#Raptor talks to the cat

[the-acid-pear]

I love my phones. I need to make designs for them. They're so fun 4 me. Went to sleep daydreaming. So yipeee.

[herd-reject-arts]

So I'm leaving work and something darts in front of me, maybe 10ft away, too fast for me to see what it is. Peek around the tree blocking my path and I see this

Just like... a whole ass hawk. Dude's gotta be about 1.5ft tall. Massive fucking bird. And it's just staring me straight in my soul like this, even as I try to move ahead. It didn't budge. And there's only this path back to my car unless I want to walk on a busy highway. So I have the option of Death By Raptor or Death By Truck.

So I walk in the poison ivy filled patch off the sidewalk. Guy still isn't moving. Still staring me directly in the eyes. And I do this thing when animals are behaving strangely where I'll talk to them, so I'm just like, "Hey, man. I don't know you. You don't know me. This feels really threatening. I'm just trying to get to my car, dude. Can I get some space please? You're a big fucking bird. I see those claws. You could kill me right now, but I'd appreciate if you didn't, ok?"

It didn't move until I was about 2ft away. Again: I'm as far from it as I can be without walking into the street. It clearly wasn't going to budge. I walk past, thing flies up (silent, btw. Scary) and lands on a brick wall a little further ahead

Anyway. Weird guy. Nearly shit my pants when I noticed a bird big enough to carry off a fully grown cat was just... there, staring me in the face, unwilling to move away from me, a human, something it should see as a threat. I watched behind me the whole rest of the way to my car, just in case this bird decided to help me shed this mortal coil. 10/10 experience. Super cool guy.

[raptorish]

Being 'Kin Without A 'Heart

Written by Max on October 28, 2024.

I think I have an interesting disconnect between being otherkin and being otherhearted. I see people who feel as though the two terms are nearly indistinguishable, and for some reason it's not like that for me! There's a clear line between them in my brain, and I wanna journal about my personal experience with that.

I'm a velociraptor, velociraptor therian, raptorkin, raptorkind, a prehistoric bird, a wereraptor. I use those words interchangeably, since they all convey the proper information: I'm a raptor. I also strongly identify as human. I have two species, equal in value, and they fluctuate in intensity - in my daily life, I'm content to see myself as human, and my raptor side is almost a separate creature entirely, but not quite. It's a median headmate, an important part of me, and also different from me. We are the same until we are not.

And I'm not raptorhearted, even when I'm only partly identifying as a raptor, when I'm feeling more human. I don't identify with raptors, with the traits humans have given them or with their reconstructed biology - I don't feel a sense of belonging, or home, or love for their species in a way that's beyond what I feel for other animals. Raptors are, for some strange reason, not very special to me. I just happen to be one.

Even when I'm not a raptor, when I'm a human with a raptor side and raptor instincts, I don't relate to my raptor brain - that's why I separate it from me! I don't feel a sense of familiarity with it, beyond the familiarity of being it and knowing how it works from being it.

Other raptors aren't inherently family to me. I'll call them cousins, as an affectionate shorthand, because they're like me and not quite the same, but I don't feel a sense of caring for them simply because they're raptors. I feel familiar with them because they're like me - I enjoy seeing how much we're alike, what ways we might differ! But I don't deeply care about them, in the same way someone who's raptorhearted might.

Here, for contrast, let me tell you about how I experience being fictionhearted with a particular canon, and why I'm confident in calling that a hearttype.

My heartcanon, the fictional canon which I'm connected with, is a personally-created alternate universe of the video game Detroit: Become Human, which I've named Detroit, Machina. I've named it, given it a different title, because it's so fundamentally important to me and feels so different from the original source from which it was derived that calling DBH in general my heartcanon feels painfully wrong.

I don't identify as any character from Machina. I identify with the beats of the story, with the characters and their struggles, with the joys and failures and everything about creating it. I say I have a heartcanon because I could tell someone about it as a story, as a fanfic, and it would not convey the depth of how this story is embedded into my psyche. I would not be the same person if I hadn't written about it for years of my life, put pieces of myself into it. I'm not fictionkind, I'm not anyone in this story, but the story is an integral part of me anyway. I have such strong feelings about it that I don't know how to put it to words, and I don't feel comfortable trying in a public post. It's important to me. If you told me I could never talk about Machina again, I would crumble to ash.

Contrast that with being a raptor. If you were to tell me I could never have any piece of dinosaur paraphernalia ever again, I would shrug. They're cute, sure, but I don't care about raptors that intensely. I would be just as disappointed if you said I couldn't ever have any cat paraphernalia, and I'm not a cat in any alterhuman sense.

Basically - I don't care about raptors in such a strong, personally intense way that they've changed who I am. I am a raptor, and that's changed who I am, and that doesn't mean I necessarily love them. And that's perfectly okay.

[orcinus-veterinarius]

When horses end up with severe leg/hip injuries, they are almost always put to sleep. The odds of recovering full mobility from such injuries are slim and the odds of reinjury are high, so even if the horse is perfectly healthy in all other aspects, it is generally recognized to be more humane to put them down than to keep them alive just to live the rest of their lives limping around a small paddock or stall. A life for a horse in which s/he cannot gallop, leap, explore and play is no life at all. Why not apply the same logic to cetaceans? A life for a cetacean in which they can’t dive hundreds of meters, make meaningful autonomous choices (“should I play with the rubber ball or the puzzle feeder today?” is not a meaningful choice; research has shown that autonomy is crucial for animal welfare), echolocate and experience the rich biodiversity of the ocean is no life. I really don’t understand why it’s so horrible to think it more humane to euthanize a confused and sick orca calf if there is no chance of rehab and release than to take her/him permanently into captivity. It’s not disparaging or hateful to cetacean trainers to say so—I know they care about animals—it’s simply a logical ethical stance. Instead of searching in vain for orca conservation organizations that aren’t “radically anti-captivity”, maybe pro-caps should look inwards and ask themselves why all the major orca organizations (Center for Whale Research, Orca Behavior Institute, OrcaLab, Wild Orca, Orca Conservancy, Far East Russia Orca Project, etc.) as well as some cetacean organizations (ex. Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Cetacean Society International) oppose captivity. Is it because all of these esteemed groups, which if you look them up are all staffed by credentialed scientists, have been duped by the “animal rights agenda”, or could it be because maybe, just maybe, they know what they’re talking about? If captive orcas are so different from wild ones that wild orca biologists have no credibility to speak about their welfare, then that’s a clear indictment of captivity already.

Hi. I'm sorry for not answering right away, I was still at my externship when I got your ask, and I wanted to be able to sit down and give you a proper answer. So unfortunately, I don't think what I say will satisfy you. I don't expect to change your mind, nor is that my goal here. I only want to explain why I believe the way I do, so that you or others reading this can at least understand that it's not a position I take lightly, nor do I think it's infallible.

(Long post below the cut):

To start off, as an (almost) veterinarian, there are absolutely plenty of circumstances where I find euthanasia to be the correct decision. Euthanasia is our final gift to our patients, a swift and painless death in the face of prolonged suffering or poor quality of life. A large dog with debilitating osteoarthritis. A cat with terminal lymphoma. A down cow. A raptor with an amputated leg. Or like you mentioned, a horse with a fractured hip. These animals would live in a constant state of pain that they don't understand, and death can rightly be considered a kindness to them.

But an otherwise healthy orca calf? I would consider that a false equivalence. I agree that life in the wild should be prioritized whenever possible, and that captive orcas lead very different lives than their wild counterparts. But if that orca cannot return to the wild (orphaned and unable to be reunited with its pod, habituated to humans, non-painful disability such as deafness), and there is a facility willing to take it on, I do not think euthanasia is an appropriate option. In human care, that calf can still swim, breach, and dive, even if not to the same depths as the ocean (it's also worth noting that these are all costly behavior energetically and are not performed for no reason). It can still socialize and form family bonds with an adopted pod of whales. It can still (theoretically) mate and rear calves. It can still engage its big brain in problem-solving through training and enrichment in the place of hunting. And as a bonus, it will never go hungry and has access to veterinary care if ill or injured.

This is not a wild life. This is not the same life they would've, or should've known. A pool, no matter how well-appointed, is not the ocean, and we should not claim they're comparable. But I don't think it's a fate worse than death. I truly don't. But if it is... if freedom really is worth more than life, then all captive whales need to be euthanized. Even in a sea pen setting, they will not be free. They will not choose their food, their companions, their enrichment, their comings and goings. Those choices will still be made on their behalf by caregivers, and they will still have pretty much the same levels of autonomy as in their tank habitat. They will still be captive. (While some people do advocate for this, I don't think it's a popular outlook. Even SOS Dolfijn, a historically anti-cap organization, recently announced plans to build an aqauarium as a permanent home for non-releasable cetaceans rather than continuing to euthanize them).

Speaking of autonomy, yes, it is very important. But I truly don't think the orcas are distressed by the lack of meaning in choosing between enrichment devices. I think that's why we disagree on this topic... we have different worldviews. We both see orcas as beautiful, intelligent creatures, but I do not see them as people. They are animals, and for all their complexity, I interpret their behavior the same way I do any other species... they are motivated by food, reproduction, and (since they're highly social) companionship. Because of that, I still think we can give them a good life in human care, which is why it frustrates me to see the zoo community throw up their hands and give up rather than trying to improve our current less-than-ideal setups (*shakes my fist at the Blue World project*).

Now, I don't think it's wrong to be emotional about animals. I most definitely am! And it's very clear to me you love orcas and care about their wellbeing deeply. I admire that about you, and I appreciate your passion.

On to the next point... in the cetacean world, I've found that there is an unfortunate divide between researchers and caregivers who work with cetaceans in human care and those who study them exclusively in the wild. And that schism far predates the Blackfish era. Most of those organizations you listed are indeed legitimate, and I fully support their vital work and encourage others to do the same. A few of them, though, share things like this:

I think you can understand why this hurts me. And it's a lie. I've now interned at three aquariums (two of them AZA-accredited) that house various species of cetacean, and it's impossible for me to reconcile what I know and have seen to be true and what Whale and Dolphin Conservation wants the public to believe: that these unbelievably loved, vivacious animals are drugged and tortured by their greedy captors. It's not true, and I do not appreciate WDC for spreading this creepy artwork around. Nor do I think that fighting captivity is a beneficial allocation of resources when there is an overwhelming number of genuine threats to the survival of wild cetaceans.

Anyway, back to the scientists. Personally, I don't consider researchers who work exclusively with wild orcas to be either superior or inferior to those who work with captive whales. And sometimes I wonder how much of their position is a self-fulfilling prophecy: if someone opposes captivity on moral grounds, they won't work with captive whales, so they'll never get to know what their lives and care are like beyond maybe a single tour of the park or memories of how things were done in the 1960s (like Dr. Spong, who worked with some of the very first captive orcas at the Vancouver Aquarium).

