FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this story are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All characters are of legal and consenting age; likewise, if you are reading this story you should be of legal age in your respective country.

All characters are my creation, any resemblance to existing characters is purely coincidental and not intentional, please do not use them without permission. If you would like to use them in a story, please send me a PM either as Inja on SoFurry or TheRealInja on FA. As always, I am open to new story ideas or situations with existing characters.

**********************************************************************************

Authors Foreword: I wanted to keep this as African as possible, so I am throwing in some real African legendary creatures in here. It took a bit of digging and I learned a few new interesting things in the process, so I hope they translate well as I have taken some liberties and poetic license with them. Even Mwizi's makeshift soap is a local plant ;3

1. Grootslang

Grootslang is an Afrikaans word meaning "great snake." The monster of that name lives in a cave called the Wonder Hole in the Richtersveld area of South Africa. The story is that the original Grootslang was found to be too powerful, so the gods subdivided the animal into two species: the elephant and the snake. However, a Grootslang or two escaped this fate and reproduced. The monster can grow up to 60 feet long. Supposedly, its cave is full of diamonds, but no one knows for sure because the Grootslang guards it well.

1. Impundulu

The Impundulu or Lightning Bird is a supernatural bird from Pondo, Zulu, and Xhosa folklore. The South African bird is as big as a human and can summon lightning and storms, hence the name. The bird is sometimes a shape shifter that can appear as a human, and sometimes said to be a supernatural familiar that guards a witch or witch doctor. It will attack people and drink their blood. However, parts of the Impundulu or its eggs have medicinal powers.

**********************************************************************************

As Mwizi sat upon Huzuni's shoulder, she raised a paw to her eyes to block out the morning sun and scan the horizon. Her other hand resting on his baldhead for balance as he trundled along the dusty path toward the secret river he had told her about.

"You sure there's a river around here?" the small black-backed jackal asked as she squinted into the bright morning sun.

"More of a dam actually, slow moving water in a deep pool. It's hidden behind tall grass and bottle brush..." the elephant replied almost cheerily.

"Must be over there, that spot looks greener than everywhere else," Mwizi pointed out, yelping as Huzuni nodded in affirmation and nearly toppled her from her perch.

"Sorry, I'm not used to someone riding on me," he apologized, quickly reaching up to grab her before she fell.

"Well dropping me wouldn't be the worst thing you've done to me so far..." she grinned and scooped up a little of the sticky mess still clinging to her fur, wiping it across his brow and uttering in a reverent tone "Simbaaa.."

"What?" the pachyderm asked in a confused tone.

"Nothing, guess you had to be there to get that," the small canine giggled and patted his cheek affectionately.

True to his word, Huzuni led them to the small secluded dam, the tall grass and bottle brush was thick around the water's edge and hid it well. As Huzuni lowered her down into the water once he was waist deep, Mwizi could feel the slight pull of the running waters current. It was subtle, but it was definitely there, at least the water was not stagnant, as she had feared.

Wading her way to the water's edge, Mwizi was happy to find a small soap-nettle tree close by and quickly snatched a few larger leaves from a low hanging branch. A loud splash caught her attention, turning just in time to see Huzuni's form sink below the water with only his trunk above the surface. As the large doofus turned his snout this way and that, Mwizi couldn't help but laugh at the display. Shaking her head as she stalked around the dam's edge to find two rocks big enough to crush up the soap-nettle leaves and use them to clean herself.

After working up a nice lather and cleaning her fur, Mwizi scrubbed herself thoroughly before leaving Huzuni to play in the water. Turning to look one last time at his trunk moving back and forth across the surface of the water, the small canine laughed to herself and shook her head before muttering "idiot," before looking for somewhere to sun herself and dry off.

The sun was nice and warm after the cold water, soon casting the suddenly tired Mwizi into a peaceful slumber. She had not gotten much sleep the night before thanks to her first encounter with Huzuni. In her dreams, she kept repeating the same cycle, over and over again. Being cornered by the hyena's she owned money to, but every time just before they could hurt her, a large figure would come to her rescue. With each passing cycle, Mwizi felt less afraid, knowing that someone was looking out for her.

