FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Most of the trees had changed through their myriad of colors and were nearly naked, etching up the dreary horizon in only a few weeks. Then, the first snow had lightly blanketed the land during the night. The pack woke to the sparkling landscape, taking a moment to appreciate the pristine view.

Anubis did not even feel the chill despite having nothing more on than his kilt and vest. Everyone else, however, were out in leather jackets and brightly colored woven sweaters, heading in for breakfast.

While sitting on one of the couches, Silver was busy rubbing a well worn and cared for leather jacket with a thick, clear oil that came from the wool of the shep. Luna slipped beside him and leaned to his ear to whisper something to him. Curious, he leaned closer before his face lit up and his tail wagged, looking at her with the most excited grin Anubis had seen on him yet. "That right?" he replied softly. "Puppies, huh?" She nodded, and he set his things aside to pull her into his lap and nuzzle her sweetly. "They're gonna be perfect, just like their ommy."

Nova's tail was wagging when she felt a shiver up her spine and turned to find Anubis smirking down at her. It only grew more wicked when the scent of her dampness filled his nose.

After breakfast, as the pack got ready to continue harvesting, a lookout gave a howl as a nice truck growled up the road to them.

"What's he want?" Fern grumbled, following after Jack.

"Well, we're 'bout to find out." Once the truck came to a stop, Jack approached, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Grr'siv! What... What's all this?"

Getting out with his Head Beta, Grr'siv smiled. "Ah, well, see, I, uh, decided to go diggin' into where all o' Dawson's supplies were goin' an', uh, found a few discrepancies. Turns out, Dawson's got plenty to spare, an', well, after what ye said at the bar 'bout yer pack goin' hungry this winter, I felt even more like a ass, an' were hopin ye'd consider this gift as a apology."

Fern's jaw dropped, looking in the back where many baskets and boxes of food were stacked. Jack's expression of shock quickly became a grin. "Shit, Grr'siv, thanks! Consider yerself forgiven!"

He smirked at his brother as the other pack members gathered curiously and grew excited. "There's really only 'nough fer a meal er two fer the lot o' ye, but better to ye than... disreputable recipients. Think I'd rather burn my bridges with that lot than my neighbors... an' well, most o' the pack agreed with me once they found out."

Clapping him on the shoulder with a smile, Jack shook his head. "Ye didn't burn the bridge, just singed it a bit. Though, I'd say this meal er two's a fresh coat o' paint."

As the adults were offloading and chatting, the pack of pups went giggling past, eager to gather what little snow remained in a shaded clearing among the trees.

Arrow arrived first, quickly balling up a handful and aiming for the first pup behind her, who happened to be her brother. Struck right in the chest, he slipped and tumbled back, knocking over the pups right behind him. With a triumphant laugh to his whine and lament, she dashed off again to avoid their attempts at revenge.

Pausing beside a bush, she grinned as she waited for them.

"Psst. Arrow!"

Perking, she turned around so fast that their noses touched. Stunned, they stared at each other for a heart beat before Fletcher blushed and pulled back. Arrow's brow pinched together, and she rubbed her nose as though disgusted.

"What ye want, Fletcher?" she demanded, putting her fists on her hips. "I knew ye was there, by the way. I jist didn't know ye was gonna talk to me."

He perked as he recalled why he had come searching for her and motioned for her to follow him. "I wanted ta show ye somethin'."

Glancing at the others, she pursed her lips and rolled her eyes before following after him. Leading her through the brush, he glanced over his shoulder. "I weren't even tryin' to sneak up on ye, by the way."

"Yeah, uh-huh," she scoffed with another roll of her eyes.

"Ye'll know when I'm really tryin' ta sneak up on ye cuz ye won't know!" he declared smugly.

She fixed him with an unimpressed glare and scoffed again as they came out to another clearing. "Ye wish."

With a pleased smile, he stopped and presented her with a small snowwolf he had spent quite some time trying to shape into a specific likeness.

Cocking her brow, she looked it up and down, then peered at him. "What 'bout it?"

Ears lowering a bit, he stumbled on his words. "Oh, uh, w-well, it-it's s'posed ta be ye."

