#WIP: Shapeshifter

[thatndginger]

I made a powerpoint presentation for The Runaway. I tried to make it comic sans, I swear, but Temperance refused to cooperate. Anyway, I realized I haven't talked about this Shapeshifter project nearly as much, so a formal introduction is in order.

@sunset-a-story @touloserlautrec @ceph-the-ghost-writer @illyriashade56 I hope you guys don't mind that I borrowed your tags and comments, but they made me happy cry to read💙💙

Transcription for each slide under the cut.

A powerpoint presentation comprised of ten slides. Each slide has a faint background image of a watercolor painting depicting a foggy pine forest.

[SLIDE ONE]

thatndginger presents:

The Runaway A Shapeshifter story

also known as: the story that got me anon hate from a jaded ex-friend who co-wrote the original version, then got mad that I kept writing after she cut me out of her life with no explanation :D

[SLIDE TWO]

THE PREMISE

Temperance Maddox does a runner

ok but seriously, the title of the story is the plot: a shifter [Temperance] runs away from certain traumatic events and ends up stranded in middle-of-nowhere Wyoming

where he’s rescued by a quiet, kind single dad [Dean] with a ~mysterious past~, an adorably rude six year old [Kate], an empty room, and seemingly infinite patience for Temperance’s terrible attitude

Temperance is a totally mature and reasonable adult who absolutely does not argue with the six year old and engage in petty name calling with her

Temperance will also never fall for the man who rescued him. It’s not like he’s going to stick around long enough to even consider it. Right?

everyone involved questions why Dean bothered taking this guy in when he’s a

capital-P Problem - even to himself. Dean is not taking questions at this time

[SLIDE THREE]

alright let’s break this down tier-style

Tier One - The POV Characters: Dean Matthews & Temperance Maddox

dueling POVs are always fun in a romance-centric story, right?

ok neither of these two would shut up so they both get POVs so I can get some sleep

Tier Two - The Important Side Characters: Kate Matthews & Talia Salwood

one is dependent on their father and the other is just plain nosy, so they’re almost always around in one way or another

Tier Three - The Supporting Cast: the residents of Kilnora Falls

there’s a nonbinary mechanic, the mechanic’s Australian vampire partner, a witch that runs a coffee shop, forest rangers, well-meaning grandmas, and distrustful neighbors

imagine one of those small-town romcom background casts and you’re probably close. except most of these background characters are witches, vampires, or shifters

[SLIDE FOUR]

Image ID: in the top right corner of the slide is a digital drawing of Temperance Maddox in a side profile view. He has short black hair, pale skin, and sharp features. His expression could be called confident, contemptuous, or amused. There is a simple sketched outline of a fox just behind and in front of his face.

Temperance Maddox he/him - 22 - fox shifter

the most pathetic drowned rat of a man you’ll ever meet

can and will cuss you out in multiple languages (he only knows the swear words)

if you can get him to stop saying ‘fuck’ every other word he’s surprisingly well-spoken

a city boy born and raised in Moressau, Washington

he’s got worse manners and emotional intelligence than the literal six year old

desperately in need of a long nap, a strong hug, and a lot of therapy. and maybe some kisses

would rather gouge his eyes out than admit any of the above

somehow a fan favorite among readers? I don’t understand that at all but I’m glad y’all love my terrible son?

[SLIDE FIVE]

Image ID: in the top right corner of the slide is a digital drawing of Dean Matthews in a side profile view. He has long-ish brown hair, tan skin, and is missing the tip of his left ear. His expression is neutral but has the slightest hint of a smile. There is a simple sketched outline of a coyote just behind and in front of his face.

Dean Matthews he/him - 32 - coyote shifter

heavy on the Romance Protagonist vibes (the good kind, not the weird heteronormative kind)

has lots of feelings but cannot for the life of him figure out how to show them on his face

tries to be a good dad, kind of a pushover and would bend over backwards to keep his daughter happy

is a carpenter by trade, and always willing to help out around town when things need fixing

the kind of tragic backstory character that sneaks up on you, because how can such a decent guy have a tragic past?

would very much like to have a quiet, simple life in his quiet, far-from-simple mountain town but things just keep happening to him

did I mention he has a bit of a southern drawl? and can play the guitar?

