#Broken Bird Short Film

[pal1cam]

Pieces of media to watch to educate yourself on the Palestinian cause :

“Jenin, Jenin” a documentary by Mohammad Bakri (available on Youtube)

“200 meters” a movie by Ameen Nayfeh (available on Netflix)

“Born in Gaza” a documentary by Hernán Zin (available on Netflix)

“Samouni Road” a documentary & animation by Stefano Savona (available on Netflix and Palestine Film Institute’s website)

“Edward Said on Palestine (1988)” a TV documentary style film by Christoper Skyes (available on Youtube)

“To My Father (2008)” a documentary style film by Abdel Salam Shehada (available on Palestine Film Institute’s website)

“Salt of this sea” a movie by Annemarie Jacir (available on Netflix)

“Children of Shatila” a documentary by Mai Masri (available on Netflix & Youtube)

“The Present” a short movie by Farah Nabulsi (available on Netflix)

“Frontiers of Dreams and Fears” a documentary by Mai Masri (available on Netflix & Youtube)

“The Crossing” a short film by Ameen Nayfeh (available on Netflix)

“Tantura” a documentary by Alon Schwartz (available on Youtube)

“3000 nights” a movie by Mai Masri (available on Netflix)

“Farha” a movie by Darin J. Sallam (available on Netflix)

“Arna’s Children” a documentary by Juliano Mer-Khamis (available on Youtube)

“Ma’loul celebrates it’s destruction” a documentary by Michel Khleifi (available on Youtube)

“A World Not Ours” a documentary style movie by Mahdi Fleifel (available on Netflix)

“Like Twenty Impossibles” a movie by Annemarie Jacir (available on Netflix)

“Omar” a movie by Hany Abu Assad (available on Netflix)

“Mars At Sunrise” a movie by Jessica Habie (available on Netflix)

“5 Broken Cameras” a documentary by Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi (available on Youtube)

“Aida Returns” a film by Carol Mansour (look for upcoming screenings through this link)

“Soraida, a woman of Palestine” a documentary style film by Tahani Rached (available on Youtube)

“Palestine In The Eye” a film by Mustafa Abu Ali (available on Youtube)

“ Naji Al-Ali An, Artist With Vision” a film by Kasim Abid (Available on Youtube)

“Tell Your Tale, Little Bird” a documentary style film by Arab Loutfi (Available on Youtube)

[this list will constantly be updated with more movies & documentaries that i’m reminded of, or with new pieces that i find and watch… if you have any suggestions please send them my way]

PS ; as this is a personal list coming from a Palestinian person, i will only be adding the movies and documentaries that i feel are MOST important and effective in transferring the message of the Palestinian cause… so all recommendations are highly appreciated yet this is just a personal list and doesn’t include all types of Palestinian (or Palestinian related) visual media 🙏

[aronarchy]

A copy of the first reading list, if you dislike clicking on Google docs links:

The liberal news media is working overtime to silence Palestinian voices. As we sit thousands of miles away, witnessing the massacre through social media, the least we can do is educate ourselves and work to educate others. Apartheid threatens all of us, and just to reiterate, anti-Zionism ≠ antisemitism.

Academic Works, Poetry and Memoirs

The Revolution of 1936-1939 in Palestine: Background, Details, and Analysis, Ghassan Kanafani (1972)

Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries, Rosemary Sayegh (1979)

Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment, Mazin Qumsiyeh (2011)

My Life in the PLO: The Inside Story of the Palestinian Struggle, Shafiq al-Hout and Jean Said Makdisi (2019)

My People Shall Live, Leila Khaled (1971)

Poetry of Resistance in Occupied Palestine, translated by Sulafa Hijjawi (Baghdad, Ministry of Culture and Guidance, 1968)

On Palestine by Ilan Pappé and Noam Chomsky (2015)

Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on the US-Israeli War Against the Palestinians, Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé (2013)

The Politics of Dispossession: The Struggle for Palestinian Self-Determination, 1969-1994, Edward W. Said (2012)

Queer Palestine and the Empire of Critique, Sa’ed Atshan (2020)

Stone Men: The Palestinians Who Built Israel, Andrew Ross (2019)

Ten Myths About Israel, Ilan Pappé (2017)

Blaming the Victims: Spurious Scholarship and the Palestinian Question, Christopher Eric Hitchens and Edward W. Said (2001)

Palestinian Walks: Notes on a Vanishing Landscape, Raja Shehadeh (2010)

The Gun and the Olive Branch: The Roots of Violence in the Middle East, David Hirst (1977)

Gaza: An Inquest into Its Martyrdom, Norman Finkelstein (2018)

Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel and the Palestinians, Noam Chomsky (1983)

Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations, Avi Shlaim (2010)

Politicide: Ariel Sharon’s War Against the Palestinians, Baruch Kimmerling (2006)

The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering, Norman G. Finkelstein (2015)

Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire, Jehad Abusalim (2022)

Nakba: Palestine, 1948, and the Claims of Memory, Ahmad H. Sa’di and Lila Abu-Lughod (2007)

Peace and its discontents: Essays on Palestine in the Middle East peace process, Edward W. Said (2012)

Three Poems by Yahya Hassan

Articles, Papers & Essays

“Palestinian history doesn’t start with the Nakba” by PYM (May, 2023) 

“What the Uprising Means,” Salim Tamari (1988)

“The Palestinians’ inalienable right to resist,” Louis Allday (2021)

“Liberating a Palestinian Novel from Israeli Prison,” Danya Al-Saleh and Samar Al-Saleh (2023) 

Women, War, and Peace: Reflections from the Intifada, Nahla Abdo (2002)

“A Place Without a Door” and “Uncle Give me a Cigarette”—Two Essays by Palestinian Political Prisoner, Walid Daqqah (2023)

“Live Like a Porcupine, Fight Like a Flea,” A Translation of an Article by Basel Al-Araj

Films & Video Essays

Fedayin: Georges Abdallah’s Fight (2021)

Naila and the Uprising (2017)

Off Frame AKA Revolution Until Victory (2015)

Tell Your Tale Little Bird (1993)

The Time That Remains (2009)

“The Present” (short film) (2020)

“How Palestinians were expelled from their homes”

Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists (2011)

Born in Gaza (2014)

5 Broken Cameras (2011)

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege (2021)

Al-Nakba: The Palestinian catastrophe - Episode 1 | Featured Documentary

Organisations to donate to

Palestine Red Crescent Society - https://www.palestinercs.org/en

Anera - https://support.anera.org/a/palestine-emergency

Palestinian American Medical Association - https://palestinian-ama.networkforgood.com/projects/206145-gaza-medical-supplies-oct-2023

You First Gaza - https://donate.gazayoufirst.org/

MAP - Medical Aid for Palestinians - https://www.map.org.uk/donate/donate

United Nations Relief and Works Agency - https://donate.unrwa.org/-landing-page/en_EN

Palestine Children’s Relief Fund - https://www.pcrf.net/   

Doctors Without Borders - https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/palestine

AP Fact Check

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-misinformation-fact-check-e58f9ab8696309305c3ea2bfb269258e

This list is not exhaustive in any way, and is a summary of various sources on the Internet. Please engage with more ethical, unbiased sources, including Decolonize Palestine and this list compiled by the Palestinian Youth Movement.

[otherworlds-inside-my-mind]

Xenofiction (& similar) Media Masterpost

Editable Google Doc Link here

PS. This list is for keeping track only. This is not a recommendation list and I won't be advocating for any Work, Author or Company listed. There will be footnotes about a work/author for undesirable behaviour or themes if necessary.

This is a WIP and will be updated whenever I have the time to. Feel free to recommend works or inform me about an author so I can update the post. Be Aware works on this list might have been cancelled or on indifinitive Hiatus and not all works are available on English.

Sections:

Literature

Comic Books & Graphics Novels

Picture Books

Indie Written Works

Webcomics

Manga

Animated Series

Live-Action & Hybrid shows

Webseries

Short Films

Animated Films

Live Action & CGI Assisted Movies

Documentary

Theather

Videogames

Online Browser Games

Table Top Games

Music

Other Online Projects

Youtubers

Gen. Videos

Worlds

Franchises

To search is Ctrl + F (Windows) or Command-F (MacOS), on phone browser you have "Find in page" (Drop menu at top right)

Literature

A

Age of Fire - E. E. Knight

Adventure Lit their Star - Kenneth Allsop

Alien in a Small Town - Jim Cleaveland

Alien Chronicles (Literature) - Deborah Chester

Animal Farm - George Orwell

Animorphs - K. A. Applegate

Am an Owl - Martin Hocke

At Winters End - Robert Silverberg

Avonoa - H.R.B. Collotzi

Astrid and Cerulean: A Parrot Fantasy - Parasol Marshall-Crowley

A Wolf for a Spell - Karah Sutton

The African Painted Wolf Novels - Alexander Kendziorski

The Alchemist's Cat - Robin Jarvis

The Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents - Terry Pratchet

The Amity Incident - C. M. Weller

The Ancient Solitary Reign - Martin Hocke

The Animals of Farthing Wood series - Colin Dann

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

The Author of Acacia Seeds and Other Extracts from the Journal of Therolinguistics - Ursula K. Le Guin

A Magical Cat Named Kayla: Whiskers of Enchantment -Carlos Juárez [AI Cover]*

The Animal Story Book - Various Authors [Editor: Andrew Lang]

Abenteuer im Korallenriff - Antonia Michaelis [DE]

B

Bambi: A life in the forest & Bambi Children - Felix Salten

Bamboo Kingdom series - Erin Hunter

Bazil Broketail - Christopher Rowley

Beak of the Moon & Dark of the Moon - Philip Temple

Bears of the Ice series - Kathryn Lasky

Beasts of New York - Jon Evans

Beautiful Joe - Margaret Marshall Saunders

Beyond Acacia Ridge - Amy Clare Fontaine

Birddom - Clive Woodall

Bird Brain - Guy Kennaway

Black Beauty - Anna Sewell

Blitzcat - Robert Westall

Blizzard Winds - Paul Koch

Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells

Braver: A Wombat's Tale - Suzanne Selfors & Walker Ranson

Bravelands series- Erin Hunter

Broken Fang - Rutherford Montgomery

Bunnicula series - Deborah Howe & James Howe

Burning Stars - Rurik Redwolf

A Black Fox Running - Brian Carter

A Blue So Loud - Tuesday

The Ballard of The Belstone Fox - David Rook

The Bear - James Curwood

The Bees - Laline Paull

The Biography of a Silver Fox - Ernest Thompson Seton

The Blue Cat of Castle Town - Catherine Cate Coblentz

The Book Of Chameleons - José Eduardo Agualusa

The Book of the Dun Cow - Walter Wangerin Jr.

The Book of Night with Moon - Diane Duane

The Books of the Named series - Clare Bell

The Bug Wars - Robert Asprin

The Builders - Daniel Polansky

C

Call of the wild - Jack London

Callanish - William Horwood

Catwings - Ursula K. Le Guin

Cat Diaries: Secret Writings of the MEOW Society - Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey & Laurie Myers

Cat House - Michael Peak

Cat Pack - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Cats in the city of Plague - A.L Marlow

Celestial Heir series - Chester Young

Charlotte's Web - E. B. White

Chet and Bernie mysteries - Spencer Quinn

Chia The Wildcat - Joyce stranger

Child of the Wolves - Elizabeth Hall

Clarice the Brave - Lisa McMann

Cry of the Wild - Charles Foster

Coyote's Wild Home - Barbara Kingsolver; Lily Kingsolver & Paul Mirocha

Coyote Series - Michael Bergey

Crocuta - Katelyn Rushe

Coorinna: A Novel of the Tasmanian Uplands - Erle Wilson

Cujo - Steven King

The Calatians Series - Tim Susman

The Cats of Roxville station - Jean Craighead Georde

The Chanur Novels - C. J. Cherryh

The Cold Moons - Aeron Clement

The Color of Distance || Through Alien Eyes - Amy Thomson

The Conquerors - Timothy Zahn

The Council of Cats - R. J. F.

The Cricket in Times Square - George Selden

The Crimson Torch - Angela Holder

The Crossbreed - Allan Eckert

The Crucible of Time - John Brunner

D

Darkeye series - Lydia West

Deadlands: The Hunted - Skye Melki-Wegner

Demon of Undoing - Andrea I. Alton

Desert Dog - Jim Kjelgaard

Dinotopia - James Gurney, Alan Dean Foster

Doglands - Tim Willocks

Dimwood Forest series - Avi

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray - Ann M. Martin

A Dog's Porpoise Duology - M. C. Ross

Dogs of the Drowned City - Dayna Lorentz

A Dog's Purpose series - W. Bruce Cameron

Dolphin Way: Rise of the Guardians - Mark Caney

Domino - Kia Heavey

Douglas' Diary - Andrew John

DragonFire series - Lewis Jones Davies

Dragon Fires Rising - Marc Secchia

Dragon Hoard and Other Tales of Faerie - Cathleen Townsend

Dragons and Skylines series - Rowan Silver

Dragon Prayers - M.J. McPike

Dragons of Mother Stone series - Melissa McShane

Dragon Girls Series - Maddy Mara

The Deptford Mice series - Robin Jarvis

The Dogs of the Spires series - Ethan Summers

The Dragons of Solunas series - H. Leighton Dickson

The Duncton Chronicles - William Horwood

The Destiny of Dragons - J.F.R. Coates

The Diary Of A House Cat - Ileana Dorobantu

Dogtown - Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko

Die schwarze Tigerin - Peer Martin [DE]

Die weiße Wölfin - Vanessa Walder [DE]

Die Wilden Hunde Von Pompeii - Helmut Krausser [DE]

Das wilde Mäh - Vanessa Walder [DE]

E

The Eyes and the Impossible - Dave Eggers

Eclosión - Arturo Balseiro [ES]

Ein Seehund findet nach Hause - Antonia Michaelis [DE]

F

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Roald Dahl

Faithful Ruslan - Georgi Vladimov

Feather and Bone: The Crow Chronicles - Clem Martini

Feathers & Flames series - John Bailey

Felidae series (1) - Akif Pirinçci

Fifteen Rabbits - Felix Salten

Fire, Bed & Bone - Henrietta Branford

Fire of the Phoenix - Azariah Jade

Fluke - James Herbert

Firefall series - Peter Watts

Firebringer - David Clement-Davies

Flush: A Biography Book - Virginia Woolf

Fox - Glyn Frewer

Foxcraft series - Inbali Iserles

Frightful’s Mountain - Jeanie Craighead George

Frost dancers: A story of hares - Garry Kilworth

The Familiars series - Adam Jay Epstein

The Fifth - Saylor Ferguson

The Firebringer series - Meredith Ann Pierce

The Fox and The Hound - Daniel P. Mannix

The Forges of Dawn - E. Kinsey

Freundschaft im Regenwald - Peer Martin [DE]

(1) Felidae's Author - Akif Pirinçci - is known to be a Xenophobic, Anti-muslim, Anti-Lgbt and Extreme Right-Wing guy (A N4zi by his on words). Won't be going onto details just know he has a non-fiction work called "Germany Gone Mad: The Crazy Cult around Women, Homosexuals and Immigrants." His works has been out of print ever since.

G

Guardian Cats and the lost books of Alexandria - Rahma Krambo

Guardians of Ga'Hoole series - Kathryn Lasky

Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Griffin Quest - Sophie Torro

Gryphon Insurrection series - K. Vale Nagle

The Ghost and It's Shadow - Shaun Hick

The Golden Eagle - Robert Murphy

The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker

The Good Dog - Newbery Medalist

The Guardian Herd series - Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

The Goodbye Cat - Hiro Arikawa

The Great Timbers - James A. Kane

H

Haunt Fox - Jim Kjelgaard

Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure - Megan Wagner Lloyd

Heavenly Horse series - Mary Stanton

Hive - Ischade Bradean

Horses of Dawn series - Kathryn Lasky

House of Tribes - Garry Kilworth

Hunter's Moon/Foxes of First dark - Garry Kilworth

Hunters Universe series - Abigail Hilton

A Hare at Dark Hollow - Joyce Stranger

The Hundred and One Dalmatians & The Starlight Barking - Dodie Smith

The Hunt for Elsewhere - Beatrice Vine

Hollow Kingdom Duology - Kira Jane Buxton

I

I am a Cat - Natsume Sōseki

I, Scheherezade: Memoirs of a Siamese Cat - Douglass Parhirst

In the Long Dark - Brian Carter

The Incredible Journey - Sheila Burnford

Im Reich der Geparde - Kira Gembri [DE]

J

Joe Grey series - Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach & Russell Munson

Julie of the Wolves - Jeanie Craighead George

The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling

Journey to the West - Wu Cheng'en

K

Kävik the Wolf Dog - Walt Morey

Kazan duology - James Curwood

Kine Saga - Alan Lloyd

Kona's Song - Louise Searl

The Killers - Daniel P. Mannix

Kindred of the Wild - Charles G.D Roberts

König der Bären - Vanessa Walder [DE]

L

Lassie Come-Home - Eric Knight

Last of the Curlews - Fred Bodsworth

Lazy Scales - D.M. Gilmore

Legends of Blood series - Ethan Summers

A Legend of Wolf Song - George Stone

Luna the Lone Wolf - Forest Wells

Lupus Rex - John Carter Cash

Lutapolii: White Dragon of the South - Deryn Pittar

The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle

The Labrador Pact & The Last Family in England - Matt Haig

The Last Dogs - Christopher Holt

The Last Eagle - Daniel P. Mannix

The Last Great Auk - Allan Eckert

The Last Monster on Earth - L.J. Davies

The Life Story of a Fox - J. C. Tregarthen

The Lost Rainforest series - Eliot Schrefer & Emilia Dziubak

The Lost Domain - Martin Hocke

The Last Whales: A Novel - Lloyd Abbey

M

Mammoth Trilogy - Stephen Baxter

Manxmouse: The Mouse Who Knew No Fear - Paul Gallico

Marney the Fox - Scott Goodall & John Stokes

Mattie: The story of a hedgehog - Norman Adams, & G.D. Griffiths

Matriarch: Elephant vs. T-Rex - Roz Gibson

Midnight's Sun - Garry Kilworth

Migon - P.C. Keeler

Minado The Devil - Dog - Erle Wilson

Monkey Wars - Richard Kurti

Mouseheart Series - Lisa Fiedler

The Mistmantle chronicles - M.I. McAllister

The Mountain Lion - Robert Murphy

The Mouse Butcher - Dick King-Smith

The Mouse Protectors Series - Olly Barrett

Maru - Die Reise der Elefanten - Kira Gembri [DE]

