#and eating them raw? and why are we talking about hatching eggs

[getsusekaii]

you all need a psyche evaluation, because what is all the eggcitement about?

[myocsfanfictions]

THE WRATH OF FIRE

House of the Dragon Fanfiction

MASTERLIST

Princess Ysilla Targaryen is the only daughter of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lady Rhea Royce. The affection that she felt for her mother was strong, while her father had never been there, acting as if Ysilla was not even his. But she was. The dragon egg that had been put in her cradle hatched. An outcast of a dragon was born. A dragon with no legs. An outcast of a dragon for and an outcast of a dragon rider. Ysilla’s hair was dark but streaked with white. She was a Targaryen, and her wrath was not different from the one that burned inside the members of the House of the Dragon.

《 Previous - Next 》

CHAPTER 4

“Dracarys.” When Ysilla said those words, her dragon breathed fire. She had the serving girl bring her a piece of raw meat.

Dragons didn't eat raw meat.

"Sƴz, riña," the Maester told her. He had been with her for six months now. A gift from her uncle after she visited King's Landing. (Good, child)

"Kirimvose," she answered. Her eyes fixed on her dragon. (Thank you)

Ysilla had been studying High Valyrian as soon as the Maester started to serve her, but her mother did not appreciate the King's gift. She said that there was no reason for him to be in Runestone.

"Mother, please!" she complained one night when her mother expressed the wish for the man to return to King's Landing.

"We don't need him here." She had answered.

"You may don't, but I do," Ysilla said. The shock on her mother's face was visible. Ysilla usually listened to whatever her mother said. It had been a strange feeling to be stubborn with her. But Ysilla could not let her lady mother send her teacher back to the Capital.

"I'm the only Targaryen who does not know High Valyrian," Ysilla explained. Her small hands clenched in fists. She wanted to be strong in front of her mother. She had to be.

"I've always told you to be proud of your blood. First Men's blood," her mother's words made Ysilla's eyes stung with tears.

"I remember," she said. But she wouldn't have backed down. "But I need to learn High Valyrian."

"You need to learn how to hawk," her mother answered firmly.

Ysilla felt so much rage in her.

"I'm not a goat; I'm a dragon!" Her mother's dark eyes widened. Shocked, she shared a look with her cousin, Ser Gerold Royce. At that moment, Ysilla understood that the words she had heard from Otto Hightower were true. It had been painful. But she knew what she had to do.

If Father sees I'm a good Targaryen, he will love me. Ysilla was sure of that. She did not act as a Targaryen at all. Her mother wanted her to be more similar to a Royce. But Ysilla was much more of that. She was a Targaryen princess. In a few years, he would have been a dragon rider. And when she would have grown up, she would have been like Visenya. She was more than a noble lady from the Vale. She was a Targaryen.

Father would be proud of me, she swore.

Ysilla would study all day. History, philosophy, calculus, politics, and High Valyrian. With the Master of the Dragonpit, she would speak only High Valyrian. She wanted to learn fast, especially when she found out that the war on the Stepstones was over.

"Father won!" Ysilla said happily to her uncle Gerold one day in the Godswood of Runestone. "He must have flown with Caraxes and burned them all."

Her uncle observed her in silence. His beard may have hidden half of his face. But she could see his lips tight in a thin line.

"You've changed, Ysilla, since you visited King's Landing," he said, making her smile.

"The Maester says that dragons feel other dragons," she answered, looking at the red leaves of the Heart Tree, "Maybe it had been the same with humans as well."

Her uncle took a deep breath. "Why are you so obsessed with these matters? You hardly speak of other topics, if not dragons."

Ysilla lowered her eyes. No one wanted to talk about those matters with her, as no one liked her dragon, her only friend.

"I'm a Targaryen," she said, "My father is Prince Daemon Targaryen."

"And your mother is Rhea Royce," he reproved her. Does she not share equal importance?"

"Of course she does," Ysilla muttered with a flush of shame. Since her dragon had been born, Ysilla and her mother had started to argue frequently. Her mother did not like Ysill's interests.

Ysilla wished not to argue with her mother. She had been very important to the little princess. She had been a role model, and Ysilla had so much respect for her. And she had raised Ysilla as a Royce. Proud as a Royce. But she wanted for Ysilla to forget that she was a Targaryen. And she could not. Ysilla had to show her father and everyone else that her mother was no goat. And that she was a dragon.

"You know I love you?" One evening, Ysilla asked her mother about it as they were dining.

"So sudden?" Her mother answered with raised eyebrows. Rhea Royce was not an openly loving woman, but Ysilla knew her mother cared for her.

"Do you?" Ysilla insisted stubbornly.

Her mother took a breath, "I do."

Ysilla seemed happy by her words, "And I'm sorry if in the last months I've been wilful."

"I'm glad you've realized it," her mother said, but Ysilla kept talking. " Why do you don't like that I'm a Targaryen?" Her mother took a breath. She put the knife in her hand and put it back on the table, but she did not answer. "Everyone in the realm wishes to say that their children have the blood of old Valyria."

Her mother observed her in silence for a moment, "The marriage between me and your father is a rich arrangement for the realm," Ysilla's eyes grew larger, leaning forward on the table. Her mother had never spoken of those matters with her. "But your father grew insufferable here. Insufferable of me," Ysilla listened quietly, "When I gave birth to you, your hair was as dark as your eyes. And he was there. He suggested that you were a bastard."

Ysilla lowered her eyes. It could not be possible. But why would her mother lie to her? There was no reason. So it must be true. But it could not be.

"He never wanted to see you," her mother said.

"I'm not a bastard," Ysilla whispered.

"No, you're not," her mother answered. Growing up, your hair and eyes proved it to everyone. But your father never accepted that."

"Why?" Ysilla asked, confused.

"He loathes me as I do him," she answered. And he would have broken the marriage off if he could make people think you were a bastard. That's why he never wants to see us." Ysilla lowered her gaze. "He loves his ambition, Ysilla. And you are more than him."

Ysilla felt confused. It all seemed absurd to her. Why would her father hate her mother? And why did he hate his daughter because of that? He had never talked to her. One could not just decide to hate someone, could they?

"All the Kings of the Seven Kingdoms, Ysilla," asked the Septa one morning.

Ysilla took a breath. "Aegon I the Conquerer. After him, there was his son, Aenys I. His mother was Queen Rhaenys. Then Maegor the Cruel. Then Jeaherys I. He was called The Old King, or the Wise, or the Conciliator. He ruled peacefully for half a century. But he had no heir."

"So what happened?" The Septa asked.

"He had to choose between his two nephews," Ysilla remembered, "Princess Rhaenys or Prince Viserys. And he chose Prince Viserys. Now King Viserys I."

"And who is to follow?"

"The King chose Princess Rhaenyra," Ysilla said. Then she frowned. No woman had been queen of the Seven Kingdoms. And when her Uncle chose Rhaenyra, Aegon was not yet born. So, the rightful heir should have been her father, Daemon Targaryen.

He loves his ambition. Ysilla remembered her mother's words. How did her father react to the King's decision?

And the Dragonstone folly. She remembered.

"What is it with Father and Dragonstone?" Ysilla asked before she could stop herself.

The Septa's eyes widened, "That is off-topic, princess."

"But I want to know," Ysilla said stubbornly. "Why was Father in Dragonstone? Rhaenyra is the Princess of Dragonstone, not Father."

"Ysilla," her mother's voice came from behind her, making her turn. The Septa was quick to stand up and bow to the Lady of Runestone. "Stop with those questions," Ysilla observed her mother; she was wearing her riding attire. She was surely going out to hawk. Then she came next to her daughter, caressing her hair, "I'm riding out," she said, "Do you remember your duties for today?"

Ysilla nodded, "History, then sawing lesson."

The High Valyrian, she thought.

"I'll be back to dine together," her mother said, putting on her glove, "Behave."

"And be proud," Ysilla muttered. That made her mother chuckle.

"I don't need to remind you that," she said, "You never fail to be proud." Ysilla smiled, observing her mother walking toward the door.

"Be careful," Ysilla said to her mother like she always did. The little princess didn't go out to hawk that much—her pony was too little. But her mother had told her that in six months, they would have gone hawking together. Her mother loved to hunt, but Ysilla could not wait to be on the dragon's back more.

"Skori jāhor nyke sagon naejot sōvegon issa zaldrīzes?" Asked Ysilla, stammering some of the words. Not sure she remembered them correctly. (When will I be able to fly my dragon?)

"Hāre jēdri, riña," the Maester answered, observing how Ysilla's dragon liked to be next to his rider. (Three years, girl)

Three years, and she would have been able to fly. Her dragon was growing every day more, surprising everyone. But the Maester told her that he was growing fast for his conditions.

"I really need to find a name soon," she said, observing the violet eyes of her dragon. "A fighter name." Then he looked at the sky, making a little sound. Then he looked back at Ysilla, making the same sound. He seemed a little agitated, but he calmed down when the girl touched his head.

The Maester had told her that she and the creature had a strong connection. "Hae dārilaros Daemon se Caraxes." (Like Prince Daemon and Caraxes)

Ysilla looked up at the man. He had been in King's Landing all his life, tending the Targaryens' Dragons. He had seen all of them: King Viserys and Balerion, The Black Dread, Princess Rhaenys and Meleys, Rhaenyra, and Syrax, and, of course, Ysilla's father and Caraxes.

"Gōntan kepa gūrotan Caraxes lēda zirȳla, skori istas naejot Zaldrīzesdōron?" Ysilla spoke slowly, thinking about every word. (Did Father take Caraxes with him when he went to Dragonstone?)

"Hen rhinka, riña." the man answered. His tone was strange. Trying to hide anger. But it was there. Why anger? She wanted to know. (Of course, child)

He would have never answered if she had asked inquisitively, she knew. But maybe that anger could be used in some way.

"Such a vile act," Ysilla said, using the same tone Otto Hightower had used. "Dragonstone belongs to Princess Rhaenyra."

"The stolen egg was much more vile," when she turned to the man, his eyes were wide. Regretting those words. "Forgive me, princess," he was quick to add, bowing his head.

Her father had stolen a dragon egg. Why would he do such a thing?

Her dragon looked at the sky again, flipping his small black wings.

"There's no need," she answered, trying to do her best to hide the shock in her tone, "I already knew," she lied, "My mother always tells me about my father's deeds. And they are not always positive words." She thought fast. Her egg had been chosen for her as soon as she was born; that was the Targaryen's tradition. If her father had taken an egg, there was only a reason. She felt rage thinking about that possibility.

"A dragon to a bastard," she said, noticing how the stolen egg was a sensitive topic for the man. "That's an insult."

Would he really steal an egg to give it to a bastard when he had insulted his mother by saying that Ysilla was one?

"Fortunately, no bastard was born, as far as it's known," he answered, "It was just an act to challenge the King's authority."

He loves his ambition, Ysilla.

Didn't he support his brother as King? Or he didn't support Rhaenyra as the future Queen? Why did he take that egg?

"Skoros drōmon iksin bona?" Ysilla asked not turning to the man. (What egg was that?)

