#Mangrove resources

[summer-fire]

IDK I'm just particularly happy about how this new world is going :)

[seedinglives]

Mangroves for greening and tipping sustainability systems towards 1.5°C target world

Starting steps Anthropocene society desires for healthy, carbon-free and greener environmental conditions. At the immediate coasts, flourishing mangroves lead to good environment that is resilient, green and sustainable for (non-)human habitation. About 15% of the coastlines in the world are presently covered by mangroves according to the International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN).…

[boatemlag]

like importantly irt ccs complaining abt certain aspects of minecraft being "too OP" like OK:

1. you play minecraft at least 6-8 hours a day, your idea of timeframe is skewed

2. not everyone knows how to do that

3. you can actively choose to slow down or not take the easy route, all of these things are deeply optional

4. minecraft for me at least is not about hoarding resources, its a sandbox game about creating (and also playing with my friends/seeing what they're creating) and exploring the world. having access to infrastructure like farms or travel like the nether roof or elytra opens up the world in a way that means i have access to work on these projects as opposed to struggling to get a stack of mangrove logs. if you want to make that aspect intentionally difficult for yourself, you can

5. irt elytra, it took me a full year to get elytra on my singleplayer world, and i dont have a gunpowder farm, so i have to use them sparingly. because i am bad at pve so the dragon fight was intimidating to me. i used a resource pack that makes the dragon drop elytra bc im bad at raiding end cities. do u get my point. your skill at a game making it boring to you is not a problem of the developers. this happens with literally every game. (thinking abt ppl complaining abt spiral abyss being too easy in genshin like omfg get over it)

this is just the top of the barrel of my arguments and gripes but yeah i think generally just remember that mcyts and ccs are out of touch with the majority of the playerbase tbh

[chknbzkt]

He’s been done for two weeks but I was holding him ransom for me to finish Roxy 😭 but here ya go!

I literally just based him off a more dexterous Kaprosuchus if that means anything 💀 those guys are dragons in their own right

I like the one on the bottom left the most <3

Stuff and things under the cut!

Tucked away from the cold up north in the Icerun, Scrimshaw Marsh gets its name from the abundance of ancient dead things (their skeletons specifically) peppered throughout and overgrown with rich plant life. These hallmarks of ages past make perfect hiding spots for big toothy things like our boy here to get the drop on the unwary.

Montgomery lives a life of rugged solitude, as while he’s certainly nothing to scoff at he is far from the only varmint prowling these muddy waters. As such, plenty of folks tend to steer clear of the far south of Scrimshaw altogether, as he and the rest of the bitey things frequent those waters more often than not.

Monty himself has amassed a reputation (knowing or otherwise) as an indiscriminate sinker of boats and a terror of villages who depend on the marsh for food and resources. That said, no one has ever truly laid eyes on him, as those he targets at what seems to be random never actually live to tell about it.

As such, more and more unrest and discontent among the locals is on the rise, as these attacks didn’t start until fairly recently and the rest of the wildlife was fairly well-behaved in comparison until this outlier started making a mess.

Which is to say, whether he’s aware of it, Monty here has a bounty on his head, he’s been labeled a “problem dragon” and all sorts of monster hunters can come forward and deal with him as they please, just so long as he doesn’t cause trouble for the locals any further.

Some are far less gracious than others.

That all said, I did say these attacks occurred at seemingly random… though some quieter folks whisper to those who will listen that they’ve seen eyes unlike the foreboding dim yellow of the shades, peering at them from the marshes on their way home with their haul in the evening hours, watching them, judging them…

They’d been caught out and away from the safety of their homes past sunset, and the shades that dwell in the muggy wetness of the mangroves and bones eagerly descended upon them.

For sure they would have vanished and their children left wondering what happened to them.

Instead the marshes, gone eerily, knowingly silent in anticipation of the harrowing fate of the unfortunate fishing couple, exploded with raucous splashes and uproarious thrashing.

Almost as soon as the fiercesome ruckus started, it was over. Another, more intense pair of eyes that seemed to glow with not malice but something else less antagonistic, continued to ogle them from the privacy of the reeds.

…and they made it home safe and sound as the piercing red lights sunk quietly into the marsh.

Call them old and foolish, perhaps there’s more to this mess than meets the eye.

[saikira999]

For TWST Minecraft, do you think you could do Lilia, Riddle, Leona and the tweels next. It doesn’t have to all be in one post.

~ Headcannons for TWST characters playing Minecraft

Hi! I was away for a long time because of exams and because I was writing headcanons with these characters. however, I want to warn you right away that I will only do two characters per post, for the sake of beauty. But don't worry! All headcannons have already been written and translated and I will exhibit them in the near future.

(By the way, I have already added Lilia to my old post with Azul. I'll keep all the links here)

Another parts about:

Azul and Lilia!

Idia and Malleus!

Jade and Floyd!

[Riddle]

Riddle definitely heard about this game, but was never interested... However:

1) "What? No, Ace, I won't play this game... How do you imagine Me playing with blocks? I'm not a child, and besides, according to the law of the Queen of Hearts, the number...."

2) Trey convinced Him by saying that the players of Heartslabyul needed Their leader, and playing together would strengthen Their camaraderie... And carefully hinted that not all of Them adhere to the rules of the game (Ace is a damn griefer).

3) First, studied all the information about the game, including the history of its creation, instructions, guides, and even memes, which He didn’t really understand.

4) “Why is the cake not cooked in the oven???”

5) Competes with Azul and Vil in meticulousness and pickiness. He always has perfect order in his chests, each labeled with its own type and number. If you put something in the wrong place, you are must be prepared to get hit in the neck with this object.

6) His house is a perfect symmetrical monster, built not far from the nearest village, next to a birch grove, on the border of which giant mushrooms grow. The house itself is small, with a rose garden around it, and a small lake in the shape of a heart. The house is predominantly made of birch and mangrove, maintaining a red and white palette. Inside there are many vases with roses, paintings and one iconic red bed.

7) The village that He occupied took under His wing, Riddle also rebuilt, planting flowers around it, making a statue of the Queen of Reds from carved stone, and in some places he rebuilt houses, or made new ones, to suit His style. He has good taste, however, this place often comes under the threat of griefing.

8) “I will not punish a freshman for breaking My building in a game about blocks. I will not punish a freshman for breaking My building in a game about blocks..... I will not.... "

Sees Ace surrounding TNT His village and setting it on fire*

"....."

Gets up from the computer and aggressively quickly stomps towards the freshmen's living rooms*

9) A peaceful player who only draws his sword if someone breaks some rules or behaves inappropriately. His blacklist: Ace, Grim, Floyd, Epel, and sometimes Lilia.