N

New Springtime series - Robert Silverberg

Nightshade Chronicles - Hilary Wagner

Nugly - M. C. Ross

Nuru und Lela - Das Wunder der Wildnis - Kira Gembri [DE]

O

Old One-Toe - Michel-Aimé Baudouy

Of Birds and Branches - Frances Pauli

Outlaw Red - Jim Kjelgaard

The Old Stag - Henry Williamson

The One and Only Ivan - Katherine Applegate

P

Painted Flowers - Caitlin Grizzle

Pax & Pax: Journey Home - Sara Pennypacker

Petrichor - C.E. Wright

The Plague Dogs - Richard Adams

The Pit - Elaine Ramsay

Pride Wars Series - Matt Laney

A Pup Called Trouble - Bobbie Pyron

The Peregryne Falcon - Robert Murphy

Pork and Others - Cris Freddi

Q

Queen in the Mud - Maari

Quill and Claw series - Kathryn Brown

R

Rak: The story of an Urban Fox - Jonathon Guy

Ramblefoot by Ken Kaufman

Rats of Nimh series - Robert C. O'Brien

Raven Quest - Sharon Stewart

Ravenspell Series - David Farland

Raptor Red - Robert T. Bakker

Red Fox - Charles G. D. Roberts

Redwall series - Brian Jacques

Rose in a Storm - Jon Katz

Rufus - Rutherford Montgomery

Run With the Wind series - Tom McCaughren

Runt - Marion Dane Baeur

Rustle in the Grass - Robin Hawdon

Rusty - Joyce Stranger

The Remembered War series - Robert Vane

The Rescuers series - Margery Sharp

The Red Stranger - David Stephen

The River Singers & The Rising - Tom Moorhouse

The Road Not Taken - Harry Turtledove,

The Running Foxes - Joyce Stranger

Revier der Raben - Vanessa Walder [DE]

S

Salar the Salmon - Henry Williamson

Scary Stories for Young Foxes Duology - Christian McKay Heidicker

Scaleshifter series - Shelby Hailstone Law

Shadow Walkers - Russ Chenoweth

Scream of the White Bears - David Clement-Davies

Seekers saga - Erin Hunter

Serpentia Series - Frances Pauli

Shadows in the Sky - Pete Cross

Shark Wars Series - EJ Altbacker

Silverwing series - Kenneth Oppel

Silver Brumby series - Elyne Mitchell

Sirius - Olaf Stapledon

SkyTalons Series - Sophie Torro

Solo's Journey - Joy Aiken Smith

Sky Hawk - Gill Lewis

Snow Dog - Jim Kjelgaard

Song of the River - Soinbhe Lally

Spirit of the West series - Kathleen Duey

Survivors series - Erin Hunter

Stray - A.N Wilson

String Lug the Fox - David Stephen

Swashbuckling Cats: Nine Lives on the Seven Seas - Rhonda Parrish & Co.

Swordbird series - Nancy Yi Fan

The Sheep-Pig - Dick King-Smith

The Sight & Fell - David Clement-Davies

The Silent Sky - Allan Eckert

The Silver Claw - Garry Kilworth

The Stoner Eagles - William Horwood

The Stink Files - Jennifer L. Holm & Jonathan Hamel

The Snowcat Prince - Dina Norlund

The Story Of A Seagull And The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly - Luis Sepúlveda

The Story of a Snail Who Discovered the Importance of Being Slow - Luis Sepúlveda

The Story of a dog called Leal - Luis Sepúlveda

The Story of a Red Deer - John Fortescue

The Summer King Chronicles - Jess E. Owen

Schogul, Rächer der Tiere - Birgit Laqua [DE]

Stadt der Füchse - Vanessa Walder [DE]

T

Tailchaser's Song - Tad Williams

Tarka the Otter - Henry Williamson

Three Bags Full - Leonnie Swann

Thy Servant a Dog - Rudyard Kipling

Tomorrow's Sphinx - Clare Bell

Torn Ear - Geoffrey Malone

Thor - Wayne Smith

Trickster -  Tom Moorhouse

Two Dogs and a Horse - Jim Kjelgaard

The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo

The Travelling Cat Chronicles - Hiro Arikawa

The Trilogy of the Ants - Bernard Werber

The Trumpet of the Swan - E. B. White

The Tusk That Did the Damage - Tania James

The Tygrine cat - Inbali Iserles

U

Ultimate Dragon Saga - Graham Edwards

Under the Skin - Michel Faber

V

Varjak Paw duology - S.F Said

Vainqueur the Dragon series - Maxime J. Durand

W

War Bunny series - Christopher St. Jhon

War Horse - Michael Morpurgo

War Queen - Illthylian

Warrior Cats series - Erin Hunter

Watership Down/Tales of Watership Down - Richard Adams

Ways of Wood Folk - William J. Long

Welkin Weasels series - Garry Kilworth

West of Eden - Harry Harrison

Whalesong Trilogy - Robert Siegel

Whale - Jeremy Lucas

Whispers in the Forest - Barbara Coultry

White Wolf - Henrietta Branford

White Fang - Jack London

White Fox Series - Jiatong Chen

Wings trilogy - Don Conroy

Wild Lone - Denys Watkins-Pitchford

Wild Animals I Have Known - Ernest Thompson Seton

Willow Tree Wood Series - J. S. Betts

Wings of Fire series - Tui T. Sutherland

Winterset Hollow - Jonathan Edward Durham

Wolf: The Journey Home | Hungry for Home: A Wolf Odyssey - Asta Bowen

Wolf Brother series - Michelle Paver

Wolf Chronicles - Dorothy Hearst

Wolves of the Beyond Series - Kathryn Lasky

Woodstock Saga - Michael Tod

A Whale of the Wild - Rosanne Parry

A Wolf Called Wander - Rosanne Parry

The Waters of Nyra - Kelly Michelle Baker

The Wolves of Elementa series - Sophie Torro

The Wolves of Time - William Horwood

The Wolf Chronicles Series - Teng Rong

The Way of Kings - Louise Searl

The White Bone - Barbara Gowdy

The White Fox/Singing Tree - Brian Parvin

The White Puma - Ronald Lawrence

The Wild Road & The Golden Cat - Gabriel King

The Wildings & The Thousand names of darkness - Nilanjana Roy

The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

The Wind Protect You - Pat Murphy

The Wolves of Paris - Daniel P. Mannix

Y

Yellow eyes - Rutherford Montgomery

The Year Of The Dinosaur - Edwin H. Colbert

Z

Zones of Thought series - Vernor Vinge

Z-Verse series by R.H

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

Animosity - Marguerite Bennett

Age of Reptiles - Ricardo Delgado

Legend - Samuel Sattin Koehler

Mouse Guard - David Petersen

Pride of Baghdad - Brian K. Vaughan & Niko Henrichon

Rover Red Charlie - Garth Ennis & Michael Dipascale

Stray Dogs - Tony Fleecs & Trish Forstner

We3 - Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely

Beasts of Burden - Evan Dorkin & Jill Thompson

LOBO: Canine Crusader of the Metal Wasteland - Macs-World-Ent

The Sandman: Dream of a Thousand Cats - Neil Gaiman

Animal Castle - Xavier Dorison & Felix Delep

Blacksad Series - Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido

Scurry - Mac Smith

The Snowcat Prince - Dina Norlund

Rankless - Maggie Lightheart

Animal Pound - Tom King & Peter Gross

Animal Castle - Xavier Dorison & Felix Delep

BlackSad - Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido

Picture Books

Steve the Dung Beetle: On a Roll - Susan R. Stoltz & Melissa Bailey

Hot Dog - Doug Salati

The Rock from the Sky - Jon Klassen

Whoever Heard of a Flying Bird? - David Cunliffe & Ivan Barrera

A Cat Named Whiskers - Shana Gorian

Ocean Tales Children's Books Series - Sarah Cullen & Zuzana Sbodová

Jake the Growling Dog - Samantha Shannon

Indie Written Works

Fins Above Series - MIROYMON

Journey of Atlas - Journey of Atlas

Webcomics

A

Africa - Arven92

After Honour - genstaelens

Awka - Nothofagus-obliqua

Arax - Azany

Amarith - Eredhys

The Apple's Echo - Helianthanas

Alone - Magpeyes

B

The Blackblood Alliance - KayFedewa

The Betrothed - Kibisca

Black Tyrant - Zapp-BEAST

Blue - HunterBeingHunted

Beast Tags - TheRoomPet

Spy - Utahraptor93

Be Reflected in my Eyes - Aquene-lupetta

C

Carry your voice - TacoBella

Caelum Sky - ALRadeck

Crescent Wing - Mikaley

Crescent Moonlight - AnimalCrispy

City of Trees - SanjanaIndica

Corpse - doeprince/ratt

D

Darbi - Sherard Jackson

The Devils Demons - Therbis

Doe of Deadwood - Songdogx

Dyten - Therbis

Desperation - PracticelImagination

E

Equus Siderae - Dalgeor

Empyrean - Leonine-Skies

Enchantment - FeralWolf1234

F

Fox Fires - Pipilia

Forget me Not - Nitteh

Fjeld - Dachiia

Felinia - Rainy-bleu

G

Golden Shrike - doeprince/ratt

Ghost of the Gulag - David Derrick Jr.

H

Horse Age - BUGHS-22

Hiraeth - AFlameThatNeverDies

Half-Blood - majkaria

Horns of Light - ThatMoonySky

I

I Hope So - Detective Calico

The Ivory Walk - TacoBella

I'm not Ready - Wolfkingdom372

J

Jet and Harley - doeprince

K

Kestrel Island - Silverphoenix

Kin - Fienduredraws

KuroMonody - IrisBdz

Krystal - Nitteh

The King of Eyes - CloverTailedFox09

L

Legend of Murk - Azany

LouptaOmbra - Loupta Ombra (OngakuK, MlleNugget & joeypony)

Leopards bring rain - Kyriuar

M

Mazes of Filth - petitecanine

Minimal All You Are - mike-princeofstars

N

Nine Riders - SpiriMuse

No Man's Land - TacoBella

Never seen the Day - R3dk3y

Norra - shadowmirku

O

Obsidian Fire - SolinaBright

Oren's Forge - teagangavet

Off-White - Akreon

Out Of Time - IndiWolf

R

Rabbit on the Moon - Songdogx & Nitteh

The Rabbit Hole - Detrah

RunningWolf Mirari - Mirella Menciassi

Raptor - ElenPanter

Redriver - FireTheWolf777

Repeat - Songdogx

The Rabbit's Foot - riri_arts

S

Scurry - Mac Smith

Simbol - Zoba22

Spirit Lock - Animal Crispy

The Sylcoe - Denece-the-sylcoe

Sunder - Aurosoul

T

Tainted Hearts - Therbis

Taxicat - owlburrow

That's Freedom Guyra - Nothofagus-obliqua

Three Corners: A Kitten's Story - Lara Frizzell

Tofauti Sawa - TheCynicalHound

Two of a Kind - ProjectNao

To Catch a Star - SleepySundae

U

Under the Ash Tree - ChevreLune

Uninvited - Nothofagus-obliqua

W

Water Wolves - LuckyStarhun

What Lurks Beneath - ArualMeow

Water Wolves - LuckyStarhun

Wild Wolves - Lombarsi

White Tail - SleepySundae

What's your damage? - FrostedCanid

The Wolves of Chena - Yamis-Art

Waves Always Crash - Hellhunde

The Whale's Heart - Possumteeeth [Warriors Fancomic]

Manga

A Centaur's Life - Murayama Kei

Beastars - Paru Itagaki

Chi's Sweet Home - Kanata Konami

Ginga Series [Silverfang] - Yoshihiro Takahashi

Gon - Masashi Tanaka

Houseki no Kuni | Land of the Lustrous - Haruko Ichikawa

Inugami-Kai - Masaya Hokazono

The Jungle Emperor - Osamu Tezuka

My roommate is a cat - Minatsuki & Asu Futatsuya

Crimsons – The Scarlet Navigators of the Ocean - Kanno Takanori

Rooster Fighter - Shū Sakuratani

Simoun - Shō Aikawa

The Fox & Little Tanuki - Mi Tagawa

Yuria 100 Shiki - Nobuto Hagio

Massugu ni Ikou - Kira

Cat Soup

The Amazing 3

Cat + Gamer - Wataru Nadatani

Animated Series

#

101 Dalmatians: The series & 101 Dalmatian Street

A

A Polar Bear in Love

B

Baja no Studio

Bagi: Monster of Mighty Nature

Bannertail: The Story of Gray Squirrel

Bluey

C

Centaurworld (2021)

Chirin's Bell

Chironup no Kitsune

D

Dokkun Dokkun

E

F

G

Gamba no Bouken

H

Hazbin Hotel

I

Invader ZIM

Inu to Neko Docchi mo Katteru to Mainichi Tanoshii

J

K

King Fang

Koisuru Shirokuma

Kemushi no Boro

Kewang Lantian

Konglong Baobei: Shiluo De Wenming

L

Little Polar Bear

M

Manxmouse's Great Activity

Mitsubachi Maya no Bouken

Mikan Enikki

Massugu ni Ikou -

My Life as a Teenage Robot

Mikan Enikki

N

O

Ore, Tsushima

Okashi na Sabaku no Suna to Manu

P

Primal

Polar Bear Cafe

Q

R

Robotboy (2005)

S

Seton Doubutsuki: Risu no Banner

Simoun

T

The Amazing 3

Tottoko Hamtarou

The Adventure of Qiqi and Keke

Tama & Friends: Third Street Story

U

V

W

Watership Down (2018) & Watership Down (1999)

What's Michael?

Wolf's Rain

Wonder Pets

X

Y

Live-Action/Hybrid show

Fantasy High

A Crown of Candy 

Burrow's End

Good Omens

Webseries

Dinosauria - Dead Sound

My Pride - tribbleofdoom

Whitefall - Chylk

The Stolen Hope - Galemtido

Dragon's Blood - FluffyGinger

Helluva Boss -

Murder Drones -

Short Films

A

Alone a wolf's winter

B

Baja's Studio

Beautiful Name

Burrow

C

Cat Piano

Cat Soup

Chicken Little

D

E

F

Far From the Tree

Ferdinand the Bull

Frypan Jiisan

G

Genji Fantasy: The Cat Fell in Love With Hikaru Genji

Gaitou to Neko

H

Hao Mao Mimi

Houzi Dian Bianpao

I

J

Je T'aime

K

Kitbull

L

Lava

Lambert the sheepish lion

Laoshu Jia Nu

M

Mahoutsukai no Melody

Monmon the Water Spider

Mushroom - Nakagawa Sawako

N

O

Of Mice and Clockworks

Osaru no Tairyou

P

Piper

Q

R

Robin Robin

Rusuban

S

Sauria - Dead Sound

Smash and Grab

Street of Crocodiles

She and Her Cat

Space Neko Theater

Shiroi Zou | White Elephant

Shi | Food

Sugar, With a Story

Straw-saurus NEO

T

The Chair

The Blue Umbrella

The Shell Shocked Egg

The Dog Door

The Dog In The Alley

That's Why They Were Made

U

Ushigaeru

V

W

With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun

X

Y

Z

Zhui Shu

Animated Films

#

101 Dalmatians duology

A

A Monkey's Tale (1999)

All Dogs go to Heaven

The Adventures of Lolo the Penguin

Alpha and Omega saga

An American Tail

The Aristocats

Antz

Animals United

Annabelle's Wish (1997)

Alakazam the great (1960)

B

Back Outback

Balto

Bambi / Bambi II

Bolt

Brother Bear / Brother Bear II

A Bug's Life

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales

Bee Movie

The Brave Little Toaster

Birds of a Feather

Back to the Forest

C

Cars

Chance

Chicken Run

D

Dinosaur

Speckles: The Tarbosaurus || Dino King: Journey to Fire Mountain

Dumbo

DC League of Super-Pets

E

Elemental

F

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Planet

Felidae

The Fox and the Hound

Finding Nemo/Finding Dory

Free Birds

The Fearless Four

G

The Good Dinosaur

Ghost in the Shell

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

H

Happy Feet/Happy Feet Two

Help! I'm a Fish

Home on the Range

Hoero! Bun Bun Movie

Hokkyoku no Muushika Miishika

I

Ice Age Franchise

Isle of Dogs

I Am T-Rex

J

Jungledyret Hugo

K

Koati

The King of Tibetan Antelope

Kuma no Gakkou trilogy

L

Lady and the Tramp

The Land Before time Franchise

The Last Unicorn

Leafy, A Hen in the wild

Little Big Panda

The Lion King Franchise

Lucky and Zorba

Lilo & Stitch

Luca

Last Day of the Dinosaurs

M

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Marona's Fantastic Tale

Millionaire Dogs

My Friend Tyranno

Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants || Minuscule - Mandibles from Far Away

Mouse and His Child

N

Nezumi Monogatari: George to Gerald no Bouken

O

Oliver & Company

One Stormy Night

Over the Edge

P

Padak

The Plague Dogs

Pompoko

Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro

Pipi Tobenai Hotaru

R

Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure

Rango

Ratatouille

Raven the Little Rascal

Reynard the Fox (1989)

Rio

Robots

Rock a Doodle

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1998)

The Rabbi’s Cat

S

Samson and Sally

Sahara

The Secret of Nihm

The Secret Life of Pets/The Secret Life of Pets II

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Sheep & Wolves

The Seventh Brother

A Stork's Journey

Stowaways on the Ark

T

A Turtle's Tale

The One and Only Ivan

Toy Story

Twilight of the Cockroaches (1987)

The Trumpet of the Swan

The Enchanted Journey

U

Unico

Underdog

V

Vuk the Little Fox

W

WALL·E

Watership Down (1978)

White Fang

Wizards

The Wild

Wolf Children

Wolfwalkers

X

Y

You Are Umasou

Z

Zootopia

Live Action/CGI Assisted Movies

Au Hasard Balthazar

Beverly Hills Chihuahua franchise

Cats & Dogs franchise

Charlotte's Web

EO

Fluke (1995) - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Homeward Bound duology (1963 & 1996) - Disney

