FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The lights of the metropolis that was Lyre City reflected off the clouds above. Many miles away in a cave in a hill the green dragoness Liz surveyed that glow. She picked her teeth with her claws.

The citizens there abhorred her kind. To them, dragons were vile monsters of the past. Selfish, evil beasts that enjoyed the pain and suffering of those furs simply living their lives. Creatures that would leave an entire village in ruin all for a shiny rock.

This was the reputation Liz's kind had. She hated that those below had given it to her. She didn't know why they had outcast her as such. Well, why aside from the whole torture, murder, and laying in ruins of entire villages just for a shiny rock that her species had committed.

"Look at it, foul beast. It shall never be yours. They'll come for me. And when they do, I will end you."

The dragon turned lazily on her spot and walked to the otter hanging from the ceiling by his wrists. She looked into his eyes and sighed. Then struck him so hard his chains left the hook and he tumbled to the ground. He coughed feverishly.

The dragoness knelt down beside him and said, "Are you okay? I didn't mean to hit you that hard."

"I'm fine," he coughed. "Keep going."

She thought a moment. "What should I say?"

"I don't know, go with, 'no one knows you are here,' or something."

"No one knows you are here."

"Now kick me. Yow! Not that hard!"

"Sorry!"

"S'alright."

"Anyway. Fool, I shall torture you more until I have had my fun. And then your existence shall be extinguished. Now, which implement shall I use?"

"The whip! Or, I mean, not the whip!"

"The paddle it is then."

"No! Not the paddle!"

Liz stopped her slow approach. "But the whip and the paddle are all we have."

Cliff sighed, "Let's just go with the whip."

"Oh, okay."

Without warning Liz struck. "Aieee!" She struck again. Again the otter cried. Liz thought that funny about Cliff, how he liked pain. A third strike and a third scream. She wondered if this had been the case with dragons and their victims in the past. If sometimes the victim wanted to be there. Another crack.

From the sound of his screams, it certainly did seem like he was being tortured. The only thing that betrayed the otter's pleasure was the hard-on that would probably chip the cave floor if he fell wrong.

Ten cracks, ten screams, and that was enough. "You bore me now. Looks like your heros won't be rescuing you after all. But, since I am feeling benevolent today, I shall take care of this before I finish you. She knelt down next to him and wrapped her hand about his member. She started stroking him full force. He arched his back and cooed in pleasure. It certainly wasn't long before he was cumming, coating the back of her paw in his seed.

He c spent. Liz let him lay there for a while before asking, "Can we play Happy Foxes now?"

***

"But I want the pie, Candy Apple."

"I know, Sour Kitty, we can share the pie!" Cliff moved the plastic green cat up and down as he stated her lines. He had long ago given up on fighting Liz on her games. Though he often did wonder at the seeming childlike mentallity of the creature before him who was older than many mainstream religions.

Liz stopped her playing and looked at him horrified. "What time is it?"

"Looks like nine."

She sighed. "I thought we'd miss it. Come on."

They made their way to the T.V. area of the cave and climbed in the hot tub. He turned the big screen on with the remote and tuned to the station in time to catch the opening credits of her favorite vulgar cartoon.

"You should come with me into town tomorrow," he told her.

"I can't. I'm a monster."

"You've never hurt anyone. You told me that. You've always loved furries."

"I know, but my kind generally did not share my nature."

"I told you before, no one even believes in dragons anymore. They think all those tales of fiery destruction were meteor strikes. Just tell them some sob story like you are some long lost clan of dragon anthros. They'll believe you. Besides you can shape-shift. Turn into a fox furry, or something."

"I can't change my eyes. And there are those even in that bustling city that remember the old days. They know the stories aren't exaggerated misinterpretations of natural disasters or things made up by parents to scare children into behaving. And they have power, I can smell it. It's best for me to stay here."

He sighed. He made no more mention of it as they laughed through the show. They watched several more of their programs they had digitally recorded earlier, then headed to bed. It saddened both that they never actually slept together. But Liz was comfortable on her hoarde, and Cliff on his soft bed. Liz shifted to her much larger form as she rested on her treasures. Cliff curled up on the bed at the base.

Suddenly, she jumped up and ran off. Cliff sat up, worried until she came back and dropped her two toys on her pile. She lay back down. "Good night."

"Good night."

Her hoarde was composed of a base of gold and jewels, and now topped with toys of various cartoon shows.

Cliff looked up at her and thought of his luck in having such a creature to himself. As far as he was concerned she was worth infinitely more than the treasure she slept atop.

***

Many months ago, a group of hikers had gotten lost when they wandered off the trail at the nearby park. A girl who had been with them wandered into the cave to get out of the sun while complaining noisily on her cell phone about having to be around all this nature. The sound of her whining awoke the dragon. And the dragon went to find who dare disturb her slumber.

Upon finding herself face to face with the monstrous reptile, the girl dropped her phone and purse and ran screaming from the cave. Her friends had chased after her to keep her from getting hurt as she blindly ran down the hill. The group never returned.

Liz herself had quickly become bemused by the strange pink box that kept asking if she was 'there.' For the rest of the night the dragon played with the device, eventually accidentally calling a home shopping service.

