FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

First and foremost this story is copyright by me and may not be used in part or wholly without my express consent

Secondly I am "NOT' an English major I scraped by with a d average in school and do not need criticism on my writing abilities. This is a story of MY mind. There is no reason to tell me that I flunked in the English department.

This book is ongoing and I'm not sure when or how it will end as of yet. I have spells of inspiration and dry spells where I can't think of anything to write about. My real life is so boring that I created this world in my mind to have something to do.

Otherwise enjoy the story and understand that my life was influenced by authors such as Terry Brooks, J.J.R. Tolkien, and Ray Bradbury and several of the artists in SoFurry and the old Yiffstar.

Chapter 5

I didn't realize at the time that she had been bating me. She had no problem playing with my emotions and she was quite satisfied with how she was playing me like a fiddle.

When I had the guest room fixed we went to the porch and watched the sunset slowly. We then headed into the house and away from, so I thought, the were-creatures.

I excused myself and went to my room and was asleep shortly after. During the night a couple of times I thought I heard something moving in the house but brushed it off to my imagination.

Suddenly I felt a weight pounce upon me and something was tearing at my flesh. I was in complete horror as I recognized it as Herminie. She was a were-creature and was attacking me. I fought back as good as I could and actually managed to force her to leave when my thumb entered one of her eyes and I shoved as hard as I could and I felt the eye pop. She was gone as suddenly as she appeared.

I shakily got up and noticed that I was bleeding in several places and a couple looked bad but I wanted to make it to the door and get it closed before something else joined me. Leaving a trail of blood I forced myself to make it to the front door and close it.

Knowing I wasn't going to make it back to my room I struggled to get to my couch and eased myself down on it. I tried to tear some of the material of the couch to help staunch the blood leaking out of me but I was just too weak. I slowly faded into darkness wondering if I would be alive anymore.

The next thing I remember was some large hands moving me through a daze as if I was drunk. I knew however that it was from a loss of blood and that I could barely feel anything. I slept some more. For how long I don't know.

When I came to for the first time I was so thirsty that I couldn't even speak. I tried to move my arms and was too weak to do that. What surprised me was that there was a shadow in my eyes that almost looked like a giant cat looking at me. I thought oh god, I'm dead and this is my punishment in hell, to be chased by a large cat forever. As I was about to go back under I felt something held to my mouth and I drank a bit before I was out of it again.

The second time I awoke I was still thirsty but feeling a little better. When I tried to use my eyes they focused a little better and I saw Doreen staring at me.

"Welcome back to the living." She said.

I tried to reply and she put her hand on my mouth and said, "Don't try to talk yet you are too weak. You've been through quite a lot. Most of us animals would have died from the shock of the damage you took."

I opened my mouth and stuck my tongue out like a dog lapping water hoping that Doreen got the hint, she did.

Gently lifting my head she put a cup to my mouth and let me drink some water. Just the act of drinking made me so sleepy I faded out again.

Not sure how long it had been since I went out of it I was surprised that Doreen wasn't there but instead a sleek and lovely looking female black cat tending to me.

The cat saw my shock and said, "Just relax and rest easy, I'm here to help. Would you like some more water?"

I nodded to her as good as I could and was surprised at the gentleness of her as she lifted my head to give me some water.

She then said, "Drink slowly. You don't want to cough and tear something that is barely held together."

I sipped at the water and felt as if I had been without for over a week. After finishing the glass she eased my head back and said, "just relax, Herod will be here to see you soon."

I lay back and rested some more, this time however I remember the sounds around me. I heard the feet as they entered my room. Opening my eyes I saw it was Herod. I saw the concern in his eyes as he came over to me and pulled a chair over to me.

"You about scared the life out of me when I came in here and saw the way you were. I can't wait to hear what happened to you?" He raised his hand as I tried to speak and said, "Later, for now just continue recovering. We'll be able to exchange our stories soon enough."

I wanted to tell him about the skunk and wasn't able to say anything. Suddenly the black cat was back in the room and lifting my head again with the tenderness of a mother to her child. Again she was giving me some water.