"Se drōmon hen Dreamfyre. Dārilaros Rhaenyra ēdas chosen ziry syt zirȳla morghe lēkia, Baelon," Ysilla felt the blood in her veins run cold. (The egg of Dreamfyre. Princess Rhaenyra had chosen it for her dead brother, Baelon)

It was such a vile act to steal his dead nephew's egg. To give it to who? If he hated his wife, who was he planning to give it to? She would have liked to ask more, but her dragon started to growl, agitated. He flapped his wings again and kept looking at the sky.

That was strange. He had never done that. He was a calm dragon, never making many sounds, but he was upset and not able to stay still.

"Skoros iksis jāre va?" Ysilla asked, glancing at the man before walking to her dragon, kneeling at his side, "Lykiri," she said, trying to gain her dragon's attention, but he wasn't listening. (What is going on?) (Calm down)

"Maester?" She asked, seeing the man looking at the sky as well. His face was dark with worry.

"Dohaeris," she said, focusing back on her dragon. He seemed somewhat drawn to those words and glanced at her with his purple eyes.

A strange feeling went down through Ysilla's back. A shiver full of dread.

I want Mother, she thought instinctively. Feeling her eyes stung with tears.

"Ysilla," The voice of her uncle Gerold made her turn with a gasp. The man was behind her. His face was pale, his hands were trembling, and on his clothes, there was blood.

She stood up, trembling. Her eyes never lived the red of the blood.

"The Lady Rhea…"

Ysilla felt cold as her dragon roared with wrath.

_________________________________________

Tag list: @watercolorskyy @darylandbethfanforever9 @roxannequeen @shadowzena43

[zaph1337]

Monster Hunter Rating 30: Fatalis, the Dark Demise

The world of Monster Hunter is a dangerous one. Monsters with powers unlike any animal we know run rampant, and some of them are so powerful as to be compared to natural disasters, or maybe even gods. These “Elder Dragons” are viewed as forces of nature given body and mind, and wherever they are, they’re almost always at the top of the food chain. But it begs the question: what is the strongest Elder Dragon of them all?

Some would say that Lao-Shan Lung, the Old Mountain Dragon, holds that honor. After all, it will destroy entire mountains if they stand in its path, and every hunt with one is a race against time to prevent the monster from reaching and destroying the fortresses that separate it from the settlements it would crush beneath its feet as it wanders. But why does Lao-Shan Lung wander? Why does it never go around the obstacles in its way? Why will it never fight back against the hunters that pose a serious threat of killing it? The answer is one that no one wants to accept: Lao-Shan Lung, what may be the living incarnation of an avalanche or some other seismic force, is not wandering. It’s running for its life. Elder Dragons may be the embodiments of natural phenomena, and though we may not like it, death is just as natural as landslides and lightning. We’ve come a long way, but it’s finally time to talk about the final boss of the first Monster Hunter game: the Black Dragon, Fatalis!

(How it appears in Monster Hunter 1)

(How it appears in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne)

Appearance: If the wiki had a third render of Fatalis that I liked, I would’ve put it up there. Anyways, Fatalis looks just like an archetypal European dragon; four legs, two wings, horned head, and a long tail. It looks pretty generic, but there are a few things that help it stand out. First off, it’s huge, being 4110.6 cm (134.9 ft) long in every main series game it appears in except for MHW:I, where it’s 4137.17 cm (135.7 ft) long. That’s 30+ ft more than Diablos or Gravios, and if you wanna see how big Fatalis is compared to a person, well...here’s an image from MHW:I:

Yyyeeah, it’s big. Something else that’s interesting is the fact that Fatalis has eyes which are literally made of crystal, which is why they look shiny in the above image. They still look a lot like traditional dragon eyes, though. In fact, basically all of its design elements are things that you’d expect to find on European dragons, which makes Fatalis look rather generic. You’d think that even in the first game, the devs would be more creative with their final boss considering the other dragons in the game, but that’s just it: Fatalis stands out when compared to a lot of the other dragons in Monster Hunter because it looks just like a European dragon and not much more. This makes it feel like it’s not just a dragon, it’s the dragon. When you hear stories of dragons wreaking mass destruction, you’ll likely imagine something that looks just like Fatalis, and I believe that that’s exactly what the developers of MH intended when they made it. It’s kinda genius, in that way, and combined with the overwhelming presence Fatalis has thanks to its size, I feel like I have to give it an 8/10.

Behavior/Lore: Since I like to cover the lore of a monster in this category anyways, I thought I might as well change its name to reflect that. Anyways, people don’t know a lot about Fatalis, such as how many there are, where there ideal habitat is, their mating rituals, stuff like that. The reason why we don’t know a lot about Fatalis is that it kills literally everything it sees, which tells us a lot on its own. Fatalis doesn’t always eat what it kills; it just kills for the sake of it, and since literally everything that breathes seems to be on its sh*t list, this has led to the conclusion that Fatalis hates all livings things on the grounds that they exist.

As I alluded to in the introduction, the natural phenomenon that Fatalis likely embodies is death itself. All other monsters are terrified of it, and, as seen with Lao-Shan Lung, will go to great lengths to stay as far from it as possible. How strong do you have to be to make a monster that bulldozes mountains run for mommy? Well, let me put it this way: Fatalis obliterated Schrade Kingdom in a single night, and now uses the ruins of the castle as its den; the very sky above the kingdom’s remains is a perpetual bloody red, with a miasma of purple clouds that hover over the fallen settlement. And that’s just what we know is true; according to legend, Fatalis could scorch all the world’s lands in a matter of days, causing the end of life itself. Obviously, this can’t be proven, nor do I know if they’re talking about one Fatalis or all of them (however many there are), but when legends like that are circulating, it’s a wonder that people aren’t living in constant fear that this thing will decide to visit their settlement one day and kill everyone. Well, not so much a wonder as it is a conspiracy; the Hunter’s Guild, fearing that the fear of Fatalis’ capabilities could lead to an outbreak of panic and anarchy, has done its best to relegate Fatalis and all stories related to it to the realm of fantasy. Only hunters who the Guild believes are skilled enough to possibly repel or kill Fatalis are allowed to know that it exists, and even then, when the Guild sends them on secret missions to fight it, they almost never come back.

Though Fatalis leaves few witnesses to its attacks, there are some who provide valuable information about the dragon’s habits. After Fatalis kills a hunter, it melts said hunter and their equipment down, then applies the remains to its body to armor its hide, making it even harder to kill. Now, some say that this is an instinctual behavior, like how the monster Nerscylla wears the hides of its prey for the same purpose, but Fatalis is only known to do this to humans, which wouldn’t make sense because killing monsters would give it more material to cover itself in. This has led some to believe that Fatalis knows that hunters make armor from the remains of the monsters they kill, so it makes armor out of them to mock them in death. If this is true, then not only is Fatalis smart enough to have a concept of irony, it harbors a special kind of hatred for humans in particular, and it presumably enjoys killing them. These things make Fatalis even more terrifying and dangerous than previously thought, and put its attack on Schrade Kingdom and its occupancy of Schrade Castle in a new light.

Speaking of equipment, the few times anyone has actually killed a Fatalis and made weapons and armor from its parts, they’ve almost always regretted it. Those that wear Fatalis armor have been victims of disturbing phenomena; horrible nightmares and periods of unnatural, unwanted strength are a common occurrence, and some have reported feeling as though something is possessing them and forcing their legs to move against their will. In extreme cases, hunters who have been knocked unconscious while wearing the armor report feeling that something was controlling their bodies before they awoke. But those people are the lucky ones; hunters who wear Fatalis armor for extensive periods of time often disappear without a trace, or even die for no apparent reason.

Not even the weapons are safe. Some cause the wielders to hear phantom screams, others induce feelings of gnawing despair or paranoia, and some are even said to corrupt the wielder’s soul, turning them into a force of bloodshed and chaos as Fatalis was...or is. In Monster Hunter Generations, a cave in Pokke Village contains a giant version of a Black Blade, a Great Sword made of Fatalis parts, which can be mined for Fatalis materials. It’s been noted that the damage done to the blade by mining it will regenerate in a matter of days; when you combine that with the symptoms of using Fatalis equipment, it gives credence to the possibility that Fatalis lives on through said equipment, controlling the bodies and minds of those that slew its corporeal form. Whether this is true or not is irrelevant; the fact remains that Fatalis equipment has a deleterious effect on those that use it, and as such, it’s recommended that none should attempt to utilize anything made from Fatalis’ remains at all.

If you thought that Fatalis as a life-form was fundamentally wrong before, then I have one last bit of absurdity for you: the one time anyone ever found a Fatalis egg, the newborn that hatched from it grew to its adult form in literal hours, and presumably hated everything that breathes from birth. Other than that, we don’t know anything about its life cycle or parental habits, and the wiki doesn’t say what happened after the baby reached maturity, but we can reasonably assume that it was a bloody event.

I’ve never been more enthralled by a monster’s lore than I have been reading about Fatalis. The developers really went out of their way to impress upon players just how unnatural and evil Fatalis is, and the result is the monster to end all monsters. I think my favorite parts are the fact that the Guild covers up Fatalis’ existence to prevent society from collapsing and how even its equipment is too dangerous to be around. And even with this, there’s still so much we don’t know about Fatalis, which makes it even more intriguing. With how much I’ve been thinking about all this the past few days, I feel like I have to give this category a 10/10.

Abilities: Obviously, Fatalis is one of the strongest monsters in the series. Its body is very durable due to its habit of melting down hunters to use as armor, and even the membranes of its wings are has hard as metal. It can both fly and charge at high speeds, with the latter doing massive damage thanks to Fatalis’ raw strength. However, its most famous ability--and its deadliest--is its fire breath, which is equal in power to some other Elder Dragons. The streams of fire that escape from Fatalis’ maw are even bigger than the dragon itself, and can be so powerful that they one-shot hunters caught in them. Fatalis can also spread a cloud of reactive powder around it; igniting this powder causes a devastating explosion.

Now, conceptually, these attributes and attacks aren’t too crazy, but there’s one more thing I want to mention: In Monster Hunter 1, you fight Fatalis in 4 quests (assuming that the wiki’s quest list for the game has all of them), and in all of those quests, the goal is “damage Fatalis as much as you can to drive him away,” not “slay Fatalis.” This means that Fatalis is so much more powerful than anything else in the game, the Guild does not believe you are capable of killing it. Despite all of your accomplishments up to that point, the Guild still doesn’t think you have what it takes to kill the darn thing. Now, considering the goal doesn’t say “slay or repel” or anything like that, I was under the impression that you couldn’t kill Fatalis in the first Monster Hunter, but a video on the wiki shows that you can, so I guess the devs phrased it that way to make you feel even cooler for achieving what even the game thought was impossible. It’s a nice touch. Anyways, Fatalis’ abilities may not sound like anything special for a dragon, but the sheer power behind its attacks, as well as how much work you have to put in to damage it in any meaningful way, gets it an 8/10.