After a long conversation in which the operator had to explain the concept of 'ordering stuff' to the dragon, she had managed to request a 'big screen tv.' Then came the long conversation of getting the dragon to read the numbers on the plastic card from the girl's purse, followed by attempting to get an address.

Over the next few days the dragon had called back, asking where the things were that were to be delivered while simultaneously requesting another item. This continued until the phone's battery died.

The various orders began arriving at the delivery corporation where Cliff worked, addressed to 'some cave in the hills,' accompanied with the operators transcription of Liz's long description of the geography as seen from above.

The whole thing appeared a prank, and so the company left the stuff in the back room until the charges were inevitably disputed and the stuff needed to be returned. Until Cliff made the mistake of getting caught sleeping with his boss's wife.

Cliff loaded a van full of the random boxes, then drove off toward the hills. He parked at the nearby park, grabbed a smaller box and the transcription and headed out on his hike.

It took most of the day for him to find the cave as described, and he had been quite shocked to find that it actually existed. He called out and then was shocked to see the green anthro dragoness step up to him. He handed her the box, and she asked if that was her 'big screen t.v.'

Upon opening the box he informed her that that was the 'pepper mill.' He explained that the t.v. was a larger item and he wanted to make sure he found the right place before he tried bringing it up. She asked if he would like assistance, but he declined saying that was nice but he'd get it.

Walking away he wondered why he had said that. He knew he was suppose to do all delivering himself and could get fired if he asked assistance of the customer. But he really wondered why he was so concerned about getting fired at that point.

It was almost sunset when he found his way back to the parking lot. Opening the van door and looking to the sky he wondered how the hell he would get all of this up there. Then he heard a noise behind him, and turned to see the dragon in her true form standing there. She simply asked if he was sure he didn't need assisstance.

This time he had not been foolish enough to decline.

It took only a few minutes to haul everything to the cavern. Though Cliff had delibrately taken less than he could carry at times in order to squeeze in a few more rides on the dragon's back.

Liz had been rather upset to learn that her t.v. would require a 'generator,' and a 'sattelite dish' to operate. And that she should consider investing in 'surround sound' and 'gaming consoles.'

Cliff then spent the rest of the night explaining how 'commerce' worked. It proved a difficult concept to grasp for a creature whose idea of wealth aquisition was 'take it.' But dragon's understood the concept of a deal, and always honored one (if usually not honoring it to the true intent of the deal maker). So she ended up accepting 'commerce' as furries' silly little version of that.

Cliff also had to explain how she had technically committed credit card fraud. There hadn't been a dispute yet, and judging by the contents of the girls purse, the cost of a t.v. probably wasn't worth the effort of the phone call. But it had still been theft, nonetheless.

She asked if any of her hoarde could be traded for the items Cliff mentioned. Upon viewing the massive pile of wealth, Cliff assured her it could. He spent the remainder of the night telling her about all the history since she last fell asleep.

At dawn Cliff returned to the city, taking a handful of coins with him. He drove straight to an appraiser to sell the gold. He had to wait for an armoured car to deliver funds to the shop to cover the cost. Then Cliff hired the car to give him a ride to the bank.

After that he returned to work. His boss informed Cliff he was fired for being late. Cliff informed the rat he was quitting anyway. He placed a wad of cash in the man's pocket, and told the man to take his wife somewhere nice. And to pick up a bottle of strawberry syrup from the grocery store.

Next he returned home via bus to retrieve his own pickup truck, went and bought the generator, dish, and a few other things, and headed back toward the hills.

He still returned to town occassionally to pick up the sattelite bill from the apartment or to buy more toys for Liz. But mostly he was happy to stay in the cave with his strange new lover.

***

Cliff awoke, the cavern lit by the morning. He climbed out of bed and went to get his clothes. Liz still slept upon her pile of treasures. He never worried about waking her, as much as he'd like to kiss her goodbye for the day. He had learned that dragons were notoriously heavy sleepers. And as loving as Liz was calling her 'cranky' about being woken up was an understatement.

After dressing himself he walked to the mouth of the cave. The dragon and her hoarde were hidden from view. He mouthed 'goodbye,' and turned to see a nude green furred cat standing in front of him.

"Deh!"

"I changed my mind, I do want to come with you."

"Liz?" he reached slowly out and touched the cat. She had adopted a fur texture similar to his own otter pelt, but green in color. He thought she might not be able to change the color of her flesh as she couldn't with her gold eyes, but he realised she had simply adopted the fur pattern of Sour Kitty from the Happy Foxes.

He ran his hand over her breast. The reptile didn't have them in her normal anthro form, but she had apparently thought them neccessry for this form. And she had apparently modeled them off of one of the larger girls on the underwear commercials. She had left a couple details out, though, but Cliff decided not to correct her.

"We need to get you some clothes."

They had to make do with some of Cliff's that he stored there. This meant she wore a t-shirt hanging loosely on her shoulders and a pair of shorts that looked like they'd fall off despite the belt tightened to the last notch. He figured they'd start with clothes shopping at OmegaMart. There at least a green cat wearing baggy clothes wouldn't be in the top twenty percent of wierd.

