FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Here is part 3 for this story series. I was going to initially release this chapter as a single story, but it turned out to be too long for my liking so I divided it up into two parts so I could flesh out the plot more.

I enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoy reading.

If you're not 18 or whatever the legal age is for you, please, don't read further...

To Love a Thief, Part 1

Written By: Spudz

The atmosphere inside the common room of the Paw's Palm inn became quiet as Ayesha finally managed to shoo the last patron out the door for the night. Satisfied, the innkeeper twisted the lock tight with an audible clink before turning to regard the state of her inn. The common room was a disaster as always with empty beer mugs and dirty plates strewn about the tables and even on the floor. It always amazed the tabby cat just how messy her patrons could be.

Tonight had been quite busy with plenty of regulars passing through, along with some new customers. Ayesha welcomed the income a good day brought, although the inn was normally a catastrophe by night's end. Thankfully she wasn't alone.

As if on cue, a strikingly white furred she-wolf emerged from the door leading down to the basement of the building. She stopped and regarded the cat with a warm smile while holding a small sack of potatoes over her shoulder. "We seem to have a couple more bags of spuds than you thought," Unsong said. "The supply should last for another week or so." The wolf then seemed to notice the condition of the common room. "It never ceases to amaze me how this room always ends up in such disarray every night," she added, echoing Ayesha's thoughts. Quickly the wolf dropped the potatoes near the kitchen door before moving back to the tables to begin collecting dirty mugs and dishes.

Unsong had asked the innkeeper for a job just over a year ago, and since that day the tabby had come to enjoy her company. "Who would've thought that ragged unkempt thief that had stumbled through my doors back then would turn into such a lovely, charming fur," Ayesha thought. Abruptly, she snapped out of her reminiscing and moved to help the wolf with her task.

Unsong primarily assisted the innkeeper by serving patrons food and drink in the common room. Any foul notions from the regulars were quickly defeated soon after she had begun working when one particularly brazen lion had tried to grope her. The male had been unfortunate to take a beer mug to the face and a vicious kick in the groin as a result. Afterward, any new customer that was caught eyeing Unsong's form was quickly discouraged from trying anything.

Both of the fem furs began to deposit the dirty dishes and mugs on the bar counter, when Ayesha's other helping hand emerged from the kitchen. The grey wolf stood in the doorway with a hand on his hip as he surveyed the growing pile of dishes on the counter. Dayson whistled softly as he turned his gaze toward Ayesha. "Quite the night, eh?" he chuckled.

"Indeed," the innkeeper replied as she deposited another armload of tankards. "I'm glad to have you two around to help out my old self."

While Unsong served the patrons in the common room, Dayson typically helped out in the kitchen when he wasn't busy performing odd jobs around town. He had been the one that brought Unsong to Ayesha's establishment that fateful night and since then the two wolves had become very close. The tabby cat had decided to let them live together in the inn for free, much to their protest. But, she was not going to be swayed on the matter and they eventually gave in and thanked her profusely.

Both furs worked with fervor, but there was one exceptional trait that set these two apart from any hired hands Ayesha had dealt with before.

"Alright let's get started," Dayson said as he moved back into the kitchen to stand over the dish washing tub filled with soapy water. With a nod, Unsong positioned herself next to the counter out in the common room. In unison, both wolves closed their eyes as Ayesha watched, knowing what they were about to do. Nevertheless, it was still fascinating to observe each time.

Slowing her breathing down, Unsong concentrated on emptying her thoughts. The she-wolf searched within her consciousness... looking... looking until... there! It was faint, but Unsong could feel the slight glow as she reached out and seized it with her mind. Energy instantaneously flowed through her awareness, coursing and winding, looking for some way to escape.

Dayson had told her early on in her training that the process became easier with time until eventually a weaver could just simply call the energy within them forward with a mere thought. Unsong was certainly getting better each time she reached out as the she-wolf now had the fiery mana flowing through her form. All she had to do was guide and weave the power into a spell she could use.

Reaching her white furry hand out, Unsong focused her concentration on one of the tankards nearby. Carefully, she projected the pent-up energy outward toward the mug, eventually having the threads of the weaving cradle the object delicately. Slowly, the tankard lifted up as the spell bore the full weight of the object. All of this took place in the few moments after she had first closed her blue eyes.

