FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Amid late afternoon temple bells, the sun began to fade over the walled-off horizon of the city of Osserkol, the final few strands of light barely able to stave off the gloom upon the roofs of buildings iron and stone, many storeys tall. The denizens of the city were steadily making their way from their places of work towards the more familiar surroundings of their homes, for even within the walls of a fortified settlement such as this, few would dare venture through the dark. And though the streets were lined with lamps of oil and gas ready to illuminate the night, they weren't quite enough to stave off what crept and stalked in the hours of sleep.

Within a district even more dangerous, not on account of what lay hidden in wait, but rather the banditry that openly ventured its roads, stood the Reddened Fork And Dagger, a favourite among men of a certain profession - those who pursue and eliminate creatures dark and foul - huntsmen. Usually an all-male bunch, with little room for persons of the fairer sex, or the 'weaker', as they tended to call it.

Holisin Alor, a young doe, was one such representative of that 'lesser' sex, and though she'd thus far been denied the chance to become part of any hunting crew, this night presented opportunity most unusual. Somewhere within that establishment was Venn Setrik, a long-time veteran huntsman, currently recruiting a specific kind of mercenary - women like herself. No doubt a decision met with much derision and scorn, to Holi it was a chance she might not find ever again. She was determined to seek out this veteran and gain employ as a huntsman, whatever it took. Yet now she stood before her first obstacle - the establishment itself, and its rowdy clientele.

To describe it as noisy would've been a vast understatement. What few notes of music reached the outside were drowned out by a deafening cacophony of loud conversations, vulgar songs, and outright screams. The noise formed a wall Holi was reluctant to cross, yet that day she couldn't afford to give up just because of a racket.

Seeing the state of things, she felt hardly dressed for the occasion. Wearing one of her finest white shirts, black vest, black hose, brown leather gloves and boots, a blue cowl and blue-feathered short brim hat, she felt somewhat overdressed for the occasion. Yet first impressions were somewhat more important than fitting in, she thought. In one manner she'd adapted her look to a more pragmatic style - her long brown hair, normally flowing freely down to her shoulder blades, was now tied in a bow near the nape of her neck. Still an elegant look, yet more reserved.

With a feeble sense of determination, she straightened out her clothes and entered the establishment. Within she found a much expected sight - drinks spilling just barely within their intended targets, whores getting passed around with little regard for clothing, shouting matches that occasionally turned violent in brief but mostly nonlethal altercations. Huntsmen spent their nights like there was no tomorrow, and for a lot of them, that could very well be true. It was a greatly risky profession, where seemingly every job entailed casualties of some sort, and the kinds of deaths one could suffer or witness were a subject of nightmares on their own. And yet, despite its uncultured exterior, to Holis it was a noble profession, one that kept civilization afloat in a sea of madness and horror, and one that she greatly wished to contribute to.

She took a while attempting to ascertain where Venn might be, but given she didn't even know exactly what Venn looked like, other than that she'd be a tigress, nor even which of the five storeys she may've been on, she quickly gave up. Moving towards the barkeep, all the while taking care not to step on any stray limbs or sharper equipment, she got to see members of some more renowned packs of huntsmen, their particular colours, clothing and emblems vibrantly visible even in the dim conditions. The black and red of the Hated Sons, the red and gold of the Golden Bows, the purest black of Fotrik's Band. All were nearly the subject of worship for their prowess in wresting living space from the all-encroaching dark in their world. And even with their denial of female candidates, to Holis they were likewise all but hallowed.

Finally she reached the bar, having had to squeeze her way in between other patrons more interested in each other's company than ordering drinks. Though Holis herself wasn't there for drink either.

"Barkeep!!", Holis screamed past the surrounding cacophony. It seemed to have gained the old crocodile's attention. As he turned towards her, Holis got to see he missed an eye, and bore the characteristic signs of old acid burns upon his face. A veteran, she realized, yet one she failed to recognize. Perhaps his career had ended before it truly took off.

"Whadyou want, girl?", the croc asked as he neared, his gravelly voice somehow able to rise above the noise on its own.

"I hear Venn is here hiring.", Holis said.

"Migh' be, migh' not.", the croc said with a dismissive shrug. "I don' tell jus' anyone 'bout what goes on here.", he said.