They hiked back down to Cliff's car. He normally didn't have Liz fly him as there were a lot of joggers in the park in early morning that might notice things like a giant green dragon swooping out of the sky.

Cliff had made the trip many a time now and was much more sure footed and familiar with the route than he had been, so the journey only took him a fraction of the time it had when he first brought her her pepper mill. But now he had a cat in tow that was not use to hoofing it in the first place. So it took considerably longer.

"This isn't the van you came here in."

"No, that belonged to the delivery company. This is my jalopy."

"You could get one of those nice ones they show on t.v."

"I feel guilty using your money just on myself."

"I don't mind. We should go shopping for a new car for you today."

"Heh, why not?"

***

They started at OmegaMart, where Cliff invoked Liz's ire for not having told her that they put cartoon characters on clothing. He proceded to inform her that they put cartoon characters on everything, including many products which they have no business being on.

After that came breakfast at Manny's. Cliff had himself a Monte Cristo sandwich, while Liz ordered half of the menu. The poor vixen waitress had thought it a joke at first, and ended up completely flumoxed that they didn't require twenty take home containers. Cliff left the girl a substantial tip for her trouble.

Next came a trip to the car lot. Cliff had been worried about unscupulous activity on the part of the car dealer, and when they met him (an ox) Cliff felt his fears had been more than justified. Cliff pulled Liz aside to try and warn her.

Liz simply smiled and said, "Ooh, this will be fun."

Cliff found himself guiltily accepting a much lower deal than he felt he should have. And it would have been worse had he let Liz continue. She probably could have gotten the entire lot for a penny and left the salesman upset that he couldn't make change.

Liz herself wanted to continue, but Cliff placated her with some shiny accessories, and they left in a brand new red high end sports car complete with 'Happy Foxes' decals in the rear window.

Next came a trip to the mall, which was the high point of Cliff's day. Many kids immidiately recognized Liz's fur pattern, one human child even asking for her autograph. She attracted some strange looks from a few of the adults, a grey spotted cat here, a red panda there, a black rat, a civet, an elk. Even the pair of shaved lions gave them odd looks. A group of teenagers covered in piercings and wierd hair dyes gave her the thumbs up. One gerbil storekeeper remarked on her eyes, and the two immidiately dropped into their rehersed routine.

After the mall, Cliff decided they should pay a visit to the Black Cat's Palace, the large casino hotel downtown.

The dragoness licked her lips at the glittering, shining machines within. She admitted to loving 'games of chance.'

She played a bit of everything, though quickly got bored with many of them. "I'm playing the machine or the game itself. There's no way to wager against another."

Then Cliff introduced her to poker. Fish don't take to water that well. Soon she had a pile of plastic chips in front of her ("All you're money should look like this. It's much prettier," she had said.) She mocked the other players for wearing sunglasses. "Cover your eyes all you want, you cannot hide your true intent from me," she jeered at many of them.

After several hours no one was willing to play her anymore. They made their way back through the Casino headed for the 'All-You-Can-Eat buffet' to make the casino seriously regret using that phrase. Cliff spotted at one of the slot machines the fox waitress from that morning.

"Tisk, tisk," he said, "Gambling away all that nice tip money I gave you?"

The vixen looked up at him, tears in her eyes, then threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she cried kissing his cheek again and again. She sobbed heavily onto his shoulder. He didn't know what to do, and slowly put his arms around the fox.

"It's okay," he said.

When she finally pulled back she said, "I'm sorry, I hope you're not mad."

Liz just seemed confused, moreso when the fox repeated her affections on the green cat. "Thank you, too."

"Sorry, it, it's about a boy. Not like that. He's a young boy at an orphanage where I volunteer. He desperately an operation, and we didn't think we were going to make it. We held fundraisers, and the hospital was trying to work with us but...," the fox sniffled. "You put us over the top. He's at the hospital now. He's getting the surgery tomorrow."

She hugged the two again, "Thank you."

"It's okay. Dare I ask what you're doing here, though?"

"It's a bit of a bad habit of mine. I only play a few bucks every once in a while, and I haven't played since that cub needed his operation, not wanting to risk a penny. But now that he's going to be okay I'm treating myself a bit."

"I understand. Having any luck?"

"I'm up five bucks."

"Quit while your ahead, come to dinner with my girl and me. She's just took the poker room for a ride."

"Is that how you got your money?"

"Not exactly. But we're glad we can help. I know Liz here loves helping."

"I really do."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"I don't want to be a bother."

"Trust me, you're not."

"Well, our roof has been leaking and could use some repairs..."

"Repairs? I don't think so. You'll have a new one by the end of the week."

She kissed him again.

***

It was late that night when they left the casino.

They walked through the parking garage, Cliff and Rosa laughing heartedly together. Liz observed them, curiously. She smelt something odd. "Stop," she said.

"What?" said Cliff, still laughing.

She sniffed again. "We need to get out of here."

"Now, now, there is no need for you to go so soon."