I also don't think it diminishes the expertise of wildlife biologists to say that they are not experts on husbandry, training, or medical care... those are very different fields, and ideally, they should all inform each other. And of course, there are folks who work with both wild and captive whales. One of the reasons I linked SR3 in my previous post is they have staff with backgrounds in both managed care and research of free-ranging populations (I actually have no idea what the organization's official stance on captivity is, it's not something they address).

Maybe I'm wrong. I try my best to keep an open mind, but I know I'm also swayed by my own preconceptions and experiences. When I started this blog in December 2020, I was a first year vet student with minimal actual experience outside of domestic animals and some herps, and had only recently adopted the pro-captivity outlook. Now, I'm much more deeply involved in the zoo and aquarium world. These are people I know and respect, people who have written me letters of recommendation and comment on my Facebook posts, people I've had dinner with and showed up with after hours to care for a sick animal. And I recognize that biases me. The zoo world is often resistant to change, especially folks who have been in the industry for many years. And that doesn't do anyone, especially the animals, any good. I don't want to get stuck in an echo chamber, so I make it a point to read anti-captivity literature, even when it upsets me. If there is anything I can do to improve their lives, I want to learn about it, regardless of the source.

I try to adapt to new information. For example, in the past few months alone, I've become a lot more favorable toward the idea of sea pen habitats. My concerns about "sanctuaries" are more logisitical* and philosophical** rather than the idea that artifical habitats are inherently superior to pen habitats (they're not), especially when plenty of traditional facilites already make great use of ocean pens or enclosed lagoons. There are pros and cons to both, and a lot of it depends on the needs of the individual animals.

*funding; maintenance; lack of land-based backup pools and fully-equipped medical facilities; introducing immunologically naive animals to pollutants and infectious agents; disruptions to native wildlife; staffing activists and wildlife biologists rather than those with relevant husbandry experience

**villainizing aquariums; promoting the project as a "release to freedom" to the public when it's really another form of captivity; claiming the animals' lives will be "natural" when they will still require training, artificial enrichment, contraceptives, and social management if done correctly; downplaying or completely denying the very real risks of such a transition and insisting the animals will automatically be better off when Little White and Little Grey have proved that's not the case

If you made it to the bottom, thanks for reading. I wish all the best for you, and I mean that genuinely ❤️ even if we disagree, I hope you can appreciate our shared love for these animals and a desire for their wellbeing. Best of luck in all your endeavors!

[wc-confessions]

Here's a rapid fire list of non-Warriors xenofiction novels WC fans can read. Will say I haven't read all of these, and in that case, I will not leave a comment. Obligatory Wings of Fire, Guardians of Ga'hoole, Redwall, and Watership Down recommendation. Honorable mentions go to other Erin Hunter series - Seekers, Survivors, Bravelands, and Bamboo Kingdom. Varjak Paw series by S.F. Said. Two books. Geared toward a younger audience like Warriors. I can vouch this as one of my favorites. I can see it being an acquired taste, especially for someone older, though. Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams. One book. Personally, I'd only recommend this book if you're super interested in learning about the inspiration for Warriors. Otherwise, its themes have aged like milk and the story isn't all too special. I will say the plot gets pretty decent and horrifying at the halfway point. The Deadlands series by Skye Melki-Wegner. Three books. I have completed the first and a read a little of the second. Geared towards a younger audience like Warriors. You can tell that the audience is younger due to the dialogue and characters. Descriptions are good and I'd imagine thrilling for the target demographic. In fact, I'd describe the books, that I've read so far, as thrilling in general. However, the "Jurassic Park meets Wings of Fire" comparison is a lie. Wings of Fire is accurate but this series has nothing to do with the Jurassic Park movies or books besides dinosaurs. It'd be closer to say "The Land Before Time meets Wings of Fire." I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for Warriors with dinosaurs. Silverwing series by Kenneth Oppel. I've only read a little of the first book, so I don't have much to talk about. I will tell you that a graphic novel has recently released! Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies. One book. About deer. No comment. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. One book. Horses. No comment. Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker. One book. Utahraptors. No comment. A Black Fox Running by Brian Carter. One book. Foxes. No comment. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. One book. Mice. No comment. Foxcraft series by Inbali Iserles. Three books. Foxes. No comment. The Tygrine Cat series by Inbali Iserles. Two books. Cats. No comment. The Books of the Named series by Clare Bell, more commonly known as Ratha's Creature or the Ratha series. Five books. Prehistoric Dinaelurus nimravids. No comment. I think I've listed enough in this ask, but I'll drop this xenofiction list https://www.tumblr.com/the-owl-tree/745956715298799616/xenofiction-reading-recommendation-list?source=share in case anyone wants more.

.

[kaythefloppa]

You know what, fuck it, cringe culture is dead. Here are some highlights of the Lion Guard/Wild Kratts crossover AU that I had drafted out in my head as a 9-10 year old watching both shows in 2016, but never got around to publishing. Also note that the continuity is absolutely shit because once again, this was conceptualized by an elementary student who hadn't discovered what fanfiction was.

Kion and Bunga being the lion and honey badger that show up in Honey Seekers during a very rocky patch in their relationship. Bunga and Sweet-Tweet would be in an on-off relationship (this was before S3 so Binga didn't exist, and also this was before the honey badger/honey guide symbiosis thing was proven to be bullshit because it is bullshit.)

Fuli being Spot-Swat's mother after a much-needed glowup. Suffers post-traumatic stress due to natural selection taking one of her cubs (a very unfortunate fact of cheetahs). Given how Blur is shown to attack Zach upon mistaking him for a vulture (hmmm), the ammo is right there.

Makuu being the mate of Crocodilla, and the biological father Frederica, Jawsana, Snappifer, Munchette, Crunchina, and Chompella. He happily accepts the soft-shell turtles as his daughters given his own upbringing where he was raised with turtles as his foster-brothers (that last bit was a headcanon I coined around a year or 2 ago, but inspired by the show).

Beshte being an expy for Tusker who is leading the pod (once again, waaay before S3 came in). He is not the friendly happy-go-lucky kid you see in the show. Has killed before. Will kill you. He figuratively and literally eats crocodiles for breakfast. Hippos are fucking assholes.

That being said, he could not be a more protective father towards Hipster O-Potamous.

I coined a headcanon of Ono being raised by a peregrine falcon since they live all over the world and thus would gain the knowledge that he does in the show. To add to that, I like to imagine Aviva creating a translation device to talk to an understand animals, and it becomes 2 hours of the brothers completely nerding out with Ono.

The WK villains often targeting the TLG characters. Donita capturing Dogo and his sibs to use as hats, Zach wanting Makuu and his float as Guard bots, Gourmand intending to cook Janja (karma?) and Paisley demolishing Ma Tembo's valley. Kion and the Lion Guard occasionally teaming up with the Kratts to beat the villains and both sides being utterly surprised by the others abilities.

Stomp the Secratarybird having this unexplained beef with Ushari, making it well known that he is his Nemesis.

Zooboomafoo making an appearance in the Pride Lands (cause why not) and he instantly becomes fresh meat for the monkeys of the Pride Lands and had to be guarded at all costs.

The Cheetah adopted episode but it's with Pumbaa and Fuli/Blur having a custody battle over Spot-Swat.

The vultures being captured by Gourmand in the S1 finale being Mzingo and his flock and although out they just have back and forth political banter with the other raptors.

Replace at least one of the servals with a caracal cat and have it be Hang Time.

[kit-williams]

Insanity seems to follow...

thank you @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan for letting me use Karlsor

@egrets-not-regrets @liar-anubiass-blog @barn-anon @bleedingichorhearts

@ms--lobotomy @nekotaetae @sleepyfan-blog

Karlsor was still fucking pissed that he was stuck being the face for this shitty ass base learning shitty ass rules?! That everything made no fucking sense and that the humans here looked weird... its when some son of Magnus had finally filled him in on what was going on with what he was seeing. So maybe the bonds weren't totally bullshit... just mostly bullshit. Though... some of them looked odd... the bonds on the twisted fuckers looked different... far too organic looking verses the fabric looking that the warp here seemed to have.

This was so much bullshit! And then he heard there was a base full of Night Lords so why the fuck was he stuck here?!

"Can you stop stomping around? Some of us are trying to nap." A voice in Nostroman swears at him from some perch in the darkness to which Karlsor could easily the black haired and pale skinned individual.

"Fuck you!" Karlsor hisses and he sees the black eye open up at him.

"Fuck you too." Ghosk snarls, "Why the fuck are you here?"

"Where else would I fucking be?!"

"At base?"

"I AM AT BASE!"

Ghosk barks out a laugh, "They didn't tell you that there's a night lord base?"

"FUCKING ULTRAMARINES AND THEIR BULLSHIT!" Karlsor swore and he knew they were trying to keep him around.

"Though... I wouldn't go right now. Bit of a mess."

"Why?"

Ghosk leaned an arm down looking like a large cat as he lounged, "Politics. No one is from the first claw... so currently its a dick swinging contest as to who gets to be 'chapter master' or 'legion master'."

"So why the fuck are you here?"

"Because I spoke the truth like Jesus Christ." He continued before Karlsor could ask what the fuck he was talking about, "I said it was going to be one the the Terran born Night Lords that is probably going to be in charge. Either Loyalist or Traitor because they actually aren't fucking retarded like the rest of us from Nostromo. So I'm here until they pick someone."

"Cool... who the fuck are you." Karlsor says.

"Ghosk. Ghosk Sevyrarek. Raptor. So who the fuck are you?" Ghosk replies.

"Karlsor. Librarian."

"When are you from?" Ghosk croons looking down at him. Karlsor debates on even telling him given how he's currently in the "chaos" wing of the base. Ghosk huffs, "I'm from M41."

"M31" Karlsor finally relents, "We were attacking McCragge."

"Oh... OH SHIT I was there! Hey I was a scout at that time if you go back can you pass something along to my past self."

"Fuck off." Karlsor says before there was suddenly a blur and he felt weight on his chest as he felt cold. Ghosk's eyes were old as the unarmored Night Lord was perched above him as his fucking wings seemed hide them from you.

"LISTEN I have been alive for ten thousand fucking years since our Primarch died. Since all that shit went down and everything went tits up. I have seen shit so much WORSE. Now if we do go back you're going to either kill me or tell me to join the loyalists." Ghosk says with his eyes darting around calming down.

Karlsor grumbles but accepts the hand from the shorter night lord. There was a pause between them, "But yeah plenty of Night Lords at base would want your opinion since this is a big deal. Blah Blah Blah. You know claw politics. Anyway I guess have fun being stuck here!" Ghosk says with a snicker before walking off with his wings neatly folded up against his back.

Karlsor just groaned as shit was getting stupider with what insane bullshit he was having to learn to accept was just normal here. "Fuck me..." He says wandering off.

[bonefall]

You mentioned in the rogue of rot story that kits are warned against following strange voices, especially if they sound like babble- are there any creatures in their folklore or creatures that are living that could mimic voices like that? Demons come to mind but I wasn’t sure if there was anything else

I love things like this, these stories and legends are all so well thought out and put together

Humans, though I think that's obvious. A very intelligent fox can also string together a few of the phonetics in Clanmew. "Aaa," "ka'ak," "yyee." But the more active danger, which the Rogue of Rot story is REALLY told to warn for, is ravens.