10) He prefers the construction and development of his own village (In no case because He likes power over anyone... And no! Not because He competes with Azul in whose village is better... No, no, no. Nope).

11) He runs the largest stable on the server and is very proud of it.

12) His favorite horse is Vorpal. A fast and healthy horse, dark brown in color with white spots, wearing iron armor.

13) Loves to prance around His village, appreciating it from all sides and receiving guests while sitting on a horse.

14) ...In no case because He looks taller like that...

15) Plays Minecraft in secret from his mother.

16) Tries to follow the laws of the Queen of Hearts even in the game and makes sure that players break away from the game in time and drink tea, or do not eat cakes or pumpkin pies within a certain period of time.

17) Despite His strictness, Riddle loves to help other players with buildings or resources.

18) Entry into His village is officially prohibited for Floyd.

19) ACE, EPEL, DON'T TOUCH THESE CHESTS!

20) .....Cakes....The chest is completely filled with cakes...... Completely.

[Leona]

How lazy... Headcanons for a lion and pixel cubes:

1) “What do you want from Me, herbivore? Ahh... yawn*... Do you want to play games for the little lion cubs again, hmm...?”

2) Didn’t want to play for a long time, because considered the game stupid and not worthy of His attention. And He started playing by accident, when he ordered Ruggy to bring Him a sandwich from the kitchen, but he suddenly refused, because “He’s fighting with some dragon and He doesn’t have time to serve on him now... OUCH! OUCH! ENDERMAN IS HITTING HIM!!!”...

3) Had to go get the sandwich myself...?

Nope. He sent someone else, and he himself started downloading this stupid game...

4) Definitely the laziest player. Leona only comes into the game when He gets SO bored that even sleep seems too energy-intensive for Him.

5) As a rule, Leona wanders from side to side, sometimes getting into fights with other players and monsters. He's not much of a builder, but he's quite a good fighter.

6) Loves to cause trouble and often pits other players against each other. It especially hits the villages of Riddle and Azul.

7) At first, He didn’t even try to work on His house, and simply dug a hole for Himself in a beautiful rock... But as he immersed himself in the game, he began to improve His lair more and more, adding some bulky stone structures to the rock and cobblestones, reminiscent of turrets growing from rock walls. Inside, everything is hung with vines, the palette has warm shades. Lots of carpets and flags. The inside of the "royal palace with one single ruler" is a little empty, as Leona only knew that His house must look great from the outside.

8) Perhaps He will plant a couple of acacia trees at the foot, since during construction he often fell down the cliff, and the foliage softens the fall... However, Ruggi, who lives right below Him, seems not very happy with this idea.

9) “Lightning rod, Ruggy. Make Me a lightning rod. You don’t want lightning to set fire to the dry grass near My rock?”

10) Exploits Ruggi, Yuu and other players as best he can, forcing Them to carry resources and food to Him.

11) In Savanna, where He settled, Leona found a huge village, which he captured and declared as His kingdom... Which He would quickly abandon, since he had already killed all the local livestock and accidentally beat up a couple of residents... And then the robbers came, and that village no longer exists... Boredom...

11) Definitely a good ruler (Nope).

12) Afk 24/7. Often, His character simply freezes in place, ignoring any attacks from mobs or players for the simple reason that the lion fell asleep right at the computer...

13) A couple of times he tried to use cunning to take power over other people’s villages and even the server itself, which is why he earned the title of “Local Villain,” but every time, He was either driven back to His rock or banned.

14) One day, as punishment for the fact that Leona had quarreled with the entire server, He was sent to the mine...... And He fell asleep there.

15) And when he woke up, he quickly persuaded Ruggy (I already feel sorry for Him. Seriously. Stop torturing the hyena) to give Him coal, iron and other amenities from the mine, so as not to dig in the dirt on His own.

16) Sometimes He teases Jack, taming wolves in front of Him.... Now, He has a whole army of dogs, ready to tear anyone in His path.

17) Besides Savanna, Leona loves to walk in the desert and jungle, but hates going into water.

18) All creepers are afraid of him.

19) Initially, the lion had poor preparation for the final battle with the dragon, but after visiting other players (DO NOT TOUCH RUGGY), Leona entered the portal, armed to the teeth, and was especially ferocious in battle.

20) Along with Idia and Yuu, he killed the dragon (Insert the sound of an angry cat fighting a huge lizard here), and was the one who picked up the egg.

Initially he wanted to burn it, but in the end he decided to voluntarily give the egg to Malleus “out of pity”... Well, and maybe a little because he wanted to exalt Himself and show who is cool and noble here.

...Needless to say, Malleus did not understand His evil mockery and accepted this ambiguous gift with a little funereal honor.

Give Me ten minutes and I'll post the twins. Also, if you find errors in the text, please report it in the comments (English is not my native language).

Reblog Me, please! :D

[pandoraheadcanons]

Josh Izzo Q&A from today's Omaticon 2024 panel!

There will be new content supporting the franchise throughout the year

JimCam personally reviews every piece of outgoing lore/content

The lore books are being updated with running changes when vigilant fans point out mistakes in the text/lore

Spider was not the first human to be born Pandora, though there are only a few Pandora-born humans do to resource constraints. Spider was born about 4-5 months before the Battle for the Hallelujah Mountains

The inclusion of "Spider's Adoption" in Jake and Neteyam's song-cord's is CONCEPT ART, and not canon (seen in an Instagram post from Deborah L. Scott, costume designer)

Josh would love to one day cover the time of the First Songs

All moons are named after characters from Greek mythology, Pandora's closest moon is Cassandra

His favorite characters from A2 are Kiri and Ronal

Expect a new 24" Payakan plush and a breaching Payakan statue (with lights!) on Shop Disney!

Different clans have different Iknimaya rights, and getting a banshee is not always the end-all goal of different clans' coming-of-age rituals.

There is a ritual around an akula hunt

All the main family's banshees are still at the reefs, just chilling in the mangroves. This lead to a discussion surrounding a "Banshees playing poker" image based off the "Dogs Playing Poker" image

Some leaders obtain more "political" sway and influence through their actions and state of their clan, such as Tonowari being highly respected among the various reef clans

Still no official confirmation of Neytiri's banshee's name, though remember Zoe has a name for it that is used on set

The "feathers" we see are NOT feathers, and are actually....scales! They were picked for their aesthetic and cinematic design, and officially they are scales. Do with this what you will.

Aonung is the son of both Tonowari and Ronal, so that debate on how the line was said can be put to rest.

Josh knows the gender of Ronal's baby, but cannot share it.