Herod saw how she was treating me and said softly to us both, "I'm so happy to find Navaja to help me with tending to you as you recover. Maybe you can hold down a little food today." He nodded towards us and Navaja gently laid me back in the bed.

The next several hours were a blur of sleep and awakening, with Navaja giving me more water and finally that evening some kind of broth? It tasted strong but it also tasted good.

"Gently," Navaja said, "This has some herbs to help you regain some of your strength."

As I swallowed the broth I felt the bitter herbs running into me. There was something in it that warmed me from the inside out and made me very sleepy and was soon out not even feeling when she had lay my head back on the bed.

When I came too it was pitch black outside and there was a small candle lit on a table across the room. I must have made a sound and I heard Navaja's voice, "are you feeling better now?"

I nodded and she came over to me and asked, "Do you feel good enough to try and sit up?"

Again I nodded and she slipped her body over mine and said. "Wrap your arms around my shoulders and I will get you to a sitting position."

I wrapped my arms around her neck as she asked and suddenly I felt the muscles in her neck tighten and before I knew what happened I was sitting. It hurt like all get out and I groaned loudly as she got me to a sitting position. She looked at me in horror and checked all of the bandaging to make sure I didn't tear anything.

Satisfied with the fact nothing seems to be bleeding she asked, "Are you okay? I'm sorry for causing you that much hurt. I thought you would be able to handle it."

Having found my voice I said roughly, "Water?"

Instantly she handed me a glass and for the first time in god knows how long I held a glass to my own lips. After finishing the glass I sat it next to me knowing not to reach too far. Navaja took the glass from my side and put it back on the table.

She then came over next to me and asked, "Do you feel alright like this?"

In my weakened and dried out voice I replied, "I'm okay, sort of numb from the move. How late is it?"

She said, "the sun is about to arise on the horizon."

I then asked, "I'm hungry again and I would like something solid please?"

She chuckled at that and said, "I bet you are hungry after having nothing to eat for over two weeks."

I turned and stared into her midnight colored eyes and she said, "Yes you've been out of it for over two weeks now."

I saw the glimmering hint of the sun rising in the windowsill and said, "You here, always?"

She smiled at me and said, "Herod, Doreen or herself had been with me from the moment Herod found me."

She then stood, excused herself, and went to my kitchen to make something to eat. When she came back in she had a tray with some softer foodstuffs so I didn't have to chew too much. After starting on the food I was glad she had my jaw felt like it was made of rubber and didn't want to chew very well. I managed to get most of the food she brought to me in my stomach. It was then that I realized that if I was out for two weeks someone must have cleaned me up after I messed myself.

I asked, "Did you have to clean me up as well while I was out?"

She looked at me and said, "It was nothing I haven't done before and with you not having fur it was easier."

"I'm sorry you had to clean me like a baby. I usually have a good cleaning ethic," I said

She looked me in the eye with the sun getting brighter and said, "I know, that is one of the reasons you are still with us. If you had been filthy the infections of your wounds would have gotten you." She said.

There was a knock on my front door and Navaja said, "I got to let them in, Herod made a lock for your door in case whatever it was returned to finish the job." With that she stood and went to the front door and opened it and Herod and Doreen entered.

Herod asked, "How is he today Navaja?"

She said, "He's was doing much better and even sitting up at the moment."

Doreen said, "If it was anyone but him I fear he'd be dead."

The three of them entered the room and I saw the shock and surprise on Herod and Doreen's faces as they saw me sitting up.

Herod said, "after finding you in the shape you were in I wasn't sure you'd still be alive my friend."

"I seem to be mostly here," I said.

"Do you feel up to telling us what happened?" Doreen asked.

"I'll try to," I said and I told them about finding the skunk and bringing her here and how after the moon came up she turned into a were-creature and if it wasn't for the scarf I wrapped around her neck and strangled her with, I would be dead.

As I told my story I saw the shock and horror on all their faces. As I finished with the last thing I knew was falling on the couch and passed out.

Herod then took up the tale saying, "about sunrise I had heard something rustling around my house so I decided to investigate. I found all kinds of bloody tracks and I followed them backwards. I wasn't worried about where it went but where all the blood came from. When I got to your porch I knew something was wrong because the blood was from inside the house. I came into the house and saw you through the door. I bandaged the wounds as well as I could but I wasn't sure if you were going to make it."

