#Rocky Point State Park

[camera-worker]

Cotton Candy Sky, Rocky Point, 2024

#10-121-01

This was shot on Kodak Gold film with an expiration date of March 1994 on June 8, 2024. The film was metered at ISO 80.

[stonecreationslongisland]

Stone Creations of Long Island by Paul Saladino Via Flickr: Deer Park, N.Y 11729 Stone Creations of Long Island Pavers and Masonry specializes in masonry design and outdoor living, serving communities all across Long Island in all aspects of home improvement and repair. From custom brickwork and pavers to asphalt and concrete, Stone Creations of Long Island provides free estimates at your home or business seven days a week. With experienced employees, and a knowledgeable staff, Stone Creations of Long Island knows your home is your greatest investment and choosing the right masonry team to protect and enhance that investment is important. For any inquiries, we look forward to your questions and helping on your next home improvement or commercial project of any scale. Paul Saladino Office (631) 678-6896 Mobile (631) 678-2710 Visit Our Website www.stonecreationsoflongisland.net See our work on You Tube www.youtube.com/user/stonecreationsLI/videos Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/stone_creations Check us out on Pinterest www.pinterest.com/stonecreations See Our Work On Houzz www.houzz.com/pro/stonecreationsoflongisland Follow our Updates on www.stonecreationslongisland.tumblr.com Follow us on Wordpress www.stonecreationsoflongislandinc.wordpress.com Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/stonecreationsoflongisland

[hueningsloverr]

౨ৎ kiss her you fool !

pairing: established relationship!beomgyu x reader summary: dating beomgyu was rocky, simply because he didn't know how to kiss you. or how to ask. or when. luckily, he had his friends to guide him through it. word count: 1.0k extra: inspired by kids that fly's 'kiss her you fool'! apart of my valentines day series

beomgyu was not one to do things simply because it was asked of him. he 'marched to the beat of his own drum', or so his mom always told him growing up. and while it was his best quality, it was also his fatal flaw.

"no, we haven't kissed yet." he groaned, throwing his head back on his pillow as kai and taehyun laughed at him. it was an embarrassing thing to admit. six months dating, and he still hadn't worked up the courage to ask to kiss you.

he'd never kiss you without asking. his mom had raised him 'right'. and soobin would kill him if he tried.

kai continued snickering, even after beomgyu had practically rocket launched his pillow at the younger teen.

kai of all people was not one to laugh at others romantic endeavours, not with the state of his own love life.

"you gotta just ask man!" taehyun howled, falling back on himself as he clutched his sides, laughing so loudly beomgyu worried his parents would hear.

"you try to have a significant other!" beomgyu shot back, "a partner, who at that, is the prettiest person alive!"

kai's voice held a mocking tone, and then it was taehyuns turn to harass the boy. "it can not be that hard man!" kai giggled, as if he was a teenage girl on the phone. "just be like, hey, your lips and my lips would make an awe- ow! taehyun!"

taehyun grinned, turning his attention back to beomgyu. "the idiot's not wrong. just be polite. she's probably waiting for you to kiss her."

bviously, beomgyu was aware of that fact. he had long since stopped making excuses of his behalf, at this point it was simply a lack of guts. he had the rest of his life to live, so what if he embarrassed himself once in high school?

"don't be afraid dude," kai chimed in, and taehyun had half a mind to tell the teen to shut it. yet, kai was kai. he always made somewhat decent points at the end of the day. "dreams aren't found, they're made."

taehyun cackled, an exasperated, unbelievable, cackle. "shut up man!" he laughed, but beomgyu drowned out his younger two friends. they both were right.

quickly grabbing his phone, he texted you to meet him outside your house in 10 minutes. and with that he set off.

"i'll be back in a bit, you guys can leave whenever you want." he mumbled to his friends as he grabbed his coat and scarf off of his desk chair and sped out the door.

kai and taehyun were left completely clueless, but still giggling like mad men.

a quick walk through the park by your side, you practically freezing the entire way, was all beomgyu needed for a confirmation. he knew in most situations in life, he had endless attempts, yet somehow in that one moment it felt like he only got one chance.

stopping briefly at the steps to your house, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. he had half the mind to check it, but then he noticed you walking away.

"hey," beomgyu called out, his hand loosely reaching to grasp your wrist. it felt like every cliche moment in a movie ever. you always liked watching those movies this time of year. when the snow piled up so high outside it was a surprise school wasn't canceled, and the only thing left to do was watch movies.

"hm?" you grinned, turning back to look at your boyfriend. the streetlamp above gave you an etherial glow, and beomgyu felt his heart stop beating for a moment.

"don't go just yet." he whispered, inching closer. "there's more i want to say - more i want to do."

a soft look of surprise coated your face, and suddenly it was far too hot for it to be the middle of february. "what was it you wanted to say?" you mused, leaning closer to your boyfriend.

he felt his brain shut down.

there was no where to go.

no place to hide.

life presented him with two options, and neither seemed truly appealing. he could either let you go, or ask.

"i really like you," he blurted out, noticing how antsy you had become. you looked as uncomfortable as he felt - how fitting. "and i was wondering, you know, since we've been going out for so long…"

you leaned in again, as if following so closely behind his words you could guess what would come next.

"can i kiss you?"

your words caught him off guard. it wasn't supposed to go down like this - he was supposed to be the one to ask. it was supposed to be his romantic gesture.

beomgyu felt as the heat rushed to his cheeks, and he felt like all his defences had been knocked down. "oh," he managed to let out, eyes wide yet still so soft. all he could do was nod; a hesitant nod that said it all.

'i've been waiting for this'.

and before he could react, you leaned in and pressed your lips against his in a gentle yet determined kiss. his heart skipped a beat as he melted into the embrace, his mind going blank as he lost himself in the moment.

pulling away, beomgyu let out a soft gasp, and he watched in awe as you melted away from his grasp, up the steps, and into the warmth of your home. he could slowly feel the world around him shift back into focus, and the cold breeze began to penetrate his jacket.

it was still february after all.

and so, as he made his way back home, stumbling like an idiot drunk in love, he finally remembered to check his phone. his home screen was littered with notifications - mostly mundane things like a 394 day streak on duolingo to uphold, and pinterest board recommendations - but the most prominent was the oldest.

a simple text from taehyun that read "kiss her you fool!"

authors note: part 3!!! i've yet to have my first kiss... this may be wildly inaccurate. it most likely is. idk. also this is so late oh my god i meant to post it on like tuesday or wednesday but kept rewriting the kiss part😭

©2024 — all rights reserved to hueningsloverr , please do not plagiarise or translate any of my work

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

The fish of the day today is the devils hole pupfish!

The devils hole pupfish, scientific name Cyprinodon diabolis, is an endangered fish known to live in exactly one spot, Devils hole. Devils hole is a limestone cavern with a geothermal pool found in Nye county of Nevada, and a disconnected section of Death Valley National Park. The geothermal pool keeps the water at a consistent 33 degrees Celsius all seasons, and has low dissolved oxygen amounts. The surface of water at the cave is only 72ft by 12ft, but below that the cave descends deep into the earth. Below the surface pool there is a larger cavern descending to 150 meters at its deepest before branching into a smaller tube at the bottom, the depth of which is currently unknown.1965 two teenagers went diving in the hole with scuba gear, and were never seen again,  rescue divers sent after them found a dropped flashlight, and other scuba gear but the bodies were never found. One rescue diver dropped a weighted plate that fell a full 932ft without contacting a bottom to the chamber, describing the water below him as an "infinity chamber". Later scans of the cave revealed it is at least as deep as 1,247ft, although to this day the depth is still unknown. Another well known aspect of the cave is that it can be used to determine when there are earthquakes all over the world. The water surges and has displayed unique patterns during the 2022 Mexico 7.6 magnitude earthquake, along with other strong earthquakes further from the hole. Such as: the 2012 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea, or the 2018 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia. Devils hole pupfish are known to live only in the first 80ft of the cave.

Devils hole pupfish are unique in appearance, getting only as large as an inch, and being one of few species that have no pelvic fins, however when raised in colder conditions these pupfish will regrow these appendages. As juveniles these fish are an off white color, and females retain some of this coloring in adulthood. This species has only ever been recorded with as many as 500 wild fish at its highest, hitting an all time low point of 42 fish in 2007. The more recent numbers are looking up however, and there were 263 pupfish observed in spring of 2022. The survival from egg to adulthood is small, but the likelihood with human effort that this fish will survive the test of time is high. Described as possibly the most isolated wild vertebrate species in the world. These fish live only 10-14 months, reaching sexual maturity at 8-10 weeks old and spawn year round with peaks in mid February-May, and a smaller peak in July-September. Due to the unique oxygen levels of devils hole, these fish have adapted to enter a state of tupor, similar to hibernation, where they can live anaerobically. This allows them to go without breathing for up to 2 hours, however they produce ethanol as a byproduct.

