FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Leo awoke to the calm sunlight shimmering in through his curtains. His body, while well rested, felt incredibly heavy. He stretched, trying to get his muscles into gear, but was quickly pulled back in by the embrace of his comforting bed. The man scanned his room, or as much as his heavy eyes would let him. Where was Missy? A better question was, what happened last night? He certainly didn't... Nah, he couldn't have. For once in his life, he pulled his sheets up to his neck. Was his bed always this good?

A curious rattling stirred Leo from his rest. He opened his eyes to find Missy standing in his doorway, wearing that red shirt again. Her hand firmly shoved into a box of cereal. She pulled out a handful of cereal and shoved it into her mouth. “Shleep good?" she said, sending crumbs every which way. Leo only narrowed his eyes and turned away. Not now. He could hear her step closer. “So now that I won the bet." More rattling. “I get the bed too." He could feel the bed sink. Wait, what?

Leo looked back at her. There she was, on his bed, getting crumbs on his sheets. “What do you mean you won? We didn't f—" Ahem. “You didn't sleep with me."

Missy pulled her hand free. “Sure I did." She shoveled more food down her gullet. “I got you to sleep right next to me." She motioned toward the empty side of the bed with the cereal box and smiled. “You slept like a baby. Kinda cute." She smiled. “Best sleep I've had in a while too."

“No." Leo rubbed his eyes. “You meant sex."

“I meant sleep." Missy shrugged.

Leo sat up. “No, Missy, when you said sleep you meant sex."

“If you wanted to fuck, could've just asked."

“Missy."

“Hey dude, just admit you lost." She turned around and crawled over to his side, still clutching that damn box. “Keeping your word and all." She picked out a bit of cereal and slowly put it in her mouth.

“You really are the worst, you know that?" Leo said, shaking his head. No doubt, he did agree to simply 'sleeping' with her. Frankly it was his fault for not realizing it sooner. Missy wouldn't say something so polite. Sleep with. Hah, she would've called it fucking or given it some more colorful euphemism like 'hiding the hotdog.' Missy continued to nibble away at individual grains of cereal. “Not going to drop it, are you?"

“Nope." She snuggled into the pillows. “So you gonna follow through on your word, or pussy out?"

“So we both know you meant something different, but I still have to hold up my end?" At least it was a good sleep.

“Hey, if I lost I would've held up my own end." She patted his shoulder. “Don't be a sore loser. We can fuck some other time, bud."

Leo gritted his teeth. “Don't eat in bed." He considered asking her to take off his shirt too but didn't want an insufferable joke about undressing. He fell back and turned away from her. How could you be so goddamn stupid? He writhed in his idiocy for a little bit longer, still enjoying the lull of sleep he was still in. How was she so good at that? Where was that... whatever she was saying from? He rubbed his eyes again. As good as it was, he couldn't stay in bed all day. Not with Missy lounging in it. He got up, walked over to a rack, and pulled down his towel.

“Want me to join you?" Missy asked.

“No."

“Boring." The television flicked on, and Leo retreated to the bathroom.

_

Granola bar, check. Binoculars, check. Notepad, check. Some bait, check. Blanket, check. Leo zipped up the bag, slinging it over his shoulder. “I'm going for a walk," Leo called out. He placed his hand on the front door's knob.

“Hey! I'll join you," Missy yelled back. There was the sound of fumbling, then Missy came scampering over to him. “I need some sun on my skin."

“Hold on, what if someone sees you. What are you going to do?" He pointed to himself."More importantly, what am I gonna do?"

“Check these out." Missy wiggled her ears. “I'm gonna hear anyone from a mile away."

“You don't even know where I'm going."

“Huh." She rubbed her chin. “Gee, I guess you'll just be walking into town, right? C'mon dude, I'm not that dumb. Let's screw around in the woods like we used to. It'll be fun!" She patted his arm.

“Whatever. Just bolt if someone comes."

“Aye aye, sir." Missy mock saluted.

“Do you really have to wear that shirt?"

Missy hooked a finger into the neck of her shirt. “Want me to take it off, huh?"

Leo frowned. Knew it. “Forget it." He opened the door and stepped outside, quickly closing and locking the door behind Missy as she also stepped out. The man turned around and took a moment to appreciate nature. The rustle of the trees as a gentle breeze ran through them. The distant calls of birds. The simple open feeling of being outside.

“Man, it's hot out here." And all of it was gone. Leo sighed and began walking off with Missy in tow. The ground, while still mostly covered in foliage, had slowly given away over the years as he walked this trail. Leo tried to ignore the beast behind him and simply enjoy the sights. “So, hey, I got a question." As much as he could enjoy them.

“What is it?" Leo asked, still marching on.

“Why are you out here?"

“I just wanted to walk."

“No, stupid. Why are you living out here?"

A good question. Why was he out here? He silently looked out at the expanse of forest before him. No doubt he enjoyed it, but it wasn't something he was exactly looking for. “It's just a nice place, I guess."

“That doesn't sound like a 'you' answer, but sure, whatever."

“Why are you out here, then?" Leo replied. He watched a squirrel scurry past. Poor thing must be worried about the horrifying monster.

“For you, of course. Why else? You think I like crossing state lines? Let me tell you, getting a ride from the guy who kicked you out is not easy. Especially not that far."

“So how many handys did it cost, huh?" Leo asked.

“Oh quit it, prick. I'll just say I had a stern word with him. Crumpled just like that."

“You don't seem like a stern person."

“Well I guess we both learned something today."