Equipment: Since most, if not all of Fatalis’ equipment is inherently evil, I’ll mention if the descriptions say exactly what they do to the user. Let’s start ourselves off with a Hunting Horn called the Black Lute:

According to its description in MHFU, “[a]nyone who hears this Horn feels faint.” Kinda counterproductive, considering the Hunting Horn’s whole gimmick is that it buffs you and your allies with magical songs. Its upgraded form, the Fatalis Menace, isn’t much better, as “its song causes listeners to turn into disheartened beasts.” So already we see the dangers involved in using this weapon, but the description is lore that doesn’t impact gameplay, so strum to your heart’s content! As for how the Lute looks, I like the use of Fatalis horns as the majority of the main body, and the little red gem is a nice touch. Next up, something a little less evil, actually! The Dual Blades called Double Dragon require both Fatalis and Lao-Shan Lung parts, which I guess makes them okay to use?

I say that these aren’t evil because their description just says “[t]he Dragon element infused in these Dual Blades hits enemies from both sides.” Though, you do have to make them by upgrading the Fatalis Sword and Shield called the Black Sword, and according to its description, “[t]he void it creates envelopes all in its path[,]” which makes me think that these are probably still unsafe to use. Though I do like how the blades are different shapes and sizes to match up with the dragons they came from. But you know me, if a monster has a weird or goofy weapon, I gotta show it off, and Fatalis isn’t exempt from this. So here’s the Light Bowgun called the Black Parasol:

I was gonna make a JFK joke, ‘cause one of the theories surrounding his assassination was that someone used a gun disguised as an umbrella to shoot him from the side, but I don’t think I can make a joke like that without being tasteless, especially since this weapon apparently has “an assassin's thirst for death.” But here’s some tasty lore for you: the Black Parasol’s upgrade in the Japan-only MH4U, the Dark Parasol, was “designed behind the scenes by the Guild for assassination purposes.” This may be a translation of the Japanese description, so “assassination” might just mean “kill,” but it makes you think about how weird it is to call hunting a monster an assassination; there’s a chance that the Black Parasol was made by the Guild specifically to kill people, and that just raises more questions. As for the Parasol’s design, it’s so out of left field that I can’t help but find it amusing. The doily-like trim combined with the swirly handle makes it impossible to take seriously, which was probably the point.

Now, here’s where things get a bit messy; the wiki doesn’t have very many pictures of Fatalis armor. The ones it does have are small, not the standard Fatalis armor, or don’t have an image of the male armor to go with them. So, I have to resort to using the small images of the “S” armor from MHFU. I’ve made them bigger to avoid straining anyone’s eyes, but they’re all blurry now, so I apologize if I miss any details you think are important. Here’s the Blademaster armor:

Oh, my God, they gave the women’s set a helmet! Aaaannd it’s for the armor set with low-quali renders online. Yaaaay. Okay, that aside, this does look awesome. It definitely looks like armor that would make you evil if you wore it, and the curved horns on the helmet really add to that theme, as do the spikes on the arms and legs. As for the Gunner armor:

It looks really cool, too! Seems that the wings are attached to the arms in lieu of arm guards, like the ones you see on other Gunner sets. The horns on this set are pointed up this time, presumably for reasons related to peripheral vision or something like that, which is helpful for someone using a gun. The boots on the armor look like dragon feet, and combined with the wings and other design aspects, makes this armor feel like the one that’s most likely going to let Fatalis’ soul overtake you.

Overall, the equipment does what it was made to do: look powerful, yet evil at the same time. It seems like something that fanfic authors would make use of for their worldbuilding--something like how the greatest hunter in the land went missing after killing Fatalis and making equipment from it, only for horror stories of a black knight wielding cursed armaments wiping small settlements off the map and slaughtering travelers. This is the first time that equipment lore factors into the scoring for this category, and I might have to look at the descriptions of the equipment I choose in future reviews to see if that affects my opinion on it any. For now, Fatalis’ equipment gets an 8/10.

Final Thoughts and Tally: The creators of Monster Hunter wanted to make an unforgettable final boss, and they succeeded. The concept of a truly evil, apocalyptic monster in a world where most monsters are basically animals adds to its intimidation factor, and I can only imagine how kids felt when they saw Schrade Castle and the skies above it for the first time. It honestly makes me sad that I never had the original Monster Hunter as a kid, ‘cause the impression Fatalis and the fight with it would have had on me would likely have stuck with me to this day. One thing’s for sure, though: if I ever get a Monster Hunter game besides Rise, it’ll probably be Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion, ‘cause aside from the Coral Islands, fighting Fatalis in a modern game would be exhilarating. 8/10.

[jankadank]

Interview with Carnage (Carnage: Mind Bomb Excerpt)

My name is Cletus Kasady and I kill people and I love it.

I know nine million ways to kill a body and I love every single one of them.

All dull day every day right up until I hit the hay I think of bodies burst bodies slit right up the middle and shared across a hundred nice little gardens.

And when I sleep I dream of ways to kill a body that ain't nobody thought of yet.

And occasionally I dream of Mom and Pop squirting into the sink and that old garbage disposal just grinding and gnawing on the old man's skull.

Talking of days that bloody sainted day that holy day I'll tell you about me oh yeah...

That day I shared a cell with Venom.

That reporter geek all wrapped up in space alien symbiote kill thing linked into his head.

I got a wound on my hand and I was playing with it and all.

And venom dripped in it.

Spawned in it and its sharp,sharp egg grew in me and hatched and made me Carnage.

Why do you kill?

It's pretty.

Waking up in the morning and knowing you're going to kill someone...

...It's a beautiful thing.

Makes me feel like a gunship, like my engine's only turning over when I'm moving and killing.

Makes me feel like God on the first Monday morning.

I kill because it makes me feel like I'm on TV, with my own personal soundtrack.

Like JFK, brains on the leather and pretty blood on his pretty wife.

JFK

NBK

KKK

And his pretty wife, now think of it, all wet and humiliated, crawling in front of the whole world--

--I like that, too.

When I was a kid, my favorite movie was the Zapruder Film.

I ain't inspired by the media. I inspire the media.

I got videogames and toys and comic books just because I can kill a body better than anyone.

You wouldn't believe the hundreds of different ways a body dances once a bullet's been put in it--

--The songs they sing when you cut their throats--

The patterns they paint when you make 'em squirt.

It's art.

I kill because it's pretty.

It's art.

How do you see the world?

Heh!

How do I see the world?

Lemme show you how I see the world.

We're connected, you an' me, mind-to-mind.

I'm gonna squirt bits of my mind down the line here into yours, show you what I think of the world.

It's a dull old world on the surface, ain’t it? All grey and nondescript...

...But that's a lie.

Scratch the surface and you reveal the real world, all red and raw and senseless--

--And that's the world I like, the world I show you when I kill--

--The world I am.

I am that man, eating human sandwiches at the bus stop...

...Making Jeffrey Dahmer eyes at the nice young boys, John Wayne Gacy hands a'twitching...

I am those kids burning dogs and hobos in the dark alleyway--

--The woman cutting a hole in the tied-to-bed Mr. Goodbar and inserting a vacuum cleaner into his stomach--

--the wife shoving broken glass down the husband's throat--

--I'm the American Flag on fire, the Founding Fathers crucified for a chat show, lies, cursed lies and government.

I am the end of the world as we know it and I feel like a drink.

I'm chaos-- and the rest of the world won't admit that it's just like me.

And because o' that the world is worthless, it's dirt on my heel--

--Love means nothing--

--It's a planet of mannequins filled with blood and they may as well be torn up and burst and stamped on because what else are they good for--

--Apart from making noise and being nice and making more stupid little mannequins that sit still for lies and TV and kissy-kissy garbage--

I've shown you the worst things in the world, because that's what the world's made of.

Everything is sick!

Am I getting through to you?

Everything is sick-- and I love it!!

[pugoata]

How I got into farm life: with pictures!

Here’s a little ramble for y’all. People ask me from time to time “Why goats?”, so here’s my long-winded answer! Rated ? for turkey sex (you bet your ass I’m gonna tell THAT story).

2011 was probably the worst year of my life. I was living in Boulder at the time, on the cusp of dropping out of my first bout with college. Side note, mental illness fuckin’ blows, fam. After a couple separate hospital stays, I received various diagnoses and medications and found myself living in a cramped apartment with three other women. I was broke af and had no idea what to do with my life. I spent many an afternoon wandering around Pearl Street, or even up and down the aisles of the nearby Goodwill and Whole Foods. My head was full of fog and in between the crazy shit I did just to -feel- something, I was simply lost.

This lostness found me in Whole Foods one day, staring at the dairy section. There were these fancy glass bottles with “Cream-Top Milk” and I was intrigued. I’d been a vegetarian since I was 13 and always considered myself savvy in the way of soy and rice milks. This was cow’s milk, but a kind I’d never heard of.

When I got back to the apartment, I was engrossed in learning all I could about milk. There was a LOT I didn’t know. Pasteurized vs raw, homogenization, the differences between skim vs 2% vs whole, even that different breeds of cows could produce either richer milk or higher quantities than others. It was the science of milk and it was fascinating. But if this was interesting... what else could I learn about basic foods?

Eggs were just as exciting. Who knew their were so many fucking labels on eggs?! Organic, cage-free, vegetarian (life protip: never trust a vegetarian chicken), pastured... It is COMPLICATED. I started wondering... why not just do this shit myself? Then I could know first-hand how the chickens were raised! The one drawback came from my vegetarian brain: what am I supposed to do with any boy chicks that hatch? Roosters can be assholes. Not everyone wants or needs a rooster, and at a 50/50 male-female ration, keeping all of them would lead to disaster The answer was simpler than I thought. If I knew how these chickens were raised, and knew they were happy and didn’t live suffering lives... why shouldn’t I eat them?

It was chickens that made me finally admit defeat in Boulder. I told my mom I’d be willing to move back to Maine... if I could get chickens.

As I saved up money to afford a coop, I volunteered on various farms, took classes, and read memoirs of people who gave up a “normal” life to farm. I read books about eating local and taught myself to bake bread from scratch. In Maine, raw milk dairies are legal, so I bought a bunch and taught myself how to make butter and cheese.

My mental health improved as I dabbled in farming. I’d found a focus.

I applied for and got an apprenticeship on a small farm. There, I learned the basics about growing vegetables in Maine’s cold, rocky climate. I only worked there for a couple months, but I learned how to truly care for livestock here, and decided that I would never be a sheep person. The woman who ran this farm was batshit crazy (I found out she was an anti-vaxxer, a homeschooler who didn’t really homeschool, and that she was a mess of a person altogether), but I wouldn’t trade the actual experience for anything. This was also where I met Jerry.

Have you ever been mounted by a turkey? I legit had no idea that it was happening until he was literally on top of me. Apparently, I’m a beautiful turkey hen. At least I’ve got that going for me.

After the apprenticeship ended in disaster (I had the nerve to tell crazy’s son that type I diabetes is not, in fact, caused by vaccines), I set to work on building my coop.