Cliff and Rosa jumped. Liz simply turned. A figure stood between two cars covered completely in thick grey robes. His eyes weren't even visible through the slit in the fabric over them. He wore thick leather gloves on his forepaws and boots on his feet. In his right hand he held a long crooked staff.

"Who are you?" he asked as he stepped forward, making a point of clicking his staff on the concrete as he walked. "Or perhaps we should start with, what are you?"

This had been Liz's biggest fear come true. This was some kind of mage, and a powerful one at that. She could tell by the smell of him. He would know the old tales. He would know no good came from dragons.

"How about you tell us who you are?"

"Cliff! Be quiet." Liz hissed.

"What, he's trying to be mister intimidating and scary here. Halloween is four months away, dumbass."

The figure stopped. "Yes, how rude of me. I shall not disclose my full identity, obviously, but you may know that I am a sorcerer. Now, what exactly are you? Somehow I doubt you are 'Sour Kitty' incarnate."

"Who is this guy? What is he talking about?" Rosa was getting worried.

"You are correct, I am not what I seem. I am a protector. I have long lain dormant in the forests beyond your great city. I travelled here with this otter that I may observe the wonders that have been crafted in my dormancy."

"Look, I'm greatful for the money and all but role playing isn't my..."

"Silence!" the sorcerer shouted and with a wave of his free hand Rosa's jaw snapped shut.

"What did you do to her!" Cliff shouted and charged the man. Another wave and Cliff was thrown backward, hitting the pavement hard with his back. He coughed.

"Cliff, stay down," Liz commanded. "I know you are acting in the best interest of your city and your kind. I assure you I am no threat," she showed him her bare paws. She had to keep that in mind. The sorcerer was trying to goad her. Get her to expose her true form. Her best hope was to convince this figure that she was friendly.

"And yet you do not speak your true form. Though I believe I can guess...,"

"And if you can guess then you know my kind does not lie. I am no threat to you or your city."

"Your kind has been a threat to every city since you foul creatures were created. I shall not risk your continued existence!"

"Don't you dare hurt her." Cliff again charged the figure. The figure raised his hand.

Liz couldn't risk it. She changed to her true form and let out a roar. The wizard tried to turn his spell on the giant creature looming before him, but was too slow. She smashed her claw into him and sent him hurtling into the concrete wall.

He lay at the bottom, unmoving. "Oh, God, I think you killed him."

"I couldn't risk him doing the same to you."

The poor fox stood watching them, moving her jaw to speak, though no sound came out. "It's okay, it's going to be okay," Cliff told her.

"I think she's still under his spell. We should take her back to my lair until it wears off."

They loaded her into the car, then Cliff drove out of the city and toward the hills.

***

"Are you sure it will wear off?"

"It is fading. The sorcerer was powerful, but he is no longer here to hold the binding."

The vixen was holding her knees as she sat on Cliff's bed. The dragon and otter watched her carefully. Finally she was able to speak. She screamed.

"What the hell are you?" she managed. "What's going on?"

"It's okay. You're okay," Cliff said quickly. "She's a dragon."

"Actual. Fire-breathing..."

"Yes."

"It's a trick, right? Or a dream? Please, tell me I'm dreaming. That guy..."

"He can't hurt us anymore."

"He said he was..."

"A sorcerer," Liz said. "A powerful magic user that can draw magic power from within themselves rather than making use of ambient magic as a wizard would. Exceptionally dangerous in that they cannot be cut off from their power. But as Cliff said, he cannot hurt us anymore."

"Why was he trying to kill you?"

"Dragons have a well earned reputation for not being something you want to keep around. Not me personally, but I very much understand his concern. I wish I didn't have to do that, but as I said, I couldn't risk Cliff."

"Come on, let's go watch T.V., we'll explain it all to you there."

"You have a t.v.?"

"Yeah, we usually watch it from the hot tub."

"Hot tub?"

"Though admittedly we usually dip naked. That's okay, we'll pull the couch out."

"You... sleep together?"

"Well, we don't sleep together, per say. I sleep on that bed while she sleeps on her hoarde. But to answer your intended question, yes, we have sex."

"Hoarde... of gold... jewels...," the fox looked at the giant pile behind her.

"And toys. She likes her little toys. You have no idea how hard it was to convince her not to just toss the television on top."

"How did she get all of that."

"Dragons... live a long time. They sleep most of the time, usually waking only when some lackless adventurer tries to steal from the hoarde. They kill, destroy, some actually engage in manipulation.

"Dragons are also fiercly territorial. Getting two of us together to mate is a feat. Thieves stole my egg from my parents' brood. It was subsequently sold to some wealthy furries who raised me. That's probably how I gained such an affinity for them.

"When I grew up I began to watch over my furries. That territoriality kicked in and I began to slay other dragons to take their land. This included my own parents and siblings. That is not unusual for dragonkind."

"But I amassed my hoarde from the sum of theirs. And over the centuries other dragons tried to invade my lands and harm my furries. I destroyed them and took their wealth for my own."

"Wow... dragons sure are nasty."

"We are."

Cliff helped Rosa up and led her to the 'entertainment center,' as he called it. Liz shifted to her full dragon form to push the hot tub aside and pull up the couch. She reverted to her anthro form and sat down with the two furs.

