FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

“Hey, Hasina," said Sinbad as he lightly tapped her shoulder. “Hasina, wake up." The gryphoness let out a small trill as her eyes opened. She noticed Sinbad, fully dressed and ready to go, kneeling into the tent's entrance. Hasina got up and exited the tent, stretching in a feline manner and letting out a wide-beaked yawn. It was only then that she noticed how dim the sky was.

“The sun's not even out." she said.

“Yep," said Sinbad, checking his horse's connection to the cart. “We have a two hour trip ahead of us, so it's better to get there early before the bazaar gets too busy."

“Alright, then." said Hasina with a shrug.

The newfound companions made their way east on the road, Sinbad at the reins and Hasina lying down in the back of the cart.

“So what's your story?" asked Hasina suddenly, wanting to break the silence.

“My story?" asked Sinbad, looking back at her.

“You know, like how you came to be a wanderer and whatnot."

“Ah," said Sinbad. “Well, it's not really a happy tale, I'll tell you that much. But I'm perfectly willing to tell it." Hasina's eyes widened slightly in response, as if surprised.

“Go ahead." she said.

“Well," started Sinbad. “I was born in the port city of Marsana, where my parents and I made a good living as fishermen. But one day, when I was just thirteen or so, a gang of marauders stormed the town and started taking townspeople to sell them into slavery. My parents managed to hide me, but… they got captured. I've been on my own ever since. After that, I lived on the streets and made money by working for a crime boss. I eventually ran away from Marsana when I couldn't pay back a debt. For about four years I ran with a gang of bandits, but one day, they took up slaving. I immediately ran away, not wanting to be any part of that. And so, here we are: Me alone, wandering the desert, taking up trading and bounty hunting, and in general just doing the right thing when no one will."

“Indeed," said Hasina. “You were right. It wasn't a happy tale."

“What about you?" asked Sinbad. Hasina's ears instantly laid flat against her head as she looked down at her talons. Sinbad immediately noticed her sudden somber look.

“I'm sorry if I-" he started to say.

“No, it's fine," said Hasina, looking up at him. “I just don't want to talk about it, at least not right now."

“That's okay," said Sinbad with a smile as he turned his attention back to the road. “Don't worry about it. I'm in no rush to hear your story. You just tell me it when you're ready to, okay?"

“Okay." said Hasina with a smile.

After many miles of talking and getting to know one another, the two finally arrived at their destination: The bazaar town of Dakan, a medium-sized settlement filled to the brim with markets, shops, and all manner of establishments. They entered the gates and headed to the main plaza, past an assortment of inns and taverns. The streets were only lightly filled with traders looking to sell and buy their goods.

“We're in luck," said Sinbad. “As predicted, we got here just in time, before the big rush between late morning and early afternoon."

“What about after?" asked Hasina.

“What?" responded Sinbad.

“What are we doing after you trade in the gazelle hide and horns?"

“Truth be told, I'm not entirely sure. But I do plan on renting a room at Karam's place. He and his wife's inn and tavern is the best in town in my opinion. So who knows."

At last, they arrived at the central plaza, a hub of multiple trader's stalls placed in a large square in the middle of town.

“Now he should be around here somewhere," said Sinbad as he looked around the plaza. “Ah, there he is. Come on." Sinbad drove the cart up in front of a stall full of stacked animal hides and dismounted. Hasina got out of the back and allowed Sinbad to reach the goods he was trading. Hide and horns in hand, Sinbad and Hasina walked up to the stall, an anthro sabertooth cat behind it, his spotted brown fur cut extremely short.

“Well if it isn't Sinbad, back from his latest adventure," he said in a gruff accent with a wide sabertoothed grin. “What is it today, lad? And who might this pretty lady be?"

“Firstly, just a gazelle hide and its horns," said Sinbad as he set them on the stall's counter. “Second, I'd like to introduce Hasina. I rescued her from slavers. Hasina, this is Vorstad. He's from up north. Way up north."

“Nasty business, slavery," said Vorstad as he inspected the goods. “I'm so sorry such a lady of rare beauty like you went through such a thing. Here." he said as he filled a pouch full of gold coins and handed it over to Sinbad, who looked inside it feeling extra weight.

“This is more than what a gazelle hide and horns normally is equal to." he said.

“Consider it my condolences to Hasina there. As well as a little reward for snatching up a beaut' like her." said Vorstad slyly with a wink. Sinbad and Hasina both blushed and looked at each other before looking back at the saber.

