FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sitting up on his sleeping mat, Teran raised his left ear to stretch the side of his neck. A moment into his stretch, he detected an unnerving scent in the air. At first he thought he was hallucinating, but after a few deep breaths he knew for sure that his mother was nearby.

Calming his mind Teran ensured himself, he wasn't in a hurry to see what brought his mother out of the deep woods and finished his stretches, along with a few minutes of deep meditation, knowing if he skipped or rushed through anything his mother would know.

Feeling at peace with the world, Teran made his way to the common, where he found his mother sleeping cuddled up next to Kenta.

Knowing that she was simply enjoying a few final moments of her nap and not truly asleep, Teran prepared tea and snacks.

Not long after the table was set, both his mother and Kenta rose, bowed, then took their seats.

```

Teran: It's good to see you mother. How have you been?

Acia: Busy and rewarding as always. Nearly all the little ones are doing well. We lost a few of the more curious critters, but not as many as usual. If you were interested in taking up the family mantel once more, there are certainly some outstanding young ones this year. *mischievous smile* In fact, I brought one with me.

```

Teran turned his head towards the window as his mother whistled and watched as a familiar looking tiny dark brown bird with light brown accents flew in and landed on her finger.

```

Acia: Say hello Finka.

Finka: *coded tweeting* <Hello>

Teran: Cute, but you're well aware that I'm not interested in taking on another familiar.

Acia: At least consider little Finka. She's a brilliant young one. She already has over a hundred codes memorized, and she has a particular fascination with flying towards the villages and watching squi. *somber* I also believe that she's unhappy in the deep woods. While I think it would be a waste of her potential, you could even simply keep her as a *cringe* pet, and I'm sure she would be happier with you.

```

Acia made a subtle gesture which caused Finka to fly off her finger and land atop Teran's head.

```

Acia: See, she's already taken with you.

Teran: *unamused stare*

Acia: What? I can tell she really does like you. *pleading smile* At least consider her. She's small, low maintenance, and will give you some practice so your skills don't rust completely to dust. It has been decades since Ninku passed; surely you're willing to open your heart again. Finka comes from a long-lived family of birds. Her--very great grandmother, whom you know well, is still alive and terrorizing my favorite flowers, as she has been doing since you were a fluff.

```

Teran held out his finger and whistled, prompting Finka to land on his finger and look into his eyes.

```

Teran: *melancholic sigh* I did always enjoy watching Dilka terrorize your flowers. *cheerful chuckle* I suppose she can stay with me for a trial cycle. Providing you're willing to promise that you'll take her back without question if I request so.

Acia: *defeated sigh* Very well, but I think you'll be quite happy with her. Here's the list of codes she knows, along with her training regimen and favorite things.

```

Acia pulled a cloth bag out of the satchel being carried by Kenta and placed it on the table in front of Teran.

```

Teran: Now that you've completed your reason for visiting, will you be staying? I'm sure Enkoro would very much appreciate your assistance at the moment.

Acia: *awkward chuckle* Oh~quite the opposite, my dear child. I'm here to steal you away from little Enky and cause him more stress.

Teran: *stunned* I'm currently tasked with watching over Moring. I can't possibly leave at the moment.

Acia: Which is more important to you, Mirra-su's life or symbolic fluff sitting?

Teran: *alert* Mirra's in danger?

Acia: Probably, she's intentionally planning to get caught in a trap, without support. And despite how terrifying she can be, I have my doubts that even she can take on a small army alone.

Teran: Army? Since when does the chewa have an army?

Acia: They don't. They're still as loosely knit as they have ever been. The humans, on the other hand...

Teran: Humans?

Acia: Yes, they have a small army of highly skilled men, consisting of forty-three human soldiers, three elite shikun warriors--and a shikun commanding officer in the woods who have been preying on small groups of chewa for quite some time now. Effectively, they have managed to cut the chewa off from more than half of their normal hunting grounds, and are largely the cause for the current issues along our borders. Based on the coded whistles Beu-ru has picked up and confirmed by Ed-ru's scouting, I've determined that the chewa are planning to try and "trap" the human army in our lands in a suicidal mission of chance and hope.

Teran: And Mirra-su being Mirra-su, I'm guessing, is planning to be the one who meets up with the human army?

Acia: *affirmative nod*

Teran: And you came to me instead of seeking aid from Silaka, who are well versed in fighting humans, and has a substantial amount of reserve rammu because?

Acia: If Silaka finds out what is going on, they will use it as an excuse to take over our borders.

Teran: Perhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing? Ankarok has been severely understaffed for generations. Whereas it would be of little consequence for Silaka to set up watch lines along the lower half of our borders.

Acia: And pull resources away from our most hostile border? Sounds like just the opportunity the humans would be waiting for to launch an invasion. They can't send large armies to Ankarok. It's likely incredibly stressful for them to even maintain their current miniature army terrorizing the chewa; otherwise, they wouldn't be directly commanded by a shikun, let alone allow a shikun to have shikun subordinates. The last thing we need is a weakend Silaka.

Teran: Point taken. To recap, you, myself, and Mirra-su will be taking on an army ten fold our size?

Acia: That is the gist of it, yes. Though unfair to our opponents, I have also sent word to Freone and am expecting him to join us.

Teran: *dismissive hum* Yes, four of us. They're certainly quite out numbered now.

Acia: Six of us if we have to take our spies to keep them quiet.

Teran: *stunned* *sharp inhale* Wa-su, Yi-su, show yourselves.