The souls we see in the Tree of Souls and other places exist as a "static backup," as if they were in an archive in Eywa-net. Memory-reliance, and conversations hold no permanent state in the "mind" of the deceased. They "live" in memory moments, a mote of memory. So, every conversation will begin afresh, with the deceased oftentimes not being aware of their death. This will happen every time, and there is no permanence.

There are new comics in the works, expect 2 between now and A3. They may feature movie-related lore.

The old lore is not canon, and lore-rebuild is constantly on-going.

He would love a complete map of Pandora "one day"

There will be more live and interactive experiences coming

They (Disney/Lightstorm) sometimes reach out to companies, though companies will also reach out to them. Merch is carefully constructed.

Finally, when asked on his thoughts on the fandom he said that we are "the kindest, nicest, understanding, and gracious fandom."

[mermaidenmystic]

"The Sundarbans forest is in the eastern deltas of the Bay of Bengal. Freshwater swamps meet the mangrove forests that edge the sea in a complex tangle of waterways and mudflats. It is home to the Bengal Tiger, as well as many other mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles. Bonbibi is called the Lady of the Forest, and is protectress of the Sundarbans. She is venerated by both Hindus and Muslims who live within the environs of her forests in eastern India and Bangladesh, and she is the guardian of all the plants and creatures in her domain. She can be protector to those who perform the proper rituals of respect before they set out in a perilous excursion into her terrain. Her lands are treacherous and shaped by the ebb and flow of sea, by weather, and by the cycles of life and death, growth and decay, and filled with predators that are stronger and quicker than humans. Living within her boundaries is to accept those dangers as well as to flourish in the fertile bounty and resources. It is a contrast of the inhospitable yet rich, and an acknowledgment of humankind’s small place within that uncertain wilderness." Lady of the Mangroves ~ from the "Protectors" series by Stephanie Law ~ @spmlaw ~ quote from Modern Eden Gallery

[tiredfoxtf]

No, Minecraft haven't gotten "worse" over the years. No, new updates haven't "killed" Minecraft. No, Minecraft itself didn't become "boring".

If it was a case, everyone would be still playing on idk a 1.12.2. But no one does that. With every update it gets more painful to play on old versions. I could never reverse to playing without gorgeous mangrove wood, new beautiful terrain and ever useful elytra. And I am not alone. There's a reason people play on newer versions of the game, why modders continue to update their mods newer versions. There's a reason why people are excited for Trial Chambers and new wolves variants. Minecraft only gotten more fun.

I'm sorry to be the one who breaks it to you, but if you think Minecraft is boring now it's one of the two: 1) You're playing Minecraft wrong or 2) Minecraft is not a game for you.

1.You're playing Minecraft wrong. Which is, admittedly, a pretty hard thing to do in my opinion. Minecraft is a game about getting resources and using them to create your own world. It's a sandbox of which you are the sole player (or not, if you are in multiplayer), where you challenge yourself on what next amazing thing you can create. You can be a builder, making castles and spaceships, you can be a redstoner be it a practical redstone or logic redstone, you can be a modder making your own little elements, adding them to the game in a way you would like (a bit of a more advanced hobby than the others). You can join public servers to play entirely vanilla mini-games. Become a parkour master or pvper on the different public servers. Call your friends and make a private multiplayer world, where you race each other in resources or work together to create something, prank each other, build elaborate traps, escape rooms anything and everything.

The goal of the game is NOT to kill the Ender Dragon. The goal of the game is NOT to get maxed out netherite gear. The goal of the game is NOT to get every achievement even, but achievement hunting CAN be a fun game to play with your friends. Or speedrun all of the achievements/to kill end dragon, trying to optimize your skills.

Otherwise killing the ender dragon, getting a full gear and equipment are just part of the experience. Just like fishing, mining, getting wood. Minecraft is Not an rpg, where you go on quests to finish a main plotline, where you level up and monsters get harder, no. All hard content is Optional. That's the point. Not to say irrelevant when we talk minigames servers. Minecraft is a sandbox, survival is just one of the gamemodes.

2.Minecraft is not a game for you.

And that's OK! Although Minecraft is a beautiful game, it may not be for you. The games that are for everyone, are for no one. Not all games born equal in the eyes of a player. You probably like other games! Like Terraria or Starbound, maybe you enjoy Zelda games, maybe you are a Genshin player. They are very different games, if you bored playing Minecraft, it's time close it and to play something you enjoy.

[fraterribilis]

The taxonomy of Sly Cooper: Part 1

In which I will be using my higher than average knowledge of zoology to attempt to accurately identify the specific animal species of various characters in the Sly Cooper franchise, sharing some interesting facts about them along the way.

I'll start with the four most prominent characters; Sly, Bentley, Murray and Carmelita. If people are interested I'll be making similar posts for the other characters.

WARNING: I will be unleashing my inner Animal Kid™ in this post. Verbose language and casual dropping of scientific names abound

Starting off with Sly himself, I like to believe that he is a crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus). This quirky little carnivoran is found throughout South America and parts of Central America. Despite its name, it has a varied diet including crustaceans, fish, small turtles (watch out Bentley), fruits and nuts.

As opposed to the common raccoon (Procyon lotor), which can be a bit of a chubby little furball, the crab-eating raccoon has shorter and sleeker fur, and its slender proportions makes it an even better climber than its northern cousin. All of this makes it a perfect fit for Sly in my opinion. Also, its jaws are more defined and powerful than those of common raccoons, which i think is very appropriate for Sly's dashingly chiseled jawline.

Bentley was a little bit tricky to identify, as he seems to be a rather generic looking turtle. However, a closer inspection of his shell reveals his kinship.

This rather flat, ring-marked shell has led me to conclude that he must be a diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin).

Like Bentley, diamondback terrapins are very resourceful animals, being able to survive in both fresh and saltwater habitats, where they priamrily feed on insects, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. They can be found in brackish marshes and mangrove forests thoughout the east coast of North America. The beautiful diamond-like markings on their shells are unique for every individual. Some people believe that the markings indicate the turtles age, like growth rings on a tree.

I have seen others identify Bentley as a box turtle, which I don't get at all. Box turtles are distinquished by their bulky BOX-shaped shells. The diamondback on the other hand has a flatter, more streamlined shell, which makes it very mobile in the water. Though, I guess this makes it all the more ironic that none of the core members of the Cooper gang know how to swim, despite all of them being based on semi-aquatic animals, but I digress.

Speaking of semi-aquatic, I firmly believe that Murray is a pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). Not just because I have an affinity for these animals, but I can back this up by examining Murray's design and characterization.