In BB, the kittens have a LOT more freedom. They're not allowed to wander very far and they're almost always attended, but there are times were a kitten can be alone or in a group just consisting of their own age.

Ravens ARE smart enough to try and lure a kitten away from a group or safe area, and quite frankly if I didn't have the no OCs rule, I would add kits who die in various ways like this.

Clan cats consider ravens to be a type of raptor. The term "Yassga" describes ALL large birds that are capable of attacking a cat. Even adult warriors are wary of ravens, intelligent, social birds with powerful beaks.

There's harmless animals that can mimic voices too! Starlings, for example. There's also multiple words in Clanmew for types of mimicry though, and a starling doesn't "Babble" (evil mimic)

To Babble is to speak in the words Bumble cursed outsiders with, to talk unintelligibly or say blasphemy. To make words without sense.

[shadowphoenixrider]

Over a Bowl of Gumbo

(Direct sequel to Sins of the Past, where Gambit makes good on his promise to Shadow, and they Talk. More fluffy than the other one, but about the same amount of talking! At least we know where all the X'Men's 'talk about your feelings' budget went.)

Gambit made his way down the dormitory hall, following the voices that floated up from the dorm with its door ajar, keeping careful hold of the bowl in his hands.

Almost as soon as he'd crossed the mansion's threshold Shadow had been taken from him, bundled away into hot towels and towards the medbay, Beast rattling off orders in Medical-Speak that Gambit had no hope in understanding.

He'd not seen her since, and though he knew full well Beast would take care of the mutant, Gambit had found his mind loud with chattering worries. He couldn't silence them, but he could busy himself the only reliable way he knew how - something that made an even grumpy Scott forgive him. A bit.

As he approached the room, the voices became clearer; a warm southern drawl and the quieter accent no-one could place, talking casually. Gambit smiled warmly, gently drumming his knuckles on the door before pushing his way in.

Shadow was sat up in bed, propped up by pillows and in soft long-sleeved pyjamas, whilst Rogue sat at her feet.

"Hope Gambit not interruptin', mes amies?" He asked, glancing between them.

"No, we're fine here, sugah." Rogue smiled, eying the bowl in his hands and standing up. "There any more of that gumbo of yours?"

"Some, if ya quick. Hopefully Wolverine ain't ate it all." Gambit replied. He noticed the two women share a glance and smile, before Rogue began to take her leave. "She ok?" He asked lowly as she passed him.

"Doin' better now." Rogue nodded. "You did good, Remy."

They shared a smile before she left, and Gambit made his way into the room.

"What've you got?" Shadow asked, shifting to sit more upright.

"Gambit do believe he promised you a bowl of his gumbo when we got back. Careful, it still hot." He smiled, gently passing it to her. Their fingers brushed, and both had to resist the instinct to recoil. "No shrimp, only de chicken."

"And enough spice to kill?" Shadow raised an eyebrow, setting the bowl in the dip of her crossed legs. Gambit chuckled richly - he hadn't realized how much he'd missed her ripostes.

"Need a little spice to warm ya up!" He grinned, sitting where Rogue once had. "Beast would agree!"

"Uh huh." Shadow stirred the stew, taking a conservative taste. Gambit found himself watching her face carefully, gauging her reaction.

To his relief, she smiled, uttering a pleased hum. "Mmm! I can see why Rogue wants to get more."

Gambit beamed at her praise, not quite sure why.

"Glad ya like it, petite." And with that, Shadow dug in - her hunger clear.

Gambit turned his attention to her room, letting her eat in peace. Despite her still being at the X-Mansion as a guest, Shadow was already making her dorm her own. Large posters clung to the wall, one of a sci-fi show Gambit was fairly sure Beast also liked, another that listed all of the raptor birds that could be seen in their area, and yet another with all of the constellations in the night's sky. Books and textbooks were propped up haphazardly together, ranging from the expected subjects of cell biology and biochemistry to a variety of sci-fi and fantasy reference books, one about cat behaviour and another with a title Gambit was sure was there to embarrass people snooping in her room.

Another pile of books sat on the desk by the window, conspicuously kept separate from the others - one Star Wars novel, another about dragons and the last about bird migration. A model of one of the ships from the sci-fi show sat in pride of place in the window, along with a small black resin Egyptian cat, painted with colourful jewellery. Gambit smiled to see it.

"I told Rogue." Shadow's voice broke the Cajun from his thoughts, and he looked back to the young woman. She was stirring the gumbo thoughtfully, having devoured a good half of it already.

"'Bout what happened with your powers?" He asked. She nodded.

"Yeah. I figured that of everyone here, including you, she'd know what it's like..." Gambit nodded.

"That she does, petite. What'd she say?"

Shadow smiled.

"Oh, sugah." Rogue reached forward, gently taking Shadow's hand in her gloved one. "Ah'm so sorry."

"Yeah. When I saw it happening to Wolverine, even on purpose..." Shadow shook her head. "I panicked. It brought everything back, and I just...bolted."

Rogue squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Ah know that feelin', sugah. Did it myself when mine came in too." She smiled sadly. "Folks 'round here have similar stories, though. You're not alone."

A small smile pulled at Shadow's lips.

"I...yeah. I guess you're right. I just...I didn't know how you'd react. I was scared-"

"That we'd treat you differently." Rogue finished for her. "Oh hun..." Another gentle squeeze. "We all have our demons in our past. If we turned you away for yours, all the X-Men'd have to disband!" She smiled softly, kindly. "You're safe here, Shadow. They'd understand."

Shadow's smile trembled, eyes stinging.

"I, I hope so."

"Gambit brought you in like a bedraggled kitty cat he found in a storm drain." Rogue chuckled. "You're not gonna get left out in the cold like that here."

Shadow took a shuddery breath, trying to regain her composure.

"Thank you. I...I'm still not looking forward to telling the others about it."

"Don't worry about that. You can tell them today, tomorrow, or never at all, if ya like." Rogue said. "No-one needs to tell their stories if they're not ready or don't want to." She smirked. "And if they start buggin' you? They'll have to go through me!"

That made Shadow giggle.

"Thank you, Rogue." She squeezed the other woman's hand. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem, sugah."

Gambit smiled fondly.

"Rogue always better than me at sayin' the right things," he said.

"I dunno." Shadow said, a shy smile playing on her lips. "I think you did alright."

"You're very kind, petite."

A comfortable silence settled between them, the young woman finishing off the last of her meal. Gambit noticed that the teal-clothed pyjamas she was wearing were patterned with sleeping cats, one curled into a ball prominently stitched over the shallow swell of her right breast.

Lifting his eyes to her face - least he be caught staring at that area - he noted that whilst her eyes were still a little red, that was the only evidence of her previous sorrow and distress. The colour was back in her face (perhaps a little intensely thanks to the spices), brightening her nose and cheeks. Her hair had mostly dried, curling tightly in on itself - she seemed to have lost an inch of height, but her brunette curls were now defined, almost like ringlets. He could just glimpse her pale ear lobes hiding behind the thick curtain of her hair.

"You're staring." Her voice snapped him back to reality, and to Gambit's surprise, he felt heat rise into his face.

"Ah! Jus' admirin' the scenery, petite!" He said, scratching the back of his neck. She raised an eyebrow at him, that same unconvinced look as she'd had when they first met. "I...Ya look much better, Shadow."

"I am." She nodded. "I should be better tomorrow, but Beast wants me to take it easy until then. Says it's better not to tempt fate after a shock to the system like I had." She paused for a moment, spinning the spoon in her fingers. "I don't know if he told you, but...I was entering a bad stage of hypothermia."

"Yeah." Gambit looked away, out of the window, where the rain still hadn't let up. His gaze drifted to where they had been. "Said that it were lucky I found you when I did. That..."

"Shadow's hypothermia symptoms were progressing fast." Beast said gravely. "She was displaying one of its most insidious symptoms; confusion. If she had been left alone for much longer, Shadow might not have been able to rescue herself, either under her own power, or to have enough wherewithal to call for assistance."

"You mean..." Gambit's heart felt like it stopped in his chest. The doctor dipped his head.

"Yes. We could have lost her, if not for your intervention."

"Yeah." Was Shadow's soft assent. A long pause, before she made a little 'hah!' "I guess that's two I owe you, now."

"Two?" Gambit raised an eyebrow, looking back to her.

"When you saved me in that alley, remember? When we first met." Shadow smiled. "Now you can add this to the list."

"Hah! You don't owe Gambit anythin', petite." He chuckled. "Gambit just happy you're safe. Besides, ya did pay me back for de first save. Healed me, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." She chuckled. "Well...I guess this gumbo makes two, then. It was fantastic." True to her word - aside for the last remnants of brown liquid at the bottom, the bowl was cleaned.

"Ah, only too glad ya liked it, mon amie." Gambit smiled proudly. "It be a Gambit special."

"It certainly was special. Thank you." Shadow's smile was warm and reached her eyes, making his heart trip over one of its beats. She reached to put the bowl on the bedside table, and Gambit leant over to help. Disappointedly, there was no accidental contact between them this time.

"How mad was Scott?" Shadow asked.

"Very." Gambit chuckled ruefully. "Guess most of it were out of worry for you, be fair. Did kinda disappear without tellin' them and didn't have my comm on. After what happened wit you, makes sense."

"Not mention you have that ability to magically disappear and appear without anyone hearing you." Shadow smirked, folding her arms.

"Hah! So ya keep tellin' me." He chuckled. "Didn't even me a chance to get outta my gear 'fore he be givin' me de lecture 'bout always keepin' my comm on, not disappearin' when he talkin' to me, all de usual." He leant back, stretching his long legs out. "Heard it all before."

Shadow raised an eyebrow at him.

"I dunno Gambit, if he has to keep saying it..."

"Don't! Ya as bad as Rogue!" He laughed. "Least he be keepin' it shorter dis time. Worried 'bout ya. Though, Gambit did manage to sweeten him up by promisin' to do his gumbo for dinner."

"Aw, and here I thought I was special!"

"Hey now, Gambit did promise ya first!" He turned his head, and noticed Shadow's eyes were roving down his body, specially down his legs. He gave no indication he'd seen her. "Gumbo take a while to cook anyway, so might as well do a big batch for de team too, non?"

"That's fair, I guess." A thoughtful pause. "Hey, Gambit?"

"Mmm?"

"...Why did you turn your comm off?"

Ah.

"Well..." Gambit rubbed the back of his neck, feeling traitorous heat start to crawl up his face. "If I knew you were in the state you were, woulda kept it on. But..." Why was finding the words so difficult all of a sudden?

"Gambit thought ya needed time. Scott can be pushy, even when he mean well, and...Gambit didn't think dat was what ya needed right den. So, he figured if he find ya first, you would have the time ya needed...and not be alone."