"The last time I awoke was many centuries ago. Well, I guess there was about a century ago where I was woken by a lion furry accompanied by a human girl and two golems. But someone had just given them bad directions, so it really didn't amount to much.

"Anyway, is there anything you'd like to watch?"

***

Liz flew Cliff and Rosa back to his car. He drove the fox back to town, and she stayed silent the entire trip.

"I have a bt of an odd question," the fox said as they parked in the apartment building's lot. "All that treasure. And she has no clue about financial stuff. You've never just taken some for yourself?"

"Why would I? I can't imagine how selfishly stealing her money to buy things just for myself would possibly be more fun than sharing them with her. And I mean, she's a dragon! And she loves me. And I love her. To me she is the greatest treasure in that cave."

Cliff walked with the fox back to

"Hard to say. That sorcerer guy shook her pretty bad, especially since she was afraid something like that may happen. Personally I don't think he put up that much of a fight, but she's worried other guys like him will know her for what she is. Especially because of her eyes. She can't change her eyes."

"Can't she wear sunglasses?"

Cliff opened his mouth to reply, then shut it. Rosa gave him a smug smile. "Well, this is me," she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek again. "Thank you again."

The door opened, "Rosa, who is this."

"Oh, this is Cliff. He's the guy who gave me the big tip today. I was just thanking him again."

"Good, for a moment I was worried you were going straight on me. Maggie." the vixen extended her paw.

"Cliff," he took it. "Nice to meet you. And you don't need to worry, I'm taken."

"Thank you, Cliff."

"Not a problem."

***

The tapping of wood on stone echoed through the cave. There was a crack as that wood was brought across soft flesh.

Cliff grunted at the wack. He again hung by his wrists from the ceiling. A drop of precum rolled down his member and over his testes. Liz smacked him again.

"Oh, God." He panted, "I saw Rosa again this morning."

"She's nice," she wacked him again.

"I guess that cub had his surgery today. He's doing well she said. She wants us to come visit him."

Liz stepped around to the front of the dangling otter. "You know I can't do that."

"Like I said, sunglasses."

"That won't confuse the sorcerer. He'll recognize me regardless of diguise at this point."

"Assuming he's still alive."

"There was nothing on the news about a strange man being found dead in a parking garage."

"He wasn't that tough. Besides, he's had a week now to look up the legends of the Lizard. He'll know you're a good one now."

"I don't know."

"And I want to take you to Zanyland. You'll love Zanyland."

"Are you sure?"

"They have people dressed as Happy Foxes characters there."

"Alright, I'll go."

"Yay. Now could you be a dear and take care of that for me? By balls are going blue."

"Hmm... You seem awfully demanding for a prisoner." She stepped up to him, wrapped her arms around and slid herself down over. He moaned. "You're just lucky you're a cute one."

***

"Sour Kitty!" the mouse said from the hospital bed.

"I'm not really Sour Kitty. I just look like her."

"Oh," he tried to process this. "Can I have your audoglaf?"

"Brad here has been a strong boy, haven't you?" Rosa said.

"I had surgwey."

"He's cute," Cliff smiled.

"I know." the vixen laughed. "I'm glad he'll be alright."

"How's your new roof."

"Great, I love you for it."

"Are there any other issues we could assisst you with?" the dragon asked.

"Again, I don't want to impose, since you two have been so wonderful already. But..., we have been having issues with our plumbing..."

"I think we might be able to spring for that." Cliff sneered.

"You two are wonderful."

"Would you like to come with us to Zanyland? Call Maggie, she can come with."

"She's working, I can give her a call and see if she can get off."

"I want to go!" the mouse said from the hospital bed.

"Sorry, buddy, you need to rest up. Maybe next time, okay?"

***

Liz did love Zanyland. The entire place was a principally a collection of meditative labyrinths to walk. Though for some reason she couldn't grasp each labyrinth ended in some kind of large complicated torture device. And Cliff and Rosa seemed more exited about 'riding' the torture devices than walking the labyrinth.

Not that she should have found that surprising for Cliff given his usual choice of games. When she asked him if he found the machines sexually stimulating, he only blushed and stammered while Rosa descended into a fit of laughter.

Of course Liz got to see a bunch of people dressed in cartoon character costumes. The game seemed to be pretending they were the actual characters and getting to 'meet' them. Of course she was complimented by many a fur on her own pelt. Some employees even asked if she wanted a job.

And Cliff introduced her to 'overpriced sugarry and salty snacks.' The treats now topped Liz's growing list of furkinds achievments since she slept. Though she was rather perplexed by Cliff regarding the matter. His reference to them as 'overpriced' implied that the various shopkeepers sold their wares for more than the fair value. As far as Liz was concerned, this was not something you got away with doing to a dragon. But Cliff kept insisting they let it be saying things like, 'the park sets the prices' and 'it probably helps cover the rides.'

And she got to take part in the games they had here. She found the games here much more amusing than those at the casino. These had an element of skill. Sure they had been designed to appear deceptively simpler than they actually were, but she loved the challenge. Not to mention the prizes here were considerably better. The casino just gave you more money. Here she could win a plush Sour Kitty the size of a small horde.