Murray has a very stocky and robust body (friend-shaped), with a relatively short compact snout, not unlike the pygmy hippo. This is in stark contrast to the common hippo (Hippopotamus amphibius) which has a very large ungainly (and less "cute"-looking) head in proportion to its body.

I think the main reason that Murray's design in the unfinished Sly-movie was so unappealing, is that they based his proportions too much on those of a "realistic" common hippo.

Anyways, pygmy hippos can be found in scattered populations across forests along the west coast of Africa, where they feed on broad-leafed plants and fallen fruits. They are extremely rare and endangered due to habitat loss and the bush-meat trade.

Unlike the infamously aggressive common hippo, the pygmy hippo is a rather docile and shy animal, whose first instinct when threatened will typically be to run away and hide (not unlike Murray in the first game) though it can defend itself with its powerful jaws. True to its name, the pygmy hippo is less than a quarter of the size of its larger relative, with the biggest specimens weighing in at about 600 pounds (which is lighter than some domestic pigs).

Moving on to Carmelita, there's no getting around the fact that she is supposed to be a red fox (Vulpes Vulpes), what with her strikingly orange fur colour and long bushy tail. The red fox needs no introduction, being one of the most succesful and abundant carnivorans on earth (besides domestic dogs and cats), with a range covering basically the entire northern hemisphere (aside from the Arctic), along with a worryingly invasive population in Australia.

Even though Carmelita is often characterized as a spicy latina, (being inspired by latina actresses such as Selma Hayek and Jessica Alba) Latin America is one of the few places on earth not inhabited by red foxes. These areas of course have their own native fox species. I considered the possibility that she could qualify for being a gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), a kit fox (Vulpes macrotis), or even a culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus), but the thing that really cements her as being a red fox is her jumping ability.

Red foxes are able to jump up to 2 meters into the air, which is four times their shoulder height of about 50 cm. This would be the equivalent of a 6-foot person jumping 24 feet in the air, which feels appropriate given some of the insane feats of athleticism we've seen Carmelita pull off throughout the series.

[bloop-im-a-frog-now]

Sniffer Adventure and Pets

Pearl checked her inventory one last time.

“Sword, pickaxe, shovel, brush, golden carrots,” she hummed to herself. “Maybe I should bring a shield. Juuust in case.”

Once she crafted her shield, she beamed to herself and went out the door, the rumbles of the warden head vibrating her feet. She flew off and was ready to explore those warm ocean ruins.

She couldn’t get the two rarest flowers without some sniffers sniffing the seeds for her.

Tango had told her to head South, where most Hermits haven’t touched any warm ocean ruins. Most have gone North and West, where they could also get the mangrove wood and be left alone while grinding resources.

She threw a rocket to the ground, flying off as she held her Post Office cap on her head during the journey. Pearl didn’t want it to fly off and forever be lost. She loved the hat.

The first warm ocean she encountered didn’t have a lot of suspicious sand. Still, she brushed it, uncovering the mysterious items buried deep in it, like she was discovering fossils.

The first one ended up being a stick, an item very unnecessary for Pearl at the moment.

“What a shame,” she muttered to herself.

She brushed another suspicious sand block, muttering to herself “Sniffer egg, sniffer egg, sniffer egg” like a prayer that would be granted. Instead, she found an emerald.

“Aw man,” Pearl pouted. “I don’t even have a villager hall.”

She was hoping to use other Hermits’ villager hall this season. She kept the emerald for good measure.

“Maybe if I find gravel instead of sand?” She asked herself.

Right beside her was suspicious gravel, and she grinned.

“You cannot escape Pearl’s brush, you little gravel.”

She brushed it carefully, and saw something red being dug out.

She gasped. “Is this it? Did I finally found one?”

The more she uncovered, the more she realized it was a pottery shard. She let out a frustrated groan.

“I feel like I’m gonna find a lot of these pottery shards.”

And how she wished she was wrong. After visiting one-too many ocean ruins (it was more like two, but flying around to find them was worst than finding the mangrove forest), Pearl was almost ready to give up on this region of the world. She looked at the last suspicious sand and glanced back at her brush.

“One last try. C’mon Pearlie, just one last time. This time, it’ll be a sniffer egg. I can feel it in my bones.”

Despite her pep talk, she did not feel confident about the loot in the suspicious sand. Every centimetres she uncovered, her breath stuck in her throat, as if she’d be disappointed by what the sand would unravel.

She saw red, and inhaled loudly in the bubble column she used for breathing — a fatal flaw in her preparations was to bring water breathing potions. She closed one eye, as if the disappointment would be less grand if she didn’t fully witness it.

It could be another pottery shard, or it could be a smithing template. Pearl played on loop the mantra “sniffer egg, sniffer egg, sniffer egg” in her head, brushing like every mistake would cost her her life.

God she hoped it was a sniffer egg.

Suddenly, she saw green spots on the object, and she let out a squeal of joy. She brushed the rest of the sand away and admired the wonderful egg in the palms of her hands.

“What a beauty,” she whispered.

She slowly caressed it with her index finger, cooing at it.

“You’re gonna look amazing, and you’re gonna dig out sooo many flowers for me, and you’re gonna help me make money. Oh, it’s gonna be wonderful!”

The egg did not reply, but Pearl didn’t need a response. She gently tucked it in her inventory, swimming up to the surface until a huge realization struck her.

She needed two eggs to have more than one sniffer.

She groaned. “Damn you breeding mechanics.”

And thus, the search for a second sniffer egg began, much quicker than the first one. She didn’t listen to Tango’s advice and immediately went West, where there was a warm ocean biome that would surely have an ancient ruin in it.

When she spotted one, she flew immediately down, and gasped in excitement when she saw suspicious gravel and sand.

Her luck would definitely turn around this time.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” she whispered to herself as she brushed a suspicious gravel.

It gave her a pottery shard.

She inhaled sharply. “It’s fine, that’s okay, I can — there’s more! Just — brush these, it’s gonna be okay, you’ll find a sniffer egg. Yeah,” she nodded to herself, “the next one’ll be it.”

She had guessed correctly. She rolled on the ball of her feet in joy and took the sniffer egg in her hand, gently petting it.

“You’re gonna be amazing in my farm,” she whispered to it encouragingly.

It didn’t respond. Pearl didn’t really care, she swimmed to the surface and flew to her base as fast as she could.

She wanted to see those sniffers hatch, after all.

Pearl almost face-planted to her roof with how fast she was going. She threw open the door to the sniffer room, a nice bamboo and sand colour with green grass surrounding it. She took out the first egg from her inventory, and carefully placed it on the ground, making sure it wouldn’t fall and break once Pearl let go of it.

It was standing proud in her base, a nice splash of colour in a room that blended into itself. She hummed in satisfaction and placed her fists on her hips.