Most of the devils hole pupfish life is on the rocky outcrops of the surface waters of the cave system. Breeding, egg laying, diet, resting, and schedules surrounding the placement of the sun all depend on these rocky outcroppings of stone near the surface of the water. The diet of these fish is dependent on the rock outcroppings of the cave, as they eat anything they can find in the cave system. This includes: small freshwater crustaceans, beetles, flatworms, freshwater snails, inorganic matter made of small sections of the caves limestone, along with spirogyra and diatom algae, which grows on the rocks themselves and makes up most of the pupfish's diet. Due to their diet being mostly algae types, pupfish are incredibly susceptible to the seismic activity in the devils' hole, as it creates small tsunamis along surface water and washes away algae on the rocks, leaving them without a majority of their food source until it regrows. When these earthquakes happen the pupfish are known to flee into the deer waters of the cave until the water has stilled, and are thought to perhaps feel earthquakes before they happen, although not much research has been done on this yet.

Have a good Wednesday, everyone!

[catsfor2]

hit me, part 2

wc: 2.5k, largely unedited warnings: swearing/language, talk of homophobia, physical injury a/n: omg hey. this part takes place directly after part 1. things are starting to happen...!also idk shit about shit so don't come at me for the medical stuff if its wrong :) tags: @elliewilliamsmunch@intrnetdoll@me-and-your-husbandur-husband@3zae-zae3@milahnoz@elliescumm@dragonasflowercrown

part 1

part 1.5

"So...where are we going?"

"It's a clearing. In the woods." Ellie's hands lazily slide around the steering wheel as she speaks. You could daydream while staring at Ellie for hours. It's relaxing to watch her drive.

"Hm. Are you gonna...kill me there? Or something?" You joke.

"Still deciding."

"Oh my—are you seriously still mad?"

She says nothing, pretending to be engaged with driving.

You let out an irked breath.

"Okay—Ellie, I'm sorry. I was wasted out of my mind. And you look really different. Like, not just in your face. Everywhere is different." You confess, fiddling with the stickers peeling off of her dashboard.

"So do you. I still managed to fuckin' figure it out."

"I—I think I almost did? I remember looking at you and feeling really—confused, mostly. I didn't understand why I liked this stranger so much." You say, vaguely remembering how clingy and overt you acted last night.

"You were confused? I was fucking confused," her head swivels to yours. "a lesbian? That's what you are now?"

"Don't—don't say it like that. I came out like everyone else. You just weren't there to hear it."

Ellie lets out a choked laugh.

"Oh, Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"I wrote you and called you for fucking months. Nothing. A letter a fucking day. Are you listening? Do you know how many letters that is?"

You stay silent. Your hands ball up where they rest on your lap.

"Fuckin' say something! I even asked Dina for your number but you cut her off too! Is there a reason you basically fucking died?"

"I wasn't home, Ellie."

She stills, her shoulders relaxing a touch. She adjusts back towards the road before clearing her throat.

"At...at sixteen? What happened?"

You recall you, sixteen, sobbing and frantic. Tearing apart the letter Ellie wrote to tell you that she left. Wondering why it felt more like a breakup then your actual one did. Cursing yourself over and over and over again for only being sixteen. Your parents cursing Ellie for corrupting you.

"I feel like you can connect the dots." Your voice is just barely loud enough to hear over the droning tone of the car. The only focus you had at this point was trying not to cry in front of Ellie.

"Oh, fuck, y/n. I'm—I'm sorry. Did those fuckers kick you out?"

"No," you sigh. "I just knew I had leave. They're...crazy. I don't know. I'm fine now."

Her knuckles flex and tense over the steering wheel. Her teeth start to bite at her lips. There's a couple more seconds of quiet before she speaks up.

"I wish I would've been there."

You pause, not totally expecting what she said.

"Yeah," you breathe, gazing at the side of her head. "I wished that too."

And that wasn't a lie. Your family instilled a lot on you, mostly turning you away from religion. But then? You were desperate. Painfully, achingly desperate. And completely alone. After you left home, you prayed every single night. A genuine prayer, on your knees and everything. You even bought a $1.50 pocket bible from goodwill. All to aide in your bedtime routine of begging God to make Ellie come back.

She never did. You've been an atheist ever since. You weren't sure if her being here now changed anything.

The silence marinates for a short while longer until you feel the rocky texture of a gravel road beneath the car.

"We're here," Ellie states, throwing the gear in park. She takes a glance at your feet. "and you should've worn better shoes. We have walking to do."

You both hop out of the car.

"Like you couldn't have told me before we left?" You scoff.

"It's more fun to fuck with you later. C'mon," she grabs your hand, tightly clutching it in hers. "there's coyotes and shit around here. Don't be fuckin' stupid and stay close."

You try to will the warmth away from your cheeks. You've never held Ellie's hand before. Even if this doesn't really count as holding.

"Yeah, got it." You force out.

She leads you into the trees, hand warmly on yours, briskly following a mental path she's clearly walked many times.

"I almost got arrested over here," She sighs, far too casually.

"What?!"

"Damn—I said almost, chill." She assures, laughing at your shock.

You lightly slap her shoulder.

"I don't care! Almost getting arrested is still crazy!" You chide, eyes wide and judgmental.

Ellie's always been pretty...rebellious, but a part of you always thought that she'd be smart enough to avoid anything truly consequential. I guess she still is, you think.

"Lemme explain, ok. I was high as fuck, minding my business, when I saw some kids shootin'—a wolf, I think? Maybe a coyote—I saw them just...fuckin' up this poor thing with a—a BB gun."

"Oh my god..." You say, "What did you do?"

"I didn't do shit at first—I thought they'd stop. But they were like—about to kill this thing, I swear to God. So, I...ha..." Her face breaks into a wide smile. "you're not gonna like this,"

"...What. Not gonna like what."

"I pulled my gun on 'em."

"Ellie!"

"It wasn't even loaded, y'know I like to have it with me just in case..."

"They're kids!—"

"Asshole kids. Ok? And it fuckin' worked so—"

"I thought you said you almost got arrested?"

"Jesus—I did. You keep interrupting me—"

"Sorry." You quip, also realizing you just interrupted her with your apology.

"It's—it's fine. Anyway, those fucks called the cops on me after they ran. I found out cause the fuckin' pigs stopped me and asked if I'd seen an 'armed gunman in the area,'" She says, imitating a deep 'cop' voice. "dumbasses had no clue it was me."

You watch as she laughs, amused at her own story. Suddenly, your foot gets caught under a thick root and your arms fly out in an instant.

Ellie's hands hit your shoulders, grasping them upright, causing you to sharply crash into her chest.

"Oh—shit, sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." You gasp out, trying to regain your balance while loosening your grip on Ellie's coat.

"No, it's those fuckin' shoes," she rebukes, hands still resting on your shoulders. She immediately takes them off you when she notices. "we're almost there anyway. Try not to kill yourself before then."

Your hand burns at your side, palm itching. Is she going to grab it again?

"Where's 'there'?" You ask, glancing around at the wall of trees and shrubbery encircling you both.

"You'll see. Just stay close." She repeats like before, clutching your hand once again.

You tighten your grip, wanting to show Ellie you're listening.

"Good. Let's move."

The two of you walk for about a mile or so more, before the view steals your eyes and you both freeze.

"Oh—wow, Ellie. This is really pretty," you breathe, entranced by the piercingly vibrant colors and towering mountainous structures.

Her head is turned toward you, taking in your reaction to the sight, instead of the sight itself.

She's must've seen it so many times, you think.

"Yeah, you like it? I knew you would." She tells you, unable to keep the satisfied grin from her face.

"Shut up. I'm still mad you didn't even let me get ready this morning."

"There's nobody here. Who're you fuckin' getting ready for?" She barks, arms wide and gesturing.

I still wanted to get ready for you, Ellie. But obviously you don't say that.

"Whatever. You just did it to be a dick." You mutter, plopping yourself down onto the boulder in front of you.

"Yeah, I did. It's funny when you're mad. You're like a cat." She laughs, sitting down next to you.

"That's toxic. You shouldn't make people mad just cause you find it funny." You chide, crossing your legs over the rock.

"Guess I'm toxic, then." She sighs, carelessly throwing pebbles at your head.

"Was that the plan? Sit on a rock and be mean to me?"

"Truly adorable that you think this is mean—"

"Well it's not nice, that's for sure." You huff.

Ellie shifts so that her body faces yours. Her legs spread out wide, elbows comfortably resting on her thighs.

"I don't think you want me to be nice to you."

Your mouth parts open in surprise, eyes now burning into Ellie's.

"Well that's a lie. I'd love for you to be nice—"

"I think you like when I'm mean to you. I think you...prefer it, actually." She juts, a confident smile forming.

"Yeah, and who told you that, Dina?" You question, crossing your arms as a breeze starts to make you shiver.

"Nobody told me anything." her head quirks to the side. "I can just tell."

