#The Pond Beast

[notyoujamie]

[kimiko24]

Wolves going for a dip

[rememberthelullabies]

the parallels between The Beast Below and Kill the Moon are so interesting to me - and i think the former explains the Doctor's decision in the latter. hear me out:

both episodes have a gigantic, wonderful creature. one very old, the other very young, but both probably the only one of their kind. and both times, there's a decision to make: the creature or the humans. turn the space whale into a vegetable or let all british people die. kill the moon creature or risk all of humanity.

and the first time, the Doctor makes that decision. he assumes it's up to him, that he's the most fit to judge what's the right thing to do. but Amy proves him wrong. she decides to make Liz press the button - she confidently takes all that responsibility, takes millions of people's lives into her hands because she thinks she knows what to do. and she's right. mind you, this was Amy's first adventure as a companion! her baptism by fire. and she immediately does this. and seems totally fine afterwards. and then proceeds to travel with the Doctor during the next decade (aka hundreds of years of the Doctor's life).

and then, a thousand years later, with a new face and a new companion, he sees a similar situation arise. Clara, at this point, has been with him for a while, she's used to danger and has proven herself over and over. and the Doctor decides that this time, he won't be the one to make the impossible choice. he won't play god. (there's a lot to be said about his arc in this regard, relating it to The Waters of Mars etc., but that would deserve a seperate post.) no, he's learned that he doesn't have to. and that he doesn't always know best. Amy as well as Donna showed him that companions can also willingly carry the burden of responsibility. in this moment, he feels like Clara is more than ready for this.

but she isn't. yes, she ends up pressing a button and saving everyone just like Amy - but she wasn't ready to hold the fate of humanity in her hands. she can't handle it. it's interesting to note that while most companions up to this point quickly devoted their lives to the Doctor in several respects, Clara still views him as her hobby. maybe she doesn't take this whole thing serious enough. i think she really needed this wakeup call.

and i think the Doctor needed a reminder that Clara isn't Amy.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: red-eared slider

It's turtle time, everybody! Today's topic, the red-eared slider turtle, is one of three subspecies of the pond slider, Trachemys scripta. The other two subspecies, the yellow-bellied slider and Cumberland slider are similar and I will mention them, but this post will largely be about the red-eared slider. Red-ears are the most popular pet turtle and as a direct result of that, is the most invasive turtle in the world.

(Image: a red-eared slider basking on a log. It is a small turtle with a dark green upper shell striped with yellow and brown. Its body is a very dark green, almost black, with yellow stripes. A red stripe runs behind the eyes. End ID)

Trachemys scripta elegans is knows as the red-eared slider because of the red markings on the sides of its head and its ability to quickly slid into the water when threatened. They are freshwater turtles who reach an average of 15 - 20 cm (6-8 in) in carapace (upper shell) length, but can grow over 40 cm (16 in) in good conditions. The shell is composed of bony, keratinous scutes and varies in appearance as the turtle ages. The carapace starts out as a strong green color with variable markings and darkens to a brown color as the turtle ages. The plastron (lower shell) starts out yellow with darker markings and can darken to a red color with age. The turtle's skin is green with yellow stripes and also darkens with age. The shells and skin are always covered with stripes and irregular markings that help camouflage the animal by breaking up its silhouette. They have no external ear canals. Instead, the ear is covered with a disc of cartilage called the tympanum. During winter, they enter a state called brumantion, which is similar to hibernation but requires the turtle to occasionally wake up to eat and breathe.

(Image: a juvenile red-eared slider in a tank. Its shell and skin are a lighter green and still heavily striped. The toes on one foot are spread, showing off the webbing between them. End ID)

It can be difficult to tell male and female red-eared sliders apart, especially when they are juveniles, but there are a few tells. Females usually get larger than males while the males have longer claws used to grab onto the female's shell while mating. Males also have a slightly concave plastron that helps them balance on the female's shell during mating. The biggest tell is the cloaca, which is located on the tail. In males, the cloaca opening is close to the tip of the tail, while in females it is close to the base.