Blinking in surprise, she looked it over again. "It's got a bow."

He blushed deeply. "W-Well, yeah. Don't girls like bows?"

Her whole face scrunched together indignantly, glaring at him with an emerald fire that made his hackles start to prickle before she thought about it and relaxed. Holding up her arms, she made the motion of pulling back an arrow to release it. "Yeah, the shootin' kind!"

Thinking it over, Fletcher glanced around quickly. The snow was sparse here so he could find a curved stick and hurried back to his sculpture. Carefully working it among the dry little twigs of the stick that made the hand of the snowwolf, he stepped back and beamed.

Looking it over critically with a hand on her chin, she reached out and flicked off the bow he had made with some dried grass and placed in front of a lump of ear, then grinned. "Yeah, that's right!"

Unable to handle the new weight, the arm fell to the ground. Looking at each other, they giggled, their tails wagging.

Arrow let out a sharp yelp, thrown forward by a large snowball, but it was the rock hidden inside it that grazed her head and cut her ear that left her whimpering on the ground, curled up in a ball.

"Arrow!" Fletcher cried, kneeling beside her to check on her when his ears perked to malicious cackles a few yards away. Head snapping up, his whole face wrinkled with white hot fury at 4 familiar sigmas from the neighboring pack laughing together. The chubby one was nodding, accepting the praise of his peers for his aim.

"Hey!" The teens perked and looked down at Fletcher snarling up at them from only a few paces away. He pointed at the one who threw the loaded snowball. "Yer a asshole!"

The chubby one smirked and leaned down to him. "Yeah, so ye ought ta fuck off, pup."

Fletcher's lips peeled all the way past his gums. "Git a li'l a closer, an' I'll bite yer face!"

The teens glanced at each other and snickered.

"Ye what now?" the chubby one taunted. "I could sit on ye!"

"An' I'll rip yer ass a new hole!" Fletcher countered without a thought, his hackles pressing hard to his clothes.

They laughed louder this time. "Yer just a gimpy midget with a big fuckin' mouth."

He jabbed his thumb to his chest. "I'm part Wogtal!"

Glancing at each other again, the teens utterly lost it, their hysterical laughter echoing around them.

"Part!?" cried the chubby one after finding some breath. "Which part? The part ye lost?" He pointed at Fletcher's foot before laughing again.

Bristling, Fletcher's growl grew low and menacing. "Ye know what's the best part o' havin' a wood foot?" He did not wait for them to answer, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I kin leave it in yer ass an' go get a new one."

Staring at him in stunned silence, the teens looked at each other, but their leader bared his teeth. "Li'l shit. Ye don't know well 'nough ta be scared."

There was something unnerving in his steady gaze that caused their hackles to prickle. "I looked at death. I were in its mouth. Ye jist ain't scary 'nough."

Growling with a wrinkled snout, the chubby one started towards him when a form as tall as he was rushed out of the nearby bushes to block his path so suddenly that he had to recoil to not touch noses and stumbled back a few steps.

"Don't ye dare touch my brother," Denver snarled furiously, teeth bared.

Staring at him incredulously, the teen had to take a second to recover, looking him up and down, noting his braid. "What the fuck? When'd ye grow some balls?"

Covering his teeth, Denver gave him the same kind of unwavering glare. "Ye ain't as scary as a skaowl."

Growling, the teen again stepped forward threateningly, grabbing Denver by the jacket and jerking him close. "Oh, we'll show ye scary, right, guys?"

Perking when there was no answer, he looked over his shoulder. His friends had not joined him and were shifting about nervously.

"W-Well, ye know," one of them started hesitantly, "I, uh, I jist got my rank an' I don't wanna lose it beatin' up on a pup." The others quickly nodded in agreement, backing up a little further.

Turning his growl back at Denver, he realized that expression had not changed, staring him boldly in the eyes. Brow pinching together, the Sigma released him with a shove that didn't move Denver near as much as he'd been hoping. "Fuck it. Yer right. A gay an' a gimp ain't worth losin' my rank over. No sense in wastin' my time wit' ye. I'd say go suck a dick, but ye'd actually like it, freak. Let's go, guys."