[SLIDE SIX]

Image ID: in the top right corner of the slide is a digital drawing of Kate Matthews in a front-facing view. She has long and curly red hair, darkly tanned skin, and yellow eyes with slit pupils. There are freckles on her face that are grouped in stripe-like patterns. Around her neck is a necklace with green and white crystals. She is looking off to one side with a solemn but curious expression.

Kate Matthews she/her - 6 - half-fae

unreasonably cute for a being who’s part uncanny-valley-made-of-magic creature

not blood related to Dean, but try telling her that

too young for anyone to tell if she’ll end up more fae-like or more human, but who cares? she’s adorable

has to wear a special necklace when she’s not at home to keep her innate magic in check. no one wants the little kid to have a tantrum and set the mercantile on fire

thinks her dad is the coolest thing in the world, especially when he turns into a coyote

thinks Temperance smells funny and is a rude meanie

personal space is not a concept she understands around those she likes. will bite anyone she doesn’t like who tries to touch her. watch out, her teeth are sharper than they look

thinks fairy tales are stupid, because real fae are scary and mean

[SLIDE SEVEN]

The Setting

middle of nowhere town in the western mountains of Wyoming

the town is called Kilnora Falls and there are exactly 521 people living there

more than half the population is some kind of supernatural, the majority being shifters and witches

everyone knows that faeries are real, that they’re incredibly dangerous, and that no one’s seen a true fae in almost a decade since the old faerie door beneath the waterfall collapsed

there is a very strong distrust of strangers among the residents of the Falls. They don’t see many strangers, and not many people who grew up there choose to leave

this setting started as an inside joke between me and my partner because he grew up in that part of Wyoming and I think it’s hilarious to tease him about it. Now it’s its own thing with regional holidays and a whole map and everything

[SLIDE EIGHT]

Image ID: on the left side of the slide is a digital drawing of a map depicting Kilnora Falls. It is in a simple style, with the buildings depicted as simple white shapes. The town sits on a small river and is surrounded on all sides by thick forests and tall mountains. 'Kilnora Falls' is written in the bottom left corner, while a scale and compass are depicted in the top left corner.

look! a map! imagine steep mountains all around, because would rather cut my foot off than draw contour lines

average weather conditions lean towards ‘cold’ - summer highs hang around the 70's. winter lows can get down nearly to -40. bring your coats, kids!

the entire town is less than one square mile in size

all the businesses in town are open 24 hours a day so that the nocturnal residents can still use their services. which means the bar is open 24 hours a day.... oh boy

the nearest ‘city’ is almost two hours away (Wyoming’s biggest town only has 65,000 people guys, the quotation marks are justified)

most people who are born here don’t leave, or if they do for school or work or whatever, they come back

[SLIDE NINE]

TROPES, MEMES, AND THEMES

y’all know I can’t resist a good meme sesh, so without further ado, here’s a mish-mash of tumblr-approved silliness for The Runaway

grumpy x sunshine pairings

domestication arcs

pathetic little meow meows

hot handymen

cute romance moments

tragic backstories

Image ID: a meme variation of the "Gru's Plan" meme. In it, Gru is labeled as 'Dean'. The first section reads "see someone stranded on the side of the road. The second section reads "stop to help. The third and fourth sections read "be verbally assaulted by an angry twink".

Image ID: a meme variation of the "Flex Tape" meme. The man slapping the tape is labeled as 'Temperance'. The tank spewing water is labeled as "trauma induced nightmares. The flex tape is labeled as "don't sleep ever".

Image ID: a meme variation of the "Schoolbus Hit By Train" meme. The schoolbus is labeled as "a wall around your emotions you've spent most of your life building". The train is labeled as "Dean Matthews".

Image ID: a meme variation of the "Bernie Sanders Asking" meme. Bernie is labeled as 'Kate'. The subtitled text reads "I am once again asking why the stranger dad found smell weird. And acts like a big mean pinecone." The line "and never says 'please' or 'thank you' is partially cut off at the bottom of the image.

[SLIDE TEN]

some comments from my lovely friends who have read The Runaway, because they make me happy and if published books get to put endorsement quotes on their covers, why can’t I do the same with my little powerpoint?

"#highly recommend you follow for the absolute bangers of stories you'll find here"

"#askjkdhd look at Temperance's sweet dumb little face #Dean looks like the type of guy who'd pick up a rude stranger #on the side of the road"

"Oh I can already tell Temperance is gonna be my favorite poor little meow meow I adore him."

