FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A large hall was set in flames. Everything was falling apart and exploding in a deafening noise. And in the middle of this was Aki, just four years old, and crying. Here vision was blurry because of the tears as the smoke was burning in her eyes. She was being carried by someone, but she could not see who it was. After the shape of the person, it was a nice-looking female. Aki was unable to speak. The female was holding her paw on Aki’s mouth what scared the little wolf even more. They were still running through the burning hall, through the flames even; when another deafening noise could be heard from above. Next moment, a part of the ceiling fell down right on top of them and a painful scream echoed through the burning hall...!

On this, Aki quickly opened her icy blue eyes to find herself laying on a sofa in a room she was never in before. The last thing she remembered was Kass hugging her in the medical station’s cafeteria and then it was all dark. Everything was so blurry and then this strange nightmare she had again...

Aki looked around carefully to find out where she was, when a familiar scent caught her attention. She turned towards the direction the scent came from only to find a piece of clothing, which for sure belonged to Wuffy. It was splashed with something red what scared her at first. Yet, she realized there was no smell of blood, so it must have been something else. Aki let out a sigh of relief. She felt a bit safer knowing that Wuffy was near; but where exactly this near was? She heard some voices coming from behind a door, which led deeper into the house.

Aki felt really strange in there. The place was something completely different from what she was used from Wuffy’s house. Walking through the corridor, she noticed some pictures hanging on the wall. One of them was a photo of two males, a black leopard and a husky, sitting on a beach around a woman with long light brown hair which were covering her left eye. The woman was beautiful and the two males looked very happy to be with her. The woman was so familiar to Aki; but where from? Then it hit her, it was Jenny on the picture! Wow, Aki would never imagine Dr. Jennifer Rees to look that good in a swimsuit. Well, until now she only saw her in that white doctor coat. According to the date on the picture, it was about one year old and it must have been taken on some kind of holiday or something. Oh, how much would Aki like to travel like that. Back then she could not because of her disease, and now there were other reasons why she could not do that. At least she found out that she was in Jenny’s house what calmed her a little more. Walking slow and silent, Aki came to the door from where she heard the voices. One of them belonged to Jenny and the other one to her friend Kass, so he was there as well. Then there was one more voice she heard which she would recognize anywhere! It belonged to a specific white wolf.

It felt so good to Aki to hear Wuffy’s voice again. The door was opened a partway so Aki could hear well what they were talking about. She was their main theme, so she peeked in through the gap. She saw the three sitting there and talking while something was displayed on the virtual screen. Aki knew this technology from the school, so she could orientate herself on the screen. A program was running on the background and a window was opened in it with a title "Scanning results" and some weird picture was displayed on it. So these were her scanning results! Now she could finally find out what happened to her. In the middle of the picture was a small, very bright object and something black was moving around it that reminded her on a beating heart. According to the data, a very strong energy was coming from that thing. The temperature of the object was very high as well. It seemed as if it was consuming the warmth of Aki’s body and transforming it into pure energy.

"...that is impossible! Why...? Please...this is not happening..." - Aki begged silently.

Unfortunately, it was possible, and it was happening to her right there right now! Aki did not like what she saw, but she could do nothing with it, because someone else made the decision for her. She slowly put her paw on her chest. The feeling that the dark thing was pulsing inside her scared her so much.

If only she would know the truth...but the truth that would comfort her was yet far away, much further away than Wuffy’s embrace.

Aki rushed in the study room straight into Wuffy’s paws, and after she buried her black nose deep in his fur, she begun to cry. The painful look in her eyes explained more than any words could ever do. She heard everything about that black thing. How dangerous it was, how everything exposed to its energy will be immediately burned to ashes...! She begged Wuffy to help her, to do something with that thing. Anything! She did not want to be a monster! Wuffy understood that Aki meant the looks of the people in the cafeteria, and they were those fearful and cold looks that hurt her so much. Jenny and Kass sat there silent with their eyes looking on the ground, knowing, that they had no rights to talk into this.

The two white wolves sat there silent for a while, when Wuffy stroke through Aki’s soft hair and spoke out. He said, that she had nothing to worry about. The device inside her was just a thing, neither good nor bad, and it depended only on her, which way she will go. And then, after what Kass told to Wuffy, all the people in the cafeteria would die without her. She was risking everything she had just to rescue them all, and that was... Suddenly, Aki felt a hand on her shoulder and instinctively turned her icy blue eyes to the direction only to meet with Kass’ flaming golden ones.

"...and that..." - Kass continued in Wuffy’s sentence - "...was beautiful!" - he almost whispered the words. Then, their lips met for the very first time in a short soft kiss.

The day was really exhausting, as after a short while the two young ones fell asleep in each other’s embrace. Wuffy carried them into one of Jenny's rooms to let them have some rest, because the next problem was not far away.

Wolf then returned to Jenny in the living room and they started to talk about many things. Most of all Jenny wanted to know what have happened to Wolf, because his left paw was covered in bandages from the elbow down to his claws. Not that it would be something new for her to see bandages on the wolf. His back and his right eye were permanently covered in them, but the bandages on his paw were new! They seemed to be only about two days old, so Jenny wanted to know how he came to such a wound? Wolf just smiled nervously on the question, stroking the back of his head, trying to find the right answer. He said that he was just doing something for Aki, as there was nothing that he would not do for his little girl. Jenny immediately understood what Wolf meant with that, because she was not a fool and could put two and two together. She knew how much Aki meant to him. Jenny knew Wolf for years, since he took her out of the Depth when she was younger, and she never saw him to care about anyone as much as about Aki. The little wolf must be something very special.

Wolf tried to change the theme and asked about Missy, Niaa’s little sister. Jenny told him about Missy’s bad condition. With each hour that passed away were her chances lower and lower. If only there would be enough energy again... The white wolf sat there surprised. What was Jenny talking about? Not enough energy? Right now the two sat in the middle of Jenny’s living room with a bright electric light above their heads. The fridge was working as well, even the phones were back online; so what was the matter? On this, Jenny even forgot to close her mouth from the shock. Wolf was right! Everything was working again! The energy lines that supplied the city must have been repaired. Why has not she noticed this?

Well, as said, today was a very exhausting day and a lot of unusual had happened. Jenny was really tired from her double shift in the medical station, so if the fridge was on or off was the last thing she cared about.

