#At peace with your therianthropy

[moss-ridden-owl-creature]

alright. I’m gonna put this out there. I have nothing against physical therians, they’re cool. But suddenly in tumblr I feel like I see way more of them? To the point I only see physical therians. So I’m gonna say this.

yes. I am physically human.

but just because I know that, and accept that, does not mean I am any less of a therian or alterhuman, I do identify as a tundra wolf. That’s me. Simply because I accept that my biology is what it is, and cannot change physically, does not make me less of a therian. Like, I am human biologically (unfortunately), I have pale skin and short hair and shitty eye sight and short nails. And that’s me.

in this life. Physically. Biologically, if you will. but just beneath the surface, of which you cannot see.

is a wolf.

I still have my ears, my tail, my muzzle, paws and nose. But my human nails don’t match my claws, my crappy eyesight doesn’t match what it should, and my teeth are dull and my face is flat.

and that is okay. I have accepted that.

because finding ways to deal with both my lives (current and past) colliding, is the only way I can seemingly find to be at peace with myself.

by worshipping Fenrir, by wearing gear, by hunting, by howling, but also by doing regular human things. By loving theater, and archery, and reading. Things I cannot do as an animal. I’ve found peace in accepting both.

I am a therian. But you can be a therian, and be mostly at peace with yourself. obviously not all will, but I’m here to say for those that do, that’s okay :) and perfectly normal.

[zith-ipeth]

Therianthropy and the future

What does this look like in the future? The first step, in all good revolutionary world building, is the ability to envision a future. If you cannot imagine what a future looks like without prisons, without police, without capital, without states and without borders, how do you intend to ever see that world come to life? Someone asked what therianthropy looks like in the future on a forum I was on, and most critters said that it looks like it always has, it looks like something you hide away, something you don’t tell anyone, something you don’t explain. You don’t “come out” as therian because we live in a world where you cannot

6 months ago, I told my friends I was an animal, I had yet to identify it as therianthropy, simply rather that I am a dog, that I wear ears where my ears should be and a tail where my tail should be. By “coming out” I committed the taboo, I let people in. Since then I wore my gear (ears tail gloves and a collar) through the rest of my highschool life, I had a 3.25 gpa, I got pets from my friends on occasions and walked off stage with a diploma. One of my peers, not even a friend, said genuinely she thought I would wear white ears “to match your dress, of course, like a snow fox of some sort”. I had been understood as someone who has ears, who has a tail, it was simply part of who I was. 

I’m two weeks into college, I’ve been presenting and explaining myself as an animal pretty much always when asked, I talked to my anthropology professor and he suggested a feminist cultural anthropologist manifesto about the personhood of dogs, I’ve howled with friends at the night sky in the humid air that comes with the end of summer. It is understood that I am a dog, that I am a therian. To be honest classes are kicking me in the tail end, the food is weird, I’m breaking out for the first time in a long while.

Now I’m privileged, my animality doesn’t come in waves, I exist in a more constant state, without shifts and the like, I can control my vocal stims, I’m quite social and generally likable, I’m white, middle class, pretty. I’m trans but mostly binary, I have minimal species dysphoria, and what I do have can be alleviated by means available to me. I’m a dog, one of the most easy to explain theriotypes there is, but…

I did it! I’m living in the future, I’m living in the world that so many therians said could not happen, I’m barking, snarling growling proof that we CAN have a future, that maybe just maybe we can jam our paw in the door and let the zoo full of animals I call my friends through. Maybe if people can adjust to a dog then they can get used to a cat, a snake, a leopard, a fish, a bird, a dragon, whatever else! Maybe the way that I am lucky enough to live won’t be something we can all have in our lives, but maybe, just maybe, if we can show our pups and kits that this is a life they can demand, maybe they will get to have it too.

Run fast, bite hard, bark loud

Peace, love, and gratitude

-Zith Ipeth

[theriancultureis]

therian culture is your ex calling bullshit on therianthropy. let me be a stupid little critter in peace dawg

.

[lupi-usque-ad-finem]

okay so I may need kin/therian related advice atm, I found out about therianthropy when I was 9 and it resonated extremely well for me and I pretty much made it my whole personality until when I was 11 and then it died down and I thought I wasn't therian anymore except for once or twice a year where Id make it my whole personality for a week again then forget about it. Im 13 now and going through it again, this time is different though as Im actually putting research into it and trying to find the best explanation of my therianthropy but I guess Im just worried if Im chasing a feeling or trying to force something that isn't there. I know that Therianthropy is a personal experience and Im not asking you to tell me, but I would like to have maybe a list of things to check if I am still a 'true' Therian or not or if it was just me being a kid.