"#good on you for writing on company time #me [handshake emoji] Dean #<- not being fooled by Temperance's tough guy act one bit #I want to wrap him in a blanket like the feral kitten he is #or maybe talk to him like Sam from Vampire Therapist #'Woah there fella. Easy now. Ain't no one gonna hurt ya. That's right...nice protagonist...'"

"#efojweojfoe love this whole shapeshifter thing giving tem a heart attack #also the way this playing scene is described? idk it flows so neatly and pleasant to read"

"#i can't wait #Dean is dreamy"

[thatndginger]

excuse me while I have a moment over one of my favorite artists (and friends!) drawing my angry girl 😭🥰

I made a Jay from Shapeshifter: Into the Storm by @thatndginger ❤️ She's such a good character, and you should go read Shapeshifter.

[warmfuzzyanimal]

mmilo... milomilo... mmmmoilo...

[ohitslen]

*Vampirizes your Vashwood*

keep reading for more :)

If there needs to be much closer close-up please let me know!

[fuctacles]

can i have some more wereshifter please?? 🥺 I love that AU so much 🥺

Absolutely! And tysm! You're gonna like this one. I hope I think.

<< 7 | 0 | 9 >>

Steve starts jotting things down and the tension from his body quickly melts away, and he leans more comfortably into Eddie's side. Now that he's not worried that any movement might startle his friend, Eddie reaches for the coffee with his free hand. Soon, Steve does the same, and when he sits back, he shimmies his shoulder back under Eddie's arm, and tucks his legs up onto the couch. 

It's really hard not to chuckle into his coffee, but Steve doesn't seem to either notice or care about his own movements and Eddie's reaction. Feeling emboldened, he points out that paper towels will be better than napkins, while sliding his hand down Steve's shoulder.

It's not dissimilar from how he'd pet the dog while watching TV. Up and down, with a gentle drag of his nails.

If he thought Steve was relaxed before, now he might be turning into goop. With a quiet, huffed out sigh, he liquifies against his side. Eddie presses his lips together, but can't stop the amused puffs of air that come out of his nose.

"Shut up," Steve murmurs while crossing out 'straws' from his list. "It's nice."

"Good," Eddie smiles, gently squeezing his shoulder. He feels warm inside knowing Steve's being honest. With his friend and himself, most importantly. He resumes his scratching with more purpose.

Steve twitches under his arm.

He looks down, but the man is laser-focused on the list, now on the snack section. But the tips of his ears are crimson red. Not averting his gaze, Eddie scratches down his arm the same way he'd do along a dog's spine. Steve's foot moves. Once, twice, and while he keeps scratching with more purpose, it starts tapping against the couch. Steve stops writing.

"No way," Eddie grins in delight at his discovery. 

"Eddie, come on..." The embarrassment is squeezing his throat, so Eddie presses him closer, hoping to provide some comfort.

"Uh, no," he protests. "This is golden. Is this what you were so scared of when you ran away? When you told me about the dog allergy?" He doesn't let go, scratching with ferocity like he would an overjoyed dog. Which, in a way, Steve is. 

"Stevie, man. Sweetheart," he coos. "Just let go."

So Steve does. 

The pen falls out of his grip and he leans against Eddie with a sigh, almost cuddled against his chest. His leg spasms while Eddie scratches him along his arm and the side of his back that Steve turned up to him. Eventually, whatever itch he had that needed relief gets scratched enough to satisfy him. Eddie flattens his palm against his arm and Steve sighs into his chest. He's now fully sprawled in his lap and breathing deeply. Eddie cradles him close. 

"See? It's all fine. Is it weird? Probably, but we fought interdimensional monsters, so. Just embrace it okay?"

Steve chuckles against his skin. 

"Okay," he agrees softly. Eddie scratches his head for good behaviour. 

"Great. Now up, I gotta pee."

