FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Hrngh!" Amanda watched the fox struggle with the antenna. She grasped it firmly with both hands and repeatedly tugged on it. It refused to budge. With another grunt, she tried again. "Hngh!"

Bemused, Amanda continued to watch. Soon she saw the fox grow frustrated. As her face contorted to a scowl.

"Move! Dammit!" She planted both her paws firmly on the ground and gave the antenna a hefty push. A loud _SCREA!_Sounded like metal ground against metal. Amanda flinched as the high pitch noise blasted her sensitive hearing.

"It's rusted in!" The fox shouted.

Amanda swore underneath her breath. "Can you try again?"

The fox nodded, and taking a wider stance, the horse watched the fox push up the antenna with all her might. "Hnnngh!" She held the posture, her cheeks puffing up; as she continued to push, the metal made a slow, high-pitched KREEE, as centimeter by centimeter, the pole came loose. The fox yanked the antenna free; it clattered on the roof and slowly slid down.

Angela then carefully went down herself. "Here!" She tossed the antenna.

Catching the antenna, the Indagator then spoke. "We need some copper wiring."

The fox audibly groaned. "Don't tell me we have to go on another goose chase for some wire now."

Amanda cracked a smile. "Hopefully not, can look in the house you found the antenna on."

Together they entered the house. Amanda crashed through the floor.

"I think this is more suited for you." The Indagator grumbled.

"You don't need to say that again." The fox agreed and ventured further into the house. Every step she took had the floorboards squeak beneath her.

"Wait!" Amanda shouted at the fox.

"What?" The fox suddenly stopped.

"Quiet!"

There was a long silence. As Amanda carefully listened, she heard the faintest sounds of other floorboards creaking as well as some shallow breathing. She could guess it originated from the second floor of the old farmhouse.

"Angela. Upstairs. I can hear somebody." The horse hurriedly whispered.

The fox nodded and followed the instructions of the Indagator. Amanda paid close attention to the shallow breathing, distinguishing it from Angela's much more worried breathing. The horse watched Angela disappear out of her peripheral vision. She then heard the sound of a door.

"Police! Hold it right there!"

Amanda heard the fox yell.

"I'm sorry! P-please don't hurt me!"

Listening to the new voice, the monster slayer found it full of fear. It was on the verge of a breakdown. The Indagator fully expected them to simply fall apart.

"Follow me!" The fox demanded. The hyper-endowed horse tracked their pawsteps down the steps back to her. With the fox, she saw a terrified opossum-anthro with his hands up. As soon as he made eye contact with her, the opossum fainted. _Thump._The Indagator listened to the sound the anthro made as he collapsed onto the floor.

"Amanda! What was that for?!" The fox yelled. She immediately holstered her gun again and started gently slapping the opossum's cheeks.

"He's knocked out." The horse stated as she listened closely to his breathing and how it became drastically more shallow.

"Why'd you knock him out?"

"I didn't; he passed out."

The fox sighed.

"I'll take him." She lifted the opossum, gently placing him on her shoulder.

"We still need some copper wiring." The horse interjected.

"Shit!" The fox exclaimed. "I almost forgot. Here, can you hold onto him while I go search the rest of the house?" She handed the opossum to her. Amanda sighed. She set down the directional antenna and threw the opossum over her shoulder like a bag of flour.

"Gently!" The fox yelled at the Indagator. "He's not a corpse!"

Irritably, the horse sighed. "Just get the damn wire." She bent down a grabbed the antenna again.

"I am!" The fox left.

Amanda peered at the opossum anthro to get a better look at him. He was of average height; she wagered about 177cm. His fur was utterly unkempt, and his clothes were riddled with holes. She could tell he'd been living in fear for however long he's been on the farm. As his body was also gaunt.

"Got some!" The fox returned carrying a spool of copper wiring.

Together they left the house and returned to the barn they had stayed in. The fox closed the door behind them. Amanda set the body on the ground.

"Wiring." She held her hand out.

The fox handed Amanda the spool of wire and attended the opossum. The horse began her work by scraping the rust off the bottom of the antenna. She then wrapped the bottom of the directional antenna in wiring and connected her ammeter. Next, she grabbed one of the zombie's heads and placed it a distance away from her.

"Amanda!" The fox called out. She stopped what she was doing and peered at the fox. The opossum next to her had awakened and laid against the barn wall. He made eye contact with the Indagator again and froze.

