FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

James and Sasha where at the camp at Deadwood with Calon, Gillian, Alenia, and the other clan leaders.

Gillian spoke in Gaelic while explaining the plan, James curiously stared at the maps as Gillian pointed and spoke in the foreign language.

Gillian looked at Sasha and spoke to her, pointing at two buildings on the map. Sasha's eyes widened, and she replied back at him in Gaelic with an alarmed tone.

“What! What's going on?", James asked in an equally alarmed tone in response to Sasha's concerns.

“This place is where drows practice and teach magic. It will certainly be heavily guarded by mages and soldiers. You and I will lead the assault on Their magic academy as well as the armory. It also could be a place where they store their arms too, just like your guns", Sasha said.

“So we are on the front lines", James stated with a grim look.

“Not exactly, but it's important to stay on me. I don't want you to get separated in battle", Sasha said.

“What about the other locations", James asked.

“Gillian and Alenia are leading the primary assault on the enemy's army. An open battlefield. We go to their armory as well as their magic academy is destroyed, and the main army defeated, we raid their city. Kill who we see, no mercy. We must send a message to the drows", Sasha explained.

“Kill who we see? Even the children?", James asked, clearly concerned.

“Drow children may look very similar to humans, but I assure you James, they are nothing like humans. Humans have a moral compass, drows do not have that. A human child killing anyone would indeed be extremely rare due to empathy's presence in them. But a drow has no empathy. We must erase this drow city from the map if there is to be peace", Sasha said.

“If children are denied quarter, I won't fight", James said.

“Abandonment of duty is a serious crime in the laws of our clan. I strongly encourage you to reconsider", Sasha said.

“Your life could be forfeit depending on the sentence if you abandon your duty. You're talking banishment or prison as a minimal sentence or death as the maximum sentence", Alenia said to James.

“I will fight, so long as children are given quarter", James said.

“That's not your decision to make", Alenia said.

James threw his rifle and pistol on the ground, lock me up, I'll go willingly. I just ask not to be swallowed", James said.

“May fate have mercy on you, human", Alenia stated as she moved to pick James up.

“Alenia, wait", Sasha said.

“He's chosen abandonment", Alenia said.

“It's insubordination, not abandonment", Sasha said as she corrected Alenia's flawed charges.

“He won't fight, that's abandonment", Alenia said.

“Our laws clearly state otherwise. James is at the military camp, never ran away or abandoned us. He is still here. He is however refusing to obey orders, even in face of a serious charge you're pressing, he's going willingly, so he hasn't fled in cowardice. Does that sound like abandonment? Or is it insubordination?" Sasha asked.

“Well,James has displayed a rebellious attitude time to time", Alenia said.

“You're off to the doghouse once you're out of your cell, James. You broke your promise to me, you wouldn't be a jail bird again. Now, time to see if I can change the council's mind about not giving children quarter", Sasha said.

Alenia carried James to the barracks with a tent and jail cell.

Alenia closed the cell door, “You dragons are a real pain in the ass", James said.

“Poor Sasha, always having to use her political weight to get you out of trouble. You humans are quite a pain in the ass for how smalll you are. Try not to give her too many grey scales", Alenia said.

“Black and grey is a pretty color", James said.

“Ok, smart ass", Alenia said as she turned and walked away.

Several hours passed and James was sleeping in his cell. The sound of the iron gate opening awakened James. Alenia grabbed James and put him on Sasha's back. “All who surrender will be given quarter.

Those who fight however, are to be treated as enemy. Including combative children. That's the best I could do in convincing the clan leaders. Insubordination charges are also dropped by clan leadership orders", Sasha said.

“A little mercy can go a long way, Sasha. Maybe in time your kind will see", James said in a tired tone.

“We'll see, it's only for those who ask, remember that.

Even a child in very dangerous with magic or a gun. Forget that, it'll be you or I who'll be killed", Sasha stated.

“I won't… However, I do know as a child in astral travel they where kind to me as a child. They may be the enemy, but they're not heartless monsters", James said.

“Drows and humans have different relations", Sasha replied.

“Humans once thought your kind where savage man eating beasts, when in fact it's far from the truth, killing humans is mostly done in self defense on a dragon's part, am I incorrect?" James asked.