Of course, 'just anyone' meant unpaying customers. Holis dug out and placed a silver souket on the bar. "Mead. And hold the extras. I'm not looking for a sleep-fuck tonight.", she said.

The croc smirked, then palmed the coin and moved back towards one of the kegs. He came back with a mug and placed it in front of Holis. "'fore I let you off, tell me what madness drove you here.", he asked.

"Hmpf. That's none of your concern.", Holis said and pulled the mug towards herself.

"Not givin' y' a choice.", the croc said with a frown.

Holis rolled her eyes. He was being much too nosy. "Just thought it shouldn't only be men that bleed for Casgot.", she said. Hardly the whole truth, but he didn't need to know her life story.

"Y'r kind do plenty a' bleeding.", the croc said with a grin. A rather tasteless joke that only made Holis roll her eyes once more.

"I'll choose how I bleed for my country.", Holis said in a dry tone, then took her first swig. Rather good mead, she had to admit.

"Tha' so?", the barkeep asked with a toothy smile. "Y' talk fancy.", he then noted.

Holis raised a brow. Though it was clean next to the gutter-talk quite common here, it wasn't exactly clergy speak. "Hardly.", she said.

"Y' some noble type, eh?", the croc asked, eyeing her more closely.

"That's well beyond your business.", Holis insisted, then sank her mouth in her drink.

"Ay, I know yer type.", the croc began. "Raised by plantation men, eh?", he asked.

Holis's eyes widened. His assessment was all too accurate for how uneducated it was.

"Some blighters got yer ma and pa an' now you wan' get back at em, eh? Tough luck an' all, but seekin' revenge only adds 'nother corpse to the pile, an' yers would be a pretty one.", the croc went on.

Holis frowned at this. Now he was divinating her future as well? She hardly cared for such prattle, though it did unnerve her to think hers in particular was a road well travelled and paved in blood.

"Appreciate the advice, but I'm set in my ways. Point me towards Venn or see this drink spilt over your head.", Holis said sternly, her annoyance all too apparent.

"Third floor, 'neath the stairs to the fourth. She a tiger, wearin' blue and white. Don' haunt here once y're dead, though.", the croc said with a toothy smile.

Holis tipped her feathered hat and made her way up with mug in hand. Along the way she got to witness even more scenes of debauchery - two men entwined in a desperate fistfight where blows landed with little regard for honour, some drunkards seemingly passed out over the stairs, and of course, some unconscious-looking vixen being ravaged in public atop a table. Such sights were all but common in such establishments, though perhaps usually they were more expected at later hours.

As she reached the third floor, Holis felt a hand quite suddenly ride up between her legs and grope her crotch. She jumped up and grimaced, but resisted the urge to turn around. Confrontation could only make things worse for her in this place, and so she hurried on.

Finally she found the small space where her soon-to-be employer sat - Venntris Setrik the tigress, formerly of the Ashlanders until their disbandment not two years ago. She was something of a role model for aspiring female huntsmen, perhaps even male ones as well, and there she was before her. Her face was littered with scars just barely perceptible among her natural stripes. From beneath her tilted tricorne hat descended a set of short auburn hair. Her current attire of a tunic bore the colours of their particular band - the white and blue of the Sky Songs.

At her side sat some unknown white wolfess with a blindfold over her eyes and only a sleek grey silver-lined robe for clothing. Her hair was likewise white, short in length and swept back behind her ears.

"Here for the sign up?", Venn spoke up, eyeing the unsteadily approaching doe.

Holis nodded, continuing to eye the wolfess curiously.

"Take a seat.", Venn said casually.

The doe did as told, her seat distant from the wolfess. Something about the lupine unnerved her.

"Can you talk?", Venn asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yes.", Holis said, still feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Tesket here holds certain abilities that help me ascertain whether someone's viable for the job.", Venn said.

"Someone can be unviable?", Holis asked in worry. She preferred not to be left out over some unspecified witchcraft.

"Just let her touch you.", Venn said and gestured towards Tesket.

With a growing sense of uncertainty, Holis slid her hand towards the white wolfess. Tesket, in turn, pulled back the sleeve of the doe's shirt, just enough to bare a bit of forearm, then placed her bare hand upon that spot. For a while she seemed unmoving, sat there as though gazing into visions distant, when suddenly she unhanded the doe and leaned in towards Venn, only to say something in inaudible whisper.