"What's wrong?" Angela asked the anthro.

"She's uh-" He gulped. "Indagator."

Amanda frowned.

"What's that have to do with anything?" The multi-breasted fox inquired.

"She's gonna kill us all." The Indagtor noted the opossum's trembling voice.

"No, she isn't. I'm working with her."

"You're working with an Indagator?!" The opossum yelled, bewildered.

The obscenely-endowed horse rolled her eyes and resumed her work.

"I thought you were the police!" The opossum exclaimed, now in a state of terror.

"Yes. I'm a detective with the Ellsworth Police Department." She quickly flashed her badge.

"Then why're ye working with those people?" He motioned to the horse, busy with her work.

"I'm right here, asshole." Amanda angrily responded. She was used to people treating her differently. The bloody, morally-questionable past of Indagators made most people distrustful of them. At her response, the opossum desperately clung to the fox.

"Please don't let her kill me."

Angered. Amanda stopped and whirled around. She walked up to the opossum and angrily glared down at them.

"What is it with you people thinking Indagators are nothing but a bunch of murderers?!?! Do you know how many of us have died?!?! Protecting people like you!! Only for you to then turn around and immediately treat us like shit!!"

"Amanda!" The fox shouted. "You're making him cry!"

The opossum immediately broke down, weeping into the fox's breasts.

"GOOD! I HOPE HE CHOKES TO DEATH ON A METER-LONG STEEL ROD!"

The Indagator yelled at the top of her lungs. She then turned away and angrily continued her work.

"Amanda! That was awful!" The fox yelled, upset.

"Well, you know what's also awful? People like him." A part of her felt terrible; Another, sorry.

"Sir, I apologize for my companion's words. I'll have a talk with her momentarily." She clenched her fists. "Just stay here, for now; you'll be safe, I promise."

The opossum nodded. The fox stormed to Amanda, grabbed her cloak, and immediately tugged on it. Only for the horse not to budge a single centimeter, making the fox look like a fool.

"Indagator, could you please follow me?" The fox asked with seething fury in her voice.

Amanda set down what she was working on and followed the fox to a different part of the barn.

"A meter-long rod?! What was that about?! You made him break down!"

"Do you know how many times I've had to deal with people like him? Treating me like I'm a distant alien because of what I am?! I've seen my friends ripped apart by dragons, wyverns, ghosts, and who knows what else! Only to be rewarded with scowls, hate messages, and-"

"Amanda." Angela interrupted. "Look, I can understand your peril. You're frequently treated like dirt. But that doesn't give you any reason to go telling people to kill themselves! That's just not right!" The fox exclaimed.

The horse sighed. Agreeing with the fox.

"It doesn't matter how much you're treated like a bug. People can hate you, spit when you walk by, and do whatever else pleases their fancy." The fox's voice was gentle. "Just keep in mind, the reason they're doing that is that they're scared of what you can do. Being what you are and all. So, do me a favor and don't let it get to you."

Amanda peered at the fox. It was pretty comical, as it looked like a shrimp spoke to a giant. The horse loosened up and recovered her usual composure with a final sigh.

"I'm not apologizing." The Indagator spoke.

"Amanda! Don't do that! Apologize to him!"

"Not until he does first." With that, she finally walked away and resumed her work. It wasn't until she was almost finished did the opossum approach her on his own accord.

"E-excuse me, Indagator?"

The horse stopped as she heard a small, meek voice. She turned around, her assets making a veritable glorsh despite their highly pressurized nature.

"I'd like to apologize for my outbreak earlier. I was upset, confused, scared, didn't know what came over me. Been living like this, for God knows how long, messes with the mind. So, I'm sorry for my outbreak."

It was now, the horse noted, the opossum spoke with a southern drool. It was relatively light.

With a relieved sigh, she stated, "I'm sorry for telling you to kill yourself." Her voice was more typical. As she spoke in her usual, stern, monotone manner.

"Thank you, Indagator. And thank you for protecting folks like me from the horrible beasties outside."

The horse spun around.

"No need; it's part of the job."

"Thank yah lady. Whu-whuts yer name?"

"Amanda."

"Well, I thank yah, Amanda."

The Indagator listened to the opossum walk away. She knew herself to never be comfortable showing her emotions to others. But she found it hard to suppress her smile in situations like these.