"Yer the freak!" Fletcher yelled after him as the 4 walked off.

"Fletcher!" Denver snapped at him, giving him a glare to quiet him before turning his attention to Arrow still whimpering on the ground. "Oh, shit, A-Arrow! Are ye alright?" Helping her sit up, he checked her head carefully, using some snow to wipe away the blood.

Kneeling beside her, Fletcher put his hand over hers when she whined and sniffled. "Ye'll be okay," he reassured.

Looking up at both of them, she wiped at her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I-I'm alright. It... it jist s'prised me, that's all."

"C'mon," Denver said with a soft smile as he helped her up. "It ain't so bad. Y-ye shouldn't be back here, anyway. We-We'll go back an' get Berry ta look at ye."

Denver held her hand as they trudged back. Though she sniffled, she looked over at Fletcher and giggled. He perked curiously. "What?"

"That were funny."

"What were funny?"

"What ye said 'bout yer foot."

His ears folded low with a hot blush, scratching at one sheepishly. "Oh, uh, ha, yeah. That, uh, jist came out."

"Were a real foolish thin' ta say," Denver chided. "They co-coulda hurt ye." In the next heartbeat, however, he had an entertained little smirk. "Though, yeah, i-it were funny. Just... don't ever do that 'gain! I-I-I just don't want ye gettin' hurt."

"Yeah, but my big brother were there watchin' over me!" he beamed up at him with pride and adulation as they came through the brush. "Ye sure made 'im think twice!"

Blushing a bit, Denver struggled to force his ears up to hide it, but his lips curled up with the ghost of a pleased smirk. "O-Oh, uh, heh. Yeah, guess... guess I did a li'l." Then he looked down at Fletcher. "Well, I-I-I weren't just gonna stand there a-an' let 'em hurt ye. I heard 'em l-laughin' an' didn't see ye two. I'm sure glad I found ye in time."

After getting to the medical cabin, Fletcher quickly offered to stay with Arrow while Denver went to get Berry. As they sat on the bench, she looked at him, then down at the wooden foot that was sanded with much more precision and a slight curve.

"How'd ye lose it?" She asked with innocent bluntness.

"What?"

"Yer foot. How'd ye lose it?"

He looked down at it, wiggling it up and down. The nub under his ankle nestled into a well sanded cup just big enough for a few layers of cushioning, and it gave a secure place for the bandaging to help keep it strapped tight to his leg.

"Oh, uh, well I were playin' in the quarry an' I tripped an' a big rock fell on it. There, uh, weren't nothin' ta save when they got it off. It weren't really a foot no more. I near died cuz it got infected."

Her ears folded back sadly. "Oh. Do it hurt?"

He shook his head. "Not no more. Though sometimes, I wanna stretch my toes, then I 'member they ain't there." He splayed out the toes of his other foot and wiggled them.

She looked down at her feet. "I'm sawry that happened ta ye."

Shrugging, he grinned smugly and leaned back, kicking his legs. "I'm so sneaky, death kin't even fin' me!"

She giggled at him.

"It's true!" He insisted. "My ommy told me I were born real early 'fore I were s'posed ta, an' I were the only one ta make it!"

Just as Arrow opened her mouth, Berry came in and began to check her over. "Aww, sweetlin'! What happened to ye? Was ye two playin rough?" She gave Fletcher a stern eye.

Both pups started talking at the same time, making a discordant noise that was difficult to understand. The door slammed shut a little harder than it needed to, startling them quiet. Berry glared over her shoulder, making Denver grin sheepishly.

"Uh, s-s-sorry. Th-they, uh, they was just, uh, chasin a-a-an' she just, uh slipped, w-were all!"

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him, which she turned to the pups, both of whom gave her the most innocent puppy eyes they had ever mustered in their lives, which only deepened her suspicion. Chewing her lip, she rolled her eyes in defeat.

"Alright, well, next time watch where yer goin. Yer alright. Go on back out there. Snow's gonna melt soon. Ground's not cold 'nough to keep it."

She snagged her cousin by the ear before he could escape out the door with the pups. "Don't ye be teachin' those pups bad habits!"