“Yeah, that'll do,” she smiled. “Now, time for little guy number two!”

She bit her lower lip as the egg touched the ground, hands so gentle with it, as if it was a block she needed to put at the perfect spot for it to fit with the rest of her build. She couldn’t afford to break it, those eggs were so hard to find, and she needed those flowers so badly.

She made sure the egg was balanced on its own before taking her hands off of it. She beamed when the two eggs stood proudly on their own in the green house.

“You guys will be adorable, I can already tell. Now,” she went towards her door, “I’ll go fix some redstone while you two hatch. Be good.”

She looked at them sternly when she said it and left the room to go downstairs, where her redstone was. The Hermit hummed as she thought. Etho suggested she put a player’s head on the noteblock to not hear the farm or the allays activating it.

She slammed her fist against the palm of her hand.

“Time to search for a player's head,” she declared.

As she went to do that, the sniffers in the egg slowly squirmed in place, getting warmed up to hatch. The cracks were already there when she came up to the farm, where her sniffers would dig out the flowers for her shop.

“You guys are already hatching!” She exclaimed, a wide smile on her face. “Wait up, I wanna see you out of your shell, don’t you dare do anything.”

She changed the head she already had on the noteblock only for a small snort to echo in the room. Pearl swivelled around and cooed at the sight.

“You guys are so cute,” there was only one sniffer hatched, cleaning itself from the juices of the egg.

The second one hatched right under Pearl’s eyes, and she gasped in surprise.

“Down right adorable,” she cooed again, and slowly approached the sniffer who had finished cleaning itself. “Hey there little guy,” she greeted, and scratched the top of its head.

It snorted and shook its head like it had water splashed on it. Pearl chuckled and scratched underneath its chin. Immediately, it fell on its stomach, eyes closed and let the Hermit pet it.

“Oh, you’re so adorable. You like Pearl’s scratches? Yes you do, oh you big guy.”

The second bumped its head against Pearl’s shoulder, making doe eyes at her, pleading for something. She laughed and scratched right between its ears.

“Aw, you felt left out?”

The sniffer fell right beside her, caging her between the two of them. She laughed and continued her pets, appreciating this last moment she’ll probably ever spend with her sniffers.

“You guys are so big for babies. Can’t wait for the money you’re gonna make for me.”

The sniffers simply snorted and let themselves be petted by the Hermit. This sniffer farm will be better than her last one, Pearl just knew it.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Rio de Janeiro bay reforestation shows mangroves’ power to mitigate climate disasters

At the rear of Rio de Janeiro’s polluted Guanabara Bay, thousands of mangroves rise as tall as 13 feet (about 4 meters) from a previously deforested area.

The 30,000 trees, planted by non-profit organization Instituto Mar Urbano over four years in the Guapimirim environmental protection area, stand as an example for cities seeking natural means to improve climate resilience.

Such ecosystems are vital for protection against floods that have become increasingly frequent around the world. Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul is still reeling from a devastating flood earlier this month that wreaked havoc and took lives, with waters far from subsiding to normal levels.

Mangroves slow sea water’s advance into riverbeds during storm surges by soaking it up, and protects the land by stabilizing soil that otherwise could be washed away. They also act as a carbon sink. The reforestation in Rio’s bay improved the cleanliness of water that’s a breeding ground for marine species. Crabs have returned, providing extra income for the local crab pickers who helped plant the trees.

“To plant a tree in this mangrove is an act of environmental recovery and also an act in the fight against climate change,” Ricardo Gomes, a director at the non-profit, told The Associated Press on Thursday. “Today we can be sad, because of all that has been lost (in Brazil’s South), all that was destroyed. But we never had so much knowledge, so much technology and resources to recover our environment.”

Continue reading.

[solarpunkbusiness]

In 2008, the Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK), a non-profit organization, pioneered community-engaged mangrove restoration in the country.

So far, BARCIK has brought mangrove restoration to parts of coastal villages including Kaikhali, Burigoalini, Munshiganj, Gabura, Padmapukur and Atulia of Satkhira’s Shyamnagar subdistrict.

Under the BARCIK program, women collect mangrove seeds floated upriver and preserve them for germination. In the next stage, they, together with the male members of their families, sow the germinated seeds in the selected and fenced muddy berms of embankments along the Kholpetua, Chuna and Malancha rivers.

“So far, we have planted mangroves on around 1,800 hectares (4,447 acres) of land, involving more than 400 women,” said Ram Krishna Joarder, BARCIK’s Satkhira district coordinator.

Teamed up, the women monitor the growth of the saplings and take care of them until their maturity, when they start flowering. From the mature trees, they harvest keora fruits and golpata sap to produce pickles and molasses, respectively, for sale.

One of the entrepreneurs of this business, 42-year-old Shefali Begum from Burigoalini village says that mangrove restoration helps her ensure financial stability in a challenging time.

“Although the production of pickles and molasses is seasonal, I can earn $52 (6,000 taka) monthly on average, which is a crucial backup when my husband and sons cannot earn from fishing in the Sundarbans [due to seasonal fishing bans],” Shefali says.

Once an unemployed and poor housewife, Shefali now leads a 40-member cooperative society.

[villainsimpqueen]

"See more than just with your eyes"

The one-shot contest winner @nonamevenus One-Shot!

This one shot is about Her Oc Na'ali and Tsu’tey meeting and building chemistry till the day they are each others.

I had so much fun writing this One-Shot!

As always my pages and fics are always and all 18+! Ageless accounts and minors will be blocked!

To the One-shot

“We will adapt!” Jake’s words rang out over the crowd, speaking not only for his family but for Tsu’tey as well.

“We will adapt.”

The day replayed in Tsu’tey’s mind like a relentless echo—Jake’s promise to the Water People’s leaders, to the clan, to everyone. Tsu’tey tried, struggled, to adapt to this clan's ways, but his cup felt too full to understand, too full even to want to learn. His only relief was seeing that Neytiri also struggled to adapt to the Metkayina ways as much as he did. But that relief was short-lived as he watched her, his friend, begin to adapt as quickly as her family.

Outsider.

He knew, deep in his heart, that he did not belong here. He belonged back at his true home, with his true clan. But he had made a promise to his brother and to his sister that he would stay with them to help protect their family—his nephews and nieces. He loved them dearly and did not want the Sky Demons to ever bring them harm. They had already managed to get a hold of the Sully kids once; Tsu’tey would be damned if they laid a demonic finger on them again without his blade slicing through flesh, taking their hands as trophies.

He hadn’t been made War Chief without reason, after all.

