#badgers are still one of my favorite animals

[thedumpzone]

What is your Hogwarts house?

For legal reasons I do not support J.K. Rolfing in any way due to her hateful attitude & very transphobic views upon other things .... but since you asked....

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Mammalia - Carnivora

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Our next order of mammals is Carnivora, mammals specialized primarily in eating meat. A diverse order, Carnivora contains the living families Canidae (“dogs”), Ursidae (“bears”), Phocidae (“earless seals”), Otariidae (“eared seals”), Odobenidae (“Walrus”), Mephitidae (“skunks” and “stink badgers”), Ailuridae (“Red Panda”), Procyonidae (“raccoons”, “coatis”, “ringtails”, “kinkajous”, and kin), Mustelidae (“weasels”, “badgers”, “otters”, “Wolverine”, and kin), Nandiniidae (“African Palm Civet”), Viverridae (“civets”, “genets”, “Binturong”, and kin), Herpestidae (“mongooses”), Eupleridae (“Malagasy mongooses”), Hyaenidae (“hyenas”), Prionodontidae (“Asiatic linsangs”), and Felidae (“cats”).

As the sixth largest order of mammals, Carnivora is very diverse and exhibits a wide array of body plans, varying greatly in size and shape. They usually have large, conical, thick, stress-resistant canine teeth. Most species have eyes on the front of their face, pointing forward. They often have a very well-developed sense of smell. Some carnivorans have retractile or semi-retractile claws. Carnivora is separated into two suborders, Caniformia and Feliformia, with Caniforms containing canids and their relatives and Feliforms containing felids and their relatives. (Yes, even in taxonomy, there is a dichotomy between cats and dogs.) Caniforms have longer jaws and more teeth, with less specialized carnassial teeth. They also tend more towards omnivory and opportunistic feeding, while the feliforms, other than the viverrids, are more specialized for eating meat. Some carnivorans have secondarily evolved mainly herbivorous diets. They exist in almost every habitat, from the polar North to hyper-arid deserts to marine seas.

Male carnivorans are usually larger than females. Some species are social while others are solitary. Some species only meet to mate, some form family groups organized around a breeding pair, and some involve a single male or males leading a harem of females and their young. Carnivores usually invest a lot into their young, teaching and raising them to adulthood.

Carnivoramorpha as a whole first appeared in the Paleocene of North America about 60 million years ago, as small marten-like or civet-like predators of insects, lizards, and other small vertebrates. Feliforms and Caniforms split around the Middle Eocene, about 42 million years ago. The precursors to the living feliforms remained forest-dwelling, arboreal or semi-arboreal ambush hunters, while the caniform precursors were more mobile, opportunistic hunters.

Propaganda under the cut:

Canids tend to live as monogamous pairs. Wolves (Canis lupus), Coyotes (Canis latrans), African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus), and Dholes (Cuon alpinus) live in groups that include a breeding pair and their offspring. Wolves may even live in extended family groups. Living in family groups allows these animals to work together to take down prey larger than themselves.

The Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris) was the first species to be domesticated by humans, from the Wolf (Canis lupus), more than 30,000 ago when humans were still hunter-gatherers. Domestic Dogs have evolved alongside humans, adapting to better understand and communicate with us, read human body language and expressions, and smell human emotions. Both dogs and humans release oxytocin while spending quality time together, a sign of a strong social bond. Over 340 breeds of Domestic Dog have been selectively bred for tasks such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, detecting a variety of scents, protection, and companionship, with various breeds also filling roles in therapy, aiding disabled people, and assisting police and the military.

According to the Creation Myths of the Serer People, jackals were the first animals on Earth, and the first intelligent beings before humans, and will be the last. In some stories, the jackal is sent to Earth by Roog as a messenger, and in others as a fallen prophet for disobeying the laws of the divine. The movements of the jackal are carefully observed, because the animal is viewed as a seer who came from the transcendence and maintains links with it. Although believed to be rejected by the other animals and deprived of its original intelligence, it is still respected because it dared to resist the supreme being who still keeps it alive.