Cliff put an end to her fun again, though, noting that the three large large toys he had currently would barely fit in his car as is. He assured her that with the 'Season Passes,' they purchased they could return any time and play. They also bought a pass for Rosa and a 'voucher' for Maggie.

After this they left the park, stuffed the large plush toys along with Rosa into the back seat of the sport's car, and drove to a 'pizza place.'

They walked from the parking garage downtown towards the pizzeria. A coyote and a rat stepped out from an alley laughing. They stopped in front of the group.

"Don't move," the rat said. Liz noticed their jacket pockets were oddly tented. She had seen the effect many a time on Cliff's pants, never up there.

"What's going on?" Liz asked.

"I think we're being robbed."

"Yes, you're being robbed. Now hand over your money or you all get it," the coyote instructed.

"Get what?"

"You wouldn't shoot us here. It's broad daylight on a crowded street."

"We've seen you around town. We know you're loaded. With your cash we could get three countries away before the police around here figured out what the hell was going on. So you can either give us the money and get away alive or we take it off your corpses."

"Just give them the money, please." Rosa pleaded. "Please don't hurt me."

"Alright, alright, here," Cliff pulled out his wallet and held it out. The rat snatched it.

"Now don't you dare follow us or you're dead, you here?"

They took off through the crowd.

"What just happened? Why did you give him that?"

Cliff quickly explained the concept of armed robbery. Kitty's face soured. "No one steals from a dragon," she ran after them.

***

Liz may have been new to running on two legs, but she had endurance. She chased the robbers through the streets and into a park. They jumped over picnicers, pushed past joggers, and knocked over a table at a beer tasting. They ran down into a creek bed and into a large storm drain with the grate raised open. She followed them through the tunnel, the only light coming from the few drain covers above.

Finally they stopped and turned to face her. "You will regret having stolen from a dragon!" she sneered and shifted to her dragon anthro form.

The two thieves collapsed on the spot. She cocked her head at them. She didn't think she had been that intimidating.

"I had figured you'd be back," a familiar voice said from the darkness.

"You."

"Yes, me. You'll find I'm notoriously difficult to kill."

"You killed them."

"Oh, no, I would never do that. These two lost a police shootout a couple weeks back. I just borrowed them for a bit."

"Necromancy? And you dare call me a monster."

"Sometimes we must decend into darkness to defeat it. Anyway, now you shall join them." The wizard raised his hand and lightning flew to the dragon. She screamed as she dropped to her knees.

"How is that, lizard?"

She climbed to her feet and ran back through the tunnel. She needed to get into the open. She saw the tunnel entrace ahead, and saw the grate slam shut over it. She pushed on it but it wouldn't budge. Cliff and Rosa appeared on the other side. They all tried to lift the grate to no avail.

"Nowhere to run, dragon."

"He's coming,"

"It's too heavy."

Liz looked back. "Step back!" she screamed as the sorcerer struck her again.

"Stop it! Stop it! She's done nothing to you!" Cliff pounded on the storm grate. "She's a good dragon, you son of a bitch!"

"I know you don't understand this now, but I simply cannot risk letting her exist," he struck again. The dragon shrieked.

"Can't she turn into a big dragon and bust out?"

"It's too small. That's why he lured her there."

"Can't she turn into something that's bigger but still fits in the pipe."

Realization washed over Liz. A second later a large Sour Kitty filled the tunnel. She jumped against the grate and it popped off with ease. She became her full dragon form. She grabbed her charges and took off.

"Quick grab that banner!" Cliff shouted. She ripped the banner that hung over the beer tasting. "Go!"

She flew into the sky.

"Why'd you have her do that?"

"So everyone will think this is a stupid advertising stunt."

"Good idea."

"I can think occasionally."

The dragon flew south out of the city. She couldn't face that guy again.

Then, in the center of the sky ahead of her, stood the sorcerer.

"What the..." was all Cliff got out before Liz dove to avoid a blast of lightning. Rosa fell from the dragons back. Liz dove, feeling Cliff holding onto her for dear life. A cloud of dust below her materialized into the sorcerer, and he threw another bolt. She twisted to avoid it and him. She twisted again, reached out with her talon and grabbed the fox.

Liz opened her wings and leveled out just above the trees and skimmed them until she reached the river bed. She landed hard, Cliff tumbled off her back onto the sand. Rosa panted hard. Liz grabbed them and dove to avoid the wizard's next strike.

She released them and turned to strike at the sorcerer, him disintigrating and reintigrating to the side.

He raised his staff and engulfed her in lightning. She howled. He stopped when he was hit with a hunk of driftwood Cliff threw. Cliff threw chunk after chunk, "Leave her alone!"

"Begonne, boy," a wave of his paw threw Cliff backwards across the sand.

He turned back to Liz too late, the dragon came down and let out a blast of fire engulfing the sorcerer. She blast again and again until the sand of the beach was melted to glass.

Finally she stopped. She turned to walk to where Rosa tended to Cliff. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Cliff coughed, "that wasn't enough to even slightly turn me on."

