FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hey, I've finally had the motivation to write a story! Scraping By is going to be on hold until I can find a direction for it. However, I hope you'll enjoy this one I brewed up! I'm already a few chapters in and I don't plan on slowing down yet. Although there won't be any gay stuff happening for a few chapters, I figured I should add it in the tags anyways. Let me know if you see a grammatical mistake or just want to give some advice. Adios!

"Grisham... it seems that you've finally gone through all your rigorous training..." A booming baritone voice echoed across the elaborate office of my father. There were documents laid all across the table, but everything else had been set in place perfectly. Every book, cabinet or any other object worth noting was placed there for a reason. The place may as well have been its own library. It had a Victorian-era feel to it, especially being that it had been built in that time. It has a similar feel to my father, Steele. If a room could be wise and hold knowledge like my father... it was his office.

Despite being located in the countryside of Britain, the day was sunny outside. Light poured in through the window behind my father and illuminated the office. Today felt great, my initiation into the clan was taking place today right here. My father rarely demanded my attention, and it felt good to be in front of him now. He sat behind his desk, and gave me a wave to come closer.

The office had an antiquated feel about it and smelled of various papers. This office did house the efforts of Steele, the smartest man I've ever known in my sixteen years of life. The six foot two hyena stared at me with his ever-analytical brown eyes. He always knew what you were thinking, being built into every fiber of his being and his peculiar talents. I quickly adapted to wearing a cold face to let him speak without trying to figure out what I was thinking. He has a simple brown coat of fur with black dots. A scar ran down one of his forearms, still looking decently fresh. He's never told me where he got it, but he's not a very open book so to speak.

"It is with my greatest pleasure, that I announce you're graduation from training to a functioning mercenary for the Gaines Clan." He announced with a rare grin creeping across his face. This caused me to flinch, not expecting such a reaction from him. Upon seeing me react with surprise, he released a smile with canines and all.

"With my most sincere gratitude... Thank you, Steele." I bowed my head, gracing him with the highest honors I could muster in that moment. My father rarely smiled or complimented me, so I was smiling as well. This moment was special after all, I have finally proven to Steele that I'm worthy of carrying on my family tradition. Being a mercenary for the Gaines Clan was a dream I've held ever since being a cub. Even though I had carried out multiple missions for the clan before, they were easy ones meant for training. Now, I could carry out more high stakes operations.

However, something didn't feel right. I think I could feel the presence of multiple auras around the office. I returned from bowing my head, to see my father looking at me with pride in his eyes. His look quickly changed to a discerning look, and then a wide-eyed expression there after. There were intruders, and before I could react my father had already leapt under his desk as the large glass window shattered behind him.

"I've already placed an anti-aura field around the office!" A familiar voice reached my ears, but I wasn't sure who it could be quite yet. My instincts from training had already taken over. Ascertaining that my abilities would be hindered in the office, I dashed down the long hallway towards the main hall. Before I could move any farther, a chain made out of pure energy latched onto my leg. I fell face first onto the soft carpeting of the office.

"Both targets have been apprehended, Barnes." A monotone voice stated. I tilted my head back in confusion to find out the source of the voice. An unrecognizable figure dressed in a black and red cloak seemed to be where the monotone voice came from. While I couldn't make out any discernible features, they were smaller than I expected. Their back was hunched over, and there were two slight bumps coming out of his hood (probably horns). A chain was attached to one of his fingers, which trailed off to my leg. It seems his power is being able to create powerful chains.

My shock was pronounced when I saw the person standing next to him. My tutor Barnes stood next to him stretching his back. His hands were glowing with a very bright whiteness. He must be channeling a lot of aura to be able to encapsulate the entire office. I knew my abilities wouldn't function as long as his hands were glowing. The tall, muscular white wolf was standing with perfect posture next to the chain user. He had two piercing blue eyes, eyes which had watched me my entire life. Eyes that trained me in the arts of a mercenary. Eyes that pierced my soul every time I made a mistake. He taught me how to control my powers, yet here he stood.