“The drows are not willing to to a treaty, truce, or agreement to cease attacks. We have tried this many times. Our ancestors ate them routinely, sometimes burn them alive for fun, and for the fortunate few, would be their slaves. While the clan has evolved and progressed to a better civilization, a place for folks who do not fit in well with their society, a place were the meek can have refuge and thrive, it wasn't always this way", Sasha said.

“So, the clan is tried to form a truce, but the drows refuse. That's allot of hate there. To reject peace just to kill, regardless of the change", James said.

“Exactly, that's why we must fight back. There will be no clan if the drows continue to grow in military might", Sasha explained.

“Now is a good time to show you're bigger than that. “Maybe those we give quarter to will remember the day your kind wasn't without mercy?" They need to understand your kind had past mistakes, but you're not ruthless", James said.

“If I only thought that could truly work", Sasha said softly.

“Time to move it is! To deadwood we March!" Calon shouted from the other side of the camp.

Sasha pressed her snout against James's lips and slipped her tongue in his mouth. The two kissed for several moments, Sasha pulled her snout away from James's face. “It is time to go. Get on my back", Sasha said".

The army merged to the gates of the city of deadwood, it was made of black shiny stone, almost like obsidian would look like.

“Weird, such a structure seems fragile if that is indeed obsidian", James stated.

“It is, you have a good eye for stone. Look through your seeing stone that you mounted on your rifle", Sasha bade.

James did as Sasha suggested. There was a vast army of drows that were invisible to James's eyes without the seeing stone.

“Holy Shit… That's a big army", James said as his heart began to race.

Sasha took to the sky and four other dragons followed.

They flew into the city and the armory was only about one hundred yards away.

James leaped off of Sasha and saw drow guards through his seeing stone.

“Drows,there are dozens of them at our eleven o'clock", they're coming our way", James said.

Sasha quickly came up with a plan. The four of you, stay hidden, James, go with one of them", Sasha said.

“What? You're bait?" James asked.

“Yes, now do as you're told. Trust me", Sasha said.

Sasha spoke in Gaelic and while nothing seemed to happen. However a drow fired a bullet at Sasha and the round did not harm her. It fell to the ground and flattened as if the bullet hit something harder than the projectile itself.

“James! Go!" Sasha screamed. James then went with the other four dragons as he was told.

Sasha began screaming words in Gaelic again. As she did so, her neon green eyes turned black as it became apparent she was using magic. She opened her mouth and shot a speeding ebon cloud at the drows. The drows coughed as they inhaled the smoke, yet they slowly began to become confused. They turned their guns on each other and engaged in a firefight with each other. There were a few still fighting eachother, James aimed his rifle and began shooting them. Moments later the threat ended.

James turned and look at Sasha with a look of terror in his face. “Jesus fucking Christ, Sasha… Your eyes"... James said.

Sasha closed her eyes and shook her head side to side.

She opened her eyes and her eyes where green again.

“There's so much you still don't know about me, James. Fear not, I will explain after we finish this", Sasha said. That moment James understood, Sasha was more than an ordinary dragon. He's seen other dragons fight, but none like her… And her magical knowledge. Particularly the darker spells.

“So that's why the clan has so much respect for her", James thought as they proceeded to the drow's armory.

As the dragons and Calon's army fought the drows outside of the city, the drows were able to push Calon and his army back as the air filled with the scent of fire and blood from both sides. Calon was pinned behind a few dead dwarves

Alenia saw her father pinned down in the disadvantaged position.

“Oh no… Dad", she thought to herself. Alenia casted a spell, creating a magical shockwave across the ground, then burned the group of drows that had her father pinned down in gunfire. Alenia then grabbed her father in mid flight and extracted him from the area.

“Ey, what I'd do without you lass", Calon said.

“You'd be six feet under! Crazy old man", Alenia screamed.

“Handle me self I can!", Calon screamed.

“Your army is overrun! No one could survive being arround that many solders!", Alenia screamed.

James and Sasha entered the armory. They found it to be completely depleted of weapons and ammunition.

To both of their surprise, several drow children where present in the armory.

At first sight, no one appeared to be armed.