(Image: a red-eared slider seen from the front. It is identifiable as a male by its long claws. End ID)

Red-eared sliders are native to lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams and rivers of the American midwest (which, for those of you who don't know, is on the east side of the country) and northern Mexico. They are omnivorous, feeding on aquatic and shore plants as well as aquatic invertebrates and small fish. They are not social, but tolerate each other's presence as long as there is enough food for everyone. In lean times, they will compete over food. Red-eared sliders are almost entirely aquatic, but they need to leave the water to warm their bodied by basking in the sun. Pond sliders can often be seen basking on rocks or logs sticking out of the water. They will bask in groups and even climb on top of each other. When they see danger, they will retreat into the water.

(image: a group of 6 red-eared sliders basking on a rock. One of them has partially climbed on top of another. End ID)

Mating season begin in spring and lasts until summer. Males will perform a courtship dance for females. He swims around the female while touching her head with the backs of his claws. This may help direct pheromones toward her. If the female approves, she will sink to the bottom and become receptive to mating. Otherwise, she will chase the male away. Courtship can take almost an hour, but the mating itself is short, lasting no more than 10 minutes. The time between fertilization and egg-laying can vary and females can hold onto sperm to fertilize herself later. Before laying eggs, females often have a change of diet and will spend extra time basking. The female will also spend more time on land, looking for a good spot to build a nest. The nest is a shallow pit dug in sand or loose soil. The female will lay between 2 and 30 eggs in the nest and bury them before leaving. A female can lay up to 5 clutches in a year. Incubation takes between 60 and 112 days. The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the hatchlings, with warmer soil producing females. The hatchlings use an egg tooth to break out of the egg, which will fall off a few hours after birth. Hatchlings are born with an external yolk sac attached to the bottom of the plastron that will provide nutrition for days after birth. The yolk sac being damaged or jostled enough to introduce air is fatal. The juvenile turtle needs to fully absorb the yolk sac and allow its plastron to fully fuse before entering the water, which takes about 21 days. Juveniles born late enough in the year may brumate in the nest and not emerge until next spring. Red-eared sliders reach sexual maturity at about 5 years of age and a turtle that survives its two years can live up to 30 or 40 years. Red-eared sliders can hybridize with the other pond slider subspecies.

(Image: a pair of juvenile red-eared sliders being held in someone's hand. They are small enough that both together don't take up the full palm. End ID)

Red-eared sliders are classified as least concern by the IUCN, meaning they are not at risk of extinction. They have become popular pets due to being cheap with low maintenance costs and not getting too big. They are the world's most commonly traded reptile thanks to the pet trade, though they are also eaten by some people. Release or escape of pet red-eared sliders had led to them becoming an invasive species in many parts of the world as their fast maturation allows them to outcompete local species. They have also been responsible for spreading diseases and parasites to native turtle populations. Red-eared sliders are also asymptomatic carriers of salmonella and need to be handled with caution. I leave you with a fun fact: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are, in at least one continuity, red-eared sliders

(Image: a pair of red-eared sliders standing in shallow water. their necks are extended and they are looking upwards. End ID)

[briefbestiary]

Billdads, the bounding beasts, beaver-sized pescatarian critters around Boundary Pond. Perhaps the smack of their hard tails against the pond surface can still be heard there.

[transcendragon]

Sunbathing Beast

Oh I love how this one turned out. Light through clear waters and dragon creatures, my beloveds.

My original art made in Procreate, image description in alt

[doctorwhogirlie]

Which would you prefer to be your first adventure with the Doctor?

Option One: The Doctor takes you to the future, billions of years into the future of your planet, only to watch said planet burn up.

Option Two: The Doctor takes you to the past, you get to meet the brilliant Shakespeare, however there are witches trying to take over the world.

Option Three: The Doctor takes you to the past, you get to see the magnificent Pompeii, and then, you watch the city burn.

Option Four: The Doctor takes you far into the future, the Earth is no longer, but never fear, there is a Star Whale carrying your old city. And then you find out the Star Whale is being tortured, necessarily.

Option Five: The Doctor takes you to a different planet, full of creatures and aliens, you get to watch history being made on said planet, however there is a huge creature trying to eat everyone.