Tags: @noodle-shenaniganery @jaytriesstrangerthings @imaginary-maggie-waggie @samsoble @croatoan-like-its-hot

@dragonmama76 @storyranger @scoops-aboy86 (if i missed anyone lmk)

[bittybatarts]

more shapeshifter yaaaayyy

[megwillart]

I don't think I ever showed the original here, but I've been working on another version of an dragon Albedo design-- it's a WIP too but do have an art in the works with him ✨

I imagine that he is hollow all the way down his midsection, and doesn't need to use his wings and can "float" when they are open

[loser-pet]

had some pretty big alien shifts while eloping last night, so we thought we’d sketch out some ideas about a physical form for our alien self

some things to note: (nothing is set in stone, just some ideas to bounce around with)(also this alien type is a shapeshifter, but this form is its most common one)

kinda centaur esque body plan; usually slinks low to the ground

height is around 5’0” (from top of head to feet); length is around 7’5 (from snout to tail tip)

short fur and blubber; fur length/texture is akin to seal or otter fur

able to pick up things with feet, but hands are better at gripping

both hands and feet have 6 digits that mirror eachother (like humans with mirror hand syndrome)

interior digits (highlighted in pink) are better at gripping objects, and are the ones mainly used for day to day use (basically picture only using your pointer, middle finger, and thumb)

exterior digits (highlighted in blue) are mainly used to steady the interior digits when gripping, and cannot solely pick up things. they can only pick up things with their exterior digits when also using the interior digits (like using your whole hand to grab something)

primary eyes are good at judging distance far away, while secondary eyes are good at picking apart detail up close

primary ears are similar in shape to elf ears, and have auditory capabilities better than humans, but not as good at cats

secondary ears are usually flopped down like lop rabbit ears (in fact, their build is similar to that of rabbits), but when alert, their ears will flair up and can swivel to locate sound origins. hearing capabilities are like cats or dogs (aka, very good)

antennae are usually curled up, but unwind and swivel around when attentive or anxious. antennae length is around 1.5 feet

is able to mimic any sounds, but its most common sounds are clicks, whistles, purrs (like cat purrs or trills), and growls

[if-underourskins]

IMAGINE: a complete dumbass of a koala shifter

OMG YESSS. added to the list <3

[fenharels-chewtoy]

Permanent WIP pile lol

Just wanted to share my current piece. I’ll try to rework it in the future, perhaps.

Shapeshifter!Solavellan based on the Atonement Solavellan ending card.

[thatndginger]

I am so very very excited to show off my first piece of art for Shapeshifter! I cannot thank @banancrumbs enough for bringing these three fools to life! (go give her all your money. I know I want to)

I can already picture what Kerr, Warrick, and Jay are talking about...

"It's only expired by... two years? It's fiiine!" Warrick shoots a glance at Kerr, smirk firmly in place. "What's the worst that can happen?" "You'll either puke all over the sofa or shit yourself is what'll happen," Jay sighs. She tries to grab the box from Warrick's hand, and growls when he raises it over his head far out of her reach. Kerr grabs her shoulders before she can try to jump for it. "War's got a black hole for a stomach. 'Sides, if he dies he's not our problem anymore, yeah?" Warrick gives Kerr the finger with his free hand.

And, because I'm me and we should expect it by now, you *know* I printed this out and added it to my collection of Shapeshifter things as soon as I could ^.^

Shapeshifter taglist: @sunset-a-story @touloserlautrec @ceph-the-ghost-writer @trancetales

[seriouslycalamitous]

About CWTT and future stories

I'm so curious about Grian's powers in CWTT and more importantly, its limitations. You've mentioned in the fic that human is his most standard form is his human form, being transformed drains energy and something like a dragon takes a lot out of him, but what dictates those limitations? Is it the size of the creature? Do magic creatures take more energy than "normal ones"? What are the consequences to overusing his power?

You also mentioned that you're working on some new stories, other than CWTT. Could we get any teasers about what is to come in the future?

Exciting I get to talk about all this stuff!!

I’m going to start with teasers for the future, and then move into lore!

There’s a couple fics that are in my WIPs at the moment, and some of them have been stagnant for a little while. Currently, my plan is to pick back up on my Ranchers Deity AU so I can finally get these silly little guys out of my head, but I am so busy that I haven’t had time to just sit down and DO IT y’know?

As for my other possible future stories, here’s a list of my WIPs that are most likely to one day see the light of day:

These would’ve been the options:

- Ranchers Deity AU (MULTI-CHAPTER)

- Ethubs Deity AU (PROBABLY ONESHOT)

- Centaur AU (ONESHOT)

- Childhood Friends to Lovers AU (ONESHOT)

- Superhero Fake-Dating (MULTI-CHAPTER)

- Scar POV of BTDOM (MULTI-CHAPTER)

- Maybe Phasmophobia AU (ONESHOT)

- And then I’m also prone to writing anything Julie @muftiys asks me to write because I’m a pushover and her art is good. So there is a nonzero chance at any point that I will write for her aus or silly ideas they give me.