It was difficult to keep your composure. There were some things Ellie seemed to know about you that you didn't even know yourself. It was terrifying, embarrassing, and flattering all at once. Your face feels like its melting. You stay silent.

"Oh—am I right? I've totally got you, haven't I?" She asks, enjoying fully the power she seems to have over you and your emotions.

"No." You bite, unwilling to try and say anything else.

You hated how often Ellie was right.

She takes a ball of black fabric from her pocket, tossing it in your lap. It's a hat.

"Put it on. It's cold."

A swarm of bats fly over the both of you, chaotic and eruptive.

"It's gonna be dark, Ellie."

"I know, I know. I was, uh—saving the best for last." She quips, hopping off of the rock to stand in front of you.

It felt kind of awkward this way, Ellie fully standing while you sat. You had to look straight up to meet her eyes. It put your head in whirl.

"What, the tattoo? I saw that already."

"No. Something else," She grabs your hand and places it on the bottom hem of her top. Your heart beats a little faster.

"Lift up my shirt."

Your eyes widen as your hand fidgets. You wait for her to keep talking. She doesn't.

"Um...like all the way?" You struggle to find words. "Or—"

"Lift up," her hand grasps yours, guiding it up. "my shirt."

Fabric shifts and the pale flesh of her abdomen comes into view. Her belly is lean—all hard edges and dense muscle. What catches your eye is the long, winding, angry scar tracing along her hip.

Your brain goes into overdrive.

Traumatic injury, surgery needed... most likely...flexor or... IT band tendonitis? Maybe, what, Bursitis? Something...invasive—a tear? Labral tear? Iliopsoas tear? What the fuck was she doing?

"Street fighting." She states. "It's my job."

Your face is blank. You shakily stand.

"Uhhh—you, you better be fucking with me, Ellie." You stutter out. Unconsciously, you move to trace your finger along the scar, feeling the warped, healed skin. "I mean this is...this is serious. This is...surgery."

"Don't I fuckin' know it," she moves her shirt back down, covering the scar. "took me out of the ring for like, eight weeks."

"Jesus—Jesus Christ. How long have you been doing this!?"

"Not much longer than you've been in school, really."

"So, not long. Is what you're saying." your fingers rake through your hair. "This is...this is fucking crazy."

"It's not that—"

"Dina's okay with this? Really. I really don't see how she could be okay with this, like, at all." You argue, cutting her off.

"She wasn't. I had to convince her."

"And how often do you go to the doctor? Once a week? Or do you pretend like you know how to patch yourself up?"

Her face slightly reddens.

"I—I learned how to do it myself. I know how."

"Oh sure. Did you google it? I'm sure google will save you from a life threatening injury."

"Ok, most of them are not 'life threatening'—"

"You don't know that! Not certainly, at least! Not certain enough to be safe!" You exclaim, voice full of anger, but mostly, fear.

She places a hand on your shoulder, gripping it tightly. She doesn't talk until you meet her eyes.

"Hey. I am fine. The hip thing was a fluke. Honest. Most of the time nothing fuckin' happens." She assures, her other hand rubbing up and down your arm. You must've looked more upset than you'd realized.

"Ok."

"Just, 'ok'? Are we...good now?" Ellie asks, blue eyes still deeply connected to yours.

"Um...yeah..." You say, partly hesitating. Ellie watches you closely.

"I wanna go with you."

Her face lights up in...shock?, you think, a pleased grin shaping her mouth.

"What—really?"

"If you really want to do...this," you bite your lip. "being there is what would make me feel...better...about it."

"Yeah? That's...I mean, I think that's great," She says, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "my own cheerleader."

You step backwards, letting Ellie's hands slide away from your body.

"No, not a cheerleader. A fucking medic. So I'm not sitting home worried about you—dying. I can just be there to help if stuff goes wrong."

"I'm happy either way, princess." She gleams.

As the sun sets, it gets harder to make out the shape of her face. The woods are also quieter, amplifying the subtle sounds of you and Ellie. You wonder about the details of your plan.

"Do I have to pay to get in? How does this...work?"

"No, you're set. Pretty girls get in free—it's a club rule. Y'know, good for business and everything."

You thank the sky for it's darkness, as Ellie is unable to see the rosy hue reaching your cheeks.

"Oh. Okay...good to know."

Ellie steps up, and now familiarly, encloses your hand in hers.

"C'mon. It's too fuckin' dark to stay any longer."

You walk out of the clearing, back into the dense foliage of where you came. Your grip tightens.

"So...have you had girlfriend?" Ellie blurts.

"Um, weird question, but," you look away. "no."

"Just...trying to gauge how good of a lesbian you are. Pretty bad, it seems."

"Oh, fuck off. I've been focusing on...school." You retort, fully knowing how lame it sounds.

If you were being honest, it was just nerves. You didn't have to try for a boyfriend, he basically wouldn't even take 'no' for an answer. But with girls? It was like you froze.

"Hey I'd give you some tips but...I don't think they'd really...apply for you, y'know?"

"No, I don't know. Explain it." You demand.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm trying think of a way where it makes...sense. And won't make you mad."

"I won't get mad Ellie. Just say it." You encourage, now more curious than anything.

She stops walking and turns to you.

"Well, it's like...the roles. The roles you can have."

"What...roles...?"

She huffs a laugh before continuing, and positions her hand to point to herself.

"I'm the type that flusters the girl. The...fluster-er, right?"

She walks forwards, getting so close that you can smell the scents of the forest soaked up in her clothing.

"And you," She says, her finger poking your collarbone. "...are the girl that...is flustered. It's a...a dynamic, yeah?"

Your skin heats and all you can do is gaze at Ellie, who's completely enthused with this discussion. She stays quiet, watching your face intently, despite it being so dark.

"You're making stuff up again. I don't even—I don't even know why I let you talk." You utter.

"See? You're doing it already! It's the fuckin' dynamic princess—you know I'm never wrong." She gushes, pinching at your checks and making them even redder.

"This so stupid. And don't call me that."

It was like the world stopped. As soon as you said it, you could see Ellie's brain distinctly remembering you, in that whiny drunken voice, begging. You won't ever forget it. And neither will Ellie, for completely different reasons.

You knew exactly what she was going to say, so you try and stop her.

"Don't. I don't care what I did yesterday. Just—don't."

She sighs, clearly dropping it. Thank god. Her teeth bite the inside of her cheek.

"Whatever you say, princess."

You don't even acknowledge it, just rolling your eyes as you walk ahead. Stray branches brush over your legs and thighs, feeling like gentle scratches. You slow a bit, waiting for Ellie to join you.

And hold your hand again.

Stepping ahead of you to lead, Ellie does just that. The warmth makes you smile, and you let it own your face, bright and wide. You didn't care. It was dark enough.

"Alright. Stay close."

"I know, Ellie."

[whencyclopedia]

Tamahay (Eastman's Biography)

Tamahay (Tahama, Tamaha, "Pike", l. c. 1776-1864) was a Mdewakanton Dakota Sioux guide and scout who sided with the Americans against the British during the War of 1812. He was a famous advocate of the American cause and a close friend of the American soldier and explorer Zebulon Pike (l. 1779-1813), serving as his guide for the 1805 expedition.

Tamahay is best known today from the account of his life given by Sioux physician and author Charles A. Eastman (also known as Ohiyesa, l. 1858-1939) in his Indian Heroes and Great Chieftains (1916). Aside from Pike's entries regarding the 1805 expedition and some of Pike's correspondence, there is little information on Tamahay outside of Eastman's account. Tahama Spring in Monument Valley Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is named for him.

Eastman's Account

Eastman's biography of Tamahay was published in 1916, and, as he says below, draws on accounts of those who knew him. Many of the stories Eastman relates cannot be corroborated independently and are only preserved in this biography. From Pike's account, during his first expedition of 1805, he and Tamahay, his guide in locating the source of the Mississippi River, became friends, despite Tamahay's limited knowledge of English. During the second expedition of 1806, Pike reached the highest point of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, known since as Pike's Peak, for which he is best known today.

Pike's Peak, Colorado, USA

David Shankbone (CC BY-SA)

Tamahay's friendship with Pike encouraged his support for the American cause against the British during the War of 1812, at a time when many Sioux sided with the British. He served as a scout during the war and, after Pike was killed in action in 1813, continued this service with distinction. As Eastman notes, he was awarded a medal and certificate for his service by Governor William Clark (l. 1770-1838) of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806, which coincided with Pike's expeditions.

Toward the end of Eastman's account, he gives a speech attributed to Tamahay on the futility of resistance to US westward expansion in which the old scout mentions Pontiac (l. c. 1714-1769) and Black Hawk (l. c. 1767-1838), famous for Pontiac's War (1763-1766) against British expansion and the Black Hawk War (1832) against the United States. The "Minnesota Massacre" Tamahay was trying to prevent is a reference to the Dakota War of 1862 in which the Mdewakanton Dakota (Santee) Sioux, led by their chief Little Crow (l. c. 1810-1863) attacked White settlements in the Minnesota River Valley in an attempt to save his people from starvation.

