FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"I'm sorry sir, but you don't have enough to pay for it," The fox behind the counter pointed out to the bedraggled, black wolf in front of him. The wolf gasped in shock, setting down the small black box he was holding and frantically searched through his wallet and pockets for any money, having no luck. A look of panic crossed his face, realizing that he didn't any more money left on him.

"H-How much do I need?" The wolf asked the fox in a shaky voice, setting his hands down on the counter and leaning forward.

"Fifteen dollars and sixty-two cents left." The wolf tapped his clawed fingers on the counter, desperately trying to come up with some way to pay for the item he needed. He turned his head to look behind him, seeing a lioness with a shopping cart filled with toys and gifts. Looking at her, the wolf could tell that she was quite wealthy with all the jewelry she wore and the amount of items she was purchasing. Having no choice, the wolf turned to her with his head held low.

"P-Please...could you spare sixteen dollars for me? I-I really need to buy this," he said, gesturing to the small black box, "for a...friend...of mine who's really sick. H-He...didn't want anything...but I wanted to give him something special anyways. Please...all I need is sixteen dollars and I'll be on my way...." Any wolf with enough pride would never amount to begging, but not him. He had to buy it no matter what! He had to buy it...for him....

The lioness shuffled uncomfortably behind her shopping cart, her hands gripping firmly at the handle. After some time, she gave the wolf her answer, "I-I'm sorry dear...but...I only brought enough money with me to pay for everything in my cart." She offered him an apologetic smile before turning away and pretending to browse through the magazines next to her. The wolf, devastated that she would not help, tried his best not to lose his temper and snap out at her for being so selfish. His hands curled up into fists instead and shook with his anger. He was also holding back tears. fearing that he would not be able to return home with a gift that would make his friend smile again before he would leave.

The fox, noticing that the wolf was going to get out of control, called in for security through walkie talkie. Knowing that the wolf had no means of paying for the item, he had no choice but to hope that the wolf would leave the store peacefully without any fuss. Besides, it was getting late and the fox wanted to leave work early for Christmas with his family.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but you obviously don't have enough money to purchase this item. I'm going to have to ask you to leave please." The fox was about to grab the small box and have it put away until the wolf stopped him by grabbing it first. This startled the fox who uttered a small yelp and caused the lioness to look back over at them.

This was his last chance to convince these people that he desperately needed to buy this item. If all else failed...he would have to run with it and hope that he wouldn't get caught on the way back home.

"Please! It's Christmas! Don't you people have any compassion! My mate is sick and dying at home! It's his last night here on Earth and I just wanted to make him smile one more time before he leaves me forever! We've been together for six years, living a life of poverty, but through it all he's always been smiling! Why can't you both have a heart and just let me take this to him before he dies!" The wolf let his tears fall freely now onto the counter, unable to hold back the many feelings swelling within his chest: anger, sorrow, regret, and fear. The fox placed a hand on the crying wolf's shoulder and the other on his hands. The wolf instantly stopped, a glimmer of hope that his words had reached into their hearts and opened their eyes to his plight.

"I'm sorry sir, I understand how you feel, but I can't let you take that necklace. It'd be breaking the law. Please, just go home and be with your loved one. I'm sure he'll get better soon." The fox patted the wolf on the back before reaching to pull the black box out of his hands. He stopped when he heard the wolf speak back in a growl.

"Don't say you understand.... You'll never understand how I feel.... And how dare you tell me that my mate is going to get better!" The wolf slammed his fists down onto the counter, making the fox jump back in fright. "He's been sick for the past eight weeks and you tell me that he'll be all right!?"

"What's going on here!?" A security officer, noticing the scene, started to walk towards the three. Seeing that there was no reasoning with these heartless monsters, the wolf suddenly took off running with the small black box clutched tightly in his hands.

"Hey!" The fox shouted. "Stop him!" Outside, the wolf sat in his car, trying to start it, but failing due to the unreliable engine.

"Hey, you, stop right where you are!" The security officer shouted, running towards the wolf.

"Shit!" Having no choice he ditched his car and started to run in the direction where his home was. He was fortunate that the officer wasn't as fit as he was and quickly ran out of breath, still shouting for him to stop. The wolf continued to run until he heard sirens starting to draw closer to his location. Cursing to himself, the wolf could see the apartment building where he lived and made a full on sprint towards it. He quickly entered the building, the sirens still a bit away, but drawing ever so closer to his location. Panting heavily, he climbed the stairs up to the third level where his room. Standing outside his door, he paused for a moment and could hear his mate coughing violently before settling down again, his labored breathing telling the wolf that there wasn't much time left. Quietly, he entered the room, taking off his shoes and jacket, before walking towards their bedroom where his mate was resting on the bed. Several layers of worn out blankets kept him warm, but he still shivered despite it all.

The wolf took a seat on a chair next to his sleeping mate, lightly running his hand over his mate's silver fur and feeling how high his fever and gone up. He bent down and kissed the silver wolf softly on his forehead, receiving a small cough from him.

"K-Kain...you're back...," he said in a soft voice, unable to speak normally. Kain smiled, caressing his mate's cheek with gentle, loving hands.

"Yeah, I'm back Silnis. How are you feeling?" It was a stupid question to ask, but it all Kain could think of at the moment.

