#Handler for the Untamable

[clonedchaos]

“Did You Just Propose to me with Crochet Dinosaurs?”

Just a little Drabble for @fyeahjurassicocs Jurassic Pride Month featuring two of my Jurassic World OCs (whom I really need to get around to writing more 😭). This is just for fun/practice with them and many of the prompts so far have been interesting, so might as well jump in. (I'm late, I'm so very sorry ;-;) Sooooo… Enjoy!

Prompt: Day 1- Jurassic World Pride Parade

“Danny! Take a look at this!”

Jordan turned away from the vibrant collage of colors parading down Times Square. The sounds of the crowd deafened her senses, but she was able to detect her girlfriend’s voice anywhere.

Natalie stood a few feet away at one of the nearby Pride market booths with a giddy look on her face. She had decided to go all out for the New York Pride festival, an uncommon contrast from her rather modest clothing. Her black curls were done up in a high bun and her face was adored with intricate flowers and star designs painted with blues, purples, and pinks. She had on a flowery blue top with faux flowers on the collar and a purple and pink ombré petticoat.

Jordan on the other hand was blanketed in a lesbian flag that doubled as a cape. Her brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and held tight with a pink flower clip. Natalie had painted a heart on her cheek and applied a smoky eye shadow look for extra flair that Jordan was careful not to smudge despite her aversion to makeup. The colors framed her like the setting sun itself.

She ducked and weaved through the crowd towards her girlfriend. Natalie spun to face her with a wide grin. In her palms was a tiny crocheted hadrosaurus crafted in various shades of orange, white, and pink. “It’s a… ‘Lesbeosaurus.’ Get it? Because it’s a Lambeosaurus?”

Jordan chuckled as Natalie placed it in her palms. She gave it a little scratch on the head, fondly reminiscing on the times she had raised infant dinosaurs after they had been birthed from the hatchery. Despite the fall of Jurassic World, she still missed the dinosaurs on the island dearly. Especially Indie. How was the Indominus Rex doing, anyways?

“It’s adorable, Nat,” was all she said as she forced the thoughts away.

“And this one too,” Natalie added, reaching over to pluck a crocheted Dilophosaurus from its stand. “A Bi-lophosaurus… Do we need these? Or… DO we need these?” She smirked.

Jordan reached up and placed the hadrosaur on her shoulder like it was her mini partner in crime. “I think I’ve learned now not to let you run off on your own during a pride parade. Our wallets will thank us later once we ditch the market.”

Natalie gave a mock pout as she held her Dilophosaurus up to her head. “Oh, come on. It’s just one purchase.”

“You said that at the last four booths we went to,” Jordan snorted with a smile. Natalie had swore to her that the beaded necklace sporting the bi flag’s colors and a rainbow blanket for the apartment was a necessity, not a want. And of course a pride flag for the balcony, because their resident canine and feline had a habit on chewing on anything they could sink their teeth into and Natalie wasn’t about to let them tarnish something so important during pride month. Which, naturally, led to Natalie purchasing collars and toys for their ‘fur babies’. Jordan needed to pull her out of the market fast, before she blew their life savings in one day.

“This is perfect for your locker at work and my office at the vet,” Natalie claimed, already pulling out some cash from her purse. Before Jordan could stop her, the transfer was complete. If anyone was more stubborn than her, it would be Natalie-- though others had stated she was a lot more calm and collected about it like a forest stream while Jordan's emotions tended to crackle off her like a firework.

“There. Now we have two new buddies for our collection,” Natalie smiled, nudging her on the shoulder. As if either of them needed more dinosaur merchandise, they’d already gotten far too many memorabilia from their time working at Jurassic World.

Jordan smiled and reached up on her tiptoes. Natalie stood a full foot taller than her. It annoyed her to no end that she was the "small girlfriend". It annoyed her even more that Natalie occasionally liked to sweep her up bridal style when she was annoyed or flustered to calm her down. Well, that second part didn't annoy her truthfully, but no one else but Nat needed to know that!

She put her Lambeosaurus in front of Natalie's Dilophosaurus and made the two plushies give each other a swift peck on the cheek. “There. Now they’re dating. Like us.”

Natalie set her hand in Jordans as the two headed back into the throng of people. The roar of the crowd nearly drowned out their words, but Jordan could undeniably hear Natalie’s comment. “Dating? No, they’re engaged.”

Jordan’s head whipped toward her girlfriend as a blush crept across her cheeks. Natalie was suddenly down on one knee, diamond ring in hand. The paleo veterinarian seemed flustered, her usual collected exterior flooded with anxiety as she awaited a response.

Jordan was momentarily stunned and unable to cling to any thought spiraling through her head. It was really happening? Here? Right now? She wasn’t dreaming this, was she?

Her heart felt light for the first time in several years. She lunged forward, nearly tackling Natalie to the ground. Taking that as an acceptance, Natalie began to laugh. Jordan laughed with her as they held one another in a gentle embrace.

“…Did you just propose to me with crochet dinosaurs?”