"Excellent, I've been waiting to launch this operation for years!" He bellowed out across the office, his paws glowing even brighter. He laughed maniacally, displaying a personality I've never known until this moment. He was giddy with joy, finally being able to find the opportunity to squash the Gaines with his own two paws. He wanted nothing more than to be able to extinguish the life from Steele.

"How does it feel to finally be caught with your tail between your legs, Steele? After all the shit you've put me through... the torture, the pain, and sticking me with that little punk over there!" He shot a nasty glare at me, pointing his paw menacingly towards me. "Did you really expect me to just suck it up after what you did to me? After killing my entire family in front of my eyes?" I couldn't understand his words, trying to comprehend just what is happening. Normally, I would have found a way by now to retaliate. But with a conjured chain being held fastly onto my leg, and the entire office being surrounded in an anti-aura field, there wasn't much I could do. All I could do is watch the spectacle unfold before me.

"I had to, Barnes. I've told you this a thousand times over. Everyone in your family but you was a terrorist. Using their powers to instill fear in others." My father declared all of this with a flat tone, sounding bored and uninterested. "I don't want to hear that rubbish, Steele! You know damn well they were fighting just to survive in that hell hole!" Barnes yelled at him, showing more emotion in this moment of betrayal to the clan than at any point in my life. "I don't have to answer to you anymore, I'm going to see you dead like the rest of them." He pulled out a handgun and shot multiple times, aiming under the desk.

While all of this is happening, I started a last ditch effort to be free of the chain. I kicked my leg up towards my hand, allowing the hidden knife in my shoe to fly into my paw. With a swift glance at the horned figure snaring me in place, I threw the knife right at his head. He sensed me throwing it, giving him plenty of time to dodge the blade in the air. However, this made the chain fade away by diverting his focus. I bolted for the main hall, the only place where I stood a fair chance of fighting.

"Barnes, you deal with Steele. I'll get the boy."

I found myself halfway down the corridor to the main hall, when I sensed a strong wave of energy rushing toward me. I vaulted out of the way behind a statue of my father, barely escaping the grasp of yet another chain. I took a quick glance behind me, seeing a fiery chain latched onto the statue. It ignited in a blaze of fire instantly, telling me this was a very experienced aura user. I ran farther down the hall, dodging an onslaught of fiery chains firing off to catch me.

While I was running for my life, an onslaught of thoughts hit me. Why was Barnes doing this? Who is the figure working with him? Is Steele even alive at this point? I shook my head, I need to make sure I survive first before I start dwelling on the traitorous actions. I saw the door to the main hall come into view, and reached out to open it.

Before I could, a chain landed on the carpet only a few feet away. I could smell smoke and with how many chains I presume he's fired out, the place must be in an inferno by now. I kicked open the door and bolted out into the main hall, my aura finally flowing through my veins. Now it's my turn to cause some havoc.

"Forfeit, or I will make sure you never see the light of another day again." The monotone voice reached my ears. I stood in the middle of the main hall, channeling my anger towards Barnes betrayal to attack the hooded figure at the door I just escaped from. The main hall is about half the size of a football field, so I don't have to worry about the place caving in on us. The weathered halls started to smell like smoke.

I growled in response to the figure, and my anger manifested itself into an orange glow surrounding my entire body. I intend to make this figure pay for his transgressions against the estate. My aura flourished outwards instantaneously, setting some of the carpet below me on fire in a burst of frustration. A rocket launcher made out of my pure anger revealed itself. It was coursing with my emotion, an ethereal orange weapon connected to both of my arms. I want to test just how powerful this person who stands before me is. If he's weak enough, I might be able to push back towards Steele and figure out what the hell Barnes was doing.

"I don't know who you are, but I'm not going to let this go without a fight!" I aimed the weapon of my own creation at him, flowing all of my hatred into the rocket launcher. He took notice of the ethereal weapon, firing an arsenal of chains that surrounded him. I fired a monstrous blast of energy straight at him, traveling at inhuman speeds. It exploded upon contact with one of his chains, filling the entire hall with intense heat.