"Oh, w-w-well, I just don't want 'em gettin in more trouble. I-I-I already talked to 'em 'bout it. They didn't need an-n-nother talkin' to."

Releasing him, he hurried back to his post to watch the pups. It was hardly a moment later that an enormous shadow appeared slightly behind him. Snapping around, he clutched his chest and panted.

"Anubis! Y-Y-Ye gotta stop doin that to me!"

He smiled down at him. "Oh, well, if I did that, I would have missed out on my little Wogtal finding their teeth."

His amusement only deepened at the scrunch of Denver's face. He could barely contain himself when the young man put his fists on his hips indignantly. "Ye was w-watchin' the whole time? Y-Ye coulda helped!"

"Why? They were scared enough of you. The only difference I would have made would've been how fast they ran away."

His ears lowered a bit and he looked away with a little smile. "Uh, ye-yeah. S'pose that's true."

Using a finger under his chin to push his head up, Anubis smirked. "So far, you've stood up to a skaowl, me, and a bunch of bullies. Is there anything you're afraid of?"

Denver's smile grew, scratching coyly at his ear. "W-Well, guess I-I am sorta part Wogtal, ain't I?"

Now Anubis grinned wickedly, making his pet's tail wiggle rapidly. "Indeed! And later tonight, I'll be glad to... boost the percentage...."

***

The snow had not stayed. It blew in and left an awful muddy mess when it melted away the very next day. The balmy, rainy days that followed did not help with the mud, but there were few complaints for fear of upsetting the spirits that had finally seen fit to relieve the thirsty land. It was a blessing for the final crops, the late warm weather creating a final explosion in the harvest size.

After nearly a solid week of rain, the storm broke and gave the roads a couple of days to dry up. Just in time for the pack to pull their long trailer out of storage and get ready for the Festival of the Hallowed Harvest.

While most of the pack was going to be able to go, including the pups that were out of the den, Anubis was a little surprised to discover that the low ranks had to draw a winning ticket from a bucket at random, but it made sense not everyone could go. There were still puppies to tend to, equipment left behind and animals to manage. At least one high rank would also have to stay, but this year, several of those who would be retiring into town soon decided to stay behind, including Cloud.

On the morning that the pack gathered to go, Cloud overheard that Nova had given her winning ticket to Anubis and had convinced him to go to experience the festival for the first time despite his protests, and had refused Denver and Moon's tickets. Pursing her lips, she made a count and decided she had plenty of volunteers already staying. Nova's tail likely could have propelled her all the way to town on its own when she was told she could go.

After a pack howl of excitement started by the pups and quickly picked up by the rest, the truck gave a groan and managed to haul them all to town, albeit a bit slower than usual.

As they went, there was much chattering. Sandwiched between Nova and Denver, Anubis listened to the mentions of the festival, cocking his head when Moon pointed out that they had forgotten to make him a skull mask and there likely were none that would fit him.

"A skull? Whatever for?"

"Well, it's cuz we're all dead!"

"What?"

Nova rolled her eyes. "Ye gotta do better than that! See, it's the last time we all know we'll be together 'fore the Spring's Bounty. That's when those who made it through winter learn 'bout, ye know, those who didn't. This be the only time we got to tell everyone how much we care 'bout em, or maybe what else we might think of 'em. Fer three days, we all got food an' each other. Ain't nobody hungry, ain't nobody cold or lonely. Who knows 'bout 'morrow. But, that's why we're all dead today, cuz death ain't choosy, it comes fer us all equally. So, if we're all dead, then we're all equal."

Anubis thought about it and smiled. "I really like that sentiment."

"Oh, an' it's the ruttin' season for the deer folk!" added Moon.

Denver gasped with a tail wag, his eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah! Th-they got spectacular sparin' contests!"

Long Fang rolled his eyes at his brother with a smirk. "Ye just like it cuz they ain't hardly clothed."

The others snickered while Denver blushed with a little smile. "W-W-Well yeah."

Moon giggled. "I like watchin 'em, too!"

Once they had pulled in, a big box was opened and many sorts of masks were passed out, from leather and wood to delicately carved skulls of animals. There were all sorts of colors and patterns, from the plain to the vibrant. Anubis watched with great amusement, staying seated while the pups growled and squealed and chased each other.

