FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hejira: Sanguine Wave

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 30: Cracked Foundation

Returning to his home, alone, Gareth hides away from the villagers. No longer feeling comfortable there, he packs a bag but leaves it placed underneath the frame and near the foot of his bed. He doesn’t want to leave, but if it’s best for Sarvah and the people of Wildwood, he will. After negotiating with the Night Watchers, the humans agree to drop their old moniker and become Feather Fingers, the dominant clan of Wildwood. In exchange, they may live in any area of the town that they see fit, even if they segregate themselves by race.

Furthermore, Emma is allowed to oversee her people, but leadership is entirely surrendered to Sarvah. Disobedience will be treated the same as if one of her original tribe defied her. Making superficial cuts to their palms with a ceremonial, stone knife, the women shake hands to seal the deal in their blood. Now under her command, the newly inducted, human Feather Fingers are promptly put to work, building mud brick homes and joining the logging crew.

Working with the logging crew and using his cobalt blue aura, Kelly hacks down many trees with his sling-blade. Upon seeing Claire watching him with several women in the distance, he disperses his aura and sheaths his Katana machete. Instead now relying on his aura chain-whip, which flows from the palms of his hands, he fells three trees in one swing. A faint applause is heard afterward, as most are too focused on their own work.

“Look at Kelly’s talents.” A human man murmurs.

“He’s quite powerful.” Another says. “I didn’t know fat men could have such skill.”

“Red Claw wouldn’t stand a chance.” The first boasts.

A backhanded compliment is still a compliment as far as Kelly is concerned, but the remark about Red Claw gives him pause. Kelly knows how powerful Gareth is, and the strongest among them was Faye. Little do they know that the two most dangerous people would defeat him so handily, or that one lives beside them as they speak. Working throughout the day and building up quite the apatite, Kelly stops at their usual dinner time and heads for a series of wooden benches and tables.

Sitting with Naomi, who brought him a lunch of bread and Venison, Kelly shreds the meat with a knife, unwilling to use his aura and cut clean through the table. Placing the meat between the bread, the others are in awe as Kelly reintroduces the sandwich to the mostly primitive people.

“Powerful, physically strong, and clever.” Claire’s voice begins. “Do you have any downsides?” She asks as she sits beside him.

“None that I can think of. Oh, uh... Maybe a few kids that are floating around.” He nervously answers.

Claire laughs, resting a hand on his shoulder; she mistakes his seriousness for a joke. Before they can speak anther word, a commotion draws their attention. Across the rest area are a group of men. In the center of the group several more seem to be wrestling, growling insults at each other as they fight. Rising from his seat, Kelly moves toward the group as Claire follows closely behind. Seeing Kelly and Claire and recognizing the man as a long-standing Feather Finger, the other men and women, most from the now absorbed Night Watchers clan, move aside.

There in the center of the group are two human men and two Sahvorai fighting each other. One Sahvorai is Steve, the orange furred feline, while another is a man that Kelly has seen before, but is not familiar with. Kovah is a young man, only nineteen years old, with the appearance of a hyena. With a short but broad snout covered in black fur, a trickle of blood runs down his chin, attributed to both a split lip and a bite to a human.

“HEY!!!” Kelly roars.

The men stop fighting and the Sahvorai quickly stand to their feet. One of the two humans is also quick to rise, all three bowing their heads in shame as Kelly glares at them.

“What the hell are you doing?! You’re all from the same clan now!” Kelly yells.

“They started-”

“Shut up.” Kelly interrupts Steve. “All you need to answer is, what’s this even about?”

“Fucking beasts know what it’s about.” The man on the ground grumbles as he stands up.

“He attacked me first.” Kovah begins.

“After he made a comment!” The standing human retorts.

“I merely said that human women were quite attractive.” Kovah admits.

“And you’re going to fight over that?! The fuck is wrong with you!” Kelly yells at the humans.

“Sorry.” One murmurs.

“Filthy beasts...” The other grumbles.