The Legend of Lobo (1962) - Disney

Strays (2023) - Universal Pictures

Pride (2024) - BBC

101 Dalmatians duology (1996 & 2000)

Documentary

March of the Penguins

Meerkat Manor

Lemur Street

Gangs of Lemur Island

Orangutan Island

Prairie Dog Dynasty

Chimp Empire

Monkey Thieves

Monkey Kingdom

Theather

Cats

Videogames

Animalia Survival - High Brazil Studio

Cattails - Falcon Development

Endling: Extinction is Forever

Gibbon: Beyond the trees - Broken Rules

The Lonesome Fog - Might and Delight

Meadow - Might and Delight

Niche - Stray Fawn Studio

Shelter / Shelter 2/ Shelter 3 - Might and Delight

Paws - Might and Delight

Stray - BlueTwelve Studio

The WILDS - Gluten Free Games

Wolf Quest - eduweb

Golden Treasure: The Great Green - Dreaming Door Studios

Spirit of the North - Infuse Studio

Ōkami - Clover Studio

Rain World - Videocult

Feather - Samurai Punk

Eagle Flight - Ubisoft Montreal Studio

Copoka - Inaccurate Interactive

Untitled Goose Game - House House

PaRappa - NanaOn-Sha

Night in the Woods - Infinite Fall & Secret Lab

Monster Prom - Beautiful Glitch

Them's Fightin' Herds - Mane6

Toontown

E.V.O.: Search for Eden - Givro Corporation

(Pretty much most of Might and Delight games)

Online Browser Games

Lioden

Wolvden

Flight Rising

Lorwolf

Table Top Games

Bunnies & Burrows

Chronicles of Darkness

Wanderhome

Mage: The Awakening

Werewolf: The Apocalypse

Pugmire

Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat

World Tree (RPG)

Pawpocalypse

Heckin' Good Doggos

Humblewood

Dungeons & Dragons (Depends on the GM)

Music

In My Eyes You're a Giant - Sonata Arctica

It Won't Fade - Unia

The Cage - Winterheart's Guild

Other Online Projects

Youtubers

Cardinal West

Xenofiction Reviews

Gen. Videos

Trope Talk: Small Mammal on a Big Adventure by Overly Sarcastic Productions

Worlds

Mirolapye - Varverine

Franchises

Sonic the Hedgehog

My little pony

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Hamtaro

Pokemon

Digimon

Kirby

Monter High

Tom & Jerry

Baldur’s Gate

Maya the Bee

The Little Polar Bear

[oskea93]

Tis the Way the Wind Blows, Hummingbird (One)

Caleb Sykes x OC Horizon universe

⚠️ Warning ⚠️ Story will contain moments of physical, sexual, emotional, and verbal abuse, cursing, murder, suicidal ideations, childbirth, scalping, death, etc. Please do not read if you are triggered by any of these warnings. If you've seen the film or just read about it online, you already know that Caleb is a bad guy. He will remain a bad guy throughout this story as well. He will not be liked and will be vile in every way. Just a heads up if you were looking for a happy Jamie story.

A/N: Oh my goodness guys, thank you so much for the love for this story! I am so glad you all are enjoying it so far! It's only gonna get more extreme and downright dirty from here. Also, if you have any questions about the story, just wanna talk, or whatever, just drop me a message!

● If you would like to be tagged, please comment below ●

Taglist: @austinswhitewolf, @carriewritesblog, @isla-bell-blog, @jcbbby, @eve18ahs

His touch would burn like a batch of fire ants each time he laid hands on me.

The searing pain as his grip would tighten – his cold blue eyes staring into mine as I would beg and plead not to hurt me in front of our children. I would like to say it hadn’t always been this way with Caleb but that would be a lie straight from the devil’s mouth. I would love to tell you that he was once a gentleman who was corrupt by the bottle – that his hands were once full of love and joy but for some ungodly reason I actually held feelings for the man.

I remember the first time I saw Caleb, standing in the dimly lit corner of the saloon, a shadow of a man with haunted eyes that seemed to mirror my own loneliness. His smile was a twisted reflection of charm, drawing me in like a moth to a flame. Despite the warnings that whispered in the back of my mind, I found myself captivated by his words, his presence filling a void I hadn't even known existed. In his arms, I felt a fleeting sense of belonging, as if for a moment, the world made sense and all the broken pieces of my heart were whole again. But as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, the cracks in his facade began to show, revealing a darkness that chilled me to the core.

He was the youngest child of the vile woman who birthed him all those years ago – his father a philanderer who only arrived home when necessary. Rumor had it he had spawn all over the territory – the short woman he married long ago idly standing by as she knew there was nothing that could be done. The Sykes family were notorious among the Montana Territory – the fear they placed upon those wanting to settle was enough to make settlers treck along elsewhere. Some would say even the Indians feared the Sykes men – I would argue that on a heavy bible.

 Caleb’s anger more than likely rising from the hits of his mother and brother – always on the receiving end of a hand, foot, or even the butt of a gun at one point. I remember watching in the shadows as Junior almost beat him senseless for some measly reason – no reason good enough to knock your kin unconscious for hours on end. I was the one that had to drag him out of the snow that night – into the little shack that his mother had “gifted” us to make house in. The winter’s wind whistling through the loose logs, the fire barely staying lit as the snow floated through the home. When he awoke, he knew that there was no use in going after Junior, his hatred and fury landing upon my skin throughout the night.

I guess you may be asking how I even came to be with the blue-eyed devil – having enough dimwits about me to stay with a man like that. Well for one, it was an act of rebellion. I thought I could change him, hell, maybe even overpower him. I took the blows that he gave me each night, going to bed with tear-stained cheeks as he stepped out to go drinkin with his brothers. The other reason I stayed was because it was a sense of security. I had a leaking roof over my head, but it was covered none the less. I wasn’t wondering the land like the others out there, subjected to the harshness that the land was giving forth. The Sykes fortress was clear of any Indians – the dangers of being ambushed by them pushed at the wayside – unlike those that were travelling to their new homes.

I had married Caleb on the 24th day of January in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-two. The justice of the peace in the town below reading from the holy book as he weaved back and forth from the whiskey coursing through his blood. No kiss was shared – no joyous voices from our closest relatives. Just an empty room. I had run off from Grady’s house – my only bag packed – his best horse trotting underneath me. I had only known Caleb for a number of days before his hands slipped under my dress – the piece of me that I was savin for future husband taken away in a matter of seconds. I guess all’s forgiven in the eyes of God since I ended up marrying the bastard…

I watched as the snow swirled around the open air like paper scraps sent from the heavens above. The fire had long gone out several hours ago – my breath seen clearly as I exhaled in exhaustion. I hadn’t seen sight or sound of him in nearly four days – nothing uncommon nowadays. The wood burning smoke from the big house filtered through the cracks in the wood, the scent causing me to long for a warm room just for a moment of two.

Soft coos broke me out of my thoughts as I turned my attention to the little bundle in the center of the room. I had every blanket and article of clothing I could scrounge up piled atop her, trying to keep the cold off her small body.

“What’s wrong my sweet?” My feet carrying my body towards her.

She had her daddy’s eyes – bright blue and able to look right into your soul. Sprouts of red hair could be seen beneath the bonnet she wore, her little cheeks red with the touch of the cold. Emily was the daughter I longed for – a true gift from the Lord above. She was the second child – one that no one but me cared to have. She was the light of my life – the reason that I never gave up on myself against her father or his family.

I had given birth to Rory – our son – the first-born Sykes grandson seven years ago. Mama Sykes was at the head of the bed as he was born, quickly whisking him off before I could hold him. Caleb was celebrated for once in his life – having the workings to produce a strong male offspring – a male that would carry on the Sykes name and lineage. The Sykes women kept Rory at an arm’s reach from me during his infancy – only pushing him in my arms when it came time for him to eat. They would bring me into the big house as he fed and pushed me right back into the small shake once he was through. This was Mama Sykes dream to have another son she could mold and make her own. It was obvious that she wanted another son like Junior – Caleb being the lowest branch that she so badly wanted cut.

I watched as the years passed as my son shaped into a typical Sykes male. James and Junior would make sure to take him out, teaching him how to trap and hunt, something that a little boy at his age didn’t need to worry about yet. Caleb would just sit back and watch, the fatherly instinct never truly kicking in. He was seen more as Rory’s uncle rather than the his father. I’m almost positive that’s what Mama Sykes even taught Rory to call Caleb.

I would try my best to push my way into his life, only to get shoved back by the Sykes women. They didn’t trust me to be his mother – I was simply the woman that gave birth – not his mother. Hannah, Junior’s wife claimed that spot. Her evil glares cutting right through each time I would look at my son. Mama Sykes and Hannah would mutter awful words about me to Rory, finally breaking through to him. I watched as the baby boy I carried for nine months, suffering 10 hours in agony as I labored, just kicked me away like a speck of dirt on the floorboard.

I slowly picked my daughter up, bouncing her around in the quilt my mother had made before she passed.  “Flee as a bird to your mountain – thou who art weary of sin – go to the clear flowing fountain – where you may wash and be clean.”

The sudden sound of a shotgun going off cutting off the lyrics as my grip tightened on the baby. Stepping towards the window, the site in front of me causing my heart to thump against my chest. Gently placing Emily back into her bassinette, I tore open the wooden door, racing over to where my son laid.

“What the hell is happening?” My knees digging into the hardened dirt as I brought his limp body into my arms. His face bloodied and bruised as Robert and Junior stood above – Mama Sykes and Hannah watching from the porch steps.

Junior let out an annoyed sigh, “This doesn’t concern you, Elizabeth.”

“Like hell it doesn’t, Junior.” My tone biting back, fire raging through my eyes as I looked down at my little boy. My hand softly trailing down his cheek, his chest slowly rising and falling.

“He started the whole thing.” Robert, Junior and Hannah’s youngest son scoffed. “Ain’t my fault that he don’t got no fightin skills.”

My eyes cutting up to the younger Sykes, “That’s enough, Robert.” Junior sounded. “Go get cleaned up for supper.”

The boy followed his father’s direction, Hannah smiling at him once he reached the steps. Her last glance finding mine as she walked into the home. Mama Sykes stood stoic on the porch, her eyes dull and full of spite. “Junior, get Rory and bring him in the house.”

“No!” My arms wrapping tighter around my son’s unconscious body. “You will not touch another hair on this child’s head –“ My eyes piercing towards Mrs. Sykes. “None of you are touching my child again.”

“Ain’t your child, Elizabeth.” Mama spoke clearly. “Hasn’t been your child since the day he was born.”

I could feel tears of anger spiking in my eyes, “Oh yeah –“ A sarcastic chuckle slipping, “And who’s idea was that, huh?” Junior stepped closer. “You bunch of monsters took him away from me – turned him against his own mother for what? You see how well his father turned out – think I could’ve done a hell of a lot better than you, Mama Sykes.”

Junior’s large hands pried my arms apart, Rory slipping back onto the ground as he dragged me feet away. His grip like that of Caleb’s but only stronger. My words of pain going by the wayside as his foot kicked into my ribs, a guttural cry releasing deep from my body.

“Get that boy in the house before he catches a death of cold.” Mama’s raspy voice sounded.

Junior looked up to the matriarch, “What about her?” My body still curled into the cold ground. “Whatcha want me to do with her?”

The only sound could be heard was that of the winter birds around as the wind blew – Mrs. Sykes body staying silent for a moment. “She can find her way back.” Her eyes connecting with mine briefly as she turned to enter the home.

I stayed silent, face still pressed against the snowy ground as Junior lifted Rory into his arms, stomping his way up the stairs to the main house. The door slamming behind him once he crossed the threshold.

I waited a few moments before moving – the sharp pain of where his foot had landed making it hard to breathe as I slowly walked back to the building. The echo of Emily's cry reverberated in my ears, piercing through the chaos that had engulfed us. Each step felt heavy, burdened not just by the weight of my own injuries but by the fear and uncertainty that loomed ahead.

With a shaky hand, I pushed the door open, the hinges creaking in protest. Emily's tear-streaked face turned towards me, her eyes wide with a mix of confusion and fear. My heart ached at the sight of her, so small and innocent in the midst of such turmoil.

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered hoarsely, my voice barely above a broken murmur. I knelt beside her, wrapping my arms around her trembling form. The warmth of her tiny body pressed against mine offered a brief respite from the cold reality that threatened to consume us both.

"It's okay, baby," I repeated, the words a mantra to soothe not just her but myself as well. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the world around me. In that moment, I felt the weight of responsibility crushing down on my shoulders, the knowledge that I must be strong for her, no matter how broken I felt inside.

I thanked God silently that Emily was so young, her innocence a shield against the harshness of the truth…

“How dare you disrespect my mother and brother like you did, Elizabeth!”

I sat in the corner of the room, the metallic taste of blood lingering on my tongue as I dabbed away the fresh crimson droplets that fell from my split lip. The throbbing ache in my jaw served as a painful reminder of the altercation that had just taken place, but my focus remained unwavering on the man standing before me.

"I was protecting my child – our child," I asserted, my voice steady despite the underlying currents of anger and frustration that simmered beneath the surface.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation, his movements agitated as he paced the confines of the cramped room. "That boy was two steps away from killing Rory, he wa-"

"Robert was teaching him how to act like a man – not some pansy whipped little girl," Caleb interjected, his voice tinged with defiance. The words hung heavily in the air, a stark reminder of the deep-seated differences in our beliefs and values. "Junior and I did the same thing growing up – plus it’s not your word that matters anymore, Lizabeth."

I shook my head, a bitter taste of resentment flooding my senses. "Yeah," I muttered, my voice tinged with sorrow and anger. "You and your goddamn family took that right away." His eyes darkened as he advanced towards me, each step a menacing echo of the power dynamics that had long defined our relationship.

"I was just used as a cow to make sure he was fed and then put back in the pen like some kind of barnyard anim-" My words were cut short by the sharp crack that resonated through the home, the impact of the blow sending a searing wave of pain from my jaw to my temple.

“Always running that damn mouth of yours,” Caleb's voice was heavy with frustration as he hastily unclipped the holster from his waist. My body already knew what was about to happen as I scrambled to get off the floor, the urgency pulsing through my veins. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough. Caleb's strong grip closed around my ankles, his fingers digging into my skin as he yanked me across the dirty wood.

His dirt-stained hands pushing up the material of my skirt as his body straddled mine – my arms pinned to my side as my cries mixed with those of Emily’s in the corner of the room…

[damnesdelamer]

A comrade with whom I'm organising a divestment initiative in solidarity with Palestine shared the below in our group chat:

The current events in Palestine have prompted a large number of filmmakers to make their films about Palestine available to watch online for free, in addition to films previously available.

A large group of Palestinian films that were released on the Palestine Films website to document the Palestinian film:

Documentary films (more than 300 films): https://bit.ly/2RrCDUH

Feature films (25 films): https://bit.ly/2T085dh

Animated films (5 films): https://bit.ly/3bwHevC

Lists on YouTube of about 40 films about Palestine that were broadcast on Al Jazeera Documentary:

A collection of Palestinian films, some of which are available for free: https://bit.ly/3oFcs9z

A collection of short films by Palestinian female directors: https://bit.ly/3v39SMP

Gaza Surf Club documentary: https://youtu.be/s6doo4p-F7k

The Memory Keeper documentary: https://youtu.be/eywuYeflWzg

The documentary film, An Empty Seat: https://youtu.be/an4hRFWOSQQ

The resistance pilot documentary: https://youtu.be/wqSmdZy-Xcg

The documentary film Jenin Jenin: https://vimeo.com/499672067

The Olive Tree documentary by the French Cinema Group: https://vimeo.com/432062498

The documentary film Scenes from the Occupation in Gaza: https://youtu.be/1JlIwmnYnlE

The documentary film Gaza Struggles for Freedom: https://youtu.be/HnZSaKYmP2s

Documentary film: Arna’s Children: https://youtu.be/cQZiHgbBBcI

The short feature film Strawberry: https://vimeo.com/209189656/e5510a6064

The short feature film The Place: https://youtu.be/fgcIVhNvsII

The Mayor Documentary: https://youtu.be/aDvOnhssTcc

The documentary film “The Creation and the Nakba 1948”: https://youtu.be/Bwy-Rf15UIs

The documentary film Occupation 101: https://youtu.be/C56QcWOGSKk

The documentary film The Shadow of Absence: https://vimeo.com/220119035

The documentary They Don't Exist: https://youtu.be/2WZ_7Z6vbsg

The documentary, as the poet said: https://vimeo.com/220116068

The documentary film Five Broken Cameras: https://youtu.be/TZU9hYIgXZw

The feature film Heaven Now: https://vimeo.com/510883804

The feature film The Tale of the Three Jewels: https://youtu.be/2WZ_7Z6vbsg

The documentary film: https://vimeo.com/122301746

The feature film The Remaining Time: https://youtu.be/KMRXxjLNs1Q

The short narrative film Palestine Abnadam: https://youtu.be/I--r85cOoXM

The feature film Wedding of Galilee: https://youtu.be/dYMQw7hQI1U

Keffiyeh documentary: https://vimeo.com/780695653

Hip Hop Swinger Documentary: https://youtu.be/hHFlWE3N9Ik

The documentary film Tal Al-Zaatar: https://youtu.be/Lb-bOrqvxK8

The documentary film Tal al-Zaatar - Secrets of the Battle: https://youtu.be/Ma8H3sEbqtI

The documentary film In the Grip of the Resistance: https://youtu.be/htJ10ACWQJM

The documentary film Marajeh: https://youtu.be/gMk-Zi9vTGs

The documentary Naji Al-Ali is an artist with a vision: https://youtu.be/Y31yUi4WVsU

The documentary film, Al-Fawqa Gate: https://vimeo.com/433362585

The documentary film: In Search of Palestine: https://vimeo.com/184213685?1

The feature film Salt of this Sea: https://bit.ly/3c10G3Z

Film documents: Tell me, bird: https://youtu.be/wdkoxBjKM1Q

Alienation series: https://bit.ly/3bXNAVp

Anna Jerusalem series: https://bit.ly/3hG8sDV

[earthtoharlow]

Sunday Kind of Love

Urban Wyatt x SingleMom!Reader

AN: hey hey hey! :) i started writing a new fic and here it is! I have about 5 chapters written already! I’ll propbably update every other week but I hope you guys enjoy! Please feel free to give me feedback !