[thatoneneuvichiliauthor]

Honestly at this point these boys would have a great time having a date at an aviary. Like, ducks and owls for Ratio and peacocks for Aventurine lol. Imagine the cute instagram pics theyd take (since we know that they canonically both have insta accounts). Like Aventurine takes and shares nearly a hundred photos of himself posing next to birds, pics of him dragging ratio into a selfie (which ratio is clearly annoyed by), lots of different pics of all the different colorful birds, etc. Ratio only posts one picture and its at the end of the day. Aventurine's hair is wild and untamed from the windy day, the makeup he wears on his eyes is slightly smudged from being worn all day, and, most remarkably, his smile is *real*. In the photo, the smile on his face genuinely reaches his eyes, and it gives his whole face a much softer and warmer look. He isn't even looking at the camera. He's holding a baby peacock that the handler is letting him hold and pet. The sunset behind him is catching his hair in a golden glow of a halo, and his eyes are focused on the scruffy little baby in his hands. It would seem strange to anyone else that the flamboyant Aven would hold so much softness for this not-yet-beautiful baby version of a peacock, but Ratio knows Aven well enough to know why. (wow this one got away from me lol)

Omg this is so perfect 😭😭❤️❤️❤️ The image of Aventurine petting the baby peacock is such a soft one, not to mention the deep meaning behind it, I can't 😭Thank you so much for sharing this adorable headcanon with me, I love it *happy incoherent screeching*

(And yes, going to an aviary would be the perfect date for them! Oh, and just a thought: Since Aven may have gotten the three black cat cakes because of how they're associated with bad luck/how people often treat them unfairly because of their reputation, I can also see them having a soft spot for crows and ravens, since the same applies to them.)

[the-anxious-acrobat]

just curious, do u support circused that have wild animals in them-?

(tigers, lions, elephants, bears, etc.)

no, I am very strongly against it. the truth about animals in circuses is that they are abused and endure lives of complete misery, usually illegally poached from the wild and sold or bred into circuses, purely for entertainment. 

in circuses, animals are made to perform unnatural tricks which none of them would willingly carry out. elephants are made to stand on one leg and spin in circles – often while standing on top of small stools. these are actions elephants have never been observed carrying out in the wild precisely because they cause long-term damage to the animals’ physiology. it is well documented that elephants are forced to perform these actions by being terribly abused, and young elephants are savagely constrained in a process called ‘the crush’ which breaks their spirit and forces them to comply. big cats have been popular in the circus industry, but many have their teeth and claws removed rendering them harmless to their abusers. they are ‘trained’ with whips which teach them to fear the handlers and not attack.

the actions animals do in performances are so unnatural that no animal could be encouraged or instructed to carry them out – they would have to be forced. initially this is done with violence, then with the promise of food. as a result, many circus animals are also underfed to keep them hungry and eager to please. 

the animals commonly abused in circuses are extremely stressed by circus conditions. the loud noise of the music, the cheers of the crowd and the dizzying lights all disorientate and cause stress to wild animals. over prolonged periods can result in abnormal behaviours and health problems related to anxiety. for species such as tigers, bears, macaques, etc, performing on stage is deeply traumatic. 

the living conditions for wild animals in circuses consistently fail to meet the animals’ most basic needs. when the show ends, the animals typically return to isolation in small barren cages which give them no opportunity to carry out behaviours natural to their species, or to interact with their own kind. investigation into animal circuses found 100% of facilities failed to meet the animals’ basic needs. bears were found rocking in tiny cages – a well-known sign of stress and mental health disorders – and macaques chained by their necks.

circus animals are often transported over large distances with circuses, even transporting dolphins by truck and plane which is clearly unsuitable for the species, and more. they are abused, humiliated, and treated absolutely dehumanisingly. how anyone that treats an animal like that could live with themselves, I don’t know. but none of that matters when it comes to monetary gain.

as with any industry that creates financial gain, some people try to defend animal circuses. they say the animals are stimulated by training and performance, but all the evidence and the experts disagree. defenders of animal circuses also argue that seeing animals perform is a form of education which raises awareness and appreciation of wild species. but the truth is very different.

in reality, animal circuses teach nothing. the behaviours they see are completely unnatural and give an entirely false impression of the lives and needs of animals. seeing animals abused on stage only teaches people that animals are here for human entertainment and that we can treat them in any way we please, regardless of their emotions and needs. this is not a lesson people want to teach their children.

and animals don’t belong in circuses. they belong in their natural habitats, free, in their own cycles of life, wild, ferocious, untamed, and left the fuck alone. they should not be in the circus industry, and any entertainment industry for that matter. having wild animals in captivity is horrific, vile, inhumane and just plain wrong. when animals are caged, it's a loss of what and who they are. it’s wrong to capture wild animals and confine them in captivity for people to go and gawk at them. and I can’t believe some people don’t understand this. 

however, animals that do enjoy the stimulation of circus are dogs. dogs love training and performance. they love to learn, with the right rewards. a lot of the time they consider it play time, and for them, getting attention from their people is always a good thing. it depends on the dog, and some dogs may not enjoy performing tricks they've learned. but most of the time, as they are so smart and energetic, dogs do enjoy performing. 

I love animals with all of my heart and I will advocate and fight for them forever. the circus I am in is also obviously very against it.

in short, no, I do not support and never will support animals in circuses, and that’s not even an option. animals deserve a far better life than the ones they've been subjected to.

[harperbrynne]

Mor Week 2024: Day 3 Celebration

She pulled Ellia to a halt atop one of the larger hills, letting the mare rest, even as Ellia yanked on the reins. She’d run until her heart gave out—had never been quite as docile as her handlers desired. Mor loved her all the greater for it. She had always been drawn to the untamed, wild things of the world. (ACOFAS, pg214)

Mor celebrates those who push against the restraints of the world. When they are considered stubborn and difficult, Mor sees strong willed and determined.

@morweekofficial

[satoshi-mochida]

Monster Hunter Wilds ‘1st Trailer,’ screenshots

From Gematsu

Capcom has released the first official trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds, which introduces the game’s untamed landscape teeming with new monsters, as well as first glimpses of the story, characters, system, and more.