Venn raised a brow, then frowned, quite apparently contemplating something, though only for a moment. "You'll do.", she then said, continuing to stare off into space as though she wasn't certain whether she'd made the right choice.

"What was that about?", Holis asked.

"You'll do.", Venn repeated, clearly preferring that this remain unknown. "Now then, any equipment of your own?", she asked.

"A set of plate armour, sword, dagger.", Holis iterated.

"Huh. Rich girl.", Venn noted.

"It was inherited and refitted.", Holis said, feeling somewhat like she was being judged harshly. "My name is Ho-"

"No names for now.", Venn cut her off sternly. "Names are for those who get through the first hunt.", she said.

Holis froze at this, but said no more. Though the sentiment was likely quite pragmatic, it made her feel rather expendable, and not very optimistic about the coming assignment.

"We set out at noon, from the North-Western gate. Don't be late, else you get left behind.", Venn concluded.

"What will we be hunting?", Holis asked.

"You'll find out tomorrow.", Venn said.

"But what should I prepare for?", Holis asked on, hoping to wrest more proper answers.

"Bring as much as you can carry. We'll have a cart and some carracks ready to haul it till it's needed.", Venn explained.

"And what of pay?", Holis asked.

"Even split of a thousand per head for the first hunt. If you survive, that is.", Venn said.

Holi contemplated the offer carefully. It was suspicious, the way they seemed so disinterested in finer knowledge of their recruits. Yet being a huntsman was deadly work, and there was little use for names of people you would only know for a day or two before they ended up prey to some beast. If she wanted to join their ranks, she had little choice but to comply.

"Very well. I'll be there.", Holis said and got back up. She had preparations to see to, and would require a decent night's rest to be fully prepared, though that seemed a rather unlikely prospect given the nightmares she suffered on nights more peaceful.

---

The following morning she made her way towards the planned meeting point. Some were already there by the time she arrived, gathered in a haphazard mob of faces concerned or pretending indifference. Just over a dozen so far, predominantly feline, caprine and canine, a few armed with simple swords, axes and daggers, but most of them unarmed. Much like Holis, for now they wore only plain clothing, though none seemed to have brought clothes more refined. No doubt for some, it'd prove to be the clothes they die in.

Stood amid their numbers, Holis began to look for standouts within this crowd, people she thought would be more likely to survive. The one that caught her sight the most turned out to be a rather large reindeer, almost kin to her species, though considerably larger and antlered like a male. Upon her scalp sat a wild tuft of orange, a contrast to her greyish brown and black fur. A small scar decorated her right cheek, and a much nastier looking tear left her right ear looking concerningly dangly. She certainly seemed a veteran of some kind.

"Hey there!", Holis suddenly heard someone cheerfully call out in a voice almost childish. She turned to find an oncoming black goat, her welcoming smile out in full. Her hair was shoulder length and messily swept back, black as the rest of her. Above peeked out two small horns, likely filed down to their present unintimidating size. "Rather well dressed fer th' shit we're in for.", she commented, still smiling.

"I'll not be wearing this to battle, if that's what you mean.", Holis answered with a shrug.

"Name's Rentsei.", the goat said, her hand stretched out in greeting.

"I thought we're to spare names until this is over.", Holis noted with some concern.

"I'll not tattle if y' won't.", Ren said in mock whisper.

Holis wasn't sure she wished to share names quite yet. Chances were one of them would be dead within the day, though she'd already been given a name to care about. "Holisin.", she said and met the goat's hand with her own.

"Pleasure.", Ren said, her smile somehow broadening even further.

Holis couldn't return the gesture. Her thoughts were much too caught up in the idea of seeing that smile fade amid blood and death. She didn't wish it, it simply seemed inevitable.

"So wha' brings y' here?", Ren then asked, bringing Holis's mind back to the present.

"In a sense... vengeance.", Holis said. "I've lost much to the beasts. I simply wish to aid in culling their numbers.", she said.

"Y're nah' alone there.", Ren said with laugh. "Klara, Eia and Betri 'ave similar goals.", she said, gesturing towards two felines and a mutt.

"More common than I would've expected.", Holis said with a mild frown. It was concerning to learn this.

"Well, 'm 'ere over somethin' simpler - money.", Ren said. "Figured I may as well take my chances a couple times 'r so. Payouts are great.", she said.

"I've hardly considered it.", Holis said with a tilt of her brow.