With one swift motion she took Wolf's cell phone and called the medical station immediately. A male voice could be heard from the phone. It was the fox, Kass and Aki met in the cafeteria. The fox was there since this morning and it seemed that he was doing the night duty as well, so he was very tired, but Jenny did not care one bit. She just wanted to know if anything changed since she left.

"No..." - came the answer from the phone - "...not a one new hole in the floor."

The fox tried to make jokes as he usually did, but Jenny was not in the mood for this right now! Wolf could not believe how angry she became and the words she used...poor fox! This was serious for her! It was important for Jenny to know if the medical station was running on fully or not. From the fox she understood that everything was the same as she left, and that was strange! She asked him to call back immediately when the energy supplying will be restored, then she rung off. It seemed as if only the south-east part of the city centre has been supplied with the energy again, including the school Kass and Aki were attending. The rest of the city still remained dry.

After the clock it was almost midnight and Jenny was too tired to think only for a second longer. She decided to call it a day and go to bed. She stood up and walked towards her bedroom upstairs, leaving Wolf to enjoy the comfort of the sofa in her living room. Well, so much to a soft body for the wolf to keep him warm. Jenny stopped for a moment in the doorway for the last few words.

"Maybe you should have told her..." - she said without to look at the wolf, then disappeared behind the corner.

Wolf knew well what Jenny meant and maybe she was right; but how should he tell her? How could be something like that apologized? Wolf never wanted Aki to have something to do with his past, because he knew only too well how everyone he loved had end. He did not want that to happen to Aki as well, but he regrets nothing. If that will be the price he will have to pay for her life, so be it...

Wolf’s pain and sorrow slowly faded away as the dark curtains of the night were lifted by the bright rays of light from the sunrise. The bright sunlight peeked into the room of our two heroes, causing them to wake up. Aki opened her eyes as first only to see that she and Kass were still in one another’s embrace and that Kass’ nose was nowhere else than buried deep in her soft white fur again.

"How does it come, that humans have no fur, when they like it so much...?" - smiled the little wolf.

Today she felt great, it was some time since she slept this good and it appeared as if everything was only a bad dream. Unfortunately, it was not as she noticed when she got out of the bed and stretched her body. Without a warning her long tail landed hard on the night table next to Kass’ head and smashed it to pieces! Kass immediately jumped out of the bed like a string, while he still squeezed the pillow in his arms from the shock! The silence filled up the room. Both were starring at each other and on the night table from which were not left more but a few splinters. After a bit more explaining from Aki’s side, Kass finally understood that she has not tried to kill him for burying his nose in her fur all the time and that it was just an accident. Aki still was not fully used on a tail this long. Few moments later, the two were already laughing at this and then Kass went into the bathroom while Aki looked out of the window. There she saw her Wuffy standing in the garden and holding a black collar in his paw while he had a sad look in his eyes.

Aki knew well what was going on with her Wuffy. After what he told her, the collar once belonged to his best friend, a black furred wolf named Alex. Wuffy had an equal collar around his neck, which he had never put down. The two wolves have changed their collars as a mark of their friendship. Alex engraved something in the inside of the collar’s silver buckle, he then put the collar around Wolf’s neck and Wolf did the same to his friend. None of the two wolves knew what the other one engraved inside the collar. The only thing they told each other was, that the word was characterizing his bearer. Since then, the two were always there for each other. Then, after some time, something happened, what made Alex’s feelings towards Wolf turn in the opposite direction. From one day to another he vanished from Wolf’s life. The only thing Wolf found after his friend was the black collar soaked with Alex’s blood. Anytime when Aki wanted to know more about what happened between the two wolves, Wuffy only told her that Alex had a full right to hate him, but he never told her more.

Aki walked out of the house in the garden to greet Wuffy. The wolf greeted her back with a soft smile while the collar disappeared from his paw. Wuffy did not even let her time to explain and asked about the noise he heard from the room in which the two young ones have spend the night. Aki’s ears tipped backwards. She started to stroke the back of her head with her paw, thinking about the best way to explain it. Then an innocent smile appeared on her mouth while she tried to avoid eye contact with Wuffy, as if to hide something.

"Maybe you will need to pay Jenny a new night table..." - Aki said softly.

Wuffy just sighed and asked for a bit more detailed explanation; but even then he was not bad at her. He just loved her too much. After that, they walked back into the house where they saw Kass already dressed in his own clothes, sitting on the sofa in the living room and switching through the channels. Everything seemed to be back in normal and the two young ones were really happy about it. They thought that Missy could finally undergo the laser surgery and that it could help Niaa to get back on her feet as well. If they would only know how wrong they were. Wuffy felt really sorry for them when he told them what was really going on. This part of the city was supplied again, at least partially. Unfortunately, it was not reaching all the way towards the medical station. Kass could not understand it. How could the medical station not be supp, with the energy again when the southeast part of the city was? He knew for sure that the Veterinary Medical Station and the southeast part of the city were powered from the same energy line, because he saw it on his father’s computer. Wuffy stopped him at this point and asked how could his father have a map of the energy lines on his computer. The energy network of the city was one of its vital points, so the plans for that were secret, so they could be misused by none of the sides.

Kass did not know where his father got the plans from. It was just a coincident that he saw them when he was doing homework from the Energy subject. Wuffy had no doubts about Kass' words, as if he would know it well himself. If the two were right, what they definitely were, the only logical explanation was that either it was blocked or someone was stealing all the energy directly from the energy lines! The medical station was the biggest furry hospital in the biggest city of this world, so it consumed a lot of energy. Who would need that much of energy, but for all, for what? There was only one way to find out...but this time there was no way Wuffy would let the two young ones take part on this. It was just too dangerous! And then, everything was back in normal, at least in this part of the city, so again everybody began to go to work, but for all to school.

That was meant for Kass as well. However, there was no way for Aki to return to her usual life and walk with Kass to school again. It made things a bit more complicated. For now she just had to stay here at Jenny’s place until Wuffy’s return. This felt so mean to Aki. Why she had to stay home when everyone will be out and have "fun"? She finally had no health problems and could do all the things she could not before, and yet she still had to stay there. Why she and Jenny could not go at least to her home, to Wuffy’s place? Right thing she mentioned that. Yesterday, Wuffy did not tell them why he and Niaa came here, so it was time to explain that.