My aura doesn't affect me, so I started running for the door that leads to the courtyard. I looked back over my shoulder to see if I dealt with the hooded figure. The power from the blast finally dissipated out of the air. Some of the roof had fallen down in chunks, and the whole area was covered in soot. My anger must have been particularly high to produce a blast this strong.

All of his chains had disappeared after the blast, but he seemed entirely untouched. I should have guessed he was using them as a shield. He looked towards me this time, with a mask covering everything but his eyes. A pair of deathly red eyes stared right into mine. "Silly boy, you think you can fight back? I'll make sure you don't get away..." There was a hint of edge in his voice this time instead of the dreary flatness before. To get away from a blast like that completely unscathed confirmed my suspicions earlier. I'm dealing with an expert, and I need to get away fast.

I sprinted into the courtyard, breathing in the fresh air of the outside world. Miles of flowers loomed ahead of me, an array of colors beckoning me towards escape. The chain user quickly covered the distance between me and him, only about thirty feet away. He fired out a flurry of chains at me, but I noticed they were a different color this time. They glowed with a shimmering white aura, signaling he wanted to subdue my own. I devised a plan in my head to deal with him while getting away.

I ran through a field of tall sunflowers that seemed to stretch for an eternity. This was the shortest path to the city of Lion's Ford nearby, and I'm sure he wouldn't want to fight me there. Plus the added benefit of the sunflowers made it harder to see me. Revealing your aura to the general public is frowned upon, and would garner the attention of the government very quickly. The question I couldn't answer is if I could get there without being captured.

I could sense his aura getting closer and closer by the seconds, and soon he closed the gap to around ten feet. If he fired out another chain, it would be sure to hit its mark and I'm not about to find out what his other variations are capable of. I channeled thoughts of happiness through my head, reminiscing about my past in the city. The skylines loomed in my thoughts, beckoning me to adventure, where I met my first friends. Friends that showed me what life has to offer. Exploring the city as a cub was always a memorable activity for me, and introduced me to the real world.

Two green circles of energy crackled in my paws, slowly taking shape. The shroud of aura enveloping my hands spread to the rest of my body, invigorating me with a burst of rapid stamina. Sensations of life being lived to its fullest overwhelmed my thoughts. The emotions within me switched with the speed of turning on a light switch in my head. The shapes in my paws materialized into two submachine guns, glowing a bright green with my memories of the city. I needed to get him off my back, and this would be the only moment to resize the gap in my favor.

With a quick turn of my heel, I bursted right towards the chain user who was preparing to fire out a chain. He jumped back a few feet in surprise at my sudden movements to attack. I clicked the triggers on the weapons in my paws and unloaded. This forced him to stop his next attack and put his chains up in defense. These were glowing with a stark yellow color, like a sweet honey. They blocked the green bullets with ease, deflecting them outwards back at me. Taking this into account, I simply let them wash over me. My attacks don't affect me, due to being my concentrated emotions.

"You're smarter than Barnes let on, boy. I don't give up easily though..." He droned towards me.

Now that he was prioritizing defense, I took the opportunity to backflip away from him and continue to run in the opposite direction. I dashed across the field in a blur of motion, distancing myself from the chain user rapidly. A side effect of my state of concentrated happiness was a sharp increase in my ability to mobilize. My legs moved forward in a burst of speed, feeling like I could run a marathon with no sweat. I got about a football fields distance away before he undid his defenses and continued to fire chains at me. With my increased dexterity, I could dodge them with ease. With a quick twist of my back, I continued to rain hell on him with my guns to keep him on his toes. Now that he knew what to expect, he simply dodged away from the flurry of bullets.

"I'm done toying with you... let's see if you're speed can keep up with my chains!" He echoed out with more life in his voice. He hasn't come across an opponent who could escape from his initial attacks in quite a while. The boy certainly knew at least the basics of aura use and combat.