“It's not like that, you sabertoothed oaf," said Sinbad. “We're just friends, that's all."

Their trading over with, the two of them headed to the stables to store the horse before going to Karam's inn and tavern. They entered the building, a large two story wooden establishment with a main dining area on the first floor, the inside air a great deal cooler than the heated desert climate. As they walked up to the counter, a number of eyes were glued to the pair. Upon reaching the counter, they were met by a Qafaran human behind it.

“Greetings, Sinbad," he said. “What'll it be?"

“Hello to you too, Karam. Two orders of beef kofta, two cold maramia teas, and a plate of menenas." said Sinbad.

“You got it. Masul!" shouted Karam into the kitchen behind him. A female human-sized feral cobra with an iridescent hood, a scitalis, poked her head up from behind a clay stove.

“I heard, dear." she said as she got a fire going.

“So that's lunch settled." said Sinbad as they made their way to a booth for two, one on each side of a table.

After a short wait, their food arrived: Two plates of ball-shaped seasoned ground beef, two cups full of cold amber brew, and a plate of four round pastries, from which wafted a sweet fruity smell. Hasina looked at it all with joy in her eyes.

“What?" asked Sinbad.

“This is the most food I've ever had, at least not for a long, long while." said Hasina, now drooling a small bit.

“Well, go ahead, dig in." said Sinbad as he began to eat his meal, using a fork. Hasina immediately dove into hers beakfirst, savoring the slightly spicy meat of the kofta bite by bite, churring happily all the while. Hasina was done with hers in half the time in took Sinbad, who noticed she had a bit of kofta stuck to the edge of her beak. He wiped it off with a cloth, leaving a blushing Hasina to take a sip of tea. The main course finished, they went on to the menenas. As Sinbad ate his two, he watched in anticipation as Hasina brought hers to her beak, secretly eager to see the adorable response she would have. Sure enough, her reaction was one of pure cute bliss the moment the sweet date-filled pastry hit her tongue.

Soon, all that was left was the tea, which Masul periodically refilled.

“So," said Hasina. “About earlier." she said with a slightly embarrassed chuckle.

“What?" asked Sinbad.

“The whole, 'you managing to snag me' thing Vorstad said." said Hasina, blushing once again.

“Right," said Sinbad with a blush of his own. “That. Well, as I'm sure you're quite aware of, interspecies couples are common, no matter the species, so long as they're both sentient. I'm pretty sure he's been used to seeing me alone for so long that he thought I must've gotten tired of the single life. Which, in a manner of speaking, I have. It's really nice to finally have someone to talk to and share time with beside a non-sentient horse and friends I only see so often."

“It's a wonder you're still sane." said Hasina with a smile.

“Indeed," said Sinbad. “But I do have to admit, you're probably one of, if not the, most beautiful creatures I've seen in my time." Hasina let out a surprised and undignified squawk as her whole head practically turned red in an instant. Her feathers and fur stood on end, making her look rather ridiculous. She even hid behind her wings in embarrassment, though that only helped a little given their clipped state.

“Thank you." she managed to squeak out. A long silence followed as the two of them reflected on the conversation they just had.

“I'll go, uh, get our room ready." said Sinbad as he left for the counter.

Sunset came, and the two headed upstairs to their room, inside of which was two beds a center nightstand with a couple candles, and a balcony. Hasina immediately jumped onto the right bed, squirming like a cat testing a new bed of its own.

“Like it?" asked Sinbad, sitting down on the left bed with an amused smile on his face.

“I haven't slept in a proper bed in ages," sighed Hasina. “It's perfect."

“That's good to hear. Now then, good night." said Sinbad as he got under his bed's covers as Hasina did the same in hers. But after about fifteen or so minutes, Sinbad felt a light tapping on his shoulder.

“Sinbad?" he heard a small voice say as he opened his eyes, seeing Hasina look at him with one of the biggest sets of puppy dog eyes imaginable.

“What is it," he asked groggily. “Can't sleep?"

“Yes," said Hasina. “If it's not too much trouble, do you think I could sleep with you again tonight?" Her cute gaze intensified, which only served as overkill to Sinbad's defenses.

“Come on." he said, lifting the covers and allowing her to climb in. The gryphoness smiled and churred warmly as she once again held Sinbad in a tight embrace, the two of them once again drifting into a deep slumber.