FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The best part about living in a big city is that there's never a shortage of places to drown your sorrows. When one bar closes its door to Halia, the horse just gets up and goes to the next one that piques her interest.

It takes her a couple of nights after being kicked out of the last one to find the right place, but once she does, she can sit down, plop down her credit card, and just drink the night away. But, her calm routine changes once she sees that cow.

The last time Halia saw this woman, she was dressed for business and was working with someone. Tonight, however, she's in a beautiful dress, and she's coming right for Halia.

"Oh, hey there, hon!" the cow says, slipping beside her at the bar. "Fancy running into you here."

"Funny," Halia says, glancing at her drink, keeping an eye on the cow's reflection. "I don't recall ever making introductions last time."

"Shucks, no need to be so formal. We're just two gals who happen to enjoy a good night out bar hopping. Luckily, I don't see any overdrunk weasels here. So, you just might be safe from them trying to get in your pants."

Halia takes a drink, squeezing her glass. "Pants, space: I don't like people getting too close, got it?"

"Hey, hey, no need to be rough about it. I just want to say 'hi' in case we run into each other again. So, 'hi! I'm Rhannah."

Halia sighs quickly through her nostrils and then downs the rest of her shot. "Halia," she responds.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Halia. Now, tell me, what exactly is the matter with someone getting friendly for the sake of striking up a conversation? If you think I'm here for some ulterior motive, then I got a nice big bovine nose you could punch right now." She taps her snout with a quick finger. "See, right here? Can get nice and bloody for ya, if that's the way you like to relieve stress."

Halia leans back a bit, spinning in the stool to face the bovine. "How about you just fuck off?"

"Alright, alright, no need to snap. But I'm going to be around if you want someone to talk to. The night is still young."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." The horse waves to the bartender to request another drink. Guess she'll just enjoy the last few drinks at this establishment before resuming her journey tomorrow night.

Even with the buzz of liquor in her system, her cheek throbs with phantom pain. She rubs at it, feeling the crack where her old war injury hides and the numbness where flesh meets prosthetic. She winces at it, the alcohol doing its job of making her forget until just that moment. Well, pain means time for painkillers. She pulls the pills out of her pocket, fumbling with the lid.

The bottle spills out onto the sidewalk, sending white tablets sprinkling onto the asphalt. "Fucking..." Halia falls to her hands and knees, scrambling to pick up they very expensive, and very relieving pills.

Hoofclops along the sidewalk tell her she's not alone, and she glances over to see Rhannah standing there. "Oh, for fucks... just get out of here and stop starin'!"

Rhannah doesn't do that. Instead, she puts down her purse and gets on all fours herself, carefully picking up each and every pill she can find.

Halia frowns but returns to her own scrounging. When she gets as many as she can find, she slides most of them into the pill bottle, and downs the dose with a dry swallow.

Rhannah holds her hand out, the pills all there. "You know it's probably not a good idea to take these off the pavement. Sort of defeats the purpose of medicine."

"What do you care?" Halia says, swiping the pills from her. She squeezes them a moment, sighs, and says. "Just... thanks. I can't afford to lose these."

"That's some high-grade stuff. You sure you should be taking it and drinking at the same time?"

"What are you, my doctor? Damn..." she rubs her cheek. The pain is still there. It's always there.

"No, I'm not."

"Good, then let me get out of here in peace," Halia says, standing up. She replaces her pills with her key ring and turns away.

But Rhannah snatches those keys from her grip. The horse spins around, stumbling a bit and leaning against a light pole. "Hey, you give that back!"

"'Do not drive or operate heavy machinery.' That's what the pills say, right?" Rhannah says. "You are not driving tonight. I'm getting us a driver."

"I can drive just well enough, thank you very much."

"While drunk?"

"I'm a little buzzed."

Rhannah pulls out her phone and pings for a car. "Then, take your keys back."

Halia snorts and stumbles up, grabbing at the keyring, but falling into Rhannah's arms.

"Well, you're persistent, I'll give you that," Rhannah says. "But you need to know when to give up and let someone help you out."

"I don't... I don't need yer help!" Halia growls. "Now, give me back my damn keys." She grasps at them, but Rhannah holds onto the horse by the waist, pulling her in close. She looks into Halia's eyes and speaks in a commanding voice. "Listen. You're going to sober up, and then you're going to get your car back. Until then, I'll take care of you.

Halia pulls herself away. She takes a step back, but there's something... a pull, a lingering memory of her time following orders. This woman is so civilian, and yet...

After a silence, she closes her eyes and just says "Fine..."

"Good," Rhannah says. "Because our car is here."

Rhannah holds back the soft smile she feels when she sees Halia's reaction to her prompt ultimatum. When the bovine business woman catches the irregular clopping behind her, then she knows she has the mare.