Get the latest details below.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, players join the ranks of a special Research Commission team investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the Monster Hunter series, the hunter ventures into the unknown with their companions, including Guild-appointed handler Alma, their Palico partner, and a mysterious child. Monster Hunter Wilds features multi-dimensional biomes that can transform in unexpected ways. The first locale to be unveiled is the Windward Plains, a vast region encompassing harsh deserts, twisted rock formations, and swaying grasslands abound with life. These immersive ecosystems are populated with wildlife acclimated to their surroundings, including smaller monsters like Dalthydon, an herbivorous wyvern that migrates seasonally, and Ceratonoth, who rely on males to shield the herd from raging storms with well-developed dorsal horns that serve as lightning rods. Of course, large monsters also roam the Windward Plains, including Doshaguma. While massive and territorial, these fanged beasts are curiously sometimes sighted stalking the plains in aggressive packs. Meanwhile, the formidable amphibian Chatacabra uses its surroundings and adhesive saliva to become an even stronger adversary by armoring its body with natural materials like ore. To help hunters meet the challenges that await in Monster Hunter Wilds, the beloved gameplay of the series has evolved with an arsenal of new features. Players will experience a seamless flow from story sequences to gameplay without interruption. To traverse this world’s sprawling environments, the game introduces Seikrets, a new type of mount. These nimble creatures can guide their riders to destinations and allow hunters to perform actions on the go, such as sharpening weapons, gathering materials, and wielding the slinger. Hunters can also swap to a secondary weapon with their Seikret, empowering hunting parties to adapt to the changing conditions out in the field without returning to base. All 14 of the series’ iconic weapon types return in Monster Hunter Wilds and have now evolved to include new actions. Additionally, the game introduces brand-new systems, such as Focus Mode, giving hunters more precise control over aiming, guarding, and attacking monsters’ weak points. The new Hook Slinger also offers hunters additional abilities, including contextual actions and the power to collect items from a distance – even when mounted atop their Seikret. Monster Hunter Wilds players who link their Monster Hunter: World save data can receive special bonus items. This includes the Felyne Leather Set (Palico Armor) and Felyne Acorn Spade (Palico Weapon) for linking Monster Hunter: World base game save data, and Felyne Duffel Set (Palico Armor) and Felyne Trekker Peckaxe (Palico Weapon) for linking save data from the title’s massive expansion Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

Monster Hunter Wilds is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam in 2025.

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

1st Trailer

English

Japanese

[lesuccube]

➚ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐊 𝐃 : ᴀᴜ-ᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ — ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴᴛ

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 — dancing with danger .

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 — no malware detected

𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 — not beta'd , constructive criticism is welcomed. reblogs and comments are appreciated .

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 — 0.8k

according to aristotle, humans are social animals, that we thrive best in the company of others. while that may prove true to some, it wasn't to you. the only thing this phrase would describe you as perfectly was an animal. running on pure instinct and adrenaline. an untamed beast.

a wolf in sheep's clothing? no. a more accurate representation of you would be a black mamba. blending into the night, hiding in places the light doesn't shine, the shadows became your home. it's your job to but at the same time, you liked your isolation.

far away from nosy people, from people that talked too much, that took up too much space and didn't know when enough was enough. you hated that, you hated them. and your handler took advantage of that.

taken in by a mysterious man, he raised you learning how to fight, self defense, martial arts, to kill and maim with your bare hands. he also taught you how to fight with every weapon known to mankind, even something like a spoon. now, why would you as a child let yourself be taken in by such a person? because as much as you loved being alone, living with him where you had a roof over your head instead of sleeping in parking garages, food on the table three times a day instead of scavenging for scraps, a shower instead of stinking, the works.

growing up, you were detached from your emotions. you were extremely apathetic and unfeeling. he knew that and took advantage of it to do his work. now, being an assassin wasn't all that bad. most of the time, your assignments consisted of cleaning society of very bad people and you relished in doing it, after all your services weren't cheap. and some days, you were sent to chase after regular people with regular lives. normal people who's worst crimes was probably arguing with others. but as stated before, you were unfeeling. robotic even. you don't care about all that jazz.

until jake lockley. your next assignment. the target on his back? your handler never explained except for the fact that someone really high up wanted him gone to get back at his own handler? whatever that meant.

but see, the thing was, he knew how to fight back. and he never backed down from one either. and the longer you chased him, the more you seemed to be captivated by him. all those witty spanish comebacks, all the subtle Itouches when he dodged your blows and every single close call that sent you both toppling over each other… they all made your heart go crazy for some unknown reason.

for someone so isolated from the world, you sure craved his company. and that's what boggled you the most; you just can't seem to understand your attraction towards him, unable to distinguish it from the innate loathing you held for each and every one of your assignments.

maybe that should've been your warning but you were never the type to listen to anyone but your gut anyways, and your gut tells you that you either liked him or hated him and it continues to perplex you so. so on one fateful encounter after the other, you managed to pull him under you after a hard blow to the head.

you pointed the tip of your dagger to his throat, a snarl on your lips as you breathed heavily, agonizing bruises blooming underneath your layer of clothing. "i'll cut your throat! that'll shut you up!" you rasped, threat half empty even with your weapon ready to slit him bloody open.

with ragged breaths, jake looks up at you, nose bloody and his own lips curled into a small smirk. "you're beautiful…" he whispers and those two words was enough to send your heart ablaze and your tummy churning with thousands of butterflies. your cheeks heated at the simple compliment, breaking through your murderous intent, turning you, a cold-blooded assassin into a mess like a teenage girl that just got her crush to notice her.

in your mind, you think you'll never be able to finish this assignment. jake will forever play with you this cat and mouse game, a neverending chase that tiptoed the border of love and murder, bloodied fists and bloody hearts. both your claws ready to tear each other open to reach into the depths of your chests and swap hearts in your carnal desire to be with one another.

there is beauty in violence where love is the center of it all. one soul so alone in the world and the other trying to find its place away from the shadows of those before him. there is beauty in violence in the way you would continue to rush after each other, hoping to be the first to touch and feel the other underneath fingertips and desiring gazes. there is beauty in violence the way jake will always be ready to receive you no matter how bloody you two will end up afterwards.