The young hyena still ran, making even more length between him and the chain user by finally leaving the premises of the court yard and into the countryside. Suddenly, he sensed a different spike of aura collecting in the air. He knew a new attack was bound to come through, so he glanced upon a tree coming up in a few feet. He rolled behind the tree, hearing a sharp whistle behind him and a clank hit the tree. This chain was much faster than any of the other chains he's launched out. He had to use the trees as cover on the way to Lion's Ford, or he would certainly be caught.

He sped through the canopy of the trees, dodging and weaving through the natural cover. This time, chains that looked like pure lightning sped by him or latched onto the canopy near him. He channeled more happy emotions within himself to invigorate his stamina. Using his training to his advantage, he started to jump backwards through the trees while blind firing into the distance. A storm of bullets flying back to his pursuer caused a less frequent barrage of chains flying towards him. He calculated he only had a mile to go before he hit the city, where he would be sure to find some respite.

"Damn it... if he gets away Barnes is gonna rip my ass a new one." The chain user knew he had one more move to make, or Grisham would escape successfully. He stood still, meditating on the next lightning fast chain he would throw out. If he couldn't hit the pesky hyena on the run, then he had no choice but to bring himself to the hyena...

The bastard can't catch me! As long as I keep my guard up, I'm going to hit Lion's Ford and be clear of this garbage. Grisham still kept firing sprays of bullets behind him while maneuvering around the trees. He noticed only one chain was coming this time, and quickly vaulted behind a tall tree. He sensed the source of the aura coming onto him fast though...

Once he heard the clank of the chain in the distance, he knew he could channel his very being into it. His body turned into a blur as it faded into the stormy chain, becoming one with it. He felt his core traveling at supersonic speeds via chain. He focused his thoughts on catching the hyena, determined to prove himself worthy to Barnes. This was his last opportunity to catch Grisham, disregarding anything else the hyena may have up his sleeve. All he needed to do was subdue him... killing him may be out of his options, simply landing a blow was a challenge in and of itself.

Grisham turned back to see a wave of energy coursing through the chain, and the chain user himself materialized out of the chain! "Fuck... I'm gonna have to get in really close this time." He focused his elated state of feeling into only one arm, making the submachine guns evaporate from his paws. In his right arm, an emerald katana appeared to take the place of the guns. He wasn't entirely sure of what else the chain user could pull off, but he wanted to take a chance to see if he could fight in close combat or not. If the coin flip succeeded, he would be off his back and on his way to the city. A move like that probably only left a little aura to spare in his system for extra chains.

"I've got you now, you little snake..." He exuded with cocky confidence towards Grisham. All he would have to do now is fire out one more lightning chain, and he'd have him subdued at the least. With a flow of his aura, he shot one out of his finger towards the hyena. What he did not account for was the ethereal katana now taking the place of his guns. Grisham dashed towards him, the katana pointed right for his heart. He predicted where the chain would go and sidestepped it along the way. The chain user released his emergency defenses, coating his chest in a wall of golden chains. The katana struck the shell, bouncing off before slicing some of it out of existence.

"I don't know why you're working with Barnes... but you'd better back off before I make you regret it!" Grisham shouted at the mysterious figure before him while making rapid slices aimed at his shell. It was dissipating quickly, so he either had to come up with another attack or withdraw from the assault laid out by Grisham.

The chain user thought about his options in the mere seconds he had before the katana pierced his defenses. He wasn't expecting him to have more weapons at his arsenal, let alone a katana! He exuded too much aura with his little trick earlier and had no choice but to disengage. Barnes would give him hell for it, but living with the consequences is better than being killed by a punk like this kid.

"You win this time, brat... but we will find you again. Your life is in the hands of Barnes now, fool." With that, he channeled another storm chain from his finger while shooting it behind him. His defenses were about to give way from the clanks against his shell. He pulled off the same method from earlier, traveling at supersonic speeds towards the Gaines mansion.

Grisham successfully removed the chain user from his trail! Multiple questions raced through his mind, thinking about the events that just occurred. Mere moments before, Grisham fought for his life against the chain using figure. He stumbled the rest of the way to the city, Lion's Ford coming into sight before he collapsed next to a tree due to the exhaustion from constant aura use...