James saw a drow pull out a handgun and James quickly raised his rifle and pulled the trigger. The drow dropped the rifle, James shot the drow two more times and the drow collapsed, and fell.

The other drows, including the children quickly raised their hands and surrendered.

The four dragons accompanying James and Sasha stayed with the captives, James and Sasha made their way to the magic academy.

On the front lines, a large cannon-like weapon was fired, the massive projectile flew through the air creating a low pitched whistling sound. The projectile hit the ground and it ricochets off the ground, Gillian saw the massive projectile head for him, and the projectile hit him in the rib cage. Gillian was thrown to the air and he hit the ground several yards away.

He realized he couldn't breathe easily, and began coughing up blood. Moments later, Gillian succumbed to the deadly blow.

James and Sasha arrived at the drow's magic academy.

“Ok human, you see a drow, you shoot him. Even the children here will surely be very dangerous, the ones in the armory and in the city can be spared, but this is particularly dangerous. It's them or us, remember this.

I'm not trying to be ruthless, I know how this will play out. Prepare yourself to do what needs to be done", Sasha said.

James's face turned pale briefly, his color then returned to him. He nodded his head and held his rifle at low ready, hinting he's prepared.

“Don't hesitate, human", Sasha said as she slammed against the academy doors. She did so two more times and finally, the fourth time the wooden doors gave way and swung open. Several drows turned around and where shocked that the doors didn't hold. James raised his weapon and began firing. Some drows began using magic, many where of flame and lightning. And where directed towards Sasha. Those spells where easily countered by her spells, repelling the magic. She then shot black flames at them, covering the mages in flame. Their skin began to peel off their skin and their screams could be heard throughout the academy.

Alenia found Gillian's lifeless body on the battlefield, Her jaw held wide open, and tears beginning to run down her face.

“Gillian!", she roared and ran to him.

She nudged Gillian with her snout trying to get a response from Gillian.

She collapsed and screamed his name repetitively as she laid on him, the clan's army and Calon's army pushed the drows back, forcing them to retreat into the city of Deadwood.

“Clear! James screamed as he cleared the second floor of the academy.

Same, clear! As Sasha stood on the third floor.

“You said this would be" Several gunshots interrupted James's voice.

“James! Are you ok?" Sasha said in an alarming tone.

Sasha heard no response from James.

“Oh shit!" Sasha cursed as she claimed on the buildings walls, and leaped hastily on the second floor.

James! James… More gunshots rang in the building and another body was heard hitting the ground.

To her horror, she heard a coughing sound through the building. She found James on the ground coughing violently, then he spat out blood from his mouth.

“James!" She roared and lifted him up inspecting the wounds.

“Not you James", she said as she cried. As she saw him bleeding from the right side of his chest, clearly shot in his lung.

Sasha began singing in Gaelic, and magic filled the area.

James passed out and his hands and legs began to convulse from shock.

James woke up, he realized he was inside of Sasha's storage pouch within her throat. James quickly noticed an odd feeling on his chest. As if some hard crusty like material was over his skin. “Am I dead"? He asked himself. “Sasha, is that you?" James asked.

“Yes, relax… We're safe now", Sasha said.

“How am I not dead!" James exclaimed.

“Yes, how are you not dead. I wonder what I did to stop you from dying", Sasha replied.

“Damn it, bested by a dragon", James said.

Sasha chuckled… “You have no idea how close that was", Sasha said.

“Is the war over", James asked.

“Yes", Sasha replied.

“What about those drow children from the armory?" James asked.

They ate a warm meal and they'ere now sleeping on individual beds", Sasha replied some even still have their parents with them", Sasha said.

“Glad to hear it. James replied as he just laid inside Sasha, basking in the warmth of her flesh as her throat messaged His body.

“You know, turns out you're right, killing all of them was not necessary", Sasha said.

“I knew it", James said.

Sasha regurgitated James, James tried to stand up, but he fell to the ground.

“What the hell!" James exclaimed as he realized the lower half of his left leg was missing.

A bullet struck your knee, it also severed an artery. Amputation and cauterizing your leg was the only way to save you since there's no healer on the battlefield. The chest wound, as you can see it has black scales. That was my handy work. I really was uncertain if you'd survive. I cannot fathom living without you though. Our lives are literally one, not just shared now", Sasha said.

