my tongue, unwilling to leap into the open air.

"I don't think I understand the question, Master Nightfang."

He shakes his head and chuckles.

"What is your goal? Why did you seek me out?" he replies, his voice caressed by the delicate fingers of curiosity.

"My... goal?" I mumble, befuddled by his question.

"Yes. What do you want to accomplish by studying the arckane?"

I shuffle nervously, the sparseness of thoughts within my head almost making me feel a bit dizzy. Of course, one thought in particular occupied my attention, though to speak it aloud roused an irrational worry within me.

"I... I don't know, Master Nightfang..."

The wolf makes a bit of a face, his furrowed brow giving the impression that he was more than just perplexed by my statement.

"You don't know?" he parrots, the rising tone of his question stirring my anxiousness with a soft prod.

"I... Yes, I do, but-"

"Then tell me, David. There is no reason to hide something as simple as that from me," he retorts, his voice never seeming to rise beyond a calm, conversational tone.

I hesitate, taking a deep breath before answering.

"I want to understand."

"You want to understand?"

"Yes. I want to understand."

He smiles and tilts his head.

"What do you wish to understand, then?"

"I wish to understand this world and the countless people in it. I want to understand my power. I want to understand myself. I want to understand me."

I pause, considering what I had just said.

"I seek to better understand myself... I want to get everything in my head straight. That is my goal, Master Nightfang."

Master Nightfang smiles, the glint of his pearly white teeth peering out from beneath his dark fur.

"You're certainly something special, David. It'll be a pleasure to teach you. I offer you my warmest of welcomes to this odd little office of mine. May the road ahead be full of discovery and adventure. "