Not that it mattered now. The Metkayina were a clan of peace; there would be no wars. They did not engage in such things unless it was direly needed. There was no War Chief of the Metkayina; such a role would fall to their Olo’eyktan if ever required. They didn’t even patrol their own islands. But he did. 

Some habits die hard.

He rode his ikran around the island, staring down at the people below. The Water People were carrying out their tasks: hunters out fishing, gatherers collecting resources, children being taught the skills and ways of their people. It was so similar to what he was used to, and yet so different that it poisoned his heart with an ache he knew nothing here could cure.

His eyes drifted from the island to the distant cays on the horizon. A soft pat on his ikran's neck guided the flying beast toward them. 

Somewhere alone—where he could sit and think in silence.

His ikran swooped low, its wingtips skimming the water before landing on a low-hanging tree on one of the smaller cays. Tsu’tey carefully climbed down, sliding along the tree until his feet dug into the sand, and he began moving further inland. From the sky, he had seen that the cay encircled a pool of water in its center—a serene spot, he thought, to ponder what clouded his thoughts, what held him back from adapting like the others had.

The walk from the beach to the high-rooted trees was not an easy one, which brought back some familiarity and heartache as he made his way through mangrove roots and limbs to reach the cay's small lagoon-like waters. Right before he would break through the trees, his ears perked up as he heard splashing. Carefully maneuvering around onto mangrove roots, he peered out to the lagoon.

Bright, shimmering waters moved calmly, where crystal clear depths revealed an endless valley of thriving, rich coral reefs. Soft waves pushed onto the lagoon's shores, and each gentle wave glimmered with reflections of the sun. Small fish creatures swam peacefully in schools as Tsu’tey’s eyes moved over the lagoon. His ears twitched at a splash, narrowing as something moved through the waters before emerging.

Hair flew up, spraying water droplets around before falling onto turquoise shoulders, water-reflected cyan stripes merging and splitting down the figure's back. The braids cascaded down to the middle of the figure, and he paused as he watched her move, swimming in the lagoon. Her ears perked, and her head turned, scanning the tree lines where he ducked down, making sure to stay out of her gaze while keeping his on her.

Her cadet eyes scanned before the woman ducked under the waters, vanishing where the coral leaves descended down into the deep, disappearing into darkness. 

Only then did Tsu’tey move, heading to the lagoon’s edge, looking down at the water, his eyes searching for where she had gone. Confusion formed on his features when she did not resurface anywhere else in the lagoon. Staring at the water made him clench his teeth as he backed away, not trusting its edges. His tempted curiosity damned, he perched in the sand, staring out over the lagoon.

He was not a swimmer.

“He is an idiot,” Neytiri muttered as Tsu’tey watched with her at the docks, seeing Jake trying to overdo himself all at once. He chuckled, crossing his arms as he watched his brother-in-arms get flung from the sea animal that had taken off. 

“He is,” Tsu’tey remarked, a smirk finding its way onto his lips, his tail moving idly behind him.

“But at least he is trying,” Neytiri spoke, cocking her head at him, making his ears slick back.

“I will not swim. I am not meant to swim,” he answered with narrowed eyes and slicked-back ears.

“You need to learn,” his friend coaxed, prompting a hiss from him as his tail twitched.

“I do not need this.” 

“Tsu’tey, it has been weeks,” Neytiri tried to press, but she was met with the sight of his back as he stormed away from the docks. A whistle on his tongue, and with the swift beating of ikran wings, Tsu’tey was soon off again, soaring the skies that led him away from the Water People’s village. Her own ears slicked back as she watched him fly away with concern, a sigh leaving her. She prayed to the Great Mother that Tsu’tey would find a home here as she had learned to find one. 

The laughter of her children brought her attention away. 

The cay was a place he would continue to go, landing his ikran on its beaches and swinging through the mangrove roots and tree limbs, always stopping before the tree line in different locations. His glowing green eyes cut through the treeline's shade, out onto the lagoon. 

Glimpses.

He was always able to catch glimpses of the woman of the lagoon. 

Today, as he leaned against one of the many mangrove trunks, he watched her sitting on rocks near one of the lagoon's sides. Her braided hair was twisted up into a messy bun, and her hand came down with a thunderous whack with a rock in her tightly fisted palm. She brought it down two, three times before moving her hand away, the other grabbing something bright orange and fleshy to her lips, sucking it into her mouth, a soft smile gracing her face. 

He recognized it—the flesh of a prickly animal the Metkayina liked harvesting and eating alone or mixed with sea grain. He did not like its taste; the texture of mush did not sate his appetite. However, watching the mysterious woman of this cay’s lagoon eat it with such satisfying content made him want to experience such a simple joy. 

She never stayed in the lagoon long. Washing away the animal's remains, she would stand, and his eyes would take her in with sudden awe as the sun reflected on her skin before she dove off the rocks back into the lagoon's waters, blending entirely in where he could no longer make out her shape as she vanished into the darkness.

An underwater cavern, he believed, led out to the open ocean surrounding the cay.  

Typically, this is where he too would leave the cay, but today he walked out onto the lagoon's beach and moved to the rocks, where he laid down a small trinket between some rocks where it could not be washed away. 

He still did not know if this water woman was real or a play on his eyes for feeling alone in this new, bizarre world he had followed the Sullys into. The small trinket he left behind on the rocks would be his proof.

If it remained there on his return the next day, then the woman was never real.

But if the trinket was gone, moved by hands—perhaps her hands—then she was, in fact, very real and now aware of his visits to the cay’s lagoon.

He had wanted to rush to the cay quickly this morning, but instead, he found himself pulling stupid kids apart from a petty fight, dragging his nephews, the Metkayina Olo’eyktan, and Tsa’hik’s son and his friends away. Having to deal with dragging them all to be dealt with by their parents had been an ordeal. 

He had stayed with Tuk, keeping an eye on his youngest niece while Jake and Neytiri went to make peace and make their sons apologize for causing trouble. 

“And then we saw these little tiny fish—they were like butterflies, Uncle Tey!” his small niece Tuk excitedly chattered as he sat beside her, finishing the weaving of a basket that Tuk was supposed to do on her own. He hummed at her chatter, acknowledging without fully paying attention as he fought with sea nettle to bend and twist under his fingertips.

“Uncle Tey, where do you go every other day?” Tuk's soft little voice broke his focus, making him look at her.

“A place to think and observe, little one,” he responded, watching how her little features formed into soft confusion.

“Dad says you go and sulk.”

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Your dad is an idiot,” he grumbled, causing the little one to giggle.

“But he’s trying to help you, like Mom,” Tuk said, her eyes earnest and wide. She didn’t understand the weight of his burden or the ache in his heart. She only knew the simple wisdom of a child—that everyone should try to get along, to fit in, to find joy.