"It's getting harder to breath, that's all."

"I'll make you some soup. Hopefully it will help."

"Make sure it's just the broth. It's hurts to swallow almost anything now." Kain was about to reply until a fit of violent coughing from Silnis stopped him. He could do nothing but watch as each cough took more and more strength from his mate. After it all calmed down, Kain could tell that Silnis felt even weaker than he was seconds ago. Silnis was always smiling, no matter what, but ever since his illness got worse it only caused his smile to fade away. Kain looked down at the small black box in the palm of his hands, knowing that if this could make his mate smile once, just once more, before he would leave, then Kain could at least know that Silnis died happy and not in pain.

"So where did you go out so late?" Silnis asked Kain, curious.

"Umm...I went to the department store nearby and...I know you said you didn't want anything for Christmas because we couldn't afford anything...but...I decided to get you something anyways."

"Kain...." He could hear the disapproval in Silnis' voice. He knew Silnis would react like this, but there was no turning back now since he had already stolen it.

"I know...I know...but I haven't seen you smile for so long that I just wanted to make you happy again. So...I got you this...." Kain opened the black box to his mate and saw his eyes open wide in wonder at the piece of jewelry before him.

"K-Kain...how did you afford this? W-We don't have any kind of money for this?!" Kain didn't answer, bowing his head in shame and refusing to met his mate's probing eyes. He didn't need to tell Silnis for him to know. He was always the smartest one in the relationship. "You stole it...didn't you?" There was a moment of silence between them before Kain spoke.

"Yes...." He waited for the words of hate and scorn to come from his mate's mouth, but they never did.

"Why did you do it Kain? Why?" He sighed. He should have expected this from his mate. Silnis was never one to yell at him. He forgave so easily.

"It's like I said...ever since you got sick you stopped smiling. I missed seeing that beautiful smile from you. It always reassured me that with you by my side that we would eventually find a better life than what we have now. I just...wanted to see you be happy one last time before...." He stopped. Should he tell Silnis that tonight would be their last night together on Earth? He didn't want to, but then again, he was never the type to hide anything from Silnis.

"Before what?" Kain looked at his mate's eyes deeply with teary eyes, trying his best not cry.

"B-Before you...die."

"S-So you knew...." Kain nodded his head. It had been at the hospital that the doctor told Silnis how much time he would have left to live. Kain had fallen asleep before the doctor came in, but was awake and pretended to be asleep when he heard everything the doctor told his mate. He was devastated to know that his mate would only have such a limited amount of time left to live. So when the time came that the doctor predicted would be his mate's last day, Kain had left to get him a gift that would make his mate smile one last time before he left.

Unable to hold back his tears and feelings, Kain threw himself at Silnis and held him tightly while crying. "Please don't leave me Silnis! I can't lose you! You're my life!" Silnis weakly wrapped his arms around his crying mate, trying to comfort him.

"I don't want to leave you either Kain, but there are some things in life that you can't stop. Death is one of those things...."

"Please! You're the only one I have left in this world...."

"I'll miss you Kain, but I promise that I'll always be with you. Just think of me whenever you're lonely."

"Silnis...."

"Shh...it's okay Kain. Everything will be all right."

"No! It won't be...."

"Always the stubborn one aren't you?" Silnis chuckled, rubbing his mate's back soothingly. They stayed like for a while until Kain eventually calmed down. "Kain?"

"Yes?"

"Let me try on that necklace you bought."

"A-All right...." Kain handed his mate the necklace, Silnis letting the black wolf slip it around his neck and attach it on. Once it was on, Kain stood back and admired his beautiful mate with a shining new necklace to complement him.

"So how does it look?" Kain couldn't help but smile at how lovely Silnis looked. If only they had had a better life would he have bought his mate anything he desired without hesitation.

"Beautiful...just like you." The comment made Silnis smile, making Kain's heart swell with joy that his mate had smiled once again. Silnis was about to say thank you, but another fit of coughs stopped him from saying it. Kain just nodded, knowing what his mate wanted to say to him. Looking over at the alarm clock, it read 10:42pm. "You should sleep now love. It's getting late."

"All right...but you're coming to bed with me, right?" Kain leaned over and gave his mate a quick lick on the nose.

"Of course I will. Just let me get changed and then I'll come into bed with you." Kain quickly stripped down into his boxers and soon slipped into the bed with Silnis, bringing his mate closer to him and nuzzling the silver wolf affectionately. They both closed their eyes and were about to go to sleep until Silnis whispered one last thing to Kain.

"Kain?"

"Yes love?"

"Do you want to know what my best Christmas present tonight was?

"It's obvious isn't it? The necklace."

"No."

"Then what?"

"It's you Kain. I'm glad to have had met you when we were kids. I'd never imagined that we'd one day be mates living together happily. Knowing that you loved me, and always will, is the best Christmas present I could ever ask for."

"Silnis...."

"Thank you Kain. Thank you...."

"Silnis, please...!"

"Say it one more time Kain...please...."

"I-I...I love you...." Even with his eyes closed, Kain could tell that Silnis was smiling. He held on to his mate tighter than ever before, not wanting to let him go just yet.

"I love you...Kain...."

"SILNIS!"