Unsong twisted a single thread in the weaving slightly, causing the mug to float over into the kitchen where Dayson was waiting. Deftly, the she-wolf then maneuvered the object until it plopped down into the soapy water of the tub.

Sensing her release her grip, Dayson quickly seized control with his own weave and began to expertly tweak the threads of his spell. The mug started to vibrate and spin violently within the tub, loosening the foreign particles, and eventually producing a spotless tankard, which the grey wolf quickly extracted and floated over to dry on a shelf.

As he was busy cleaning the first mug, Unsong had already snatched another and was gliding it over to the tub, soon to be followed by a third. After a couple moments, a steady line of dishes and tankards began pouring into the kitchen with Dayson quickly cleaning and depositing each object in its rightful place. All while the wolf stood motionless above the tub with his eyes closed.

Ayesha rested her hands on top of a chair, with her feline tail flicking about as she marveled at their teamwork. After five minutes, they were finished as every mug and dish now sat drying, ready to be reused for the next day. It had taken the two of them that long to complete a task that normally took the innkeeper three hours to finish on her own.

"Truly an awesome spectacle to behold," the cat declared as the wolves relaxed and dispersed their weaves.

"Unsong sure is progressing along with her training quite nicely," Dayson added as he came to lean against the doorframe leading to the kitchen, smiling warmly. "You were the fastest yet with your weaving, just as quick as me."

"Well, you're an excellent instructor," she replied, mirroring his smile as her fluffy creamy-white tail wagged happily.

Dayson turned his gaze to Ayesha. "I'll go ahead and sweep the floor" he said, starting toward where the broom was propped up in the corner of the room.

"You two have done plenty already," the cat chuckled. "Go ahead and turn in. It's late and I'm just going to douse the fire down to coals and blow out the candles."

"Oh... alright," he said after a momentary pause. "But, don't you go and sweep after we head upstairs now. I'll take care of it in the morning."

"Don't you worry silly wolf. I'm quite tired and I'll be right up the stairs behind you."

He grinned before padded over toward Unsong and offering his hand. "Shall we m'lady?"

"But of course sir knight," she said, giggling.

The two wolves held hands as they made their way to the stairs, making sure to say goodnight to Ayesha before ascending the steps.

"Sleep tight," the tabby replied back as she watched their tails disappear up the stairs. "Those two are made for each other," she thought as the innkeeper moved to the hearth to knock the fire down to embers.

The two furs still held hands as they entered the bedroom of the inn. Pulling her close, Dayson embraced Unsong gently as he leaned down to lick the side of her muzzle. "You can have the bathroom first sweetie," the grey wolf said tenderly.

"You're too kind to me wolfy," she replied, pinching him briefly on his butt, causing the male to yelp in surprise. Grinning at him, she padded to the bathroom as he placed a hand on his hip in mock annoyance.

"You're lucky you are so damn cute," he laughed as her white tail disappeared behind the door.

After several minutes the she-wolf reemerged still wearing the simple cotton shirt and shorts from earlier. She eyed Dayson as he sat at the table twiddling his thumbs, lost in thought. "Your turn wolfy," Unsong said cheerfully as she moved over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Snapping out of his daydreaming, the grey wolf quickly stood and moved into the bathroom to take care of urgent business as she laughed at his haste. Padding to the wash basin afterward, Dayson thoroughly cleansed his hands and rinsed out his mouth with a mint wash. Satisfied, he then removed his shirt and shorts, leaving only a pair of undershorts that he liked to sleep in.

The grey wolf opened the bathroom door to move to the bed, when he caught sight of Unsong waiting for him. She obviously wasn't ready to sleep just yet.

The she-wolf wore nothing but a devious grin as she lay sprawled out on top of the bed, gazing at Dayson with her gorgeous deep blue eyes that sparkled with desire. "I'm not quite ready for bed yet," she said lustfully while enjoying his surprise.

Her body was always positively stunning to behold as he drank in her figure. The male loved Unsong's soft, creamy-white coat that flowed all across her body, down to her two modest supple breasts with petite pink nipples that begged to be messaged and suckled, down further across her smooth stomach and navel; downward further still to the lovely furry, blushed lips of her sex that ached to be filled with his rapidly hardening malehood.