I went through the same feelings as you at your age! I was 10/11 when I truly realised what therianthropy meant to me, but part of me thought I was faking it all or it wasn’t real. It took some time to connect the dots to my behaviour, but that’s okay! I think researching it in the first place to learn more about how you feel is proves it’s real in itself :)

I feel as a ‘checklist’ though would have to be a personal preference/reflection as time goes on since the feelings of therianthropy and kinning can shift over years and depends on the person. To me it’s a very emotional, core feeling, but a general list of my similarities I’ve noticed that stick around through the years are:

feeling the inner shift at a low grade/subconscious level (mine is a near constant mental shift with daily physical shifts)

outward animalistic tendencies, especially in emotional displays (especially negative and commonly at a young age) such as biting, hissing, growling, but also positive ones such as whining when excited, howling in happiness or greeting, play fighting like pups, head rubbing or bonking/scent marking, etc

I arrange my room to feel like a den or cave with numerous pillows and blankets to mimic a forest floor with ambient lights and kin related memorabilia. I’ve had the same tail for nearly a decade, multiple sets of canine fangs to wear, my two favourite collars, fuzzy socks to mimic long fur, and blankets piled in a circle to keep a cozy cot to sleep. my room feels like a den i can come back to especially during intense shifts

a strong, almost overwhelming desire to learn as much as you can about a possible kin. Media, movies, books, and especially documentaries are all great places to start!

feeling as though your experience of this world is different and more ‘primal’ for lack of a better word. It is an inward feeling recognising the outward view. I feel most things in black and white and I’ve always felt my mental state it outside the standard human, like I’m looking at the world through canine/animalistic eyes

strong emotional/mental connection to an animal, kin, or environment that just feels different. I’ve always felt incredibly connected to wolves and wildlife and find myself most at peace when I am in the forest or climbing trees. I’ve wept with joy before when I’m in this deep state of peaceful shift because it just feels so right :’)

I’ve noticed as I’ve grown that these feelings are most intense at a young age like yours because you’re just recently discovering this about yourself and realising that you could be therian, there’s waves of emotions and doing research is of the utmost importance to learn as much as you can about yourself. If one day it suddenly stops don’t worry! I’ve felt the same before. When you’re a pup it seems to shift and change every day, but that’s to be expected! I went about two years not even recognising my behaviour as therianthropy despite knowing what it was at that time. As an adult I can clearly see the similarities between my behaviour and mental space as a pup vs now.

I believe therianthopy and kinning is a personal experience that can be vast and interwoven, varied in its beauty and complexity. I’m proud you’re taking the initiative to learn more and carve out a space for yourself! Don’t try to force it or feel like you need to find out your kin asap, it will reveal itself with time. Allow yourself grace. I remember how my own feelings were confusing at times, but that’s okay! It’s just part of learning. You’re doing great pup, don’t harbour shame or fear in this, you’re still young and remember to take as much time as needed to figure it out :)

[tatakaebomb]

Repent your sins

ꕥ Pairing : demon!Sukuna x Reader

ꕥ Synopsis : maybe praying in an abandoned church isn’t the best way to show your love to god.

ꕥ Word count : 1.8k

ꕥ TW : EXTREME BLASPHEMY, religious themes, profanity, mentions of idols, degrading, body possession, blood kink, blood play, therianthropy, necrophilia (ig sukuna is like dead spirit or smth), pelargonium x reader, damage to the holy cross, sex in a holy place, smut, unprepped pussy, forced sex, rape, non con, slight dub con (y/n gets possessed), indoctrination, corruption kink, virginity taking, manipulation, heresy, extreme religious offence, pejorative language, Dom! Sukuna, spirits, mocking language, quite graphic, don’t read it easily offended or easily upset, paranoia, sadism, face slapping, smut, probs a lot others read at own risk. 18+

Cold wind whisked through your hair as your flat shoes began getting drenched from the feeling of the rain under you. You trying your hardest to run as hard and as fast as you could. The time was almost 3am. You had only 10 minutes to pray. You needed to repent. Quick and fast.

Arriving at the closed off church you quickly walked inside, getting on your knees and cupping your hands infront of one of the beautiful monarch windows, an ancient bible kept safe in a glass box as you hung your head low in shame.

‘May god forgive me for my sins for thou shall not commit potential idolatry again. Jesus is my saviour and may the lord consider my apologies.’

You almost cried at the thought of what you did today, considering the way you compared the work to the thought of god himself. The beautiful picture mounted of a man on the wall, hung high in an archaic museum, wondering intrusive thoughts of other spirits above rebelling you against your forever faith.

You were the only person in this church, you always were. The place was abandoned over 2 century’s ago. Nobody stepping foot in a place considered to be haunted by the spirit of lucifer. But you always found comfort in this place, the way the beautiful mosaic still stood tall, the way paths and benches were so amazingly carved to fit the place. The way you felt so much closer with god every time you were in the presence.

Nobody came here, ever. The church was desolate. The woods and trees wrapping around it, nobody was within 20 miles from here.

You devoted yourself at such a young age, praying every day. Hoping you earnt yourself a place in the paradise above. Modest clothes draping down to your ankles scarf draped around your neck as the only skin of you showing was the slight colour of your chest, highlighting the glistening cross low around your throat.

‘I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart…I have overc-‘

‘Boo.’

Your heart dropped at the feeling of someone behind you, your head whipped around to see the door creaked open, little strikes of lightning filling up the room as you could hardly make out the face of the lean body watching you. Red sore lips, covering the teeth of a demon. Sharp and broad. Their foot rested against the wall as they peered at you. Taking in your kneeled figure.

‘Scared you did I?’ The strange man chuckled, nearing towards you, small steps being taken making you push yourself closer and closer towards the back of the bench, dress now dirty from the dirt of the floor.’

‘W-who are you…’

‘Hm…didn’t think you’d still be here y/n. When the clock turns 3, you should be resting…breaking your one devoted rule now are you?’

Your eyes widened at the realisation of his words. The strike of 3… the devils hour. Your blood went cold as you could feel his predatory stare take in the way fear prodded at your every bone.