The list is also ever-changing and not particularly in order of the things i want to write most of all, so take it with a grain of salt!

Alright, on to lore!

So yes, Grian is a shapeshifter with a standard human form as his default. Not every shapeshifter is like this, there are all different kinds of default forms, but human is the most common.

Shapeshifters with human base forms usually can manage their powers better than others, since the amount of energy it takes for a shifter to transform is dependent on the difference in size compared to their base form. It’s easier to become smaller than it is to become large, but not by much. Humans are a solid middle-ground when it comes to size.

Shifting difficulty can also be affected by the magical anatomy of certain creatures, like, for example, dragons! A dragon is big, so that’s already a problem, but they also come pre-installed with an anatomical part of their bodies that can produce flames from their mouth, something very few other creatures have. Quite a large amount of reality magic mixed with shifting powers must go into making it possible for shifter to also possess this.

The most common side effects of shifting without the proper energy are immense strain, migraines, nausea, long-term residual fatigue, magic instability, and in terrible scenarios, a crack in one’s own ability to regain magic within themselves, or even death.

But, if a shifter finds themselves in a life-threatening situation, any of these options are better than the alternative.

Shapeshifters are wary creatures, known for their solitary nature - though no often of their own accord. There are very few of them in the world, and given their ability to transform into anything, hunters find them to be more valuable than anything else.

Oh, you were looking for the voice box of a siren? Well a shapeshifter in the form of a siren is practically indistinguishable! Oh, you thought this species was extinct but this shifter has the ability to change into it? Looks like someone could be making some crazy money today!

Hunters would first, of course, have to find a way to corner the shifter into situations where they feel they need to transform into the wanted creature, which isn’t always possible, but a good way to do that is to force them to shift to accommodate the size of their restraints. Similar to what happened to Grian when he was under threat of changing back while inside a bird cage, it easily drains them of all strength and ability to fight back.

Should a hunter continuously keep them in this state, and only offer relief if they turn into one specific form, then the shifter would likely give in - wanting for any way to make the pain stop.

A phrase passed down between generations of their species is “a shifter without their powers is practically already dead.” Drained and helpless is no better than death to them.

Hopefully that answered your question!! It’s early in the morning for me so i’m not sure if it’s coherent lol! Let me know if you have any other curiosities!

[inkedfictionista]

A little snippet of a WIP

[fuctacles]

Congrats on starting T!!!! It was a hard choice between cat lady Stevie and wereshifter BC I love them both but I'd love a WIP Wednesday snippet of the wereshifter AU plz and thx and again congratulations 🎉

thank you thank you thank you! Here's a 500 of the wereshifter au:

<< 6 | 7 | 8 >>

Something is wrong with Steve Harrington.

And not in the Upside Down trauma and multiple concussions way. No. He has his chin on Eddie's table, his big literal puppy dog eyes staring up at him as he writes down everyone's favorite foods, drinks, and snacks. And it wouldn't be that weird, hell, Eddie wouldn't even notice it, if there wasn't something wrong with him as well.

Because his instinct reaction to Steve's position is to start scratching at his head. It's almost muscle memory now because Dog-Steve would do that a lot; put his head on the table and observe what Eddie was doing. Steve seemed to slip into that mindset without even shifting, his eyes closing in contentment at the scratch.

Eddie can only stare, both fascinated and horrified, at Steve's tiny smile. His hand stills, bringing Steve back from wherever he was, his eyes widening before he jolts up.

"Shit, sorry!" His ears instantly turn red. "I wasn't— Sorry."

Eddie rolls his eyes. He's hit by the memory of that night when Steve told him he's allergic to dogs. Poor guy must have been terrified by his own needs and body reactions.

"Don't be sorry, dude." He stands up so they don't have to look at each other when he asks the next question. "When was the last time someone like, hugged you?" And then, to weaken the blow, he adds: "Do you want more coffee?"

"Uh. Yes, please." Eddie pours the remainder of the coffee between their two mugs and starts cleaning up the coffee maker to make another pot for Wayne later.

"Robin hugs me." He says while Eddie's back is still turned. "Joyce too, whenever she sees me."