While he stood across the room, Unsong continued to regard him with a grin. Suddenly, the male felt a force push down on his thighs as he tensed up, not knowing what was happening for a moment. The energy seemed to grip the fabric of his undershorts until he felt a vigorous tug, causing the clothing to fall down his legs and pool at the wolf's paws.

Dayson could only look down and stare at the cloth now resting on top of his paws, while Unsong chuckled at his bewilderment. Finally it dawned on the male what she had done as he returned his yellow wolfish eyes to her own. "That was certainly a new trick," he said with amusement. He hadn't even noticed her weave the spell to disrobe him, which was quite impressive, and only made the grey wolf more aroused.

Her gaze wandered down Dayson's lighter grey chest fur toward his crotch where her eyes settled on his crimson-red canine penis, which protruded halfway out of his grey sheath. Two furry orbs sat nestled tightly underneath containing his wonderful seed as his member pulsed softly with the male's quickening heartbeat. Oh how she loved having that wonderful cock inside her, but not just yet.

The she-wolf beckoned for Dayson to join her on the bed, which he promptly obeyed, crawling up on all fours to sit just in front of her heated sex. Unsong had other plans though, as she reached out with her mind and wove threads of mana around him. He yelped in surprise as she caught him off guard again, sealing the threads together and binding the male's arms and legs to her will.

A brief look of panic played across his face before he relaxed as the grey wolf realized what she wanted to do. "Oh that just isn't fair," Dayson whined as she grinned wickedly at his helplessness. Carefully Unsong worked the threads of the spell until she brought the male to sit with his legs crossed in front of him and his arms resting on his thighs, tantalizingly close to her magnificent swollen lips that had matted the surrounding fur with her sweet nectar. His malehood now stood fully erect with the knot barely showing at the base as it throbbed, longing to be buried within those lovely folds.

"Now you be a good little wolfy," Unsong growled as the she lay back against the pillow and brought her hand up to stroke the digits through the silky smooth fur on her stomach. Slowly the hand slid further down her figure before just barely glancing against her blushed outer lips. Unsong hummed softly as she traced the fingers delicately through the surrounding fur while occasionally brushing against her heated sex. All the while she gazed lustfully at Dayson as he began to pant and whine while he watched powerlessly.

Unsong brought her hand away from her tender folds and began to massage her lovely breast fur, moaning softly. Delicately, she kneaded the supple furred orb, while her other hand moved to give the same treatment to the other furry mound. The she-wolf tweaked her wonderful pink nipples into beautiful hardness as she began to moan louder and wriggle against the bed sheets. Dayson could only whine and fidget as he longed to work his own hands over those wonderful breasts of hers.

After a few moments, Unsong decided to stop teasing herself and moved one of her hands down to message the fur around her heated sex, while the other continued to fondle the wolf's tortured breast. Gently, she parted her outer lips slightly with a single finger, while Dayson whimpered increasingly louder. He watched with unwavering attention as the she-wolf slid the digit inside with a quiet sigh of pleasure.

Not losing her pace, she quickly pushed a second finger insider her slippery lips, twisting and squirming more vigorously as the she-wolf began thrusting her digits and slowly massaging her clit with the palm of her hand. Unsong huffed each time she plunged her fingers inward, panting laboriously now as she briefly turned her attention to her captive.

Dayson mouth hung ajar with his tongue lolled out while he panted heavily, his gaze firmly fixed on watching the she-wolf pleasure herself. "I'm glad he's enjoying the show," Unsong mused as she thrust a third finger within her burning sex. Her digits quickly zeroed in on that one particular spot that both wolves knew drove her crazy with pleasure as she arched her back and thrashed her tail about.

Her fluffy appendage briefly stroked his painfully erect penis causing him to yelp with helplessness and momentarily struggle against her weaving. But Dayson forced himself to relax somewhat as the male promised he was going to be a good little wolf and continued to watch the astonishing scene play out in front of him.

Unsong could feel her peak quickly approaching. The she-wolf continued to fondle her tormented breast, while she redoubled her efforts with her fingers, eager to reach a wonderful release. Dayson whined noisily as she began to thrash her tail more violently, suddenly leaning forward and closing her eyes.

The she-wolf gave one more powerful thrust with her fingers, clenching her teeth as the building hot pleasure boiled over. Unsong's body tensed up as she barked sharply with the sudden intense feeling of ecstasy flooding through her body, drowning out the fur's surroundings. The wolf writhed and twisted her figure, riding out the waves of powerful pleasure as she continued burying her digits into her ravaged sex.