Shadow fiddled with the bedsheet, winding it around her finger.

"How did you know I didn't want to be alone?" She asked quietly. Gambit tried to ignore the sting in his chest at the insinuation.

"Let's jus' say Gambit have some experience wit this," he said. "De types of alone ya wanna be that nearly kills you...That's when ya need someone more den anythin'."

Shadow opened her mouth. Closed it. Just stared at him for a long couple of seconds, before she glanced shyly at her crossed feet.

"Thank you, then," she said softly, raising her head to look him in the eyes. "For...not just rescuing me, but being there for me." A smile grew across her lips. "For being my friend."

Gambit smiled back, feeling warmth blossom in his chest.

"De rien, petite." He replied. "Any time. You make it easy."

He was pleasantly surprised to see her blush slightly, and more so when she reached over, taking his hand. Though her hand was much smaller than his, her fingers were long and delicate-looking - surprisingly elegant for a woman who presented herself more as scrappy and laissez faire.

"I mean it, Gambit." Shadow said, her gentle voice full of deep-hearted conviction. "Thank you."

The Cajun found himself lost for words for a good few moments, before he clasped her hand in both of his, encompassing her with warmth.

"I feel de same, Shadow. Merci."

Her smile was like a sunrise, and Gambit found himself lingering, staring into blue eyes that reminded him of aquamarines, enjoying this quiet, peaceful moment.

That was until Shadow yawned widely.

"Urgh. Mmm, sorry Gambit." She rubbed her eyes with her spare hand. "Guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"It ok, mon amie." He smiled, squeezing her hand with his. "Ya been through a lot. An' de gumbo probably makin' ya sleepy too."

"Yeah." She looked at him from under regretful hooded eyes. "Sorry to chase you away."

"Non, don't be. Gambit happy to stay an' watch over you, but ya probably get better sleep without him." He smiled sadly, reluctantly getting to his feet.

"Depends on how loud your card shuffling is." She smiled, settling back onto the pillows. "But yeah. I think I need a kip. Thank you again, Gambit. For the save and the food."

"No problem." Gambit replied, taking the bowl. "Get some rest now, ok? Don't go sneakin' out again."

"Hah, rich coming from you." She chuckled, her tone light. "Alright. I'll see you when I see you."

"Sleep well, mon amie." Gambit said, stepping away. Shadow's light went off behind him.

Just before he left the room however, he stopped, glancing over his shoulder. Shadow had her back to him, only her wild messy hair visible above the sheets bundled around her.

"Fais de beaux rêves...chère." Gambit whispered softly, before he closed the door behind him.

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Thranduil and Josie Pt. 166- Mouse Trap

Summary: Dr. Legolas Greenleaf is in the house. An impaired Josie remembers and reveals important info. Bash and Charles enter Dorwinion city. Upsetting info comes to Charles' attention and then more comes to light as a group unites. Cat and mouse anyone?

*Chapter Warnings* language, angst, graphic depictions, mild violence, mentions of rape

Chapter characters: Josie, Legolas, Merlin, Bash, Charles, Delphine, Nun, Haldir, Rumil, Rahl

Chapter word count: 5,216

Stories Stories Stories Masterlist:

After an hour long session of your palm being stitched up by an elf who's only skills of proficiency were archery, swordsmanship and flinging himself from tree to tree, you were well under the influence of Dorwinion's wicked whiskey to kill the pain.

"I am finished my lady." Legolas exhaled in relief as he bandaged your hand, which you could have sworn he did not breathe the entire time.

"Now, Josie...do you want to tell me how this deep cut really occurred? This is not the markings of being cut by glass, which the healing water would have cured, but Lola told me it burned you."

"Oh sweet Leggy...you're too smart for your own britches...or should I say stitches??" you giggled with a snort, which brought Legolas' brow to an astounded arch.

A soft amused grin finally formed on his thin lips. "And you my lady, have had enough of the golden giggle juice."

His jestful remark had you snorting again. "And you're funny too."

"Well, there's nothing funny about this wound or finding you unconscious on the castle floor....or your spiteful words earlier this night."

"Well..." you frowned, pouting out your bottom lip. "That's all Stephy's fault..kind of...ok not really...it's the poison in my blood that his wicked twin put there by his beastly claws!"

Now Legolas' brow arched again as the other one furrowed. "Alright, maybe you should just rest for now and..."

"What? You do not believe me?? Tell me Leggo...did you or my Kingly King of all Kings know that Narcisse, well, actually Rahl, can turn onto a giant fucking cat?? Oh wait...BOTH of them can...one white as snow, one black as charcoal, but Stephy, he's the good witch and Rahl, he's the wicked witch of the west, only he's not a girl and definitely not green and ugly like her. Anywhooo, he freaking cut my hand when he shifted. I was standing too close."

"Josie...you have been seeing things that are not there. This happened tonight on the patio. You said Narcisse was there, but he was on the shoreline remember? And..I also found you talking to a wall."

"Ohhh, yes! There..there was a little girl...Rosie! I'm supposed to find her daddy. But noooo, that was not Narcisse, that was Rahlllll. He was a huuuuge raptor and flew down from the moon, morphing into a man wearing the devil's blood red robe with Stephane's face, minus the horns and pitchfork, and he walked right through me!! Come on Lego..las! I know what you and Thranduil can change into. The white hart. I saw you in Rivendell remember?? And I saw Thranduil in the forest only weeks ago, although that was just his ghost... so stop acting like it's impossible and that I am just drunk and delusional! And you yourself just said this cut did not happen on glass! Why do you think Mirkwood's water burns it?"

Legolas realized you were actually right as he sighed, and then his mind drifted to his father, knowing that was not a ghost that you saw whatsoever.

"I..I believe you. All things are possible with magic. As far as Narcisse, or this Rahl? I am not aware of it...but, possibly my father knew. What didn't he know?"

"That is true....but Rahl..he was brought back by Jareth. He's not even real. He's something Stephane's mind created long ago to protect himself from a terrible trauma inflicted by his father. Surely you knew him?? Didn't Thranduil trade with him as well when the Dorwinion King was alive?"

"Yes. He was quite wicked, just like the whiskey you have devoured."

"I fought Rahl tonight. Blade to blade. He was taking advantage of Claude. I saw her before I got to his chambers and she told me what he tried to do. You said that Lola saw Stephane kissing her, but that was not him Legolas."

"You fought Narcisse with a sword???"

"No! Rahl! but...I..I don't remember what happened after that...I woke up here...and...oh my god, my dream! There was a magic elf statue. It was Thranduil! and the bottom, it said...."

Legolas swiftly stood with gaping moonstones peering down at you.

"Gúl -o Aran Thranduil. Ech- a ithil sarn iest no i clair de lune." Legolas whispered.

You sat right up, also with gaping eyes as you too, whispered.

"Magic King Thranduil. Make a moonstone wish under the moonlight. Legolas?? You mean it is real???"

He slowly sat back down with a stiffened stance. "It is. My grandmother carved it and as she did so, her magic was carved into it. It was lost years ago during my grandfather's reign. You..you dreamt of this..where did you see it??"

"Peter's cabin. I...I was there again..and...I can't believe this. How could I have forgotten?? It..it was Christmas and Peter brought me this box of mostly junk, claiming he got the stuff at a thrift shop in Northern New Zealand. He said some gypsy like lady said it granted wishes and gave it to him for free, that the price was in the wishes. But then the asshole took it from me when I...oh my god, that came true!!"

"What came true??"

"I..I wished out loud in anger, right in front of Peter, for him to be devoured by a giant spider in the forest and that happened Legolas, in Mordor!! And then, he got angry and wished to come back from the dead and haunt me and...now he has by Jareth's doing. I just know he's out there! I saw him...a vision of him at my birthday party during a palm reading and he told me he was coming for me!!"

You began to hyperventilate as you sobbed and Legolas quickly pulled you into his arms.

"Never. Never will I let him harm you. Do not cry. Josie...I am sorry I was not here for your birthday. I am so sorry I left you. I will get you a proper gift someday soon."

You sniffled and hiccupped into hair, breathing in his calming tree leaf scent.

"No, I am the one who's sorry. I said horrible things to you tonight. You are the gift Legolas, wrapped beautifully with your giant big bow."

The Prince softly smiled at your double meaning as he tightened his embrace with closed eyes. "Happy birthday my lady."

"LEGOLAS!!" you shouted and pushed out of his arms, accidentally waking Leean.

"I know where the amethyst pendant is!!! I dreamt of it too."

"One of the six needed? Where is it?"

"Yes! At the cabin. I..it...it was Sarah's, hidden among some of her things I kept...but..I don't understand why she would have it? I...I've even dreamt of it before. Her mother, Jocelyn, told me to find Sarah and then put it on me and then I was sucked into some kind of portal. Leggy, we have to go there!"

You jumped out of bed and frantically began rummaging through your clothes to change as Legolas picked Leean up and tried to talk some sense into you.

"We cannot go there tonight or any night, for many reasons Josie. Most importantly, Harker is out there and the dead too. Also, that cabin would take days upon days of travel from where we are. We would be lucky to arrive before the solstice."

"Well we have to do something Legolas, especially while my mind is clear. I don't know what's happening to me with all these hallucinations and the way I have been acting. Look how I treated you and what I said about Lola...Lola? Where...where is she?? I need to speak to her about...something."

That something being about Rahl being her father.

"Out for a walk. I too...said some unpleasant, but warranted things to her."

"What??"

"Lola is of no matter at this time. You are. Your mind is not clear as you said. We must find a way to heal you, but first, you must sleep. We can discuss this further come the morning."

The morning that Legolas dreaded, for it was the deadline that his father had given him to begin the journey back to his halls with you and Leeanduil or Thranduil was going to come and reclaim you both himself, bringing his elven army with him that would incite a war. The Prince would have to decide the wiser option, for both scenarios could carry deadly consequences, the latter being of the higher risk and either would be a very heartbreaking outcome for you to see your King who wasn't your King at all. Should he just tell you the truth and let you decide? That was an immediate hard no for Legolas considering your state of mind.

"Oh god...Bash. Yes, I forgot...he told me there's a witch doctor in the city who can do so and I saw him leave tonight with Charles to go find her. Ok, let me think."

Still tipsy, you paced about as Leean quietly watched you from her brother's arms.

"If only Garrett were here. He could go and get it in only a few hours time...or even my crow..if I even knew where either of them were, but then again, Garrett is off with Kate somewhere probably getting it on. That jerk has my moonstone that I told him to hide. We need that now too. OR...I could try and summon the eagles!!!"

"Alright, slow down. The vampire Kate that my father beheaded?"

"Yep! I saw them, in the mirror, there in the trash. Garrett told me himself he had chosen to be with her again...but...it can't be true, it just can't be."

"Maybe it was another hallucination?" Legolas suggested as his eyes wandered to the trash to view the pulverized mirror.

"No. This happened before I was scratched. It...it must be real then. Why? Why would he do this to me?"

You turned to conceal your eyes that burned of tears over the vampire you secretly and deeply loved and then the room began to spin.