The weekend was slowly coming to an end and Y/N has made it a tradition to treat Brooklyn to some ice cream every Sunday. Holding Brooklyn’s hand as they took the short walk to their favorite ice cream shop. Y/N loved her baby girl, but boy did she love to talk.

“Mommy, do you think we could get a dog?” Brooklyn suddenly asked. Y/N looked down and saw Brooklyn looking up at her with her big brown eyes. “Well I don’t know sweetie, you know taking care of a dog is a big responsibility. They take a lot of work. I’m not even sure if our apartment allows dogs.”

Brooklyn gasped eyes wide. “Not allow dogs?! Momma that’s just ridiculous! Dogs are the bestest in the whole wide world!!” Y/N had to stop herself from laughing at the serious look on her daughter's face before replying “I know Lyn, that is ridiculous huh? I’ll look into it okay, but no promises. Like I said dogs are a big responsibility.”

Brooklyn started squealing so loud Y/N was so sure she scared away some birds. “OH mom I can’t wait! If we get a dog I’m gonna name it asparagus.” Y/N snapped her head not sure if she heard her correctly.

Asparagus?” Y/N questioned. Brooklyn nodded her head excitedly. “YUP! Asparagus, that’s my favorite vegetable AND I talked it over with Bear last night and he agreed that it’s the perfect name!! Bear always has the best ideas.” She said with a big smile as she skipped next to her mother. Bear was Brooklyn’s favorite stuffed sloth, who she ironically named Bear.

Y/N couldn’t hold her laughter any longer. “Bear is right, that is a perfect name.” She said while giggling before taking Brooklyn’s hand as they walked into the quiet ice cream shop. Luckily there were only a couple of people in there and they could find a seat next to the shop's big windows.

Guiding her to their favorite spot, she pulled out Brooklyn’s coloring book and crayons. “Ok sweetheart, I’ll be right back, I’m going to get our ice cream. Don’t move.” Brooklyn nodded her head, not bothering to look up as she had already started coloring.

After a few minutes, Brooklyn turned and looked around. She loved coming here to get ice cream on Sundays. As she looked around she noticed a man with long hair sitting at the table next to her holding a camera. She noticed he looked kinda upset. Brooklyn knew that when she was upset she loved coloring in her book.

Checking to see if her mom was watching her, Brooklyn quickly ripped a page out her coloring book and grabbed a couple crayons before sliding out the booth. Putting on her best and biggest smile she walked over to the sad man.

Urban cursed under his breath when he realized his film camera was indeed broken. It was his favorite camera to travel with, and he knew it would take weeks for a shop to fix it. Just as he was about to leave his spot by the window he heard tiny footsteps walking towards him.

He looked over and saw a little girl who couldn’t be older than five. She seemed so small, but she had the biggest smile on her face. She wore a sun dress, and her hair was in a puffball with a headband to match. Urban’s heart melted a little. The little girl was holding crayons and a coloring page. Before he could say anything she spoke.

“Hello mister, my mama said not to talk to strangers but I saw you looking sad so I thought I would bring you one of my favorite coloring pages and some crayons! Coloring always makes me feel better!” She said rather quickly before pushing it toward him and skipped back to her table across from him.

Urban let out a small chuckle, he was shocked that this little girl managed to say all that in one breath. Looking down he noticed it was a drawing of some random Disney princess he couldn’t remember the name of. When he looked over at the little girl she gave him a wide smile before putting a finger to lips to tell him not to say anything.

Before he knew it, Urban put a finger to his lips promising not to tell anyone.

Y/N walked back to the table and sighed as she saw Brooklyn run back to their seat. When she made it back to the table she placed Brooklyn’s ice cream in front of her. Brooklyn’s eyes grew wide as she licked her lips and grabbed her spoon to dig into her delicious treat. Before she could, Y/N stopped her.

“Hey missy, what did I say about leaving your seat and talking to strangers?” Y/N asked sternly. Brooklyn dropped her spoon and looked down quickly. She looked up at her mom and said “I’m sorry momma, he just looked so sad and I wanted to help him feel better.” Y/N could see tears threatening to fall from her daughter's face. She silently cussed to herself, she could never handle seeing Brooklyn upset.

Y/N face softened before saying “I know your heart was in the right place, but next time wait until i come back. Understand?” Brooklyn nodded her head. “I promise to never do it again!” She held her pinky up to Y/N. Y/N smiled before kissing their pinky’s joined together.

After taking Brooklyn to the bathroom to clean up her face, the girls made their way out the shop to make their way back home. Lost in her thoughts, Y/N looked up, startled to see a large white hand, from a very attractive man holding the door for her.

“Wow, um thank you.” She said with a nervous giggle and tucking her hair behind her ear. Y/N felt tiny standing next to the man.

“No problem, I’m happy i caught up with you guys actually.” He said with a small smile before handing her some crayons she recognized as Brooklyn’s. Y/N looked up at him confused for a second before she looked over and saw Brooklyn waving shyly at the tall man.

“Oh! I’m so sorry about that, I told her about talking to people she doesn’t know. Sorry if she bothered you in any kind of way.” She said as they walked to the sidewalk

“Don’t apologize, she didn’t bother me at all. She actually helped me. Believe it or not coloring helped me get my mind off my now broken camera. The man said with a slight chuckle and wave of his camera

“Well, I’m glad this little monster could help.” giving Brooklyn a smile. “I’m Y/N by the way, and this is--” before she could finish her daughter started to speak “I’m Brooklyn Rose!” holding out her hand. All Y/N could do was shake her head.

“My name is Urban.” He said before bending down slightly to shake Brooklyn’s hand.

Smiling ear to ear she replied sweetly “Nice to meet you Urban! Can I see the color page?” Oh I don’t know, It’s probably not as good as what yours looks like.” Urban says

“That’s ok, I still wanna see it. I won’t— won’t— mama what’s the word I’m looking for?” Brooklyn looks up at her mom and taps her chin as she thinks. “I think the word you’re looking for is judge?” Y/N replies.

“Oh yeah judge! I promise not to judge your coloring, Mr. Urban.” She says holding out her hand as she waits for him to hand over the drawing.

“You promise not to laugh?” Urban asks bashfully before pulling out the drawing from his back pocket and handing Brooklyn the drawing

Brooklyn promises as she and Y/N check out his coloring. Y/N looks down at the drawing and it’s surprisingly not bad, if you ignore that fact he colored the princesses hair and dresses the wrong color. But of course, Brooklyn who’s basically a walking Encyclopedia on all things Disney couldn’t ignore it.

“Mr. Urban! Why does Elsa have black hair! That’s not right at ALL?” Brooklyn questioned with wide eyes and a small pout Urban looks down at the drawing “Well, too be fair I didn’t have a yellow or white crayon to color her correctly, and I’ve never seen frozen so I wasn’t sure about her dress. Brooklyn gasps loudly, but before she could on a mini rant Y/N stops her.

“WELL, I think this is our que to go, say goodbye to the nice man, Brooklyn.” Y/N says. Brooklyn sighs and reluctantly says bye to Urban

“It was nice meeting you, and you owe me for just saving you from an hour long discussion on Disney.” Y/N jokes. It shocks Y/N to an extent how she just easily joked with a stranger. A very handsome stranger, with beautiful blue eyes. Y/N stops herself from thinking about him like that. She doesn’t even know him and she’s nowhere near ready to date anyone. Probably never will be ready.

Luckily Urban was okay with the thought of owing the beautiful woman. “Yeah I guess I do huh? Well I’ll tell you what, I’m going out of town for a few weeks but next time we run into each other I’ll treat you guys to some ice cream. How does that sound?”

“That sounds like a plan, again it was really nice meeting you. But we should get going.” Y/N says trying to hold on her smile, grabs Brooklyn’s hand and starts to turn and walk away.

“See you soon,” urban says with a smirk

As Y/N was listening to her daughter's babbles on the walk home she couldn’t help but think about the man with the nice blue eyes and long hair.

[yourfavouritelaundry]

Hi!!, first of all, how have you been lately? I really hope everything goes well for you ^^, secondly, a lot has already been said about Hanna+Malee's, Hann+Anna and Malee+Anna, etc relationship's But how would you describe Quinn and Anna's relationship, how they normally relate? They seem like really besties

Hi! Hello! Im doing well!! Im busy but it’s an alright kind of busy👍

(a little irl context but my uni friends and me got invited to a short film award after we sent our entry back in November so i gotta pack my stuff and fly in-country this 17th! I am also still computer-less but my family will support me a new one after march, so that means getting back my video editing soon😭.)

Back to ocs- Quinn and Anna’s special dynamic are all contributed to their very personalities! These two are lumped into ‘Child Genius’ compared to classmates since young, were set apart because of their maturity.

Quinn is grade A people pleaser AND an orphan while Anna spent all her time with book isolated at a turbulence home, therefore Suck in human connection, and they recognize this abt each other 1st meet like a ghost radar but with trauma instead

They’re 2 broken little lads that never get help from any adults and only have each other (while Hann and Malee were hurt kids too, they weren’t self-aware of their own situation like Quinn and Anna. Kids on autopilot💀) Ofc their relationship later have more stuff than the trauma bonding

Tw// animal death under the cut

Their literal first interaction was Quinn seeing Anna trying to bury a dead bird that landed in her yard bare-handed ( there an electric pole nearby with very messy circuits that often caught there poor sods wings). Quinn gave Malee’s bucket and shovel (whom he only know recently LMAO) to Anna. A few days after, Anna enrolled to school to return the bucket and shovel!

(comic from here, screenshots from Two Time meme)

Since then Quinn usually help Anna bury any dead animals she came across and chat about Death and Mortality like Normal Children often do!!

[yougetoneshot]

Stardust: Royal Pains

Chapter 1: Blood Moon

Summary:

Two mysterious figures resurrect all of the Stormhold princes but they come back in the wrong bodies.

Warnings:

All of the princes’ bodies are exactly as they were when they died. Elements of body horror associated with their injuries will be present.

Notes:

Based on events from the 2007 film- not the book. The Stormhold family is Fey and all have unique Fey traits. None of the traits or ages are canon.

Primus: 58 (Killed at 58). Badger Fey. Has tripes down his back, smells like parchment and wax, and super strength when angry. Sixth to die. Throat slit in bathtub by the witch Lamia. Possessor cannot talk.

Secundus: 52 (Killed at 52). Platypus Fey. He has webbed toes, smells like almond butter, and can speak to animals. Fourth to die by Septimus pushing him off a balcony. Body is completely unusable.

Tertius: 48 (Killed at 48). Fish Fey. Has gills, smells like fresh brownies, and can teleport. Fifth to die. Poisoned by Septimus. Possessor suffers from shortness of breath and random intense chest pains.

Quartus: 46 (Killed at 34). Bird Fey. Has a feathered spine, smells like mint, and darkvision. The second to die frozen to death in a freezer at the hands of Secundus. Possessor is constantly shivering.

Quintus: 42 (Killed at 28). Dragon Fey. Has small bat wings, smells like sandalwood, and can breathe fire. The first prince to die in his bed with an axe to the head from Septimus. Possessor suffers from memory loss and impaired mental capabilities.

Sextus: 40 (Killed at 35). Lizard Fey. Has a lizard’s tail, smells like coffee, and can camouflage. 3rd to die. Killed in a fire set by Septimus. Possessor cannot touch things without part of their skin sticking to it.

Septimus: 38 (Killed at 38). Shark Fey. Has a second hidden row of sharp teeth, smells like the ocean, and never sleeps. Last to die and was drowned via voodoo doll by the witch Lamia. Sustained fire damage, piercing and slashing wounds to the chest along with a broken leg and arm. Body is partially unusable and possessor struggles with breathing.

Una: 42. Una and Quintas are fraternal twins. Traded off by Septimus to Ditchwater at the age of 27. Has cat ears she hides under her hair, smells like lavender, and has the ability to charm any man that gets close. Still living.

Chapter 1: Blood Moon

Amidst rubble and broken glass, buried beneath a heavy chandelier lay the body of Prince Septimus. Only a matter of hours had passed since his death and partial reanimation at the hands of Lamia the witch. Over the chandelier, two cloaked figures stood and lifted it off his corpse.

“You’re sure this is one of the princes?” The taller of the two figures whispered.

“I’m sure. Let’s get the body and put it with the others.” The shorter replied while grabbing Septimus at the shoulders to start lifting.

“We have all seven now?” The other lifted his feet.

“Yes. Now we can commence reanimation.” They took the body out to a wagon and set it in the back next to six other bodies. The two figures rubbed their hands together as a cool wind whipped their cloaks about and a red moon rose in the distance.

“Quickly. There isn’t much time.”

The wagon was pulled into a large clearing where a circle was formed of seven large stones painted with varying symbols surrounding a pedestal holding an iridescent crystal.

“Now, we just set them by the correct stone and their bodies will reanimate at the height of the blood moon.”

“How do we know which stone goes to which body?” The taller cloaked figure looked around at the stones.

“…I thought you knew that?”

“No, I thought you knew that?!”

“Why would I know that?!”

“You painted the stones!”

“Yea but I wasn’t told what the symbols mean!”

“Well, I’m sure it won’t be a problem to guess.. we were just hired to bring them back. The boss didn’t say they had to be in the correct bodies, right?”

“Right. Now let’s move them.” The two cloaked figures moved the bodies, all in varying degrees of decay, positioned with their heads just below the stones and their feet at the base of the pedestal in the middle of the circle. As the crimson moon rose directly over the circle, the crystal and paintings on the stones lit up crimson red and the bodies underneath them began to rise into the air. They floated for a moment before illuminating and falling back to the ground with thuds.

“..did it work?” One of the cloaked figures looked around at the bodies as the other pointed and moved towards the body of Quintus.

“That one moved.”

The two slowly moved to the body as it suddenly sprang up with a loud gasp and wide eyes set on the two cloaked figures as they screamed in surprise.

“Would you quiet down! I’ve got a splitting headache-“

The two figures exchanged looks as Quintus suddenly stood up and walked over to the body of Septimus. He stood over it as Septimus sat up spewing out water with pained gasps before looking up surprised.

“Quintus? You’re alive?”

“..I’m not Quintus.”

“You sure look like Quintus to me- wait… why do I sound like-“

“Septimus? Because I’m Septimus and that’s my body.”

“Septimus?! Why am I you and why are you Quintas?!”

“Who are you?”

“Primus.”

“I think I preferred the witch controlling my body.” Septimus rolled his eyes as he held his- or rather Quintas’s- head. He grimaced as his fingers felt a large axe shaped hole in his head. “What is happening?”

“I think they know.” Primus pointed to the cloaked figures watching them. He attempted to stand but yelped as his -or rather Septimus’s- right leg wouldn’t bear any weight. Primus moved to touch it but found Septimus’s right arm was broken in multiple places as well. “What didn’t the witch break?” He groaned as he decided to just sit in despair at his condition.

“Maybe we should have asked which bodies went with the different stones.” The taller cloaked figure mused out loud as the brothers began reanimating one by one- not a single one in the correct body.

“Too late for that now. Let’s just get them back to the boss.” The smaller one gestured to the wagon as they spoke to the group of resurrected princes. “Please climb into the wagon and we will take you home.”

The princes groaned as they complained about their swapped bodies that were still in various stages of deterioration. Primus sat grumpily in Septimus’s broken body while Secundus- shivering in Quartus’s frostbitten body- tried to help him to the wagon. Tertius fumed as he tried to speak out of the body of Primus but to no avail as the slash to his throat had cut the vocal cords. Sextus, who possessed Tertius’s body, stared at his own charred body that was possessed by Quintas and sighed in relief that he got one of the few healthier bodies instead of his own. Quintas was smiling ear to ear at Septimus having to endure the splitting headache from the axe blow he’d delivered to kill Quintas while he was sleeping- a well deserved irony in his humble opinion. Both Quintas and Sextus had to help Quartus as he had the misfortune of possessing Secundus’s body, which had taken a rather lengthy fall from the top of Stormhold tower and broken every bone in his body. Once all of the princes had managed to climb on or be helped into the wagon, the cloaked figures began the journey to Stormhold castle.

[nasubeenwithcat]

The Ghost Number of DJ Grooves' Fan Club

Conductor has amnesia. But he is even kinder and more sunny than before. DJ Grooves tries to fix him back to previous, but is it really the right thing to do? What will Grooves do when he finds out that New Conductor is a fan of his?

(ɪᴛ's ᴀ ᴛᴡᴏ-ᴘᴀʀᴛ sᴛᴏʀʏ! ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ.) warning: headcanons/ accident/ discotrain(I think? It's little bit)/machine translate(as checked as I can but it is certainly not good sentences)

1. "CUT! "

The director who made no attempt to hide his frustration, his yell blasted the eardrums of the entire crew in the room. Before they had even finished listening to the relentless echoes of the clapperboard, Conductor jumped down from his seat and approached one of the actors without any hesitation. Dropping small footprints in the fake golden sand, he took the plastic pistol from the frightened owl.

"Ye, peck neck! No one is stupid enough to force the sheriff without disengaging the gun safety. Do it with the intention of killing him! "

Conductor threw the pistol back at the owl, who was completely distraught, with a few nasty curses. But the distance was a little short. The robber noticed this and hurried running to catch the prop＿＿＿＿It is not supposed to be a real pistol, but its construction is quite authentic and it can be shot as long as it is loaded. The pistol was loaded with a single real bullet instead of plastic bullets. Conductor believed that acting with feeling the weight of a real pistol would contribute to the quality of the film. The feeble actor Owl could not get used to the sense of irresponsibility responsible that came from the pistol from start to finish. The robber re-holstered his pistol with a distressed look on his face. The owl as sheriff also looked at the robber with pleading eyes. If the robbery failed, the sheriff would soon be dead without a will. Crossing the heavy air, the yellow owl returned to his seat, kicking sand senselessly. He leaned his weight against the backrest and scratched the back of his fluffy head lightly, his face twisting somewhat painfully. This was the 99th take. As a matter of fact, all the owls were tired of the endless recording. Even the yelling Conductor's voice was becoming gravelly. The clapperboard sounded once more with the tired signal.