‘How do you know my name. ANSWER ME?!’

‘The armour of god… it took me for a shock when I heard there’s still devoted saviours like you. God forgives all those who accept him, idolatry seems to one of the worser sins…’ he muttered to himself, analysing you and your forever faith. The closer he got the scarier he seemed. Broad torn body, evil, possessed eyes, you could see his forever rebellion in the eyes of the saviour. He looked like a demon.

‘Sukuna. Might come a shock to you if I released my identity so soon…im a fallen angel…’

This must be a lie, surely? God has your side, what is this sick twisted joke.

‘Shutup you lycanthrope. A full moon doesn’t dismiss me from the powers our saviour keeps.’

‘I’m not a werewolf you freak.’ He laughed at your idiocy, you were so paranoid, so mind blown at the sight of him infront of you.

He was unreal, the way he crouched so close to your body. Your eyes not daring to stare into his, afraid of the indoctrination he holds beneath those empty sockets, however the more you really got to look at him, the normality hit you. He had two arms, two legs… two working eyes. Scars ripped from under his skin as his sharp tongue leaked out to play with his canines. Greed in the way he took you in.

‘Wow, I really got lucky with you hm? Your beautiful. Just wished you showed more of that delectable skin.’ He inhaled deeply, taking in the stench of fear attached to you.

‘You insane freak. Touch me and you’ll be punished.’ You commanded. Teeth gritted angry at the sight of his perversion.

Suddenly, his hand moved towards your neck, playing with the metal of the necklace, analysing it with his eyes, the way the metal of it glistened under his touch…then dragging it off you quickly as the cross collided with the filthy floor. You were gobsmacked by his audacity.

‘Oops… Hear that?… Yep nor do I, seems like even in the holiest of places god is not by your side.’

He laughed at his filthy remarks, pure disregard for you. You began to whimper at the idea of what’s about to happen next. Quickly your hand was grabbed, fingers rubbed and played with in his grasp as his lips move to latch onto your neck, purple marks engraved within you.

‘You pagan infidel. GET OF- AHHH!’ You felt yourself scream at the feeling of his sharp teeth sinking into your skin, blood leaking from the two new holes in your neck as he quickly thrown you flat on the floor, body effortlessly climbing onto of yours, arms pinned flat down above your head.

‘I like my victims bratty. I’m gonna have so much fun with you baby.’ His lips quickly attached to yours as you could feel his legs move to quickly separate yours, one finger nail dragging down your dress, ripping it apart as the feeling of your arousal fuelled his senses, cat like yellow eyes turning completely black with the fulfilment of his lust blown pupils.

‘NO PLEASE… please no…’ you cried at the thought of fornication. Your virgin body not ready for the stripping of an insane spirit.

A hard slap almost bruised your face, skin then quickly being pinched as your eyes teared up.

‘You speak too much. Maybe you should’ve just submitted from the beginning.’

Doe like sight staring into his as he moved to kiss down your body, ripping every seam of it into pieces until your revealed in your underwear. Bra and panties white and pure, just how you were. He almost drooled at the sight of how vulnerable you were, blood dripping from your untouched skin as your brain rushed from confusion. Scarf in pieces around your beautiful hair.

His teeth clawed at your bra, snapping it apart as he moved to pinch at your nipples, Back arching at his rough human like skin. His morphing powers making him completely able to seduce you.

‘You got some pretty tits baby, you shouldn’t hide them as much as you do.’

‘UGH- STOP IT YOU PERVERT.’ You almost moaned, his feeling taking over your body as you unconsciously began pushing yourself lower onto his leg.

‘Doesn’t seem like you want me to stop it. Now keep still this might hurt a lot.’

His cock shoved inside of your unprepped pussy as you ripped a tear from the bottom of your chest, huge 10 inches slamming in and out of you at an insane speed, blood spewing onto the floor, as he grinned at the way your body became possessed, moans and screams slipping from you, attempting to fight back the capture method he’s using to take over your body.

‘Shit- you look so much better like this. Such pretty eyes you have baby.’ His mouth moved to attach to your lips, you instantly reacting and kissing him back, numb forcefully submitted body drooling at the feeling of him. Love on your tongue.

‘W-what have you- AHh- done to me-‘ you manage to escape out your lips, scared at the way your visioning him. Harsh slaps thrown to your clit had your head spin, lips red from being sucked on so hard, blood drawing from your every sector. Your tits moving up and down as his eyes latched onto how your ass hole was gathering the mixture of slick and blood all together, so excited to be able to fuck your tight little hole later.

‘I told you I’m a fallen angel, and thanks to your mistakes, I’m making you mine’

You could hear his loud laugh from a mile out, menacing and cruel hips still snapping inside you at a cruel pace.

‘Mm- w-wha-ah-..’ you longed out, mind blank confused on what this tense knot building inside of you was.

‘Cum and your getting fucked until 3am tomorrow. Got it?’

‘Y-yes sir…’

‘Who owns you..’ he snarled, hissing through his teeth at how wet you are, how good your sucking him in despite being so unprepped.

‘Y-you’

‘Who?’

‘YOU- YOU YOU YOU- aaahh- please-‘ pleaseee…’ you babbled, back arching at the way his fingers played at the red circle inside you, so scared of misbehaving for him.