"I...I feel sick." you muttered and ran to the bathroom to rid of the wicked whiskey in your stomach.

Legolas laid his sister back down and kissed her tiny fingers, then he came to you, holding your hair back as your other beloved elves, Haldir and Thranduil, had done.

Once you were finished, you began to teeter from side to side.

"I've got you."

Legolas swooped you back up in his arms and carried you once more to tuck you in for the night and within seconds of Legolas patting your forehead again with the medicinal cloth, you were out.

As he then made his way to feed Leean, Legolas' ears twitched at the scratching and patting noise coming from the door. One of his white knives were swiftly drawn as he moved with great stealth towards the sound.

"Speak your identity!" he firmly commanded.

"Mrrrrow." sounded at the base of the door, drawing Legolas' astonished eyes downward with furrowed brows.

Upon swinging the door open, in strutted Merlin with his bushy tail straight in the air and greeted the elf with a single figure eight sway around and through his legs, then the purring Maine Coon of long lustrous black and gray fur, leaped upon the bed and curled up beside you.

Legolas offered the Kingly feline a soft grin as he closed and locked the door.

"Alright. I suppose you can stay...as if my approval is needed for that of an entitled cat."

Merlin's round cerulean eyes twinkled of magic, stunning the Prince where he stood and then the giant royal beauty lowered his lids to slits and went to sleep.

Bash and Charles disembarked the ferry to Dorwinion city while the small squad of warlock guards that tagged along for extra safety measures held back to not alarm the locals. To begin their search for the infamous lady witch doctor, they chose the nearest tavern for a brief rest and a much needed drink, not so much out of thirst on the bitterly cold winter's night created by the Elvenking's earthly wrath, but out of anxiety.

"Bash, I have been thinking on the way here. Is this really the only option? You know as well as anyone that black magic is not to be toyed with and Delphine is notorious for such acts. Look what happened to my mother and sister for tempting fate. Taking anything from a devil or a witch most always comes with a price. Can she even be trusted?" Charles asked, sipping his wicked ale as his nerves were now getting the better of him.

"Your mother was already evil and deserved her fate which was torture too kind if you ask me. Without the help of your father, this is the only known option and yes, I trust Delphine. This is what she does."

"But Josie is not evil. She is good and kind."

"She won't be for long if she is not cleansed of Rahl's venom. Any repercussions of the healing far outweighs what she will become....wicked like Rahl himself. Drink up, but carefully. We must keep our wits about us."

"So...Is it true?" the young warlock asked of his confused uncle after a moment of silence.

"Is what true?"

"The King of Mirkwood. He lives and caused the destruction this night?"

"No dear nephew. That was the Elvenking."

In that eerie moment of truth, a city guard approached the duo with discerning eyes.

"Sebastian Narcisse. What brings you and the young Prince to the city on a cold, dark and dangerous night? Surely it's not solely for our Lord's crafted ale that is quite plentiful in his kingdom. Is this in relation to the evening's earthly event?"

"It is one reason yes, to ensure our people are well and to assess the damage. Are there any wounded or fatalities?"

"No deaths reported, but there have been some minor injuries from shaken structures. Is all well at the castle? I would have expected Lord Narcisse to have accompanied you."

"My brother is tending to matters there, so we have come in his place. We are also looking for others. Have you happened to cross paths with Haldir of Lorien? Two men and a dwarf had come here as well in their own search for him."

"Ahh yes. The elven Marchwarden. I saw him not long ago on the docks with his brothers and the others you speak of, the Ranger, the Bowman and the dwarf. They were ready to depart when the violent rumble occurred. I am not sure of their whereabouts now, for the waters were too treacherous for the ferry to transport at the time."

"There is one other we seek. One all here know of."

Bash moved in closer and whispered to not be heard by others. "Delphine."

The man immediately stiffened up. "Why on earth would you seek the wicked??"

"She is not wicked, only perceived to be. There is one who desperately needs her help."

"A perception well deserved. Her help will be costly. You know this, for your brother does not permit black magic of any kind. It is considered a crime as you also know which is why she hides. I am sure you recall the village near here. The boy she healed of the black plague became blind and the farm animals fell ill with disease solely from her presence."

"His blindness was caused by the disease. The animals suffered from it too."

"Witches leave a trail of evil. Birds fall from the sky when they are near." the man argued as Bash recalled the pile of dead blackbirds on his terrace.

"Not all witches. Only wicked ones. I would not seek her if I believed her wicked. What happened to her was not her fault. Much more wicked this way comes. She is the least of anyone's worries. Now, do you know of her whereabouts?"

"Harker was indeed her fault. No one gives something to a warlock of evil without a price. It is my understanding that the witch is in God's hands now. From what we have been informed of here, Harker is in the area and has killed some of your men. He is no different from her. She probably assisted him."

"He is and has done as you heard. But as far as Delphine, you know not what you speak of. What she gave was not freely given and she would not aid him in any manner. I thank you for the information. We must be on our way now. Charles, come!"

Bash and Charles left and headed down the long winding docks that encased the colossal city that never sleeps, in hopes of finding Haldir and the others to bring them and the Marchwarden back to the castle, going against Narcisse's banishment of the elf. Bash knew they would be needed for the impending winter war and he knew you needed Haldir. He also had figured out where Delphine was.

"Bash...what did Delphine give Harker??" Charles soon asked with a curious brow.

As Bash continued his hefty strides, he glanced at Charles.

"Lola."

Charles halted his steps as Bash carried on around the corner.

"What?? Wait! Where are we going??"

"Guards!" Bash called to them as they stood at the boarding port. "Follow me."

"My lord. We were informed by the boatman that another ferry had taken Haldir and the others across the bay just before we arrived."

"Then we must hurry. Let's go!!"

"Bash!" Charles angrily shouted. "WHERE are we going??

"The nunnery." he huffed as his fast strides turned into a gallop.

Charles' brows scrunched in confusion over his crinkled nose.

"Church?? We are going to...church???"

"Please. No more. I beg of you. You said you would help me." Delphine pleaded as the elder prioress neared her with a glowing red hot iron bar from the fireplace.

"I am helping you child by ridding Satan of your soul."

The weakened, perspiring witch knelt on the dirt ground, her hands bound tightly behind her back by coarse roping that scoured her wrists like sandpaper, rendered helpless to fight back, for she had been stripped of her power by the previous iron branding of a cross upon her bare chest. It wouldn't have mattered what symbol was burned into her flesh. Iron was iron to a witch, whether good or bad, except for the immunity you had formerly acquired to the power draining magnet.

"You tricked me. I came to you for refuge of the evil one but it seems you are the real evil here."

"Hush your wicked lips now. This is the 7th marking. The final one. If you are not evil like you claim, you will be healed."

"I will be dead!! I cannot take anymore. Please!"

"Back away from her!!" Bash shouted as he kicked the door in with his guards following and immediately cut the feeble witch's ropes free.

"What are you doing?? She needs cleansed of the devil!"

"It is you that needs cleansed, you fool!" Bash snapped at the nun as he swooped up the debilitated Delphine in his arms and swiftly departed.

Once embarked on the ferry, Bash covered her with a wool blanket as she laid barely conscious upon a wooden bench.

"Bash, what good is she to Josie in this state??" Charles whispered.

"A long bath in the healing waters will aid her recovery and use of her power."

"Why does it not help Josie? You said it burns her wound?"

"It's like pouring water on hot grease when it reacts with Rahl's venom."

"Then let me ask you this. Once the Queen is healed... how do we stop Rahl without killing my father???"

"I don't know." Bash replied with great worry.

"Rahl? He's...back too?" Delphine muttered as she opened her chocolate eyes and then became quite agitated as she sat up. "No..no, Bash, you cannot take me back there!"

Bash sat beside her and took her trembling hands into his.

"I will protect you. We have others that will protect you as well. Someone dear to us needs your healing, for she has been tainted with his venom and Lola...she's believed you dead all this time. She needs her mother...she needs you Jocelyn."

Delphine's hand swiftly covered his mouth as her eyes gaped wide with fear and Charles' jaw dropped open.

"Don't ever say my name out loud! They both will hear you! I have been hiding from Harker for so long and I know he is near. Those farm animals did not die because of me...and that boy...it's Harker's curse upon me that made him go blind. I..I cannot heal your friend without cost and if I go there and attempt to, Rahl will surely punish me or even kill me this time. I can not attempt to take what he has marked for himself...not even our daughter."

"WHAT????" Charles roared. "Lola...she is my sister?????"

"Charles, calm down and let me explai..."

"Do not patronize me!! Why was I never told this??? Does my father know??? Does Lola even know??? My god, I...I had a cru...I can't even say it aloud. I feel ill..."

Charles rushed to the front of the ferry and leaned his head over the rail in hopes that the chilled wind would hold his vomit down.

"Charles. Please listen." Bash sympathetically said as he walked up behind him. "Your father does not know. There are some things he cannot remember. Possibly from the trauma of what Rahl did while consuming his body and Lola, she was too young. Neither Delphine nor Rahl told her."

The mad warlock spun around. "Then how do YOU know??!!"

"Because Rahl made sure I knew all those years ago."

"And you never told my father??!"

"Charles...I..I couldn't. Delphine swore me to secrecy because...Rahl..he..used his magic to force her in his bed. She was ashamed and never wanted Lola to know either and I...I could not tell Stephane what he had done. It would have destroyed him. Our father made him do similar things when he was a young boy like you and that is what made Rahl exist in the first place..."

"I can hear no more of this! I have been lied to about everything from the day I was born and now this. Leave me alone!"

The ferry docked and Charles was the first one to disembark, immediately heading straight to his horse as Bash followed with Delphine in his arms once more.

"Wait! Someone is out there!" Delphine warned before Bash could place her up on his horse.

The warlock spun his head around to the forest as he continued to shield her body, protecting her like he promised he would do, when Haldir and company appeared from the darkness.

"Sebastian. Charles. We recognized your horses so we waited for your return."

"Haldir. We have been searching for you to bring you back. All of you. Terrible things are happening back at the castle."

"I have been banished by your brother. More terrible things will most likely occur if I return."

"There are things you do not know."

"Do not feel left out Haldir. It's something my family likes to do. Keep secrets." Charles retorted as he walked off to relieve himself.

After the Marchwarden watched the boy walk away with a raised brow, he turned back to Bash.

"If you are referring to the earthly disturbance this evening, we are well aware of it's cause."

"Well, no, I was not speaking of that, but yes. If my suspicions are correct, it was King Thranduil. He is alive?"

Rumil's Silvan eyes jolted to Haldir as Haldir's moved to Delphine, consumed with caution.

"I know who you are. Your reputation precedes you. I sense evil upon you. You are marked with it. Why is she here?"

"Haldir. It was placed upon her long ago by Harker by no fault of hers. Josie needs her help, for she too has been marked by evil."

Haldir's sapphire eyes dilated and bolted back to Bash as Delphine's eyes widened.

"What has happened to Jo?? Is she alright???" Haldir barked as he stepped forward.