As soon as the 110th take began, he felt the hot air deliberately produced by the big fan and wanted cold water. At the same time, a tall spotlight set up to the right of the director's seat moaned sadly. It seemed that both the bird and the equipments were tired from the long filming. The spotlight had a loose screw and had been wobbling for quite a while, but it had been left unrepaired because he thought it would add more flavor to the production. Sure enough, the glistening sunlight suddenly howled loudly and spun around wildly. The screw had finally come unscrewed＿＿＿＿Then, Conductor was leaning over to get a plastic bottle that was prepared on the sidetable. He was distracted, wanting to quench his thirst anyway. Just as a person who is tired of being bullied in the harsh environment of the desert can suddenly forget the blazing heat of the sun or the bitterness of the sands the moment someone finds an oasis, and can run through hell with four kilometers to spare, so too Conductor could completely ignore the existence of the broken spotlight for the sake of a mere 500 ml of water＿＿＿＿

The sun fell without any disturbance. It sliced elegantly through the air for five meters and hitting Conductor.

The director's painfully miserable scream signaled the sudden arrival of a silent night in the studio. Conductor was passed out with his head on the sidetable. A few seconds later, someone screamed after him. All the owls looked at Conductor who didn't twitch and they assumed he was dead. The plastic bottle fell to the floor, rolled around, and disappeared somewhere. Roll, roll, roll. The spotlight, completely broken was bleeding. They went blank and just looked at the spotlight and Conductor, stunned, holding their positions as they had been a few dozen seconds before. No one tried to call an ambulance for him. Everyone was so blanked out by the sudden accident that such a thought did not even occur to them. For at least five minutes, Conductor laid down to the chair and sidetable like a bridge in a very precarious pose until a guard owl witnessed the scene.

2. The ambulance finally arrived and Conductor was taken to a clean bed in the hospital an hour after he passed out. For him, that big face is his weakest point. Although he was not in life-threatening condition, he was badly struck. He returned to the studio a week later with a rather large problem.

The automatic doors opened and Conductor appeared at the studio's reception counter timidly. It was a little after noon. The receptionist and the moon penguins, who were enjoying chatting with, were startled and stared at Conductor. At first glance, they could not find any noticeable injury on him. Instead of, they could feel an itchy sense of discomfort in Conductor who had a woozy, uneasy expression on his face＿＿＿＿Like a stereotypical express owls. Conductor had his hands crossed in front of him. He was wiping sweat with his black coat several times, and it was obvious that he was nervous. His beak, which had previously been rigorously tightened, was unreliably open, and his gaze wandered unsteadily. This expression may not suit a mature adult owl＿＿＿but he was like a vaguely anxious child, lost his mother on the way home from the amusement park. When the receptionist was visibly puzzled by the obvious change, Conductor walked forward to the counter.

"Aw, I want to check in… so…"

Conductor has been renting this studio for more than a decade now. Naturally, he had to have exchanged hundreds of times with the receptionist. However, this owl's was very unfamiliar and stranger-like. An awkward atmosphere filled the studio, which had been bustling with activity. The receptionist was a few moments late and asked him to present his membership card.

"A card…?"

Conductor muttered quietly and impatiently took his wallet out of his pocket and began to inspect it. Scattered about the inorganic counter were colorful cards. Most of them were loyalty cards. With a light clatter, a pile of cards formed. Eventually, Conductor pulled out a single red card. It is a membership card. But he either didn't notice it or didn't know it, he tried to pull out another new card from his wallet.

"Okay, okay……"

The receptionist let the machine scan only the red card and returned it to Conductor along with the other cards. He took it, keeping his face down and looking embarrassed.

He moved to the end of the counter along with a stack of colorful cards, trying to get them back into his wallet as quickly as possible. It looked kind of strange. No one could possibly that the yellow owl posing coolly in the poster was the same bird as the poor owl hastily repacking his credit cards and loyalty cards into a jumbled mess. The moon penguins gathered close together, their right fin firmly attached to their tiny beaks, and began talking in whispers.

"What do you think of him?" "To be honest, he is pretty uncool." "He has not brought any of his crew with him. It's not like he's here to shoot."

They looked at him from a distance, not helping Conductor. It was like a zoo. He felt their rude stares, and after putting away all his cards, he ran to the other side of the door as getting away from them. ＿＿＿＿He did not even yell at the moon penguins.

The moon penguin's guessing was spot on. He was by no means visiting the studio to shoot his movie. Thirty minutes later, Conductor reappeared in the lobby. He was pushing a large wagon filled with faded luggages. He carried these, which was packed in several boston bags, to the front of the counter and showed a red card to the receptionist.

"I'm leaving now. I just came to get ma bags."

The receptionist was finally unable to hide his confusion. He took the card and stared at it, trying to calm himself. The moon penguins decided to watch the two of them in silence. But the moment it occurred to him that maybe he was never going to come back to the studio again, the receptionist could not control his curiosity.

"……What is really wrong with you today? You're taking the wrong cards, and you're not recording. DJ Grooves has already done most of the shooting."

Conductor gave a blank look. "DJ Grooves? Who's that?" "Have you forgotten him? He's your competitor who rents the other half of the studio. He's that big moon penguin with the afro. He's got a microphone and star-shaped sunglasses, that ＿＿＿"

He looked down at the small bewildered owl, realizing he was being somewhat descriptive in his tone.

"Have you forgotten everything? You don't even remember why you are renting this studio, or what your profession is?" "No, I know I'm the conductor. I remember that. But I didn't know I am the movie director until ma dauchter told me… I honestly find that hard to believe."

He looked at the brightly lit studio and said＿＿＿＿ He had felt it as if happened to someone not him.

"I'm always busy. I can never find the time to make a movie, and I dinna really know how to shooting. Anyway, I'll probably take a break from directing for a while."

"That's not possible! "

The moon penguins, who had been straining their ears, screamed in unison. Conductor shivered and turned back to them. The moon penguins pressed closer to the owls. The owl, who was supposed to be the director, retreated a few steps, but in no time at all they had closed the distance between them. One of them grabbed Conductor by his neatly glued collar and yanked him down. Conductor's back arched and he stumbled. But just as he was about to fall, Conductor put his right foot forward and caught his balance.

"Enough, you third-rate movie director! DJ Grooves is trying so hard to get the awards back from you, and you're running away from him by pretending to have amnesia! Did you finally realize how bad you've been behaving after everyone in the studio was so nice to you? And you're trying to get forgiveness by acting weak on purpose to reset everything you've done? Isn't that right!?"

In sync with the hot-tempered penguin, the two behind him snapped in stirring up. The pacifistic receptionist furrowed his brow in disgust at the moon penguins, but of course that couldn't stop them snapping. Conductor was taken aback by his rapid speech, not really understanding what was going on.

"Acting…? I dinna go out of my way to do that. I dinna have that much time…"

This moon penguin was one of DJ Grooves' fan club members who was a very committed fan. He knew that Grooves was bothered by the fact that he was having a hard time winning the competition with Conductor. The star behind the LCD always seemed to be in good spirits, but he also sensed that he had been losing his energy lately because of this problem. That year has the 42nd Awards. Grooves had yet to win this competition once, and from his second place position, he always looked at Conductor, who always won first place, with a sense of frustration. Thinking of his boss like that, he couldn't resist checking with Conductor. DJ Grooves wants to win Conductor. But he had yet to accomplish that. Notwithstanding this, Conductor was not even going to participate in the battle. At this rate, Grooves will not even be given a chance to turn things around. As the moon penguin and, above all, member number 2, he could not allow it to happen so easily.

"＿＿＿＿You really have amnesia? Oh no, just a bump of a spotlight?"

But Conductor did not behave as expected, and a deep tinge of uneasiness settled over moon penguin's angry voice. The yellow owl was silenced by the bizarre atmosphere of hostility, but it was clear to all that this is an affirmation. The moon penguin, in disappointment, let Conductor free. He straightened his disheveled collar.

"It's just until ma memory comes back, laddie. Besides, the doctor said it will come back in a week."

Conductor comforted him. The trouble finally reached Grooves' ears after Conductor left.

3. Conductor has amnesia. The newspapers were all over the article, but no one was in any real sense worried about Conductor. Because experts said that amnesia caused by physical shocks is an extremely rare case, but that it is even rarer for it to last for a month or a year. Making the movies would be delayed a bit, but surely he would win again this year without a problem, the movie critics predicted. Grooves frowned for it, not in amusement, and tossed the newspaper he had just finished reading into the trash. The all-too-conclusive sentence, "but surely he would win again this year without a problem," kept going around his head. The newspaper reporters consumed Conductor's accident as entertainment, but they didn't even talk about DJ Grooves behind the scenes. He was simply frustrated and angrily (though it couldn't tell much because the bird's facial muscles were so small) pressed the up button on the elevator. When will he be back here? Grooves suddenly wondered as he spotted a panel of cacti among the grating. The green, too bright for cactus, created a strong contrast in the somber hues. To be clear, Grooves was not too glad about his rival's accident. But he knew it must be said that it was a wonderful opportunity. If Conductor's recovery was delayed and the movie could not be completed in time, Grooves would certainly take the award. ＿＿＿＿But the taste of that victory will be bitter.

Conductor must be screaming＿＿＿＿This award was supposed to be mine! ＿＿＿＿The newspapers must be reporting＿＿＿＿ DJ Grooves won the award not because of his own sense of style or effort, but because Conductor was not in perfect condition to compete.

He was not at ease inside. He wanted Conductor to recover quickly and finish the movies rather than have such unreasonable difficulties.

However, the public's expectations were easily betrayed. Conductor's memory did not return anytime soon.

Conductor did not return to the studio and two weeks had passed. The movie critics, who had been pretending to know the reasons this was happening, eventually began to worry. The bird himself had indeed taken a leave of absence from his job as a movie director, and was working to strictly adhere to the timetable. The Express Owl, famous for being too loose with time, was now never a minute late and simply continued to faithfully transport birds to each station. In case anyone was wondering, it was not without exception. Only once in the past two weeks had the train been delayed. But it was not because of Conductor's negligence or the train. Early in the morning, Conductor found a poor express owl who had missed the train and stopped the train temporarily just for him. In a newspaper interview, that owl said excitedly＿＿＿＿"He seems to have forgotten not only his memory, but the meanest parts of it. Anyway, every day is so much more comfortable! It's like going back to the express owl of 15 years ago."＿＿＿＿This event seemed to be the start of a new trend: owls who had been hesitant to ride the Express Owl decided to buy tickets. "The Only Train In Existence" that had been so empty suddenly became full, and of course Conductor became busier. Where would he have time to make a movie? Reporters finally had to write, "Maybe a science fiction movie will win this year." Some moon penguins mocked the movie critics for missing their predictions, but that depressed Grooves' feelings.

Then another week passed. The month had changed, Grooves' latest movie had been released, and Conductor still hadn't come back. No one talked about Conductor much anymore, but the popularity of the New Express Owl was still going strong. The tent panels were beginning to get a light dusting, and the beloved equipment was sleeping soundly. His contracted actors were helping him with some of his work on the train. They also were eagerly awaiting Conductor's recovery, but at the same time they were beginning to accept the quirky yellow owl. It was clear that it was much easier and calmer to be cleaning and making beds than to be acting out of fear of Conductor with his memory returning and a dangerous pistol. Conductor's transformation was astounding. The constant furrowing of his brow has disappeared completely, and he has become a kind bird who responds to every silly joke with an exaggerated smile. He never scolds or discriminates against anyone. He would tell passengers funny stories if them tipped him. It was definitely a positive change. Even some of the moon penguins began to show a more friendly attitude toward Conductor. The world seemed to have decided that this sunny, steady owl was a different bird from Conductor. In other words, the majority of the birds had grown so fond of this Conductor that they were beginning to fear that his memory would return. By that time, birds like DJ Grooves, who were hoping for Conductor's recovery, were becoming a minority in society as a whole.

Is he going to keep on not coming back to the studio? Grooves groaned in front of the sparkling nap room. The strong, cold metallic sheen vaguely reflected his reflection. To anyone watching, the expression on his face was clearly anguish itself. He took the paper knife, but returned it to its position, and walked aimlessly around the room from corner to corner. He didn't even need to look at the contents of the strangely neat envelope. Thinking is possible without looking at the bill. He considered talking to Conductor once. They had never had anything resembling a discussion, but he had always been open to it, if that was what it took. If the owl could have a constructive discussion, even if it ended up in an argument, he thought it would be worth it. He still hadn't talked to or seen new Conductor, but if he trusted the rumors around him, he thought he could have at least a light talk with him in peace. Grooves had plenty of questions he wanted to ask him, and more than twice as much sarcasm he wanted to say. He checked his schedule for the week and scribbled a short note in ballpoint pen on his completely thin calendar.

4. Three days later, Grooves paid for his ticket and boarded the train in the early afternoon. As he boarded the train, Conductor looked at Grooves with a bit of surprise, but simply smiled and invited him on board. It was just a surprise because of the arrival of an unfamiliar, flashy penguin, but it didn't seem to remind him of DJ Grooves. The behavior was a little too polite for his longtime rival, and he went out of tune. Mingling with the owls, moon penguins, and crows, he entered a quiet car and unloaded his baggage. He chose a seat quite far back to avoid being seen, so the caboose was right next to this car.

There were quite a few birds chatting and waiting for the train at Dead Bird Station. That alone puzzled him, but then there were a few of his colleague moon penguins mixed in with the group. The world had forgiven Conductor more than Grooves had expected. Feeling the wind mixed with sand, he stroked his ticket, feeling as if he were alone and left behind. He appeared as if he were a fan attending an autograph signing for the first time.

He looked around the car. It was well cleaned and the air conditioning was adjusted to a moderate temperature. The smell of soft wood pervaded the air. He closed the curtains to let the excess light out of the train. It seemed that Grooves was the only one so far who had chosen this car. All the other passengers were gathered in the car near the dining room and sauna. Alone and lonely, he took out his laptop and removed the lid from the under-seat electrical outlet tap. He spread out his material without hesitation, monopolizing the table for two. It had been a long time since he had been alone. There were no energetic cronies or rude paparazzi next to him. Nevertheless, the noise of the spinning wheels and the rocking of the seat didn't make for a very conducive environment for concentration, but that didn't particularly matter then.

After about thirty minutes, Conductor finally arrived. He impatiently jangled his punch and asked Grooves for a ticket. Grooves handed the small ticket to Conductor with a slight nervousness.

"Hey, you got a time for me?" "You want to hear my fairytale? Five pons a story."

Conductor returned the ticket to Grooves. He chuckled and shook his head from side to side.

"No, no. It's work. I'm talking about Dead Bird Studio. You and I share a space there, right?" "Oh… I see."

Conductor's face turned suddenly cloudy. He must have been asked about his movie many times by many birds. Anyway, Grooves could guess that this was not a very pleasant topic for Conductor.

"Is that a long story, is it?" "I think yes it is."

Conductor folded his hands behind his back. He might have been nervous as well.

"How long can you wait? I don't get a lot of free time during the day." "I can wait anytime today."

He really wanted to talk to Conductor right now and go back to the studio, but Grooves kept quiet and turned his attention back to the monitor.

The next time Conductor arrived was three hours later, and the next time six hours later. The first time, he only brought Grooves a small plate with coffee and a few small cookies on it for service once.

"Sorry. Please wait a little longer. It's a service, enjoy."

Conductor left his excuses and his tray and disappeared through the door again. Grooves watched him go off in a daze. A big star who always made his fans wait for him at handshakes, waiting hours in solitude for a rival he hated. It was an experience he would probably never have again, he thought. He could have a day like this once in a lifetime. He dunked the tip of his beak into the coffee, which had been deliberately lukewarm to make it easier to drink. He appreciated the thoughtfulness, but was a little nervous about the possibility of the coffee mug falling over and breaking his laptop due to the violent jolts of the train. He drank the contents in one gulp. No one came to this car. Unquestionably, only Grooves was perfectly isolated from the masses.

By the time the next Conductor arrived, the sun was already setting and the first star was showing its face. If he had known this was going to happen, he would have bought a ticket with sleeping quarters. Grooves' eyes fluttered behind his sunglasses. Just then, a tired yellow owl wandered over to him.

Conductor apologized apologetically, "Oh, I'm sorry, it's so late…" "No problem."

Grooves turned off his laptop. This time really wasn't good, but he needed to talk to him at the moment anyway. Grooves followed him as Conductor opened the door to the caboose and invited him in. The door closed. Finally, the car was empty.

"I dinna knaw where to begin. but……"

Conductor leaned his back against the railing and began to speak. Grooves listened quietly to it on his right.

"Anyway, as you can see, I'm busy, and I dinna knaw anything about movies, so there's nothing I can do if I go back to the studio. Besides, the passengers dinna seem to want me back." "They don't seem to want you back?" "I don't really remember what I did, but I knaw I must have done something because the train was in a very different condition and people war surprised that I was just going about my business as usual…"

Conductor said, rubbing his fingers.

"I've heard from the actor owls that, well… that I'm always in a bad mood and that I've been fighting with you all the time."

Grooves nodded timidly. He is right. The studio lobby was always deadly, a sort of battlefield. DJ Grooves and Conductor had been fighting on the front lines there for more than a decade. It may have been an uncomfortable environment for someone there, but to be honest, Grooves himself did not see his disagreement with Conductor as much of a problem. He believed that the discord was the result of artistic differences, which should not be unnecessarily harmonized for the sake of both of them.

"But they want me back in the studio." he said. "The moon penguins wanted me to go back. I said I didna have any ideas for movies I want to make, and they lent me a couple of movies." "Whose?" "Yers." "What else? Didn't they lend you some of your movies too?"

Conductor shook his head side to side.

"They said I should learn from real art. If I was so into it that I had to stop the train, I guess I was pretty serious about it, too. War these so bad?" "……I don't know."

For a moment, Grooves was tempted to affirm his movie out of pity, but decided against it. He was not very good at praising movies he doesn't like, and he decided that there was no use in doing so if his memory is going to come back anyway.

"Have you seen it yet? No, not yet by the looks of it." "Sorry, I'll try to find time. I'm sure in another week the crowds will die down a bit, so… let's talk about my return to the director's seat next time. I dinna even knaw mysel."

They promised to meet two weeks later and parted ways. Grooves got off the train with even more hazy feelings.