[lightinthedarkstables]

A majestic creature with a coat as fiery as his spirit, Scarlet Fury stands tall with a robust, muscular build. His mane and tail, the same rich sorrel hue, cascade like molten lava against his broad frame. His fierce brown eyes, fringed by long lashes, seem to flicker with an untamed intensity. Each step he takes is powerful and deliberate, a promise of speed and agility beneath his stoic demeanor.

Found by Axe Shields in a sales auction for breeding prospects as a 6 month old foal his true origins still remain a mystery. His lineage whispers of royalty, as evidenced by his regal stance and the unmistakable nobility in his bearing. Axe, recognizing the potential in the young stallion, took him under his wing, and now, under the banner of Light in the Dark Stables, Scarlet Fury is being meticulously trail trained and groomed for future breeding prospects.

Despite his fiery exterior, Scarlet Fury possesses a gentle heart, especially towards those who treat him with kindness and respect. His temperament is a curious blend of fierce independence and a strong desire for companionship. He is protective of his home. His spirit is wild and unbroken, but he is eager to learn and form a deep bond with his human handlers, particularly those who dare to match his energy and understand his boundless passion for freedom.

[pitroig]

SpyxFamily episode 25:  lessons on parenting

Or a reminder that Twilight is here for a very specific reason that we should not forget.

SxF episode closed season 1 with the first meeting between Twilight and Desmond Donavan. The animation encapsulated the same tension between Twilight/Loid that we perceived in the manga and with a beautiful play of lights and shadows conveyed the character duality, addressing the fact that, we like it or not, for the agent the mission goes first and above everything else.

I have a couple of thoughts about it:

1. it's sad 

Because Anya - cute, and small, and funny, and so many times rejected by other families - says that she doesn't know if his father loves her, and sometimes she’s afraid of how he reacts when she shows him her poor school performance, but it's ok because she loves him and that's enough. And despite we know that Twilight cares about her, he still uses her as a cover, his family as a mask, their bonds as and excuse. 

And yet, he uses the poor Damian - so love deprived, so lonely, so approval-seeking - to get closer to Donovan. All for the mission, of course, all for the greater good, but still: he is taking advantage of the untamed love of children for his purposes.

One of the main themes of the series (as also shown in the current arc in the manga) is what are we able to do in order to protect our loved ones. How far does Yuri goes with his torture to protect Yor? How many people should Yor kill for the sake Yuri’s smile? For how long Loid Forger is going to use Anya? Is the Handler truly worried about the Forgers future? And, what if the Desmonds and their detached love is a way of protecting their children, keeping them far and away of the danger? What if the experiments conducted on Anya by some hidden structure of the state were meant to create a super diplomat and not a war weapon?

As nations and countries and states conduct questionable operations in the spirit of their citizens safety, parents may be as ruthless when it comes to their children wellbeing.

I believe that at some point, Twilight will abandon his all-for-the-mission attitude and will think about his relationship with Anya - but is still a long run. (My suspicion is that the horrible scientist that didn't allow Anya to draw is going to be the real bad guy, but sssh 🤫

2. There is also a lot of hope

Loid Forger doesn't understand Anya. Like, the poor guy is absolutely clueless when it comes to his daughter motives, plans and actions - who can blame him. The little girl is as adorable as random.

But he talks to Donavan and makes a wonderful hidden paralelism of parenting and politics, when he admits that he tries to accept her and set a common ground where they can meet and start listening to each other. The same low key diplomatic core embedded in Anya’s talk to Damian.

And both talks lead to a brief but meaningful word exchange between father and son, and that's enough for now.

But it also leads to un unexpected development: Damian tomato red admitting that he really wants to get on we'll with Anya. Cutest crush ever.

PS: This post was written while in an airport stopover, sorry for the poor quality

[uefb]

Fantastic Beasts One-Shot

The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures link

Summary

It's June 1943, and Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein are living in Dorset with their first child while Tina heads the American Auror initiative in Europe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Magic has just begun working with the Allies to plan for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe through Normandy, via Dorset's neighbouring English Channel. Newt and the rest of Dumbledore's team are still on Grindelwald's radar, and news of Ministry reconnaissance employing a certain magizoologist and a kelpie ends up in the wrong hands. Newt is brought before his own department for Animal Welfare violations, but it quickly becomes clear that this isn't really about the kelpie at all: war is about subtle threats as much as it is about violence itself, and--with the weight of his daughter strapped to his back and the memories of missions gone wrong in his mind--it doesn't take much to remind him of that. // This is equal parts adorable domestic fluff and historical-based angst.

EXCERPT*

June 7, 1943 - 8:45 AM Seaside Dorset, England, UK

Newt was juggling a child under one arm and a crutch under the other when an owl carrying a bright red, Ministry-embossed envelope swooped in through the open window of their house in Dorset. He ignored the owl for several minutes in favour of heating Leora’s porridge and preparing his own tea, absentmindedly reciting the taxonomic ranks of magical and non-magical salamanders to keep his daughter entertained while he worked.

