FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The rain was coming harder now. Ambrose let out a whine as he shivered. He shook his head, and gazed down the road. His new eyes picked out a faint glow that his old senses might not have detected. He sniffed, and caught a whiff of smoke. His stomach rumbled at the promise of food, but something about the thought of fire made his heckles rise. He licked his muzzle, and took notice of the water dripping from his fur. He pushed aside his newfound fear, and loped forward through the darkness.

As he approached the camp, he could hear sounds of laughter and chatter. His ears pricked at the sound of a female voice. "I dun know, Janko. I just be glad the old place is bearin fruit again. It just a good year, all I can say. I aint goin complain if the gods gift me with good harvest, even they be a little strange."

Another voice piped in, thick and tones with an Ostralanian accent. "Aye, but it smell of trouble to me. Aint no way that little man didn't do something to those plants. I be tellin you, it witchcraft. I wouldn't touch dem fruit if they was." As they talked, Ambrose sniffed at the smell of cooking sausage. Drool began to drip from his muzzle. He edged closer. Suddenly, one of them stood up. Ambrose flinched, and darted back into the night. Behind him, he heard one of them say "Whoa, was that a wolf out dere? Best watch out, and keep the fire up. Bloody beasts are likely to gut us in our sleep."

"I don't know, but I do think I saw something out there. Eyes sure glowed, though. Make sure you lock the food up real an tight." Ambrose lowered his ears at that last comment as he padded back into the mud and rain. Ahead, he could still make out the dim lights of the city, on account of the new gas lamps that had been invented. Ambrose whimpered, and tried to shove away any thought of the wind or cold. It was to that floating island of lights that he began to make his way.

After a couple of hours plodding alongside trackless road, a shape came out of the darkness. The moon shone in through a thin patch in the clouds, illuminating a farm house up ahead. A small wooden fence separated it from the road. He considered continuing on, but a sudden gust knocked him over into a mud puddle with a yelp. He stood back up on all fours, shook out his pelt, and padded over to the fence. After he was sure that no one was watching, he stood on his hind legs, grasped the top of the fence with his front paws, and hopped over. A small lantern glowed inside the barn. Ambrose sniffed, and smelled the scents of horse and manure, but the stalls were empty. With one last glance around, he padded in.

Ambrose had assumed there was only one lamp inside, but as he glanced around, he saw several. He shook himself off, water spraying everywhere. He sighed, and looked down at himself. He turned his paws over, examining his claws and the tick paw pads that covered each finger, as well as his palms. He ran his fingers through the fur on his chest, and tried to pick out some of the mud there. Is this really happening to me? he thought Am I really going to be awerewolf for the rest of my life? Ambrose walked over to one of the stalls and lifted back the gate. Soft straw squished under his feet. Damp and cold, he curled up there and went to sleep.

That night, he dreamt of a great plain. All around him, tall grass swayed in the breeze. The gentle wind rustled his fur. Ambrose realized that here, he was still a wolf. He tried to rise to two legs, and found he could not. He looked down at his hands and saw true wolf paws, rather than the strange amalgam of man and wolf that he had become. A voice seemed to echo in his mind, though he knew not what it said. Nevertheless, it called to him, and he felt himself drawn forward into the grass. There were trails going through the brush made by deer and hares and other game. A quick sniff brought their scent to Ambrose. His stomach grumbled in reply. Then, his nose caught another scent on the wind. It smelled roughly canine. He swiveled around to see if he might be catching his own smell, but shrugged. What he smelled was different. It had apower to it.

As he padded along, a hill rose up ahead of him. All the while, the scent grew stronger, as did the voice in his head. He approached the hill, hoping to get a good vantage point, and stopped. The hill moved. Green grass shifted, and became white fur. A great amber eye opened as the creature unfurled from its slumber. Instantly, the voice stopped. The gigantic wolf stared at Ambrose with an appraising gaze.

"Welcome, my child," the voice said, though the creature's mouth did not move.

Ambrose found that he could speak as well. "Where am I? I... I don't understand."

"Time is running short, my child. Things move in the shadows, and I fear for the mortals of this world. You must tell them. Please."

"What things? Please... I don't understand. I don't want to be a wolf. "

The wolf shook his head, and lowered his ears. "My child, I am so, so sorry for what has happened to you. I have watched in silence as your kind was cursed. This was never in my plan. Those who came to me willingly were supposed to take up my mantle, not those dispossessed of their birth-given form. Please forgive me, child. "

"Are... Are you the wolf god?" Ambrose asked.