When a shadow fell across her face, she smiled before opening her eyes and expecting to see Huzuni smiling down at her. Instead, she saw two unfortunately familiar hyena's grinning down at her. Scrambling back to try escape, one of them caught her by the ankle before the other larger one grabbed her by the throat to lift her up into the air.

"Hello Sunshine, did you miss me?" the smaller of the two grinned darkly at her.

"Bosi, what're you doing here? I was just on my way to come see you..." Mwizi gasped as she clutched at the wrist of the other larger hyena's hand squeezing down on her throat.

"Sure you was, no doubt to pay off your debt to me too, right? But here's the thing, you missed the deadline," Bosi growled, reaching down to his hip and withdrawing a vicious looking dagger.

"Wait, I was coming to see you, honest!" Mwizi whined as the blade drew closer to her face.

Bosi grinned as he inched the blades tip closer to the struggling little jackal's pretty amber left eye, only stopping to stare up at the sky in confusion as he was suddenly cast in shadow.

"Put her down, now..." a deep rumbling voice spoke from behind the canines. Mwizi was dropped to the ground, landing on her behind with a grunt as the two hyena whirled about to face the source of the voice. Slowly their gaze rose up along the nude form of the large elephant glaring down at them.

"Who the fuck are you?" Bosi snapped.

"Yeah, why're you interfering with our business with this whore?" Ngumi growled, drawing his own dagger and snarling threateningly at the elephant.

"She's not a whore!" Huzuni bellowed, grabbing the larger hyena by the wrist holding the dagger and about his throat before tossing him bodily overhead and back into the dam with a loud splash. "Here, take this and wipe her slate clean...for good, or else," he huffed, extending his hand out and offering the golden band Mwizi had attempted to steal the night before.

"Huzuni, no!" Mwizi tried to plead with him, rushing over to pull his hand back.

"I've no need of it to remind me of her, I've found a new light to brighten my days," the one eyed giant smiled down at her. Mwizi lowered her ears, staring up at Huzuni with tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Fine, her debt is cleared. She's your problem now...word of advice though, don't trust her. She don't care about no one but herself, she'll leave the first chance she gets," Bosi smirked and snatched the band from Huzuni's outstretched trunk; nodding back over his shoulder for Ngumi to follow. The large hyena glaring at the elephant as he passed, muttering "I lost my knife..." like a complaining child as he stomped after his boss.

"You shouldn't have done that, not for me at least," Mwizi sighed and stared down at her feet.

"It was my choice to make, and I'd make it a hundred times over...Mwanga," Huzuni smiled down at her, reaching beneath her chin to lift her gaze to his one good eye. She could see he was telling the truth, years of living on the street had taught her how to read people. Everything in his gaze told her he had no regrets for his decision and he did truly care for her.

"Idiot...," she again said with a sigh, though her smile was returning. "You know you just technically bought me, right? At least by their standards..."

"Then I definitely got the better part of that trade!" Huzuni laughed and ruffled her ears.

"Now what?" Mwizi asked after a long moment of silence.

"Well you're free now, to do whatever you want, go where ever you want too," he replied honestly, pausing a moment before continuing. "Even if that is without me, I will not stop you from leaving if that is what you truly wish."

With a sly smile, she peered up at Huzuni, stepping in closer against him to rub her smaller soft furred form to his. Her small paws gripping at his flaccid member and starting to stroke at him, rubbing his length against her crotch, belly and even between her breasts while she leaned down to lick and kiss at the base of his member.

"You don't have to do that..." Huzuni huffed, taking his turn to blush now as the small canine began to fondle and tease his length.

"I'm free now, remember? I can do whatever I want, and what I want right now is to say thank you," she replied while kneeling down before him. As the elephant's thick length began to stiffen and grow, it stood out impressively from his crotch before her as she licked and kissed her way down along the underside to his large heavy sack, it was an even more impressive sight in the daytime. "This would be easier with you laying down though..."