Eddie hums, choosing not to point out that he said who hugs him and not when they last did. And he might be no hug expert, but two people he doesn't see that often does not sound like a lot. Wayne gives him a side hug every now and then when catch each other before leaving for school or work. He gives him a gentle kick before each performance fro a good luck. His band hugs a lot when they're riding the high of playing, both music and DnD. And the weed high, of course. Gareth gets cuddly every time.

He grabs their mugs and motions for Steve to take the notebook they've been planning the shopping list in.

"Let's go to the couch."

They barely settle down, their coffees put on the tiny table in front of them, when Eddie's shifting closer to where Steve's trying to keep his distance. He spreads his arm over his shoulders and pulls him in, and Steve is too surprised to resist, almost stumbling into his chest.

"There you go. Get comfortable, okay?" Steve is tense against him, so Eddie reaches fo the notebook and pen to give him a distraction.

"Now you write," he decides. "How much soda do you think we need? Oh, and we'll need solo cups."

[lionacuty]

magma doodles =w=

[bee-valseveer]

Every self respecting con artist knows the first rule of running a con is to make it believable: and while frankly, this is much easier to do when you live in a world where magic and dragons exist, no matter where you are you can't start selling medicine to beautify oneself if you look like Miracle Max and the Albino from the Princess Bride had an unholy lovechild.

The second rule of running a con is to not stay in one place too long - unless of course, you're an evil royal adviser looking to take over a kingdom.

Thankfully, Peri knew these rules very well - or at least, the Nareldic version which is much less impactful for people not from around there - which was why she was currently attempting to wave goodbye to the adoring crowd of nobles and townspeople and extract herself as quickly as possible from the city before the drinking gourd hanging from her belt turned back into an extremely disgruntled dragon.

To be fair on the dragon, a drinking gourd is not exactly the most comfortable shape to be at the best of times, but especially not when you're being jingled and jangled around like an over enthusiastic apple picker shaking a tree too early in the season before being laid out by an unripe russet.

Still, Peri had been trying to get out of the town for a good four days now, ever since she had "slain" the "rampaging dragon" that had been terrorising the local guilds for the past several moons, but, Peri thought, the problem with being even a self proclaimed hero was that everyone expected you to sit down and enjoy what seemed like several dozen parties, endless thanks from what were really overdramatic townspeople, and fend off multiple requests to settle in longterm.

Peri was by now quite good at the latter, but it was still a hassle to deal with as much attention as she would receive every time she would relieve a city of their burdens - as well as the not inconsiderable amount of coins she could guilt out of the meister or local lord.

It was around ten in the morning by the time Peri had gotten a fair enough distance into the surrounding farmlands that there were only the occasional farmer or labourer she was passing by.

Checking the landscape, she carefully untied the loop securing the drinking gourd from her belt, and placed it on a mound to the side of the road near the ditch that ran between the highway and the field of terrytubers that lay parallel to it.

The gourd shuddered slightly, before morphing into what might have been an intimidating figure of a dragon, covered in sharp spikes; had it not been missing the majority of its tail or been bigger than the twenty centimetres long that it was.

The might-have-otherwise-been-scary dragon scurried up the hand Peri held out to it, scrambling up to her shoulder where it perched, a grumpy expression on its scaly face, and immediately began complaining.

"Coulda died, Agg could, Peri coulda made Agg squeeze hisself to death. Poor Agg, being so mangled, absolutely scrambled. Mean Peri hates Agg she does."

"Oh shut it you overgrown skink," Peri said affectionately, "that didn't hurt at all, and I know that for a fact."

Agg growled petulantly - "Peri don't know that, Peri not a witchy mind reader, she's not."

Peri snorted. "Maybe not, but I can still tell your melodramatic ogreshit apart from anything. You're worse than the last king we 'assisted', 'cept you don't want me to marry your idiot son."

Reaching up, she scratched Agg alongside his chin. "Come on you. You'll grow that tail back in no time, and besides, we've got enough of that spiced scootaroo you liked from that butchery to last us until we're well into the next territory, so shut your gob." She said affectionately.

Agg subsided a little, muttering under his breath dolefully occasionally as he perched on Peri's shoulder, the two scam artists soon disappearing into the late autumns noon dust haze. He wouldn't be fully finished with his woeful histronics for a good while yet, but Peri was used to that - besides, being the time of year it was, she was confident a moth or butterfly looking to lay its eggs somewhere would distract him before too long.