When Aki escaped from the secret lab, the security immediately started to search for the creature. After a while, as she and Kass left Wuffy’s house to find Missy, it started to be pretty tight around the place. Someone must have seen the little wolf nearby, so the security was going from house to house, questioning everyone. Wuffy was also worried about Niaa's condition, so he decided to bring her to Jenny. Now it should be safe again, but Wuffy did not want to risk Aki's life.

The conversation was interrupted as Jenny came back home. She was by Kass at home to pick up his stuff and offered to drive him to school today. The two young ones were not happy about this, but they had little choice. Wuffy asked Jenny if after driving Kass to school she could take care of Aki until his return. After he gave Aki a soft kiss on her forehead and reassured her that there was no need to be worried, the white wolf walked out of the house and the front door behind him closed tight.

You would not believe how much would Aki like to go with him. It was not for the adventure or for the fun, she just wanted to be close to him. Knowing only too well, how precious the life can be, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with her Wuffy. He was the only family she had left, even if they were not relatives. He took care of her since her real family died and that was almost her whole life. She had as good as no memories on her real family. Only few blurry memories, and the strange horrible dream, nothing more. Fortunately, she had Wuffy, and he was everything she wished to have. He was always there for her even if sometimes she has not understood it immediately. Like once... It happened short after she got to him when she was only a pup and was playing in the large garden. She fell hard on her nose and started to cry. She was reaching her paws after Wuffy to help her stand up, but the wolf just passed by her without as much as an ear twitch.

Back then, she felt so alone and today she felt the same, she did not want him to leave her again. Kass and Jenny did not want to believe that Wuffy would treat Aki that bad when she was so young. Jenny stroke through Aki’s white hair and said that she do not need to be worried. After driving Kass to school, she will come right back and then they will have some fun together, so she will not feel so alone. She did not need to worry about Wuffy either, because Jenny knew for sure that there were not many things that could do harm to that big wolf; so he will come back for sure. Aki nodded to this, and it seemed that it calmed her down a bit, but now was the highest time to drive Kass to school. Even against his protests, what caused Aki to smile as she was watching them leaving, Jenny sat the boy in the car, started the engine, and drove off direction school.

Jenny knew, that Aki will be all right, but she was not so sure about Wolf, even if she told Aki the difference. Well, there were really only few things, which could do harm to that wolf, but an energy line was one of them. Even if its power was not even close to the device in Aki’s chest, if the energy line would take only a little damage, it would easily destroy everything in circle few hundred meters wide! Jenny did not want to think on what would then do such a device like in Aki’s chest! If that would happen, you could say goodbye to whole COHAF. No wonder, that Wolf did not want Aki to go with him, even if Jenny had the feeling, that he was more worried about his little girl than about the city. But if it would come to this, would he sacrifice his beloved Aki, or the entire city?

Back at Jenny's place, Aki was in unrest. She understood that everyone was worried, but sit there and wait just did not feel right. Wuffy always taught her to be strong, to have a purpose in life. Like back then, when she fell down and he just passed by without to do anything. At first she thought he did not love her, so she stopped to call after him and to cry. She stood up just by herself and walked to that big bad wolf, as he appeared to her back then. As she did so, the big bad wolf knelt down to her, and with that big, warm, wet canine tongue he gave her hurt nose a gentle lick. Then he embraced her and said the words Aki will never forget.

"...anytime you will really need me, I will always be there for you, no matter what!" - were the words of that big bad wolf.

Aki embraced him in return and started to cry again, but this time they were the tears of love. And from there on, any time when Aki fell on her nose again, she always had a reason to stand up and continue. Her reason had a white fur, green eyes, and a warm heart she could count on, so there was no way Aki would abandon Wuffy now, no matter how dangerous it was! For the first time, she could go of help, and so, the decision was done.

Meanwhile, Jenny and Kass reached the school and Kass stepped out of the car. Jenny handed him his e-book reader with words that Wolf will find the problem and then it can be fixed, so everything will be all right. Kass was not so sure that everything will be all right, not when he looked towards the school. He then took the e-book reader, waved a hand for goodbye, and walked away towards the school's front entrance. Jenny repeated the gesture and drove off back home to Aki.

The situation in the city was becoming worse and worse with every day. The search for the creature came as fair that even the young ones that attended the schools were checked by ID and class level. This was happening in Kass’ school too, where his friend Luke stood by the main entrance of the school by one of the security guards and looked angry.

"I am Luke Raider and I demand to let all the furs pass immediately!" - said the boy angry.

The guard did not know who Luke was and was not willing to let the young boy talk to him like that. The security had its authority in the city and no one shall dare to talk to them like that. The guard wanted to teach Luke a lesson and raised his arm to hit him. The guard hit hard, but to Luke’s surprise, he stayed untouched. As the boy looked in front of him, he saw something unbelievable! The security guard’s strong hand was stopped by Kass, what attracted everyone’s attention. Kass now had the same evil look in his golden eyes like with the fox in the cafeteria, but this time he meant it bad!

"...and I am Kass Darks, and I advise you to listen to him!" - Kass said with an evil smile on his face.

To his own bad luck, the guard did not want to listen, so Kass needed to persuade him...the hard way! The guard then fell backwards and hit a wall with his back. On this, the commanding officer stepped forward and asked with a shaking voice.

"…Raider LV8 and D-Darks…LV…9!"

That was a shock! From this moment the security was in full aware of who was standing in front of them, so it did not take too long until they packed together and disappeared from the school. By the run, one of the guards bumped into a young cat and the cat fell down on its back.

"Yeah, and they say that they always fall on all four!" - smiled the other classmates.

Luke approached the cat and reached his hand to help him stand up, but as he did so, the cat immediately covered his head with his paws in fear. He was used that humans were pretty mean to furs, and he was by far not the only one. Everyone in the school knew Kass and Luke as the main troublemakers when referred to furs. Just few days ago, Luke and other humans had great fun from making the life of their furry schoolmates harder. Often, they have made their fur sticky with something, usually with chocolate, and then had great fun when the poor furs must have lick themselves clean. Sometimes, they stuck it with a chewing gum, so the stuck fur from around the place must have been shaved off. It grew back fast, but the few days until then were the horror days. They also often yanked hard on their tails too! The tail is a sensitive and an intimate part of the body for each furry, so it was very unpleasant. They often did that to the young cat as well, so it was not a wonder that he was scared of Luke. After few seconds, the cat put his paws down and opened his eyes to see that Luke was still standing there, offering his hand to help. When Kass told to the cat that Luke will not hurt him, he took all his courage together and put his paw in Luke’s hand. To the cat’s big surprise, Luke held his paw gently, then helped him back on his feet. The furred crowd immediately burst out in whispers.