When he’d finally gotten them both settled at the table (only dropping her bottle and his crutch twice) and triggered the daily charm that gently shovelled porridge into her mouth long enough for him to read their morning post and skim the Prophet, Ghost, and muggle headlines, he was surprised to find the address on the scarlet envelope stamped with the crest of the Beasts Division, as opposed to the urgent letters he was more used to receiving from the Auror Office these days.

He glanced up at Leora and cleaned off her chin with a calloused thumb and warm smile, and then slipped on his glasses and ripped into the letter.

He immediately blinked.

The thin stack of papers was topped with his own division’s letterhead, but then typed firmly below it in the blanks of an auto-filled, enchanted department form (that he had, decades ago, designed one of the charms for):

The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and the Animal Welfare Office summon Newton Artemis Fido Scamander for unauthorised possession, transport, and misuse of a beast (kelpie); the endangerment of a beast (kelpie); the injury of a British citizen (wizard, civilian) by an untamable or mishandled beast (kelpie); and a Grade 5 infraction of the International Statute of Secrecy (ICW) for all of the above.

Newt stared at the page, reached down to scratch at the deep, slowly healing bite inflicted by the referenced kelpie (Moira), and then actually, truly laughed.

He was authorised (blanket-authorised to work with kelpies actually!) and the only injury—due to his own stupid mistake—had been his own.

What the hell was going on?

Sentencing: Up to and including disposal of the beast (kelpie) and/or 30 months in Azkaban (Scamander). Hearing to commence: Noon today (June 7) on Level 4 (Department for the Regulation & Control of Magical Creatures) at the Ministry of Magic, London.

Typical threats for the accusations and—though a thoroughly inconvenient timeframe (even if not an unusual one, given how often handlers tried to dispose of evidence)—he wasn’t particularly concerned by them. His work and care for the kelpie had been—even if off-the-record—assigned by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and that should speak for itself. However, as he read through the full two pages of the summons while Leora babbled musically beside him, it became—quickly—significantly less humorous…

…and unregistered transport of a creature from Britain to an international waterway for labour-related purposes constitutes unlawful trafficking. Furthermore, use of the beast in a non-native habitat (saline and/or brackish) outside its natural biome (freshwater: inland) should be considered particularly egregious. Note: Report and recommendations prepared by Alice Abbott, junior investigator (Beasts Division - Animal Welfare). Original investigation completed by Antony Flint, senior investigator (Beasts Division - Illegal Trade).

The details in his summons—frankly—should not have been known by anyone outside of the joint wartime DMLE-Muggle Liaison task force he’d recently been brought onto, in response to the Allies’ decision to breach the Nazi’s Atlantic Wall at France, via the English Channel. [1, 2, 3] The Ministry had finally become invested in the Muggle war when it was made clear a few years before that Grindelwald and his supporters were not at all above hiding behind—and occasionally utilising—Muggle warfare and Nazi ideology to thoroughly infiltrate every crack of the continent, and entire world.

But the task force was classified. And rather highly so. Newt had barely made the cut himself. (Which, to be fair, really wasn’t that surprising.)

He flipped to the final page to review the list of all the academic references Abbott and Flint had used to justify his summons, and then he immediately found himself blinking again, before another disbelieving (and uncharacteristically loud) laugh burst forth—

“Are you kidding me!?”

Leora made a sound of mild concern at his exclamation, so Newt looked up long enough to offer a simple explanation in soothing tones. (So sorry — I know that was an unusual noise from Daddy, little light. But that’s, um -  just one way humans express, er - frustrated amusement? Can you remember that? He didn’t think she really needed such explicit instruction—even at 14-months her eyes tracked faces just like Tina’s—but Newt wasn’t taking any chances.)

She opened her mouth again for the levitating spoon of porridge, so he flattened the parchment back down and hunched over to skim... *I’m sorry if you’ve already read part of this excerpt when I posted a snippet earlier -- there’s not a good choice for flow besides this one!

[clonedchaos]

˜”°•.˜”°• My Fanfictions •°”˜.•°”˜

𝒮𝓉𝒾𝒸𝓀 𝒯𝑜𝑔𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇, 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒮𝓊𝓇𝓋𝒾𝓋𝒶𝓁— 𝒜 𝒫𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒫𝓇𝑜𝒿𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝒞𝓇𝑜𝓈𝓈𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇

Book 1– Ink And Amber (Coming soon…)

𝐵𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓎 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐼𝓃𝓀 𝑀𝒶𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒

Eclipse

A Small Bit of Kindness

The North Star

Machine Memories— Ink Demonth 2024 Extravaganza

An Ink-Stained Halloween

An Abnormal Birthday Gift (Current WIP— based off a joke from the Batim discord server)

𝓙𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓬 𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓕𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓼𝓮

As The World Changes, We Stick Together

Handler for the Untamable

Beta’s First Fall

Immortal Ties

Orchids and Oranges: A 2024 Yasammy Week Special

I’m a Track Star, Not a Cowgirl!

Countdown to Chaos

𝑀𝑜𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒 (𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓏𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶)

Kaiju Countdown!

𝒜𝓂𝓅𝒽𝒾𝒷𝒾𝒶

Marcy's New Friend

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒪𝓌𝓁 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒

Don't Tell Me You've Never Had Pumpkin Spice?