He grabbed your face, fingers pinching at your cheeks again as he turned to face the cross on the right of you, both of you staring at it as his face neared yours.

‘Whose your saviour bitch?’

‘..y-y-you sukuna..’ you sobbed, your body going numb, words leaving your mouth without any correlation behind it.

Sloppy wet noises filling the empty church, your begging was granted as he finally let you cum. You spilt all over him, squirting and creaming, juices being shot everywhere as he stared mesmerised at how you did that.

‘That was so sexy- your doing that again until I can see blood come out of you. Got it?’

‘Yeah…’ you breathed out exhausted and scared. Pulling out you groaned at the loss of feelings, hand reaching to wrap around his neck as you leant in for another kiss, body weakly used, loss of blood and illusion making you crazy. Your eyes still shot white through possession. Body doing insane things without your permission.

‘May the lord forgive thou who sins hm…’ he chuckled at his mocking language, seeing how well your eyes began draining, skin turning paler and tongue sharper with every spell he forced inside you. One arm wrapped around your waist making you rest your exhausted head on his shoulder.

‘Such a good girl you were…’

[bleaksqueak]

Can you share what kind of magic would each attunement "produce", if that's not spoiler territory? And is there a reason some attunements are more or less rare or is it an "it eez what it eez" situation?

It'll be gone into in-depth in the comic proper, especially given Maia's little problem with "Welp. I'm 18 now… got no attunement, failed the testing ceremony for Veil. C r a p."

But I can share some basics! By and large, your aetheric attunement allows for the casting of magic, enchantment, conjuring and all related disciplines. With only a few exceptions, all disciplines of magic are practicable by attuned magi, regardless of what type of attunement they have.

For magic, the differences come by casting technique, visual characteristics, means of rejuvenation. The magi itself is where differences are most notable and these come in attunement-specific dispositions and aberrations.

Life magi tap into the aetheric channels of metabolic energies as might be expected, with manifestations resembling floral and faunal traits. But what about its attunement-specific quirks? They have a predisposition to harnessing intense, vivacious emotions during heightened magic usage. At its deepest core tenet, Life draws from pure ferality.

This attunement sometimes results in an aetheric disorder, causing the afflicted magi to develop therianthropy.

(Notable example: Lyra Thorncroft)

Elemental magi specialize in kinetic energy and akinetic manipulations, but where the magi themselves tend to display aberrant characteristics is the ability to briefly transmute parts of themselves to the elemental energies they've attuned to. This can be great in a pinch, from being stuck outside on a cold day to needing a way to escape danger should it try to latch onto their arms or legs. The more this is done, however, the more their elements may ingrain permanently on their skin.

(Notable examples so far: Autumn Kinsgrave, Rasputin)

Star magi have greater inclinations towards natural navigators, divinators and guides for lost energies, allowing them to call to and harness even fragmented or thin aetheric channels in a place other magi would find casting difficult. Some star magi describe experiencing intense bouts of time dilation and heightened lucidity during intense magic usage, allowing them crucial extra moments to piece together a solution (or get the upper hand in an unusually heated board game.)

(Notable examples: N/A. Huh! None introduced yet!? Tsk!)

Veil magi were touched on a bit already with Audric, but a notable aberration is their naturally larger magic pools and the ability to recharge their depleted aetheric reserves anywhere, and quickly, without the same requirements of rest other magi would require. This vantage, combined with their modifiable aura manifestations, grant them the ability to become reapers. While the benefits are understood, there's still quite a lot of mystery surrounding the workings and finer details of veil manifestations even to this day.

(Notable examples: Any reaper, Audric Thorncroft)

Death is the rarest attunement amongst magi, and is rare enough that to say the most common manifestation is the glyphic third eye that appears on their brow isn't really an exacting statement, but it does seem to be the most common. They've got some peculiar quirks to their magic usage, and they find themselves plagued by an innate and sometimes overwhelming empathic clairvoyance. Death magi that want a little peace of mind do learn how to control this, and even to sort of "turn it off", but others, especially young or powerful empaths, may struggle against this.

(Notable examples, Grian from HR, an expert at turning his off, and Maddie Gaillot.)

This got longer than I meant for it to!! Woops! But to answer the question on rarity:

Certain conditions have to be met for each attunement, and the magi's own unique essence plays a large part in what they connect to. Life is the most common attunement, and the abundant saturation of life aether in combination with a largely shared human experience makes it an often welcome fit for magi. Meanwhile, the energies that result in Death's augury require a tricky set of conditions that must be met by a magi capable and willing of accepting it. Makes for a pretty rare combo…

[scottish-wolf]