***

Cliff stretched as he woke. He climbed out of bed and walked to the cave mouth, scratching himself. It had been two weeks since the battle with the sorcerer. Liz had not wanted to return to town since, though the man was dead and he had apparently not been the protector he claimed.

"Hey, Cliff."

"Rosa! I didn't think you ever wanted to see us again!"

"I know things were wierd but I kind of..."

Cliff wondered why she had trailed off and was staring at him. Then he remembered he was naked, with a case of morning wood at that.

"Sorry!"

He ran off into the cave. He returned clothed to find Rosa still laughing. "So, where's Liz?"

"She's sleeping still. Dragons sleep alot and you really don't want to wake them."

"So, what do you guys do up here for fun."

"I dunno, play around. Liz has been on a board game kick as of late. We could do some of those."

"Sure."

They sat down in the T.V. section of the cave and began to play the various games. It wasn't too long before Liz joined them, happy to see Rosa again.

Things got interesting when Rosa asked the location of the restroom, and Cliff had to explain how he just used the bushes. Rosa reluctantly headed out of the cave. She returned some time later, looking rather embarassed.

"I... think I should go now. Maggie will be getting home soon and I haven't spent time with her in a while."

"Liz can fly you down to your car."

"Oh, that's nice, but I don't want to impose."

"Nonsense it will only take her a minute."

Liz flew the fox back to her car, they said quick goodbyes and Liz returned to the cave. When she arrived, she saw her otter tied up naked on the ground, the whip laying a few feet away. She always wondered how he did that so fast.

They spent the rest of the day playing their games, Cliff's sex games and Liz's board ones. They cuddled up in the hot tub again that night as the wound down, then kissed one another goodnight as they settled in.

Once again, Liz woke with a start to run off into the cave and return with the two small toys that had been missing from her pile. Cliff smiled as he lay back down.

The dragon jerked up.

"What's wrong?" Cliff asked.

She looked perplexed for almost a minute, then jumped up and took off flying.

"Liz?"

***

Rosa looked up from her desk at the orphanage. She wondered who could be knocking at this hour. She opened the door.

Liz wrapped her claw around the vixen's throat and pushed her back. The dragon pinned her to the desk, "You dare steal from a dragon."

Rosa stared up at the dragon, hoping to deny, but the large sapphire was currently acting as a paperweight inches away.

"Well?"

"Please... please..."

"Please what?"

"Sour Kitty, is that you? What are you doing with Miss Rosa?" the young mouse asked from the door.

"Go to bed, dear, we're just playing," Rosa said from beneath the dragon's talon.

"Can I play?"

"No, sweetie, its past your bed time. How about we all play in the morning."

"Okay...," the mouse walked off. Rosa's eyes returned to the still furious dragon's face.

"It is a story told again and again. The small furry comes and pleads the mighty dragon for a piece of their treasure to allevaite some plight. And the dragon, in its benevolence, grants the fur their request. But it never fails that it isn't long before the greedy fur is back to steal more of the dragon's treasure.

"You got money for the mouse's surgery. I gave you for your new roof. I gave you for your plumbing. But it wasn't enough, was it? It's never enough for your kind, is it? Answer me!"

"No," she cried.

"What?"

"No. It's not enough. How I wish it was, but it's not enough. I know I should be grateful for the roof and the plumbing and all, but the workers kept laughing how it's new roof and plumbing for a pile of rubble. And I can't help but feel they're right.

"We have no heat or air conditioning, our foundation has cracks, and I've got three windows that are covered in plastic because some punks threw rocks through them. I have to peddle and plead for money to get the cubs the medicines they need, watching furs punching buttons on the latest four-hundred dollar phone toss a handful of pennies into my bucket. I have to choose frequently which cub gets medicine which day and which doesn't.

"Do you have any idea how hard that is? Watching some poor cub suffer through a soar throat and you can't even afford a two dollar bottle of cough medicine to give some slight comfort?

"I work two jobs and donate every spare penny I have here. I've eaten nothing but dollar menu fast food for months. I barely see Maggie, and we haven't been intimate in ages. She loves me, and says its okay, but I know she's getting frustrated.

"God, I wish it was enough. I wish I didn't have to worry about not having enough buckets to catch all the leaks. I wish I didn't have to explain to the cubs why they can't go down to Zanyland every time an advertisement comes on. I wish I lived in the fucking Happy Foxes world where my biggest fucking problem was how many slices to cut a pie into. God I wish it was enough. But it never is. It never is."

The dragon released her grip on the fox. The girl dropped to the ground coughing. Liz looked down at the sobbing animal. She hated to see her furries like this.

Her furries. That's how she had thought about them for so long. They were more her hoarde than any of the gold and jewels in the pile in the cave. Once, long ago, a blue dragon had invaded her lands. Liz had chased him off, but he had snatched up one small cub in the process.

Liz chased him hundreds of miles to his lair. And she fought to her own near death, but in the end she tore the dragon's heart out of his chest with her teeth. And she picked up the crying babe and flew her back to her family.