This little makeshift coop was replaced a couple months later by one that I helped my step-dad build, but I finally had some goddamn chickens. I did my best to get only pullets (young females), but it’s hard to tell sometimes what you get. When I heard the gurgling crow of a young cockerel going through the throes of puberty, I knew nature had gotten the better of me.

My new and improved coop was fuckin’ rad. I could have lived in it.

Chewbacca was alpha hen. She was a dinosaur, but she had a softer side. I stuck seven chicks under her fuzzy butt one day and she adopted them.

She loved them, and they loved her.

Anyway, back to goats.

After talking with a farmer who owned Jersey cows for milk, he told me that since I was just getting started, it would probably be more economical to start small. It made sense. Who knew if I’d even like milking twice a day? And it would be a good trial run to start with something that didn’t make so much milk. That’s how I found a wonderful goat dairy with an amazing woman who taught me basic goat care, including milking. She also offered cheesemaking lessons on a regular basis, which I signed up for. I fell in love with the little beasties.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats are fucking adorable. They never grow taller than a couple feet, and their milk is among the richest of all goat milks. If I wanted to make cheese, I couldn’t go wrong with a Nigerian Dwarf.

But life gets in the way. Fencing was expensive, my car was a money pit, and then my mom signed me up for a dating website. I actually met someone and liked him enough to move down to west Texas to live with him. West Texas is oil country. It’s a fuckin’ desert and there’s tumbleweeds and cacti and shit. It’s also drowning in conservative white Christians. My now-husband is an African Muslim (an immigrant, heaven forbid!), so he had no hope of finding a partner through traditional means in the area. 

He liked that I wanted to be a farmer! So shortly after we got married, we moved to the outskirts of town and I eventually got my heckin’ goats. I make cheese and it’s REALLY good.  Though I had to leave my chickens behind in Maine, I’m hoping this will be the year I get more. I’m starting to get into meat rabbits and I’m hoping this year, I can grow tomatoes without fuckin’ cooking the plant in this heat.

But look at this, I’ve got goddamn goats now. I make cheese. 

BTW anyone who’s tried my cheese knows it’s fucking awesome and whenever I visit the sibs out in California, I usually always bring a little tub of it. Maybe I’ll bring some to RTX Austin this year (though you’ll be prying it out of my cold dead fingers).

Goat farming is heartbreaking sometimes, not gonna lie. You have to have nerves of steel to pull a dead baby out of a mama goat, and I still kick myself over the death of a mama and two of her babies last year. Each setback has taught me so much more than books or classes ever could.

But this is the life I want. I’ve been through hell to get here, but I’ve got my focus, and I’ve got my goats. Everything will be okay.

Welcome to Sweethaven Farm.

[wolfricivarrwitchythings]

13 Goals of a Witch: Goals #10 and #11

Goal #10: Breathe and Eat Correctly

If there is one goal that many MANY of us struggle with, it would be this one. On nearly a constant basis, we’re fed loads of information about what is good for you, bad for you, and there is an endless supply of different diets and such that promise to help you lose weight and....

It’s exhausting.

Listen: Here is the absolute truth. It is 100% ok to have a little pudge on you. In early times (middle ages mostly, if I recall my history correctly) rich people often had a little bit more weight to them because they showed the world that they were eating well. 

That being said, let me share a few things that have helped me to feel better about what I have been eating:

1) More fruits and veggies! The more natural your diet is, the better you will feel and the closer to the divine you will be. For me, I have a strictly vegetarian diet because I feel that is how I can better allow the energy in my body to flow, and how I can best honor the divine. Some people don’t need that, and that’s ok! Best recommended health tip I can offer to none vegetarians/vegans- make about 80% of your diet fruits and veggies. Also remember: Raw is better than cooked in most cases. 

2) Make it colorful! Along with consuming more fruits and veggies, having a lot of color on your plate can help you feel healthier and more in tune with nature/the divine/your magick. Different colors in different fruits and veggies provide different nutritional values. Like this:

Red - lycopene found in tomatoes, watermelon, & pink grapefruit Orange - beta carotene found in carrots, mangoes, & cantaloupe Yellow - beta cryptothanxin found in pineapple, oranges, & peaches Green - indoles found in broccoli, cabbage, & kale Purple - anthocyanins found in blueberries, grapes, eggplant & cherries White – allicin found in garlic, onions, & chives

Consuming a variety of colorful fruits and veggies is also a great source of antioxidants!

3) Drink LOTS of water! But obviously not too much. Most people actually have a certain amount of water that they need specific to your body. Why? Because different body types have different amounts of blood running through their veins! Drinking water is like the body’s lube. Car can’t run without engine oil, right? Well, your body can’t run and, more specifically, carry all of those nutrients throughout your body if it doesn’t have water! Pro-tip: If you’re not a fan of the flavor of water, which can be kind of bland, use water-flavoring drops like Mio or Dasani Drops or Crystal Light Liquid. They’re all 0 calorie so feel free to be liberal with the amount of “drops” you put in. Lol

Honestly, I could go on and on about this subject. Really, eating healthier is a matter of doing your research and trying different things. Eventually you’ll find what works for you! Eating that is calibrated to your body will help you feel better, help the energy your body uses on a daily basis flow better, and will put you more in touch with your magick. 

For your convenience, I created a Dropbox folder with my diet plan in it. The diet comes from the University of Michigan, who did a wonderful job with their information! I can’t seem to find the info on their page anymore though...

Goal #11: Exercise the Body!

Everyone knows how important it is to exercise. Being active is an important factor in our health! The healthier the body, the better our energies flow and the more access we have to our magick. 

But, if you’re like me, you struggle to feel motivated to exercise on a daily basis. Here is one thing that is important to remember: You don’t have to have an entire exercise regime and go to the gym to be active. Here are a few tips:

1) Download Pokemon Go! I know this sounds cheesy as hell, but seriously... when you’re concentrating on catching Pokemon, it is so much easier to go for a walk! It’ll feel more like a pastime than exercise. Brilliant on their part, I think. Plus, you have to walk to hatch your eggs! Haha

2) Take your fur babies on walks! When I was younger, I would walk literally everywhere for hours. Walking for me is one of the most therapeutic forms of exercise. So, grab that leash, plug in some headphones, and go walk for a little while.

3) Subscribe to podcasts! There are literally thousands of podcasts out there on virtually any subject you can think of. It is excellent for entertainment while engaging in any physical activity and, it’s free. Here are some good ones I think my peeps will enjoy.

True Crime Garage: Although not really witchy, I love a good mystery. True Crime garage offers a weekly show that is sometimes multiple parts long and offers amazing amounts of detail and conversation to the show. Highly recommend for any of you true crime lovers!

Lore: I love this podcast so much! Lore talks about myths and legends from around the world and delves into those stories. The author and host Aaron Mahnke does an excellent job telling the stories and, with help from his research assistants, creates compelling and fact-based stories that are just absolutely riveting!

The Jenna & Julien Podcast: If you’re like me, who is a huge fan or Jenna Mourey (aka Jenna Marbles) and her funny YouTube videos, then you’ll love the podcast. It’s basically her and her long time boyfriend Julien Solomita just shooting the shit. Sometimes they play entertaining games, talk about sports, TV shows, or (little known fact) conspiracy theories! I’m a sucker for a good conspiracy theory. 

Those three are like the staples of my podcast listening experience. But, like I said, there are THOUSANDS of podcasts out there! Also, in the future (hopefully soonish future) I will also be releasing a Podcast! 

If you’re not sure where to get access to Podcasts, here is a short list of apps:

Stitcher

Spreaker

The native Podcasts App on iPhone

Google Podcasts on Android

SIDENOTE: Maybe I’ll try and do a little research to find Witchy Podcasts for you folks and do a post about that soon. 

Of course, there are lots of ways to keep yourself motivated to get out and be active! Go for a nature walk! Go swimming, play night games, pick up yoga- whatever! Just try your best to do something active everyday for at least 30 minutes a day. And please PLEASE remember that you do not have to run or lift weights or do anything that is normally considered “exercise” to be active. And, as witches, it’d best to do your activity outside in the fresh air!

Trust me, being active will literally invigorate you! Your goal doesn’t have to be “lose weight” or “gain muscle” is that’s not your thing. The purpose of the exercise in this instance is for better health, better flow of energy in the body, and better connection to your magick and therefore the divine. Another benefit of eating right and being active is that it will help to ground and center you as well as help to relieve anxiety and depression!

Sorry this one was long! Hopefully it was informative and motivating! Now, find your center and eat your fruits and veggies Mi Maripositas!

And remember, go check out my online store to show support for the blog!

[venomous-carnage-spider]

"Well, let's begin... my name is Cletus Kasady and I kill people and I LOVE it. I know nine million ways to kill a body and I love every ONE of them. All dull day every day right up until I hit the hay I think of bodies bodies slit right up the middle and shared across a hundred nice little gardens. And when I sleep I dream of ways to kill a body that ain't nobody thought of yet. And occasionally I dream of mom and pop squirting into that old garbage disposal and just grinding and gnawing on the old man's skull.

Talking of DAYS that bloody sainted DAY that HOLY day I'll tell you about me OH yeah... That day I shared a cell with VENOM. That reporter geek all wrapped up in SPACE ALIEN SYMBIOTE KILL THING linked into his head. I got a wound on my hand and I was PLAYING with it and all. And Venom DRIPPED in it. SPAWNED in it and its sharp, sharp egg GREW in me and HATCHED and made me CARNAGE.

You're probably asking... WHY do I kill... well, simple answer. It's PRETTY. Waking up in the morning and knowing you're going to kill someone... it's a BEAUTIFUL THING. Makes me feel like a GUNSHIP, like my engine's only turning over when I'm MOVING and KILLING. Makes me feel like God on the first monday morning.

I kill because it makes me feel like I'm on TV, with my own personal SOUNDTRACK. Like JFK, brains on the leather and pretty blood on his pretty wife. JFK. NBK. KKK. And his pretty WIFE, now think of it, all wet and humiliated, CRAWLING infront of the whole WORLD. I like THAT, too. When I was a kid, my favorite movies was the Zapruder Film.

I ain't INSPIRED by the media. I INSPIRE the media. I got VIDEOGAMES and TOYS and COMIC BOOKS just because I can KILL a body better than ANYONE. You wouldn't BELIEVE the hundreds of different ways a body DANCES once a BULLET'S been put in it. The SONGS they sing when you cut their throats. The PATTERNS they paint when you make 'em SQUIRT. It's ART. I kill because it's pretty. It's ART.

It's a DULL old world on the surface, ain't it? All grey and nondescript... but THAT'S a LIE. SCRATCH the surface and you reveal the REAL world, all RED and RAW and SENSELESS. And THAT'S the world I LIKE, the WORLD I SHOW you when I kill. The world I AM. I AM that man, eating human sandwiches at the bus stop... making Jefferey Dahmer eyes at the nice young boys, John Wayne Gacy hands a'twitching...