Huzuni nodded dumbly before doing as suggested, laying down on the spot where Mwizi had been sunning herself moments prior. No sooner had he laid down for her did she climb up atop him, this time laying facing his feet and with her thighs straddling his broad chest, Huzuni got his first real intimate view of the smaller canine. His large hands rested at her behind, gently squeezing and caressing as she tried to stuff his cock into her maw, but only managed a few inches, though even that was enough for him to groan and huff heatedly.

Huzuni curiously brushed his right thumb down between her thighs and across her little pink slit, feeling more than hearing her response as she groaned around his flesh filling her maw. The way her hips raised and wiggled back against his touch, he took as an invitation to continue. Slowly pushing his thick digit inside her, feeling how snug the little jackal was as she again groaned even louder around his cock. His thumb again feeling thicker than most males of her species as he began to work the digit back and forth within her.

Mwizi was glad he couldn't see her face, lips stretched around his thick length with her eyes almost rolling back into her head in pleasure from even just his thumb inside her. Her small black furred hands stroking and rubbing at his member as fast and hard as she could manage, but with his real and direct touch between her thighs, she felt herself careening toward her climax already.

Her legs kicked out, toes spreading and stretching before clenching tight. Her bushy tail flicking side to side while her hips bucked and writhed against his grip on her behind all through her climax, having to slip her lips from his tip to gasp for breath. As she nuzzled against the side of his length, she felt Huzuni's cock pulse and throb hard before a hot splash of something landed along her back and shoulders, soon followed by another and another.

"Well...seems you bought yourself the world's most expensive and bitchy cumrag..." Mwizi laughed, giving his length a few more pumps between kisses and licks along its side.

"Still worth it..." Huzuni replied with a laughing pant of his own.

"At least we don't have far to go to get cleaned up this time, though you're washing my back this time mister!" Mwizi turned to roll onto her side and grin back at him.

*************************************************************************************

The weeks and months started to drift on by, Mwizi and Huzuni barely ever leaving one another side for more than a couple of hours, their nights spent in one another's arms. They travelled along the grassy plains, visiting many different tribes and helping out where ever they could. At first many people looked at the odd couple funny, not only was it due to their size difference, but it quickly became apparent to anyone watching more than a couple of minutes that they were more than just friends.

As word of them spread from village to village of the duo, the elephant and black-backed jackal's infamy soon became legend. Not only for helping those in need, but also for being brave enough to flaunt tradition and openly proclaim their love for one another despite being not only different species, but predator and prey as well.

A few elders would not hold their tongues at times, but it was nothing Huzuni and even at times Mwizi could not handle. If they were not able to simply ignore them, they were more than ready to defend their relationship with tooth and tusk alike. Their relationship soon began to spark others around them, couple of all different species and sizes began to pop up, though still there were none quite so unique as Mwizi and Huzuni.

One fateful evening as they visited one of the larger tribe's village where a few such new relationships had blossomed, it dawned on Mwizi what was missing from their relationship. Everyone around them were relatively close in size, or at least close enough to make real intimate relations possible. An impala and cheetah there, a Lioness and Zebra here. Even an African Wild Dog and a Crocodile were more physically suited than her and her lover.

She wished she could give him herself completely, smiling up at the happy go lucky elephant beside her. Huzuni watched mesmerized by the warriors dancing about the large central fire, their acrobatics like nothing he had ever seen before. However, through the flames Mwizi could see someone staring directly at her with a knowing smile. Once the old porcupine saw the jackal had spotted her, she person nodded for Mwizi to join her away from the noise and distraction of the gathered crowd.

Mwizi slipped away from beside Huzuni for a few moments, vanishing into the darkness between the round huts to hear what the old witch doctor had to say. When she returned to her seat beside Huzuni, he noticed a change in her, a nervousness and perhaps even a hint of sadness. Yet there was joy in her eyes as well when she smiled up at her lover. He'd come to know her well enough over the last year to know this was something she wasn't ready to talk about, but as always he would wrap his arm about her in a gentle reassuring hug.