"I am. Your kind called me Lykhos, long ago. I am the guardian of animals, and wed to the goddess you name Rovandria. The Druids of old came to me, and asked for out blessing. Their order promised to keep the balance of nature, and in return I gave them the ability to change their shape. However, another god whose true name is too foul to utter accosted me and my beloved. He took my power, and created crafted a curse with which he could sow ruin. Those who once cherished me became werewolves, and slaughtered by the light of the full moon. And do you know the worst part, my child? He cast us down. In my dying moments, I did as I was taught to do. I preserved my power by finding a place to keep in the mortal world, but he fouledeven that. I had hoped to channel it into my creations, to give them strength. As I lay dying, He came to me with the revelation that my love had died as well. He used that distraction as a chance to take my power once again. I had no other choice than to give it to the only other place I could. I touched the soul of every werewolf living, and sent my power into them. However, it came at great cost. These mortals... these humans, wherever they were, they changed. They became wolf-men, never to return to human form again. "

Ambrose laid down on his stomach, and peered up at the wolf god. "But eventually you'll be strong enough to return, right?"

"Oh, yes. Soon. Very soon."

"Then... When you come back, can't you restore us? Make us human again, that is."

"I wish I could say yes confidently. The truth is, child... I do not know what will happen. Aside from that, there are those who have been born, and lived, and died as werewolves... I do not know what I should do, young one. These are dark days, when even gods are afraid. Keep your wits about you. I am sorry I could not be of more help... Find others like you, and they can help. They will teach you what it means to be a wolf." The surroundings began to fade as the dream ended.

Ambrose became aware of a soothing feeling on his side. A gentle hand stroked his fur. He opened his eyes with a start. A human face greeted him. It was that of a young girl, perhaps his age. She had green eyes, and brown locks that fell down onto her shoulders. The girl gasped. "Oh my... what are you?" Ambrose groaned, and sat up. He crossed his legs. The girl gasped again, and staggered back. She peered at him with a quizzical expression, books in hand.

"I'm a... I'm... Y'know what? It doesn't matter. Please, forget you saw me here. I'll be going."

"No!" she shouted, "I mean.... Please stay. You look ragged."

"I need to find somewhere safe. I'll be going. I have... something to look for."

"Please. I insist. Here. You hungry?" the girl said, offering him a sandwich. "It was mine. I always come out here to read under the trees, but I happened to see you. Asides, the ground is too soggy out there to read anyways. It rained last night, but... You'd know that, on account of the way you look."

Ambrose sniffed at the sandwich. The girl set it on the ground in front of him cautiously. Ambrose picked it up with his hands, and dug in. The bread was moist and stuck to the roof of his mouth. He could not tell for sure, but something tasted off about the sandwich. He could sure smell it, but his sense of taste seemed duller. He scarfed it down , eager to fill his empty stomach. As he ate, the girl watched him with interest. Ambrose wagged his tail instinctively. The girl giggled, and set her books on the straw.

"My, you're dirty... what happened to you?" she asked.

"I uh... Fell into a puddle during the storm. Got mud all over me, I suppose."

"No offense, but you need a bath, wolf boy."

"A bath? Thank you, but no... The city isn't that far away now."

"The city? What would a wolf be doing in the city? Don't you usually live in the woods? Even if you can talk and act like a person."

Ambrose rubbed his head in thought. "I uh... I live there. It's complicated."

The girl smiled. "I'll tell you what. You can explain it all to me over a bath. Sound fair? I'll get you all clean, and in return you help me understand who and what you are. Agreed?" Ambrose flicked his ears back, but then nodded. A few minutes later, the girl returned, wheeling a large metal tub into the barn. Steam rose off of the top of the water. Some splashed out onto her hands. She winced, but continued on, bringing it to rest into front of the stall where Ambrose sat.

"Sorry it took so long. I was heatin' up some of the water for you. Pa just put some new coals in the basin. Should be good and hot for yah," she said. She reached down and snagged a small white towel from one of the runs on the side of the tub, and folded it into a neat rectangle. She set it down on the edge of the cart where it would not get dirty, clearing the rungs for Ambrose. He rose to two legs. The girl gasped, and smiled.

"I apologize for not being decent. My clothes, they eh..."

The girl chuckled, and put her hand up. "You really think that I'll chide a wolf for not wearing clothes? Silly. Asides, we have dogs before. What, you think we dress them up in little suits? No. You have a lot to learn about human culture if you expect to live among them. Part of that will be not howling in your sleep. You almost woke my Pa, and... Well, let's just say you be lucky it was I found you not him," she said.

Ambrose started to reply, but she motioned to the tub. He ran a paw over his side, feeling where his fur was clumping, and full of dried mud. Bits of straw hung in the tangles where his fur had dried as he slept. He licked his nose and grumbled to himself before grasping the edge of the tub. He climbed the small metal rungs, the cool metal feeling strange through his new paw pads. He stuck one leg into the water, and found it warm, but not uncomfortably so. He stuck the other leg in, and sank down into the water. It came up to his chest. The water swirled around him. It felt weird as it swirled his fur around, but it was strangely soothing. The water took on a slight brown tinge as the mud dissolved. The warm water soothed his aching muscles. He stretched his legs out. His tail lay to his left, its tip trying desperately to float to the surface. Heput his hands into the water, and picked out some dried mud flakes and straw from the fur in between his paw pads. The girl put a hand on his head and rubbed it. She scratched him behind the ears. He licked his nose. Mhmm. Why does that feel so good? he thought.