"Well, o' course. You rich folk hardly notice coin till it's all gone! Hah!", Ren said and gave the doe a hefty slap on the back.

Holis shook her head. She hardly enjoyed having her 'good fortune' brought up. Were she a common city dweller, perhaps she wouldn't have ended up so eager to hunt beasts in the first place.

---

As the hour passed by, their gathering slowly grew in number, reaching somewhere around 20 in total. Ren continued to get acquainted with everyone, raising everyone's spirits with her well-meaning smiles, and occasionally returned to brief Holis on those she'd met. Much to Holis's annoyance, this was beginning to make her feel like their odds were much better than she'd initially expected. She was well aware it was an illusion, but nonetheless found herself hoping against all hope that they might all make it out, as unlikely as it truly was for huntsmen.

She hoped the white and black spotted mutt named Yesset might earn enough money to buy herself some land of her own. That the puma named Andrala may find respect among huntsmen as a warrioress. That Nedreth the rabbit could someday buy her kin out of indentured servitude. Their hopes steadily became hers, and she feared what would become of her when they came crashing down.

It was at that moment that Venn arrived, along with her accompanying entourage of two veterans - a chocolate mare and a black panther. Their cold, humourless exterior seemed to rob the atmosphere of whatever joviality Ren might've generated among their numbers.

"A'ight, still tongues and gather 'round!", the mare called out, her voice mid-pitched and quite echoing. Much like most veteran huntsmen of the world, this one was scarred on the face as well, a triplet of claw marks running along her forehead and over her left eye. Over her scalp ran a line of wild short black hair, its front dancing before her eyes as she walked.

The panthress appeared to remain silent for the moment, keeping her arms crossed. This one had a malformed scar upon her left brow that looked to be the result of a burn of some kind. What little hair yet remained upon her scalp was black as her fur, swept to the side and reaching down to her jaw-line. She, Venn and the mare were now dressed in thin white and blue surcoats draped over armours of plate.

"Today we set out in hunt.", Venn began to announce. "Our goal is but half a day's march away. You'll be given training and equipment once we're clear of the city.", she said. "Any of you wish to back out, now's the time.", she then warned, at which a murmur erupted among those gathered.

"What is it we'll be hunting?", an angry-looking grey and brown wolfess asked. This one Ren had yet to introduce.

"You'll learn in due time. Part of the exercise is that you learn to trust the leader. Rest assured this will be one of easier things a huntsman might face.", Venn said.

Worried looks continued to be shared among the women.

"Just so we're clear, this is bloody and deadly work. Some of you will not return. Some might return crippled. Do not expect a payout to your family should you fail to return.", Venn warned.

Now the gathering truly shook, concerns turned to silent cussing and looks of discomfort. Two among them finally decided to move out of the group and leave. Soft-looking and ragged of clothing, former slaves no doubt. Probably for the best.

"A'ight, everyone not shitting their britches, follow!", the mare called out with a hearty swing of her arm.

---

Passing beyond the heavy steel gates of the city and over the cliffside drawbridge, to quite a few of them this must've been a first in their lives. Entire generations lived and died within the walls of Osserkol, never leaving its safety in search of opportunities more risky but lucrative.

Yet, just on the other side of the ravine, stretched out a more humble patch of civilization, in the form of houses clay and wooden. Their denizens knew well the dangers of such arrangements, yet they either didn't care, or were left with little choice in the matter. The city's population continued to grow, and as it did, it came to be more and more cramped, its populace slowly suffocating within its unrelenting confines, until some sought the free air outside. Yet rather than commit to the task of expanding outwards, the city then began to stretch farther and farther towards the heavens, as well as deeper underground. The outer regions seemed to have shrunk since Holis had seen them many years ago, though she'd been but a child then, and the true scale of the world likely eluded her at the time. But the rundown shacks and half-burnt husks stretching out well beyond the final line of buildings seemed to suggest she wasn't far off the mark.

---

Their drill took place within a forested clearing, amid the chirping of birds quick and resilient enough to somehow evade the horrors of this world. It proved as chaotic as one could no doubt expect from fresh recruits, particularly those among them who'd never held a weapon in their hands.

"Hold ranks! Hold! God!", the black panthress screamed at the insubordinate five shield holders attempting to keep the mare from pushing past them. Truth be told, at times it was difficult to tell what was happening, what with all of them wearing white and blue in the form of gambesons or surcoats with plate.

