FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Morph woke as Zai was shaking him gently. "Good morning," Zai said with a slight smile as Morph sat up in the bed.

Morph stretched slightly then look at Zai with a hint of sadness.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry if I'm a burden to you..."

Zai sighed. Morph did this a lot. There was some truth to it however; taking care of the wolf wasn't the easiest thing. Countless times Zai had to surrender his sleep for the night to watch over Morph as he slept. The truth was...Zai actually enjoyed watching after Morph; more so than he'd actually admit.

"Morph...You know I care about you. Don't ever think that you're being a burden to me." As Zai said this, he placed a paw on Morph's shoulder.

"Thanks Zai....I don't know what I'd ever do without you." Morph scooted over to Zai. "I can't believe it's almost been 5 whole years since....." His voice trailed off.

Morph didn't have to finish his sentence; Zai knew exactly what he meant. January fifteenth; it was the day Morph tried to take his life. Damn... even 5 years later, it was hard to swallow what he pushed morph to attempt.

Zai's grip around the wolf tightened. "Zai... are you okay?" Yeah. He was okay. Zai didn't answer because he was still torn up inside. "We should be getting ready to leave." Zai abandoned his hold on Morph, got up, and then swiftly exited the room.

Morph sighed to himself, and then got out of bed. He'd never forgotten what Zai and his friends had done to him. He knew Zai didn't either. What's more, Zai still hadn't managed to forgive himself. Morph walked over to his dresser and began to pick out some clothes. Zai and he have talked about it many times. Morph believed Zai on the subject every time. Every time they spoke about it, Morph could see it in the Fox's eyes. Woe, sympathy, sorrow, and most of all pain.

Just as Morph was finishing up, Zai walked back into the room; he'd obviously been crying. "Zai, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing Morph, we should get going." Zai turned and began to walk away, but morph grabbed his paw and pulled him back over.

"Zai I forgave you a long time ago....Don't you think it's time you do the same?"

Zai looked down. "You just can't understand Morph....That day I watched you try to take your life to escape from me...That's not just something I can forgive and forget."

"Zai..." Morph began, but it was too late. Zai has pulled from his grasp and walked out of the room. Morph heaved with agony, but walked out behind him.

The walk to school was silent and uncomfortable. The tension in the air was thick enough to stop anyone in their tracks. But they trudged through it.

They were approaching Morph's class, but still Zai was silent. "I'll see you later...." Morph said quietly as he walked into the room.

Zai wandered to his class now, He took his usual seat, however something unusual was next to him. A rabbit he'd never seen before. Her fur was a soft pink, her cream white belly was showing on her exposed mid drift. Her hair was short and slightly curled, with the same cream color exposed subtly on the tips. Her eyes are what took the cake; slight light lavender that shined even under the dull classroom lights. She glanced over at Zai and started to walk over.

"Hello!" Said the rabbit with cheery delight. "My name is Jodie-Lynn, and I just moved here from Boston."

It was obvious. Her accent was thick, but strangely, it appealed to the fox. "Hey there, my name is Zai."

"Zai? What a cute name!" Her attitude was so upbeat, Zai started feeling it himself, and he no longer remembered what had gotten him down. "Hey Zai?" She asked with an unfathomable innocence. "Do you think you could show me around the city? I'd love to see what's around."

"Uh...sure." Zai said. With that the professor called for the class's attention and they silently agreed to put their conversation aside for later on today.

Zai was only half paying attention when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Stealthily he pulled it out to take a glance. It was from Morph.

"Hey, are you seriously okay? You seemed really upset this morning. Did I do something wrong?"

Zai slipped his phone away; He didn't want to think about Morph right now. He glanced over at Jodie-Lynn, who waved excitedly as the professor droned on.

Class was over for today; Morph gathered up his things and made his usual silent leave. Morph had no interest in making other friends. No one even took the time to speak to him. "No one cares about a freak with purple fur." He'd always said to himself. "Nobody but Zai."

Zai gathered up his notes as Jodie-Lynn approached. "You ready to go out on the town?" She asked, chipper as ever.

