FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

In the weeks that passed the window was repaired and there was never a sign of the felines again. Life went on like it always did. Snow worked out and I cured ferals of their ailments. But something wasn't right. I felt a tugging inside me. It was like a calling that my body wanted to go to, but I couldn't hear it. The weirdest thing was that it grew stronger whenever I approached the forest. It gave me the chills whenever it grew almost unbearable. I was tempted to follow it, but I always pulled myself back a little later each time. Maybe this was the curse of the forest. It would call to those who are unsuspecting and then, when it was too late for them to come back, it took them like it had done to so many others who had entered its depths.

It got so bad one day that I actually left the road. That is when I knew that I needed to talk to someone. I ran immediately to the gym to talk to Snow but he wasn't there. Serio said Snow wasn't feeling well yesterday and that he might have taken a sick day. I thanked him and left. It seemed strange since he looked and sounded fine yesterday when I had talked to him. But maybe it had hit him after I left. Curious, I set out on the short walk to his apartment.

Snow lived in a wide, three story apartment building with a hundred or so other anthros of all shapes and sizes. The building was situated in a clean part of town on the surface, but all of those who had been there a while knew you didn't have to dig down to far before you put your nose into something you shouldn't. The building manager was a sour hyena who was only on this world to make money it seemed. His poor doormouse barely made enough to support his family if nothing went wrong. He was always courteous to everyone that stepped through the door and was very helpful. I always tipped him when I visited because I felt sorry for the poor mouse.

As I entered he greeted me and I asked him if he had seen Snow today. He replied that he had not seen him at all today. My curiosity peaked, I took to the stairs to the second floor and then to Snow's door.

I knocked a few times and awaited a response but I did not receive one. I knocked once more calling into the apartment, "Snow! Snow are you in there? It is Jazcal. I would like to talk to you."

I waited and listened. Then I heard it a slight ruffling sound followed by soft shuffling. I continued to listen as it got closer and then the door came to life with locks being unlocked and it slowly split open to reveal a patched up husky with and arm sling, a wrapped up thigh and an unsatisfied look in its face.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Oh my gosh Snow! What happened?" I asked with a concerned look.

"Well come inside so I can sit down and I'll tell you," he said as he turned and limped down the hallway.

I locked the door and followed him into the living room where he was sitting down, with his leg stretched out along the couch. I sat down in the chair across from him and said, "Okay, tell me what happened. You look like you got hit by a carriage."

"I didn't get hit by a carriage. A 50 pound weight fell off its rack and landed on my shoulder and then my thigh. The doctor thinks my shoulder is broken and my thigh should be just severely bruised. I'll be back at it in a week or so if you could let Serio know for me," he said with a wince a he shifted.

"Sure thing, glad you are okay though." I said with a little whimper that I immediately hoped he didn't hear.

"Now, you had something you wanted to talk about?" he said, not indicating that he had noticed.

"Oh yes, well... I just don't know how to describe it. I'll start from the beginning. A week or so after fighting that feline crew I have had the strangest feeling. I feel like I am being drawn into the forest."

"Of Darkness?"

"Yes the Forest of Darkness. But it gets stronger every day I walk by. Today it got so bad I actually left the street towards the forest. I don't know what to do. I can't not walk by it my clinic is on the edge of it. What should I do Snow?" I finished with a pleading look.

Before he could reply, a scratching came from the window behind Snow. When I look harder, I could see it was the Finder.

"Behind you Snow, it is the Finder cat from the hospital." I said as I stood up and approached the window to let her in.

"How in the hell did that cat find you here and get up to the second floor of this building?" Snow commented with a hint of complaint.

"Don't know," I chuckled, "But she is here and she must have something to say."

She came in and made herself comfortable on the chair that I had occupied.

"Hello," I whimpered, "It has been a while since we have talked."

"Indeed it has and this might be the last time we talk too, for the Gods are ready and they feel that you are ready as well. You have felt this I am sure," purred the cat.