He sighed, setting the half-finished basket aside. His large hand gently ruffled Tuk’s braids. “I know, little one. But sometimes… sometimes it is hard to change.”

He was glad when his ears perked up hearing of footsteps and turning his head to see her parents. He had left her with them and quickly left the Metkayinas island once more, Taking flight into the sea satly breezes as he did not even need to guide his beast anymore, the Ikran knew where he wanted to go and took him so without any hesitation in the beat of its mighty wings.

The rocks were where Tsu’tey went when he didn’t catch a new glimpse of the lagoon’s woman. Moving to them, his eyes searched the place where he had left the trinket, only to find it gone, replaced by a bracelet of frosted sea glass, woven in a delicate pattern. He took it gently, his tail swaying as he felt the prickling sensation of eyes upon him. His own eyes scanned the water, catching sight of a partial glimpse of a woman’s head breaking the surface—cadet eyes staring back at him, her ears perched well above the water.

Tsu’tey moved his hand from his side to his forehead in a respectful greeting, dipping his head down as he did so, showing the mysterious woman some deference.

Her eyes narrowed as she rose from the water, droplets cascading off her form like crystals. He kept his attention solely on her.

“You are a persistent presence here,” her voice carried across the lagoon, making his ears perk and flick.

“I do not mean to disturb—”

“Do not speak differently than your actions. If you truly meant not to disturb, you wouldn’t have come here repeatedly to stare at me for a solid month,” she cut him off, her tone blunt, as her eyes assessed him with suspicion.

“You are far from where you belong,” she commented, her cadet eyes meeting his.

“I left my homelands to ensure my friend's family stays safe while they seek refuge with the Metkayina,” Tsu’tey explained, watching her so intently that he wasn’t sure when he had last blinked.

“And yet I find you here, bothering me with your staring from a distance,” the woman countered, making him clench his teeth at her brashness. Yet, he couldn’t deny the truth in her words. Resetting his jaw, he attempted a different approach.

“And what is the name of the woman who likes being alone?” he asked, pressing lightly but cautiously.

She stared at him sharply, examining him with an unwavering gaze. Her jaw shifted slightly as she let a clicking noise escape her lips.

“Ne'ali.”

Tsu’tey’s lips twitched into a smile he had to bite back, and her eyes snapped back to him with sharpness.

“It is an honor to know you, Ne'ali,” he responded respectfully, watching as she scoffed and turned away from him, reentering the water.

“Do not disturb my serenity.”

And yet, despite his efforts, he continued to do so.

Every few days, Tsu’tey found time to leave the Metkayina village, flying his ikran to the cay where Ne'ali seemed to reside. Their initial meeting emboldened him, and he began walking out from the mangrove trees to the rocks each time he visited, finding things to occupy himself. He dangled his legs over the edge of the rocks above the water, carving wood to pass the time or to appear busy whenever she arrived from the underwater caves that led to the open ocean.

Sometimes, she acknowledged him with narrowed eyes, shooting him a glare as if his very presence aggravated her. He pretended not to notice, carving away at the limb in his hands. When he finished an animal or whatever he had created, he would leave it behind on the rocks, ignoring how, once he started entering the mangroves, he could hear the splashing of water. Once deep into the treeline and out of her sight, he would turn to see her examining what he had left behind.

Sometimes she took the carvings; other times she left them, but always placed in the cracks of the rocks where the rising tide couldn’t sweep them away.

A collection was growing.

“You do not swim?” Ne'ali’s question came more as a statement, causing him to pause mid-carving. Glancing up, he saw her approaching the rocks from the lagoon's beach. His eyes furrowed at her question, casting a sidelong glance at the ocean as if it were something terrible. His tail cracked behind him like a whip at the very thought of it.

He remained silent as she crouched down, keeping a respectable distance between them.

“I do not know how,” Tsu’tey admitted forcefully, meeting her gaze. He refused to feel ashamed or embarrassed. He had never needed to learn—his life in the forests had made climbing a priority, with flying his ikran, hunting, and fighting following closely behind. Swimming had never been on his agenda, nor had he needed it. The water holes back home were shallow creeks that barely reached his knees. Rivers? He would never go deeper than his chest, still able to walk.

Ne'ali held his gaze for a moment, her head tilting slightly as her ears flicked, thoughts passing behind her cadet eyes that she kept to herself. Then, she rose to her feet, her wide tail swaying with her.

“I shall teach you,” she stated firmly, making a motion for him to follow.

She didn’t give him much choice.

“Why are you smacking the water as if it’s a drum?” Her voice rang out over the waves as Tsu’tey’s arms flailed, colliding with the water as he desperately tried to stand on the tips of his toes, keeping his head above the surface.

“How else am I supposed to hit the water when swimming?!” His voice hissed out, barely louder than the foamy water swirling just under his chin.

“You’re not seeing my motions,” she said, grabbing him and pulling him to the shallow waters where he could rest on his legs. There, she clacked her hands, making him focus as she cupped her palms.

“See my hands?” she emphasized strictly. “When they meet the water, do they echo? No. They meet it with care. My fingers aren’t spread in all directions like branches—they’re enclosed, cupping like a bowl.”

She moved her hands and arms, letting herself float in the lagoon’s waters, demonstrating the movement as she swam around him, her head remaining above the water.

“See how I caress the water, filling my hands like a bowl? That is how you should meet the water, not like this!” She flailed her arms mockingly, slapping the water the way he had moments before.

“This doesn’t move you or keep you up! You’re thrashing around like a newborn, and even they know how to float!” Ne'ali chastised him, humor dancing in her voice as a rare smile touched her lips.

Tsu’tey’s ears slicked back, and without a word, he stormed toward the shore.

“I will not be ridiculed,” he muttered, bitterness lacing his words.

Ne'ali watched him leave, her cadet eyes tracking him as he disappeared into the trees. A soft whisper escaped her lips, meant only for herself.

“And yet, you will return to bother me more, skxawng.”

And he did return. In the following days, Na'ali was not surprised when she finally heard him approaching again. She did not turn to face him, focusing instead on the seaweed she was twisting and weaving into new netting along the lagoon’s beach. Her ears tipped slightly at the sound of his footsteps—the only acknowledgment of his presence as silence filled the lagoon, broken only by the gentle waves and the occasional leaping fish.

“I apologize for how I acted,” Tsu’tey's voice came softly from behind her. “Time and reflection have allowed me to see my ways more clearly.”

She greeted his words with a sigh, setting her half-finished net aside before turning her head to look at him. His ears were down, his tail low—a pitiful display.

