FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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Just a few steps further into the Barrow, Slutcat came upon an odd crystal that seemed to be glowing from within.

"Sworddog, what do you make of this?" she asked, not quite sure if she should touch it or not.

"Slutcat, you are by nature attracted to shiny things. This looks like it's custom made to be a trap for you."

"I don't care, I'm taking it," she decided and boldy snatched the crystal and put it into her inventory. When nothing happened she sneered back at Sworddog.

"There, see! What do you think it is?"

"It's a lesser soul gem," Sworddog stated with authority.

"Oh! How do you know that?"

"It says it on the label."

"Oh. Well what's that do then?"

"Not a clue. Let's go on."

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Next they came upon an odd spiral wooden staircase leading down. Slutcat crawled to the edge to see what was below and how far down it went.

"They really need to learn the concept of the hand rail here," she said as she peered down. "It goes pretty far down."

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"I think you're afraid of heights."

"I'm not afraid of heights. I'm afraid of far away floors," Slutcat said, but then her ears pricked up and she shushed Sworddog. "Shh! Do you hear that?"

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"Slutcat, I can hear your heartbeat. To what sound do you refer?" Sworddog asked softly.

Slutcat crawled back to the edge to listen. "Something's down there. Something... scruffling."

"Scruffling?"

"Well, I don't know how to describe it!"

"Rats."

"You think?"

"Sounds like it. Big ones. Better get your spell ready again."

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"HOLY SHIT! Those are some big-ass rats!" Slutcat screamed when three came up the stairs at them.

"They are certainly rodents of unusual size, and aggressive too!," Sworddog agreed after Slutcat had taken care of them. "Sorry I couldn't help more. I was stuck behind you. Have you been bit? They could be poisonous."

"No. Eww. I don't even want to think what they must eat down here," Slutcat winced as she stepped over the bodies.

"Nor I. Let's just not think about that."

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"Uh oh..." Slutcat said, standing at the door at the bottom of the staircase.

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"Now Slutcat. Just because there's some cobwebs doesn't imply the presence of giant spiders."

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Sworddog amended as she stepped closer into the next room, "Necessarily..."

They crept into the room, both darting glances to all the corners, though they saw no actual spiders - not even the little kind.

"Oh!" Slutcat said, cheering up. "There's something behind these cobwebs..."

Sure enough a large chest was hidden behind a mass of cobwebs. Within was some gold and another small blue potion. Slutcat stuffed them into her inventory.

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And then they saw it. Descending abnormally quickly from a recess in the roof far above, the Mother of all giant spiders.

"Oh my! That thing's so big it probably has a name!" Sworddog said, momentarily stunned herself by the sheer size of the beast.

But it's size belied its speed and before she knew it Sworddog was dodging between it's claws and fangs, unable to get so much as a bite in without being skewered by it's nasty prongs. Then she realized that Slutcat was nowhere to be seen. She feigned a move one way and then ran as fast as she could back the way they'd come. Behind her she saw the spider apparently unable to get through the door and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Slutcat? Slutcat?" she called, ignoring the skittering and scraping from behind her as the monster tried to squeeze it's body through the door in vain.

Sworddog backtracked all the way to the stairs before he found her huddled underneath them and shivering.

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"Slutcat? Slutcat, I can't take on that thing alone. I need your help!"

The Khajiit turned to face the dog as best she could, trembling in every muscle. As she spoke, her teeth actually chattered.

"Sworddog... I... You don't understand. It's all I can do to keep from committing suicide, knowing that I live in a universe where that thing can exist."

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