Venn meanwhile instructed those given pikes and halberds on how best to utilize them against the kinds of foes they would be facing. Given her full plate of armour, this was a task Holis was considered most suited for, though other than the elegant halberd she'd been lended, she retained her sword and dagger as secondary weapons were something to go wrong. As Holis soon learned, they were meant to stab and swing from beyond the shield line, at anything that may try to come in between. And in case they were surrounded, ones such as her were expected to maintain close proximity to a shield holder and shooter, to complement their individual strengths and weaknesses.

The greatest cause for concern laid in those granted heavy crossbows and hand-cannons. Many a time they clumsily swung their weapons around, risking an unintentional shot just as they pointed them where they shouldn't. Ren was among them, and she proved quite the danger with her gun. Similarly to the polearm wielders, they were expected to fire from behind the more armoured lines, and received only a shortsword for backup once they expended their shots. Holis simply hoped those shots wouldn't land at their backs, as she doubted her plate would be up to the task of stopping a musket ball.

"Alright, enough!", Venn called out towards the disorganized show. "Gather 'round. It is time to learn what you'll be up against.", she announced and held a piece of parchment aloft in her hand.

Amid the curious crowd, Holis caught only glimpses of its visage. Wiry and spry, this tailless creature seemed to sit in wait, ready to pounce at its prey with long muscular legs and a quad of mandible-like jaws filled with teeth. It held no eyes, but instead had a pair of long antennae protruding from the top of its head in front of it. Perhaps more curiously, the picture displayed a long tongue lashing out before it.

"This is a tsilch, also known as a tonguer or biter.", Venn began. "They are not very large as far as beasts go - barely waist-high. But that just makes them difficult to hit. They are fast, they jump, and they can pull you in with their tongues.", she iterated. "Keep a blade on hand to drive into their maws, cause if they reel you in between their teeth, you're fucked.", she warned. "Their brain is located near the end of their neck, at the nape, though you'll find better luck aiming at the lungs and heart.", she then said, pointing out the appropriate areas on the picture. "Just remember to keep each other covered and your weapons pointed at the beasts.", she concluded, then paused as though considering something. "May the Great One show mercy.", she added, running a line down the middle of her forehead and muzzle with her thumb.

"Till the final call.", some among the gathering answered in discordant chorus.

---

Their march took them deep into the forests, into areas where it seemed almost night during the lightest of times. With lanterns in hand, they continued to traverse the overgrown foliage, occasionally running across ancient scenes of death and dismay - bones scattered among the remains of long forgotten buildings, wagons and fences. Memories of times long past, as well as tragedies more recent.

"We near the designated area, assume formation and be vigilant!", Venn called out ahead. She and her two companions were hanging back upon scaled steeds with large jagged shield-like protrusions on their heads, called carracks. This was to be trial by fire for the newcomers, she'd said.

Marching on high alert, it felt like they might be ambushed at any moment, the very swaying of leafy tree branches bringing unbeckoned sights to the imagination. Every bush, mound and hollow trunk seemed like the place their dangerous prey may suddenly jump out of. Holis couldn't even be certain whether the chittering she heard came from insects unseen or something much more foul. They could only seek solace in the belief that the Great One would protect them.

Just as spirits began to calm anew, a sudden swish within the bushes made everyone stop in their tracks. With some sense of uncertainty, the shield women stood out towards the source of the disturbance, the others following closeby in an attempt at maintaining formation upon the uneven terrain. The rustling within the leaves seemed to intensify, until suddenly, a strand of flesh seemed to fly out.

Flack!

"Ah!", shouted one of the women, a white cat named Fellis, as her shield was taken hold of by the strange, slimy appendage. Other shouts of fright soon joined her, just as the shield was suddenly yanked out of her hands and flew into the undergrowth.

"Somebody fire!", another shouted. The shields ducked down along with the polearms, permitting the shooters to take finer aim, yet there was little to aim at.

KRAK!

The sound of just one of the hand-cannons proved surprisingly deafening fired so close above Holis's head. A crossbow bolt then followed, though whether they hit anything it was hard to say.

"Move to clearer ground! To clearer ground!", they heard Venn shout from far behind. Indeed, they'd been met with opposition in an area ideal for ambush, and needed to move to a better vantage point before things got really out of hand.