“I’m sure your women would enjoy my scent, and more.” Kovah retorts with a smug grin.

“Hey...” Kelly turns to him, shaking his head in disapproval. “This is already bad. Don’t make it-”

“Enjoy this, you dog!” The second, angry human growls.

Taking a small knife from a sheath on his belt, he stabs Kovah in the back repeatedly with the little, three-inch blade. His hand grips the Sahvorai’s chin as Kovah goes into shock. Before Steve and his human companion can turn and grab the knife wielding man, he has stabbed the hyena Sahvorai over a dozen times in the back and right side. Falling to the ground, Kelly turns to Steve.

“Steve, go find Naomi, right now! Maybe she knows how to help him!”

“Alright!” Steve nods, running away.

Several people hold down the assailant, who yells angrily at them; they are all human. Within the span of only a few moments, Steve returns with Naomi, Sarvah and Emma. Watching in horror at the first murder committed in Wildwood, before even a dozen houses could be built and a wall erected, they stand in shock. There are no courts, prisons or gallows, nor do the Feather Fingers have a thoroughly detailed legal system. However, as they hear the story of what transpired from the other human and Steve, they will not need one.

With dozens of witnesses to the crime, they look over Kovah’s dead body; a cold-blooded murder must be weighed with blood. Sarvah has no choice...

“A Feather Finger committed murder. He has slain another of his own tribe.” Sarvah speaks loudly so that all may hear her.

“He was no tribe of mine!” The murderer growls.

Another human stuffs a cloth into his mouth to silence him and covers his lips with his palm to keep him from spitting it out.

“As per Feather Finger law, the murderer must die.”

Seeing the rift growing, Emma speaks up.

“Wait!”

“What?” Sarvah turns to her.

“The Feather Fingers were all Sahvorai until today. None of my people would see Medard killed, nor would they do it themselves!”

“Our law is final. Someone must execute him.” Sarvah retorts.

A wave of Sahvorai nod and exclaim in agreement. The humans, a clear minority, look worried.

“So, who will do it? A Sahvorai?” Emma asks.

“Why not?! We are all Feather Fingers now.”

“There is not one person here who can execute Medard without harming our relationship!”

“There is no relationship... You are now part of our clan. We are all one.” Sarvah growls, squaring off against Emma.

“I’m not saying that Medard shouldn’t be punished. He committed an evil and cowardly act, stabbing that young man in the back. However, if we wish to maintain our treaty, I cannot see a Sahvorai Feather Finger or a former Night Watcher executing him.”

“I’ll do it...” Kelly rises to his feet.

Emma looks to the human, who she cannot recall ever seeing before. He had knelt beside Kovah’s corpse and held his hand as he died.

“Who are you?” Emma asks with a snippy tone.

“I’m Kelly, and I’m a Feather Finger. I was here for months before any of you. I’m clan and not a Sahvorai, so I’ll do it.”

The humans holding Medard prisoner rise and take him toward the nearest tree. Using rope, they tie his hands behind his back. Emma is at a loss for words. She didn’t know there were humans already among the Feather Fingers; her power play fails before her eyes. With clenched teeth and a balled fist, she watches helplessly as the entire camp supports the action. Methodically drawing his katana machete, Kelly’s sling-blade covers the metal, glowing brightly. Many assume that he is savoring the moment; Kelly is working up the nerve to do it. Medard spits the cloth rag from his mouth.

“Get it over with, you traitor.” He snarls. “I don’t have all-”

Before he can finish his sentence, Kelly swings from left to right, cleaving the entire tree, and Medard’s head, in one swing. His aura dissipates and he sheathes the katana machete, glancing back over his shoulder. Emma looks enraged, as though she had lost a great battle. A grateful Sarvah nods in thanks before turning and walking slowly away. The rest of the tribe, human and Sahvorai gradually disperse. Approaching Steve and the human who fought him, he looks between the two men.

“Please see that Kovah and Medard are take care of properly...”

“Alright.” Both men softly reply.