However his fellow Dakota may have felt toward Tamahay for his well-known support of the United States, by 1862 – after repeated failures of the US government to honor treaties and promises – the Dakota rejected his appeal and Little Crow, however reluctantly, approved the attack. As Tamahay predicted, the Dakota War (lasting only a little over a month, from 18 August to 26 September 1862) resulted in hundreds of deaths on both sides, including Little Crow's, the hanging of 38 Dakota men at Mankato, Minnesota, and the removal of Little Crow's people from their ancestral lands to a reservation in South Dakota Territory.

Tamahay died of natural causes in his mid-eighties (around 85), in 1864, at Fort Pierre, South Dakota.

Continue reading...

[murphy-kitt]

Ectober Day 8 - Toy Spaceship

Word Count: 1,663

AO3

Tags: Angst, Mention of Past Injury

Maddie finds a small worn toy spaceship buried in the park. A children’s toy. She wasn’t expecting the owner to be Phantom.

At first, Maddie thinks the rocket is just a piece of rusted metal. How a piece of rusted metal might’ve got there in the first place, she doesn’t consider.

The first thing she thinks is that it’s a safety hazard, with the screeching of children’s laughter ringing in her ears. The park is within eye—and earshot. A stray toddler only needs to wander over and get a cut, or worse.

She reaches down and expects sharp metal to prod her fingertips, except it doesn’t. Another tug and it’s out of the damp soil.

What is it? She thinks, turning it around in her hands. Half the bottom is covered with muck and stringy roots. It’s cylindrical, curving into a point at the top. What she thought was rust, is dark orange paint. What she can only describe as ‘fins’ jut out at the bottom.

Whatever it is, it’s seen better days.

And then she remembers.

Danny’s fifth birthday, the first time they’d had a big occasion for his birthday. They’d taken him to the observatory, because even back then he knew what he wanted to do.

Nowadays, Maddie’s not too sure of that anymore. He’s…drifted away. Always skipping lessons and never being where he should.

But Danny’s birthday gift had been a rocket. A little orange rocket with a lid that flipped open at the top. Maddie presses about a quarter down of the toy, and sure enough there’s a hinge.

Curious, she tries opening the top, but it’s rusted shut.

Can’t have expected anything else. She sighs, looking back over to the park. Perhaps one of the children there dropped it?

After all, it can’t be Danny’s. Despite everything, even with his failing grades and constant truancy, he still has his shelf of rockets.

He’d never let one of them get in such a state, given his attention to detail for painting them and adding stickers.

It could be a ghost related? Maddie turns the rocket over in her hands. There’s no signs of ectoplasm, but it could be contaminated.

Worth taking to the lab for a checkup. With one final glance at the rocket, Maddie begins the walk back to Fentonworks.

—

It’s the next day when Maddie debates what to do with the rocket. Tests last night showed that it is contaminated to a considerable degree.

“It could make a good bit of research.” Maddie mumbles, staring at the rocket laid out on the lab bench, “—why is it in that park? Who does it belong to?”

Suddenly, the temperature of the lab drops.

Maddie tenses, instinctively reaching for the ectogun on her hip, but her hand simply meets air. Right. Her and Jack had agreed to stop carrying ectoguns after their truce with Phantom.

It’s been a rocky few months, but there is some progress. Nowadays, the ghost doesn’t shy away when they’re hunting, even sometimes having conversations.

Perhaps Phantom will know who the rocket belongs to. He seems to have good knowledge of the town, she thinks.

But for now, she’s only focused on the current problem.

“Who’s there?” She swivels around, eyes scanning the room for any sense of an aura, cold spots.

Something is definitely in the lab. Hairs prickling on her neck, Maddie resists the urge to run into the weapons storage, come out guns blazing.

Her and Jack meant keeping a truce. And that includes no weapons (excluding life-threatening situations) even when Phantom isn’t present.

“Wow! I’m surprised you didn’t run for the weapons.” Suddenly, Phantom appears infront of her, green eyes gleaming and a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

“What do you want?” She asks, tone biting more than intended.

“Geez, don’t worry! I thought we were past the accusation stage.” Phantom folds his arms, hovering down to the floor.

“We are.” Maddie releases her grip from the bench, “I just didn't expect you here.”

She can’t help but notice Phantom subtly floating to the right of her, eyes clearly not focused despite his conversing.

“Fair…” the ghost trails off, craning his neck.

Instinctively, she turns, curious as to what’s caught his eyes.

Ah. The rocket.

Something he’s probably never seen before and is intrigued about.

“Where’d you get that?” Is expectantly the next question.

“This?” Maddie asks, as if the answer isn’t obvious, picking up the small toy in her hands, “A toy rocket, I think?”

”Yeah, it is.” Phantom nods, confirming the obvious. “It’s mine.”

”Yours?!” Maddie clutches the rocket tighter, unable to muster the surprise in her tone, “Did you find it?”

”No.” Phantom drops to the floor with a light thump, eyes fixated on the rocket. “I—uh—got it when I was alive.”

”When you were alive?” She parrots, “I though ghosts—“

”Couldn’t feel pain, couldn’t remember their past lives. Yeah.” Phantom grimaces, hand tracing a line across his stomach.

Maddie remembers, stomach flipping, that she gave him a severe wound there once with a Fenton Spear.

For some reason, her mind trails back to Danny. Him being five, so excited to visit the observatory for his birthday. Much more excited about that than his favourite fudge cake. How when they’d went into the gift shop, the bright orange and blue rocket was what had caught his attention. He didn’t want anything else, just that rocket.

And at some point, Phantom had that experience. Perhaps not a birthday, or at the observatory. But he saw the little rocket in her hands on a shelf one day, and it gave him the same joy as it had her own son.

Probably still does, if it was stubborn enough to follow him into the afterlife.

That brings another thought which she instantly shoves back down. What if he was killed whilst playing with the rocket?

”How—how did you get this, then?” Maddie regards Phantom’s confused expression, “I mean, if you had it when you were alive, then how did it…join…you as a ghost?”

”I did always say it had a mind of its own.” Phantom chuckles, before advancing forward.

Maddie obliges, allowing the ghost to take it, arms falling awkwardly by her side. It is his after all.

After a few seconds of Phantom examining his reunited possession, he shrugs.

“None of my other stuff reacts like this does. I mean, yeah, it’s important, but this rocket is connected, somehow? Like, my core can sense where it is.”

”That’s why you knew to come here.” Maddie nods, pieces falling into place.

”Yeah. I went flying with it a few days ago on patrol. I guess I must’ve dropped it at the park, because my core was telling me to go there.” Phantom explains, “And then my core was telling me to go here, so I figured either you or D—Jack picked it up.”

”Perhaps it’s related to your obsession? A ghost’s core is primarily formed from an obsession, after all.” Maddie suggests, looking over at the strewn out papers on the desk. All their theories and explanations that will have to be rewritten about ghosts. Even from this simple interaction.

So many things proved wrong.

The ghost ‘hmms’ then nods, seemingly satisfied. “That could be it, y’know? I’m just glad it was you who got it and not like…some kid. I’d have a harder time getting it back.”

”Well, don’t be too sure.” Maddie quips, “It’s quite an interesting little piece. I’ve never heard of a physical object connected to a ghost through their core, especially from their past life.”

”Well, what can I say? I’m…unique.” Phantom shrugs, suddenly looking more like the awkward teenager he is, which took her and Jack much too long to notice.

An awkward silence fills the lab as Maddie considers what to say, drumming her hands on the table.

”Well, I better get going. Thanks—“

”How did you get the rocket?” Maddie blurts out to a bewildered Phantom.

”It’s just, my son, Danny. He has that exact same rocket. We went to the observatory when he was five, and when he saw it, well that was it. Absolutely infatuated with the thing! He’s still got it on his shelf to this day. I think his is in better condition than that, no offence.”

”Well, would you know it?” Phantom quirks a crooked grin, “I got mine at the observatory for my birthday too. I knew when I laid eyes on it that was what I wanted. My Dad thought I’d want cake or something, but my Mom knew straightaway.”

Just like Danny’s experience.

Phantom looks relaxed, shoulders slack. There’s a colour to his cheeks, light dusting of green freckles and a sparkle to his eyes. It’s nice, Maddie thinks. A far cry from a few months ago when he was worn down, pale, sunken-in by their weapons.

Perhaps talking about the good things about his family has helped, too. One thing undoubtably in Maddie’s mind is that Phantom didn’t have a good home life as a child.

It has to be. A teenager dies, becomes a ghost acting-vigilante. In life he couldn’t be saved, so spends the afterlife dedicated to seeking justice.

”Thanks.” Phantom grins again, and as quick as he appeared, is gone.