"What are they up to?" - or - "Why would they help us?"

None of the furs had the courage to ask the two after they saw what they did to the security, so they just walked back into the school, still whispering among themselves. The cat said thanks to Luke and dashed in as well.

Luke was about to do the same, but was stopped by Kass. He was really surprised by Luke’s sudden change and was really proud to have a good friend like this who was ready to help those who needed it. This time, Kass was the one who needed help from his best friend. Luke was supposed to cover Kass in school, because he did not plan to go there today. Instead, he wanted to follow Wuffy, because Kass was sure that the wolf could use some help and then, the faster they will find the problem, the faster they can help Missy and the others. Luke understood this, but what was he supposed to tell Dr. Rees when she will come to pick him up? Well...the truth, of course. When she will know, that he is with Wuffy, she will not be worried, at least not as much.

Aki left a note on the table and Kass a message by Luke, so a double surprise was waiting for Jenny who yet had no idea what were the two up to. Neither Kass nor Aki knew where Wuffy went to or where the energy lines might be, but both of them knew just were to start. Kass walked through the park and then down the street leading out of the city centre. He wanted to reach Wuffy’s house, which was on the outer ring of the centre. When he was almost there, a small shadow appeared above him. At first he ignored it, because he thought it was a bird or something, but as the shadow grew bigger and bigger Kass looked up to see what it was. For the bright morning sun, he was unable to identify the shadow's origin until he heard a voice calling his name. The black shadow on the sky flying towards him was no one else, than Aki. She landed directly on top of Kass what caused him to fall down on his back.

"Why am I not too surprised to see you here? Can’t miss any chance to get in trouble, right?" - both laughed at this comment of Kass’.

They both knew that Jenny will get a stroke when she will find it out, but they just could not help themselves. Aki got off of Kass and helped him to stand up. Soon, they continued their search for Wuffy, but from now on together.

When they reached the house, an unpleasant surprise awaited them there. A well-known electromobile was parking in front of Wuffy’s house and a well-known vet was waiting in front of the car. It was Jenny. With her back pressed against the car and with her arms crossed, she looked really angry. She looked even scarier than Wuffy when he got angry, said Aki to Kass, and she knew well what she was talking about. As they came closer to her, she did not even let them time to explain or apologize and started to yell on the two. Jenny said things they already knew; like how dangerous it was or that Wolf had a reason to let them home... She was right in everything she said, but even then, the two were not willing to turn back no matter what Jenny was going to say. It was hopeless trying to persuade Kass and Aki, so Jenny did the only thing she could do now, and that was to help them. She reminded them on what she told them about her and Wolf and where he helped her out from. Kass remembered that it was the Depth, but there was no part of this city called like that!

Jenny explained that it was not in the city, it was located under it. The two already knew about the Shadow Wolves and about the founding of COHAF. What they did not know was, that after the war the land was too damaged so the huge city was built on the old ruins. The energy lines were set as the base of the city, so they must be located somewhere under it.

Kass and Aki could not believe it, if Jenny was really saying the truth then how come that no one knew about it? The truth was, the ruling class knew about the Depth all the time, but it was a forbidden place. Even Jenny ended down there just by an accident when her car was blown down by an explosion. No one tried to help, because no one assumed that someone could survive the fall. She was just lucky that wolf was there and helped her, but all that was already eight years ago.

Suddenly, Aki’s ears perked up in attention! Eight years ago? That was about the time when she got to Wuffy and when the nightmare started. Maybe the explosion Jenny was talking about was the same one Aki was seeing every time in her dreams. She asked Jenny if she knew anything more about the explosion back then, but not even she knew more than what was said about it. A tragic coincident by doing some tests in the ERF, that was all. Again the ERF! Kass could not get rid of the feeling, that it was not only a coincident that everything was ending by the ERF. What were they doing in there, because they were not just researching, that was for sure! And one question bothered Kass especially; what had his father to do with all this, because he was still running that facility.

As Jenny started the car, the short high sound made by this woke the two young ones from their thoughts. They sat in the car as well and Jenny drove them to the place where her car accident happened. It took a while to avoid all the security, but they managed to get there. She parked nearby and all three stood out of the car and walked towards the edge of the road. Now a high steel wall was bordering the street and on its other side was nothing. It was like looking down from the middle of a bridge above a deep abyss and the only thing you could see, was the white mist floating above the endless darkness below. This was the Depth. Jenny was not going down there again, no matter what! One time was more than enough and then, someone must stay in COHAF to watch over Niaa and Missy. The two young ones said thanks to Jenny for her help and waved her goodbye. Aki took Kass on her back and flew with him on top of the high wall of steel. They looked back for the last time and then...Aki sunk with Kass into the abyss and they vanished in the darkness below. Jenny just hoped that the Lady Luck liked them at least as much as she did, and that they will find Wolf. What Jenny did not know however, was that someone else was after the wolf as well, and for sure not to help!

Meanwhile, Aki and Kass reached the ground. It was a dark place because of all the skyscrapers and streets of COHAF above. Almost no light was reaching down there to brighten the place. Even through his golden eyes, Kass could not see by fair as good as Aki, so she continued to carry him. The two slowly flew through the place. Everything there was damaged. It really looked like a battlefield that it once was. It was a very scary place. Every shadow and every pile of wrecks looked like a bloodthirsty beast; no wonder Jenny did not like this place. When they overflew a heap of scrap metal, a small blue line appeared in the distance as Aki reached a higher place to look around. It took them some time to reach it, but what at first appeared like a tiny blue line was in reality one of the energy lines. With a diameter of five meters and temperature above thousand degrees, its power had no match! Its bright blue light illuminated the place in fair distance. It was amazing! Like a giant endless serpent the energy line spread across the entire horizont and seeing all the energy flowing through it was just unspeakable! It was so strong, that if you would get closer than ten meters, you would get toasted by the massive heat that was coming from it. The air around was soaked with energy, so much, that if you would held an LED in the air nearby, it would light up. Even Aki’s fur was standing up from the power! And after Wuffy, this should be nothing against the device which was inside Aki's chest? That was madness! Mentioning the wolf; where was Wuffy anyway?