"The woman's name is...Josie?? and called Jo?? Red...hair???" Delphine cut in, highly astonished.

Bash peered down at the woman of long brown locks like Lola's. "You...know her?"

"I...I...." she fearfully stuttered. "I cannot speak of this here."

Haldir's eyes fixated on hers and they began to narrow.

"You can and you will, for I can make you speak the truth witch."

"Haldir, time is of the essence. We must get back and heal Delphine so she can help Josie. She will tell you what you need to know on the way."

"No..no I won't. You don't understand. None of you do."

Haldir moved before her with intense intimidation plastered all over his sullen face as his jaw clenched.

"Then you will make me understand, for you will not go within eyesight of her without my approval. Now speak before I force your tongue."

"I...I...well she...she was...best friend's with my daughter long ago. In the civilian world. Please...I am not supposed to speak of Josie to anyone."

"You are...Sarah's mother, Jocelyn?" Haldir asked as he tilted his head.

"Well this just gets better and better." Charles piped with a smug grin. "Did you know she's also Lola's mother??"

"Shhhh!!!" she whispered to both the elf and the warlock in a panic and then continued to Haldir in a barely audible tone. "For all intents and purposes, yes. But please...H..Haldir. If it is true about the goblin King bringing forth the dead...Caroline will most certainly be one of them and...she will come for me. I...I told you Bash...I cannot go back there!!! I won't!"

A crackling of twigs came from the forest behind them and Delphine gasped in fright, then unsteadily bolted off into the trees.

"Delphine!" Bash shouted and ran off after her with all of the others quickly following.

"Halt!" Haldir commanded, causing everyone, including Delphine to freeze in their tracks.

Haldir's chin lifted for him to smell the air, his nostrils boldly flaring as he sucked it in.

"Narcisse is here. Or shall I say Darken Rahl?" Haldir snarled as his keen nose could pick up both the peppermint and pepper scent of the conjoined entities.

Swords, bows and and axe were all raised and shimmered in light of the waxing moon and then out of the darkness appeared the wicked warlock lord, caped, hooded and holding a charged up ball of golden electricity in his palms as he glowered at them.

"Well if it isn't Haldir of Lorien and his pointy eared sisters. Long time no see girls. Are you ready to dance?"

Rahl pursed his lips tight and raised his hand, chucking the lightning ball at lightning speed into the center of the group, knocking each of the nine to their backs with the blinding explosion.

He then turned on the guards and gave them the same dose of medicine.

"You are MY army. Are...we...clear??! Or shall I start singing a good old Christmas carol for you? Warlocks roasting on an open fire." he sang. "Lord Rahl nipping off your toes."

All but the guards flung to their feet with great agility and resumed their fighting stance with weapons raised, but not Charles. He became enraged at ran at the man with his father's face, wielding his sword.

"Give me back my father!!!!"

As Charles brought the razor sharp blade to the imposter's throat, Rahl bellowed in cackling laughter as he knocked the blade from his hand and the stunned boy to the ground, then held his blade to his chest in return.

"Let us see if you are all as simple minded as this young witch! My blade rests only centimeters from his heart."

"Rahl! Leave him alone. It is I you want yes?? Here I am." Bash shouted, panting desperately.

"If there's one thing I despise, it is a martyr...and a traitor!" Rahl snapped back at Bash.

"You're the traitor!" Charles fearlessly riposted. "Would you really kill your own son???"

"You, my foolish boy, are NOT my son, just as I am not your father, which you so hypocritically just displayed as you rushed me with your sword! You cannot kill me and if you could, you kill daddy dearest!"

"I was not trying to kill you, only slow you down."

Charles swung his hand up and hurled a magical fast ball of his own at Rahl's chest, whipping the dark lord's shoulder back, but not taking him to the ground.

A sinister grin formed on Rahl's lips as he brought his shoulder back with a snap, then he advanced on Charles.

"Weak just like your father. I have had enough of you."

"NO!" Bash shouted and dived over Charles, whipping his body to the side just before Rahl's sword pierced the ground where he had lied.

"AND you!" Rahl continued and raised the blade again.

"Stephane!! STOP!!! I'm your brother! Charles is your son!! I know you're in there!!! Fight him!!! You are the stronger one!!! You are the REAL one!!!"

Rahl's hand that held the sword began to shake and in anger, he grabbed his wrist with the other hand to steady it. As he desperately tried to swing the weapon down at the huddled pair, his hand slingshot the sword through the air and then his eyes burned a blinding yellow light as his head arched back as a peppermint breeze stormed through his hair.

With a heavy exhale, Rahl's head lowered as his the glow of his eyes faded to a soft white shimmer, then became their normal icy blue hues.

"Ch...Charles? B..Bash? Where...where am I?"

"Father???!!" Charles whimpered as he and Bash slowly stood up.

"NO!" Delphine screamed. "It's not him! He still is in Rahl's form!"

"Oh Jocelyn, you always too smart for your own good. Run witch run, all of you run while you still can. I'm hungry and ready to hunt! I love cat and mouse games!"

Before their very eyes, Aragorn's, Bard's, Gimli's, Haldir's, Rumil's, Orophin's, Bash's, Charles, Delphine's and the guards', Rahl shapeshifted into the big black beast with eyes that lit up like there was sun in the dark of night as it's tantalizing tongue slurped over it's cold wet nose.

And then a low malevolent growling purr rolled up it's broad neck and steamed out into the brisk air.

"RUN!!" Delphine cried as she wasted no time in sprinting off.

The jet black panther then ferociously pounced directly at Bash.

@redeemer46

How wickedly purrfect and true!

[a-little-ray-of-fantasy]

Sir Pentious for the ask game

Sssssure thing! :3

First impression: Oh wow, he's a total dork... I like him!

Impression now: WHY IS HE SO LIKE ME?! I'LL PROTECT THIS SWEET GOOFBALL WITH MY LIFE!!!

Favorite moment: Oh man, there's too many to count. I'd say... when KeeKee goes up to him and he cuddles her with an amazed expression on his face. Considering that KeeKee is the embodiment of the Hotel itself, it's a sign that he's been fully accepted as part of the team. Also, it's SO CUTE!!!!

Idea for a story: Sir Pentious is now in Heaven! What is going to happen? Will the angels accept him? How is he gonna cope with that? He basically ended up in a different place, without his new friends, it's not going to be easy for him...

Unpopular opinion: Yes, he's very sweet. No, he's not innocent: he IS in Hell for a good reason. Guy has tried to take over multiple times and has destroyed stuff. He has done many awful things out of insecurity, but he's the walking... slithering proof that anyone can change if they really understand what they've done wrong, and actively try to be better. And Pentious really took redemption to heart: that's why he's so endearing. Not because he hasn't done anything wrong, but because he has taken a genuine desire to become a different, more empathetic man.

Favorite relationship: On one hand, his shenanigans with Angel Dust are hilarious because of how different they are: one being a shameless teaser, the other an easily flustered mess. On the other hand, his rivalry/romantic tension with Cherri Bomb is adorable to witness: poor guy just wants to talk to her, but keeps fumbling, and she just humors him...

Favorite headcanon: Dudes... there's NO WAY this snake isn't autistic: raptor hands, high mechanical intelligence but disastrous social skills, tendency to monologuing and taking things very seriously or literally... Then again, Viv has liked a fan art with Pentious keeping his raptor hands with a writing saying "Autism hands", so maybe it isn't a headcanon, at this point, so... I'd say he's totally a cat person/snake, and he gets sad when they run away, being a snake and all; he gets rather nervous when around dogs.

[bayporwave]

I assume rakii will never meet humans in setting but if they did, what would they think of us? What would they think of our culture? And vice-verse?

You'd be correct, humans are not involved in Arro n Tontor, as rakii are in an entirely different galaxy, though much closer in years to hitting their galactic neighbor. So that's one thing we'd share in common.

Humans to rakii starting on appearance wouldn't be that weird. The closest sophonts similar to our bi-ped stride would be a bio-mechanical race called the Olac Verstic, or bio-mechs. So if one were to describe humans to an other rakii, that'd be their baseline to, a pink hornless thin neck bio-mech with only one set of arms.

As for cultural points, it really depends on who you ask and where. As rakii have internal culture wars already. For instance, for grasslands, it is highly against clan law to date or breed with members not in contract with your group. Friendships are along thin ice. It stems from what was more a familial value that got skewed and became everyone else's problem.

It'd be like if you were from Kentucky and someone found out you were dating a person from California. You would be forced to break that off in fear of giving away your good, Kentucky culture or falling to "icky California traditions". As some clans like to carefully hold their internal workings close to them and "trusted" affiliates. Yeah, it's a little silly. A lot of forbidden romances come from here though!

Anyways! From a general perspective, rakii would view us as, well, fine. Behind the times and dragging our feet a bit on becoming spacefaring, but otherwise we're on our way. They may question our two entire world wars and weaponry (they only had one massive war and the use of any nuclear explosives or weaponry wasn't even a risk they deemed worth the effort). Another would be our AI usage. And in this regard, they would see it as shameful or wasteful. While they were gift-wrapped their first artificial intelligence, they more wished to use it to get closer to their gods and possibly decipher old writings from them, while on the side using it to improve workflow, being automatic digital upkeep and ship control.

Vice versa, rakii would probably not be immediately taken seriously. Sure, on first contact best to show respect but being visited by big eyed smiley space raptors you can't help but giggle a little. Especially since the way they talk sounds like cat chittering with raspy tones. A thing we'd probably find most annoying if not flat out disrespectful is their stance with other religions outside of the students. Only recently did the largest city on Rek called Iot (eye-awt), pass a law that allows practicing of other religions within its walls, but only at home. They would see any other beliefs as uncultured or not very advanced thinking. Only because they saw their gods and their gods literally had a hand in their upbringing. Long story for future. They wouldn't try to convert people thankfully, but expect a weird scoff from a stern student believer.

[amarisrosalette]

Archons x WoF x Warrior Cats Concepts

update: so finals are nearing and apparently my sanity has been dragging down recently so i thought combining my hyperfixations into an au is how i cope /hj

(i actually drew this during finals, now its been sitting on my drafts for god knows how long)

so i began thinking of two separate crossover aus where the archons, specifically my comforts barbatos and morax, would look like in the following book series: Wings of Fire and Warrior Cats

so for the people who don't know both of these books series are fantasy novels surrounding dragons and cats, respectively

and because i haven't told you guys that i love dragons and cats now is the best time that i reveal it

so i present to you guys:

Character Concepts of Barbatos and Morax as dragons in Wings Of Fire style!! (FYI i plan to separate this au from WoF because i too am not very happy with the canon lore and i overall just don't rlly vibe with it and WC is just. kinda sitting there. no real plot or plan purpose. just did that for fun.)

these were the concepts i did while i was experimenting around krita and whatnots, so let's start with old gods as dragons shall we?