“So weird, it still feels like it's there, yet clearly it's not", James noted.

“It's common for people who go through what you did. They think the leg is there, and it is not. It's like their mind plays a trick on them", Sasha said.

“Well now who will have your back in battle?" James said.

“I'll be assigned a new partner, consider yourself physically unfit for duty. Congratulations… You're retired", I expect war like this won't happen for some time however.

“Great, take a bullet to the knee and chest, a cripple, and the only thing separating me from the underworld is magic", James said.

On the bright side, your life expectancy will be as long as mine. I am twenty thousand years old. I am also still very young for my age. Just as dragons don't die simply from age, neither will you. As for the missing leg, it could be far worse, it could be both legs", Sasha chuckled as she handed James a peg leg custom fit to his stub for a leg.

James got dressed and put his peg leg on. He looked outside of the cave enterance, and saw the cave was actually at ground level.

“Oh and, this is our new home. It's at ground level so you can walk in and out freely. Go see Alestir, he'll be paying you for your duties. We do pay retired solders as well. Retirement pay is not much, so keep a tight budget. I recommend saving for a business, stay productive that way. Tonight we celebrate our victory and the memory of our fallen", Sasha said.

“It's usually Gillian who does that.. Where is he?" James asked.

Sasha held her head down with her eyes closed.

“War has its cost, James. Many pay a price no one wishes them to pay", Sasha said.

“What! Gillian? No!!" James said.

“I know… Alenia is with him right now, laying next to his body. I'll be there shortly, Go ahead and go to them if you wish to pay your respects to Gillian now, he's being prepared for a memorial and a ritual burial mound, Sasha said.

James stood up and took a few steps, in an attempt to walk. James fell again, Sasha caught him with her snout. “This is going to take a while to get used to", James said.

“I can imagine it would", Sasha replied.

James kissed Sasha on the snout. “I love you", Sames said as he hugged her snout.

“I love you too, I'm very glad you're here. I couldn't imagine being without you", Sasha said.

“Same here, and I am very greatfull that you saved me so I could be with you", James said.

“You were also my best partner as a scout. It's a shame you're retired now", Sasha said.

“I know, I'd rather not be while you still are a scout", James said.

“Well, considering the circumstances, I'm simply greatful that you're alive", Sasha said.

“Same here", James replied.

James exited his cave and made his way to Alenia and Gillian.

James saw Alenia sleeping next to Gillian.

He saw Gillian's body laying still.

James approached Gillian, he kissed his snout.

a tear ran down his face.

“Goodbye, brother", James said.

Alenia opened her eyes and she looked at James.

“Gillian always thought fondly of you", Alenia said.

“Same here, He was a very kind dragon", James said.

James walked and sat next to Alenia.

He wrapped his arms around Alenia's neck.

“I'm sorry this happened", James said.

“Yah, me too. However, it's the risk we all took to defeat the drows. They were a formidable enemy. Word is, you had a very close call yourself", Alenia stated.

James pulled his shirt off, Alenia saw black scales covering his wound.

“Sasha's handywork?" Alenia asked.

“Yes, I took a bullet to the chest. It should have killed me", James replied.

“She truly loves you. No dragon would tie their life to anyone actually. But she did, and saved you. Well… Most of you", Alenia said looking at James's peg leg.

“Yah my leg couldn't be saved. I think a dragon ate it", James said.

Alenia laughed, “Careful now, a dragon with a taste for your flesh is quite a dangerous one".

“You really think Sasha ate my leg?" James said in concern.

“I would have… Never let meat go to waste", Alenia said as she laughed.

“No I didn't eat his leg, that was a different dragon. It was not me", Sasha said in defense of herself.

“Sorry, I could not help but get James all wound up", Alenia stated.

“Well… You always were good at that", James said.

Sasha sat next to James, she looked at Gillian, saddened that the clan lost such a good member of it.

“I will miss him, he was always such a gentle giant", Alenia said.

James and Sasha agreed… Later, the clan had a memorial ritual and created burial mounds for each of their fallen