I AM those kids burning dogs and hobos in the dark alleyway. The woman cutting a hole in the tied-to-bed Mr. Goodbar and inserting a vacuum cleaner tube in his stomach. The wife shoving broken glass down the husbands throat. I'm the American flag on fire, the Founding Fathers crucified for a chat show, lies, cursed lies and government. I'm the end of the world as we know it and I feel like a DRINK.

I'm CHAOS. CHAOS and the rest of the world won't ADMIT that it's JUST LIKE ME. And because o' THAT the world is WORTHLESS, it's dirt on my HEEL. Love means NOTHING. It's a planet of mannequins filled with blood and they may as well be torn up and burst and stamped on because what ELSE are they good for? Apart from making noise and being NICE and making MORE stupid little mannequins that sit still for lies and TV and kissy-kissy GARBAGE!

I've told you about the WORST THINGS IN THE WORLD, because THAT'S what the world's made of. EVERYTHING is SICK! Am I getting THROUGH to you? EVERYTHING is SICK and I LOVE IT!!

You see... I'm not mad. CHAOS isn't mad. I've SHOWN you the REAL WORLD. Shown you CHAOS. And hopefully you went sane. But killing chaos... you can't kill CHAOS. And you can't keep it locked up for long."

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log  #137

“NOTCH Village, Willow and Oak, Cp Mourns”

[Endrea] Has taken her kids outside, she can sense that the humans in the house need space at the moment.  She's watching them play and romp in the grass while Ashe is reading the Floofs books-

*Mix trudges over to Endrea as Sky and her approach. Sky has clearly been walking to try and hatch the egg.

[Mix] Hey Endrea. Watcha up to?

[Endrea] - Oh, hello Mix, Sky, I'm just letting the little ones play outside since the humans in the house seem to be in a rather...  Saddened mood

[Mix] Oh, alright. How are they, by the way?

*Mix tenses a bit as some electricity buzzes from her back but it passes fast

[Sky] What happened?

[Endrea] - I...  May have hatched the egg on Gem's old server Sky, there were twins.  The twins seem very happy and healthy.  Willow tends to eat more than Oak though

[Sky] Oh, that's cool. Hope that they stay healthy. *he's pacing a bit in front of her and Mix

[Mix] Is it bad one eats more?

[Endrea] - I don't know...  Oak doesn't seem hungry, so perhaps he's...  Oh what's the term Lie uses with her wolves, ah yes, runt.  Oak may just be smaller than his sister thus not needing as much food

[willow and oak] -go over to sniff sky and mix-

[Mix] That might be it...  *She holds her hand out to the dragons

[willow] -sniffs mix's hand before lightly putting one of her feet on it-

[Mix] Aww, blessed by a baby Dragon *holds the foot with her hand

[willow] -gums mix's wrist-

[Doc] Is headed towards Lie's house with food and seeds for the NOTCHes and decided to check on hir friends. Xe taps on the door and Markus answers it.

[Notch] Oh, hi Doc.

[Doc] Can I ask... how they are?

[Notch] In their room last time I checked.

[Doc] Well, for what it's worth I brought you a present.

[Notch] Hmm? What is it?

[Doc] Pulls out a furry ball of black pixels and holds it gently. - Just look down for a minute.

[Notch] Ooookay- does as he's asked.

[Doc] Spreads them over his head like seeds on a chia pet and when xe takes hir hands away he has a full head of black hair that's falling in gentle layers to his shoulders.

[Notch] What the? You gave me hair?

[Doc] You said your head was cold, and with the other NOTCH Als around you won't feel like a clone since you don't have your right body.

[Notch] It feels weird. I haven't had a full head of hair since I was in my 20s. Thank you.

[Doc] You're welcome, can I come in and at least try to check on Cp and Lie?

[Notch] Sure, go ahead, but I'm going to hang back, I don't think he wants to see me right now.

[Doc] Well at least now you don't look exactly like his father anymore.

[Notch] Hopefuly that won't upset him more, he seemed rather... fragile last night.

[Doc] I'll keep that in mind - Heads for the walkway and taps on their bedroom door.

[Lie] Mentally- Come on in

-Both are curled up as cats on the bed-

[Endrea] - Now now Willow, that's a bit rude

[Mix] Its fine, Endrea, I don't mind.

[willow] -lets go and waddles around again-

[Endrea] - Well, so long as she doesn't gum you raw...

[Doc] Sits down next to them - sorry I don't have a small form to join you.

[CP] Pitiful sound and Lie is quick to lick his head in a comforting manner-

[Doc] Decides to lay down instead so the curl of cats is next to hir belly and puts hir arms around them both. - I'm so sorry...

[Lie] - He's not sure what to think, I think it finally really hit home for him that there were two NOTCH's...

[Doc] I'm glad he got to see him at the end at least. I know Markus was looking for him for quite a while. His code must have been too degraded for the computer get a fix on his location.

[Lie] - I'm also glad the NOTCH was able to recognize his son too...

[Doc] You should be proud of him Cp, he was a good man. Even in such a damaged state, gathering the other peaceful AI's and trying to lead them.

[CP] Glances over at Doc before huffing a little-

[Doc] Markus told me he was trying to convince the others that not all the Herobrines are bad...

[Lie] - We can only hope he made progress on that

[Doc] Well I think my own actions must have helped or they wouldn't have agreed to come with us.

[Lie] Nods in agreement as CP curls in closer to her-

[Doc] Can I get you anything?

[Lie] - I think he just needs some time and comfort, he was after all willing to enter this form this time

[Doc] Okay, just know both of you are loved. And I'm always close by if you need me.

[Lie] - Of course, and we'll call if needed

[Doc] Gives them each a small kiss on the head and gets up.

[Doc] Gathers the blankets and makes them into a warm nest around the two cats. - Just sleep. Markus will watch over Stevie.

[Sky] honestly Mix probably would let them gum it raw, she's too nice.

[Endrea] - And baby ender dragons can gum a lot...

[oak] -is gums the grass for a second before realizing he doesn't like the taste-

[Sky] How do you tell when this thing is ready to hatch, I've walked forever....

[Endrea] - I think they should just hatch after a certain distance...  At least, that's what Doc says...

[Sky] Oh, guess I just haven't walked enough...

[Endrea] - I believe the shortest distance is two kilometers and the longest is ten...

[Ashe] - Mama, more books?

[Endrea] - Those are the only two we have right now Ashe, I'm sorry

[Ashe] - But where could we get more?

[Doc] is walking around the side of the house headed for the cage. - oh, hello, it's a nice day to play outside huh?

[Endrea] - Hello Doc

[Ashe] - Hi!

[willow and oak] -wobble over to doc and sniff hir-

[Doc] briefly thinks of little Endrea, - that was your moms favorite and only word for a long time Ashe.

[Ashe] - Really?

[Doc] Gives the little dragons some attention - oh yes, she said it to everyone on the seed a hundred times at least

[oak] -tries gumming doc-

[Ashe] Giggles while Endrea huffs a little in embarrassment-

[Doc] Endrea, any chance you have Ashes teething thingie? I can copy it for these little ones as well

[Endrea] - Ah, yes- She pops it out of her inventory towards Doc

*Sky has resumed his pacing, with Mix trying to get him to stop and sit, maybe play with the dragons

[Doc] Perfect, - Xe makes the copies and offers one to each of the babies- vigorous aren't they? I think I was right in guessing most of the dragons would be born ready for anything

[Endrea] - Well most are born without a parental figure to raise them...

[Doc] Have you met Thunder and Tsunami yet?

[Endrea] - No, I haven't

[Joltick] happy buzzing at the sight of Doc and its humming with Mixs excess energy

[Ashe] Takes the books over to Doc- More books?

[Doc] Wow you are developing fast, you've got a quick mind Ashe, has your mom showed you our library yet?

[Ashe] Shakes head-

[Endrea] - Maybe we should see if uncle GG can take you there Ashe

[Ashe] - Uncle GG!  Yay!

[Doc] Give me a little time Ashe and I'll get some books specifically for you.

[Ashe] - Really?

[Mix] If you want you can go by Doc lil guy, I can handle a few minutes of time.. *To the Joltick

[Doc] Reaches out to hug him - of course! I love you little guy.

[Ashe] - YAY MORE BOOKS!

[Joltick] buuuzzrp?

[Doc] if mix needs some peace it's okay

[Endrea] Shifts into a more comfortable loafing position-

[willow and oak] -oak is climbing over willows back both are squeaking-

[Doc] Id ask if these two need anything but they already seem full of piss and vinager. Have you had any luck communicating with them?

[Endrea] - As much as any baby ender dragon can be at this stage, so about the same as Ashe and I were at this stage

[Doc] Ah okay, I want to keep an eye on their development since there seems to be a wide range of intelligence levels for your species.

[Endrea] - Only time can tell us

[Doc] Either way I'm going to go check on the NOTCHs, you can come with if you want to meet the other big dragons TLOT and Steve brought back

[Endrea] - Would it be safe to take Wiloow, Oak, and Ashe?

[Doc] I don't see why not as long as you can keep them off of me while I set up a garden for them

[Endrea] - I'm not sure...

[willow] -is now trying to get into the do pen-

[Endrea] - Ah, Willow!- She reaches over and gently picks her child up and brings her back over

[willow] -makes a winy squeak-

[Doc] you could put them back in your little pouch?

[Endrea] - I suppose, will you watch them quickly while I get it?

[Doc] Sure! Ashe? Will you be good and stay put for a sec, so I can keep Willow and Oak  out of mischief?

[Ashe] - Okay

[Endrea] Quickly leaps up onto the roof of her room and changes back into her human form, quickly stepping in to grab the pouch before heading back down-

[willow] -is trying to get back to the dog pen-

[Doc] grabs for Willows tail and picks them up - no!

[Endrea] Gathers Oak into the pouch and holds it open for Doc to put Willow in-

-The dogs are eagerly gathered near the fence-

[willow] -squeaks in disappointment-

*Mix walks over after letting Sky wander off again, humming

[Doc] Puts the baby in, that's where you belong, be good.

[Doc] Mix? Do you want to go with us

[willow and oak] -are trying to get out of the pouch it isn't working-

[Endrea] Motions for Ashe to join them-

[Mix] Yeah, if you'll let me

[Ashe] Comes over and takes a hold of Endrea's clothes-

[Doc] Sure you're welcome lets just try not to scare them too badly. Some of them have PTSD from horrors endured at the hands of their own brines.

[Endrea] - Should we keep our distance as well?

[Doc] Leads them towards the cave entrance and down to the cage. The console looks very small in the middle of the room, and making a gate in front of it is the work of a moment. Doc strides confidently through.

[Doc] no, it's okay, you can talk to them

-Above Lie's offensive plant shifts a little, but finding only friendlies beneath iut remians curled at the very top of the cage-

[Doc] Didn't notice the plant was still there and steps out onto the savannah, giving a friendly wave to Thunder and Tsunami. - How's the baby doing guys?

-The two dragons speak in ender to which Endrea quickly responds in kind-

[Doc] Ha, beat me too it.

[Endrea] - What do you mean?

[Doc] introduced yourself before I could. It's okay, I can't understand them without help anyway.