Herod looked downwards and said, "If it had been anyone else I think I would have killed them to put them out of their misery. You however, when you were bandaged up, started regular breathing again. I decided to call Doreen over and had her bring Navaja. The panthress, as you could tell, is what we call a medicine maker. She has found combinations of herbs, berries and roots that help all sorts of ailments. When Navaja saw you she was shocked that you were still alive. She applied her medicine to your wounds to close them and help heal them. When she was done we moved you into the bed using the couch as a makeshift carrier. Once in the bed again your breathing returned to almost normal.

Navaja said she could do no more for you then but would come back to see on you. She took turns with Doreen and I keeping an eye on you. You had a few scary times when you would thrash about like you were fighting something. The pain must of been too much for you then because you would scream and pass back out and lay motionless. This went on for a week. Navaja said if we didn't get some liquids into you soon, you would die, so we started giving you liquids using a cloth. It seems to have been just enough. The past few days you've been in and out of consciousness and you know most of the rest.

Herod then said, "When you get more strength back we will begin rebuilding your muscles."

I looked at them and said, "I owe all of you my life." Suddenly I felt very tired and I said, "I want back into bed, I'm feeling weak."

With that Navaja said, "Take my shoulders like before and hold on." Again she lifted me back to the prone position in the bed without too much pain.

I looked at them and said, "I need a bit of rest and then I'll want back up if possible."

They all looked at me and then Herod said, "Just rest, well do whatever when you are ready for it."

With that they left my room and I heard Doreen and Navaja say they would go and be back for their shifts of watching me. I drifted off to sleep again.

When I reawoke there was Herod with a bowl of soup and some bread and cheese with a bit of dried meat from my pantry in it. He said, "Doreen and I were told that you must have meat to regain your strength because your body doesn't provide you with all of the materials you need using just grains and veggies like us herbivores do."

I smiled at him and said "Thank you." I then ate as much as I could of the food. When finished I asked Herod, "Help me upright, please?"

He reached down and lifted me like Navaja did but he was so much rougher with his movements that it hurt a bit more. I winced from the pain and sat there with the flash of pain passing.

Herod saw the look on my face and said, "I'm so sorry if I hurt you."

I let out a stifled chuckle, Laughing hurts too, and said, "There is nothing that you can do to make the pain go away. I just have to put up with it till I'm healthier."

He still looked concerned over my pain. I brushed his worry away by asking, "Would you make a couple of pull up bars? One to start out that I can use to pull myself to sitting when my muscles will allow it. The other for when I want to try and stand up."

He replied, "I'll get to work on them in my spare time." Then he chuckled and said, "What spare time right now with you down though?"

I then said, "I want to be able to stand on my own when the full moon time comes back. I have a feeling I'm going to have a return visit and I want to be at least semi ready."

Herod looked at me and then said, "You really think she'll return?"

"I'd almost bet the farm on it," I replied.

"What are you going to do?" Herod asked.

"I have a plan in my head that I've been working on, but it will take some help from all of you."

He looked at me and said, "Continue on."

"First things first, I need the pull up bars. When I get them then I will ask for some strange items from all of you."

Herod then said, "ask for them now and we will help you get whatever you have in mind ready."

"How soon will the others be here today then Herod?"

He replied, "They should be here in about an hour."

"In an hour I will lay out my idea to you all. As for the pull up bars, there are some strong wooden rods in the barn if you would like to find them to get started on them. I will be fine, don't worry, I'm not going to do anything stupid without one of you near me to help."

Herod looked at me with concern in his eye and I could tell that he didn't believe my words.

I looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Herod, I swear I am not going anywhere because it hurts too much to do otherwise at the moment."

He said then, "I have your word on it then?"

"Get out of here you nanny goat. I promise to be right here when you return."

With that he left for the barn. I knew he would be back in ten minutes or less. I intended to keep my promise to him anyway since I was just able to stay sitting today. I thought it out and figured I had a week and a half to get my plan ready before the full of the moon.