𝒮𝒽𝑒-𝑅𝒶 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝓇𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓈𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒫𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇

Stargazing: A Lovely First Date

𝑀𝑜𝑜𝓃 𝒢𝒾𝓇𝓁 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒟𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓁 𝒟𝒾𝓃𝑜𝓈𝒶𝓊𝓇

Devil's First Snow Day

𝑀𝓎 𝐿𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝒫𝑜𝓃𝓎: 𝐹𝐼𝑀

Pumpkin Carving Tradition

[anniebotao3]

Push and Pull

Published 17/11/2023 | E-rated | 10288 words | Chaptered | Complete

Tags: Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret; AgentsSecret Agent Wang Yibo; Handler Xiao Zhan; Flashbacks; One Night Stands; Developing Relationship; Bottom Wang Yi Bo/Top Xiao Zhan | Sean; mentions of Top Wang Yi Bo/Bottom Xiao Zhan; Wang Yi Bo Has a Big Dick; Blow Jobs; Anal Sex; Undercover Missions; Not Beta Read; Artwork attached; CollaborationReverse Bang Challenge; zswwlsfy_events' ZSWW & LSFY Reverse Bang 2023 (The Untamed RPF); LSFY | Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan; Plot Lite; Alternating chapters; POV Wang Yi Bo; Head Empty Just Vibes; What I Wrote A Chaptered Fic?; Where Did All These Words Come From

Yibo arrives in Beijing, ready to start his new career as a spy agent. He wasn't expecting to meet a familiar face, let alone Xiao Zhan, the one night stand he's been unable to forget.

“Fuck me," Yibo swore, thoughts racing, ""but I have no idea what the rules are for fraternising, its never come up.” “Oh, I think that might get us in trouble if I did,” Xiao Zhan breaks into a grin even as Yibo feels his ears burn.

Or: There's a very subtle difference between the tension of working with a new colleague who keeps calling you newbie and the kind of sexual tension that can be cut with a knife

[kiriel123]

Fic recs for MDZS/The Untamed

under my red-valve heart by TooSel

WLW Modern AU lwj grows up knowing who she is and what she wants. A lovely look at lwj from child to adult, and how she becomes more comfortable in herself and, eventually, gets the girl of her dreams

your grave, a garden; a barrow, your bed by twinagonies

WLW Alternate Canon to ensure peace, the dastardly yllz takes the honorable hgj as a hostage into the Burial Mounds. Lwj is a very willing hostage and participant in some very hot dual cultivation to bring the Burial Mounds back to life

some life yet unspent by Fahye

Modern Spy AU lwj is a field agent and wwx is his handler. Lwj’s love language is returning all his gadgets in perfect condition, and they are the ultimate spy team. A really fun Bond-style romp!

Gold Rush by lazulink

A/B/O Alternate Canon lwj collapses in the Burial Mounds overcome with resentful energy, and wwx rescues him out of the goodness of his heart, and feeds him milk right from his own chest. Hilarious and hot, if lactation kink is your thing

i glow pink, blossoming over you

WLW Modern Cherry Magic AU wwx turns thirty, still a virgin, and hears people’s thoughts on physical contact. But she just can’t seem to stop touching lwj and being hit by horny fantasy after fantasy. Super cute and sexy with beautiful art embedded

(im)patience by starknjarvis

Modern AU wwx isn’t allowed to come until lwj gives him permission. He has a very long week of no permission and lots of sex. Tasty and delicious

with you by silverclaw

Modern AU lwj is a prince and wwx is his devoted body guard. But not even the royal class difference can stop their love. Very sweet, lwj’s devotion is, as always, overwhelming

haven | 一片容身之地 by auberjing

Historical AU county magistrate lwj is sent to oversee a village, and beats down the yllz’s gang for harassing the villagers. Unfortunately, after yllz’s men are incapacitated, the real bandits attack with no one to thwart them. Lwj takes his punishment (sexually) as he works with yllz to recapture what was lost. Smutty and fun!

Letterless by diamondbruise

Alternate canon after dragonji helps a wounded foxxian, foxxian, out of the goodness of his heart, repays dragonji by stealing all his proposal letters, so dragonji will need to meet his prospective spouses in person before rejecting them. So funny and cute

take me in your arms and make me by yesmissjane

Modern AU with Cultivation delivery boy wwx crashes right into single dad lwj’s body and his heart. Featuring matchmaker lxc, romantic student oyzz, and 5 accidental on purpose meetups. Very cute and sweet

[writingwordsgayly]

I came to the farmer in the dead of night, my only possessions were the scraps of clothing and the tree branch scratches that mark me, the farmers wife gave me some stale bread, it was all they had to spare at the time, the crops had withered because of the nobels rerouting the water lines for a new bathhouse, and the animals never produced enough to be get by. they allowed me to stay in the barn if I tended the animals, the old man heard rumors about a spring north of his lands in the woods, he hoped he would be able to find it if he headed out in the early morning.

I woke early each morning to the rooster crowing, and fell asleep surrounded by the warmth of cows, the farmer did find the spring after a fortnight, and the crops began to prosper, and the farmer and his wife took me in as their own, offered to build me a room now that they could afford it, I chose to continue staying in the barn, having grown used to the animals around me, I learned how to understand them, not as I could humans, but in a subtler way, the livestock began to produce enough to buy grain in the winter months, and the hounds and I protected the animals from the woodland hunters, when the night growled and howled we responded.

one darkened winter's night a lone wolf wandered into the barn, seeking warmth and a snack, eventually I calmed him down enough to bandage his injured paw, and eventually he joined the pack the hounds and I had created. the occasional creature made there way onto our land, and I'd heal them and they would either stay or continue your adventures, occasionally bringing me gifts as a thank you.

the sheep began to produce wool soft enough the royal tailor would send knights to buy it from us, it's from them I learned about the untamable beast the king had found, and the reward he was offering to any who could tame it, royal cavalry from all surrounding kingdoms had come and failed, most had perished in their attempts, they laughed at my inquiry telling me the old man was far to old to go against a beast of that magnitude, he had grown old with the years, as had his wife, one of the other farmhands had taken to caring for them while the rest of us split the chores as well as we could. the reward would earn them comfort after all they had done for me.