Option Six: The Doctor takes you to a planet where humans from your future are going to colonise, it's a huge amazing building, and the technology is something you've never seen before, however, there are robots that will kill you if you show any emotion, other than happiness.

Option Seven: The Doctor is accidently stranded on a deserted planet, and you with them. You are forced to travel with them to find the Tardis. You meet some cool people along the way, but there might be more beings trying to kill you on said planet.

Option Eight: The Doctor and you stumble onto a spaceship, full of babies that can actually talk, babies that run a ship. It's far into the future and the view from the ship is beautiful. However there is a creature, one that is the thing of nightmares.

(Okay, these will obviously sound familiar if you have watched New Who, thought this poll could be fun, and the data interesting. If you like it enough, I will probably do one for Classic Who. Lol, I'll definitely do one more classic.!)

[waywardstation]

Happy WIP Wednesday Friday! Here is a WIP from my Valentine’s/Palentine’s Day themed fic, Rain Check.

Enjoy! Wording is subject to change.

—————

“Whhhish!”

“Whiskers, please cooperate here!”

Rain hurried down to hide and collect within the fabric of Ingo’s clothes, sending a shiver through him as he stood at the pond’s edge, pressing against the blue, slippery forehead of an angry whiscash. With his shoes sinking deeper into the accumulating layers of mud, Akari could only watch helplessly from the pasture’s fencepost as he did what he could to keep the overgrown alpha away from the water.

“Whhish!” She heaved forward again regardless of Ingo’s insistence, eager to push past him and reclaim her territory that Maria was currently cleaning up. While Whiskers’ mobility was practically laughable on land, she was still formidable enough to probably push right past Ingo if it wasn’t for the slippery mud.

“You sure I can’t help?” Akari squinted through the rain, leaning forward on the fence post with a certain wishfulness — the scene was certainly amusing enough to just watch, but she still wanted to help.

“I am sURE!” Another thrash pushed Ingo back a step, spattering him with mud in the process.

“You don’t sound sure,”

“I assure you, I am!”

“Whhish!”

“Almost done, Ingo!” Maria called over from the other side of the pond — the trench she had been digging with one of Akari’s gastrodon had almost reached over to the stream downhill. Once they connected, they wouldn’t have to worry about the pond overflowing into the streets.

Ingo made an odd sound, and Akari looked back to see Whiskers had somehow maneuvered one of Ingo’s arms into her mouth. Now gumming on it, she was gaining some leeway by yanking him to the side with her massive head, her thin yellow whiskers already latching onto his closest leg.

“Alright! Done!”

Maria called out just in time; Ingo let himself fall to the side and Whiskers barreled forward unobstructed, throwing herself back into the pond with an unabashed splash.

[amybugz]

behold! my shop launch

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ever wanted a wii play fish of your own? preorders for my latest vinyl stickers are up right now!

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[notyoujamie]

My children. My screams. I could not save you, little ones. Such pain. And yet, still, still I am not brave enough to die, to let go of this wretched life. I will endure, but no more babies. I cannot, will not, suffer such heartbreak again. From now on, it's me against the world.

[comicaloverachiever]

We are in space! Whoo!

Doctor Who | The Beast Below

[kvitasinelibris]

Just… random Liz 10

[ponds-of-ink]

Beauty and The Beast FNAF AU Sketch: New Shirt

Springtrap’s trying something to wear other than that dingy old tunic, for once.. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if some old drapes had to be cut and sewn to make that puffy shirt.

[fakeasmr]

Sometimes you'll have to be brave and make phone calls and then problems will be solved. Other times you will owe a lot of money after the phone call is over and you will be sad

[furballfaggot]

honestly kinda shocked that beowulf doesnt have a palette referencing captain falcon yet. maybe 3 palettes based on fictional captains (america and planet being the current 2) would be a bit much but A idc and B hes pretty much the perfect skullgirls character to have one for physical appearance alone. also im biased but mostly i just have no clue how we got a fucking shrek palette before a falcon one tbh

[loveisinthebat]

A Skrunkly Beaste