My Awakening Experience: Once a Wolf, Always a Wolf

I first awoke back in 2007 when I was roughly 12/13 years old. I had a wild childhood of running around barefoot, getting lost through the trees, rolling down hillsides, and splashing in creeks. I let my hair do what it pleased, getting leaves and twigs tangled in it, mud caking my skin, but I didn't care. As a child, I had felt free. I was in love with the sun and clouds, the trees that swayed in the wind, the grass that tickled my feet, and the animals that chittered all around me. I was in love with the moon and the dancing starts, the crickets that sang to me and the fireflies that lit my path. I was in love with nature and nothing could tear me away - until it did. Until I started to grow up and was told 'stop howling with the coyotes', 'stop running on all fours', 'stop rolling in the mud', 'stop being barefoot', 'stop being you'. That was the statement that did it and I listened to them. I brushed my hair, I wore shoes, and I stopped going into the woods. I tried to act proper all throughout my years in elementary school until I reached Jr. High. That's when I felt the surge, the urges, and the instincts. All those quirky things I did as a kid were resurfacing and I couldn't understand it. It was then I took to the internet and searched all I could to find something to explain why I was so different. Then I found "Pariah Wolf Pack". I joined and learned about therianthropy, mental/phantom shifts, and talked with others either going through the same thing I was or having already been through it. The members there taught me a lot and I had a name to put to what I was dealing with. That was the mark of my therian awakening. I, at first, instinctively went with wolf therian. A member on Pariah actually took time to talk to me and told me how finding yourself wasn't a rush, that for some therians it takes a while to find their theriotype. She helped me go through my traits, what I did and the shared similarities with animals. We nailed it down pretty quickly to the canine group and from there it was narrowed down to coyote vs wolf. When I told here how "right" wolf felt, she told me to go with that feeling. While it's good to question yourself to discover the truth, it's still ok to listen to your instincts. So I did and I went years with my wolf identity, enjoying different therian websites and packs, travelling along and making friends. Yet, as I got older and into high school, facing changes and new experiences, doubt started to form. I found myself thinking, 'what if I'm not a therian?', 'what if this is all in my head?', 'what if I have a mental problem?', etc. For two years I went through a changing loop of animal identities, never settling on one for long. After that, the main animals I cycled through were lynx, mountain lion, fox, and coyote. I had pushed the thought of being a wolf so far out of my head that it hadn't shown up throughout those years since the doubt first came. When I finally allowed myself to re-enter that state of natural happiness I had felt when I was a kid, that's when the wolf re-emerged. I have felt such joy and peace, that my mental shifts have returned, I have mental flares, and I constantly fluctuate through phantom shifts like I had used to before.

[pantwolf]

I think spirituality has too much connotation with "religious belief" because, to me, spirituality is more about "truth of the self," however it manifests. Historically, spirituality was a means to an end that some might call enlightenment. It was inner peace and universal truth. To me, my truth is physiological; I am an animal. My body is physical, made of flesh and blood and instinct. To me, my truth is also psychological and cognitive; I am a consciousness that is not inherently the same as the body. It is also my gender, how i wish to be perceived by others. My spirit is the truth and essence of who I am. I say this all, not to wax poetic, nor to invalidate your understandable frustration with the nature of exclusive language and the gatekeeping it causes, but rather to correct the fact that I perpetuated this phenomenon.

I recently saw a post where someone was confused about the intersection of "puppygirl/boy" and therianthropy. I reblogged and added that puppygirl and puppyboy refers more to gender, and therianthropy refers to spirituality.

What I was trying to convey was that the two, the gendered language and therianthropy, exist as two separate axes. They are perpendicular planes, the origin point of which is you! Gender is the self as viewed from outside, as spirituality is the self as viewed from the inside.

Honestly I fully understand if this doesn't make any sense. Ultimately, I will be more conscious of co-opting existing language to represent my esoteric perspective of the world. Words mean things! Theory crafting vast connections of concepts doesn't change that.

i am so tired of seeing people calling therianthropy spiritual. sure, for some people it is, but this is not a spiritual exclusive experience. it is psychological, it is physical, and it is spiritual. not everyone has a past life they’re connected with. people need to stop being exclusive in their terminology

[therianimal]

Theriotype specificity and defining yourself the way YOU want to

There are some otherkin and therians who know which exact species or subspecies they are - and that's really awesome. But I'm not, and I'm not sure I want to be.

The time it would take to determine this would not, for me, be worth the benefit of knowing. Knowing whether I was, for example, a Red-tailed hawk or a Cooper's hawk wouldn't make much difference to me. It wouldn't affect how I see myself in any notable way, it wouldn't give me a greater peace of mind, and I doubt it would particularly affect my behaviors or shifts. Similarly, knowing which subspecies of wolf I am doesn't interest me. The fact that I know my fur is black is *kind of* relevant to me, but beyond that I don't care to specify it.

When it comes down to it, my guesswork would likely be wrong anyway. There are many many types of hawks, all with similar coloration and instincts. My shifts and self image aren't nearly clear enough to make a distinction. It would be an absolute headache to try and decide, and I would probably end up constantly changing my mind. The confusion would cause me a huge amount of stress, and maybe even lead me to feel more insecure and less confident in my hawk-ness and therianthropy in general.

I'm saying this with the hope of communicating to people who are new to the community or who feel stuck that none of this is obligatory. Define your identity to the degree that suits YOU. If knowing the specifics genuinely helps you, then go for it. But you don't need to feel pressured or insecure when you see people who seem to have it all figured out. You can call yourself a wild cat with no further specification. You can say you're a dog without specifying a breed. When it comes down to it *no one* actually knows everything there is to know about themselves, so direct your introspection to the issues that matter to you.

Your self-discovery is about you as an individual, not other otherkin or therians, not the community as a social group, and *definitely* not the people who expect you to jump through hoops to prove yourself. This truth applies across the board. Things like wearing a tail, making a den in your house, or going on frequent hikes are delightful for some people; there are people who actually love questioning and collecting labels. But *no one* is obligated to do any of these things to validate or prove themselves. When it comes down to it, use the concepts that help you and ditch the ones that don't. This is your experience - no one else's.