The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb) and being 200–250 cm (6.6–8.2 ft) long. Females are smaller at 180–200 cm (5.9–6.6 ft) with a weight of 150–300 kg (330–660 lb). Adults may stand 130–160 cm (4.3–5.2 ft) tall at the shoulder. The largest Polar Bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960.

The word “panda” derives from the Nepali word “ponya”, which means “ball of the foot” and “claws”. The Nepali word for the endangered Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) is "nigalya ponya", which has been translated as "bamboo-footed", due to the animal’s adapted wrist bone which allows it to grip bamboo. When the Red Panda was first described in 1825, it was named an English shortening of this name: “panda.” For more than 40 years the Red Panda was known as simply the panda: the one and only panda. However, when the vulnerable Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) was described in 1869, it was also given the name panda. Historically, there was much debate over the taxonomic positions of these two species, as they were both carnivorans that had adapted to a very specific diet of mostly bamboo. However, we know today that the Giant Panda is indeed a bear and not closely related to the Red Panda, which is the only living member of its own family.

The endangered Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a semi-aquatic predator of north-central South America, and is capable of bringing down animals as tough as a small caiman. Giant Otters live in extended family groups, and are highly social with each other, but extremely territorial of other groups. Battles between groups sometimes break out at the boundaries between territories.

Weasels (genus Mustela) have a behavior called the “weasel war dance”, which consists of a frenzied series of hops sideways and backwards, often accompanied by an arched back and a frizzed-out tail. The weasel war dance happens when the animal is excited or happy, and often occurs after they have caught or killed their prey, or are playing.

Ferrets (Mustela furo) were domesticated from the European Polecat (Mustela putorius) around 2,500 years ago. The Romans used ferrets to hunt rabbits, rodents, and moles, as they are specifically adapted to squeeze into holes after prey. Genghis Khan, ruler of the Mongol Empire, is recorded as using an army of ferrets in a gigantic hunt in 1221 that aimed to purge an entire region of wild animals.

The smallest carnivoran is the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis). Average body length (not counting the tail) in males is 130 to 260 mm (5 to 10.2 in), while females average 114 to 204 mm (4.5 to 8 in). Males weigh 36 to 250 g (1.3 to 8.8 oz), while females weigh 29 to 117 g (1 to 4.1 oz). Despite their diminutive size, Least Weasels are still effective predators, and can take on prey up to the size of a rabbit.

The North American Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) declined throughout the 20th century, primarily as a result of declines of its main prey, Prairie Dogs (genus Cynomys). In 1979, it was declared extinct. However, a small wild population was discovered in Meeteetse, Wyoming in 1981! A captive breeding program was launched, using these ferrets, and a reintroduction campaign was put into play. Today, over 200 mature individuals are in the wild across 18 populations, with four self-sustaining populations in South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming. In 2008, the Black-footed Ferret’s IUCN status was changed from “extinct in the wild” to “endangered”. In February 2021, the first successful clone of a Black-footed Ferret, a female named Elizabeth Ann, was introduced to the public. She was cloned using frozen cells from Willa, a female Black-footed Ferret who died in the 1980s and had no living descendants. This exciting development opened the doors to a new option for introducing much-needed genetic diversity into the captive breeding population. Elizabeth Ann could not breed herself, due to a condition unrelated to the cloning process, but in 2024, two new Black-Footed Ferret clones, Noreen and Antonia, were also cloned from Willa’s frozen cells. Antonia has since birthed a male and female kit, and Noreen is waiting for a suitable match.

The Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis) is famous for its strength, ferocity, and toughness. It is known for being able to fearlessly fight back when cornered, sometimes even dissuading Lions (Panthera leo) and Spotted Hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) from attacking it. It often raids beehives in search of honey and larvae, and is unbothered by bee stings, which have trouble penetrating its thick skin. They have been observed to kill and eat Black Mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis). They are also highly intelligent, and have been observed manipulating tools and performing complex problem-solving. Despite all this, they are only dangerous to humans if provoked, and most of their reputation comes from their willingness to defend themselves.