I said my farewells and prepare to face the rich masses, Donning my cloak made of our sheep's wool. pretending I couldn't hear the snickers from nobles as I entered the palace, bowing to the king and queen, I offered my services, they snickered but waved me on, as if I was just a jester dressed as a farmer.

I entered the enclosure they kept her in, and she thrashed at me, chained and muzzled, I requested her handler to unlock it and they scoffed, I requested again and the king locked the big doors leading out, trapping the three of us in, the handler handed me the key and ran before they shut, me and the beast remained, a dragon the king had said, she roared, so I roared back, we came to an agreement and she laid down, calm as can be, as I began to look her over for injuries, I had taken care of a few lizards, and though she was much more majestic the same treatments seemed to work, the queen fainted when the doors opened to the snout of the dragon resting on my lap and she slept.

The council is baffled by how a humble and poor farmer succeeded in taming a dragon, a feat demeed impossible as kings and the most powerful archmages have failed for centuries.

[tamblynborton]

Safely Getting to Know the Horse

Introduction The Language of the Horse

Winston Churchill has a well-known and extremely accurate quote about horses, “There is something about the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of the man.” The relationship between man and horse is an unbreakable bond, once formed. It can be formed at any age; while life-long equestrians undoubtedly have a leg up on beginners in terms of overall experience, beginners can exercise the caution that the life-long riders may have lost.

More to the point, anyone can enjoy being around horses! Horses are beautiful, majestic, strong creatures that are also surprisingly delicate. Normal, everyday activities required for the care of horses present untold hazards to both horse and man. Thus, we will focus on safety as we look at getting to know the horse, and the many facets of horsemanship.

Today’s horse is a domesticated animal, but the horse evolved from a wild, untamed creature. Horse cannot be fully considered companion animals, like the dog or cat. (Please note that they are amazing companions in the barn or on the trail, so my last statement is not entirely true for everybody.) Horses continue to live outside, and do not think and react like humans, as a house pet might. Thus, horses are still very in tune with the fact that they are the prey, not the predator. Being a prey animal, the horse has developed keen smell, sight, and hearing.

How Horses Smell, See, and Hear

Horses are thought to have about 300 million olfactory receptors, while we humans have five or six million. Further, horses have a vomeronasal organ, which we do not, to detect pheromones and other volatile odors. Animals are widely believed to sense human emotions through smell, but they need habituation to determine the meaning of the various smells. So, while horses may be able to smell one’s fear, for instance, the person’s actions would need to reinforce the fear for the horse to associate that smell with that person’s fear. In fact, horses greet each other, and us, with a patient sniff. Just extending your hand for a horse to sniff is like a firm handshake, and mutual fear can subside. Horses certainly can recognize their handlers, and other people and animals. A bonus: Horses are extremely proficient at removing negative emotion, largely because one needs to be present at all times to be safe.

As humans, we view the world with binocular vision. The horse, on the other hand, has the ability to view objects with both binocular and monocular vision. With monocular vision, the horse can use one eye independently to view an object within its field of vision, or it can turn its head, neck and perhaps body to a position where the horse can use binocular vision, and can switch instantaneously. But the horse’s vision is also limited. A horse cannot see directly below its nose, nor can it see the top of its tail. The whiskers found on the horse’s muzzle serve to guide the horse in seeking objects due to the lack of vision in this area, supplementing the sense of smell and taste. Another interesting fact about horses’ sight is that their brain may only register from one side at a time, when in monocular vision. This means that a horse does not recognize from its right eye something that it has seen before with its left eye.

Horses have great hearing, thought to be heard much father than the human ear. The function and placement of the horse’s ears are very important in the audio gathering process. The horse’s ears are usually long, cylindrical, and rounded appendages for collecting sounds. The tips are slightly pointed, and placed on the head at an angle to maximize the collection of sound, while preventing the entry of water/rain and foreign matter. The ears have the ability to be rotated from front to rear, a nearly 180o degrees. Generally, the horse’s ears point to indicate the directional focus of its visual attention. Although only a limited amount of research has been conducted on the hearing ability of horses, we do know they recognize sounds, and can respond to those sounds through repetitive training. Based on observations, horses seem to ‘program normal’ sounds into their memory after repeated exposures, recognizing there is no threat associated with these sounds. However, a sudden unexpected sound, such as a blast from a shotgun, will frighten/threaten most horses not accustomed to the sound. Yet, with training and exposure, many horses adapt to accepting the sound without fear.

Horses Expressing Themselves

To survive, the horse has developed distinct and innate natural defensive behavior, which ultimately become those associated with the inherent risks of horses. Unusual and loud sounds coupled with visual threats definitely can be cause for a natural instinctive response. The combined audio and visual threats that occur in the non-daylight hours significantly elevates these responses.

In terms of fight or flight, the horse’s primary innate defense mechanism is using its speed and power to distance itself from the threat, whether real or perceived. A frightened horse will seek relief by instantly departing, rapidly moving away from the area/situation, a significant distance from the threat. Speed can reach 35 mph, horse makes aggressive maneuvers to rapidly evacuate the immediate area. Since the horse does not always behave in a logical manner (to us), this escape can easily include running over objects, running through fences, not obeying commands of handle.