The two hoped to find him by the energy line, but that thing was huge, as if it would have no end. How should they find the wolf? Because of the huge heat coming from that thing, there was not even a scent that Aki could follow. It seemed that this time it was too hard, even for those two. If only there would be someone to help them. And maybe there was! A pair of scared eyes was watching the two from the distance. As Aki flew a bit away from the energy line, she heard a silent sobbing. She sat Kass down and asked him to be silent for a moment. Aki was twitching with the ears, trying to catch the direction where the sobbing came from. It came from a pile of debris not far away from them. When the two came there, Aki saw a cat with a fur as dark as the night itself laying on the ground. One of her legs was stuck between the large pieces of broken concrete. The cat was scared when she saw Aki, but as Kass came closer too, she started to shiver and cry, covering her head with her paws. She was about the same age as our two heroes and she was...naked! Only a few tiny strips of clothing were left on the cat’s body, as the rest of it was ripped to pieces. The kitten was injured as well. Just cuts and scratches, but they were everywhere on her body and her fur was soaked with her blood. The fear and the pain took her last strength and the cat lost consciousness. Aki and Kass were really curious. How a kitten like her came down there and what have happened to her?

Behind the cat was the huge pile of debris almost as high as a house. Many sharp rods, wires, and other sharp pieces of steel and glass were sticking out of it. On some of them were pieces of cloth just like the few strips left on the cat’s body. Then Kass realized it. The cat must have fallen down from up there, no wonder she was wounded all over her body! The boy tried to remove the cat’s paw from under the concrete, but it was too heavy for him to lift it. What now; they just could not leave her there to die. Then Kass got the idea! He reminded himself on this morning when Aki made splinters from the night table. It happened just by a coincident, but now, they were happy she did that.

Kass laid down on the cat to protect her while Aki will try to smash the concrete to pieces. Kass trusted Aki so much! Let just hope she had her tail better under control than just a few hours ago. As Kass was ready, Aki stepped to that big piece of concrete and raised her long tail high in the air. She wagged it slowly in the air from side to side to get ready and then... Wham! The concrete broke apart! Aki was great, she smashed it with one hit and the two on the ground had not even a scratch. Well, at least not besides those they got before... Only the dust and little pieces from the broken concrete landed on Kass’ back. He shook them down and got off of the cat. Now the two wanted to treat her wounds, but there it was too dark. They took the cat closer to the energy line and while Aki licked the wounds clean, Kass made strips from his t-shirt to bandage the wounds. When this was done, there was only one thing left to do. They needed to dress the cat into something, but there was no fashion shop far away to be seen. The cat was about the same size as Aki, so her clothes should do it just fine. Kass turned away from the girls and Aki stretched her wings wide to take off her clothes. As her clothes were off, she wrapped her wings back around her body and then dressed the cat into the jeans with the braces.

When Kass turned back, the black cat was dressed in Aki’s pink jeans. The colours contrasted a bit, but it looked good and Aki seemed to be pleased with it as well. If Kass would not know that Aki was naked, he would not even notice because of the wings around her body. She was sitting there next to Kass, looking at the cat and holding the cat's black paw. Kass was looking at Aki and smiling, thinking what a beautiful person she was. Many people he knew, and even he himself before, were mean and selfish, thinking that they were something better than the others, but not Aki. She was caring and was helping everyone who needed it, and because of that he loved her. Because of that warm heart, which she was even ready to give up just because of him. And now, Aki was doing it again. She sat by the cat with a worried expression and held the cat’s paw in her own and hoped that she will be all right. This was what counted for Kass. Not if a human or a furry, or anything, only the love Aki shared with everyone. This was why he was with her. This was why they were friends.

A few wags of Aki’s tail and a few worried twitches of her ears later, the kitten finally came back to herself. She almost jumped out of her black fur when she saw Kass sitting besides her. Aki must held her down, so she would not make her wounds bleed again. As the cat saw that her wounds were bandaged and she was dressed in new clean clothes, she finally calmed down a little bit. After the scent, the cat could tell the clothes belonged to the female and the bandages smelled after the human. Why were the two helping her? The cat did not understand it. Kass introduced him and Aki, and then they asked after the cat’s name. At first the cat hesitated with the answer, but then she said that her name was Kendi. She was thankful for the help, but she still did not know what the two were up to, especially Kass, because he was a human, and they were cruel, so Kendi asked what they wanted to do with her now.

The question surprised Kass and Aki a little bit. They wanted to do nothing with the cat, they just wanted to help, and maybe she could help them in return. They asked Kendi if she saw a white furred wolf here somewhere, but the answer was clear. Aki was the only wolf Kendi saw. Kass and Aki sighed. Who knows how long the cat laid down there. If Wuffy would be near he would help Kendi for sure, but it was worth to ask. Kendi then continued that there was a white furred one, but it was not a wolf. It was a rat; an adult female. She was there with a human and with a lot of security forces. Kendi saw them doing something on one of the energy lines three days ago when the lines suddenly turned dark.

Wait! A female with a lot of security around, that sounded familiar. Could it be the one from the secret lab and the parking lot; but what about the human? Aki and Kass asked Kendi if she could show them the place where she saw them. The kitten has realized that the two really just wanted to help her, so she agreed. As Kendi tried to stand up, she fell backwards on her butt. She was all right, she was only too hungry and thirsty to make a single step. Kendi was lucky that Kass went to school, or at least he was supposed to, because Jenny packed a snack and a bottle of water for him. You would not believe how fast it disappeared into the cat’s belly! It must have been a really long time since she ate or drank something. Now, they could finally move forward, direction medical station’s energy line, or so they hoped.