```

After a few moments, Yineh and Wafit made their way in through the door and over to Teran, where they bowed apologetically.

```

Teran: Why are you two even spying on me while having a conversation with my mother?

Acia: Do you really need to ask that? It's obvious that one's deeply concerned, and the other's just nosey.

Yineh: *offended* I'm concerned--too! We have to save Mirra-su.

Teran: Neither of you will be coming along.

Acia: We~ll Enky did tell me I could take anything I believed would be useful to me. *mischievous smile*

Teran: They're trainees--mother.

Acia: Since when did rank mean anything to you? *mocking tone* I don't want to advance anymore because I don't like wearing black.

Teran: That's different. They're young and have their entire lives ahead of them.

Acia: So are you. I'm three fold your age, young man, and there's much life left in these old bones.

Teran: What would you even have them do?

Acia: When did you become so arrogant and blind? Don't you remember what you and your friends were capable of as trainees?

Teran: They aren't Mirra-su nor I.

Acia: *disapproving scowl* How will they prove you wrong if you don't give them an opportunity? Or~ is it that you're afraid of what they'll think of you when they realize how terrifying you can be? *knowing smirk*

Teran: *long deep breath* This isn't my decision to make.

Yineh: Wait, so you'd really let us go?

Acia: It's not exactly that we'd have a choice in the matter. That said, think wisely about your choice little fluff. If you come along, you'll likely be forever changed. Unless you have already stained your hands in blood, that is.

Wafit: Do you truly believe we would be of any use, rather than a hindrance?

Acia: I can easily think of a hundred uses for you that will better our odds of survival.

Wafit: *hesitant* T-then I'm going.

Yineh: I'm certainly not letting Wa-su face an army without me, so I'm coming too.

Acia: Then your first task is to gather ample supplies and meet us in the forest below--without getting caught by little Enky.

Yineh: When are we leaving?

Acia: Well, now, of course.

Yineh: *groan* I picked a bad day to wear myself out... Nothing a good dose of berry power can't fix, though. *confident smile* Let's get going Wa-su.

Acia: Remember, don't get caught. If you do, we're not waiting.

```

Once Yineh and Wafit were out of the building, Teran looked back towards his mother.

```

Teran: Do you truly believe this is wise?

Acia: They'll be fine, probably... My familiars will watch over them, and if worse comes to worst, Ken-ru is more than capable of dragging them to safety. As small as they are, I doubt they would slow him down at all.

Teran: Even unburdened, I doubt Ken-ru could outrun shikun.

Acia: Nor should he need to.

Teran: Who is being arrogant now?

Acia: If four of the highest ranking rammu can't take down a single shikun each, no matter their rank, then our entire race is doomed.

Teran: That's funny, I didn't think you had a rank any longer.

Acia: Not officially, but I know my abilities. *smug smile* *dismissive way* Anyway, enough of this. It's their decision and not either of ours. I will leave you to write a note for little Enky while I acquire supplies.

```