Sighing, Maddie lets herself lean against the bench, glancing at the sea of research papers and dogeared notes. All the news theories from her conversation with Phantom and discovery of the rocket swirl around.

She could sit here in the lab for a good few hours, developing research and new alternatives.

Or, instead, Maddie walks to the lab stairs and starts going up. She decides to go up to Danny’s room and talk about the rockets on his shelf with him.

Her children are growing up, distancing by each passing year, especially Danny.

After all, Phantom’s parents likely never knew that their sons life would be cut so short. One minute talking about rockets, the next gone, as if he was never there.

Who knows how long she has left with Danny?

—

A/N: Surprised I’ve made it to day 8 and four works to be honest. This was the first prompt I had planned for ectober. Inspired by A Ghost Story by Cordia, one of my favourite fics ever!

[cityofmeliora]

Ghost and Southern California

i'm from California, so a lot of the locations in the Ghost lore are familiar to me! i wanna use this post to show / explain Ghost being set in the Los Angeles area.

though it hadn't been explicitly stated yet then, there are actually hints that Ghost is based in Southern California as early as Chapter 4: The Accident. when Sister Imperator is driving, you can see palm trees on the hills along the road. of course, lots of places have palm trees, but the specific combination of palm trees with the rocky cliffs and sparse vegetation feels distinctly Californian to me.

the Dance Macabre music video shows Nihil met Sister Imperator at a mansion in LA (as explained by the intro). don't know the exact location, but if i had to guess, i'd place it maybe somewhere in Beverly Hills, which has a lot of mansions like this.

the Kiss The Go-Goat music video again confirms that they're in Los Angeles. it features the Whisky a Go Go, a real music venue in West Hollywood. the Mary On A Cross animated music video accurately places it on a corner along the Sunset Strip.

the Mary On A Cross lyric video shows Sister Imperator walking through the Ministry building before leaving to see the show at the Whisky a Go Go. this is another indicator the Ministry building is in the LA area since it's within driving distance of the venue. scenes in the Ministry building are filmed at a real mausoleum northeast of LA, but i'm not going to name the location because the Ministry is supposed to be a fictional building. interestingly, the lyric video also gives us the exact time of the concert.

after the events of Kiss The Go-Goat, the Mary On A Cross animated music video starts with Sister Imperator driving to her house, which is in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood near the Hollywood Sign. you can see from the road that they're in the hills looking over the city.

then Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil run from their house to the Hollywood Sign. there are hiking trails that go from the surrounding neighborhoods up to the Hollywood Sign. you can go behind it just like they do in the video.

Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil cross a body of water that is most likely the Hollywood Reservoir, although the video places the Hollywood Sign west of the lake instead of east, as in real life.

Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil make out in a cemetery (which i did not attempt to locate) and then end up at a motel. this is not a real motel, though. it's the Bates Motel movie set at Universal Studios Hollywood. i laughed so hard because recognized it instantly in Rite Here Rite now. (i've been on the same tour that the Nameless Ghouls were on.) Universal Studios Hollywood is both a theme park and an actual film studio. there are people filming when Nihil calls Mr. Psaltarian to come pick him up in the The Future Is A Foreign Land music video.

so to summarize some of the locations in those videos: the Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood Sign, and Universal Studios are highlighted in yellow. the red outline on the map shows the boundary of the Hollywood Hills neighborhood. the Hollywood Reservoir is the body of water in the middle of it.

The Future Is A Foreign Land music video and Chapter 13: The Beach Life feature Mr. Psaltarian's beach house, which is on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. though there are beach houses all along the SoCal coast, Malibu is closest to LA, and is pretty much the only place where houses are that close to the water without some kind of barrier. it's a real house and i've driven past it. i know the exact location but i'm not sharing it, for obvious reasons.

here is Malibu on a map relative to Los Angeles:

as a side note, it appears Cardi now drives Mr. Psaltarian's old car, a 1968 Buick LeSabre convertible. it has California license plates, of course, but the plates must have been replaced at some point, since that California license plate design wasn't in use until 1988.

lastly, Rite Here Rite Now is set at The Forum (now called KIA Forum), which is in Inglewood near the LAX airport. Inglewood is technically its own city, but it's completely surrounded by LA.

when Rite Here Rite Now released, TF said in an interview that it's "common knowledge" that Ghost is based in LA. i found it a bit funny because i've read very few Ghost fanfics that are actually set in LA, so i don't know how 'common' that knowledge really is, LOL. but i hope this post helps!

WHAT WAS BEHIND THE DECISION TO SHOOT THE FILM AT THE FORUM IN L.A.? TOBIAS FORGE: [...] There’s this common knowledge that the HQ of the band seems to be in L.A. So the Forum is not only a classic venue, but it’s sort of their home turf. Had we placed the story someplace else, we would’ve had to justify: Why are they there? Why is this show special? Revolver (June 2024)

[ashensgrotto]

A Merfolk's Melody (Part 1)

Characters: Yan!Floyd x Reader, Yan!Jade x Reader, Yan!Azul x Reader

Word Count: 13.5k

Intro (You are Here)      Floyd Leech       Jade Leech     Azul Ashengrotto Epilogue

Synopsis: The sea always calls to those who feel lost and alone, wanting to fill the empty part of their soul until they are loved and full… and as such, it’s only fair that the strange creatures that live beneath it’s depths would want the same as well…

Author’s Note: Another 4-part fanfiction courtesy of @merakiui ‘s headcannnons of the reader being stuck in a room/wall (I’m sorry) -> https://www.tumblr.com/merakiui/722393818829373440/in-addition-to-being-stuck-in-a-locked-room?source=share & https://www.tumblr.com/merakiui/722677892623056896/about-the-stuck-in-a-wall-trope-in-the-oceani?source=share

Here’s how it’s going to work: each character is going to get their own part following the intro. It is going to focus on the Octrio again (bc it’s my current liking, sorry guys). If you want to read a certain character’s part, feel free to jump around and select the one you’re most interested in. 

Again, as stated before, this is a work of fiction; I disagree with any and all behaviors that are represented in this story.

***

The sound of the waves crashing against the rocky surface was a sound that you had familiarized yourself with when you were a child. It and the call of the seagulls and other sea birds that brought forth fond memories of your childhood; images of your loving parents as they strolled along the beachside near the rocky terrain with you and your siblings following behind like little ducklings as they pointed out smooth pebbles and speckled shells, the shouts when your siblings pulled each other into the water before the tide overcame them like a dowsing rain shower, the laughter that followed in the evening before a roaring fire in the pit that cooked fish and crab along with corn and potatoes and marshmallows for dessert.

Yes, this was a child's paradise once upon a time and the sea had been there for every stumble you took, every laugh that bubbled from your lips… every tear that stained your cheek.

The sea always calls to those who feel lost and alone, wanting to fill the empty part of their soul until they are loved and full - and you needed a hole that existed in your heart to be filled with memories of the sea, wanting the salty water and the cries of gulls to wash away the pain and heartache you felt inside you.

You had returned to your family's sea cabin after several long years of being away in the city, moving away at the end of your high school year to attend college. The city was vastly different from the coastal residence you had lived in for eighteen years; there was no comfort or beauty or peace - it was loud and haze-filled and distorted. The people that lived there were rude and constantly in a hurry, bustling from place to place like work ants moving to and from the nest. There were a few that you had made friends with - their smiles and conversations always bringing forth those fond memories of your childhood - and there was one that you had loved and had loved you in return.

Sadly though, he was no longer in the picture - and the reason behind your return to the coast.

The two of you had met during orientation of your freshman year of college and had become fast friends. He introduced you to a lot of people and places, taking you by the hand and pulling you along the busy streets of the city - pointing out landmarks and museums, parks and local hot spots. It was all so overwhelming, causing your head to spin - but you always laughed at his energetic nature and wild behavior, a true sea captain in your eyes. He would take you on tours through the local zoo and art galleries, treat you to ice cream or coffee at the local shops, and talk to you about life in general during lunch breaks and help you with your exams and vice versa. 

It was during your last year in school that you both started dating - the confession coming out over a school get together with a group of your friends at one of the local clubs, when the drinks were filled and music pounded through your body as you danced with your crush til the moon was high overhead. As you traveled together back toward the dorms, his hand clasped in yours with fingers entwined, he pressed his headon top of yours as you leaned into him to feel the warmth of his body as the chill of autumn surrounded you. He whispered that he liked you more than a friend and asked if you saw him as the same - he wouldn’t care if you did or didn’t, but he needed to know if there was anyone else that was important in your life.

 You couldn’t have been happier that he felt the same as you did at that moment.

But of course, as the sea covers the shoreline, it always drags the unsuspecting sea creature back into its depths.