*************************************************************************************

Once she had made sure Huzuni was fast asleep and would not try stop her, Mwizi snuck out from their hut in the dead of the night to begin her quest. The old medicine woman had been able to tell even from a distance what had been bothering the small black-backed jackal, noting that a love so deep could not be denied in this world or the next. Though how Mwizi had phrased her desire had given the old porcupine the vapours as she quickly had to fan herself down before proceeding. What Mwizi wanted was possible, but it was exceptionally rare to find and even more difficult to afford. However, the old witch doctor just so happened to be in possession of one of her Impundulu's eggs that would be able to grant the jackal her deepest wish.

The cost for such a priceless gift demanded a payment equally as such; not too far from the village was a ravine, which was inhabited by a Grootslang. A massive serpent known for feasting on man and beast alike, dwelling in a cave which was said to hold untold riches in diamonds. Many had tried and failed to find the riches, those that had found the cave had wound up as food for the serpent. Uchawi, the witch doctors name Mwizi had come to learn, had warned her of the task and the likelihood of her not returning if she decided to try.

"Is giving yourself completely worth risking a lifetime of the happiness you already have?" Uchawi had asked before sending Mwizi back to her lover to think over her choice.

Uchawi had told her the snake had poor vision but made up for this with its sense of smell, being a serpent it slept at night when the cold set in so when the moon was at its highest, that would be the best time to go into the cave. Lastly, the old porcupine had produced a small glass bottle filled with small flying insects, when Mwizi had looked confused, she shook the bottle and the bugs began to glow.

"A torch would provide heat and wake the serpent, these fireflies will light your way," Uchawi had offered when Mwizi had returned to her before heading out in search of the cave. Making one last stop at a small swamp to cover herself in the thick putrid mud to mask her own scent, Mwizi was ready to try stealing some Grootslang diamonds.

Mwizi came to the edge of the ravine Uchawi had told her about; any doubts about this being the correct place were quickly silenced by the scattered bones glowing faintly in the moonlight along the ravine floor. A soft breeze whispered through the gully, almost sounding like a constant hiss from the giant serpent itself. Cautiously the small jackal climbed down into the darkness where the moon could not even reach, all the while fighting her fears and doubts about the task she was undertaking.

Sure enough, a little over halfway down the cliff face she saw the opening to the Grootslang's cave and made her way across to it. Crouching low and sniffing at her fur to make sure she could not pick up her own scent, Mwizi wrinkled her nose at the foul smelling mud she had rubbed into her fur. As she stood in the mouth to the cave, she found she did not need to crouch as the opening was more than big enough, but out of habit, she stayed low and proceeded further inside. Grabbing the small glass jar filled with fireflies to give it a gentle shake to rouse the bugs and use as her only source of light in the otherwise inky blackness beyond.

Her progress was slow, having to pick her footing very carefully and not disturb any bones and loose rocks that littered the path. The world outside almost faded from reality, even with her sensitive ears Mwizi could no longer hear anything but her own breathing and heart pounding. The darkness seemed to be trying to crush her, the meagre light from the fireflies fighting valiantly to light the way like a candle in a storm and casting flickering shadows all around her.

Something glinted just at the edge of her light; Mwizi stopped dead in her tracks before leaning in closer to get a better look. It was not the diamonds she had come looking for; instead she found smooth dark green, almost black scales. Quickly clutching a hand to her muzzle to stop from making a sound when the scales moved suddenly, the snake taking a slow deep breath. Mwizi slowly followed the scales along until she was met by a cold unblinking eye. Again she froze as the eye stared straight at her, or at least it appeared to be. When the Grootslang did not so much as move or blink, she realized it must be asleep.

Mwizi was quick to remove the light from its eye before she woke the serpent, following back along its large body and further into the cave. The small jackal shuddered at the sheer size of the serpent; even Huzuni would be no match for the massive creature. As she began to wonder how long the Grootslang actually was, another glint on the ground caught her eye. This time she had found the diamonds, dozens of small glistening white and pink gems littered the ground. The jackal quickly scooped up as many as she could find into her small leather pouch, sighing in relief when she felt the weight a moment later, enough to pay the witch doctor and maybe a little more. Wiping the back of her hand across her perspiring forehead, Mwizi went rigid a moment later as something tickled the back of her neck.