"Yeah, let's go." She hugged Zai's arm and together they headed out into the city.

Zai took the rabbit to all the places in town he liked. From every small coffee shop to every club. As they walked down 4th street, Zai realized they were about to walk past where Morph would be working. Morph worked at a local store that sold various goth and punk attire. Morph hated the job, but the owners were so enthralled with his naturally purple fur, they hired him on the spot without an interview or anything.

They walked by the store, and sure enough, Morph was there trying his best to "happily" assist the customers that came in.

Jodie-Lynn saw where Zai was looking. "Hey look at that wolf with the freaky purple fur."

"Yeah, he lives around the city."

"Do you know him?"

"No, He isn't really anyone worth knowing." Zai pulled her along; he wanted to get away before the rabbit would go starting something.

"Where are we going so fast?" She asked in a huff.

"The last stop on our tour and it's a surprise."

The rabbit shrieked with delight and forgot all about the freak with purple fur.

It was about ten-thirty when Zai eventually returned home. He looked over; Morph was sitting on the couch watching TV in his boxers. He didn't say a word, His presence was almost icy.

"Hey sorry I'm home so late...A new student wanted me to show her around." Zai said mustering up the apology.

"Yeah, I saw. It was a pink rabbit."

Zai froze in place. Morph did notice him with Jodie-Lynn.

"Don't worry about it." Morph muttered dryly. "It doesn't really matter to me."

"Fine then." Zai growled with the same icy presence presented by Morph. "She thinks you're a freak anyways."

"You let her say that about me?" Morph said standing up. A hint of anger in his voice.

Zai backed off. He'd made a mistake, and he was going to just fuel the fire if he kept going on.

"Look Morph, I'm tired, and I would like to get some sleep."

Zai headed into his room and quickly shut the door. Morph stood there at a loss. What just happened? He and Zai never acted like that. Who is this Friend of his? It all made his head spin. He turned off the television and retreated to his room to sleep. Hopefully everything would sort it's self out.

Morph opened his eyes. He felt cool, almost cold. A sheer wind was blowing through the streets. He glanced around; he was at the city center. It was night, the moon was high in the air and all the lights that usually made the center a glowing beacon in the dark were out. It was also dead quiet. Not even the wind made a sound. Morph tried to call out for someone, anyone. But his voice was gone, taken, just like the wind's. Slowly he stood up and walked forward. A quick movement caught his eye, and then another. Streaks blacker than any night flashed past the alley's he peered down. One more step, then another. He made his way slowly into the city. Not a sign of life. There was nothing, no lights, no sounds, no people. The whole city was filled with a void and strange presence. Suddenly morph felt something touching him. He sharply turned around to look. Clasped on his shoulder was an inky black and smoky creature. Its eyes were a glistering dark purple. Taking a closer look, he saw the creature to be Zai. He shoved the shadow off of him and ran. Morph ran as fast as he could, Taking every twist and turn he could think of, but he couldn't shake his pursuer. The shadow was swift. Never more than a couple of steps behind Morph. They eventually made their way back to city center. Morph, while looking behind him at the shadow tripped and rolled. He laid there in a heap as the shadow slowly approached him.

"Zai?" He whimpered.

The shadow was speechless. It walked over and picked up Morph, carrying him only by his head.

"Zai? What are you doing?" Morph was tearing up. Cold and frightened, he tried to look where he was being taken.

The shadow slowly walked over the fountain in the middle of the square. Morph tried to struggle, but he was completely powerless. Grabbing his head, the shadow of Zai forced Morph's head under the inky water. Morph mustered up all his might in hopes to struggle free. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't do it. Thoughts of Zai filled his head. He heard his soothing voice, the way he comforted him, and felt that feeling about being loved. Then he saw that rabbit, and Zai defending her after she called him a freak. "A freak...." Morph heard it in his head a thousand times. It always had the same impact. A purple furred freak that no one could love, Nobody but Zai. However, this time Zai wasn't here, and Morph gave in to the darkness inside him. Letting it wash over him as he slowly and painfully slipped under.