“Are you ready to see with more than just your own view?” she asked bluntly, pressing him to understand if he was truly ready to listen and learn.

“I am willing to try again,” Tsu’tey answered, and she responded with a nod, standing from the sand and walking into the water. Her tail glided effortlessly through the waves as she raised her hand, beckoning him to follow.

And see, he did.

Na'ali found herself grinning when he finally managed to keep himself from flailing. Within hours, she had him leaving the shallows to swim with her to the middle of the lagoon. In less than half an hour, they reached the center, where he lay on his back, floating beside her as the sunset painted the sky in hues of gold, purple, and pink. The last of the Great Mother’s blazing suns were beginning to depart, and the moon was creeping in, ushering the grand eclipse that would bring the night.

The lagoon’s waters began to shimmer with luminescence. Na'ali tilted her head slightly, glancing at Tsu’tey. His bioluminescent freckles glowed brighter than hers, their light dancing on his skin. His eyes were closed, his face peaceful, as if he had finally found stillness within. When he opened his eyes and looked at her, the brightness of his green gaze startled her.

A forest.

She could almost see the very homeland he had left behind reflected in his eyes. His lips curved into a gentle smile that made her pause in her thoughts.

“This is peaceful,” Tsu’tey admitted softly, and his words struck her with an unexpected sense of pride. She grinned before turning to the star-lit sky.

“You should keep your eyes open more often,” she teased.

After that, he grew more daring. Tsu’tey began to swim farther out from the shorelines, not just at Na'ali’s secluded lagoon but also in the village. He swam with his chosen nephews and nieces, and his sudden embrace of the Metkayina way did not go unnoticed by the Sully children—or by their parents, who watched from the docks in disbelief.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Jake muttered to his wife as they watched Tsu’tey swimming. “He’s actually out there.”

“About time he got over himself,” Jake added with a smirk.

“No,” Neytiri corrected, her lips curving into a smile. She placed her hand on her mate’s arm, her eyes brightening with a quiet joy.

“He has found another,” she said, a note of celebration in her voice. She began to move toward their home, leaving Jake with more questions.

“You mean a woman?” Jake asked, following her as she started preparing dinner, her grin growing wider.

“Another who can make him smile, like Sylwanin once did,” Neytiri revealed, grinding herbs as she spoke. “I hope to meet this person, to see who has brought warmth back into my friend's heart.”

After all, no one with a strong heart should be alone.

The wood crackled as flames danced into the salty sea breeze, carrying the scent of fish being cooked. 

“Do you plan to always stay on your own?” Tsu’tey asked, turning to look at Na'ali, who sat beside him. She was watching him as he turned the fish over the coals, the bundled herbs stuffed inside its split side. The aroma seeped into the tender flesh as the oils sizzled and dripped onto the hot stones.

Na'ali's response didn’t come as quickly as usual, and concern crept into Tsu’tey’s features. He noticed her distant expression before she blinked it away and met his gaze, her cadet-blue eyes locking onto his.

“Are you planning to make your presence in this woman’s life a permanent one?” she asked, a playful note in her voice as she deflected the personal question back to him.

Tsu’tey’s eyes crinkled with amusement, a smirk tugging at his lips. He took the bait, teasing in return.

“If she would have me,” he replied.

Something shifted in Na'ali’s eyes—a softness forming within them as her ears fluttered, and her cheekbones darkened with a deeper hue. She turned her face to avoid looking at him, but her fingers shyly grazed his, a warmth sparking through their touch. Tsu’tey moved his fingers to interlock with hers, his warm palm enveloping hers gently.

“I will not move into another village,” her voice wavered slightly, but Tsu’tey knew Na'ali was firm in her words. He squeezed her fingers gently in reassurance.

“I know. I wouldn’t ask you to,” he said softly, watching her. Hesitation only lingered for a few moments before he carefully cupped her cheek with his other hand, turning her to face him. He stared into her alluring cadet-blue eyes.

“Oel ngati kameie, I do not want to change you, Na'ali. You are beautiful as you are.”

His heart was fully on display for her, his eyes radiating warmth and affection as his hand rested gently on her darkened cheeks. 

Na'ali struggled internally, years of solitude fighting against the urge to pull away, to protect herself. But the strange desire to guard that tender look on Tsu’tey’s face—one she was sure no one else could bring out in him—kept her still.

Her lungs burned as she forced herself to take a breath, her chest rising and falling with each shaky inhale. Her entire body felt alive, pulsing with warmth as her trembling hand covered his, pressing his palm firmly against her cheek. She closed her eyes, unable to continue looking into the forest that lived in his eyes.

She breathed, and Tsu’tey allowed her the space to do so without any pressure, simply staying by her side like the air she needed. When she opened her eyes again, she greeted him with azure eyes, glowing with the light of new love—a calm ocean stirring with the promise of endless depth.

“She would have you,” Na'ali whispered, clinging to his hand softly, a silent plea in her gaze.

“If he promised to stay.”

Tsu’tey brought her into his arms, holding her close. Always offering her safety, always allowing her the freedom to flee if his touch became too much. But when she didn’t pull away, his heart pounded with joy as he rested his chin on her head, his tail swaying gently. His eyes flickered to the fire before them, watching as ash and flames danced toward the starry sky.

“I have nowhere else to go,” he whispered, feeling her lean more into him.

“Oel ngati kameie, Tsu’tey.”

[thehopefuljournalist]

The Options Series - Organization No 2

Hi there!  I know it can be tough to start taking action in things you care about, especially when you don’t know where to start.

So I am starting this series, where I’ll introduce some organizations that make it their mission to act in different fields relating to the topic of this blog - climate change and action and everything it includes. Feel free to submit or offer other organizations that you like!

Mangrove Action Project is a US-based nonprofit which collaborates with stakeholders at all levels to preserve, conserve, and restore our world’s mangrove forests. 

Why mangroves?

Mangrove forests are one of the world's most important ecosystems, and one of its most threatened.

Mangrove forests are able to provide vital marine spawning grounds, are home to many animal species, maintaining biodiversity, and providing livelihoods to hundreds of millions around the world.

They can also mitigate climate change, both through their massive carbon sequestration potential, and in dealing with current effects like coastal erosion (the loss or displacement of land), and floods. Mangroves are a vital resource for both local and global communities.

The mission

In their official website (linked above), MAP states that they work through direct action, advocacy, and education to ensure that mangrove forests are healthy for current and future generations.

The Mangrove project accepts donations on their website, but even if you aren't able to donate your money to them, they have a ton of educational articles that you can read and learn more about the subject.

Thank you so much for reading, and of course as always feel free to contact me, correct me, or submit and offer any other ideas that you have!