After several glorious moments Unsong collapsed back onto the bed, withdrawing her fingers, as she became enveloped in a wonderful afterglow.

Suddenly, she whimpered as a cool feeling washed over her heated sex. Leaning forward, the she-wolf caught sight of Dayson as he lapped greedily at her swollen lips, eager to taste her wonderful nectar. She had lost control of the weaving binding him as she was caught up in her climax, and he had made sure to capitalize on the opportunity. Reaching down, Unsong gently ran her other hand through the grey fur between his ears as he gazed up at her with his deep golden eyes filled with warmth while still tenderly licking her abused sex.

"Did you enjoy the show?" She asked throatily.

Dayson removed his muzzle from her blushed lips and grinned. "I certainly did," he replied. "And of course I always love how you taste."

"Well, I've tortured you long enough wolfy," she breathed as she quickly rolled over on the bed and stood up on all fours with her beautiful furry butt coming into his view. Unsong then flagged her tail high, revealing her aching sex that burned to be filled as she looked back over her shoulder, growling playfully. Her blues eyes gazed lustfully into his as she panted. She knew it drove him crazy.

It was too much for the male to handle as his self-control left him. In one rapid motion, the grey wolf mounted her and positioned his rock hard malehood against the very tip of her swollen lips as he wrapped his hands around her soft stomach fur. Growling, Dayson THRUST into her ravaged sex in one quick motion causing Unsong to yelp at the sudden feeling of being filled by his pulsing member.

Her sex gripped his cock like a vise as the male withdrew till only the tip of his malehood rested snuggly against her outer lips, before plunging back in till he hilted himself. "Now comes the truly awesome part," Unsong thought as the male began to build up his rhythm.

Dayson was in heaven as he started slamming his hips against her butt, grinding his malehood inside her tormented tunnel as she groaned and whimpered beneath him. The intensity built as his balls slapped up against her clit on each stroke, making Unsong yelp with the intense pleasure. The two wolves became lost in their feral lust as the strong sound of slurping and slapping resounded off of the walls while they mated passionately.

Unsong felt his knot begin to inflate and started to push back against his thrusting. She yearned to feel that wonderful bulge lodged within her. The she-wolf sensed her peak closing again fast as the male gripped her waist tightly and renewed his efforts to tie with her. With one powerful push, Dayson smashed his knot against her abused lips as she barked brashly, raising her legs off of the bed as he held her tight, before feeling the satisfying sensation of the bulge slipping inside and inflating further, locking the mating wolves together.

Her head collapsed onto the bed sheets as the knot inflated while Dayson began to wildly ram his hips against her quivering sex as much as his knot would allow, longing to feel the wonderful release. Unsong felt her climax approaching... closer... and closer, until the next thrust would push her over the edge.

She gritted her teeth and whined loudly into the bed sheets as he plunged forward, grinding his malehood powerfully into her heated sex and flooding her with fiery pleasure as she gripped the sheets hard while the intensity shrouded her exhausted consciousness.

Dayson felt Unsong tense up below as her walls gripped his penis mercilessly. He could no longer hold out as the male gave one last desperate thrust, flagging his tail high and whimpering meekly as he shot thick ropes of his seed into her sex in large spurts that seemed to cool her white-hot folds.

The male continued grinding his hips against her, prolonging his orgasm as he emptied his balls into her needing tunnel. They remained frozen in bliss for several long wonderful moments while Unsong moaned at the feeling of being filled by his wonderful seed. Eventually, the wolves peaks subsided and settled into a warm afterglow as both panted laboriously while their tongues hung out in exhaustion.

Dayson rolled the pair over onto their sides carefully as his knot held them firmly together. Tenderly, he leaned over to lick her muzzle with affection as he stroked his hand through the soft white fur of her shoulder.

"That was magnificent," Unsong breathed.

"Yes it was," he replied, moving his hand to wrap it gently around her stomach. "And you are just as beautiful as the day we met."

"You're too kind to me," she said, smiling warmly while placing her hand lovingly on top of his as it slowly rubbed along her smooth stomach fur.

"Let's get some rest," he added. "Tomorrow is a big day, where we take your lessons to a whole new level."