As all three walked there, one of them was with the thoughts far away. It was Aki; she thought about the white rat's voice and about the nightmare where she was hearing her scream. After this, they knew each other eight years ago by the explosion. In that dream, Aki, just four years old, has been carried by someone and this person was holding its paw on Aki’s mouth, so she could not speak. The white rat was running close behind them. They were running from the fire, when a big piece of ceiling fell down, right on top of them and a loud painful scream could be heard from the rat. On this Aki always woke up with heavy breath and scared to death. She thought, that maybe the rat could give her a few answers, but on the other hand she did not want to get caught by the security. Who knows what they would do with her. Kendi was looking at Aki, wondering what she was thinking about. The cat wanted to know how they came down there and why they were searching for the energy line. Kass explained her that up there in COHAF, inside a hospital were many wounded cubs, which needed help. Their families were worried about them, because they could not be healed again until the energy line, he and Aki were searching for, will be repaired. It sounded so beautiful for Kendi to have a family, because she never had a real one.

She lived in the Depth with few other furs, because they had nowhere else to go. Then, as the security came there and manipulated the energy line, they did something wrong and a strong wave of energy escaped from one side. The security with the rat and the human were safe on the other side of the energy line, but Kendi with her friends were not that lucky. They were there just because they were curious about what the rat and the others wanted to do down there. Kendi and the others were watching from a distance, but as the wave came, they did not stand a chance. All of her friends died and she ended up like Kass and Aki found her. The wave threw Kendi far through the air and through the scrap metal where the block of concrete fell on her leg. Injured she survived three days without food or water! It seemed, the cat was very lucky that she stayed alive. Whoever said that black cat brings bad luck obviously did not know this one! Kendi could not help her friends anymore, but she still could help those in COHAF, and maybe she will find new friends among them.

They walked through the Depth a good one and half hour, so Kass asked if it was still far away, because they will need an eternity to get there at this speed. After Kendi, it was not really that far, but they needed to search their way through all the ruins and scrap. They also needed to avoid the large deep gaps as well, because they were as good as invisible in this darkness. They should walk for at least another hour if everything will go smoothly, added Kendi.

This was exactly what Kass did not want to hear. Why they must walk in zig-zag from one direction to another? On this Kendi stopped again and wanted to turn left, but for Kass there was no reason to change the direction again when there was nothing in front of them. He overtook Aki, then Kendi, and wanted to lead the way straight. As he made few steps away from the girls, Kendi suddenly grabbed him under his arms from behind and dragged him back. He fell on top of Kendi and the cat sprained her ankle by this. Kass got upset immediately, yelling at her, asking what that should mean! In the darkness he could not see that there was a large gap right in front of him. Suddenly, the ground started to crack! The edge of the gap was too weak to hold out the bump from the fall and broke right under Kass. Kendi caught him by his hand, but the little kitten was too weak to hold him and was dragged down as well. Aki jumped down after them and with a strong flap of her wings she reached them quickly. In the air, she took Kendi in both of her arms, because she did not want to make her injuries bleed again, but now she had no arm left for Kass! Aki needed to use something else. The only thing she had left was her tail. She knew that Kass will not like it very much, but it was the only choice. Aki quickly wrapped her tail around Kass’ chest to catch him. All she asked him for, was to not look up, but the boy immediately lifted his head to ask why...

The little wolf flapped with her wings as strong as she could to slow them down. She did it! They held on in the air for a brief moment and then they slowly started to rise. When they reached the top, Aki carefully sat Kass and Kendi down on one of the fallen concrete panels. That was so close! Just a few more meters and they would end like pancakes. As they gasped for breath, Aki asked the two if they were all right. Besides the sprained ankle, Kendi was fine, but there was something wrong with Kass. His heart was pumping like crazy and he was looking away from Aki. The blush in his face was obvious. It was because of what Aki did by holding him with her tail in the air. Well, she did warn him not to look up after all. Usually, it would not be a problem, if she would not be naked! On the contrary, Kendi seemed to have great fun of this and she laughed and purred loud. She was not used to such behaviour, as the furs did not make such a big deal from being naked. They still had their fur to cover their bodies. Kass wanted Kendi to stop laughing at him, but as he heard the purring noise the cat was making, he stopped to talk and just listened to it. It was making her whole body vibrate as Kass put his hand on her. The purring was so calming, he lived with Niaa his whole life, but she never made such a sound and she was a feline too! Aki explained to Kendi that Niaa, a snow leopardess, was Kass’ babysitter. Yes, Niaa was a feline too, but Kass obviously forgot one important thing. The big cats could not purr. Only the small ones could do it.

After this, the black kitten wanted to stand up and continue to lead her new friends through the Depth, but she soon realized that she could not. She could not even step on the sprained paw, not to mention to walk through such a difficult terrain more than an hour. It would take even longer if they would carry her on feet, what none of them could do for long. So, their only chance was to fly. Kass took a deep breath, because he knew what will follow. At first, they fixated Kendi’s ankle and Aki took her in her arms and turned to Kass with her back. When the little wolf felt the boy’s hands on her shoulders, she stretched her wings wide and rose with the two in the air. As Kass sat comfortably on Aki’s back, they continued their journey. Kendi wondered a bit how a wolf got to a pair of wings, but the worries soon left her mind as she was enjoying the flight.

It seemed so easy to Kendi, just to rise in the air and fly wherever she would like. Aki often thought the same way when she was younger, but she must have realized that it was not that easy. The flying was at least as exhausting as running. While by running you support yourself by the ground, by flying the wings carry the whole weight of the body.

It was very exhausting for Aki to hold herself in the air, not to mention to carry the weight of Kass and Kendi as well. Kass was well aware of this, because he felt that Aki’s body was becoming colder and colder with every moment that passed away. The device in her chest was absorbing the warmth and transforming it into energy that Aki’s body was now consuming a lot faster than usually. The cat in Aki’s arms was showing her the direction and after few minutes of flight they could finally see a tiny blue line in the distance again. It was the energy line they were searching for. They have made it!

It was the highest time, because Aki was already breathing heavy! The whole time she did not want to make a rest, even if Kass told her to. Even Kendi felt Aki’s cold paws, even through her black fur, and that was not good. The little wolf’s body was already as cold as ice and if she did not want to make a crash landing, she should better hurry! She gathered her last strength and put it into the last few flaps of her beautiful, yet tired, wings. As her paws touched the ground near the energy line, Kass quickly took Kendi from Aki’s arms and sat the cat on one of the metal stairs that stuck out of the ground. Aki fell on all four completely exhausted, but happy that they finally got there.