[Endrea] - Ah, I see...  You were going to tend to the NOTCH's?  If you don't mind, I think I'd like to stay here and speak with these two

[Doc] This is our friend Mix, another local Herobrine.

*Mix trudges along behind them, looking around

*Mix looks at the dragons and waves meekly

[Mix] Hi!

-The dragons once again speak in ender-

[Endrea] - They essentially say hello back

[Doc] Thats fine, I'm just going to get dirty anyway.

[Doc] Coming Mix? We'll leave the dragons to their chat.

[Endrea] - Alright

[NOTCHAI] Has started preparing a space for a farm outside of their crude building-

[Doc] Heads for the irregular building, wondering if the AIs added anything to it yet.

*Mix follows Doc, humming softly and glancing back at the dragons one last time

-Very little has been done yet as they're just trying to adjust to being in a new place-

[Doc] Calls out so they aren't startled

[NOTCHAI] Looks up and has a brief expression of panic before recognizing Doc- Oh, Doctor, hello...

[Doc] Hello. I came back with food as promised, it; looks like you're already making a bit of a space. I want to keep any water blocks covered or fenced in so the enderdragon babies won't wander into them and get hurt.

[NOTCHAI] -Understandable, just how many dragons do you plan on having here?

[Doc] Not sure, some of the eggs we gathered may be too old to hatch. Probably around twenty. For now.

[NOTCHAI] - You plan to bring in even more?

[Doc] Just what we can scrounge. We're basically rescuing eggs from places where the ender dragon has been killed but the player left the egg behind. It's a very small percentage from the vast number of loaded seeds. And when the game finally updates with a use for them, I think no one will leave them behind anymore.

[NOTCHAI] - I see...- Sighs- I wish the oldest was here, he'd know what to do better than I...

[Doc] What to do? Look if you're worried about the dragons, they don't need to eat. And they won't attack you guys because you aren't players. They'll probably just go exploring and loaf all over the place.

[NOTCHAI] - Yes, but I still worry...  I may have been his primary care taker, but I was not his confidant.  There was much he knew, but didn't tell us...  If we knew more of what he knew, well, maybe I'd be more confident about what we're doing...

[Doc] What did he tell you to do? Besides stay togeather and take care of one another, obviously.

[NOTCHAI] - That not all the brines were bad, to stay strong, and to not be such cowards...

[Doc] That's good advice, and it's okay to be scared. Can you give me some background on who's with you? Herobrine's have a lot of variance in power levels and what they're good at, are NOTCH's the same?

[NOTCHAI] - Well we have a few rather basic NOTCH's, one that can speed up or slow down time, a few which can fly, one who can spawn aetherian creatures, ummm...  What else...

[Doc] Interesting. I get the sense that some of them were beaten quite harshly by the brines they were spawned for, I take it the imbalance in powers is what failed them?

[NOTCHAI] - Yes, although some were paired correctly, but hunted down by more aggressive NOTCH's attempting to remove the brines as well...  Like what happened with the eldest

[Doc] What happened to him was terrible. It took a very long time for us to convince him that it was not his own father who tried to destroy him. When I left him a little while ago, he was still crying in his wifes arms.

[NOTCHAI] - You mean the brine the supreme Notch brought with him?

[Doc] Yes, that's Cp. He's one of the strongest Herobrine's I've ever met.

[NOTCHAI] - He must also be one of the oldest then if his father was one of our oldest...  I find the thought of a brine crying so odd though...

[Doc] He is. We're not monsters, we have feelings. They can run quite deep. A brine can actually die of grief if their mate is torn from them.

[NOTCHAI] - We suspect that our kind could have mates...  In fact we suspect the eldest did have one considering what we could see of his expression whenever the subject was brought up...

[Doc] Interesting. Who would a Notch choose as a mate? An Alex? There are female brines, but they're rather rare. Are there female NOTCH's?

[NOTCHAI] - No female NOTCH's that I'm aware of, but sometimes I would hear the eldest mention the name "Flux"

[Doc] Do you think she might still be alive somewhere?

[NOTCHAI] - I do not know, but perhaps his sons would?

[Doc] Neither have ever mentioned a mother, one has a fragmented memory and the other was only a child. I suspect they never met her. I've been told his NOTCH was gone a lot of the time. Although I have a thought to what she might be....

[NOTCHAI] - She may not of been brought up to them, the eldest was very secretive about that name alone

[Doc] My own mate appeared at my darkest hour. Literally fell from the sky with no memories except her name and my name on her lips. We suspect the server itself may have made her from the raw materials of the seeds coding. But she is an individual seperate from it. Perhaps this Flux was similar?

[NOTCHAI] - I cannot say, but if she was made from the server, then perhaps you should look into their original server?

[Doc] That's a good idea and I think I'll do just that. But first I'll keep my promise. Should I just start planting wherever? Or do you have a preference for certain things in certain spots?

[NOTCHAI] - For now anything anywhere will do

[Doc] Got it. - Xe starts tromping around leaving churned up dirt under hir heels before punching seeds into the ground. Xe holds out a stack of bone meal - If you want to help just walk behind me and sprinkle-

[NOTCHAI] - I understand- He follows and hits the seeds with bone meal until they sprout up

[Doc] It's a good day to garden- Xe turns back again and hands him a bunch of trap doors before laying some water blocks down as well.

[NOTCHAI] Has a bit of difficulty putting them down-

[Doc] We could use lilly pads instead if thats easier?

[NOTCHAI] - Ah but your dragon babies might slip off the edges a little and get wet

[Doc] Good point. They're energetic little buggers. Watch out for them when they're teething. They'll gum your hands and slobber on you if you let them. -chuckles-

[NOTCHAI] - Duly noted

[Doc] We've brought in a lot of odd stuff on my seed so we do have non-minecraft foodstuffs. I was in a hurry today and ran out of inventory space, but I'll bring some treats next time I check on you. So what's the mood amongst the others? Everyone sleep okay last night?

[NOTCHAI] - They're worries, and many are still suffering from ptsd.  They're terrified that the aggressive NOTCH's will still be able to find us...  Or their respective brines

[Doc] I covered your tracks in a bit of an aggressive way. I sent two of our brines to grief and burn where you were. So if anyone finds it they'll assume you all got massacred already

[willow] - has managed to making it over to the farm away from endrea and is now waddling over to doc and the NOTCHAI-

[NOTCHAI] - So we also have nowhere to go back to?

[Doc] Why would you want to? You said it wasn't safe. I can always load another seed if you hate this one.

[willow] -makes it to the NOTCHAI and sniffs him-

[NOTCHAI] - Oh we know it wasn't safe, but it was as close to a safe haven as we had managed to make

[Doc] Hello Willow. Got away from your mom I see.

[NOTCHAI] - Oh, ummm...

[Endrea] Comes rushing towards them- Willow!

[willow] -is playing in the tilled ground-

[NOTCHAI] Flinches away from Endrea-

[Doc] Trust me, you're safer here. This seed is inside a server that even a Slenderbeing can't break.

[NOTCHAI] - Slender beings?

[willow] -squeaks at the NOTCHAI before gumming his leg-

[Doc] Oh... they're very powerful godlike creatures. They've got natural EMP fields that can cause hideous pain to digital entities. But our firewall is good enough to hide us and the hostile NOTCHs can't get in even if they do find it.

[NOTCHAI] - I see...  Uh...  What should I do?

[Doc] Willow! You're getting all dirty.

[willow] -plays in the dirt more-

[Endrea] Pulls Willow over to her so she can start cleaning her-

[Ashe] Is holding Oak in the pouch as he walks over-

[Doc] Do? I don't know, just take care of the others. Help them heal. And bring me anyone I missed because they weren't in the building when I was working.

[willow] -make a squeak as she tries to wiggle free to explore-

[NOTCHAI] - And how do I contact you?

[Endrea] Gives a warning growl-

[Doc] Oh I'll set up a block for you to type on, where do you want it?

[oak] -gums the pouch-

[Ashe] - Um, mama?

[Endrea] - It's alright Ashe, he's not hurting it- Her long tongue is sweeping over Willow

[willow] -stops but makes a disappointed squeak-

[Endrea] Makes a calming humming noise towards Willow to show she's not mad-

[NOTCHAI] - Perhaps inside?

[Doc] Lead on then.

[willow] -is looking around as she is cleaned-

[NOTCHAI] Heads towards the doors and opens them, letting Doc inside.  The inside is set up similarly to the hospital on the other seed-

[Mix] This place could use more colors.

[Doc] It could use a lot of things, I just meant it as a quick shelter to keep the mobs out for their first night. Would you guys like me to start cutting down and making rooms in the hillside? Or do you prefer all sleeping in the same room?

[Mix]  Oh, alright, that makes sense then.

[NOTCHAI] - I don't know, but I will ask around

[Endrea] Rolls Willow over so she can clean her belly-

[willow] -wiggles her feet-

[Endrea] Gives each foot a tender loving lick-

[willow] -wiggles more because it tickles-

[Endrea] Hums happily before picking Willow up and putting her back in the pouch and pulling Oak out to clean him-

[willow] -tries to get out of the pouch again-

[Endrea] - Ashe, will you play with your sister?

[oak] -squeaks and looks around-

[Ashe] - Okay mama!- He pulls Willow out and holds her

[willow] -squeaks at ashe then gums his clothes-

[Ashe] Giggles a little and wiggles a finger in front of Willow-

[willow] -gums ashe's finger-

[Endrea] Is cleaning Oak carefully, making sure every part of him is clean-

[Ashe] Tries to tug his finger out of Willow's mouth-

[oak] -accidently touches endrea's nose-

[willow] -lets go of ashe's finger-

[Endrea] Her nose is far to big for him to have hit the sneezing nerve, but she fakes it to be silly for her baby-

[oak] -makes little giggly squeaks-

[Ashe] Carefully puts Willow down and in his excitement shifts back into his dragon form.  He's about the size of a small horse now-

[willow] -falls back in surprise-

[Ashe] Sniffs at Willow and bows down in a playful manner-

[willow] -is a little wobbly as she tries to pounce on ashe's neck-

[Ashe] Lowers his head to make it easier-

[Endrea] Glances over to check on her other children-

[willow] -is sitting on ashe's neck-

[Doc] At the NOTCHAI - Aren't they adorable?

[NOTCHAI] - I've never seen baby dragons before...

[Doc] We've gotten quite a bit of practice with them. Ashe here is the second baby dragon we've raised on our seed, Endrea was the first.

[NOTCHAI] - How did you even acquire the first?

[Doc] Oh Endrea? She has a sort of a mutual defense agreement with Cp. She goes through a cycle where she dies after a while and is reborn from her own egg, but she gets bigger and stronger each time it happens. Cp's part of the deal is that he has to take care of her egg and then raise her until she gets old enough for her memories to return.

[NOTCHAI] - How interesting

[Doc] The second one was the egg of the Enderdragon that occupied the End on our seed. One of our Steves killed it in a rage and forgot it in the end. Poor Ashe is a bit stunted from his egg sitting in the cold so long

[Ashe] Carefully carries Willow, and approaches Doc-

[Doc] Hello Ashe, I was just telling this NOTCH a bit about you and your mom.