That night, Gareth watches from an upstairs window in Sarvah’s home. In the distance, and near the scene of the crime, two funeral pyres burn. The shirtless Sahvorai sighs, his heart weighing as heavily for Kelly and what he was forced to do, as it does for the pain that the family and friends of the deceased are suffering.

“This isn’t going as well as you’d hoped, is it?” He asks.

“It could have been worse.” Sarvah replies.

“It could have been raining?” Gareth quips.

Glancing back, he looks toward the nude wolfess as she lay in her luxurious bed. Having already slept together, the unclothed Gareth approaches his lover. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she reaches out to him and strokes his side and back with her claws.

“Sleep with me.” She coos.

“Again?” He softly chuckles.

“Maybe... Sleep beside me, Gare. Please.”

The tone in her voice distresses Gareth, who eagerly climbs into bed and lay beside her; he would have done so even if she’d never asked. Taking her into his arms and tucking them beneath his ample breasts, he nuzzles her neck softly with his short snout. She sighs as she feels herself becoming exceedingly comfortable.

“Are you alright?” He asks.

“Today wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.”

“I’m sorry.” He says, kissing her cheek.

“It’s alright. You’re making it better.”

Lying there for a moment, they pair stare toward the window, the light from the funerary pyres dancing on the mud brick frame. Neither fully takes their minds from the events of the day, though they certainly try.

“So... I’ve noticed you haven’t been drinking any of that tea...” Gareth remarks.

“Perhaps you don’t see me do it? Or perhaps I haven’t?” Sarvah teases, swaying her hips and rubbing her furry behind over his exposed genitals. “You won’t know for several more months.”

“Are you sure you should take that chance?”

“Would it be so bad? Having your children?” She asks, turning over in his arms.

“Would it be so good?”

“Gare.” Her icy blue eyes grow wide in surprise.

“I’m not saying that I don’t want them. I love you, Sarvah, and you’ve done so much for me; I wouldn’t be alive if not for you. I’d love to give you children and spend our lives together, but... Do you think this will all just go away?”

Sarvah’s heart stops and her body runs cold. Faced with the awful truth in his words, she can’t bring herself to answer. She feels that he’s right, but hopes otherwise. Lowering her head, she rests her snout beneath his own, nuzzling the front of his neck. His arms wrap tightly around her, holding her close. Without saying another word, the couple gradually falls asleep.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” Gareth asks as he cooks breakfast for Sarvah downstairs.

“The logging crew will be clearing another block on the map today. With Kelly’s talents, they’re progressing much faster than I was expecting.” She answers.

“Kelly’s finally proving useful.” Gareth quips.

Bursting in through the front door, Naomi gasps for breath. Sarvah and Gareth, both already fully dressed and ready for the day, race toward the girl.

“What’s wrong?!” Gareth asks.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?!” Sarvah hugs her.

A terrible roar catches their attention, followed by the screams of several workers. Sarvah’s heart drops as she kneels, frozen in terror with Naomi in her arms.

“What the hell was that?!” Gareth asks.

“A... A... Madrogo.” Sarvah stammers.

“What’s that?”

Sarvah doesn’t respond. Hearing another loud roar and shrill screams, Gareth races next door and collects Vetra from his pack. He struggles to slip on the holster as he runs, following the sound of the screams. Reaching the logging camp, he stops in his tracks at the sight of a terrifying beast. Standing before the panther-like Sahvorai is a sixteen-foot-tall monstrosity. With the head of a wolf, the body of a muscular man bearing four arms, two on each side, two digitigrade and hooved feet, and two exceedingly long, whip-like tails, the black and green furred beast snarls.

Its eyes glow an eerie, lime green hue as it stares down at Gareth. Near the creature’s feet is Kelly, lying on his side and struggling to stand. With his sling-blade active, he appears to have been trying to cut off the monster’s feet, with little success. Claire stands near Kelly, using a bow and arrow. Drawing back another arrow, she enchants it with a salmon pink aura. Striking the creature in the throat, it holds up its hands. Two of them hold people by their torsos, one a Sahvorai man and the other a human woman.