There are three species of raccoon, and the small, critically endangered Cozumel Raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus) is the rarest of them. It is native only to Cozumel Island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It is estimated there are only around 192 mature individuals left in the world.

Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) have powerful, mobile lips that they can use to generate high-powered suction. They do this to feed on one of their favorite prey items: clams. A Walrus can suck the meat out of a clam by sealing its powerful lips to the animal’s shell and withdrawing its piston-like tongue rapidly into its mouth, creating a vacuum. They can also use their mobile lips to whistle in the same way humans do!

The Baikal Seal (Pusa sibirica) is the only species of exclusively freshwater seal. They are native only to Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. The most recognizable characteristic of the Baikal Seal is its large, dark eyes. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, and has varying levels of light intensity. The seal’s large eyes allow it to take in as much light as possible in this environment.

The African Palm Civet (Nandinia binotata) is the most genetically isolated Carnivoran, being the only species within its whole superfamily.

The Jaguar (Panthera onca) employs an unusual killing method: it bites directly through the skull of mammalian prey, between the ears, to deliver a fatal blow to the brain. It does this with a powerful bite force of 1,500 PSI. This bite also allows it to pierce the shells of turtles and the osteoderms of caimans.

When Cecil the male African Lion (Panthera leo leo) was killed in July 2015 by Walter Palmer, an American recreational big-game trophy hunter, there was international uproar and a change in the atmosphere regarding trophy hunting. There was also worry amongst the scientists who had been studying Cecil’s pride that his cubs were now in danger. When one or more new male Lions replace a previous male(s) associated with a pride, they often kill any existing young cubs, to ensure that only their bloodline is produced going forward. However, Cecil had formed a partnership with another male lion named Jericho. When Cecil was killed, Jericho took over the pride but did not kill Cecil’s cubs, and also protected them from any rivals.

The Domestic Cat (Felis catus) was domesticated from the African Wildcat (Felis lybica) about 10,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians revered the Domestic Cat, and families would take their dead cats to the sacred city of Bubastis, where they were embalmed and buried in sacred repositories. Cats eventually replaced Ferrets as the pest-controlling housepet of choice in Ancient Greece and Rome, as they were considered more pleasant to keep around the house. Like dogs, they have adapted to live alongside us, evolving new vocalizations, body language, and behaviors specifically for communicating with humans, and generally becoming a social species (the African Wildcat is typically solitary and territorial). Today, there are over 41 breeds of Domestic Cat, and they are kept mainly for companionship and pest control. Unfortunately, they have also become one of the most abandoned pets.

The Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is regarded as the fastest-running land animal. It is capable of running at 93 to 104 km/h (58 to 65 mph) in a sprint.

The Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is threatened by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia. They are captured for use in the production of kopi luwak. Kopi luwak, also known as civet coffee, is a coffee that consists of partially digested coffee cherries, which have been eaten and defecated by the Asian Palm Civet. The cherries are fermented as they pass through a civet's intestines, and after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected. What was once a traditional drink, made from coffee cherries collected from civet feces in the wild, has become increasingly commercialized due to international demand and curiosity. Now, to meet demand, Asian Palm Civets are captured, kept in battery cages, and forcefed nothing but coffee cherries. The civets in kopi luwak farms are kept in abysmal conditions which include isolation, poor diet, small cages, and a high mortality rate. Kopi luwak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world, with retail prices reaching US$100 per kilogram (2.2 lbs) for farmed beans and US$1,300 per kilogram for wild-collected beans.

In some countries, the African Civet (Civettictis civetta) (image 4) is threatened by capture for the perfume industry, as its pheromone civetone is often used as a natural musk. The Calvin Klein-brand male cologne Obsession utilizes synthetic civetone, making the cologne highly attractive to feliforms. Obsession is sometimes used in the field to attract wild cats to camera traps, and is also used in zoos and sanctuaries as scent enrichment.

Mongooses (family Herpestidae) are one of at least four known mammalian taxa with mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that protect against snake venom. This makes them fierce and effective predators of venomous snakes.

The Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) lives in large clans which can consist of up to 80 individuals. These clans are typically led by females, though they can occasionally co-dominate with a male. Clans are run by a matriarch, and her youngest female cub will become the new matriarch when she passes. When a male co-dominates with a female or is otherwise able to lead, this is because the male was born to the matriarch of the clan and has taken the rank directly below his mother.

The Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus) is a small, basal hyena that mainly eats termites. Like other animals adapted for eating termites, it has a long, sticky tongue.

Carnivorans usually occupy a very important part of the ecosystem, and most apex predators are carnivorans. Apex predators can be considered ecosystem engineers, due to the huge impact they have on their environment. One of the most famous examples of this was the reintroduction of Wolves (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park. In 1884, the state of Montana instituted a bounty on Wolves: one dollar per Wolf killed. Wolves were considered a “menace” to Yellowstone’s wildlife, and more concerted efforts mounted to exterminate them. The Elk (Cervus canadensis) population began to explode, and they grazed their way across the landscape, killing young brush and trees. As early as the 1930s, scientists were alarmed by the degradation and were worried about erosion and plants dying off. By the 1970s, there were no resident populations of Wolves in Yellowstone, and Wolves had been almost completely eradicated in the lower 48 states. In 1974, the Wolf was listed in the endangered species act.

Starting in January 1995, Wolves from Canada began to be relocated to Yellowstone National Park. In the years that followed, wolves brought the Elk population down and their presence protected the open valleys from overgrazing, as the fear of predators kept the herds on the move. Willows (genus Salix) began to grow larger, with an increase in size of 1,500% by 2020. With the foliage returning to the park, Beavers (Castor canadensis), Lynxes (Felis lynx canadensis), Wolverines (Gulo gulo) (image 1), and many other formerly reduced species began to rebound. Beaver colonies have grown from 1 in 1995 to 19 by 2015 with four active dams in use. The dams build wetland ecosystems, used by millions of other species. This is an enduring example of a Trophic Cascade: a powerful indirect interaction that can control entire ecosystems, occurring when a trophic level in a food web is removed or added.

Even though domestic carnivorans like the Domestic Dog, Domestic Cat, and to a lesser extent, the Ferret, are some of the most popular pets in the world, most wild carnivorans have been, and still are, unfairly demonized. Many species have been overhunted, resulting in extirpation in some areas. Even early “conservationists” did not understand the value of predators, considering it a boon to the ecosystem to wipe them out entirely. Bounties are still placed on carnivorans today, and many ranchers and farmers push to have them completely wiped out to protect their livestock. If you cross the border of Yellowstone into a nearby town, you must be ready to hear all about how Wolves are evil creatures who kill for pleasure, and are going to kill all the precious Elk. It is a constant uphill battle to reintroduce carnivorans who may have been extirpated from their historical ranges. Yet in some places, humans have learned to coexist with these important parts of the ecosystem. One of the best ways to support carnivorans is through ecotourism. Locals tend to see more value in the predators they have to share space with when visitors are both excited about and bringing in tourism revenue because of these animals.

[ttkinnie]

Tokyo Revengers characters as animals 💖 (for no reason)

Kazutora: let's start with the most obvious one, our resident tiger. Which is funny considering he gives 0 tiger vibes. Or maybe rescued declawed tiger from an abusive circus. Wait a sec... Hanma and Kisaki have a circus theme going on... why did I never notice this? This starts well. Saddest tiger pic I could find

Baji: A black gray wolf of course. 'nuff said

Chifuyu: A cat. Kitty kitty meow meow. Not crazy enough to be orange, but he's gotta have green eyes and a kind face. This tuxedo:

Koko: Talking about cats, here he is. Most obvious choice I've ever made. Black cat of course, very fancy, will knock shit off the counter and eats only the most expensive wet food

Inupi: second most obvious one because you've gotta pick the race of the dog too. I say he's the only serious golden retriever you've ever seen.

Takemichi: A mouse. He is squeaky and scared, looks like he eats cheese. Very cute. Big eyes.