"Up the hill!", one among them shouted. And so they moved upwards, attempting to maintain a line of shields between them and their last sighting of the enemy.

"Yugh!", they heard from amid the shields. Holis turned just in time to see Fellis, the cat who'd lost hold of her shield moments earlier, pulled towards the vile living visage of the tsilch by her face. Its many jaws swung apart to reveal horrifying rows of yellowed teeth, at their centre a thin tongue rapidly reeling in its writhing prey along the leafy turf. Some uncertainly looked to move in and help, but in the end they preferred to remain in the relative safety of formation. Her muffled screams continued to echo throughout the forest until the creature enveloped her entire head and bit down, though even then her struggles yet continued on.

Their shooters found themselves unable to find clear targets with Fellis still writhing against the horrid creature, when suddenly her body fell from its grasp, bereft of head, yet still twitching obscenely. Another hand-cannon and crossbow fired, just as the beast turned tail and ducked into a line of bushes. There was no telling if any of the projectiles met their mark, and there was little time to dwell on it.

"In the trees!", they heard Venn shout from somewhere.

They all looked up to find that indeed, the canopy above was littered with their numbers, and as they met the creatures' gazes, so the beasts rapidly began to descend.

"Form up!", the reindeer among them, named Millith, screamed angrily. They had yet a ways to go up the hill, but at the very least they were in a clearing, and the descending beasts would not surround them so easily.

Holis quickly found one among the shield holders to stand by, a grey wolfess named Zerith. She was likewise joined by Ren, currently struggling to reload her hand cannon on the move, her hands shaking as she fought to pour in the proper amount of gunpowder.

Much to everyone's horror, rather than approach their front, the creatures then began to fan out, seeking places more vulnerable in their formation. A tongue lashed out at one of the shield holders once more, only this time it was met with cold steel, cleaving it down the middle. The beast responsible backed off, coughing blood from its maw, then suddenly began to charge.

At that point, true chaos began. The tsilch leapt over their formation, only to break against the soil and begin charging at the shooters. One of the crossbows fired immediately and missed, the other only managed to fire once it ran into their ranks.

"Ack!", one of the pike wielders, a cougar named Oftis, yelped as a crossbow bolt struck her in the abdomen. She dropped shortly after, clutching her injured side.

"YeaAAGH!!!", another blood-curdling scream erupted, this time from one of the gunners, an ewe called Dreiti. Her weapon was torn away from her along with her arms up to her elbows. Blood gushing, she collapsed back in shock, still attempting to back away and preserve what little was left of her life.

Seeing the event in such close proximity, Holis quickly shook off her shock and swung her halberd overhead onto the creature's form. With a hard thwack and a gush of thick black blood, her weapon met its mark, embedding itself in the beast's back. It gave out something of a high pitched rattle as it seemed to finally succumb to death. This was just the first, however.

With a sudden resounding 'thock', Holis felt her helmet bumped harshly, then just as quickly pulled off her head. She had but a moment to turn and see her headgear flying towards a tsilch, when another seemed to charge at her. As it leapt through the air at the doe, Holis fumbled with her sword, desperate to unsheathe it, when suddenly a pike wielding ewe named Sikis stepped in front of her and braced.

The beast gave out a shriek as it ended up impaling itself on the long spear through its torso. It continued to thrash and rattle, until Millith came in and impaled it through the head with her own halberd.

KRAK!

Another of the blighted beasts fell, this time to a gun blast from Ren that unexpectedly met its mark. Some other was effectively staved off by the throwing knives of Trellis, a canine crossbow wielder who'd foregone reloading in favour of the lighter throwing weapon. It retaliated with a lash of its tongue, but this suddenly found itself slashed off by Azi, one of the shield holders.

Though the fight seemed to have turned for the better, they were still losing women.

"Agh!", shouted one of the shield holder, the unknown angry grey wolfess, as she got tongued away by her back and into the underbrush, and though she slashed around with her sword as she went, her screams left little room for optimism. Azi had her leg taken off at the knee by one that'd run in low, but it swiftly met its end at the spear ends of the polearms, only for one of them, a mutt named Yesset, to have her throat gouged out by another of the foul beasts.

With another two dead tsilch, the encounter was at an end, everything corrupt and putrid lying still upon the soil, only the cries of the injured left to unsettle the quiet of the forest. It was difficult to gauge just how many they'd lost, nor how many would soon join those numbers. They now had to hope their leaders would know how best to limit those numbers.