Once again the huge energy line was shining in front of them and its bright blue light illuminated the whole place around. Here, upstream, the power was even stronger than where they were before. It never stopped to astonish them how powerful yet still beautiful those huge things were. Now the only thing they had to do, was to find the connection to the Veterinary Medical Station and see what was wrong with it. Maybe Wuffy was already there too.

While Kass was making a crutch for Kendi from something he found around, Aki was still sitting on the ground and tried to recover at least to be able to walk. The device in her chest was giving her strength, but at high costs. It felt like that thing inside her was asking for more warmth than Aki’s body could provide, and she was too exhausted to realize what she was doing. A pure energy was flowing through the energy line under so high pressure and so high speed, that the heat produced by this could burn to dust everything what was unlucky or silly enough to come too close. And before Aki or anyone else could realize, she was standing right in front of that giant thing, just half a meter away. The device was protecting her from the heat while it was winning on power and as she, still not fully aware of what she was doing, touched the energy line, then it happened…

Huge rays of static electricity sprung out of that thing as she touched it with her paw. The rays were so strong, that they were crushing rocks and twisting steel plates! Kass and Kendi needed to hide, because it was too dangerous for them. The whole energy line started to flash as if the energy would be collapsing. The device started to absorb the heat within the energy through Aki’s body. She was screaming from the pain, her muscles started to quiver, and her wings with her long tail were raised high in the air! She wanted to know what was happening with her; so even through the pain she opened her eyes. What she saw scared her a lot, because the shining white fur on her paw started to turn dark. Hair after hair she watched how it continued, and after a moment, her whole paw, from the claws to her wrist, turned black. This scared Aki so much that she started to cry. She was crying and screaming, begging for help, unable to think or to move from the pain and fear. Kass wanted to help her, but if he would get too close, he would not stand a chance! Everything was shaking and breaking, the rays of static electricity were destroying everything they touched. Pieces of concrete and steel were flying through the air like feathers from a pillow! There was no way how Kass could reach Aki. He could only watch this helplessly with Kendi, who was crying and covering her ears with her paws. She could not bear Aki's painful screams. She just could not; it was too horrible for her.

Then, as from nowhere, fast like an arrow, someone took Aki in embrace and took her away from the energy line. It was as if the everything-destroying rays of electricity would not exist for the person. With Aki still in embrace, they landed in safe distance, away from the dangerous power. It happened so fast, that Kass saw only an end of a long black coat with the corner of his golden eyes.

When Aki let go of the energy line everything has stopped. The dangerous rays were suddenly gone and the energy started to flow its normal way and illuminated the whole area again. The steel parts which the rays crushed almost to dust were now slowly falling back down to the ground, glittering in the bright blue light like thousands of tiny crystals. Kendi and Kass could not believe their eyes. It was the most beautiful thing they ever saw! Only a moment earlier they thought it will be the end, and now this.

It was an amazing spectacle indeed! And in the middle of all this was the unknown person who rescued Aki from the worst. He was standing with his back to Kass and Kendi, so they could not see his face. All the two could see were Aki’s paws, tail and wings while she was still held in the person’s arms. Kass called out her name hoping that she was all right, but she was not answering him. She was not moving, not even a wave of her tail or a twitch of her ear...

Kendi was crying and pressed herself against Kass’ arm. They just hoped that her rescue did not come too late. The little wolf gave Kass her own heart and now, when she needed him the most, he did nothing to help her. He felt as a traitor, he never was so upset at himself. And where was Wuffy when Aki needed him the most! Maybe the white wolf was closer than Kass and Kendi expected...

A green eye was looking at Aki’s motionless body and a soft gentle look could be seen in that eye. The mysterious savour, who still held Aki in his arms, slowly turned to Kass and to the, for him unknown, black cat. Kass almost fell off his legs as he saw who the unknown person really was. It was the white wolf they were searching for all the time, Wuffy! And he got there just in time. He knelt down to Kass and to the cat, so they could reach Aki. They saw that she did not have any injuries; but was she alright? Kass even fear to ask. Only as Wuffy said with a calm voice that she will be all right, Kass let out a sigh of relief and fell on his knees and started to cry of joy. The glittering salty tears were falling on the little wolf’s white fur. Everything ended well, but Kass still blamed himself! How could he let this happen?

Wuffy softly licked on Aki‘s neck on what she slowly came back to herself and was very surprised when she saw Wuffy kneeling above her. She heard the things Kass said to himself, so she lifted her head and with her wet, black tongue she licked his tears away. On this Kass opened his golden eyes and saw a pair of icy blue ones right in front of him. He could not explain with words what he felt in that moment, and the only thing he was able to do was to embrace Aki with all the love he felt towards her. As Kendi saw this, she immediately joined in and the three hugged themselves with such happiness, that they absolutely forgot everything else around them. When the three finally calmed down, some explanations were need to be made to that big white wolf.

He wanted to know why was Aki naked and an unknown black cat was dressed in her clothes. Most of all he wanted to know what on earth were they doing down there when he personally forbade it to them! Aki changed her mind; Jenny was not as far as scary as Wuffy when he gets angry. The wolf was angry more on himself than on the two. If he would believe more in them and took them with him, this would not happen. Yet, after what they told him, they were doing just fine down there. Even if sometimes it was on the edge, they always managed to find a way. And they rescued the cat, Kendi, as well, so they have proven themselves even if they were still young.

There was no time left for this, because they got unexpected, but for all unwished company; the security! The black cat immediately stepped backwards and hid herself behind Kass as she spotted them. The young ones did not understand it. How could they found them down there so fast? Well, after the firework that Aki made, even if unwilling, it was not that hard to locate their position. Wuffy found them the same way as well. The wolf immediately stepped between the young ones and the security, but the guards surrounded them quickly. This was not COHAF, here the security could use any means against our heroes, and that was bad! Then, a female dressed in a long white lab coat stepped forward. It was the white rat, Kendi talked about earlier. As Aki saw her, she immediately recognized the rat from her dream. Now, eight years later, she became an adult, but it was definitely her. Her name was Lash. She was a twenty years old white lab rat with a long light hair and with naked pink paws as rats usually have. There was still something strange about her... It was her tail, it was missing! Instead of her own tail, Lash had an artificial one and she was lashing with that long, black, metal thing in the air like with a whip. Maybe there she got her name from.