Wings of Fire (+ closer zoom-ins, ignore the doodles, i'm a little insane i know but hey this is tumblr)

okay so just allow me to lore dump for a while, I'll also talk about the other archons who aren't featured here because I'm still thinking of concepts for them

starting with Barbatos, fellow WoF people might not recognize his species but he is an AvianWing, which are the basically bird-like dragons that i created in my au

they're very fast and agile creatures, they are known to hunt in packs like raptors and make efficient yet deadly hunters. they have sickle claws on their hindlegs and are known for their famous "songs" which are long melodious, almost song-like, calls that they use for various things such as communication, mating, echolocation, and more.

although not known for brute strength, venti doesn't let that stop him. where he lacks for brute strength and size he makes up for his speed in his slim body, force, powerful beak, and talons made up of strong muscles for pulling and slashing.

while he isn't a fan of hostility and fighting, he is much stronger, older, and wiser than he looks. he may act youthfully and even a bit silly, but this doesn't come from a place of naivety but rather a wish to enjoy life as it passes.

he is a well-known dragon around his kingdom, although he isn't a ruler, he laid the foundations of the reforms of his kingdom but refuses to take fame for himself, instead giving it to his older twin brother, Himmel (who is nameless bard and is alive in this au)

he and his brother are, of course, traveling bards, who'd like to perform on the streets or look after dragonets in the villages when their mothers weren't around.

many dragonets know and love him and Himmel, and they see them as elder brothers they like to snuggle with to hear their wonderful stories and beautiful songs.

he's kind and well-loved around his kingdom, and even established good relations with the current ruler.

cunning and swift, he has heightened senses for successful hunting. common in all AvianWings, they are known to possess a keener eye than most dragons for spotting small prey from above ground.

with that said, the look of underestimation on some dragons' faces does not go unnoticed by him.

but it doesn't matter, he could use it to his advantage anyway, so he plays along.

it wasn't until he unexpectedly turned the tables, making them face the hidden strength that he was provoked into protecting his loved ones in the distant past...

but that was all but a memory now, as he cuddled up eager dragonets with his wings chirruping and squawking when they wanted to hear his song. those wide pairs of eyes were hard to resist, even for a bard like him.

his elder brother settles them near and gently shushes them to behave before they begin, which they so obediently follow.

he chuckles, and so he sings with his voice, of tales gone by from the past, carefully woven into a meaning that one day, he hopes, the future dragonets will understand.

lore dump aside, i genuinely created the avianwings because i wanted to accommodate the WoF universe for venti and mondstadt because i thought that the bird and freedom motifs would suit him really well + the stigma of not looking strong at a glance but can shock you when you're not looking carefully. idk guys i think the birds are venti's spirit animal yk :)

next is Morax. i haven't quite thought of his lore yet, so let me go over the concepts i thought while drawing of him.

one day, i had a question in my head of a "what-if" scenario of what would morax's exuvia look like if he was in a different style of a dragon, specifically the western dragon and in WoF style, aside from the traditional lung.

now this isn't meant to be a cultural erasure, as i know the lung dragon is an important figure in Chinese mythology and formed an integral part of zhongli's character in genshin, however, i just wanted to entertain a new idea, and so i experimented with a new style of his dragon form (more specifically the European dragon style of WoF).

this isn't to say that his exuvia form looks bad or ugly, this is only a curious experiment or retelling of him in a new light.

anyway in the au i'm thinking like he's some sort of a skywing general or warrior bc the whole mountain dragon thing going on for the skywings seems really fitting for him

he's a very strong guy, well-spoken past his prime age but he still stands a formidable warrior

he's an experienced general who was trained vigorously from a very young age, and he rose to his ranks and became a famed and well-respected warrior

he also carries one of the most rarest genetic traits called metallic scales, and they reflect the sun's golden sheen under the light which earned him the title "Warrior of the Sun"

hes just a big scary dragon that looks intimidating but actually has a soft heart inside like canon morax, he may or may not have retired from his position but this was him during his prime (?)

dragon zhongli (not morax) is just a grandpa now bc i say so. hehehe

also skywings in my au are much different from their canon counterparts, they're much taller, stronger, and have more color diversity than just red or orange, and their tribe personality is different than just being thin, grumpy, or violent

(and yes all of the tribes in my au are more sensible and less arrogant than canon)

and uhm. dont mind the third doodle. i just went a little crazy if venti was a tiny bit messed up as a dragon)

moraxs dragon form and the whole metallic scales thing was heavily inspired by an artist called @sarcosse.7 on instagram. they don’t have a tumblr but their art is amazing! if you want to you can go and check them out!! they’re really good at writing and their oc lore is interesting.

next is warrior cats (and no im not beating the weird kid allegations, i genuinely cannot contain the silliness anymore, i love cats smmmmm)

and YES DONT MIND ME I TOYED AROUND ABOUT CATS WITH HAIR. it looks cool okay don't judge me /hj (my designs my rules, i am defying the laws of logic)

on the second-third drawing, i tried to experiment with a new brush with the disney-esque feel with fluid motions (like the waving motion of his)

ANYHOWWWW. i just pictured venti as a silly mischievous lil cat. think he might be a windchill warrior or rogue or something idk. but i was thinking about how the genshin nations would look like if they were in warrior cats clans.

also cats with braids r cool

i don’t have anything else to say in here other than KITTIES

ppl i wanna call just in case: @cinnabell2 @lanternlightss @ventisslut @probably-haven

[raptorish]

Therianthropy, Unconventional Gear, and Masking Up

Written by Max on December 4th, 2024.

I have theriotype-affirming gear, wereside-affirming gear, and it's even a mask - but it's not a painted and crafted animal mask made to resemble the face of my theriotype. I think those are really neat, from what I've seen on TikTok and other more visual platforms, and the creativity is wonderful! It's just not the same thing as what I've ended up doing - so I thought I'd talk about what I do for species affirmation, to add another voice to the conversation!

See, I'm a velociraptor - and I also talk to my raptorbrain. Wei're a median system, where it spends its time happily as the nonhuman animal part of me. When I'm doing my day-to-day human activities, it dips out of talking to me or interacting with the world around me, because, frankly, it gets bored - it's a nonsapient animal with approximately the worldly comprehension of a cat, which means it doesn't understand things like maths or biochemistry or writing. It would much rather eat a lizard.

In fact, it would rather eat a lizard so bad that it perks back up to shift and chitter and want to stalk-and-hunt when we're outside walking and it sees something that looks like food, like a squirrel or a perching bird or someone's small dog on a leash. And it doesn't like when wei're being annoyed by somebody else, except it would rather not use words and instead growl, hiss, or snap its jaws threateningly in their direction.

This is where the therian gear comes in: single-use disposable face masks. Seriously. That's it.

I wear a face mask for many reasons - avoiding airborne disease if I'm not sick, not passing on a disease if I am sick, warming my nose and air in the cold weather, hiding any embarrassing expressions from strangers, and my private species affirmation.

I wear a face mask because, hilariously enough, it does feel like the closest thing we have to a muzzle made for human jaws - like any well-fitted muzzle, it doesn't restrict breathing or speech, but it does provide a barrier over the mouth. It prevents me from putting anything directly into my jaws, unless I pull it off with my hands.

This feels species-affirming to me, in that I'm both the animal and its keeper. Having a mask on reminds me that I'm an animal, which affirms my nonhumanity, and reminds my raptorside that it's an animal in public, which means it has to be polite and can't go around snapping at annoying people or trying to hunt small animals. It reminds me that I'm the handler, which affirms my humanity, and reminds me that I'm practicing my personal sort of responsible animal management, which means keeping it under control in public so it doesn't growl or snap in a way that negatively disrupts muir lives. Wei take the mask off at home, and can chirp and hiss and make muir odd raptor noises as much as wei want indoors.

As species affirming gear goes, this is completely mundane. I'm not doing anything that makes me stand out, or makes me look outwardly nonhuman, or requires any artistic effort on my end - but it doesn't have to involve any of that. I feel fulfilled in my self as a human animal and as a nonhuman animal, just by wearing a disposable mask. Gear doesn't need to fit any sort of mold; it can be anything you wear that affirms what you are, no matter how odd or small it might seem!

[fallenclan]

“Eaglestripe?” Mossfrog mumbled the medicine cat’s name around a mouthful of tansy. “I found these while out patrolling. I was wondering if you wanted them for the herb stores. . .”

The medicine den had always been one of Mossfrog's favorite places. The faint smell of lilac coupled with the various scents of medicinal herbs filled her with a strange sort of delight. She often found excuses to visit the den, though she would probably be allowed to hang around if she'd only ask. (Asking was such a daunting task, though.)

Today, the familiar calm environment was interrupted by a stranger in the form of a red and white tom. The tom-cat's hindleg was bandaged heavily with a mixture of herbs and poultice. More distressingly, his stormy blue-grey eyes were unabashedly locked on Mossfrog.

"Oh, thank you," Eaglestripe chirped. They were sitting near the tom, adding the last few finishing touches to his bandaged leg. "You can put it with the rest of the tansy. Top shelf." Dutifully, Mossfrog trotted over to the herb stores, ignoring the tom's staring. As she shoved the tansy into its place, Eaglestripe said, "This is Rustbee, by the way. He's from ArchClan."

"I'm joining FallenClan," Rustbee piped up, tail twitching with excitement. "Are you a medicine cat?"

"No." Mossfrog glanced at Eaglestripe uncertainly. Their gaze held no solace, only mild amusement.

"Then what are you?"

"A warrior." Mossfrog's tail swished in annoyance. What a mouse-brained question.

"Cool. I'm a warrior too. Is it true that FallenClan has 'mediators'?"

"Yes." Oh. That's why he had asked what Mossfrog's role was. Mossfrog felt a pang of guilt for doubting the tom's intelligence. "We have two, Mudsplash and Owlscreech."

"I've heard about them! They both seem really neat." Rustbee grinned lop-sidedly, continuing to gaze at Mossfrog intently.

"Well," she swallowed, uneasy. "I'm going to go."

"Wait!" The urgency in Rustbee's voice caused Mossfrog to jump.

"What?"

"You didn't tell me your name."

"My--? Oh. My name's Mossfrog."

"It was nice to meet you, Mossfrog."

"Likewise." Without another word, Mossfrog scrambled out of the den, feeling as if a nest of wasps had exploded in her chest.

...

"Hey! Hey, Mossfrog!" Rustbee's voice rang across the camp's clearing. The tom had miraculously made a full recovery and had been attempting to explore every inch of FallenClan territory ever since Eaglestripe had released him from their care.

"Hi, Rustbee," Mossfrog murmured in what she hoped was a polite manner. She wasn't quite sure how to talk to other cats, sometimes.

"I heard your patrol got attacked by some rogues earlier. Are you all right?" The tom leaned forward, gaze sweeping Mossfrog's pelt up and down, genuine concern in his gaze.

"Oh, I'm fine. Cherrydust chased them off."

"Good, good. I wish I had been there," Rustbee muttered wistfully.

"You. . . wish your patrol had been attacked by rogues?" Mossfrog replied dubiously.