[jcinknetwork]

─  ˙ ˖  ☆ Welcome to Jeju Island! A popular vacation spot for tourists and locals alike and where we set our scene, exploring the criminal underbelly and politics of the island in a therianthropy alternative universe. Because of the serious crime, violence, and mature themes set in this world, we only allow writers 21+ as this will be a 3/3/3 rated site. 

However, our community welcomes all levels of writers, from those new and just figuring out JCink to those who have years under their belts! 

CLAWS & TEETH › 

a therianthropy alternative universe site set on the island of jeju in south korea, the largest inter-species sanctuary, where shifters and humans live together but it isn't always in peace and harmony. is your bark worse than your bite? 

❱・discord › hoping for a mid-august opening! 

[zith-ipeth]

You thought this was a one time thing?! Shadows and Medicine (Dog Days 2)

HELLO CREATURES OF THE LAND SEA AND SKY

Today started not the best, my adhd meds kicked in weird, and I did a lot of academic stuff just not for class. I finished my manifesto thing, and read some psych essays about therianthropy and clinical lycanthropy (I wanted to see what not to do when I do study, but honestly the therian study was pretty ok). I couldn’t wear my tail today, which sucked (I didn’t have a belt that worked) but in better news I got all the non humans I know on campus together, and were talking and planning a howl!

I remembered something today too! an old memory. the first time I figured out that my animality was something more than a style was when I saw my shadow with ears for the first time! I remembered that when I finally got a figure from estrogen during my transition I got so much euphoria from my shadow. And then about 6 months since then i realized that I got that same feeling from seeing my shadow with ears and a tail! Now 4 months later i still get giddy looking at my silhouette. Also I keep meeting more therians and otherkin it’s crazy! Like some people just ask or walk up and I’m always happy to explain, and then they whisper “me too what’s your number let’s talk” and like it’s so cool! There are more of us out and about than you think, just be open and comfortable asking. Anyway I will keep doing these, you all deserve to see that we can have a place in the real world. I hope some of you join me here, it’s lovely, and the water is warm!

Run fast, bite hard, bark loud

Peace, love, and gratitude

-Zith Ipeth

[aelowan]

Understanding - A Books of Binding Flash Fiction

Winter tied the last stitch and gently patted the therian wolf’s shoulder. “All done.”

The wolf growled, and Winter slowly removed her hand, her eyes hardening as she stared the young therian down. The wolves of Seahaven used dominance fighting as their favorite sport, but Winter was in no mood to resort to fisticuffs against an amped up injured therian with something to prove. Not that she would have any chance against him in a physical match. Wizards were neither as fast nor as strong as therian, and they didn’t heal as quickly. Then there was the problem that wolf therianthropy was one of the easiest forms to contract. One good bite and Winter could begin the process of becoming a wolf herself. That would be bad on two accounts.

First, Seahaven’s new wolf queen, Vivaine Hayden, was famously jealous and had killed or driven off all of Seahaven’s female wolves when she joined the pack. And second, a person could not be a therian and a wizard at the same time. If she were bitten and began to transform, she would lose her magic — the one thing she and her dwindling family counted on to maintain the precarious balance among the various preternatural groups in Seahaven.

So, she definitely didn’t want to physically confront this young wolf. But she couldn’t afford to back down either. The wolf would see any attempt to deescalate as submission and that would be even worse for her family and Seahaven than Winter losing her magic.

The Seahaven wolf pack was horribly unstable. Its leaders were amoral and vicious, and its large number of unattached young males were under tremendous pressure to fight their way to the top or be prey themselves to the older and stronger wolves.

Maintaining what little peace existed between the preternatural groups in Seahaven was only possible because the wizards were seen as a neutral party and could thus negotiate with any group without the other groups fearing the wizards were biased. None of the other groups would ever allow the violent and unstable wolves to hold power over the wizards — not even a pup like this one winning dominance over one young wizard. The city would fall to factional war.

So, with no way to deescalate with the now snarling wolf, and no desire to allow the confrontation to get physical, Winter was left with only one option — using her magic on him. That was usually frowned on, as it could be seen as an act of war, but the therian had left her no good options.

Winter raised her hands and started to sketch a glyph in the air. The wolf, realizing that the wizard was about to cast, jumped off the table and tried to rush her before she could complete the casting, but Winter had played this particular game before and finished the glyph of shielding before the wolf cleared the table.

The shield pulsed red between them, and Winter blinked a little in surprise. She looked down at the gloves she wore, and comprehension dawned. The gloves were smeared with the wolf’s blood. She had inadvertently cast a blood magic shield, giving her magic over this therian a little more oomf.

The wolf paced on the outside of the visible shield, growling. “You can’t keep that shield up forever, wizard.”

Winter was tired. Tired of politics. Tired of betrayal. And tired of living under the constant threat of violence and death, even from the very people she spent every waking hour trying to either help or heal.

She raised the bloody gloves and glared into the eyes of the wolf as she began to sketch again. She finished the glyph and, putting resonant Command into her voice, she poured power into the design and said, “Burn.” The power in the glyph, drawn with the wolf’s own blood, flared and the wolf began to scream as the blood in his body reacted to her command. He fell to the floor, writhing as his blood boiled inside him.

Winter stared down at him and felt little pity. She had spent the past hour healing this wolf from the last fight he’d lost only to have him turn on her when she was done sewing him up. The wolf was a hot head, and in Seahaven that would undoubtedly get him killed.