Then, she took a small glass jar and dipped it into the water. She pulled it back out, and poured some of the water onto Ambrose's head. It trickled down his neck, giving him an itching sensation that caused him to shake his head. She chuckled, and continued to pour.

"Silly mutt, you sprayed water on me."

"Uh... sorry," he said. Mutt? Did she call me a mutt?

"Here," she said, "Let me get a water brush. We usually use it to wash the horses, but Pa loaned them out to some man who needed to get to some festival," she returned a moment later with a thick brush of black bristles, and a bar of lye soap. She rubbed it in one of the cloths, which she dabbed in the water from the jar. Within a minute or two, the rag was full of lather and suds. She set the soap down on the ground and approached Ambrose. She laid the rag on his head for a moment before she started to move it around, working the soap into his fur. She rubbed it down his neck, and then moved into his muzzle. She apologized as she clamped his snout down, rubbing under his chin with the rag.

"Stand up, please," she said. Ambrose snorted but complied. He grasped the edge of the tub, and allowed her to rub his back and haunches with the rag. He jumped slightly as she slid the towel down his tail. She worked with a determination that showed she had done this many times before. She came back around to his front, smiled at him, and scratched his head again before rubbing down his chest and stomach.

"You can sit back down now. Time for the brush," she smiled. Ambrose resisted the urge to shake the water off, and sat back down. The water was still warm, but not as warm as it had been. Like before, she started with his head. She dipped the brush into the water, and scrubbed his muzzle, and worked her way to his neck and back. The bristled felt good as they massaged between his fur. As she moved to his back, his leg began to twitch, splashing water out of the tub. She moved to his chest, then his arms. Then, she put the brush in his paw and said "I think you can handle the rest. You seem rather modest. | Now... You were going to tell me where you came from, correct?"

Ambrose looked at her and tilted his head. "Yes, well... It's complicated," he said as he began to scrub his legs and private regions. "So," she said, "Tell me. I deal well with 'complicated'." Ambrose nodded, and rubbed his muzzle in thought.

"Okay," he began, "Let's begin by saying that I was not, until recently, as I now appear."

"That is to say...?"

"A wolf. Until yesterday, I was a regular person, just like you. I was human in every way... Not to say that I'm still not."

She chuckled. "Well, I'd say that you aren't, Fuzzy. So, if you really were human, what made you like this?" she asked. Ambrose sighed, and recounted his chance encounter with a strange man who appeared to be both man and wolf. He told her how he had betrayed his trust, and bitten him, revealing himself as a werewolf. He told her how within just a few short hours, he had changed completely. She gasped a few times, and giggled a few others.

"So wait, you're a werewolf now... Like out of the legends?"

"Yup."

"But you can't turn human."

"Apparently," he sighed. She smiled at him, and stroked his head. She motioned for him to step out of the tub. He climbed out, and stood next to her, dripping. He shivered, and twitched as he tried to resist the urge to shake the water off. Stupid urges. I wish they had an off switch or something. She grabbed a towel and started drying him off.

"I can do it myself," he offered. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and said "Trust me. I've washed horses and sheep before we sent them to be sheared a hundred times. I know how to get an animal dry. And no offense pal, but you do count in that category," she said frankly, and began to wipe his legs off. She moved upward with the same skill and methodical care with which she had lathered his fur. She let out a loud giggle so hard that she snorted. Ambrose smiled a wolfish grin.

"What exactly is so funny?" he asked.

"Awww... I'm sorry. That really sucks for you. I didn't say anything before when I thought you were just a wolf, but uh... Now it's just hilarious... I mean that in the nicest way possible."

"What?"

"You... You have a dog winky," she chuckled. He growled, and closed his legs in embarrassment.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't point that out, thank you," he whimpered.

"Aww, get over yourself. I mean... I'm sorry you're a wolf and all, but if this really is as permanent as that guy said, then you'll have to get used to it."

"I guess I'll have to get used to a lot of things..."

She sighed. "You have to be the most modest wolf I've ever met. Listen. How's about I find some of Pa's old clothes and let you wear those, so that you're not so... exposed. Alright?"

"You have no idea how badly I want clothes right now. That would be awesome, thank you."