Unfortunately, Grooves also couldn't had believe that that owl and the conductor were the same bird. Conductor he had known was loud, rude, and in all kinds of bad taste, and he was pompous to a fault. But he couldn't feel the same way about that owl, no matter how hard he tried. Moreover, he sensed an atmosphere similar to that shared by his fans. Perhaps it was awe. Grooves clicked his beak nervously. The sound, like a toy castanet, echoed lonely in the studio. He pressed the down button of the elevator with a melancholy look on his face. Lately he always had that look on his face whenever he is alone. The elevator's deafening bell rang and his vision went black. DJ Grooves was scared. He tried to imagine the scene of that Conductor giving him a subtle reaction about his movies. He could see Conductor bending his beak down and sneering at him, but strangely enough, he couldn't picture his own face next to him at all. He didn't know what face to put on it. Absolutely he will not love the musical and sci-fi. Even though he had no memory of it, that was Conductor, even if he was a rotten one. He might not be as direct as he used to be, but he guessed he won't like it anyway, and he was depressed. Laughing it off was also comical, as it seemed to acting tough. That said, he was not such a strong bird that he could honestly accept the criticism of an amateur.

5. DJ Grooves is as busy as Conductor. So the two weeks passed quickly. During that time Grooves searched for anything that might jog his memory, but found nothing at all. He had never had a photo taken with him, nor had he ever received anything from him other than a corny joke. He prayed that Conductor's daughter had the same idea as he did. According to rumors, she showed him photos of her grandchildren. But Conductor only looked happy and could not even recall the names of any of his grandchildren. He got ready and bought a ticket. Even though he was only going to hear a review of his movies, he was as strained as he would have been at his first preview as a director. He turned around several times and alternately checked his watch and the timetable. I'm just going to get opinions from an amateur. He slumped down, suddenly embarrassed. There were holes between the old tiles that looked like ant nests. He did not look at the clock again until he heard the sound of the whistle.

The crowds at Dead Bird Station were much smaller. By this time, the public had already decided that Conductor had no chance of recovery. That owl was officially certified as Conductor. The New Owl Express boom had passed, as it was no longer a rarity. Nevertheless, it was considerably livelier than it had been a month earlier. How many of the birds in that group had bought tickets for commuting purposes? Maybe 50-50, he thought. Even he had bought his ticket to meet Conductor. The said train roared to a halt beside the station. The yellow owl opened the door and stepped off the train to greet the new passenger. Despite Grooves' melancholy, Conductor cheerfully greeted him. He seemed much happier than when he is the director. Grooves would have gladly supported the majority opinion if only he had not been thinking about the award. Grooves waved him back. And he hesitated a little but smiled cheerfully.

"I've seen yer movies. All three movies they lent me…"

First, Conductor said. Grooves stiffened and sharpened his already owlishly good hearing. It was half fear, half awkwardness. Anyway, as long as he didn't get his disc broken in front of him or a tomato or a raw egg thrown at him, Grooves was fine. He didn't think Conductor, a country boy at heart, would understand his works.

Conductor smiled＿＿＿＿ "You are great director!" "What?" Grooves doubted his proud ears. It was the right response. Conductor's review did not end there.

"I dinna watch a lot of science fiction or musicals, but I wisna bored at all. The way the foreshadowing is laid out and recovered was so well done that I didna feel sick after watching it. That is great, isna that?"

Every point Conductor raised was from the audience's side. This Conductor probably doesn't know how to use the camera, so it's not surprising that he had no idea what the production team had to go through. Grooves was honestly glad to hear it. It always feels good to hear a review that is 100 percent positive. It's different from the creepy reviews by self-proclaimed the movie critics who can't tell whether they're praising or damning the movie. And it had been a long time since he had heard such an opinion from someone other than his own fans. But he was also perplexed.

"I especially love yer music. It's pretty hard to choose the right tempo and instruments for the scene. But ye did it! I like the use of percussion instruments, too, not just repeating monotonous rhythms with drums, and I like the way you used the tones."

He was making small gestures, trying to express his feelings that he could not articulate. His little hands were constantly moving in a circle in front of his purple tie.

"That's awesome. Each sound has its awn world. Not many birds can write a song like this."

He was about to answer the favor when he was stunned into silence. He could not believe either the scene in front of him or the sound of the wind in his ears. He even thought that he might be having a very convenient dream. Maybe he was so afraid of meeting Conductor that he was sleeping with the covers over his head. He pinched his cheek, but a dull pain only quieted him.

"…… Don't you think these are childish?"

Grooves muttered to no one in particular. After a few seconds, he realized that this was very rude behavior and laughed to make up for it. He had better have said something before this idiotic soliloquy. Conductor nodded his head.

"Why? Well, the structure mey be a wee simple, but there are plenty of movies like that, arena there? I think it's quite admirable that ye dinna just shove whatever elements they want into the make and make it a mess."

"＿＿＿Thank you……"

Grooves finally got the words out of his mouth that he wanted to say. He was thrilled. The right half of his brain was numb, and it was a little painful. Unable to look Conductor in the face properly, he threw his gaze outside. How proud he would have been if he had been able to make a more thoughtful response. Grooves suppressed the wish to ask more in depth and handed the paper bag in his hand to Conductor.

"Here's yours, darling. These are the movies Conductor wants to make, even if it meant neglecting his own work."

The baggage was strangely heavy. There were six movies in it. The movie packages were all decorated with Conductor and the Owl Express. He looked at the contents and was both pleased and mystified. Maybe he couldn't imagine himself as the movie director. But it was undeniably true and real. Conductor smiled and thanked Grooves. He only nodded. He had yet to get a sense of the distance between him and this Conductor. He was torn between whether he should treat him as a rival or treat him as someone different from that one.

"So,……I should talk about my return."

Conductor said with a deliberate cough. Grooves waited quietly. Actually, He thought it's no wonder Conductor turned him down. Just as this Conductor had been surprised to see his own movie earlier, Grooves could not picture him returning to the studio as a movie director. He didn't seem to have the charisma, or at any rate, he didn't seem to be a very good leader. In the first place, the only reason Grooves is so eager to see Conductor recover is for no other reason than his own. He had paid the pons to beating Conductor. At the root of this desire, of course, is the bad feelings he had toward the old Conductor, but the earlier exchange had made them a little fuzzy. When he felt the hot wind mixed with sand, he suddenly felt that it would be wrong to put the blame on this Conductor. Grooves' course of action may have been to let the yellow owl get down to his main business. Ignore the pompous movie critics. he still can win an award. He can take revenge on the old Conductor when he come back. He will be surprised at how long his winning streak has been broken. That would make penguins smile. But his conflict was needless.

"Recently yer moon penguins have been coming to me a lot and saying. They said that I have too lil' time to come back as a director, and that I should come back as an actor or a cameraman."

It was enough without what Conductor say everything. Grooves was amased and at a loss for words. He finally realized that he would be the one to guide Conductor when he returned to his post as movie director. DJ Grooves, a successful star, does not have that time. So he said, "For now, I want to help Grooves shoot a movie to get a feel for the scene." He wonder what they were thinking when they said that to him. Or rather, why didn't they consult it with him? He had no idea who "yer moon penguins" was, but he was immensely impressed by the overly meddlesome rooting around.

"I have no experience in either, but the actor owls say they'll teach me how to act. What do ye think?"

Conductor continued talking, thinking that Grooves must have known about the offer. Unfortunately, this was all new news to him. But Grooves was too lazy to correct him everything, so he decided to just shut up and think about it on his own. He had two options before him. To add or not to add Conductor to his crew. However, it did not appear to him that he was given much of a choice. It was none other than DJ Grooves himself who first suggested that Conductor be reinstated as movie director. Conductor may have compromised out of consideration for him (or perhaps because of the enthusiasm of those around him). so, it was strange for Grooves to turn down such an offer. He could not be that irresponsible.

"……Okay. Welcome back, darling." "Aye. I'm looking forward to workin' with ye. "

The penguin offered his right fin for a handshake. The yellow owl responded.

6.

In conclusion, it was no exaggeration to say that the choice was quite a great success. Maybe the teacher was good; maybe he had a talent for acting. Conductor never dragged Grooves down. Rather, within the first two weeks of shooting, some moon penguins were asking Conductor for advice. Conductor didn't look like Conductor at all, and most importantly, that owl understood the beauty of Grooves' movies. This is quite important to them. There were still not a few penguins who abhorred Conductor, but it did not take much time for him to fit in with the blue crowd. The yellow color, too bright for the owl, created a strong contrast against the darker blue. The bizarre scene had a considerable impact on the director's complicated state of mind.

One night he happened to find Conductor and several moon penguins in the screening room with a large bucket of popcorn watching the screen. Conductor was sitting in the middle of the front row, surrounded by the moon penguins. They occasionally poked Conductor and told each other what they thought was cool and what the highlights were. In the video, Grooves as the space police was holding a laser gun and pointing the muzzle at the off-screen Conductor. They were watching a movie Grooves had made three years earlier. He suddenly felt a sudden itch of nostalgia, as well as the artist's characteristic sense of shame, and wanted to leave quickly, but he had to go through there to get to the room he wanted. He lingered at the entrance for a moment and decided to turn around. Just then, the video cut to the staff roll.

"How was it?" The moon penguin's excited voice reached Grooves' ears. He stopped dead in his tracks. "It is supreme!"

Conductor gulped down the remaining popcorn in one gulp, tipping his bucket. From the sound of his voice, he seemed to be somewhat excited as well as the others around him. If that's the way he was acting, he's a pretty good actor.

"The CG technology is advanced but not overly reliant on it. He left room for reality in the overwhelming fiction intentionally. And yet, it disna let the audience return to reality. It keeps us immersed in the world until the very end. I think the fact that it's not completely CG makes the final act of the movie more convincing."

Everyone around him agreed. No one noticed him, but Grooves was alone, torn between wanting to disappear from the scene and feeling happy and proud: the key to science fiction is precise world design and just enough reality not to destroy the dream. He knows this, unlike those hard-headed science owls who chew on their papers forever. As far as Grooves knows, there are quite a little such birds.

"You know how good this is!" One of the moon penguins said. "You once called this great movie a childish playground show. You probably don't remember that……"

The movie director heard this and freaked out as if water had been poured on him from above. He finally felt really uncomfortable after being rehashed all the way back to his bad memories, but he still stayed there. He was irresistibly curious about Conductor's reaction to the teasing question. He looked as surprised as Grooves. His reaction delighted the gallery. They loved to see the new Conductor's surprise at every action of the old one. Making Conductor doubt himself, It was the only revenge he could take at the moment.

He put his hand to his beak, looked like he was thinking, and muttered softly, "Mebbe I said that ablo pressure. I said that because I was afraid that my rival's movie became so good that I might not win the next award."

At the Conductor's muttering, the surroundings suddenly became as quiet as if water had been poured over them. The words were too convenient for the former Conductor. Everyone, him and of course Grooves, looked at Conductor with a look of disbelief. No one was smiling, had a blank expression on their face. There was a tinge of reproach mixed in.

The yellow owl realized that the temperature around him had suddenly changed, and he hastily laughed it off to cover it up. ＿＿＿＿Nae, I dinna knaw the truth, because I dinna knaw him very well either. Because it's strange, isna it, some bird would say such terrible things about such a great movie. Richt?

Hearing his explanation, the gallery returned to smiling all at once. It must have been a little bit horror sight, yet Conductor reassimilated himself into the group without seeming to notice the strangeness.

DJ Grooves left there. He was disappointed that the response was not what he had hoped for. The feeling that had swelled so happily just a few moments earlier had squeezed, and he felt like he was about to lose control of his anger, confusion, and frustration.

The reason for criticizing art must always be art. What he said? The pressure?

Could it be that the whole altercation in the lobby was his way of venting his stress? Wasn't he criticizing Grooves because he had his own non-negotiable art form? If what he said was true, how shameful he is. The owl who scoffed at Grooves's hard-earned ideas was also intimidated by the movie critics. ＿＿＿＿It's the same for DJ Grooves!

The moon penguins might have thought the same thing. But they seemed to have decided to treat the murmur as an owl joke for the time being. There was no sign of the awkward atmosphere that had prevailed earlier, and they were back to being friends. Grooves was impressed with the moon penguins' response. If Conductor's memory doesn't return, this anger is a waste of energy. It would be a bad to let the current Conductor hear this kind of complaint. It was the old Conductor who was at fault, not the current one. Besides, what he said was not necessarily true. He murmured in his heart. He should forget about this until the day when he would become Conductor again. He is a different bird from that one, even though he looks like that one. The revenge should be taken on that one, not on him. Until then, enjoy this cozy studio. No one will get hurt. No unprofitable arguments or irresponsible fears can happen here, because everyone is a friend and a team. Until the day Conductor returns to himself.

And such a day should never come......

7.

DJ Grooves in the newspaper proudly responded to the cheers next to a replica of the trophy. Though accompanied by pretentious reviews from the movie critics, they were much kinder than Grooves had expected. "Dead Bird New-Cinema" (often referred to by the media as the bad taste and extremely violent movie genre, led by Conductor. That has been the mainstream for the last nine years.) Its demise. And the first of the new era is DJ Grooves. From the classic, disorganized train western to the unconventional, methodical sci-fi musical. From bad endings to happy endings. From the movie director to the actor. Everything was changing＿＿＿＿ To be better.

Grooves was smiling all the way through the day after the award ceremony. He carefully folded the newspaper and placed it in the corner of the table. In the golden trash he had discarded clippings that had previously adorned the entrance to his room. The all-too-beautiful sentence, "A new era has arrived," added feathers to Grooves' step. Newspaper reporters consumed DJ Grooves' triumph as entertainment, but they didn't even talk about Conductor behind the scenes. He was enveloped in a strong sense of fluffy exuberance (though it couldn't tell much because the bird's facial muscles were so small) and pressed the up button on the elevator. I've been dreaming of a day like this for a long time. And the reality is a hundred times better＿＿＿＿ Grooves thought as he spotted a panel of cacti among the grating. The green, too bright for cactus, didn't catch the eye much because the lights weren't on. It blended in well with its surroundings in the dim gray space. There was no longer a single person on the planet who expect Conductor to recover. Everyone had completely accepted the friendly yellow owl and called him Conductor. His rivals were no exception, of course, and DJ Grooves was finally in the majority.

From that day on, the distance between DJ Grooves and Conductor rapidly grew. The fact that they had more common experiences through their work and that Grooves had given up his vendetta against Conductor for the time being were major deciding factors. And no bird bothered to water them down. Having lost their common enemy, the studio was everywhere quiet and peaceful.

"Woww, I didna knaw this studio had a place like this!"

Conductor looked beyond the elevator and clapped his hands. His eyes were glued to the grand piano set up on the stage. He walked slowly toward the stage to savor the space.

"Do you like the piano? It's quite magnificent."

Grooves followed the conductor and turned on the stage lights. There is a great place in the deepest part of the studio. Grooves had put it there a long time ago because there was not enough room for a large instrument in this place. He also brought in some inexpensive and handy pianos, such as uprights and keyboards, but sometimes, when he felt the urge to play a big piano, he would come here. He used the large hall as his second workspace, as it was quite a distance from the other rooms, making it ideal for recording. Grooves urged Conductor to take a chair and play the piano, but he shook his head.

"No, I'm not verra guid at it. I prefer to listen."

The owl led the penguin to a chair, while he himself carried a small chair for the duette nearby and sat in it. Grooves opened the heavy piano lid and took off the blue felt dust cover. Making a position on the white, glazed keys, he turned his fingers smoothly and played a scale. He hadn't been here for a long time, but there was nothing wrong with the piano's tuning.

"What would you like to listen?" "Whatever ye like best."

He took a deep breath to set the tone and gently tapped the keys. A low bass note walked quietly between them, followed by an arpeggio composed in the middle register that folded in. One harmony dropped and a slow tempo began a six-eighths beat. He prepared a simple chordal accompaniment with his left hand, to which he added a lightly arranged A-flat major scale with his right hand. Only beautiful piano sounds echoed in the too-wide hall. For a while, characteristic, heavy chords developed with staccato and dotted notes. A lyrical triplet slid over it, and just before it hit the left hand, it turned into a deep chord. It modulated to the same major key, B major, adding cheerfulness to the dark and bewitching melody. At once the melody brightened, and it changed to five-fourths time, creating an uplifting effect. Conductor listened with a smile the whole time. The country music he used to enjoy listening to and the moon jazz Grooves was now playing were almost polar opposites. Despite this, he never tired of listening to it. His straightened feathers were swaying faintly in a pleasing manner, indicating that he was truly enjoying this. He ended his performance with a gorgeous glissando. Only one audience stood up and applauded.

"Amazing! That's the best I've ever heard." "That's right. I'm the best musician in the world."

DJ Grooves smiled broadly, his face brimming with confidence. He had been beaten out of the movies by the previous Conductor, but he did not feel he could be beaten by Conductor or anyone else when it came to music.

"Where do you like it?" He turned his body to face Conductor. "I canna pick one! I dare say it's the new rhythm patterns and the guid chord progressions that haena been used up. It is true that what ye just played is jazz, but the whole composition was very listenable, like a classical piece. Even the tone is not monotonous like a machine. It's like the sound has expression!"

His little hands fluttered and danced like butterflies, trying to share the excitement he received as best he could with the best musicians. If only his eyes weren't hidden by his long fethers, Grooves would surely have found them glistening like childlish. The pianist hugged his little audience. A little later, the yellow owl hugged back the big moon penguin. The sensation lasted for a while, as if two hearts of equal size had melted together and become one. The moderate tightness and load with warmth was pleasant. The owl, with its soft flesh elasticity and slightly swollen feathers, was like a teddy bird he had loved as a child. At the same time he thought this, a nostalgic scent somehow snatched his nose. It was a sweet scent that reassured him. He closed his eyes quietly, and happiness swelled many times over and filled Grooves. A heartbeat that was beating a little too fast, a gentle heat like spring sunshine, a weight that resembled a thick winter coat, and small, peaceful breathing that could be heard. Simply he was happy.

When a dull numbness ran down their backs from holding the same posture, they finally pulled apart with loneliness. They looked a little embarrassed and quite content with each other. Conductor's pitch black coat was covered with lots of pure white feathers. Grooves chuckled and brushed them off lightly.

"Hey darling, we're going to start shooting a movie in about two months." "Great! Do ye have a storyboard yet?" "No. I just want to talk with you about a few more preliminary steps."