Leo continued along the makeshift trail, listening to the dead leaves crunching underfoot. He noticed that Missy was relatively silent as she walked along. She was some sort of predatory creature, so it made sense. Having something silently stalk him, however, was somewhat unsettling. Even if Missy would be screwed without him, he had no idea what was going through her head most of the time. Maybe she'd decide to tear out his jugular. He looked back at her. Missy was waving around a stick she picked off the ground. Never mind, she couldn't do that.

“Hey, you mind handing over one of those bars?" Missy suddenly asked.

“What bars?"

“Bro, I can smell them. Just one, c'mon. I'm dying over here."

“You had nearly a whole box of cereal."

“I'm a growing girl."

“Growing pain." Leo reached inside his bag to retrieve a granola bar. He placed it in Missy's greedy outstretched hands.

“Thanks!" Missy tore the packaging open with her teeth and shoved the whole thing into her mouth, swallowing it with one gulp. “Delish." She let the wrapper flutter to the ground.

“Pick that up, Missy. We're not leaving trash behind."

“OK, Smokey Bear." She picked the thing up, crumpling it and handing it over to Leo.

“Smokey Bear is for forest fires."

“Whatever."

The path dipped lower and lower until they came to a stop at a small rest area. It was essentially a patch of dirt that Leo dragged a log onto for a simple bench. He sat down and Missy soon followed, settling in right next to him. “So now that we're going to be sleeping together—" Missy started.

“No, not right now. I don't want to talk. Just enjoy the outside."

“OK, fine, Pocahontas." She would never run out of those. Missy shrugged and looked out at the scenery with a yawn. “This is how you get your kicks, huh?" she mumbled. The trees waved with another breeze. It was a nice day out, honestly. There was a nice nip in the air, keeping things cool. Perhaps a little too cool, but it was good to get a heap of fresh air every now and again. For a moment, all of Leo's troubles disappeared. Well, more like one problem which was sitting next to him. Sleeping together. God, he fucked up. What else was she going to do? Close your eyes— No, don't do that in front of her. Just relax.

There was a slight rustling in the bushes. Leo looked at it, trying to see what creature lurked within. Then, in a split second, a black blur pounced on the shubbery and tore out whatever was inside. “Christ!" Leo said with a flinch. It was only until Missy was standing in front of him, grouse in mouth that he realized what had happened. “Warn me next time, would you?" Leo said. Missy looked at him, then down at the thing in her jaws. The bird was completely still, blood trickling down its side.

Missy looked around the forest innocently then shrugged. “Sorry," she said plainly, muffled by the fowl.

Leo shook his head. He pulled out the blanket, then stood up. “Spit it out," he said, spreading out the blanket. Missy let the grouse fall into the blanket, upon which Leo quickly wrapped it back up. A little big, but it should fit in the pack. “I guess that's dinner."

The beast took her seat and wiped her mouth with her arm. Leo wasted no time starting the trail again once his backpack was situated properly. “Are we going already? Can't we take a longer break?" Leo didn't reply. She could stay if she wanted to. “I'm dying over here!"

_

Leo continued along the trail. His enjoyment was dampened a small amount. The fresh air started to stale. Why him of all people? Couldn't those losers keep their friend with benefits? Whatever. His spirits started to rise as the foliage gave way to a small, serene lake. The smell of pine cones lingered on the air as they grouped up by the shore. He had always planned to get a small boat out here, but pulling it down, setting up a small dock, and making sure it wasn't stolen were all too much of a hassle. No, it was better he simply looked on in delight. Might be good for fishing, as the still water was dotted with small waves from fish beneath pecking at the air.

“Hey, jeez, could've waited up!" Missy called out. Just ignore her, she'll shut her trap. “Hey, I'm talking to you." She tapped on his shoulder.

“What is it?" Leo said, tossing a stone out into the lake.

“You alright?" Missy asked. She asked that?

“I'm fine." For the most part. “You really had to jump on that thing?"

Missy stepped back. “It's not like I'm a— It's not like I'm normal. You could've guessed that."

“You're smart though, aren't you?" He flung the next stone. It splashed halfway into the lake. “You aren't just an animal."

“Smart has nothing to do with it. I hear, I smell. I've got to do it." There was a pause. “It's like when guys are horny, they just have to jack it, right?"

“Your analogies are terrible." He sighed. “Couldn't you have gone to anyone else?"

“For the last time, Leo. No."

Leo continued to fling rocks into the lake. Nothing else to say. He always suspected that she was a little more feral than she let on. If she couldn't change that, then it was something he'd just have to get used to. She was his problem now anyways. It was almost like he was saving the world in a way. Keeping her from murdering innocent townsfolk. A stupid idea, but it was better than being some moron who was treating a monster as a friend. An old friend.

“It's nice out here," Missy said finally.

“Yeah."

“Kinda reminds me of the forest back home."

“...Yeah."

“I guess it makes sense you would live here."

“Not really."

“What?"

“The town is a few miles out. It takes me an hour to get to work. I'm nothing like the residents. Doesn't make any sense that I'd be out here." He flung another stone. “I could just find a nice park in the city."

“Then why did you?"

“I don't know." Now that Missy was here, he almost felt like he knew why he did. Almost. Maybe he'd never really know. “I don't really care anymore either."

“You wanna head back?" Silence. “Leo?"

Leo threw one last stone and looked back at the trail. “Yeah."

“You really gonna lug that bird around in your pack?"

“Funny question from the girl who killed it. Don't you want to eat it?"

“Not really."

“Well, too bad."