The first and second year as a couple was perfectly blissful - you both continued to make time for each other and walked along your usual paths during college and moved into an apartment together after graduation. You still visited the museums and galleries, got coffee, and talked about work and a future together on walks through the parks after your day’s busy schedule. Shortly into the third year as a couple, nearly six since you met each other, the appearance of another shimied into your life. It was at a new year’s celebration with a group of college friends that you were introduced to this new girl. She was the sister of a friend that was visiting for a week while touring colleges in the area, brought along by the friend so you could talk to her about your experiences at the college you had once attended together. 

At first it seemed harmless, the eighteen-turning-nineteen was interested in what your field of study was, what the professors were like, how the dorms worked, what sort of clubs and sports were available to participate in - all questions a typical freshman-to-be would ask. However, what made you uncomfortable about the whole situation was the way she kept grabbing at your partner - leaning against him and whispering things in his ear, making him laugh with hers joining in as a chorus, her fingers slipping into his hand and squeezing his like they were a couple and you were the outsider. You attempted to sneak in and wrap your arm around him, but was swatted away like a pesky mosquito by her on more than one occasion; you shifted your eyes to look at your boyfriend, arching a brow to indicate he do something or at least say something that told her that he was taken already. 

Not once did he say anything, nor did he do anything.

At the end of the night, as the two of you walked back to the apartment, he attempted to wrap his arm around you. Too hurt, you shrugged him off, making him stop and ask what was wrong. You argued with him that night - a huge fight that caused you to seek shelter at a coworker’s apartment instead of wanting to deal with the situation - needing space to cool off and rethink about how to approach the subject. When you came back in the morning to make amends, you found him embracing another woman - the same girl that had clung to him the night before. Fury and pain ripped through your heart like a storm crashing against the waves of the rocky surface - the cry that echoed through your throat rivaled the call of gulls as tears sprung like raindrops on the corners of your eyes. 

It was enough noise to pull the sleeping couple from their dreamscape - your boyfriend springing upright, tugging on the sheets and distancing himself from the girl, who had sulked to the corner of the room, picking her clothing up off the ground and making her way hastily out of the room and the apartment. As much as your boyfriend tried to explain, you wanted to hear none of it - the roaring pain of your heart enough to drown out the noise of a thunderstorm as you gathered your things from the apartment, shaking your head with every plea and shrugging off every touch. You left your shared apartment, heading toward your coworkers’ apartment and explained what happened; she took pity on you, allowing you to stay so you could figure out what needed to happen next.

Your boss permitted you a week-long vacation.

“Get some rest, focus on yourself right now,” they said, pushing a box of tissues toward you, “You’re a good worker and a hard one at that. I’d hate to let you go over something so trivial.”

When you requested a bit more time, your boss agreed to two weeks - wanting you to get the proper care you so desperately needed, but wanting you to work all the same.

Which is how you found yourself back on the coast with the sea, gulls, and assorted creatures both of land and sea as your only companions. The cabin your family had once stayed in was smaller than you thought - enough room for only a set of adults and two children. Why did you think there were more that filled this room once upon a time? Were ther other children that lived in other cabins that lined the coast that often gathered here to spend time with you and you had once believed them to be siblings - even though you were an only child? Photos that still lived in corners of the rooms of the cabin indicated a happy family; a mother, a father, and a daughter - you. There were no other photos that indicated that there were other children, nor anyone that lived nearby with children your age to play with. 

Were they all just imaginary friends you had conjured in your head to allow your lonely broken heart to feel whole like how the sea filled your spirit? Even if that were the case, how come your parents never corrected it? Did they feel pity for their only daughter whom had no friends? That they couldn’t force anyone to play with you or spend time with you? Or was there another reason?

Regardless of what had passed, the cabin slowly became a part of you - just as it did to your family once upon a time.

Every morning, you woke to the sound of a local cat scratching at the door - a little grey beast that paced the floor of the cabin before you set a plate of leftover steamed or roasted fish before the little creature, petting his fur as he ate before he took a bath and perched on the window sill, watching as you tended to the house - cleaning it and ridding it of decay and clutter that had mounted over the years of neglect. Then you would walk down to the shoreline, your sandals in one hand as your feet dug into the sand, water coming up to kiss your skin with is cool lips and filling your prints with water as it made small homes for the little hermit crabs that lurked along the shore - the little grey kitten walking beside you, it’s little blue gaze peering up at you from time to time as he meowed as if holding a conversation with you. You would hum and talk to him, even though you couldn’t understand him nor he could you - but the way his long fluffy tail would wrap around the back of your leg felt comforting, like he was guiding you along. 

Then you would return to the cabin for a quick lunch before grabbing your fishing gear and heading back to the coast. The waves hit against your legs as you steadied yourself in the thrashing water as you casted line after line, reeling in food for supper and for your little companion who sat on a large rock and watched with interest. By the time the sun was setting, you would reel in your last catch and return to the shore, pulling your sandals on and hiking up the trail back to the cabin with the little grey kitten following close behind you. A fire was sparked into the pit, the flames flickering with life as you rested your catches in a wire basket that hung over the flames, turning each little piece over along with care as the flesh slowly became white and flaky - the corn and potatoes already prepared along with a small package of chocolate chip cookies that would become the end to a simple and meaningful meal.

Even though your days were filled with sorrow - your dreams were filled with a figure.

Each night, as sleep took you, you would often find yourself staring out at the sea as storm clouds brew overhead, threatening to split open and spew cool water from the heavens. You would reach around and wrap into yourself, your nails digging into your skin as a chilled breeze rattled your frame. You stood your ground, your eyes never leaving the horizon, even as the wind grew stronger and stronger, threatening to topple your figure. Eventually, the wind calmed as something appeared in the distance; a voice that sounded both familiar and unfamiliar calling out to you following the shape of what appeared to be a man. The figure would often extend their hand, their voice shifting to something soft and gentle, other times a giggle would erupt from their lips - but more often than not, singing in a language you had never heard before. You would start to take steps forward, one hand reaching out to theirs. But just before you could touch, your eyes would open to the sunlight streaming through the thin curtains of your small bedroom. 

You started to muddle over the dream at the beginning of the second week of your time away from the big city, stirring your coffee absent-mindedly as your thoughts delved into darker waters; who was that in your dream? Why did he sound familiar? Was he supposed to be the ex you had left behind? Was your dream telling you that you should go back and forgive him? Or were they a person from your past? A friend that you had when you were a child but had forgotten about? You looked out the window as the grey kitten hopped onto the table and laid before you on his side, his belly up as your hand absent-mindedly reached out and stroked the fur, rubbing him as he let out contented squeaks and merps of pleasure. 

The dream had been recurring ever since you arrived here - so much so there were times you thought that you saw something watching you behind the large rocks that jaunted out into the crashing sea waves.

Legends of merfolk, selkies, sirens, and assorted sea monsters had littered your childhood, many of the locals believing that these fantastical creatures of the waves lurked just beyond their borders. Some claimed to have seen merfolk with tails of shimmering gold lounging on the rocks that lined the surface and others claimed to have seen the heads of sea serpents and kelpies drifting out further beyond. Others swore up and down they heard the voices of sirens and seen the discarded pelt of a selkie - though none were ever proven to be true. However, there was one story that was told to you by your father years and years ago:

The cabin that you lived in once belonged to an old fisherman who disappeared several decades ago. He was a man of few words and was often seen walking along the coastal shore with his hound in tow, whistling a tune no one had heard before as he prepared to walk out into the open water. One day, his dog came running into the local village, barking and whining before pulling on people’s skirts and pant legs, tugging them in the direction of the old fisherman’s cabin. The villagers followed the dog to the sandbar, only to discover that the old fisherman had disappeared - all that remained was his gear and the straw hat he always wore. Some believed that a tide came in and swept him away, pulling his poor old body under the cruel cold waters and drowning him. Others believed he was taken as payment by the creatures of the deep per an unspoken agreement between the the creatures of the sea and the humans that existed on their shores. Regardless of what had happened, the cabin had been left abandoned and forgotten - until your family moved in as a separate living space for a summer retreat once upon a time.

You shook your head, blinking as you were snapped out of your thoughts. 

Beyond the walls of your house, you could’ve sworn you saw a figure climbing onto the rocks that lined the shore. You stood and moved a bit closer to the aged-old glass, peering out to see the shape of someone or something perched on the rocks. You couldn’t see them from your position, but you could’ve sworn you saw their head turn toward you.

Something compelled you to move then.

Forgetting your shoes, you thrusted the door open and raced down the pathway that led to the beach, the little grey kitten moving quickly to follow behind you as you disappeared around the corner. Your heart raced in your chest, your heart propelling you forward as a voice thought, ‘Wait! Wait! Please, wait!’

By the time you got to the shoreline, the figure was gone from the rocks - the only thing that greeted you was an empty beach, the call of gulls, and the crashing of the waves before you. You wrapped your arms around you as you sighed heavily, eyes focusing on the horizon as the sun lifted itself above the surface, kissing the sky with its rays and warming your chilled skin as a cold sea breeze rattled your core. You licked your lips and strained your ears, hearing nothing by the cry of sea birds and the occasional meow of the little grey kitten at your feet.