Spooking is a form of the flight mechanism. If a horse suddenly sees or detects an object or audible sound that is perceived as a threat, the horse may suddenly shy or jump away from that threat. Spooking is an unexpected, sudden, rapid movement that involves evasive action, quick turns and sudden stops as they assess the situation. This is a form of flight where the horses can jump any direction, and turn completely around, within nanoseconds. It is generally through the flight mechanisms that humans in close proximity to the horses may be hit, knocked down, thrown off, or run over.

Shying is considered only a brief, temporary, momentary reaction to a threat, where the horse rapidly regains its normal composure. It is possible to classify shying as a preliminary form of evasion, where the horse may observe and respond to a threat, but immediately recovers and continues to follow the commands of the rider. For example, a horse identifies something that is foreign in its field of vision, it stops, “freezes,” looks, pauses and continues to go forward at the urging of the rider. Or, a horse “shies,” side steps, or stops and backs away from a threat but remains in physical and mental control by the rider.

In a retaliatory moment, a horse may strike out with a forelimb. This behavior Can be defensive posturing, and other times it is an aggressive maneuver used in self-defense. This trait is commonly found in a horse-to-horse situation, very rarely in a situation involving a human. Rearing is a combative action where the horse stands on both of its hindlegs, while simultaneously lifting the forelegs off the ground. The horse can become nearly vertical to the ground. This behavioral posture is taken in an aggressive move toward an opponent or a demonstration of authority or power. Some horses will rear in response to objection to being requested by a human to perform a specific task, such as standing tied or being guided in a direction the horse does not wish to travel. Horses will rear when restrained by the rider/driver with a heavy hand on the reins, while placing extreme pressure on the mouth. The horse rears to evade the pressure on the mouth.

The horse has the ability to kick backward with one or both hind legs simultaneously. When people commonly refer to being kicked by a horse, one or both hind legs have struck them. A maneuver called cow kicking is another form of defensive action whereby the horse lifts one of its hind legs, bringing it forward in a powerful motion with a lateral movement to its rear in an effort to defend their flank. Although these maneuvers are commonly found in horse-to-horse combat, a kicking horse can strike a person in range of the action. Horse handlers need to take care to prevent from being kicked by a horse attempting to kick at another horse, with no intention of causing harm to the human.

Bucking is a form of kicking but generally referred to when the horse is mounted or hitched to a vehicle and being driven. Usually, the horse lowers its head from a normal posture, shifting weight from the hindquarters to the forequarters, and then kicks out to the rear with one or both the hindlegs. In this posture, the horse balances itself on both the forelegs. It is possible for a horse to buck with such impulsion, force, from the hindquarters to lift the entire animal off the ground, including the forelegs. Bucking is usually induced by actions of the rider and/or tack and equipment being used on the horse.

Crow-hopping is a gentle form of bucking, many times a precursor to full posture bucking if not corrected by the rider. Horses will bite in response to an aggressor if challenged, and will bare their teeth with mouth open, ears laid back in a defensive posture without making contact. The power of the horse’s jaws is significant and can inflict significant damage, especially to humans.

When necessary, horses have the athletic ability to jump elevated obstacles and ditches, yet to ask a horse to perform this maneuver usually requires training. A classic example of this instinct can be observed in the avoidance of water obstacles by jumping. A horse approaches the water with no method to measure its depth, the horse hesitates while observing the obstacle, and then the horse jumps unexpectedly over a ditch or creek. Instinct has taken over the decision-making process.

Biting is a potentially dangerous action that can be both aggressive and non-aggressive – it is not at all unusual for horse to bite each other to establish hierarchy, to share mutual grooming, or to play. A horse might also bite its handler in search of treats, or as a response to something uncomfortable.

Horses have a limited range of vocalizations, and it is quite easy to pick up on what they mean for any given horse in any given situation. The neigh is the high-pitched yell of a horse that says hello or I’m lonely. A snicker is a sweet, low-pitched greeting that usually means: where are the treats? A snort typically suggests a horse’s acknowledgement of danger. A snort, followed by a turn and run can get the whole herd running without indicators from the other horses (i.e., they just start running). Licking and chewing sound to pick up on; licking and chewing signifies that the danger has passed to the horse’s satisfaction, and that the brain has reset.

When we understand that a horse is not coming from a place vindictiveness, but merely responding to perceived threat, we can use the horse’s natural defenses to communicate. For instance, a great way to get a horse to move forward is to make a gesture toward its flank, as this is the area where prey might attack. Observation of your subject and the herd is not only fascinating, it is educational. The longer we observe horses, the better communicators they become! Meant as a joke, but also so true. The conversation deepens, enriches over time. Horses are great mirrors, but they are also wise healers.

[icarusdiesatdawn]

The Untamed + Lemony Snicket quotes

[animalstablets]

Dr. Teeth and Crazy Harry are friends!

Dr. Teeth and Crazy Harry have sat together on at least two occasions that I can recall: for the first screening of The Muppet Movie and at Miss Piggy and Constantine's wedding in Muppets Most Wanted.

I can't see Crazy Harry as having many friends. But Dr. Teeth seems to have a soft spot for the the untamed and the misunderstood.

Take Animal, for instance. When we think of Animal, we think of Floyd as his friend and his handler. But Dr. Teeth had taken in Animal before he even met Floyd.

He befriends those who have no friends. Just like he did when Kermit and Fozzie were on the run and in need. He never hesitates to lend a helping hand.

I don't think it would be a stretch, either, to assume Crazy Harry's been hired to do some pyrotechnics at Mayhem's shows. Who else was behind all those explosions during "Love Ya to Death?"

There's a friend out there for everyone, and Dr. Teeth is one of those kind, easy-going souls who's a true friend to all.