"No! No, I mean, I wish I had been with you. I could have protected you, too."

"Oh." Mossfrog suddenly found a tuft of fur on her chest very interesting, refusing to meet Rustbee's gaze.

"I mean, I know you can take care of yourself, but you get the point." Rustbee paused before exclaiming, "Oh! I tried that hunting technique you showed me, the one where you trick the prey by leaving your scent somewhere else. It worked perfectly! You're kind of a genius. You know that, right?"

" . . . yeah, I guess I do."

...

The eagle swooped, diving to snatch up the rabbit it had spotted lying amongst the crags. The moment its talons hooked into the rabbit, the warriors waiting in hiding exploded into motion.

Bluefern soared through the air, landing directly on the eagle's back and digging her claws into its flesh. Bub and Sorrelstem closed in on either side of the raptor, with Daisypetal ducking beneath the bird's beak to sink her teeth into its throat.

All the while, Mossfrog and Rustbee were busy sneaking off with the eagle's eggs, intent to flee with their prize before the eagle's mate returned to the nest.

"This is so exciting," Rustbee purred, teeth hooking into a leaf wrap that Bristleheart had devised earlier to hold the eggs. "How did you even come up with this plan?"

"Well, Bristleheart was talking about how he used to steal robin eggs by distracting the mothers, so I just thought. . ." Mossfrog trailed off, focusing on not dropping the eggs she was carrying.

Rustbee seemed to have no such problem. "I've sneaked up here a few times, but I never thought of stealing eggs. I've only taken feathers so far."

"Wait, sneaked up plural?" Mossfrog muttered, nearly dropping her bundle.

"Oh, yeah. Haven't you noticed how many feathers my nest has? You know, if your nest ever gets cold-"

"We did it!" Bub's triumphant cry covered up whatever Rustbee was trying to say. Mossfrog turned to face the group of warriors that had faced the eagle. Daisypetal had a nasty bite on her chin, but everyone else seemed otherwise unharmed.

"This eagle will make for a great feast," Bluefern cheered.

"The eggs will be a good treat, too," Sorrelstem mewed. "Excellent idea, Mossfrog."

Mossfrog felt a pang of relief. Her clanmates always expected great things of her, and she had delivered. She dreaded the day when she failed to meet their expectations.

For now, she was content with the warm smiles and comradery flowing amongst the warriors she stood with, including Rustbee, who was eyeing her not with casual admiration, but with firm affection.

...

"Mossfrog? Where are you?" Rustbee's concerned voice made Mossfrog want to crawl out of her skin. She answered anyway.

"Up here." The tom's gaze instantly swung up to Mossfrog, previously hidden amongst the thick pelt of an old pine tree. Truthfully, the needles were extremely uncomfortable, but Mossfrog wanted to remain hidden, staying somewhere that no cat would think to search. Moosefall and Hawkwish had been by earlier, yowling her name. She had stayed silent.

"What are you doing up there?"

"Hiding." Mossfrog wasn't sure why she'd admit this to Rustbee. Perhaps it was easier, because he wasn't always a FallenClan cat. He didn't have the same expectations of her as her clanmates.

"Can you come down? I'd try to climb up to you, but I'm worried a pine needle might poke my eye out!" Rustbee called. Sighing, Mossfrog untangled herself from the tree's spiky embrace, landing beside Rustbee with a tiny thud. "Okay, thank you. Let's go find a better hiding spot."

"What?" Mossfrog blinked slowly.

"You said you were hiding. We should hide somewhere less. . . prickly," Rustbee elaborated. Mossfrog continued to stare at the tom, dumbfounded. After a few moments, she simply nodded.

It took the two warriors awhile to agree on a spot. Eventually, they decided upon a blanket of moss growing in the unearthed roots of another pine. A few younger pines grew in a protective circle around their hiding spot, growth stunted by the larger pine's shadow.

Once they had settled, Rustbee promptly asked, "So why are we hiding?"

"Everyone's mad at me," Mossfrog mumbled.

"What? How could anyone be mad at you?"

"I made a mistake. I also yelled at Salmonskip."

"Yelled?" Rustbee's eyes widened. "I don't think I've ever heard you talk above a whisper."

"Okay, it was more like. . . raising my voice, slightly."

"What did she do?"

"She was just trying to tell me it's okay to make mistakes. I just, I don't know, panicked. At the time I thought she was being condescending, but now I realize she just wanted to help. I feel terrible."

"Oh." Rustbee considered this. "Then why don't you just go and apologize?"

"I will, later." Mossfrog let out a tiny exhale. "I just don't want to go back and have every cat look at me with disappointment."

"Mossfrog. . . it's okay to make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time."

"Yeah, well you're. . ."

"I'm what?"

"I don't know." Mossfrog buried her face in her paws. "Cats expect things from me. I can't stand disappointing them."

"No cat is perfect, Mossfrog." Rustbee shifted so that his pelt was nearly brushing against Mossfrog's. "I'm sorry you feel so overwhelmed by this. Could it be possible that the cat you're really afraid of disappointing is yourself?"

"What?"

"Cats are impressed by you, sure, but from what I've seen, no cat expects you to be perfect all the time. You seem to be putting this pressure on yourself."

"Oh." Mossfrog lifted her head, turning so she could meet Rustbee's eyes.

"We can talk about something else, if you want."

"Yeah. I do want to continue this discussion, just-"

"Not now?"

"Not now."

"Why don't you tell me where you found that moth wing?"

"Well. . ."

...

"Watch this!" Rustbee pounced into the water, sending droplets flying everywhere. A moment later, he triumphantly displayed a wriggling minnow.

"Wow." Mossfrog smiled.

Rustbee snapped the minnow's spine before tossing it to Mossfrog. "Let's try and catch a salmon. We can peel its scales off and decorate your nest." At Mossfrog's uncertain expression, Rustbee amended, "If you want."

"I like feathers more. I don't think scales would be very comfortable."

"They look cool, though! Jaycall and Beefreckle's nest has all these little scales woven into it. It looks awesome!"

"Hmm. I think I like feathers more." Mossfrog quickly looked away before she could see Rustbee's reaction. "I'll take you up on that salmon, though. They taste wonderful."

"You're wonderful," Rustbee purred.

Mossfrog bit back an obligatory thank you. Instead, she mewed, "You're wonderful too."

"But you're wonderful-er!"

"I don't think that's a word."

"It is now," Rustbee declared.

Mossfrog shook her head slightly. "You and Salmonskip must get along really well."

Rustbee eyed Mossfrog for a few moments before shrugging. "I mean, yeah, but you're still my best friend."

"Best--?" Mossfrog's eyes widened.

"Oh. Are we not best friends?"

"No, no! We can be," Mossfrog hurriedly amended. "I would like that."

"Good, because I like that too." Rustbee grinned, wading towards Mossfrog. The tom flicked the water off his paws as he reached the riverbank, standing less than a fox-length away from Mossfrog.

"Why do you like me so much?" Mossfrog blurted.

"Does it matter? You're sweet, and clever, and brave. You've been kind to me. You really are a wonderful cat, Mossfrog. I hope you'll actually believe it one day."

Mossfrog took a deep breath. Pensively, she murmured, "I think I really am beginning to believe it."

"Good! Now let's go catch some salmon."

"Okay."

-🐉 (i hope i characterized these two well! they're such fun little guys, but given that we don't actually have a lot of information about rustbee i took some creative liberties with his personality lol. i think i did okay with mossfrog too,, she is a special creature.. lmk if there's any characters you want to see fics of--this goes for anyone!)

ANOTHER FUCKING BANGER FROM DRAGON ANON HOLY SHIT. somehow despite the guy having .01 seconds of screentime you have managed to capture Rustbee perfectly. slightly odd very confident guy who is silly and in love with Mossfrog. this fic is so damn good i love it

[thereareeyesinsidethetrees]

this is the much more fun post where we talk about au where ford has numerous cats and other nice things because i’m sick of depression! we need some feel good fluff!

i can’t say much about the cat au because i’m going to be writing about it, but! you will get headcanons after

the cat au is sort of a what-if scenario. stan opens the portal, ford comes back with numerous cats. ford is not getting rid of them, because he’s far too attached to them and they’re far too attached to him (also releasing something from another dimension, let alone a domestic cat, into the wild isn’t a stellar idea). one of the cats is named Icarus. another one is named Isosceles, because that cat just so happens to be the meanest of the bunch. why any of this? because ford just so happens to have spent the last few years of his time in the multiverse in a dimension primarily filled with cats. he’s gotten real good at cat-ing, don’t’cha know?

now for headcanons:

-stan likes all of the ‘cool’ animals (though not because they’re dangerous, or anything). sharks? he can tell you all about them. tigers? you bet he knows a ton. wolves? dinosaurs? raptors? dragons? yep yep yep.

-the mystery twins convince ford and stan to get phones for easier communication. they don’t use them much (they have other ways to talk to the niblings long distance, and they don’t typically get lost from each other), but ford does develop a habit of sending stan random things he finds (he got it from mabel)

-ford actually likes a lot of the same things mabel likes. stickers, gimmick sweaters, kittens, those old cartoons she watches. he thinks they’re endearing, and they’re a nice distraction from all the terrible things he’s been through. he is completely fine with sitting through a mabel makeover

-ford is really good at vocal mimicry. it’s a skill he initially learned in the multiverse for survival, but post-portal he moreso uses it for fun. mimicking various anomalies so they might get closer and let him get a better look at them, mimicking seagulls and stan to annoy his brother, mimicking various noises he hears around the shack because stimming, accentuating the stories he tells, impressing the niblings, etc. etc.

-upon setting sail, stan makes an effort to learn as much about the things ford struggles with as possible so that he can help when needed and make things easier for his brother in general. ford is starting to get annoyed because stan won’t stop trying to dodge his attempts to return the favor (emphasis on trying)

-the first time ford is ever at the niblings’ house is when their parents are away. the mystery twins give him a tour, show him and stan all the stuff they’ve been working on, show him some of the stuff he’s missed…it’s bittersweet, but he enjoys his time there

-i imagine ford and stan have issues mentioning certain problems they have in fear of looking like they’re trying to one-up the other. ford doesn’t mention when he’s depressed or if he can’t remember something. stan doesn’t mention when he’s anxious or having a more intense bout of chronic pain. the feel good part is that i also like to think they work it out eventually. they’re not so good at communication, but they’d like to improve, and that’s something that gets talked about as they get better over time. the feel good part is that there’s hope

-ford’s favorite planet is saturn. stan’s favorite is jupiter (he tells people it’s mars). dipper likes neptune and mabel is insistent on pluto, even though she’s aware it doesn’t technically count

-at some point, wendy starts calling ford ‘owlman’ as a result of an inside joke with the niblings. ford doesn’t get it. what? he’s not the owlman. is this another silver fox thing?

-during their time sailing, ford and stan get matching tattoos. kind of. ford doesn’t really have space for a new one, so he instead has a preexisting one modified to match stan’s. it’s also stan’s first actual tattoo!