"Fine work.", Venn said as she rode up and nearly jumped off her large-headed steed. "Tend to the wounded, tie off the stumps! Rest of you gather up some wood and start a fire.", she urgently instructed.

Holis ran up to one she'd seen injured worst - the ewe Dreiti, now left armless and bleeding heavily. She quickly undid her belt and tied it around one of the upper arms. Ren helped secure the other.

Venn then drew her sword and walked up to the armless Dreiti. "Do you wish to live?", she asked, her sword pointed at her throat.

"I... guh... ngh...!", Dreiti cried through gritted teeth, seemingly delirious with pain.

Venn sighed heavily, then harshly drove the blade up Dreiti's skull. Holis froze in shock at the sight. It horified her to think the ewe might've simply been unable to speak, even if Holis herself couldn't imagine wishing to live without arms. Yet there she now laid, dead and staring off into the void, Holis's belt still tied around her arm.

The tigress spared no time and likewise walked up to one who'd lost her leg. "Do you wish to live?", she asked, the still bloodied blade at the cougar's face.

Azi nodded bitterly, likewise gritting her teeth as women pulled on belts fastened around her thigh to stem the bleeding.

"Light the fire with oil. We need heated blades to stem the bleeding now.", Venn commanded. "Any stragglers?", she called out elsewhere.

"Got a live one!", someone called back. It turned out to be Venn's two accompanying officers - the mare and panthress. They were carrying someone by the armpits, the lupine shield holder who'd been pulled in and lost sight of. She was splattered with blood both red and black. "Got bit and clawed at, but took two of the shits.", the mare explained, sounding quite pleased.

"Clean the wounds and stem any bleeding.", Venn commanded, then began to wander the site of their battle. She began to methodically stab into each and every corpse, of foe but also ally alike. Holis finally got up and went to help with the dressing of wounds, the reality of the last couple minutes still flashing before her eyes as though it hadn't actually happened. Only after some minutes of cleaning wounds did she realize she'd pissed herself at some point, though she likely wasn't the only one.

---

"How's our numbers?", Venn asked.

"Four dead, one missing, likely fled, three lightly wounded, one maimed.", the mare iterated.

"Eight of the blighters dead, though.", the panthress said.

Venn sighed to herself. Apparently this hadn't been the outcome she'd hoped for. Everyone was now gathered in front of the wagon, most seemingly still living through the experience. Despite their success, it hardly felt like a victory. It felt like they'd stepped in shit up to their necks, and some never came out.

Venn stepped onto the wagon, granting herself an elevated position. "Ladies, I congratulate you all. You are now huntsmen.", she began and raised her fist. "We lost some people, and by all likelihood they didn't deserve it, but such is the life of a huntsman. We fight beasts that most will never see in their lives, that are greater threat on their own than the strongest, most armed of soldiers, that in their packs and hives are even more terrifying a danger to all we hold dear. We keep that danger at bay!", she shouted, growing more fervent with every sentence. "Be proud of what you've accomplished today! You are now part of the bulwark that holds the terrors of dark at bay! A song of skies clear blue!", she shouted, punctuating her words with a thud of her fist to her armoured chest.

Her two officers beat their own chests in response, and were soon followed in more disorganized fashion by the rest.

"Now let's pack up and head back. You've a bounty to collect, and we've a night of carousing ahead!", Venn went on.

Though Holis hardly felt like celebrating, she very much wished to drown some memories in booze.

---

Lying upon a bed soft but lumpy, Holis awoke with a strong ache in her head. This wasn't a first for her in that regard, though she soon realized she'd forgotten more of how she'd gotten there than usual. Just not the things that prompted her to drink so.

"Oh God.", she groaned, holding onto her scalp as though trying to keep it from exploding.

"Hung over, huh?", she suddenly heard a voice distinctly male ask.

Holis's eyes shot open, only to close again in response to the murderous glare of white. With a hand raised to block excess light, she opened her eyes once more, only to find the source of the voice standing over her. Antlered and fully nude, there stood a buck even in her groggy state she could only describe as wondrous. His dark hair was short and up-swept, his handsome face unmarked by scars, those well-kept antlers of his placing some primal desires in Holis's mind that she could seldom explain. And that was before she'd lowered her sights towards the darker streak of fur running down towards his flaccid manhood.