She didn't understand much of 'commerce' as Cliff called it. And she didn't understand a word of the fox's rant. But she did understand one thing. Rosa was a protector, and she would do anything to protect the cubs she cared for, even if she needed steal from a dragon to do it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to steal it. I just didn't know what to do."

Liz looked at the sapphire on the table, then knelt by the fox. She wrapped her arms around the poor girl, "I don't know much about these things, but I'll ask Cliff and see what we can do."

"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I know I shouldn't have listened to him. But he said you wouldn't miss it."

"Who said?"

***

"Cliff!" Rosa shouted as Liz landed in her cave. The fox jumped from the dragon's back and ran to the bed. "Cliff!" the otter lying their did not respond. "Cliff! Cliff! Oh, God, I think he's dead."

"Not exactly," the sorcerer said from the shadows.

"You... How?" Liz demanded.

"I told you, I'm notoriously difficult to kill."

"What did you do to him?" Rosa shouted.

"To put it bluntly, I pulled the soul from his body. It's right here." A pail white sphere sat in the necromancer's glove. Smoke billowed from Liz's nostrils.

"I wouldn't do that, my dear. These things can be slippery to hold onto.

"Now, as I understand it a dragon will always honor a deal. So here's the deal. I put your friends soul back, and in exchange I liberate yours from your body."

Liz thought. She shifted back to her anthro form. "Deal." she said softly.

"A good decision," the necromancer walked to the bed and placed his hand on the otter. The otter stirred. The sorcerer walked slowly toward Liz.

"What are you doing? Kill him!" Rosa shouted.

"We had a deal."

"You can't be serious!"

"Now, I believe this stone here shall be a suitable place. I even brought this special knife, just for you. If you'd be so kind." He brandished a long dagger.

Liz walked to the slab and lay down. "What are you doing? Burn him," Cliff now shouted.

"She made a deal. Her life for yours. Quite noble, really."

"Why are you doing this? You know the legends. You know who she is. You know she's good."

"Good? Hardly."

"She's sacrificing herself for me. You said it was noble. Your entire plan relies on her being good."

"I cannot risk that much power in a single being."

"What about your power? How can we risk having you?"

"Do not presume to know me, boy. You will thank me for this, in time."

"Thank you? For taking the one thing I love most from me? For taking her life with no reason? Do you know that? What it feels like to lose someone you love?"

"I said do not presume to know me boy."

"You do," Cliff sat back, realizing he had struck a chord. "Who was it?"

"That is not your concern."

"It is my concern." Cliff stood up, walked across the bed, and dropped to the floor. "It's what all this is about. You lost someone dear to you, and for all your power you couldn't save them."

"Come no closer, boy."

"Or what? Strike at me, and your deal is forfeit. You can't touch me," Cliff laughed lightly.

"But that is it, isn't it? Liz said you were a protector. You want to protect those dear to you. When you say, 'can't risk it,' you know exactly who you think you're risking."

"I know you know the legend of the Lizard. I actually dug through a bunch of library books to read about her. That's who she is, the Lizard. She has always protected these lands, protected us. You know that.

"I don't know much about the supernatural, and I'm sure there are lots of baddies out there. And I want you to think of your loved one. The one you're protecting. If you kill Liz there'll be one less good one to protect that one from the bad ones."

"You're like me, aren't you?" Rosa said. "You try to do everything. You want to get rid of all the bad things yourself. But it destroys you inside. You need to know when it's okay to ask for help."

The sorcerer twisted his head back as the dragon placed her claw on her shoulder.

"You have the word of a dragon, that I will do all I can to protect you and those you hold dear. You know the wealth of those words is worth more than the gold of my pile."

"I know. I just... I just..., thought I had to get rid of all of them. I didn't mean... I don't know what I meant. I just know I can't live without her." The knife clattered to the floor. The sorcerer walked to the cave mouth. He turned back to face them. "Very well, dragon, you have turned my heart. I shall allow you continue your existence." The man flashed to dust and was gone.

"Drama queen." Cliff said.

***

"Well, this is it," Cliff held the door for Liz as she carried a box containing a handful of Happy Foxes toys. That was all that was left of the dragon's possesions as they had liquidated all of Liz's hoarde. And they sold the hot tub and big screen t.v. and other luxuries. And Cliff had sold off his high end sport's car and bought a nice economy model.

They were moving in together to Cliff's apartment, so it'd be a shorter commute. Cliff had gotten his old job back at the delivery company. And Liz was going to go to school to become a groomer while apprenticing at Maggie's salon.

Cliff definitely missed his brief life of luxury. But it had been worth it to pay for repairs to the orphanages. All of the orphanages. And to buy a plush toy for all of the orphans in the world. And they set up an insurance fund to cover medical expenses of those in need.

And they managed to squeeze enough together to pay for Rosa and Maggie to take a nice long romantic cruise together.

"Sorry there's not really room for you to stretch out."

"It'll be fine. I don't need to sleep in my full form.

He walked up to the dragon, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "You know, after all we gave up to help others I still feel guilty. After all, I kept the cave's greatest treasure for myself."

"That you did." She walked to the box and turned it over. She picked up the whip. "And for that you must be punished."

"Yay! I mean, no!"