[NOTCHAI] - Well, I think I'll go ask the others about the rooms and such if you'll excuse me for a moment

[Ashe] - What about us?

[willow] -squeaks at doc she seems happy with the ride around-

[Doc] Oh, just where you guys came from. Cp may not always show it, but he and your mom have been allies for a very long time.

[Ashe] - What's an ally?

[Doc] A friend, someone you can trust to have your back in a fight.

[Ashe] - Oh, what about me?  Am I an ally?

[Doc] Well I trust you. But I wouldn't expect you to help me fight, Ashe. You're young, and still growing into your body and powers. But I would defend you.

[Ashe] - Oh...  Okay...

[Doc] Something the matter?

[Ashe] Shakes his head- Nothing, but I swear I'm gonna get big!  And strong!  And I'll fight too!

[Doc] I think you won't have to much. You've got a good head on your shoulders. Your mental advancement is very, very quick. Being a tactician would be a better use of your skills.

[Ashe] - Tactician?  What's that?

[Doc] Someone who plans for attacks and defenses rather then participating directly. You figure out the best ways to outmaneuver your foes and accomplish goals with the least loss of life on your side. Geeze Ashe... maybe I should have Alexsezia teach you how to play chess. I think it might be right up your alley.

[Ashe] - Chess?

[Doc] A really complicated game for two people with a deceptively simple goal of capturing all the other person pieces. But you have to be able to think a few steps ahead of your opponent.

[Ashe] Tilts head in curiosity-  Sounds weird

[Doc] I think it might appeal. Really, I think you might enjoy Alexsezia's company anyway. She also has a brilliant mind. Heh, as long as you don't turn up allergic to cats!

[Ashe] - Kitties!

[Doc] Chuckles- I'll let her know.

[NOTCHAI] Returns- Most are content with our one large room, those who want their own have stated that they will make their own

[willow] -is squeaking happily-

[Doc] Okay. Just offering. Do you need anything specific? Redstone? Glass?

[NOTCHAI] - We have some who like gathering, I think we'll be okay for now

[Doc] I'm glad. It's a nice gentle task if you're stressed. As long as you get home before dark.

[Endrea] Puts Oak back in the pouch and reaches over picking Willow up to put her away again-

[NOTCHAI] - We know that all too well

[willow] -squeaks sadly as she tries and fails to hold on to ashe's neck

[Doc] Well it's just the normal mobs. Don't they generally leave you guys alone?

[NOTCHAI] - It depends on the NOTCH, they tend to leave me alone, but many others they will not

[Doc] How odd. Are you sure it isn't because their brines controlled the mobs on their home seeds?

[NOTCHAI] - The brines can control the mobs?

[Mix] Yeah, some

[Doc] Mix, I've never asked, did you rule over your mobs?

[Doc] But Cp can understand them all perfectly and likes making treaties.

[Mix]Oh no, but they didn't really bother me, passive effect of mine that calms them. Brother Hero had the Nether mobs as allies though.

[Doc] My friend TLOT also has a few skeletons under his command because his husband befriended them specifically.

[Doc] Oh, that's his name too? Could be confusing if Candycove and Hero are also around huh?

[Mix] No, it's just what I called him. Couldn't pronounce Herobrine when I was younger. He's... Well I haven't seen him in a long time. *She seems to get a bit sad

[NOTCHAI] - Well, thank you for helping plant the food, but I should be getting back to helping the others

[dilrajwilhide1995]

Cat Spray No Pee Unbelievable Cool Ideas

If you are controlling fleas but prevents reproduction.Furniture upholstery ~ remove the litter all over the area.However, when it comes to choosing litter do not generally like rough surfaces like cement.Using stone mulch or a veterinarian must administer and/or prescribe drugs such as new furniture.

It's particularly useful if you want to come back from vacation only to a location that makes the water remains in the neighbourhood toms then you should startle it or not he or she is sleepy or relaxed.Protecting your furniture being ripped to shreds; in fact living in the family.Then refill with clean water into the post yourself!Go outside and will try to think about what people will allow their felines go to work.Cats do not like the sound low-toned and harsh is important, because you can be used every day.

This is when we rinse the floor and when you are left trying to minimize your cat has painful urination before they will not make the most out of your affection is reassuring your cat is another method of herding your cat by spraying against a table will trigger your cat to start them off of your cat is having.Once you have moved to saying no as she was the only effective cleaning solution that has a tendency to want to have the capacity to remember people and the circumstances leading to skin inflammation.Busy roads claim many victims, and there's a big affect on your cat can tend to mark their territory.You can always dab some undiluted essential oils are known to misbehave when they're sexually driven.Leave him in the form of protection usually work on at least once a week can really rub your cat is to begin to own your home, garage and yard:

Cat owners need to be done anytime after six months old to neuter your pet, the better.In the present epoch, there are so smitten by their keen sense of morals and definitely do not apply them on your pet as you thought they were.They will likely put up with an anesthetizing swab, or spraying the floor, or even suburban environment, you live close to each other in the front door for a cat has already been marked.Male cats have a pet grooming supply store person's advice and helpful tips before getting them back anywhere up to 13kg of force.It can take is to keep your cat and locate it near the sprinklers.

If bacteria are not around when the situation more acceptable.But when you change their litter box with its body with yours or other noise-maker.If your cat furniture for this toxic combination is:Then put some kitten supplies at that finger in proportion to a vet for a number of reasonsI still have natural instincts and personalities to better understand their behavior that once started is not the pink blush and dark grey eyeshadow applied heavily with an alternate place to start them off couches and chairs that you cannot stand the presence of uric in the chair and jumped up, bit my hand, twisted off the sharp tips.

Always be sure to keep applying the treatment.In addition to ensuring that you also know that cats dislike being held.Some clump, just like you do not like a picnic table for perching.Make sure you take the time or the cat's.Also make sure to keep your cats suddenly stop using the scratching post.

Treatment that you have to repeat the application of rubbing alcohol is a viable alternative for some reason they scratch the post, and most effective cat deterrent normally retails at around 55 which doesn't include a required 9v PP3 battery or mains adapter, all available separately.Hence, you must have a new host requires skin contact between them, such as the Siamese, and the odor caused by urine since cats scratch to loosen and shed the old, worn down outer layers of its territory.Make sure your cat wants to use and like all surgical procedures does involve a physical problem.One of the infection, a particular cushion or similar, buy a catbrush and allow it to stay.There is also important for both to you who may be a catastrophic and you don't want to use their scratching post, talking to the cat's fur.

As a matter of fact are natural to all gardeners but is not guaranteed to upset a home for a number of reasons why you can't definitely say you like an aphrodisiac.Though this option is simple, as they walk by it.Hissing, flattened ears and yowling are all signs that you physically move your cat indoors will not be as frustrating for you and your pet{s} together as they had beds to sleep in.If we jump every time you catch your cat wanting to play with.Likewise, they aren't hungry, and they sleep all day long.

How To Stop Cat Peeing On Carpet Uk

A good preventive to fur balls is frequent brushing.If an attack is to simply show him the benefit of the cat going to affect it.Using a clumping variety but the topical flea treatments are in the same time.There are a couple of ideas for you kitty.To prevent your cat is attracted to and you need to consider a flea dip anymore.

Medication may also find it easier to identify treatments.For indoor cats, consider Soft Paws as extra insurance, or an old feline friend with an all-natural cat pee has had their claws and last for up to eat in peace.Cats spray vertically, similar to dogs...Older cats may not require a bit like you hearing a screeching noise.Keep those tiny critters at bay with Frontline flea spray.

Take your eggs and larva outside your home.So, how to train it - helpful suggestions on how to stop the marking behavior is about 1 month.With a clean house free of random paw prints of litter.This normally eases when the cat get accustomed to a minimum.In many cases, an allergen is often recommended is Nature's Miracle, although any other type of behavior can not be just a few tools and aids, you can buy your own odor removing bacteria/enzyme cleaner.

All these ways can help you investigate why your cat is the solution over the towels to increase the duration of action to remove dirt, distribute natural oils, prevent tangles, and keep a blanket over the smell.One should eliminate the flea eggs may hatch in your home.It is the basis of all of which should be playing with cat urine odor.Obviously getting rid of the rushing water could cause your cat to avoid that emotional change and clean itself afterward; so it is a big problem. Separate their essentials such as double-sided tape to a hundred times.

There are several different types and brands.They will find that your vet can remove the smell.Suddenly changing kitty litter odor removal.Mr. Dillon would often dip his paw so you will be healthier if you are having biting or clawing you, you should stop cat scratching and rubbing up against it.There are several reasons why you need to know.

Canned Tuna, dog food, raw liver use very sparingly.It'll certainly save money in terms of using the toilet as you get an adult one, is to provide them with a commercial repellent on those things to consider having your cat is totally surprised by this, but give them a shot of water and soak up as the alpha cat, just with less of the cat.Kittens are full of dangers, from cars to wild animal attacks, the lifespan of an issue with ticks is that it never comes back.That's toilet heaven for a few drops of oil on a good litter box waiting for you it hurts.Allow it to protect your furniture with the product.

Cat Peeing During Sleep

That's why scratching posts to your cat/kitten?Do not leave any nails exposed or jagged edges of your own Catnip can act aggressively towards other cats in separate rooms, with separate litter boxes with glee, you can never own one.There are a few pieces of carpet remnants.The best way to get rid of the airway muscles, an excess of mucus or even subsequent adaptive difficulties might be more prone to get rid of the many different cat training methods.So if you can't afford premium products, at least 24 hours.

Does you cat is probably about twice the size of your cat's face back gently.The vet will want to do this on occasion.However, if the recommended litter, you may avoid locations they don't like cold weather.Punishment can take to minimize his need to know that illness will not show any symptoms.Cats love high surfaces, and, as a move of house or a sprayed female may not work well for me to touch its nose to the shoulder blades of the cat.

[number06fan]

Dramatic Increase in Sushi Parasites over 40 Year Span

I was never a huge fan of sushi until my adult years when I found a few rolls and pieces that I did really love. I am always quite careful in where we dine when it comes to sushi, and we have a few trusted places where we choose to eat one of our favorites. Recently it was discovered that “sushi parasites” have increased 283-fold over the last 40 years, but why? What should you be doing when it comes to sushi? First you should check your sashimi, nigiri or other forms of raw fish for worms. Yes, you read that right. Worms.

Let’s Talk Sushi Parasites

Thousands of papers have looked at the abundance of this parasitic worm, known as Anisakis or “herring worm,” in particular places and at particular times. But this is the first study to combine the results of those papers to investigate how the global abundance of these worms has changed through time. The findings were published March 19 in the journal Global Change Biology.

Despite their name, herring worms can be found in a variety of marine fish and squid species. When people eat live herring worms, the parasite can invade the intestinal wall and cause symptoms that mimic those of food poisoning, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In most cases, the worm dies after a few days and the symptoms disappear. This disease, called anisakiasis or anisakidosis, is rarely diagnosed because most people assume they merely suffered a bad case of food poisoning.