Unsong simply hummed softly in response, already being overtaken with sleep as Dayson winked out all of the candles with a flick of his mind, soon following her into slumber.

The following morning came as the sun gripped the landscape with a crippling heat. After helping Ayesha sweep and prepare the inn for the coming day, the two wolves had ventured outside the city walls of Selbina via horseback and taken shelter in a grouping of palm trees near the ocean shore.

Dayson surveyed the land carefully after tying the horse to a nearby tree, feeling confident that this location would serve as a suitable spot to conduct the training today. There wasn't a sign of life for as far as his eye could see, except the city walls some distance off, which was good since what they were going to attempt today was inherently dangerous.

The sea breeze provided a refreshing respite from the oppressive heat as the grey wolf moved to where Unsong sat. She had placed a cloth across the ground beneath the trees and was sitting cross-legged on it while gazing intently at a rather large worn book that rested in her lap.

The manuscript was entitled The Spell Weaving Lexicon and had served as an invaluable source of information for Dayson as he progressed through his training as a pup. The wolf had kept the book as a memento, and had given it to Unsong to help her master techniques just over a year ago. Today however, the text was teaching both of them how to work this particular discipline of weavings.

Unsong possessed an exceptionally rare affinity for the somewhat lost art of weather weaving. This was a specialty of spell weaving that Dayson could not hope to master, as only a fur who retained the affinity could expect to control the threads of the complex spells. This presented a difficult problem. How do you teach someone a technique that you as the teacher cannot perform?

Thankfully, his spell book provided some insight into the complicated art, allowing both of them to learn the process together. Now it was time for Unsong to attempt what the book had taught for the first time.

Unfortunately, the text had indicated that there was no gradual way to begin training in this field, meaning that the two wolves were going to have to start off with an incredibly hazardous ability... the power to wield lightning. This was said to be the easiest weaving to master, although it was by far one of the most dangerous. That was where Dayson came in.

Slowly the grey wolf lowered himself into sitting across from Unsong on the cloth as she looked up from the text. "It looks like we're going to have to run before we can walk," he breathed, crossing his legs to mimic her sitting style. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she said, exhaling deeply as the she-wolf closed the book and gently placed it to her side. "Go ahead."

"Ok, I'll let you know when I'm ready." She watched with her deep blue eyes as Dayson closed his and began working to slow his breathing. Soon the grey wolf could see tiny specks of light begin to materialize within his mind. After a few moments, the glow intensified until it became a large sphere of light that dominated his vision, glowing vibrantly to his sight even though he kept his eyes shut. This was what weavers called Magesight, as he gazed at the nearby node of mana that was pooling just a few yards from their position.

They were both lucky that Dayson's affinity allowed him to weave particularly powerful barriers and shields. Today would require his expert hands in this matter as the wolf skillfully reached out and seized the energy of the node with his mind. Carefully, he clasped his hands together, palms flat, forming a focus seal as the fur began working the massive nodal power.

Unseen to the naked eye, a barrier formed around the pooled mana and pulsed brightly in his Magesight as he continued tweaking the threads of his weaving. With a quick flick of his mind, the mage locked the threads down, binding the node's energy to his will as the spell slid firmly into place.

Now Dayson could control Unsong's access to the powerful nodal energy, and if things began to spin out of control, he could simply cut her connection to the mana before either of them got hurt. He opened his golden eyes to regard her. "Alright I have control of the node," he said. "Now let me build our protection shield."

Still clasping his hands together, the grey wolf began to mumble a series of chants. Almost at once, his fur stood on end as his tail appeared to lift upward by an invisible force. The mage's golden eyes glowed intensely as he worked the energy, causing the air around their bodies to distort slightly. Unsong watched attentively as she felt the magical backpressure building up around the furs. Suddenly, Dayson exhaled sharply as he locked the weaving into place.

A shield of transparent blue light winked into existence around the wolves and their nearby horse in a spherical shape that extended into the ground, as the air around them hummed audibly. The translucent shield pulsed brighter as Dayson continued holding his hands in the focus seal while he maintained both of the weavings.

Now if something did go horribly wrong, the two furs were exceedingly well protected against any mishaps that might result from a spell unraveling.

"Ok I'm ready," he said. "Take your time, and don't rush things. I can hold these weavings for quite some time" he added, smiling warmly as she regarded him nervously.