She smiled. "I'll be back down shortly. Listen... if you hear my Pa, run. He's a sweet man, but he is also a big game hunter. I've seen him hunt wolves before." And with that, she was gone. She opened a door that lead down a long hallway to the eastern wing of the house. Ambrose stood there, and tapped his paw as he waited. A breeze blew in through the open barn door and rustled his fur. He shivered, since he was still slightly damp. After a few minutes, he heard creaking as someone treaded down the hallway. From here, he could still make out the thud of their shoes on the floor. His heart pounded in his ears for a moment as the door creaked open. He expected a large man to come bowling into the room with a rifle, but it was the young girl. In her arms, she carried a stack of clothes, on top of which sat a pair of shoes.

"Okay," she said, flipping her hair back, "We have a few options. I just grabbed a few things, since I didn't know what might fit on you. Here, let's see." She walked over to him. "We have a vest, which I'm pretty sure will fit you. However, the problem comes with seeing if these will fit." She set the shoes on the ground, and the vest on top of them. Then, she unfolded a pair of pants and looked at him.

"Try these one," she said, and handed the pants to Ambrose. He took them, and slipped into them one leg at a time. As soon as he began to pull them up, he could tell that they didn't feel right. He pulled them up to his waist, and stuffed his tail into them. He looked down at his legs, and said "Does this look at stupid as it does to me?"

"Eh, weeeell... It's obvious that they won't work. Your legs aren't straight like those of a human, any more... They're all zig-zaggy."

"Zig-zaggy?" Ambrose asked, raising a furred eyebrow.

"Well, yeah... It's like you're standing on your tiptoes. Anyways, take those off. I have some shorts that should fit you. I had a cousin that had gigantism. Then, we'll try the shoes."

"Okay," he said as she tossed them to him. He removed the pants, and tried the shorts on. They had a waist string instead of a belt, as was common for children's attire. Once more, he had to stuff his tail down into the shorts before he could tighten them. They fit surprisingly well. She nodded approvingly, and tossed him the vest. He put it around him, and struggled with the buttons. Stupid things are so hard to operate with these stupid claws, he mumbled to himself. The vest was a snugger fit, but it was not uncomfortable. However, the clothes did feel quite odd on top of his fur. Something in the back of his mind told him to wiggle out of them, but he resisted it. She handed him the shoes next. He sat down on the ground, and attempted to stuff hispaws in. It became quite apparent that these were made for human feet, and human feet alone. His paws were too wide, and the shoes too long for them to work.

"Hmm... I think it's because of the way wolves stand on their tip-toes, whereas people don't. Sorry, bub. I don't think shoes are for you." Ambrose's ears went back and he whined gently. "Asiiides," she said, "I mean... Wolves don't need to wear shoes, anyways. You guys are built for life in the wild. Oh, and sorry for not getting you any breeches. I didn't think you wanted to wear my Pa's old small clothes. You are going to the city right? You can probably buy some there."

"Yeah... I probably can, assuming I don't scare the vendor away first."

"And another thing..."

"Yeah?" he said, his ears perking up.

"I went ahead and cut a little hole in the back for your tail, if you'd like to use it. A good... tailor can probably do a better job, but that'll work until you get some new shorts, I guess."

"Yeah," Ambrose sighed. He licked his nose, and reached into his shorts. He grabbed the tip of his tail, and threaded it through the hole. He smoothed the fur back down. "Thank you... You have shown me incredible kindness. How can I thank you?" he said.

She put her hand up. "It's nothing. Oh... and for the record..."

"Yeah?"

"If it is any comfort to you, I think you make a good wolf. You'll get used to it. Now, I didn't know you before, but... I think I prefer you this way."

Ambrose blinked, and looked at her. "Thank you. |

"It's no problem," she said and smiled, "So... Are you going now?"

He snorted, and licked his nose. "Eh... I guess. Do you think there will be many people on the road?"

"Maybe, but... I think most everyone is at the festival you were talking about. It has been pretty dead the last couple of days. I don't think you'll have much trouble, really. I mean... You could always see if one of those coaches comes by, but you never know when that will be. They never come on the days they are supposed to. If you do catch it, it should take you straight into the city."

"Thanks. Well, city isn't that far away anyhow. The only part I'm dreading is getting my feet dirty again. I'm sure the ground is still soaked out there from last night."

"Yeah, it probably will be, but... I mean, you're gonna have to get used to that. At least, until someone figures out how to make shoes for wolves. Eh, you'll get used to it. I wouldn't want to... be in your shoes though," she said, and burst into laughter. "

"Very funny," he chuckled. He tipped back his head and let out a canine cackle.

"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you."

"Maybe... Who knows, maybe next time we meet, I'll be human again."

She smiled. "Later, wolf boy. As I said before, though... I think I would prefer you this way. You're... Fluffy."

He nodded, and said "You never asked my name, by the way."

"I don't need to. You'll always be wolf-boy to me."

He smiled slightly, and said, "Well, my parents named me Ambrose."

She nodded, and watched him go. He lowered himself to all fours, and darted away. Something about his name rung a bell, but she shook her head and went back inside.