As you felt your heart drop, your one chance for company that was human and someone that you did not know, a voice so hauntingly sweet called out - a song in a language from your dream. You turned and you felt yourself compelled forward, your feet disappearing into the waves of the ocean that were followed by your knees, thighs, and waist.

The sea always calls to those who feel lost and alone, wanting to fill the empty part of their soul until they are loved and full… and as such, it’s only fair that the strange creatures that live beneath its depths would want the same as well…

[jaceeverett]

WHO: Jace & @zalder

WHERE: State Park

WHEN: Wildlife Day (September 4)

Although Jason truly loved every and all aspects of his job, when he got to work with people, show them the park that he came to call his home, that was when he felt like he was at his best. The time when he didn't mind socializing with others, didn't mind showing off the forest paths and winding creek to everyone around him. As he stepped down the rocky path towards the creek, he turned to talk to the group of hikers with him. "Just be careful here, watch your footing. Don't be afraid to use the hand rail if you need," he pointed to where one had been installed, safe and secure, before speaking to the person at the head of a line. "Ever been on these trails before?"

[marshallpupfan]

Marshall Merchandise Update! (Jan. 2025)

The new Air Rescue toys still haven't arrived in the United States (granted, I'm not sure they're available anywhere yet), but that doesn't mean I haven't managed to obtain a few items in the meantime!

Without further ado, here are the new additions to my collection!

Again, I tried to spruce up my pics with an image on my monitor. I figured why not pick something with snow, since Indiana's been getting hit with plenty here lately (and ice...). 😅

To start things off, here's something I received for Christmas! Not too long ago, a friend went to that indoor Nickelodeon Universe theme park, and when she seen this cup, she knew I had to have it. It's really cool! She'll likely read this, so once again, thank you for the gift!

Next up, another Christmas gift!

Another friend of mine, who lives in the United Kingdom, found this at a store called "Primark". She figured the United States wouldn't get any, so she sent it to me to add to my collection. And... I don't believe these are available in the USA at all, so she figured correctly! Actually, until I got this in the mail, I had no idea it even existed! What a wonderful surprise! I believe she'll also read this at some point, so once again, thank you!

Oh, she also sent me a Christmas-themed Marshall drawing, too! It's really awesome! I need to take this, as well as the other drawings people have made for me, and put them in a frame and hang them on my wall. Seriously, I'm honestly touched by all the folks who've done this for me. You're all awesome. :)

Yet another gift! This one was well after Christmas, however.

As you might recall, I was looking for one of these the other day, but my local Walmart either sold out quickly or didn't get any in (or, again, Marshall was disguised). I figured I'd have to wait until they got some in stock again, but much to my surprise, I didn't have to wait for too long, as my aunt visited another Walmart and found one! Funnily enough, she had no idea I was even looking for one. lol

Oh, and if you're curious, Bowser's back there to hold the plush up. Thanks for being a pal, koopa king! He's the best party member in Super Mario RPG... there, I said it! lol

Last, this "Booksy"... thing! I'm not entirely sure what to call it, but it's rather cute! Admittedly, I'm not sure if I'll take it out of the container or not. I might just leave it in there to keep it safe.

Now, why is it called Booksy? It's because this thing actually has a tiny book inside of it! Just unscrew the head and there it is. And from what I've seen, going by this Instagram post, each book is based on an episode of the TV series (not surprising). Assuming every Marshall booksy is the same, his is based on season 6's "Midnight at the Museum". I do recall that one being a fun episode, and it ended with Marshall helping out near the end, so it's not a bad choice!

Fortunately, the other pups got one of these, too. Even Rocky and Zuma! Everest and Liberty joined in on the fun as well (no Tracker, I think). In any case, if you want to buy one yourself, you can find them at Walmart (in the states, anyway).

And that's all for now! Oh, I should update you all on something I talked about a while back. I said I was reorganizing my whole Marshall collection, and once I finished, I was going to post some pics of it. I never did, and I have a reason.

.......I got lazy. 😅

Well, that, and I became a little too consumed with fixing that New Nintendo 2DS XL, which I also mentioned back then. Thankfully, it's fixed now (we don't need to talk about how much of an ordeal that was...), so I'll eventually get back to my collection... once I stop procrastinating. It's mostly finished, other than a few shelves. Hopefully I'll get some update pics up soon... soon-ish... someday!

[faithandarisadventures]

Halibut Point State Park February 11, 2024 Rockport, Massachusetts

[kentosonlylover]

That Unexpected Soft Type of Love

Part 1

next

Fridays are usually the day I work the night shift but I decided to take off today. Now it seems the universe can’t seem to let me have an off day. Sigh, I really wanted to admire Spencer Reid today but I guess not.

Shoot, I have to pick Riko up from tutoring though. I rack my brain for a little as I get ready to leave before deciding on asking Emi if she can pick her up instead.

Now that that’s out of the way I head down to my car, to drive to the location Kirishima sent me.

As I keep driving, the area surrounding me gets more and more unfamiliar until I reach a gate with barbed wire. Maybe I’m at the wrong location. As I grab my phone to call him, someone taps on my window. I jump up in fright before looking to see a man, maybe military but definitely built. He motions for me to lower my window.

“Are you Kaida Ishiwaka?” He asks me, his deep voice cold and stoic.

“Yes, sir” I try to make my voice not sound shaky but I’m currently failing.

“ID” He states and I quickly grab my ID out from my wallet, handing it to him with a slight shake form hand.

He inspects it for it minute before handing it back to me with a nod and heading back to this little control box station I didn’t see before. Not long after, the gate opens up. I drive in, through a rocky path surrounded by trees and bushes. It only takes a couple minutes before I see something that looks oddly familiar to a military base of some sort.

My guess is confirmed when I drive closer and I see military officers marching outside. I drive near the front to see woman waving at my car, so I decide to park and head to her. Once i park my car, I get out and see her making her way towards me.

“You must be Ms. Ishiwaka, I am Sergeant Kinoshita and I have been instructed to lead you to where you are going” Her voice soft and gentle, differing from her muscly physique.

“Lead the way” I say with a smile and she starts to walk towards the base, with me following on her tail.

“Sergeant Kinoshita,” She glances at me, “do you know why I was called here?”

“Unfortunately miss, I am not at liberty to say” She tells me and I nod, though confused on why.

Once we are inside, you can see how much the outside differs from the inside. Heroes and soldiers alike walking or talking together, this place is like a meeting place.

“Ms. Ishiwaka, Welcome to the Hero Hub” She tells me with a smile.

We continue walking till we reach a much quieter hallway, she turns to a door. She takes a glance at me before opening it and motioning for me to go inside. I walk inside the room and I hear the door close behind me. I look around the room to see all eyes on mine as a bunch of men are seated around the table, then I see one familiar pair of eyes.

“Kaida” His voice sounds hoarse and his eyes look like he’s been crying.

“Kiri, what happened? Are you okay?” I ask in worry.

“Kaida Ishiwaka, age 25, quirk vital surge” A voice names out, like its being read out of a file.

“That’s me, what am I here for? Because I haven’t gotten a single explanation” I ask, my voice carrying a bit of edge.

“We need you here because of your quirk” One man finally says, standing up to face me.

My heart drops, of course it’s my quirk. I never wanted to be involved in the hero because of my quirk, instead I chose to become a doctor. Heroes always put themselves in harms way and I don’t see the point in it.

“I refuse to use my quirk unless I know what I’m doing” I state firmly.

“Katsuki Bakugo, hero name Dynamight, age 26, quirk explosion” the man starts to say, “He’s currently in a medically induced coma because his heart rate keeps dropping and even our best doctors can’t figure it out”

Katsuki Bakugo. Of course I know who he is, everyone does. He’s been on the 20 Hottest Hero Bachelors under 30 since he turned 21. He’s also know for his bad temper and sometimes irresponsible behavior, might I also add his dangerous looks. But heroes aren’t my type to begin with anyway.

“What does that have to do with me?” I cross my arms as confusion paints my face.

“We know about your quirk and how strong it is, we need you to figure out what’s wrong with him” He says like it’s so simple.

“And what I get out of it?”

“M-miss?” His words stutter out in shock.

“I’ve never worked on a hero before, you can even check my file. I want to know what I get out of helping you”

“Kaida, we’ll negotiate something later but right now we need your help” Kirishima’s voice interrupts.

I think about it for a moment before deciding to do it.

“Fine but I’m going to need scrubs and his medical file” I sigh out and the men’s faces look visibly happier.

“Follow me, I show where you can put your stuff down and change” Kirishima tells me as he gets up.

I follow him out of the room, but once we’re out I grab his arm. He stops walking and looks back at me, confused. I just hug him, I know he’s struggling since I also know how close he and Bakugo are.

“It’ll be okay” I whisper in his ear, he hugs me tighter.

After a moment we let go and start our way there. He leads me to somewhat of like a private bedroom.