With a single, fluid motion, the madrogo crushes them like empty aluminum cans and throws then forcefully into the ground, stomping over their corpses. Kelly stands and tries to slash his sling-blade at a hoof, but a tail whips around and smacks him, throwing him several feet away. Landing with a hard thud, he rolls over and groans. Attempting to snatch Claire, the beast’s hand is struck by a purple holy bolt, startling the creature.

“Get away from her, you bitch! ... I always wanted to say that.” Gareth murmurs.

Roaring in anger, the madrogo charges.

“Oh, shit!” Gareth yells as he races to one side.

He dives out of the way as the creature punches the ground with one of its four arms, leaving a crater that a grown man could crouch down and hide in. With most of the villagers bunching together, many fire arrows, throw spears and sling rocks at the creature. Jumping up onto a branch and scrambling into a tree, Gareth stands roughly seven feet from the ground. Taking aim, he fires purple holy bolts at the madrogo’s head, the magic aura bullets digging deep into its flesh.

Visibly pained, a round strikes an eye, which explodes with green mist. Reeling, it slams its four fists into the ground. It lunges for a lone human man who tries to join the others, taking him by the legs. Swinging him like a rag doll, it heaves the man toward Gareth, who jumps down from the tree branch and rolls. The poor man slams into the tree, breaking many bones and dying instantaneously. Kneeling on the ground and firing round after round, the beast turns to charge.

Cyan holy bolts suddenly strike the creature’s other side. Glancing over, Gareth can see that Sarvah has taken the Kahr CT9 from his pack and uses it to channel her holy bolts. With the magic condensed and exploding from the weapon, rather than being unfocused balls from the palms of the hands, they burn hotter and dig deeper. The creature stumbles towards her as it tries to stop her assault, struggling to see with one good eye. Gareth fires at the monster as he runs around it, joining Sarvah and keeping her close to him.

Having recovered enough, Kelly tries to strike, but a tail seems to sense his presence, slamming him in the back as he runs and knocking him onto his face. Turning sharply, the beast tries to snatch Kelly as he rises to his feet. In a panic, Gareth runs up and uses his flamethrower, burning the tails into charred, useless lumps; it’s one of the only other offensive talents besides holy bolt that he’s practiced to proficiency. With his power weakening, Gareth holsters Vetra and raises both hands, summoning and heaving a purple mist at the beast.

Draining the life force out of the creature, it stumbles and falls to a knee. Using this opportunity, Kelly takes his sword, covering it with his sling-blade. Racing toward it as fast as he can, with the injuries he’s sustained, Kelly severs the kneeling leg of the creature. As it reels and falls back, he severs an arm. Landing on its back, he jumps onto its chest and slams his blade through the heart. The madrogo’s three remaining arms and leg fall limp as the creature expires. Pulling the blade from its chest and sliding down, he stands beside its large head and swings.

Cleaving the head from the beast, Kelly ensures that the horror is dead. With his aura dissipating, he sheaths the katana machete that is the core of his most used talent. Turning back, he sees a grateful and infatuated Claire, but is immediately distracted by the looks of terror on the faces of the villagers. A purple aura and immense power was known to be Red Claw’s trademarks. Staring at Gareth, all are now certain; he is Red Claw, and he is dangerous. Though the beast is dead, they only appear more afraid of what he might do to them in the future.

Turning back to Sarvah, he softly sighs. Her tear-filled eyes confirm his fears; his life in the village of Wildwood, and possibly with her, is all but over. Without saying a word, he approaches Sarvah, kneels before her as she sits on the ground, and holds her. Giving her a tender kiss, he rises to his feet and walks sorrowfully back to his house as the villagers gather in a group before Sarvah. They watch him as if he were another madrogo. Her heart breaks at his fate, which she hopes to steer, but even she cannot defy the entire village and get away with it.

“I love you, Gare... I’m sorry.” She murmurs to herself.