FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Three days had passed since Freya had arrived in Magnolia. Things were rough going at first, she was able to convince the Council to let her stay as the town's apothecary while they discussed the terms listed in the paperwork she had given them.

They showed her to the shop the previous potion maker lived and the elf's heart sank.

It was a disaster; the shelves and counter were covered in a thick coat of dust. What little stores of herbal plants were spoiled and rotten, most of the bottles and jars were cracked or broken.

Her next two days were filled with cleaning, inventory and a mad dash through town for any essentials she would need. The town had few shops and little in the way of trade, something she noted in her missive that the guild would have to change if Magnolia was to thrive. After what felt an eternity and over a dozen awkward introductions to many Lycan she managed to get everything they needed, though at a higher price than reasonable. All and all she was able to settle in quite nicely.

Now she was trying her best to make her name known to the locals but everytime she tried she lost her nerve.

Half the day had gone by, and Freya was still a total stranger to the others. Rather than going home to make something to eat she decided to try her luck at a local tavern that caught her eye. In hopes that the establishment would offer her another chance to introduce herself to some of the townsfolk. But when she entered through the door that rung a tiny silver bell over her head, she was startled to see the place empty save for a lone barkeep. A female wolf with short brown hair, smokey grey fur and a visible patch of white on the neck under casual linen clothing with a barkeep apron. She was polishing a glass unaware of Freya's presence.

The elf took one step in and the wolf turn.Freya gasped, noticing the wolf wore a patch covering her left eye.

"Hello there," she greeted with a warm smile. "There's no need to be frightened. Have a seat and welcome to The Ruff Customer."

"That... certainly is a choice name you have here," the elf said tensely as she sat down.

"It's the eyepatch isn't it?" the barkeep asked, noticing her discomfort. "Don't worry dear I'm quite friendly, or so I've been told."

"No, no it's not that, I just have this fear I'm trying to get over."

"You afraid of us?" the wolf threw her head back with a laugh. "Well then Ms.Sunbeam I'd say you're in for a rough time if you can't stand the sight of us."

"It's not that... wait, how did you know my name?" She asked, suspicious of the wolf.

"I'm the barkeep, I make it my business to know everyone."

"And you are?"

"Mira Strauss, so Ms.Sunbeam mind if I ask what an elf who's afraid of Lycan doing here?"

"Please call me Freya," she said feeling less uneasy.

"Okay Freya, so tell me what brings you here? You clearly have an issue being around us."

"It's not that I'm afraid of you personally," she tried to sound confident. "I'm just afraid of dogs, wolves in particular."

"That's unfortunate," Mira rested her head in her hands. "Care to explain why that is?"

"I've always been afraid of them," she muttered.

"Oh come now there's always more to the story than that."

"Well..."

XXXXX

"Derek where are you?!" a young elf hollered at the top of her voice. "I already said I give up! This is the part where you show yourself!"

There was no response, the only sound was the wind rustling through the treetops. Freya couldn't find Derek.

"I'm counting to three," she warned. "If you don't come out I'll leave you here."

Still no answer.

"One.... Two.... Two and a half.... Three!"

No response.

"Oh for Divines' sake!" she exclaimed stormed through the woods. "When I find you I'm going to kick your butt Derek! Do you hear me?!"

She wouldn't though. Ever since she had met Derek that day in the field they had become good friends. Freya was certain that he was hiding somewhere with a smirk knowing he had bested her once more at hide-and-seek.

But the elf was not without her pride. If Derek wasn't going to show himself then the game was technically still on.

She searched high and low checking every tree hollow big enough to hide in, every treetop she could see into, every bush, the riverbed; nothing.

"Where is he?" she said rounding another bend of the forest. Which lead her farther into the untamed woodland, further than either had ventured before.

She then stumbled upon a dirty boy wearing shirt far too large and pants too long and a disheveled head of dark brown hair looking at something from behind the cover of a bush. He was crouched low and quiet as a mouse, he didn't even seem to notice Freya's presence.

"There you are Derek!"

The boy spun around with a panicked and startled look. Before she could say a word the boy lunged at her and clamped and hand over her mouth. Freya muffled a protest as the boy put a finger to his lips signaling her to be quiet.

"What in Divine's' name was that for?!" she hissed jabbing him in the arm.

"Keep your voice down Freya," he shushed. "You'll scare them off."

"Scare what off?"

"Just over here," he pointed to the bush he was just at. "You won't believe what I found."

The elf crawled towards the spot Derek pointed to and gasped at what she saw.

Standing in a clearing no more than twenty paces, was a pair of wolves. The first was a glossy gray and the second was dark brown and she could see their amber eyes shine in the midday sun. Their chops were covered with spots of blood and the gray wolf was dutifully cleaning the other with long broad strokes of the tongue, which the other wolf seemed to enjoy.

"What happened to them?" she asked. "Why are they covered in blood?"

"I think they found the Lord's missing ram," Derek pointed to a pile of bones a few paces from the wolves, covered with bloody bits and flecks of golden fleece.

"Oh... poor Lord Woolsley," the elf frowned.

"Wait that was the things name?" he asked somewhat amused.

Freya opened her mouth to speak but in a flash the gray wolf was before them baring its sharp yellow teeth in a snarl.

She shrieked shutting her eyes tight as the beast lunged for her. But she never felt the teeth sink into her pale flesh.