"What do you mean?" I growled.

"The call of the Svet, the sainted ones, echoes in the forest." Purred the cat as it got up and started towards the window again. "I saw you this morning following the call a little. I cannot stay long but I will say that you need to follow the call for only you can pinpoint the location of the call. This is the first test of many to come. Good bye," with that it leapt out the window and disappeared.

"No! Wait!" I barked after it. But it was gone.

"Damn cat." I grumbled.

"What did you two talk about that got you all fired up so quickly?" asked Snow.

I filled him in quickly and confessed, "I don't know if I can do it. I mean, no one has ever come back from that forest, ever."

"Hey now, buck up. Just because no anthro has done it yet doesn't mean it cannot be done, especially by an anthro as gifted as you are," he said encouragingly. He winced as he shifted again, this time rotating his leg to reveal blood stains on the bandage around his thigh.

"Snow there's blood, let me help," I insisted.

I gathered the first aid kit and a new bandage wrap. Snow had already pealed back the old bandage to reveal a light coat of fresh blood on the underside of the bandage. I knelt down and rolled up my sleeves. I asked him to put the bandage under his thigh to try and catch extra blood that might fall and to hold the leg of his shorts out of the way. I poured some alcohol on the area to clean out the blood in his fur and he winced. I poured some more on the area to try and clean out his white undercoat. It appeared that the bleeding had stopped. I then began to push away his fur to try and get a better look at his bruise to make sure it hadn't broken open. I searched and searched but I could not find a bruise. All I found were a lot of scraps that had recently cauterized on his smoothly toned muscle. Snow's slight whimpering snapped me out of my daze.

"Snow, I have some news for you. You don't have a huge ass bruise, but rather a lot of scratches and scraps probably from the weight glancing off of you." I told him as I sat up and began to bandage his thigh.

"Awesome! That means I can walk better in a couple of days right?" he suggested.

"It is possible but I wouldn't push it." I advised as I cleaned up and threw the old bandage away.

"Well, seeing how that will mend quickly and a broken arm is only an inconvenience and I am going to have a few weeks off. I will go with you into the forest if you want" he stated.

"What?" I asked. I had heard him I just couldn't believe that he was offering to go on a life or death mission with me into the Forest of Darkness for gods we don't even know exist. But I was also relieved that he could be coming along to help me out. "I don't think that is a good idea with a broken arm and a weakened leg Snow."

"No, I am going. Whatever is out in that forest can't be all that bad and it could be fun, who knows?" he insisted.

"Whatever man, I am going to go home and get ready and I will leave in a few days so I can reschedule some appointments. I'll come by then to check on you before I go" I told him, "But you are not coming with me."

"Sure, we'll see who is going then" He shouted after me as I walked out of his apartment.

Three days later I have my backpack made and ready with rations for a week even if they were meager, and some basic camping gear. I knocked on Snows door that warm, mid-summer morning and the door was answered immediately. There was Snow, in his hiking gear wearing a small backpack that was slung over his good shoulder. He looked good even with a broken arm.

"Let's go!" he said with a smile on his face and his tail wagging happily. He stepped out without a limp and locked his door.

"No Snow, I am glad you are feeling better but you are not coming" I told him.

"Well looks like you will have to get my spare key from the building manager then" he said as he bent down and slid his key back into his apartment.

"No, I am not doing that, he is such an ass about that kind of thing. It's your key so you ask him" I said with a fearful look.

"Nope, looks like you will just have to take me along or I'll just follow you" he chimed, proud of himself.

"Fine, but only if you take it easy and let me know if you need to stop" I said reluctantly knowing that he would just come along anyways.

So we set out, two canines braving the Forest of Darkness in search of some "sainted ones" that probably didn't exist. But I was fine with that. I was with Snow alone in a forest without the hassle of life and the pulling sensation eased when I finally gave into it and it became more like a gentle push of the breeze. But there was a smell that was along this breeze that was also just as enticing.