It seemed, that Lash and Wolf knew each other as well, because the rat said that they finally met again after so long and called him master. There were only few persons in Wolf’s life that called him that way, but that was impossible, because all the persons vanished from his life long time ago! Aki did not understand it either. How come that the rat, that was appearing in her dreams as a young female, and that was now chasing her through whole COHAF, was calling her Wuffy a master? Aki knew a lot about Wuffy, more than anyone else, but it seemed, that she still did not know everything. Not by a long shot.

The security had the order to catch the young white furred female and bring her to the lab. Wolf said to Kass and the girls that they should hide, but they were too slow and the security was already by them! He just wanted to rescue them as the security guards were no match for a big wolf like him, but as he made a step to Aki, a knife flew through the air and hit him in the shoulder. As Wolf took the knife out, he immediately recognized it, because it was the knife he gave to a special person a long time ago. He was one of the very few persons that ever called him a master. Now, there were no doubts! Wolf’s best friend has returned to fulfil his promise towards him. Wolf turned in the direction the knife flew from...and there he was!

Alex was standing only few meters away from him. Not a single hair changed on the wolf. His beautiful black fur shined in the bright blue light and his long white hair was falling down to his eyes, which were blue and deep as an ocean. Even the small spot of white fur in form of a diamond on Alex’s forehead was still there. Now he has returned to kill Wolf as he promised him for so long. Wolf was lost...! He stood there completely defenceless against those deep blue eyes of Alex's.

Lash used this distraction to get to Aki who was still weakened from the energy line, but Kass stepped in the rat’s way. The boy asked Lash what all this should mean, as he recognized the rat as his father’s right hand and assistant. However, Lash ignored him and wanted to hit him with her sharp tail. Fortunately, Aki stepped there in last moment and put her tail in the way and saved Kass.

"Why are you protecting him...?" - Lash asked - "...when his father is the one responsible for the death of our families!"

Aki froze... Why she said something like that? Something like that just could not be true. Kass was her best friend, none of his family would...how dared she! Lash and Aki started to fight wild, using their long tails as weapons. The two swished those things through the air and as the tails collided, a loud blow could be heard. Lash’s words hurt Aki deep inside, she did not want to believe them. With the help of her wings, Aki jumped high in the air and wanted to hit the rat from above. Lash could easily block the attack, but as she saw that one of the security guards pointed a weapon towards the black cat, the rat hit the guard with her tail saying to let the kitten be. Doing that, she stayed defenceless against Aki’s attacking tail and got the full hit and fell on the ground giving out a loud painful scream.

That scream, it was like the one in Aki’s dream! Suddenly, the little white wolf found herself in her thoughts eight years in the past inside the burning hall. It was the same as ever, they were running from the fire, but this time it did not end after Lash’s horrible scream. In fact, it just begun there. The white furry, who was carrying Aki all the time, turned around with the little wolf still in her arms.

"Lash!" - the female called after the rat when she saw that the rat was now laying on the floor.

They quickly dashed back to her. Only then Aki and the female saw that Lash’s tail was stuck under the block of steel from the fallen ceiling. When the female sat Aki down on the floor, for the first time she could see the female’s face. She was a wolf with a snow-white fur just like Aki. Only one look in the female's eyes was enough for Aki to find out after whom she got her gentle eyes. The beautiful wolf female there was Aki’s mother. All the time she was carrying her and held her paw on her daughter’s mouth only to prevent Aki from breathing in the toxic smoke from the burning chemicals. She sat her daughter down only to help the little, back then only twelve years old, rat. Even through her enormous effort, there was no way how she could free Lash’s tail from under the heavy thing. The flames were already so close, that they could not stand the enormous heat anymore, and so could not the hall. A loud deafening noise could be heard from above again. Another part of the ceiling started to collapse from the heat, and this one was even bigger! This was it, Aki saw it with her own eyes. Her mom had only a moment to decide, but she made the best of it. She bent down to the little rat and with her sharp wolf fangs she bit off Lash’s tail and in last moment threw the rat and her little daughter to safety. A moment later the ceiling collapsed and Aki‘s mom vanished among the dust and flames as well as from Aki’s life.

Meanwhile, Wolf was confronted with the past as well, when Alex pulled out a black collar and held it towards Wolf. His eyes could not turn away from the collar, and Alex asked if he remembered it. How could Wolf ever forget it, when it was the collar that belonged to Alex’s young brother Kay. Kay was the one whom the knife belonged to. He died years ago and Wolf was the one who has done that! On this, Wolf reached in his pocket and pulled out a black collar as well. It was the one Aki saw this morning. Alex seemed surprised that Wolf kept the collar all the time, but that belonged to the past and the only thing Alex was interested in was happening right now. He wanted Wolf to feel the same pain as he did when he lost Kay! Therefore, Alex was ready to hand over Wolf’s precious Aki to the security and the ERF.

Aki was sunk too deep in her thought to fight back, so it was easy for Lash to catch her. Then the security caught Kendi as well. The only one, whom they let be was Kass, because they had no interest in him. They took the two girls into the hovercopter and started the engine to fly out of there. Wolf could not help his little girl now, because Alex would not let him, so the only one who could do something was Kass. He ran to the hovercopter and screamed at Aki to reach out her paw. She heard him and managed to free herself a partway to bend down from the starting machine. The little wolf just needed to reach out her paw. As she wanted to do so, Lash’s words echoed in her mind again.

"His father is responsible for the death of our families..."

Kass almost had her, when suddenly, Aki took her paw back and a look full of mistrust and fear appeared in her eyes. Then Aki felt a paw with sharp claws on her butt. Ouch! The little wolf immediately turned her head to see what bit her back there and saw Lash standing behind her with a tranquilizer gun in one paw while with the other one she massaged Aki the place.

"What should that mean?" - Aki was asking herself suspiciously.

Lash injected her a load of sedatives to put her into a sleep so she would not made any trouble and massaged her butt to let the sedatives take the effect faster. And it worked! After few seconds, Aki’s body became too heavy to move. She wanted to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. And after a second or two later, her icy blue eyes slowly closed and her mind sunk into a dream, but no sweet dreams were awaiting her for sure. Kass and Wolf just stood down there and watched how the security was flying away with Aki, direction COHAF.

What will happen to Aki now? Was Kass’ father really responsible for the death of her family and for all this? Is this the end of Aki's and Kass' friendship? We will find out very soon…