It was inevitable he would have to stand at some point. Towering over everyone, it wasn't long for him to feel the many gazes that turned to him. Following with the pack to the main square, he felt a growing regret for coming along when hundreds of eyes noticed his presence. The crowd even moved away from him, leaving an open space.

It was in that open space that a great mass of giggling pups from many other packs came thundering through. Some of the pups in the group stopped dead in their tracks. One tiny girl's eyes grew wide upon seeing the giant, her tail propelling her to stand before him, her arms up as she hopped in front of him.

"Yer back! Yer back!" She cried gleefully while the others from her pack also rushed over with wagging tails.

Recognizing her from his encounter in the library despite her flowery little mask, he smiled warmly and leaned down to oblige her request, lifting her gently to sit on his forearm. The whole herd of pups turned like a living organism of its own and hurried back with excitement and curiosity, surrounding him with eager chatter and all their tails thumping one another.

Peering at his face, the little girl tilted her head curiously. "Why don't ye got yer mask?"

"Oh, uh, well, none of them fit me."

"Why didn't ye make one?" She pressed innocently.

"Well, I wasn't exactly expecting to be part of the festival."

"Well, it's a good thin' ye are!"

All the pups perked and were even more excited at the sight of Mother Meadow slowly hobbling through the crowd that parted for her. Her leather mask resembled her own near skeletal self a little too much. The older pups had to hold the younger, reminding them in hushed tones they had to be gentle with the elder. Standing before him, she smiled. "What kinda god would miss 'is own party? Yeah? God o' the Dead, ain't ye? Come ta lead the gala!"

The little girl on his arm pointed at him. "But, Ommy Meadow! He ain't got a mask! They dun fit!"

Frowning, Mother Meadow blinked in surprise, looking around. "Well, ain't nobody got some paint?"

He knelt so the shape of his skull could be painted over his fur in thick white paint that shined bright in the sunlight like a beacon when he stood tall over the nervous crowd.

"Yeah, that's better!" Mother Meadow barked out before glaring around at everyone. "What'cha all scared o'? We're all dead taday, ain't we? Couldn't get any deader, eh?"

Glancing around, there was a murmur of agreement with the sentiment before Fern raised his mug of ale and called out loud, "Hey! Now ye look the part! Could be the Hallowed Spirit 'imself!"

As soon as the rest of the Radkials in the crowd raised their mugs and cheered, in sociable wolf fashion, the whole crowd burst into cheers and howls. The deer and otter folk that had come to mingle with the wolves rolled their eyes with smirks, some even playfully howling along just for the fun of it.

Ears back, Anubis clenched his teeth in uncertainty. Feeling something beside him, he looked down to find Nova snuggling up to him, her fingers slipping between his. Lost in her eyes, the rest of the crowd could have poofed out of existence and he likely wouldn't have noticed. Sucking in her breath, her mouth opened and her sweet, melodic voice rose through the din. Like an infection burning him up inside, he could hold it no longer.

There was a visible wave through the crowd and stunned silence came over most of it, staring at him for most could not see Nova. But, she didn't stop howling with him, and the other Radkials only howled louder. In the next heartbeat, a collective breath erupted like a volcano from every lupine throat through the town, the vibrations felt even past its borders.

When the howl finally died down, Anubis joined the others in getting food from the endless tables piled high with each pack's signature dish and more, while the ale flowed freely from a seemingly endless supply of barrels. In great mounds were the rolls of their grass, free to smoke as they pleased while enormous clouds dotted the areas the adults gathered.

It was sometime after he was feeling a bit like he was floating that he was made aware that he had garnered a great deal of attention. Specifically, female attention. Nova was giggling at him when he mentioned a crowd of women were watching him quite intently and getting closer every time he looked up.

"They've been staring at me for over an hour."

"Uh, yeah! Think I heard 'em say there's 'nough o' ye fer all o' 'em."