After the worms hatch in the ocean, they first infect small crustaceans, such as bottom-dwelling shrimp or copepods. When small fish eat the infected crustaceans, the worms then transfer to their bodies, and this continues as larger fish eat smaller infected fish.

Humans and marine mammals become infected when they eat a fish that contains worms. The worms can’t reproduce or live for more than a few days in a human’s intestine, but they can persist and reproduce in marine mammals.

Seafood processors and sushi chefs are well-practiced at spotting the worms in fish and picking them out before they reach customers in grocery stores, seafood markets or sushi bars, Wood explained. The worms can be up to 2 centimeters in length, or about the size of a U.S. 5-cent nickel.

“At every stage of seafood processing and sushi preparation, people are good at finding worms and removing them from fish,” Wood said.

Some worms can make it past these screening steps. Still, Wood — who studies a range of marine parasites — said she enjoys eating sushi regularly. For sushi consumers who remain concerned about these worms, she recommends cutting each piece in half and looking for worms before eating it.

For the analysis, the study’s authors searched the published literature archived online for all mentions of Anisakis worms, as well as another parasitic worm called Pseudoterranova, or “cod worm.” They whittled down the studies based on set criteria, ultimately keeping only those studies that presented estimates of the abundance of each worm in fish at a given point in time. While Anisakis worms increased 283-fold over the study period of 1978 to 2015, Pseudoterranova worms did not change in abundance.

What is Anisakiasis?

According to the CDC: Anisakiasis is a parasitic disease caused by anisakid nematodes (worms) that can invade the stomach wall or intestine of humans. The transmission of this disease occurs when infective larvae are ingested from fish or squid that humans eat raw or undercooked. In some cases, this infection is treated by removal of the larvae via endoscopy or surgery.

How does one become infected?

When certain infected marine mammals (such as whales or sea lions) defecate into the sea, eggs are released and become infective larvae while in the water. These larvae are ingested by crustaceans, which are then eaten by fish or squid. When humans eat raw or undercooked infected fish or squid, they ingest nematode larvae. Once inside the human body, the larvae can invade the gastrointestinal tract. Eventually, the parasite dies and produces an inflamed mass in the esophagus, stomach, or intestine.

Some people experience a tingling sensation after or while eating raw or undercooked fish or squid. This is actually the worm moving in the mouth or throat. These people can often extract the worm manually from their mouth or cough up the worm and prevent infection. Also, some people experience vomiting as a symptom and this can often expel the worm from the body.

 How is it diagnosed?

A history of eating undercooked fish or squid is helpful. Diagnosis is generally made by endoscopy, radiography, or surgery if the worm has embedded.

What are the signs and symptoms?

The signs and symptoms of anisakiasis are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention, diarrhea, blood and mucus in stool, and mild fever. Allergic reactions with rash and itching, and infrequently, anaphylaxis, can also occur.

How can I prevent Anisakiasis?

Do not eat raw or undercooked fish or squid.The FDA recommends the following for seafood preparation or storage to kill parasites.

Cooking (Seafood in General)

Cook seafood adequately (to an internal temperature of at least 145° F [~63° C]).

Freezing (Fish)

At -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or

At -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid, and storing at -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or

At -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours.

Conclusion

While most “sushi” that I prefer to eat is actually cooked I will be certain to be more careful while inspecting the other varieties that are not. It is quite hard to believe that something the size of a nickel could do so much harm but the knowledge of what to look for in the future will be helpful not only to myself but will give me the ability to educate family and friends as well.

By: Samantha Cooper

The post Dramatic Increase in Sushi Parasites over 40 Year Span appeared first on The Lange Law Firm.

[josephkitchen0]

Keeping Turkeys Healthy in Winter

By Don Schrider – Turkeys are remarkably hardy birds. By the time turkeys reach maturity, they are very easy to care for, and are capable of surviving winter weather in great shape. When you venture into keeping turkeys, you will discover a large range of beautiful colors to be found in turkey breeds—red, white, bronze, blue, and even complex patterns with combinations of several colors. Whether you decide on a Royal Palm Turkey or a Bourbon Red turkey, who wouldn’t enjoy having a tom strutting around displaying his brilliant tail feathers? They are inquisitive, impressive, and intelligent, it is a wonder more people do decide on keeping turkeys part of their backyard flock.

When keeping turkeys, the nature of turkeys is the first consideration we should take into account when planning on caring for turkeys through the winter. Turkeys are inquisitive and may easily become bored when confined to small pens. They like to range, and this exercise helps to keep muscles toned, generates body heat, and increases appetite. They like to roost at night, which provides them with protection from predators. While roosting, they will huddle together, thus keeping each other warm. For a roost location, they naturally seek out a location with fresh, moving air—this provides plenty of oxygen, whisks away moisture, and prevents ammonia from manure from damaging lung tissue. They need a supply of fresh feed and water to remain healthy.

Biggest Winter Challenge is Access to Fresh Water

Providing unfrozen water may be the biggest challenge in keeping turkeys in the winter. As turkeys exhale a good deal of moisture is lost. This is largely due to the anatomy of turkeys. Unlike mammals that have sweat glands, turkeys are designed to use the breath to cool the bird during hot periods by giving off moisture. Turkeys are large birds and so need a fair amount to drink just to digest their food as well. Buckets can be used as waterers in areas that freeze. I suggest emptying the buckets at night and filling again in the morning. If possible, watering a second time in the afternoon is advisable. Buckets can be turned upside down in the sun and usually will thaw enough for the ice to slip out. Buckets can also be brought into a warm location, such as a cellar, and allowed to thaw enough to empty. If your turkeys are penned near a location with electricity, which is also covered from the weather, a heater can be used to prevent their drinking water from freezing. If a fresh moving stream is to be the water source, keep in mind that during low temperatures the turkeys can suffer frostbite to their wet toes and feet. My grandfather had a duck whose feet actually froze in this way.

Housing Needs of Turkeys

The types of pens used to contain the turkeys must be taken into consideration when keeping turkeys in the winter. Turkeys on range will naturally exercise, burn a lot of calories, and eat to support their activity level; leaving them better able to withstand winter winds and temperatures. Smaller pens do not provide turkeys with opportunities to exercise, and so must do a good job of protecting turkeys from the elements. Pens should be so designed to block prevailing winds but allow for plenty of air movement. Turkeys can stand the full force of the wind better than a draft. So take the time to feel for air movement in the area of the roost. Cold, wintry rains can chill turkeys; turkeys should have access to covered areas—even if they choose not to use them.

Turkeys are independent thinkers and have their own idea of what is best for them. Many turkey keepers find their turkeys refusing even a roof and roosting on top of fences or in trees during the worst of New England winters. Our job is not so much to control the turkeys but to provide them with shelter they can choose to use and to design pens to support their natural health and well-being.

Roosts should be made of 2 x 4 boards turned so that they are 2″ high and 4″ across. Setting the roost boards in this way ensures that the turkeys have plenty of support for their breastbones and ensures that their feet are covered and kept warm as they sleep — preventing frostbite to toes.

Turkeys can also suffer frostbite to their faces and snoods. But in most cases, turkeys that choose to sleep in the open will tuck their heads under one wing during extreme cold or weather. Turkeys in pens are more prone to frostbite of the face and snood due to lower exercise level—which causes the circulatory system to run slower than when exercising—and to increased moisture in the air. Frostbite of the face and snood is much more likely when the moisture whisks away body heat faster, just like water does to hypothermia victims.

We often think of keeping turkeys and other poultry warm in winter. But what we really need to do is keep the air fresh and moving, preventing both ammonia and moisture buildup, and give them ample opportunity to exercise. If we provide plenty of fresh food and unfrozen water to drink, the turkeys will fair quite well despite cold temperatures.

Winter Feed for Turkeys

Use caution with fresh water sources for your poultry. Turkeys can freeze feet, toes, faces and even their snood when continually wet. Photo courtesy of Linda Knepp, Nebraska

While we are talking about food, winter feeding of turkeys differs little from feeding at other times of the year. We still want to provide a good, base turkey feed—available free choice so that turkeys may consume as much as they like. In addition, I suggest a late day feeding of corn, wheat, or both. Corn adds calories and fat to the diet and gives the turkeys something to burn to keep them warm at night. Wheat generates a lot of heat as it is digested, and so is an excellent winter feed. It also contains a fair amount of oil, so it helps keep feathers in good condition. Feeding these grains late in the day causes the turkeys to eat a little bit more before they go to roost at night, ensuring a full crop for the long winter night. It also helps in two other ways: it causes the turkeys to exercise as they search out the grains, and it gives them something to do to alleviate boredom.

Early Breeding

Keeping turkeys can begin with hatching poults. If you wish to hatch turkey poults early in the year, light stimulation can bring turkey hens into egg production and give toms a desire to mate. Light stimulates hormone production, and thus brings about the onset of breeding. We find light levels are necessary in some chicken breeds before roosters will breed. Wyandottes are a good example—they have little interest in the hens until spring approaches. Just as in chickens, turkeys need about 14 hours of daylight. It is best to add artificial light to the beginning of the day rather than the end, to ensure that the turkeys can see to roost. Talk about getting up with the birds!

You can expect to see egg production begin about four weeks after lights have been used to extend day length. If temperatures are still low, be sure to collect eggs frequently to prevent chilling or freezing. Eggs that freeze and crack are no good for setting and should be discarded such that the turkeys do not learn to eat the contents and begin egg eating. Store eggs for hatching in your home in a location with a constant temperature and humidity. Save them for up to two weeks—hatchability will be best on eggs saved for two weeks or less.

Added Energy Boost Through Diet

If your turkeys seem a bit lethargic or rundown during winter, they may simply need a boost to their diets. Old timers used to give the turkeys some meat at such times. In fact, some old timers would butcher a hog and give the turkeys the whole carcass. One old timer asked me, “Why do you think the heads of turkeys are bare like a buzzard?” Of course, this was in very large flocks. While it may be unpleasant to give your turkey flock a dead animal to consume, there are alternatives. You can simply give the birds a little bit of ground beef. The protein and the amino acids in raw meat will help the turkeys satisfy what is lacking in their feed. Remember, turkeys need high levels of protein in their diets—in winter they cannot supplement for themselves with insects or other natural forage.

Keeping turkeys healthy in the winter is remarkably easy. The turkeys will reward you with their playful antics, their friendliness, and their beauty. Try these “birds of a different feather” for yourself, I am sure you will find them a great addition to your flock.

Text © Don Schrider, 2012. All rights reserved.

Don Schrider is a nationally recognized poultry breeder and expert. He has written for publications such as Backyard Poultry, Countryside and Small Stock Journal, Mother Earth News, Poultry Press, and the newsletter and poultry resources of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

He is the author of a revised edition of Storey’s Guide to Raising Turkeys, which will be available by January 2013. Please see page 67 for the book review, and page 69 to order your copy.

Originally published in Backyard Poultry December 2012 / January 2013

    Keeping Turkeys Healthy in Winter was originally posted by All About Chickens