Unsong sighed deeply to steady her nerves. "Alright... here I go," she breathed.

The she-wolf steadied her breathing as she closed her eyes. The glow of the node slowly pulsated into her Magesight with Dayson's barrier encompassing the mana. Cautiously she reached out with her mind to touch the surface of his weaving as Unsong felt him react to her contact, before allowing her to fully grasp the fiery energy.

The power inundated Unsong's senses as it entered her form, streaming and surging through her consciousness, begging to be guided and unleashed.

Now came the tricky part.

It was a feat that Dayson couldn't duplicate himself. She deftly brought her hands up and interlaced her pinky, ring, and middle fingers, while steepling her index and thumbs in a special focus seal designed for weather working as outlined by the text. The she-wolf then exhaled slowly as her consciousness abruptly altered.

Unsong's perception changed drastically in a sickening fashion as she no longer felt as a single individual, but rather had her senses spread out across the atmosphere. The wolf now could "feel" the weather around her consciousness and reach out with her awareness to touch the threads of the climate patterns that seemed to float all around her.

This was what the book called Weathersight and was a unique ability only a weather weaver could utilize. The change in awareness had the potential to be extremely disorientating, as evidenced by the fact that Unsong physically got ill the first time she managed to invoke the ability. Now however, she had practiced enough to the point that the odd change in perception no longer unsettled her stomach.

Next things began to get dangerous. Remembering what the text had said, Unsong delicately reached out and grasped the weather threads around her. It was a strange feeling as she now became in tune with the surrounding flows.

The book stated that after much practice, she would be able to change the pattern and flow of these threads to create wind, bring in moister to create rainstorms, or even control the temperature of the surrounding land. Any facet of the weather could be regulated or created by her, but for now the training called for the creation of lightning, which was far simpler, but significantly more dangerous.

Unsong began to manipulate the weather threads, guiding their flows toward a single point above the palm trees, while dividing her attention down to her physical self below. In a concert of weaving, the she-wolf began pouring energy from the node into the weather threads above. The building energy began to run along the threads until meeting at the single point she had created in the pattern, having no place to escape and dissipate.

The power started to intensify rapidly until the energy was overwhelming as it searched for a way to discharge. Anxiously, Unsong again changed her perception to gaze down upon her physical self, while maintaining the overpowering force that beckoned to be released. A quick feeling of disorientation enveloped her mind as she fought to stay focused.

She looked until... there! The object was about 200 yards away from the palm trees. It was a simple stick that Dayson had stuck into the ground to be used as a target. Now all she had to do was guide the energy down carefully.

Cautiously, Unsong reached downward from the sky with her awareness toward the stick, almost as if she was trying to point a finger. She zeroed in on the target, readying the intense energy to launch it toward the ground where it wanted to go... until... NOW!

Dayson was growing increasingly uneasy. He had no idea what Unsong was doing as he sat motionless next to her furry figure. His pointy ears twitched as the grey wolf felt the magical backpressure building dangerously high, trying to brace himself for... _ CRRRACCKKK!!! _

The explosion and brilliant light of the lightning strike caught Dayson by utter surprise as he nearly jumped out of his fur, almost losing his hold of the shield and barrier weavings. The sound resounded in his ears as he fought to clear his head; fur standing on end while the after-imagine of the wicked bolt lingered in his vision. Their horse wasn't much better off as it tugged fiercely on the rope that bound it to the tree.

"That was intense," he thought, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh dear, are you ok?" Unsong asked, as she regarded him with concern.

Dayson then realized she had released her hold of the node. Quickly he dispelled his weavings and unclasped his hands with a deep sigh of relief as the shield pulsed brightly before the transparent blue sphere of light shattered into countless fragments of radiance that floated down to the sand and winked out.

"I wasn't quite prepared for how loud the strike would be," he chuckled.

"It was incredible!" she exclaimed. "I never would've imagined I could harness the power of lightning!"

"I have to tell you," he continued. "To see a lightning bolt arc out of the clear blue sky... it's especially frightening."

She smiled sheepishly, as he struggled to his paws. "Let's go see your handy work first hand shall we?"

The grey wolf offered her a hand, pulling Unsong to her paws. Quickly the two padded over to where the bolt had struck. As they neared the stick, Dayson whistled with amazement as the she-wolf gasped at what they saw.