Conductor nodded his head.

"I mean, I want you as a movie director, not an actor." "Oh……"

His movements froze. He seemed to have just remembered that he was originally a movie director, not an actor.

"No, actually most of the work you'll be doing will be assisting me. Of course I know you're a good actor. I'm not saying this to get you off the stage. I'm asking you purely if you would be interested in directing." "Director? I'm interested in it…… But, do ye think I can do it?"

Conductor chuckled jerkily. Grooves took that as an affirmation.

"Don't worry, I'll teach you."

Grooves stood up and took his hand. Conductor followed suit and stood up as well. They walked off the stage to the deformed piano table and round chairs resembled snare drums set up on the side of the hall.

"What kind of movie shall we make? We can make anything."

Conductor smiled hesitantly at the encouraging words.

"Then I'd like to make a big parade. A long band of owls and moon penguins would cheer up the gloomy city with music." "Yeah, that's interesting!"

He spread a sketchbook and several pens on the table. Then he drew Moonstreet easily and quickly, and walked the musicians over the taut electric wires. Conductor also took a pen and began to give each of the musicians an instrument.

8. At least two weeks. For two weeks DJ Grooves was really happy. He was more than happy to be working with his new friends and not with his overbearing rivals. And now he and Conductor were going to get back the award trophies that Conductor had stolen from him. It seemed like an absolute and promised future to everyone's eyes. Grooves quickly wrote a song for the film. The result was good. It had been a long time since he had written a song without fear. The bouncing rhythms and sparkling melodies expressed his hopes. He sent the file to Conductor and waited for his response. They had completely forgotten that this peace had an expiration date.

And its end came suddenly and without warning.

Grooves was driving at full speed. His driving was quite rough, as Moonstreet had given him. The tires were scuffed from the strong friction, and since it was a convertible, small stationery and other light objects frequently flew out of the car. But now, there was no time to stop the car and pick up a ballpoint pen every now and then. The moon penguin's impatient voice over the receiver was going round and round in his head. It replayed in his brain over and over again, even though he hadn't asked for it. His grip on the leather handle only grew stronger.

"Above Conductor, a spotlight suddenly fell. It's the ceiling light. The one that hadn't been used for a long time. Apparently a screw had rotted, and it, suddenly, fell out. He didn't wake up and＿＿＿＿ Oh, now the ambulance finally came!"

Ten minutes later he arrived at the hospital and was ushered to a white bed. Opening the curtains, he found a small, weak yellow owl lying with its head bandaged and its face half buried in a clean pillow. An object hit him in the head and he fainted. It carried more serious implications in his case than in anyone else's. Last time, he had lost his memory along with his injury, and it had not yet returned. Grooves gently cupped his small, completely deflated hand in his large fins. It was still warm. His gaze shifted from the owl to the side table and finally back to the small hand he was eventually holding.

Will he lose his memory again? If so, for how longer? Will he forget not only DJ Grooves, but also his daughter and the Owl Express? To what extent will he forget his family memories, even he has already forgotten his grandchildren? He kept his eyes down. He wanted Conductor to take care of his family. It was something Grooves didn't have, and he understood that it was as important to Conductor as his train. It could not be replaced, and no amount of hard work by others could make up for it. Grooves looked at him helplessly, gave up, and left the room. He then began to stop by the hospital after his show business was over before going to the studio. Such days were repeated about seven times.

On the eighth evening he visited the ward. Opening the white curtains, he found a yellow owl up and reading a book. "Darling!" Grooves spluttered and sat down in a small round chair beside him. "I see you're feeling better." Conductor raised his eyes and looked at the big moon penguin as if he were looking at a suspicious bird.

"DJ Grooves? Why are ye here?"

His face broke out in relief, oblivious to the disgust in the Conductor's voice. He remembers my name. And he knows I'm Grooves. I guess He doesn't have to worry about amnesia.

"If one of my colleagues is in the hospital, I'll at least go visit him. And without you, we won't be able to start shooting the movie anytime soon." "Shooting yer peckin' movie? Why would I ＿＿＿＿ Wait, what date is it nou?"

Conductor took his phone out of his pocket and turned it on. He looked at the lock screen with a curious look on his face and eventually muttered a few words.

"Something's wrong with the calendar. Has someone messed with it?" "No, it's right. We should probably finish our script." Grooves said, peering at the screen from the right of Conductor.

"Don't be ridiculous, peck neck! If that war the case, the award would already be over… Oh no, I've only released only one movie, that's…… that's impossible…… "

After that mumble, as if struck by lightning, Conductor immediately unlocked his phone and opened the browser. With great speed he flicked the screen and moved the search engine＿＿＿＿Then he took down his phone. The little vermilion machine sank into the great white sea. On the screen was that article＿＿＿＿"42 year long streak broken!"

"The 42nd Annual Bird Movie Award…… No, no……"

Conductor covered his face. Then he quietly shook himself and began to cry. It became more and more intense, and he kept breaking down his posture and weeping with heavy emotion. The rain dripping down stained the clean white. He spilled out a series of painful sobs through his trembling beak. The situation no longer needed to be explained. Beyond Grooves' worst fears, things turned out to be even worse. At this juncture, Conductor had recovered his memory as movie director.

Grooves was stunned, not knowing what to say to the yellow owl that had suddenly turned from friend to rival. This was exactly what he had wanted that day though.

＿＿＿＿He can take revenge on the old Conductor when he come back. He will be surprised at how long his winning streak has been broken. That would make penguins smile.

Unfortunately, Grooves couldn't smile. The yellow owl he had hugged that day, the yellow owl crying in front of him, the yellow owl who is his fan, and the yellow owl who is his enemy overlapped and rubbed together to make a mess. It became a great wave of anxiety that engulfed Grooves from head to toe. He was unsure of the attitude he should adopt toward Conductor. Suddenly, Grooves felt a dull pain in his temple. Something had hit him. A cheap plastic cup rolled on the floor and went somewhere. Roll, roll, roll. Needless to say, it was Conductor who had thrown it.

"Get out of here, DJ peck neck! I don't want to see your face! Get out. GET OUT!"

DJ Grooves quickly got up and silently left the room. He should have known this would happen one day, but he was not ready for it. Being betrayed by the friend he had spent six months with made him sad. And he was miffed to realize that the days filled with those silly complaints would resume.

After the Conductor had been pushing Grooves out for a while, he suddenly realized that he was thirsty. It was because he had cried so much earlier. He thought about drinking some water, but after thinking about it for a while, he decided to buy a cup of coffee from the vending machine in the waiting room. He took out his wallet and checked its contents. He was worried that he might have lost a lot of money when he had amnesia, but apparently that was not the case. Rather, the number of bills had increased. What really happened? He inspected his wallet thoroughly and noticed one unfamiliar card. It was a rich sapphire blue card with a shimmering hologram. It was more shiny than it needed to be, and I was sure it wasn't a loyalty card, but I couldn't make out anything more than that. It had a small bar code and four-digit number on the back, so it was probably a practical card＿＿＿＿ Number 4065. Conductor looked at it for a few seconds and put it back in its place. He wish that is a credit card.

---

Most of what I want to write is in the second part so I hope you will wait for.

→Part2

[canmom]

Animation Night 141: short film night (donghua edition)

Hi everyone! Welcome to Animation Night, the night where we watch animation. We’re running mega late due to insomnia + travelling, so I will be brief.

Tonight the plan is to watch some exciting short animated films from China. First up we have the return of the mighty Shanghai Animation Film Studio.

You may remember from Animation Nights past that for a long time through the 50s and 60s, Shanghai Animation Film Studio was Chinese animation (donghua). They created many beautiful and experimental works, such as the astonishing ‘ink wash’ films of Te Wei, accomplished through an ingenious process of stacking up layers of cels to create the subtle gradients.

SAFS was squashed during the Cultural Revolution, its animators sent to the countryside, and animation was instead turned to heavy-handed propaganda films. Under Deng, the Shanghai animators returned for a brief last hurrah... but the chain of reproduction had been broken, and donghua went through a period where few films were being made, and only cheaply, with Chinese animators mostly working on outsourcing for other countries.

That’s changed in a huge way recently with the rise of what is now termed guómàn (国漫), referring to Chinese domestic animation and comics. Despite a hard-to-please audience at home, Chinese studios have been absolutely killing it lately... but Shanghai Animation Film Studio hasn’t really been a player. That’s changing now, AniObsessive reports, with the release of a series of four ~20 minute short films titled  中国奇谭 (Yao - Chinese Folktales) on Bilibili. A decidedly non-commercial project, with four teams and directors spending about two years on each film, it’s unexpectedly become an enormous hit in China:

Yao’s numbers have climbed dramatically since that report. After 15 days, with four episodes online, the series has topped 99 million views on its Bilibili page — and they’re rising fast. Users of the movie site Douban are often harsh critics of Chinese animation, and yet Yao currently scores 9.4 there, based on more than 132,000 reviews.

(...)

Zhang Shengyan, the Bilibili VP, feels that Yao owes its popularity to its ties to China. Not just in the stories and art, but in the Shanghai Animation name — most people in China, Zhang says, have fond memories of the studio’s classics. Yao channels this tradition of artistry for the 2020s, and it may be the start of a new era for the company. There’s already talk of a second season.

So that’s exciting! The four episodes are titled Nobody, Goose Mountain, She-Wolf, and... I don’t have a translation available for the fourth one but in Chinese it’s 乡村巴士带走了王孩儿和神仙, which machine translation renders The Country Bus Took Away Wang Haier and Shenxian. They use a variety of styles from CG to traditional animation.

Our second item is also courtesy of AniObsessive, who have gone to the impressive effort of translating and subtitling a series called Mee’s Forest on their new Chinese Flash YT channel. The series is directed by Busifan, known for the incredible film Dahufa (The Guardian) which we watched back on Animation Night 46 and again on Animation Night 104. (Incidentally, AniObsessive also wrote a wonderful article about the creation of Dahufa, finding all sorts of obscure sources, which is how I know anything at all about Busifan.)

Mee’s Forest is an earlier work, beginning in 2009 about six years before Dahufa’s completion, but after Busifan had made a name for himself with The Black Bird series in 2004. At this time, Busifan had quit his telecoms job, and was working at small animation studios in Hangzhou, chafing against the limits of the industry. This series centers on a young monk who, left alone by his master, is embroiled in some kind of supernatural forest shenanigans. The animation has sparks of what we’d see in Dahufa, notably the abrupt, vicious fight scenes.

I love everything I’ve seen from the Chinese Flash scene and I’m sure this will be no exception. At the time of writing, we’re jumping the gun a bit, with only 15 of 16 episodes translated... but this concords perfectly with Yao so we’ll wrap it up later.

So, with apologies for the incredibly late start - please make your way to twitch.tv/canmom and we’ll be starting on the hour in about ten minutes! (23:00 UK time, 15:00 California time)

[supersaiyanjedi14]

Part of my Star Wars AU, adapting more characters from Star Wars: Visions. This time, it's Screecher's Reach, with Daal and the Sith Mother. Or, as they are officially known here, Darth Unseelius and her apprentice, Darth Morriga.

Following my personal headcanon, the Sith Ghost seen in the short was the Mother's former Master, here known as Darth Keenshee. Keenshee and Unseelius are part of the Rule of Two Line, operating roughly 400 years before the events of the films. Per Banite tradition, Unseelius bests her Master and seizes the mantle of Dark Lord, but instead of killing the mentally broken crone, she sequesters her in a cave on a remote planet, cruelly intent on using her as a means of gauging a prospective apprentice. Per the episode, Daal passes the test by slaying Keenshee and is taken in by Unseelius, the latter having killed two birds with one stone.

Upon leaving the planet, Unseelius formally begins Daal's Sith training, dubbing her Darth Morriga. Operating under the guise of a wealthy mid-rim philanthropist and her adopted daughter, the two build up their wealth and public image in preparation for their successors to eventually move into the higher circles of galactic politics and society. To the public, the pair are kindly, charitable women who generously donate to improve infrastructure and social services. In truth, they are building the vast network of corporate and political connections that will become critical to the Sith's final revenge. At the same time, they secretly spearhead a clandestine project to recover ancient Sith artifacts and lore, a critical step following Darth Gravid's heresy.

Daal plays her part well and thrives on her vastly improved lot in life, the luxury and stability of her station being far removed from her meager origins. However, Unseelius begins to question whether her apprentice is truly committed to the Sith way following several hesitations in dispatching troublesome figures. Believing that Lady Morriga is still bound by some chains to her former life, Unseelius arranges for the kidnapping of her former friend Baython, intent on having Daal kill him to prove her committment to the Dark Side. Despite Baython's desperate tearful pleas, Daal cannot separate herself from the path she has chosen, understanding that refusing her master would only result in her own death. She cuts him down, and Unseelius is satisfied, convinced that her apprentice will now fully serve her now that her last potential ties to the light have been severed.

She is dead wrong.

While Daal does finally embrace the darkness, the murder she was forced into drives her into a rage, recognizing her master's manipulations and abuse for what they were, culminating in the murder she was forced to do now. Turning on Unseelius, Daal declares that she will no longer be bound to anyone, least of all her "mother". Following a titanic struggle, the apprentice uses her enhanced dark powers to destroy her master, claiming the title of Dark Lord of the Sith for herself. Darth Unseelius, Baython, and Daal all die that night...and Darth Morriga is truly born.

Credit for my pixels here.

[stickylittleleaves]

BOOKS & FILMS I FIRST READ/WATCHED IN 2022 THAT I RATED 4 OR MORE STARS

BOOKS

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) by Maya Angelou

Ways of Seeing (1972) by John Berger

Blacksad (2006) by Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido

Saints and Strangers (1985) by Angela Carter

Discourse on Colonialism (1950) by Aimé Césaire

Stories of Your Life and Others (2002) by Ted Chiang

Are Prisons Obsolete? (2003) by Angela Y. Davis

Demons (1873) by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Absalom, Absalom! (1936) by William Faulkner

33 ⅓: J Dilla’s Donuts (2014) by Jordan Ferguson

Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? (2009) by Mark Fisher

The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution (1938) by C.L.R. James

The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States (2020) by Walter Johnson

Horror: A Very Short Introduction (2021) by Darryl Jones

Red Pill (2020) by Hari Kunzru

White Tears (2017) by Hari Kunzru

Bartleby, the Scrivener (1853) by Herman Melville

Selected Poems (1912 - 1950) by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Socialism: A Very Short Introduction (2005) by Michael Newman

The Sympathizer (2017) by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The God of Small Things (1997) by Arundhati Roy

Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare (1606)

Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606)

Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare (1605 - 1606)

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (2012) by Cheryl Strayed

The Little Stranger (2009) by Sarah Waters

The Cambridge Companion to American Gothic (2017) by Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock (ed.)

FILMS

It Happened One Night (1934) dir. Frank Capra

Bicycle Thieves (1948) dir. Vittorio De Sica

The Northman (2022) dir. Robert Eggers

Battleship Potemkin (1925) dir. Sergei Eisenstein

Smoke Signals (1998) dir. Chris Eyre

Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) dir. John Hancock

Grizzly Man (2005) dir. Werner Herzog

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) dir. Tobe Hooper

Whisper of the Heart (1995) dir. Yoshifumi Kondō

First Blood (1982) dir. Ted Kotcheff

Dr. Strangelove (1964) dir. Stanley Kubrick

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) dir. Stanley Kubrick

M (1931) dir. Fritz Lang

Do The Right Thing (1989) dir. Spike Lee

The Green Knight (2021) dir. David Lowery

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) dir. Hayao Miyazaki

A Matter of Life and Death (1946) dir. Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

Pig (2021) dir. Michael Sarnoski

The Fall (2006) dir. Tarsem Singh

Prey (2022) dir. Dan Trachtenberg

Citizen Kane (1941) dir. Orson Welles

The Animatrix (2003) dir. various

[m1kemedeiros]

FIJI ~ THE RETURN

(Yasawa islands & the Coral Coast)

🎶 “One the road again” since the dreaded global pandemic. I left Canada at the end of 2016, now it’s 2023 and may the travels continue. Currently living in Brisbane Australia with my partner in crime. Zach and I travelled 5 hours to Fiji, only to be met by the warm weather and musical greetings.

Nadi: Hustling to find a taxi we made it to smugglers accomodation. Just as I remembered 6 years ago, smugglers is somewhere to crash for a night and nothing much has changed. The following morning we hopped on a bus and headed through Nadi to Port Denarau where we met our boat, the south sea island cruiser. Aboard the vessel we road the roof top, 4.5 hours all the way up the Yasawa islands to the famous Blue Lagoon Resort.

Blue Lagoon: White sandy beaches fringed in coconut palms, cobalt blue and turquoise coloured ocean. Blue lagoon is home to an endless natural beauty and the loveliest of islanders. Located near the end of the Yasawa chain of islands. Fun Fact: Blue Lagoon is known and named after the 1980s film, “Blue lagoon” (starring Brooke Sheilds). We spent our time here free diving the “Sawai-Lo” caves on the neighbouring island. Snorkelling with turtles, sea life and a vast display of ancient colourful corals. After a scenic hike accompanied by the village dog we named, “Nipples” our evenings were plentiful. Kava rituals, an endless buffet, traditional song and dance that even we were sure to partake in. Blue lagoon was one to remember.

Manta Ray: Onto the next one! After the Lagoon we ventured down to Manta Ray Island, an island I had once visited 6 years prior. Friendly and laid-back, this island will forever leave its mark in my mind. Scenic views of neighbouring islands and known for its flocks of majestic manta rays that soar through the current like birds in the air. Often the locals will sound a conch-shell and as if it were a Black Friday sale, everyone then races like a group of warriors to the boats. Prepared to battle the current in hopes of seeing these majestic Mantas. We swam like hell in attempt to see them but ended up being the 2 of few who were unsuccessful. We enjoyed a lovely meal with an evening in our seaside villa just steps from the ocean, the waves lulling us to sleep. The following morning we watched the sunrise and enjoyed a beach stroll, playing with hermit crabs along the shoreline. We were met with slight disappointment as the island pump had broken, running us out of clean water. Unfortunate and uncommon but not the end of the world, we had to quickly re-arranged accomodation to another island further south.