Slowly the small jackal turned about and raised her jar of fireflies, swallowing hard when she saw the head of the large serpent staring down at her in the flickering light. Its jaws slowly opened to reveal dozens of curved vicious teeth and long fangs dripping something to the floor below which sizzled and bubbled on contact with the ground. The hairs on the back of Mwizi's neck stood on end, instinct telling her to run and with the life she'd lead, she knew not to ignore her instincts. No sooner had she dived and rolled to one side did the serpent come crashing down where she'd been crouching, sending bones and rocks scattering all around into the darkness.

Mwizi cursed at herself for wiping the mud away, running as fast as she dared headlong into the darkness as she tried to retrace her path down into the cave. All while a constant hiss grew louder behind her, the sound of the serpent's scales sliding over the rocky floor of the cave grating like nails against a chalkboard and setting her teeth on edge. Again her instincts screamed at her to dive out the way, the small jackal rolling forwards as the Grootslang's jaws snapped shut just above her laying prone on the ground.

Suddenly lights began to dance around her, Mwizi having missed the sound of glass breaking on her last dive. The fireflies began to flit and buzz all around, giving brief glimpses of the cave walls and flashes of the serpents face as it slithered past. The jackal began to scramble backwards as the large serpent came into view in brief pulsing flashes, growing closer with every flash of sickly yellow light.

Mwizi's hand bumped into something heavy behind her, fingers wrapping about the object and whipping it around in front of herself just as the Grootslang launched for another attack. Only to find its meal would be denied; Mwizi had found the femur of a previous meal and wedged it vertically in the Grootslang's open jaws just before they bit down on her.

"Chew on that you overgrown earthworm!" She yelled before turning and scampering back towards the source of the soft cool breeze. Behind her the serpent hissed and thrashed wildly as it tried to remove the bone from its jaws, the sound of bones and rocks alike being tossed around sounding like a violent thunderstorm from deep within the cave.

Once she was outside the cave entrance and staring up at the moon high overhead again, Mwizi took a moment to collect herself. Hefting the small leather pouch at her hip to make sure she still had what she came for before starting her climb back up the cliff and soon back to her new life.

*************************************************************************************

"Are you sure this is what you want? Once you drink this, there's no going back, and you'll forever be changed" Uchawi gesticulated emphatically, her quills rattling and rustling with her wildly waving hands.

"Yes, I'm sure. I know in my heart that if the roles were reversed, he'd do the same for me in a heartbeat," Mwizi replied with a smile.

"Very well, rest while I go make the potion," Uchawi said softly before turning about to begin gathering various items from about her hut, which she required to concoct the potion. Pausing briefly to sniff the air and turning to grimace back at the still muddy jackal. "Actually, go take a bath...you stink!"

"Believe me; I've been covered in worse..." Mwizi joked with a knowing wink that made the old porcupine blush again before she shooed the black-backed jackal from her hut.

Huzuni woke with a yawn and a pounding head a short while later, the early morning sun seeming oddly bright thanks to the strong beer he had partaken of the night before. He stumbled from his bed and looked around, a sense of dread starting to grow in his belly as he noticed for the first time in a long time, he had awoken alone. All of Mwizi's clothing and gear was gone; it seemed she had left him sometime in the night without saying a word. Huzuni felt hollow and empty, his strength leaving him suddenly as he collapsed back down to sit at the foot of their bed.

"Heads up!" came a brief warning before a ripe banana flew through the open door of their hut and splatted on the startled elephants forehead. "Still hanging, huh?" Mwizi grinned, leaning against the doorway to their shared hut.

"You're back!" Huzuni muttered with amazement, just as the banana slid down along the curve of his trunk to drop in a mangled pile on the floor.

"And then some, lover..." Mwizi purred to him, padding closer to the elephant before leaning down to slowly lick along his trunk following the trail the banana had left behind.

"Something is different...," Huzuni noted, Mwizi somehow looked lighter, happier even. Even though her fur looked darker.

"Something is different;" She agreed with a smile, "Let me show you..."

That morning most of the village was not awoken by the customary rooster crow, rather by a long and loud elephant trumpet instead.