The wood had been struck right at the tip and had split in half as the lightning coursed down the grain. What was more impressive though was the sand underneath that had been superheated to the point of melting, which resulted in a small patch of glass forming where the energy had traveled into the ground.

"Truly powerful," Dayson breathed. "So far I'd call today's training session a success."

She smiled warmly at him as he gazed deeply into her gorgeous blue eyes. "I never thought it would be that simple to call forth lightning," she replied.

"And with time and practice, the process should get easier until it becomes second nature."

The wolves began walking back toward the palm trees. "I'm getting hungry. How about we break for lunch?" he added with a grin.

"Food does sound good. Weaving that sort of craft certainly takes a lot of energy," she said, placing a hand on her stomach.

A few moments later, Dayson brought a sack over toward the cloth and sat down across from Unsong. Quickly he reached inside and produced two loaves of bread, a handful of hard-boiled eggs, and several cuts of sausage. Both furs promptly dug in as the ocean breeze picked up slightly in the early afternoon heat.

After finishing a link of sausage, a notion quickly dawned on the grey wolf as he watched Unsong munch on her loaf of bread.

The moment felt right, and he was more than ready to go through with his decision. This was the perfect time.

Deftly, Dayson reached into the side pocket of his shorts, grasping a tiny box carefully. He looked up into her eyes with a heartfelt smile that made Unsong stop just as she was about to take another bite of her bread loaf.

The wolf cocked her head to the side in puzzlement as she gazed at him. He was up to something.

"Unsong there is something that I've wanted to ask you for quite some time now," he began, extracting the small box from his pocket. "I realize this might feel out of the blue, but I've wanted to ask you for some time. Ever since we met I've always felt a powerful connection with you, and it fills me with joy and happiness whenever we are together." He paused as she stared unblinking into his eyes with her muzzle ajar. "I love you... and I want to spend the rest of my life together with you." Her eyes locked onto the container as he moved it out in front of him. Dayson blushed furiously beneath his fur as he opened the top.

She gasped as she gazed inside... those were... mateship rings!

"Unsong... will you be my mate?" he asked nervously, his golden wolfish eyes locked on her own.

Her face was the definition of shock as a heavy silence hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity to him.

"Yes... Oh God... nothing would make me happier!" she cried, leaping from where the she-wolf sat to tackle him in a fierce hug. His expression turned to utter relief and elation.

They joined in a passionate kiss as Dayson fell back with her on top, muzzles locked while their tongues wrestled passionately. Both wolves were in absolute heaven as the furs reveled in their partner's warmth and closeness.

All was right in the world.

After several wonderful moments they broke the kiss as she leaned back to gaze at him with a truly breathtaking smile. Gently, Dayson pulled the two wolves upright as he reached down to pick up the ring box that had fallen to the ground. Reaching in, he pulled out one of the finely polished silver rings. The grey wolf tenderly held her hand as he slid the ring onto her finger while she mirrored his cheerful grin. Unsong marveled at the intricate pattern woven into the surface, turning her hand over to catch sight of the wording "Love always, Dayson" etched along the side. This was such a beautiful ring.

Quickly, she reached over and pulled the other ring out of the box as he held it. The wording "Love always, Unsong" was inscribed along the surface in contrast to her own, which was a fitting touch. Mirroring Dayson's action, she grasped his hand with her own and slipped the ring gently onto his finger.

Suddenly his ring began to glow faintly with a purple tinge, catching Unsong off guard. She realized her ring was also glowing slightly, although with a bluish hue. She looked up at him as he smiled warmly. "I infused these rings with the same spell used in tuning crystals," he said. "But they will only glow if both are worn by each of us, and with the tint of the other fur's affinity. That way we will always have a special part of each other to keep."

"They're beautiful," Unsong replied softly, running her finger along the polished silver. She reached over and hugged her mate tenderly. Oh... she enjoyed calling him that.

Abruptly, she realized something. "This is the same palm grove where we first met," the she-wolf added.

"That's why I waited till now to ask you," Dayson replied with a gleam in his eye. "I figured it would be a fitting place."

No more words needed to be said as the wolves cuddled together under the palm trees, eventually falling asleep in the mid-afternoon heat as they enjoyed each other's newfound mateship. Neither of the furs could have been happier.

To be continued...