Naqalia: Travelling from Manta Ray we headed down the Yasawa to a small island called, Naqalia. With the change in accomodation we managed to find a small home stay with a local family on the island. Unique and rustic, the family ran a lodge that was completely hand made and everyone played a part in accomodating us. With little cost Zach and I had a roof over our heads and met handful of fellow travellers, open to experiencing Fiji locals like few tourists ever get the privilege of having. The family cooked a meal that I strongly attest was the best food we had the entire trip. However Zach wasn’t feeling great so the following day he stayed back while I did something I’ve never done before. The teenage boys from the Fijian family of Naqalia had driven an older couple and myself kilometres from land to a large reef in the open ocean. After getting past some large waves we jumped in the centre of the reef where we snorkelled above large trumpet fish and schools of white tip reef sharks. The young boys who brought us even hand fed the sharks right in front of us which seemed dangerous yet thrilling.

Barefoot Kuata: After a short stay at Naqalia lodge we were brought over by a small boat to Barefoot Kuata. Over the shallow beach and endless colourful reef, tucked away in the towering palm trees is a hidden gem. Barefoot Kuata resort is a luxurious stay where Zach and I had an amazing boho-beach inspired accomodation with an outdoor shower and bathtub. After exploring the cave and sunset lookouts with endless views. We kicked back with great Buffett dinner and night snorkel. The following morning we both went diving for the first time in 3.5 years. Unlike any other dive this particular one was with 3 meter long bull sharks. Known for being an aggressive breed of shark species, we still did it. Watching 10+ of these fascinating animals swarm in a feeding frenzy as one of the locals fed them at a depth of 22 meters. Barefoot was a memorable stay and a place I’d love to visit again.

South Sea Island: Six years ago I had a very memorable, laid back stay on south sea island. Taking only minutes to walk the perimeter of this island, and accomodating no more than a handful of people. I had connected with a group of travellers I still occasionally keep in touch with. However it seemed this island had a subtle facelift and is now a popular destination for other travellers looking to spend the day from neighbouring islands. Still very enjoyable, we slept in a small cabin steps from the sea. Watching the sunset change, as it went from a small amber glow to filling the sky with touches of magenta and cotton candy pink. After saying goodbye to the Yasawa islands and the few fellow people we met along the way we carried on to the mainland.

The Road Trip: Embracing spontaneity, we met a local worker on south sea island who agreed to driving us 2.5 hours for $200. Even though it was very much out of his way, it was the best way to educate ourselves. Before starting the road trip into the night, we first stopped by his village where we had the privilege of meeting some of his family and local animals. Zach, the driver and I spent this time indulging and comparing cultures and ethnicities before picking up a fourth. We pulled into a village to pick up the drivers cousin and the 4 of us carried along driving. Like the beginning of a bad joke, an Australian, Canadian and two Fijian men drove across mainland Fiji comparing stories and sharing riddles.

Pacific Harbour: After the long and winding roads, we said goodbye to our fellow Fijians. Ending up at our final destination…The Pearl Resort. Located in Pacific Harbour, The Pearl is a beautifully landscaped resort with all the comforts of home. This did not end the adventurers in us! We managed to squeeze 2 more dives in with a local company. These exploration dives were stunning! An array of sea life, lion fish, sharks, trumpet fish, nudibranch and soft corals. My particular favourite part was the ship wreck at a depth of 23 meters with large over hanging fan corals cascading off the sides of this rusty, old vessel.

After our final experience scuba diving we headed back to The Pearl. This location is a great way to stop and rest before heading back to the hardships of reality. Here we lived the highlife, indulging in food, spa treatments and poolside cocktails. Amazingly, to my surprise I even bumped into one of my south sea “fellow travellers” from 6 years ago. However this time she came with family too, not the lonely traveller who I once met a long time ago. So happy for her! (Laura)

First time overseas since the global pandemic, first time travelling with Zach, second time in Fiji and it’s just as wondrous as I recall. Home to 333 islands, 120 of those islands inhabiting the loveliest of local people. With its main source of economy being tourism you can understand why Fiji is an oasis for those wanting an escape. A tropical paradise scattered amongst the Pacific Ocean, Fiji will always hold special unforgettable memories.

Bula and Vinaka Levu

“Life and Thank you very much”

Until next time,

Michael Medeiros

June, 10, 2023.

[laylawatermelon]

So I just wanted to vent about this because I don't know why I'm so upset.

(very long post ahead read at your own risk) ps heavy topics implied/vaguely referenced (racism, school s-, outing, etc)

Watching Heartstopper for the first time when it first came out was kind of hard for me. For the first time in my life after about 18 or so years of living in an ultra religious dangerously othering country that quite literally promises (very bad things let's say) about queer people and others in general really I had given myself permission to just enjoy.

To not do the cringe and gag as I was taught in TV and in the church, to not roll my eyes and be hateful. To not dismiss an experience I don't understand.

To not let religion rule my every being and stop me from loving and receiving love and it is. Just love. No labels or anything. It was a romance show.

I had only (very scared may I add) watched one other queer media and every time I had watched one it felt like some omnipotent presence (the church or worse my ironically bigoted dad who happens to be black btw) to burst in and yell

HEY! THAT'S GAY!

(it's funny but not at the same time)

For the first time I allowed it to be on the big screen, my tv screen (as god intended) and allowed myself to see love.

I have been working out my identity since graduating high school and am still working the kinks out. I realized even when I was in the midst of hate I ironically had multiple queer couples (lesbians mostly) in my books. Hell my first book that made me decide to be an author has a grumpy and sunshine couple and I was like yep seems right.

I never thought it was wrong but when I'd leave the comfort of my imagination and my world I realized that there was the world burning around me.

I'd seen queer couples in high school and said that made sense, and in college I was hilariously practically adopted by them for a short while in college (what can I say birds of a feather am I right?).

It's finally been to unpack years of assumptions and hate and I'd cried a lot. There were so many parallels and intertwinement of the struggles of black people and queer people, and black queer people.

I cried feeling helpless growing up seeing school marches of kids begging to be helped by the ones who swore to protect them, I cried growing up seeing news of young men being another static and not another valuable life and then I cried when I finally saw the brokenness in ignoring queer voices.

I cried for myself for feeling like I had to do something, for not being permitted to love who I want, think how I want and develop how I want.

And most of all right now I cry for the feeling of helplessness I feel sometimes.

I feel dramatic when I say I felt empty when I saw what Kit had posted on Twitter. I felt the same way when I watched Mismatched when the female character was outed in an angry rant.

I knew what that meant. I knew what it felt like.

I feels like being bare and prostrated and having yourself held up to a blinding light. To be subjugated to an impossible and immovable standard that the "norm" never have to worry about.

Alice had stated everyone was queer so I also assumed that that's what he probably was. I also think I heard myself in him when he said partner doesn't matter and it's not a big deal.

I say that everytime I talk to my mom or my family.

I want to have a partner that understands me (the subtext is always in bright red PROBABLY NOT STRAIGHT MOM). She now says she just wants me to be happy. 😊

So I accepted it.

I thought everyone did.

I didn't understand why just because he was seen filming or dating a girl (I don't quite remember) meant he had to be faking it. Newsflash he's an actor first of all.

When straight actors have crossdressed and made fun of queer people or even portrayed them in the however long of stardom they never get the same treatment. They get the how brave, how amazing. WOW! He'll even kiss a guy/sarcastic

I was just so hurt and upset. Then all of a sudden there was discourse and I just hated every minute of it.

I've recently been kind of breaking myself away from the celebrity ideal of being turned real life idols/gods to worship that are practically stalked and gawked at. I hate everything about celebrity culture.

Paparazzi=stalker. If it happened to a normal person they'd be in jail. Or at least on a watchlist and shamed probably.

But they've turned people and their lives into the commodity to the public. They've ripped apart the mental health and lives of so many and then go quiet when they break.

It was so unfair.

I feel like it was so unfair.

And I can't help but cry because I know what it feels like to be scared. Everyone probably has at one time.

I have empathy (probably too much honestly) so I tear up when people are hurting.

And I can't help but hurt for him. I can't help but hurt for everyone I see struggling.

I wish the world was better and people were too. I just wish it was all better.

But for Kit in my mind I feel like I probably shouldn't ever meet him because I'll be a sobbing mess so I'll just write this to get it out of my system.

I see you.

I'm sorry it happened like that.

I feel you.

I'm sorry you felt like that.

I'm sorry you had to feel like that. You were young and scared and it felt like the world was surrounding you.

Something so beautiful and private was taken from you. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry.

I just wish he could hear it.

He also deserves a hug. A very big and warm one.

I'm still crying every time they talk about it in season 2 and it just made me sob every time they practically said it's okay tell us in your own time.

I tell that to myself in private every time I question myself about anything.

I'm so sad such a beautiful thing was taken away. And honestly my brain says he might've come out in a very cheeky way using a line from the show or in a very natural way, or even not at all.

We don't owe each other access to every part of ourselves like the Internet has conditioned is to believe.

Celebrities and us "normal people" alike. We all deserve to love and be loved.

No matter the gender, color, size, identity or anything really.

We're literally the only species that can communicate with each other and all this other weird stuff is quite literally all made up to complicate stuff.

We should love and be happy but I know that's a very idealistic way of thinking.

If you see this Kit (and everyone one else ofc) you are loved no matter where you are from, what you identify as or who you love you are valid and worthy.

You are loved even if you don't love yourself - Cleo Sol

The universe loves you and you were put here for a reason and I am quite frankly glad you are here.

Thank you for reading all this if you have I don't feel comfortable talking about stuff like this in my current circumstances but I want to advocate more.

So here, advocacy.

Love who want! Be queer and loud! Muah

[kiri-cuts]

A killer Maddie Ziegler moment in “M3gan

If there’s one thing that money-grubbing corporations love, it’s exploiting vulnerable young girls. In “M3gan,” that conclusion is arrived upon via Cady -- a child of indeterminate age with only two defining features: A set of recently deceased parents and an apparently even greater void left by a broken Purrpetual Petz toy (RIP).

The woman who designed said toy also happens to be Cady’s aunt -- another vaguely written character called Gemma. However, what we do know about her is that she is a woman who has chosen robot building over nurturing any motherly instinct, and so is apparently worthy of our scorn. 

When Cady is placed in her care, Gemma does what any good monstrous female would -- builds a human-synthetic android to take over care duties so she doesn’t have to (honestly, all the love to her). At one point a social worker even catches the aunt committing the apparently enormous sin of allowing a traumatised orphan to watch cartoons all day. Remove that woman’s uterus immediately! 

Luckily, M3gan has a great singing voice and knows how to slut drop like a pro, so Cady -- and her suppressed trauma -- are in safe hands. In one scene, the doll comforts her master by singing Sia’s “Titanium” to her. During another, Gemma proves the value of her pet project during a presentation for investors where Cady is wheeled out into a hidden room, sobbing about her dead parents. M3gan provides her instant comfort by singing to her -- and every corporate hog watching sloshes about in the filthy potential profit pool of it all. 

Of course, by the end, M3gan takes her protective duties too far, murdering a variety of unpleasant people -- and one perfectly innocent dog -- in gruesome ways, mostly offscreen. But because she was #BornToSlay, M3gan approaches the film’s most deserved kill with an acrobatic flourish. Like Sia’s one-time adolescent dance partner, Maddie Ziegler, the doll practically swings from the chandeliers as she dispatches with a greedy CEO. 

It’s the best part of the movie. And that may be because it fulfills a certain fantasy -- what if all exploited teenybopper girls of past (and present) could enact vengeance on the very people who profited from their talents and servitude? And with the functions they were programmed to deliver? Step up Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Chloe Moretz, and Dakota Fanning. Step up Honey Boo-Boo and the “Dance Moms” debutantes. Step up Britney, Christina, and Amanda Bynes. 

Dance like you could kill. Choke em with that sketti. Literally hit them, baby, one more time. 

The sequence also stands out for it’s strange simplicity: This is a robot complicit with her programming. Simply doing as she was told. M3gan soaks up the world, and spits out violence. She’s also a reflection of her master’s trauma response -- you can dance through that shit all you want. But at the end of the day, you still have to deal with the perpetual motion bird of your brain dipping it’s beak into the bottomless pool of grief at the bottom of it all. No singsongs or synchronized cartwheels are going to put a dent in that, sadly -- but they can always be used to your advantage. Bulletproof, nothing to lose. Fire away, fire away

In pop culture, young girls understand that better than anyone. From a shockingly young age, they’re programmed with the same functions: Be talented. Be casual. Be cool. Be relatable. Be wholesome. Be sexy. Be edgy. Be demure. Be submissive. Be wild. Be everything. Be nothing. One way or another, they all end up fulfilling their function a little too well and catch heat for it. 

Underneath it all is a swelling trauma -- about three pokes short from being popped. 

The industry always eats these girls alive -- but it makes sure to turn a profit before it swallows. They are left carrying their bones to the next venture, where undoubtedly they will continue to dance -- of course they will. It’s what they were programmed to do. Party girls don’t get hurt, can’t feel anything ... Swing from the chandeliers.

Cady and M3gan are two sides of the same coin -- presenting diverging modes of girlhood, up against the odds: You can either sit back and accept the cruelty of the world, and let it devour you. Or you can take charge and fight back against those who seek to exploit and destroy you. If you’ve experienced the spectacular challenges posed by both options, then you’ll know it’s not even a simple decision to make. 

So, I guess really, all that I’m trying to say is that I’m glad that little girl had a murderous android doll looking out for her. Good riddance to the lot of them -- except for that poor, innocent dog

[kornwarner]

My Most Favorite Animaniacs Episodes (also including songs) by Animation Studio

Original series (1993 - 1998)

TMS: Hello Nice Warners, Yakko’s World, Ups and Downs, Potty Emergency, The Brave Little Trailer, Roll Over Beethoven, Temporary Insanity, Noel, The Great Wakkorotti: The Master and His Music, Drive-Insane, Little Drummer Warners, LA LA Law, The Monkey Song, Hooked on a Ceiling, Pavlov’s Mice, the Wheel of Morality segments, The Senses Song, Piano Rag, Turkey Jerky, The Three Muska-Warners, No Place Like Homeless, The Flame, Clown and Out; the Tower Escapes, Chases, and Returns segments, A Christmas Plotz, Fair Game, Newsreel of the Stars, I’m Cute, Babblin’ Bijou, The Great Wakkorotti: The Summer Concert, Taming of the Screwy, Garage Sale of the Century, H.M.S. Yakko, Cutie and the Beast, the Mime Time segments, Cookies for Einstein, The Warners’ 65th Anniversary Special; Hot, Bothered, and Bedeviled

Startoons: Wakko’s America, Chairman of the Bored, Ragamuffins, Bully for Skippy, Dot - the Macadamia Nut, Wally Llama, Meet Minerva, Magic Time, Cartoons in Wakko’s Body, Slappy Goes Walnuts, There’s Only One of You, It, Plane Pals, …And Justice for Slappy, Critical Condition, Guardin’ the Garden, Windsor Hassle, Be Careful What You Eat, What Are We?, The Big Candy Store, Testimonials, the Randy Beaman segments, Meet John Brain, Meatballs or Consequences, Bumbie’s Mom, Karaoke-Dokie

Wang: Space-Probed, Go Fish, Soda Jerk, The Return of the Great Wakkorotti, Win Big, A Hard Day’s Warners, Battle for the Planet, Three Tenors and You’re Out, Mobster Mash, Dot’s Quiet Time, Hiccup, Gold Rush, The Sound of Warners, Yes, Always; With Three You Get Eggroll, Lookit the Fuzzy Heads, Super Strong Warners, The Party, Message in a Bottle, Take My Siblings Please, King Yakko, From Burbank With Love, the Good Idea, Bad Idea segments; Night of the Living Buttons, Fake, I’m Mad, Bones in the Body; No Pain, No Painting

Freelance: Chalkboard Bungle, Nighty-Night Toon, Moby or Not Moby, Survey Ladies, Of Nice and Men, Les Boutons et le Ballon, When Rita Met Runt, The Cat and the Fiddle, Katie Ka-Boom: The Blemish, General Boo-Regard, The Mindy 500, Animator’s Alley, Katie Ka-Boom: The Broken Date, Up a Tree, the Dot’s Poetry Corner segments

AKOM: Hurray for Slappy, Bingo, Raging Bird, Astro-Buttons, Multiplication, Noah’s Lark, This Pun For Hire, Dough Dough Boys, I Got Yer Can, Hello Nurse, Goodfeathers: The Beginning, Opportunity Knox, Boot Camping, White Gloves, The Girl with the Googily Goop, Mesozoic Mindy, Star Truck, Moon Over Minerva, Anchors A-Warners, Bad Mood Bobby, Back in Style, Dot’s Entertainment, No Time for Love, Jokahontas, Ten Short Films About Wakko Warner, You Risk Your Life, A Very Very Very Very Special Show, We’re No Pigeons, Kiki’s Kitten, Four Score and Seven Migraines Ago

Koko: Boo Wonder, The Carpool, Birds on a Wire, Cute First (Ask Questions Later), Here Comes Attila, The Sunshine Squirrels

Revival series (2020 - present)

Titmouse: WhoDonut, Math-Terpiece Theater: Apples, The Cutening, Hindenburg Cola, Manny Manspreader, Rome Sweet Rome, No Brainer, Bun Control, Mousechurian Candidate, Warner She Wrote, Teeniacs, Please Submit, Yakko’s Big Idea, Wakkiver Twist Parts One and Two, Talladega Mice: The Ballad of Pinky Brainy, Rug of War, How To: Brain Takes Over the World, Rejected Animaniacs Characters, Warner’s Ark, Equal Time, The Warners Are Present

Snipple: Gold Meddlers, Gift Rapper, Jurassic Lark, Fear and Laughter in Burbank, Good Warner Hunting, Suspended Animation: Part 1 and 2, Of Mice and Memes, Warners Unbound, Ex Mousina, Ralph Cam, Close Encounters of the Worst Kind

Digital eMation: Yakko Amakko, All About the Benjamin, Slappy’s Return, The Warner’s Vault, Mouse Madness, The Pinktator, My Super Sour 16, The Flawed Couple

Saerom: The Apology, WARnerGAMES: Parts 1 and 2, Christopher Columbusted, Wakko’s Short Shorts: Now Loading, Know Your Scroll, Santamaniacs, The Longest Word, The Hamburg Tickler