But Winter didn’t want to be the one to do it if she didn’t have to. Yes, he was trying to dominate and attack her, but he didn’t seem to understand that he stood no chance against a wizard. His speed and strength were no match for her magic. But perhaps, while writhing and screaming on her floor, understanding could be reached.

She raised her hands again and the wolf whimpered pitifully. Winter felt a little ashamed for hurting him, but she needed for him to understand that she was no wolf’s prey. She sketched a glyph and said, “Cool.”

The wolf stopped writhing and lay panting on his side.

Winter checked that the shield was still up and crouched beside him. “Look at me.”

The wolf obeyed, all thoughts of dominance erased from his eyes.

“I understand that your life is chaotic and dangerous. I understand that attacking and either changing or killing someone like me would make your standing go way up with the other wolves. But I need you to understand something. Do I have your attention?”

The wolf ducked his head and nodded meekly.

“Good. Listen carefully. I am a wizard. Wizards are capable of some very dangerous and painful things. The next time you even think about attacking me or my family, I want you to remember that I took pity on you today, but I never will again. Do you understand?”

The wolf nodded over and over, frantic to obey. “I understand. I’m sorry. I—”

Winter cut off his apologies. “Get out.”

The wolf pulled himself up off the floor and limped through the beaded curtain and out through the shop.

Winter watched him go until the door of Curiosity’s shut behind him. She quickly crossed the shop and locked the door.

Blood magic. She had used blood magic to torture someone. She tried to feel horrified or at least a little scared about what she had done, but all she felt was relief that it was over, and death had not come for her today.

Winter went back to the workroom, carefully peeled the blood-smeared gloves off, and tossed them into the trash. Maybe it was wrong that she didn’t feel remorse for what had just happened… or maybe it was just another way to survive in the mess that was Seahaven.

***

If you liked this story, check out our other free original short fiction and all things Seahaven at https://www.aelown.com

[doeantler]

Heya I noticed a lot of tags like carrion mother and wolf mother (and same with hyena woman from ages ago but not here) and some of the tags resonate with my Artemis (especially wolf mother), would you be willing to talk about these spirits in more detail? have a good day :)

sure. the Hyena Mother i met before any other, back within the past year that i considered myself kemetic. She arrived in a time of great self doubt, and while She’s rarely a presence i feel nearby as of recent, i think of Her fondly still. She arrived in all the showings of the cave hyenas of the pleistocene - distant and fickle, tucked in dark stone corners with watching eyes, laughing in amusement as much as fear (or, perhaps, spite). though She changed to my path at the time, molding Herself to an inherently “kemetic” manifestation in which She took the name Hetjetset for Herself, i believe the first of what i saw of Her was Her truth, the latter simply a loving excuse to tail me as Her namesake might. She is barbaric, She is gnoll-minded, raised spear and tanned hide and beaten shield and bared teeth, but Hers is a wardance of triumph and unapologetic existence. laughter in the face of death and turmoil, that in doing so they would be intimidated, banished from sight. the overcoming of the corrupt through debauchery and revelry, not as a safety precaution, but as a first chance against what would dare tread on the domain of survival. when the message is not received, when the Hyena Mother’s protective cackles go unheeded, that is when She bites down, and She does not let go. She is bloody and beautiful, much like the Wolf Woman. She is a drunken dance around the raging pyre of all that would harm the cyclic fate and prosperity of life. to live is to bleed, but never should She see you bleed for the wrong reasons. in lieu of bleeding, however, is Wolf Woman. i’m still unsure of how self-actualized She may be, and for a time i wondered if She may have been an automated aspect of myself, but i’ve since stopped putting pressure on the analytics, as i’ve been encouraged to do with what i experience in my spirituality now as a whole. She is feral womanhood and menstrual rage, and turns weeping to howling euphoria. She chases the moon and i do so with Her. Her existence brushes frequently, pun intended or not, against my experiences with what i can easily describe as lycanthropic shifts in mentality, but that’s a larger subject to touch on and i can succinctly summarize it as a simple overarching belief in a personal interconnectedness with animality (i’ve considered ceasing referring to it as anything akin to therianthropy or similar - it’s not specified so much as it is just integral to my spiritual being). when i become the wolf, She is there to run with me, to wail and scream my woes to the open sky or the wet soil, taking up the pain and anger in Her clawed hands and showing me how to devour it, how to land the killing bite. She is bloody and beautiful, much like Hyena Mother. Carrion Mother, though the title may be redundant, is a presence i’ve only come into contact with in spotty, fleeting moments perhaps once or twice in the past, and it has only been within the fast few days as of the time writing this that i’ve actually met Her face-on. as far as i’ve been able to infer in cooperation with a friend, She may likely be an entity that they experienced for themselves for a time, but Her message has far altered between their experience and mine from the start. She is the vultures that perch on electrical towers with wings spread, waiting for their prize on the roadside - not from greed, but necessity. She embodies every scavenger and low-headed, keen creature we typically deem unsettling or unclean, but vultures are Her favored children, the ones who can see the world for what it is, distant and high above. Hers is the soft death, the lovely decay, and i have no doubt She’s here to pay visit to my recent self-reflections concerning my view of death and my inherent, and regretted, fear of it. Her children are not agents of entropy as much as they are harbingers of the cycle’s end. my description of Her energy in discussion may do Her the most justice, and i suppose i can close it there just as well.