When her eyes opened she saw Derek between her and the creature. The wolf's sharp teeth were buried firmly in his arm. He let out grunt through gritted teeth, but he held fast, staring the wolf down.

An angry bark caught everyone's attention and Freya saw the other wolf standing right where it had been, a growling snarl on its maw. It barked several times before turning it's tail and began to walk away.

The gray wolf immediately let go of Derek and whimpered chasing after. The two children watched a rather strange series of events play out. The first wolf barked and whimpered for the brown wolf. The second spun around and gave a fierce growl.

Freya watched in bewilderment. It looked as if the two were have some kind of argument.

The brown wolf stood firm glaring at first. After some time passed the first hung its head and let out a defeated whimper. The second didn't do anything for a time, it just looked away, tail tucked, body tense.

The gray lifted it's head and tried to lick the muzzle of the second. It wasn't long before the brown wolf folded letting out a soft whimper and began to nuzzle back. After a while the first barked and started to walk away but not before glaring back at the two children. The second looked back also, but there was something different about it. Freya could swear the look the wolf was giving them was apologetic almost. The creature's warm amber eyes conveying a message of hurt, before finally giving chase to the other wolf.

"Well that was strange," she muttered once the wolves were gone.

"Yeah... yeah it was," he looked to where the creatures ran off to one more time before back at her. "Are you alright Freya? They didn't hurt you did they?"

"Forget about me, look at yourself!" she scolded with a gesture at the large teeth marks in his arm which were starting to ooze blood. "Why on earth would you be that stupid?"

"Because I didn't want you to get hurt," he answered truthfully.

The elf was speechless. The boy just looked back at her with the same soft hearted smile he seemed to always have nowadays.

"W-well thank you for that," she felt her cheeks growing warm. "But that was still stupid, we should've ran away."

"You're right."

"And stop agreeing with me all the time."

XXXXX

"Oh my," Mira said with a wide eye once Freya had finished her story.

"After that we ran straight for the village. We were found by some hunters who heard my screaming and they brought us to the chapel where the Sisters were able to bandage his wounds. To this day I can't even look at a wolf or dog without getting anxious," the elf sighed. "Or you."

"Well that certainly is understandable, to experience such a traumatic event," Mira agreed sympathetically. "But one does have to wonder then, if you were so frightened; why would you come here?"

"I came here to help your people become members of the Capital once more."

"Oh is that all?" the wolf's one good eye glimmered. "I thought it would have something to do with that boy from your story. A tale of star crossed lovers desperate to find one another again, even though one is a Lycan and the other an elf. Have to admit that makes a rather compelling story."

"I'm afraid it's nothing quite so romantic," she shrugged.

"Well I'm sure once people get to know you, they'll be more than happy that you're here with us."

"I can only hope so."

Freya then ordered a meal of potato soup and fresh bread. The meal wasn't much, but Mira's company was a welcome distraction. After eating she paid her tab and started to head back to the shop when she was stopped by the sound of a horrible cough.

Freya looked to see a young black wolf boy and what she assumed to be his mother, a tall blue female wolf. The boy was panting and coughing sporadically, his mother wide eyed, fearful and helpless.

Freya had seen this before and quickly raced to the shop grabbing one the specially marked vials she had stored in the cabinets. She then made her way towards them offering a small vial of liquid to the mother wolf.

"Here have him try to drink some of this," she instructed.

The mother was hesitant at first, but the young wolf's coughing persisted and she took the vial from Freya.

With some effort she managed to get some of the liquid down the pup's throat. The boy sputtered a few more coughs and let out another gasp for air before he began breathing a more regular pace.

"He... he's all better!" The mother turned to Freya, astonished by what happened. "Thank you."

"Well I couldn't stand by and do nothing," she said with a small smile. "If it's alright with you ma'am; may I ask you a few questions?"

"Yes, yes of course you may."

She then started asking a list of questions. The boy's age, if he had similar attacks before, what he was doing when they happened. The wolf answered all the questions, her face growing more dismal with each answer.

"From what I can guess, it's safe to say your son might have dust lung," Freya concluded.

"Oh my," the mother sounded dreadfully worried.

"It's not as bad as it sounds, and is quite manageable. That potion you have now is to be used when he has another attack," she explained. "I have other mixtures at my shop which when taken regularly can reduce the number of attacks."

"Oh dear, that... that sounds awfully expensive," she frowned. "And we hardly have any money."

Freya's mouth hung open slightly, as if her words were caught in her throat. She looked at the mother, dressed in tattered brown clothes. Then she looked down at the boy, the small wolf was still coughing here and there but he seemed much better.

"The have next to nothing," she thought with a pained realization that this must be the case for many.

She took a deep breath.

"Ma'am," she spoke in a soft and comforting tone. "You won't have to worry about cost."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your son's medicine will be provided to you free of charge."

The wolf's jaw hung open in astonishment. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, and please tell anyone else who might need medicine to come see me and I'll do what I can for them."

"You... You're serious, aren't you?"

"I am."

"Why? Not to sound ungrateful to you but-"

"I came here to help you, all of you," she said confident in her words. "And that is what I intend to do."

The mother thanked her again, praising Freya as a blessing from the Divines before they finally parted ways. She then saw Mira standing in the doorway of her bar with a smile of approval.

Well... it looks like I finally found how I'm going to help everyone here. I just hope the Guild will approve.

With her mind made up she headed back to the shop.