“These are where usually heroes crash if they need to, there are a lot of them so I reserved this one for you” He told me.

I looked around, the bed looked really comfy plus there was a couch with a tv and then the bathroom was gorgeous.

“You can change here, the scrubs should be hanging on the back of the bathroom door” he says, “I’ll be waiting outside.”

I find the scrubs exactly where he say there are and quickly change into them. After I tie my hair up and wash my hands. I look at myself in the mirror, today was supposed to be my day off damn it.

“Let’s go,” I tell him once I step outside, “We don’t have any time to waste.

[plethoraworldatlas]

As U.S. conservationists continue to fight for federal protections that would cover gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, research released Wednesday highlights just how important the apex predators are to the western United States.

The study was published in the journal BioScience and led by William Ripple, a scientist at Oregon State University (OSU) and the Conservation Biology Institute known for his work on trophic cascades and carnivores as well as his demands for climate action.

The paper uses gray wolves to show the trouble with "shifting baselines," which, "in ecology encapsulate the gradual and often unnoticed alterations in ecosystems over time, leading to a redefinition of what is considered normal or baseline conditions."

As the study details:

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) in North America have experienced a substantial contraction of their historical range, at one point almost disappearing from the contiguous 48 United States. However, their conservation is important in part because of the potential cascading effects wolves can have on lower trophic levels. Namely, the proliferation and changes to behavior and density of large herbivores following the extirpation or displacement of wolves can have major effects on various aspects of vegetation structure, succession, productivity, species composition, and diversity, which, in turn, can have implications for overall biodiversity and the quality of habitat for other wildlife.

"By the 1930s, wolves were largely absent from the American West, including its national parks," Ripple said in a statement. "Most published ecological research from this region occurred after the extirpation of wolves."

"This situation underscores the potential impact of shifting baselines on our understanding of plant community succession, animal community dynamics, and ecosystem functions," he continued.

The researchers examined journal articles, master's theses, and Ph.D. dissertations from 1955 to 2021 that involved field work in national parks in the northwestern United States for whether they included information on the removal of gray wolves.

They found that "in total, approximately 41% (39 of 96) of the publications mentioned or discussed the historical presence of wolves or large carnivores, but most (approximately 59%) did not. The results for the theses and journal articles were similar."

While the researchers focused on wolves, Robert Beschta, co-author and emeritus professor at OSU, noted that "in addition to the loss or displacement of large predators, there may be other potential anthropogenic legacies within national parks that should be considered, including fire suppression, invasion by exotic plants and animals, and overgrazing by livestock."

Ripple stressed that "studying altered ecosystems without recognizing how or why the system has changed over time since the absence of a large predator could have serious implications for wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration."

"We hope our study will be of use to both conservation organizations and government agencies in identifying ecosystem management goals," he added.

Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), welcomed the study, tellingInside Climate News that "I think this is a really important paper, because sometimes science advances at a certain rate without a self-introspection."

"Nature is a really complex tapestry," she said. "It's woven together by threads that hold it together and keep it strong. When you start to pull threads out like you remove apex predators, the whole thing begins to unravel."

The paper comes amid a wolf conservation battle that involves Weiss' group. In February, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) determined that Endangered Species Act protections for the wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains were "not warranted."

Two coalitions of conservation organizations, including CBD, swiftly filed notices of their intent to sue over the decision if FWS didn't change course. After the legally required 60-day notice period passed, they filed the lawsuits in April.

Earlier this week, "the cases were voluntarily dismissed and immediately refiled to avoid any potential arguments from the defendants that the plaintiffs failed to give the secretary of the interior proper 60-days' notice under the Endangered Species Act," Collette Adkins, an attorney who leads CBD's Carnivore Conservation program, told Common Dreams in an email Thursday.

"Plaintiffs believe that their case was properly noticed," she said, "but we refiled to avoid any further disruption of the proceedings."

[rabbitcruiser]

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Vista Point, CA (No. 2)

The drive along Highway 1 has been described as "one of the best drives on Earth", and is considered one of the top 10 motorcycle rides in the United States. Highway 1 was named the most popular drive in California in 2014 by the American Automobile Association. Condé Nast Traveler named State Route 1 through Big Sur one of the top 10 world-famous streets, comparable to Broadway in New York City and the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Most of the nearly 7 million tourists who currently visit Big Sur each year never leave Highway 1, because the adjacent Santa Lucia Range is one of the largest roadless coastal areas in the entire United States; Highway 1 and the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road offer the only paved access into and out of the region. In January 2021, the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road was washed out due to the impacts of the Dolan Fire and closed, cutting off the only alternative route out of the area. It is not expected to reopen until December 2023.

The beauty of the scenery along the narrow, two-lane road attracts enormous crowds during summer vacation periods and holiday weekends, and traffic is frequently slow. Visitors have reported to the California Highway Patrol hours-long stop-and-go traffic from Rocky Creek Bridge to Rio Road in Carmel during the Memorial Day weekend. The highway winds along the western flank of the mountains mostly within sight of the Pacific Ocean, varying from near sea level up to a 1,000-foot (300 m) sheer drop to the water. Most of the highway is extremely narrow, with tight curves, steep shoulders and blind turns. The route offers few or no passing lanes and, along some stretches, very few pullouts. The sides are occasionally so steep that the shoulders are virtually non-existent.

Source: Wikipedia

[fiddleheadrp]

Fiddlehead is rife with history and local culture - where will you live?

What neighborhood your character lives is important, and each character will choose their neighborhood of residence as part of creating their profile. This informs who their neighbors are, who they might see on a daily basis, and what they encounter as they traverse the Fiddlehead scene. 

ALDER’S GARDEN

The historic residential district of Fiddlehead is home to several beautiful Queen Anne style townhouses, with larger homes of the same styling capping each street with lush gardens. Homes are large, unique, beautiful, and expensive — just don’t expect to get air conditioning. The laws surrounding the historical buildings don’t allow for much in the way of modern amenities, but for those who care for these old homes, the charm of their history is worth it.

Home to: Platypus Cafe and Bookstore, The Pelican Theatre, The Manor (Vampire Haven)

SEACLIFF

The cliffsides along the Oregon Coast are sheer and rocky, but they make for incredible views. Homes in Seacliff are generally new construction, as building along the unstable cliffsides often resulted in landslides and the loss of the house itself until foundational engineering became available. The waterfront property comes with a high price tag, but incredible sunsets and the soothing lull of waves — if you don’t mind the barking of sealions nearby Otter's Gulch, of course.

Home to: Bay Street Shopping District, The Poseidon Hotel

EVERGREEN POINT

Nestled right up against the edge of Heartwood National Park, this district is home to several single-family homes perfect for all walks of life, from newlyweds just starting out to retirees looking for a place to host the grandkids. With a strong sense of community and civic spirit, this is the kind of place where everyone knows the neighbors. And likely their neighbor’s business, too.

Home to: Anchor Brewers, The Orchard (Werewolf Haven)

ASHLEIGH PARK

This neighborhood is primarily the many apartments, condos, townhouses and duplexes designed for those passing through to attend Ashleigh University, but it is also home to many of the faculty and staff that work there and other young people just getting their start on their own. While it looks like a patchwork quilt of architectural styles with buildings developed separately over the course of several years, it has benefited from the creativity of the students that call it home for the majority of the year. Murals and statues spring up with regularity, and flowerbeds and community gardens spring up from even the tiniest slivers of unused land between structures.

Home to: Ashleigh University, The Community Center

OTTER’S GULCH

While there are no truly dangerous parts of Fiddlehead, Otter’s Gulch is considered one of the less desirable places to live in the area. A collection of salt-crusted and ill-maintained properties and apartment buildings that change hands often, occupants are accustomed to fixing leaky rooves and cracked windows themselves if they want it done. If you have something to hide, this is the place to do so. People in Otter’s Gulch mind their own business, and expect their neighbors to do the same.

Home to: Goodlife Bar & Grille, Murdock General Hospital

FIDDLEHEAD ENVIRONS

The Northern side of Fiddlehead is dominated by the national park, and the Southern side is predominantly farms, ranches, orchards, and vineyards. Within these outskirt zones, many make their livelihoods working the land or protecting the forests. Country homes, log cabins, and everything in between provide Fiddleheaders who live a little further out with plenty of options to get away from the hustle and bustle of town.

Home to: Hart Dairy Farm, Beacon Vineyard, Aiguille State Park, Swallow Harbor Lighthouse, Devil's Needle

HEARTWOOD NATIONAL PARK

High above the bracken fiddlehead fern-dappled undergrowth towers an old-growth forest of the tallest trees on earth, coastal redwoods, which enjoy the rolling mist each morning from the harbor and shelter the national park under a canopy of deep evergreen.

Home to: Fern Lake, Widower Falls, Greene Cabin (Witch Haven)

To learn more about Fiddlehead and the places within, check out the setting section of our guidebook!