“[...] seeing the good and the ugly in it and being able to approach both sides not with escapism, but an embrace, not so much inviting it as simply appreciating it for what it is, and in return, how that reflects in life. cyclical woo like that i suppose. not sure if it ties into all this fungal-spirit confusion i have going on as well but something is definitely banking on both that and my previous fascinations with figures like Nekhbet. taking those notions of the scavenger and survival and reflecting it. sacred domains found in the power poles upon which droves of vultures gather to sun, and the love between life and death, despite how much the land of the living may try to deny its own consort. [...]  i’d say it’s like being the poor thing lying on the road and welcoming the vulture overhead as a savior, not an enemy. the peace of mind in the full belly of a chick as your final legacy. promises to always be a part of the greater picture, and not being afraid of that. “ They are all, to me, forces of Nature. Old Things forgotten. perhaps not gods, but certainly within that power. and i love them dearly for it. i hope this is helpful to you, and i thank you for the opportunity to speak of Them.

[ms-waggus-doofus]

Therianthropy and gears

Let's be honest: We all wished for some stuff relating to our 'types. Be it a t-shirt with a wolf on it, a necklace with an owl pendant or a so well known tail. But what many new therianthropes and onlookers get wrong these days is the fact that these gears aren't supposed to "make you a therianthrope". Let's see what they're actually used for.

(By peregrine on tumblr)

Gear as a way to connect to your 'type

This is probably the most known reason for using and seeking for therianthropy related gear. But why does one need to connect with themselves? For once, mostly to feel more content and more in peace with themselves. But also sometimes to cope with their identity. It's ever been a decision. We haven't chosen to be therianthropes and to some it's just really annoying by times. So when their species dysphoria is very strong they sometimes use gear to reach a state of peace and calmness. I also met some who use gear to make their limbs more primonent. So to put it simple: Therian gear is simply used for making one feel better and good, themselves. :)

Gear doesn't make one a therianthrope

You don't need gear to be a therian. Being one means identifying as a nonhuman animal non-physically. It doesn't mean to put physical stuff on yourself that resembles your theriotype. That's just a sweet extra. Some never used gear. I myself have no gear as of now, mainly because I'm questioning but even those who aren't sometimes find them not so important. Why, you ask? Because everyone experiences their identity completely differently. The one needs gear to cope or feel better, the other feels content all the time with being human and a therianthrope.

Do what makes you feel good

Don't do what's expected of you. If you want to wear gear, it's great! If not, then it's great, too! You are doing just right with and without gear. Do what makes you comfy, okay? No one has the right to tell you what to do when it comes to things like self-expression.

[neoluciferian]

Are you a daemon?

First off, we're not talking about kin. Everyone is a different form of spirit on the inside, and we come to earth to become that spirit. We have a true form, and all the pain and suffering we experience is tailored to make us who we long to be. I once spoke to a clairsentient who spoke with an angel. She knew all about me, events in my past, my thoughts, even the names of my friends and secrets I never shared with anyone. She told me I was a daemon. Are you one? Here are some signs.

- a craving for raw meat or blood. Your mouth may water at the sight of a raw steak, or you may think about drinking blood.

- the desire to frighten people. Do you stand behind doorways and say "boo?" Do you write frightening stories or listen to demonic music (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson)?

- you get into moods, like you're shifting into something monstrous. You feel very dark, your personality changes, and you think about being a demon. When this happens, do you become arrogant and aggressive? It feels like listening to heavy metal.

- when dark thoughts come to mind or you listen to a demonic artist like Marilyn Manson, do your lips curl up into an uncontrollable smile? Your eyes may not smile, giving your grin an evil appearance. Does the smile last a long time and happen at inopportune moments, like in school or at the dinner table? This is a big one.

- Do you hiss, growl, snarl, or get into feral moods where your mannerisms become very animalistic? Have you looked into therianthropy to explain it?

- Do you make frightening faces in the mirror?

- Do you at times use very formal speech? Have very classy mannerisms? It may not be all the time - you match the personality of the person around you until you get into a debate or are explaining something serious. There's a very demonic shift.

If you find yourself experiencing a lot of these signs, you may be a daemon in human form. No, you're not Lucifer, Lilith, or Asmodeus. You're you. But you may be a daemon. I hope this explains some of the phenomena you're experiencing in your life. If you're like me, you feel all alone and like you're a monster no one could love. You're in hiding.

If you experience a lot of these symptoms, feel free to message me. Try to visualize what you look like - after all, it's your choice. We create our own destiny. I hope this brings peace to my fellow daemons.

[rockinroleplay]

─  ˙ ˖  ☆ Welcome to Jeju Island! A popular vacation spot for tourists and locals alike and where we set our scene, exploring the criminal underbelly and politics of the island in a therianthropy alternative universe. Because of the serious crime, violence, and mature themes set in this world, we only allow writers 21+ as this will be a 3/3/3 rated site. 

However, our community welcomes all levels of writers, from those new and just figuring out JCink to those who have years under their belts! 

CLAWS & TEETH › 

a therianthropy alternative universe site set on the island of jeju in south korea, the largest inter-species sanctuary, where shifters and humans live together but it isn't always in peace and harmony. 

is your bark worse than your bite? 

❱・discord › now open!