Eyes widening a little, he had exactly enough time to realize what would befall him before he found himself practically surrounded by a small pack of cooing women. As they stroked his fur and made comments about his size and expressed curiosity for the parts of him they couldn't see, he grinned sheepishly with a blush. "Ah, ha, ladies, I, uh.... Well, not that I'm not interested, but I was, uh, already planning on a long night with my favorite bed mates."

Casting each other glances from the corners of their eyes, Nova and Denver snickered in a shared thought. While Nova slipped through the crowd of women to grab his hand, Denver was already waving them to a perfume cart to try and hide his scent, but neither the cart nor the friendly feline merchant were enough to hide his bulk. Glancing around, Denver led them to and through the great losa maze, pausing at a junction to giggle with Nova over their predicament.

"Which way now?" Nova panted, looking around.

"Uhhh, I-I-I were just runnin'."

"Ye mean... we're lost?"

Raising his brow, Anubis straightened up and peered over the thick stalks, scanning the paths around them. Both Denver and Nova's jaws dropped, shaking their heads at him.

"That's cheatin'!"

"Yeah! Whole point's ta be lost!"

"Oh." Hunching over again, he smirked at their expressions. "Then I guess you don't want me to tell you which way is out?"

His eyes darting around, Denver blushed and poked his finger tips together. "W-W-Well, I-I were k-k-kinda hopin' ta watch Baxter sp-sparin'."

Their ears perked to the sound of the group of women tittering as they drew close, swearing they had seen his head pop up somewhere in the area. By the time they got to where he had been, however, there was not a trace of him.

Finding their way out, Denver hurried them to the other side of town where the deer folk had set up their own entertainments. Though the deer peered at him in wonder, the moment they saw the giant join with Fern, they returned to their business unconcerned.

They were just in time to see the end of one match and watch Baxter strut out into the ring, dressed in nothing but a loincloth. After a theatrical display between the opponents- Baxter taking a moment to blow a kiss to Fern and Denver over his shoulder with a wink and flick of his tail- he locked antlers and fingers in a grapple that bulged both men's muscles. Their grunts and snorts were lost to the sound of the crowd. Fern and Denver howled their support, losing all composure when Baxter finally brought his opponent to his knee. Grinning wickedly, he made a remark for the loser to suck his dick, and the other stag even considered it, waggling his brows while they shook hands.

As the night closed in, fires were fed until they reached the sky, while strings of lights and lanterns were lit. Tents and yurts were erected all over the outskirts of town, and the moans and grunts of pairings filled the air like the heavy scents of heats and related activities. There was an occasional drunken fight between some of the more unfriendly packs, but nothing that wasn't easily broken up and quickly forgotten. Music was everywhere, from live bands to synthetic beats from speakers; every great bonfire had its own flavor.

It was at one of the bonfires where he was sitting with Nova on his lap that Anubis discovered he could not escape the feminine attention forever, and, after noticing that Denver had disappeared with Fern and Baxter, decided that his evening could be merrier with more, and Nova thought so, too.

He wasn't entirely sure where he was in the morning considering it wasn't the same tent he thought he'd be waking up in, but the new day went much like the previous. After making himself a ride for the pups, even showing off his strength by doing one armed push ups with a mountain of giggling pups tumbling off him in every direction, he slipped away from the growing horde of women that were eager for more, and followed his packmates to the games for prizes, and later cheered as Baxter won his next matches.

It was just before dinner that Moon, Nova, Denver and Long Fang wanted to go on a ride, but the wooden structure could not hold the mass of a god, and Anubis had to stay behind. Perking to his name, he happily trotted over to Jack, Fern, White Toe and Silver.

"Enjoyin' yerself?" Jack asked sarcastically, having seen him with his pile of ladies the previous night.

Speaking of ladies, Anubis' head snapped around when he caught the sound of them coming down an alley. Grinning smugly, he nodded. "Immensely, but if we intend to do anything, I think we should go now."

Bursting into laughter, the four turned to lead him back to the tables of food and barrels of ale. Glancing over his shoulder at the slow turning ferris wheel, he figured the rest would catch up and followed the others.

He had just turned the corner down a street when a lyrical voice stopped him dead in his tracks, calling out in the sweetest song he thought he would never hear again.

"Oh, Annie!"