"Drink.", the buck offered a bottle of some kind.

With a grateful nod, Holis took it and gulped it greedily. Plain water, she quickly realized. Still a decent treatment for her woes.

"Remember me, at least?", the buck asked with a pleasant smile, hands now cockily upon his hips.

"Uh.", Holis began, looking at him long and hard, attempting to coax memories from her mind she wasn't even sure were there. "Sorry, no.", she admitted, then continued to drink some more.

"Heh.", the buck chuckled with a tilt of his head. "Then let me introduce myself anew.", he said with a rather sarcastic-looking bow. "I am Cathhan, spearman of the Hated Sons.", he said.

Holis froze at this. She knew of him quite well, as few huntsmen could boast of accomplishments such as his. She had indeed failed to recognize someone so renowned... and apparently she'd just slept with him.

"I like that this is the second time you act so surprised. That's a first.", Cath said with a toothy smile and slipped into bed next to her, resting his head over his arms. It put his musculature on full display, including an old scar running along the left of his ribs.

"Just... unexpected.", Holis said, still trying to imagine how it came to this. At best she could recall Venn's talks of... something. She couldn't remember, but it seemed important. Yet for the moment she could see no greater importance than her sudden encounter.

"You're hardly a common occurence yourself.", Cath said in answer. "A lady huntsman with a kill to her name.", he said, the tone of his voice suggesting it was as entertaining as impressive.

"Perhaps. Though not of the same calibre.", Holis said in stupor.

"Stroke my ego no more.", Cath said with a laugh and wave of his arm. "Though I wouldn't mind a different kind of stroking.", he then said, at which point his hand abruptly reached in and grabbed Holis between the legs.

Holis was in shock anew. To her mind, they'd met but a minute ago, and here they were naked in bed, with him prying fingers into her sex without question. Yet, even with her present disdain for the idea of sex with a hangover, she didn't protest. He was Cathhan of the Hated Sons, vanquisher of over a hundred beasts, many among those at least twice his size. Who was she to deny a living legend such as him?

With a clear void in confidence, her own hand made its way down towards Cath's parts, along his rock hard abdomen and the fuzz leading down to his groin. The feeling of his silky soft member and fuzzy balls felt strangely pleasant, though the ache pounding at her head was making it a lot less enjoyable than it could've been.

"I really prefer if we did this when I'm better.", Holis finally admitted with a disappointed sigh. "My head's killing me.", she said, palming her temples.

"I understand.", Cath conceded with a smile that felt condescending somehow, then got back up off the bed and walked up to a dresser. "What if I said you could sleep it off and still make me happy?", he then asked, holding up a small bottle.

Holis had a decent idea of what it was - a knockout drug, probably the sowsleep. She frowned at the prospect, but after some consideration, decided it might be worth entertaining, if only to omit having to suffer through her headache. Perhaps it'd aid in loss of memories less pleasant as well. Of the grizzly deaths she'd witnessed, of comrades lost before they could've truly gotten to know each other, and of how she herself had gotten through it all unscathed whilst others had ended up maimed or worse. It'd make the buck happy, at the very least, and despite his self-serving attitude, he was still a legendary huntsman she very much admired. And like that, her attitude turned around completely.

"Alright.", Holis said and took the bottle in hand.

"Heh, my kind of girl.", Cath said with a grin. "Just take one sip, it's potent stuff.", he warned.

Holis uncorked the bottle, just the faint smell of oily herbs making her head sway. For a while she hesitated, thinking back to just what she was doing. She was rendering herself unconscious for the sake of granting a horny buck access to her cunny, all the while entrusting him with her nude defenseless body. This was insane... and yet she felt determined to go through with it, an onset of memories she was fairly certain she didn't want presently scratching at the back of her mind, threatening to come back to the forefront of her thoughts. Stifling any sense of doubt, she took a quick sip and corked it again.

She had little time to contemplate how she'd just irrevocably given up control of her body, her final moments spent experiencing an adrenaline rush followed by an oncoming sense of drowsiness, then a deep sense of weakness in her limbs, until finally she could only lie there limp, any sense of logic in the world draining away. In those last moments of clarity, she saw a buck standing over her, though who he was or what he wanted evaded her. Yet for some reason a sense of relief accompanied her confusion. He smiled, and so did she. Or at least she tried.