Hinata: A doe, beautiful and kind but will ram into you if you touch her loved ones

Naoto: a buck because I am unoriginal. he does give off buck vibes tho

Hanma: I know the official art makes him a caracal but I love being contradictory so maned wolf it is. Plus look at its long legs and creepy demeanor, it's him

Kisaki: Listen, I am not the most partial person when it comes to him. He's my little meow meow, I wanna put either cat or bunny ears on him and squish his cheeks. But! Let's be honest, that boy is a snake. The deadliest snake in the world, the saw scaled viper, not the most venomous but highly aggressive. He eats mouse Takemichi for breakfast. Also look at its scales, they remind me of his adult hair.

Mikey: A honey badger, small and cute but will bite your balls off and kill your family for fun.

Draken: A lion, beautiful mane and a symbol of strength. Lives among a tribe of lionesses (lucky him)

Mitsuya: I do not like spiders. At all. But an animal literally producing silk is the only choice for Mitsuya. However I am not masochistic so i won't put a spider image, just the web

Taiju: Great white shark. Very smooth skin. Anyone who tells you they have sandpaper skin is lying.

Hakkai: A seal, same eyes, same innocence, favorite prey of the great white shark

Yuzuha: An orca, beautiful but deadly. Only predator of the great white shark. Also eats seals but let's not comment on that. I support women's wrongs.

Pah-chin: it's too cliché to put warthog here, so i won't. He's a cane toad, one of the stupidest animal on Earth, one of their most common cause of death is eating shit they shouldn't because they stuff their mouth without thinking. They also hump anything, including dead animals from another species, and lay their eggs anywhere, which leads to a high mortality rate among their offspring. Why did I give so many facts? I don't know. Look at it.

Peh-yan: A tarsier. it's the eyes.

Sanzu: Arctic hare, crazy eyes and a gift for divination if you can understand his language

Senju: a cutie baby. Bunny x2, will kick you.

Takeomi: a rat. I am not a hater, rats can be cute, but this guy definitely gives off rat vibes

Wakasa: So very pretty. White leopard of course.

Benkei: A bull. I always thought his tattoos were a bull, but I was wrong I just looked it up. Still a bull.

Shinichiro: This one was though, but I'd say a koala. I'm partial about it, but I feel like he would give his children poop to eat, and their reproductive habits are also not a good look on them.

Emma: Japanese dwarf flying squirrel because I play favorites and that's the cutest little furball ever. it looks like it's wearing eyeliner

Izana: Another small but deadly thing, the Australian box jellyfish, found notably along the coast of Malaysia (I feel so clever right now)

Kakucho: Fiercely loyal dog, he's a Rottweiler. Don't tell me Izana and him don't have some kind of puppy play going on.

Ran: Secretary bird. Canonically hates Kisaki which explains why he stomps snakes to death. Wears killer eyeshadow and looks like they hate your fashion style

Rindou: Did you know a group of male Pacific tree frogs is called a chorus? me neither, which is why Rindou is a Pacific tree frog. Peace of music, yeah

Mucho: Polar bear, cold and aggressive. Plus arctic hare and polar bear, there's a theme

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Bulbie

Debut: Pikmin

Pikmin 4 has a doggone good time being as doggy of a game as it can! I'm sure you are well aware by now of the new Funny Weird Dogs!

And I love these weird dogs! They are wonderful. I'm glad they are so important and beloved. But I would like to focus on a different dog, the very first Pikmin Dog, who we have known about since the very first game! Olimar's dog, Bulbie!

With this, I have shown you both official images of Bulbie that exist. I wish there were more! Bulbie is a dog even weirder than Oatchi and Moss, a whole different kind of critter that also happens to get called a dog. Isn't that great? These people have the concept of "dog", and so far we've only seen it used to refer to these funny bipeds! Olimar has no problem referring to both Bulbie and Moss as dogs, so I am led to believe that "dog" is more of a category of creature to these people, rather than a distinct species. Like how "mole" is a category of creature to us!

We know a precious little bit of Bulbie Lore. He is lazy, and able to sleep anywhere. He loves carrots. He farts a lot. That's about all we know. Awesome! Sure sounds like a Dog to me! And of course, Olimar loves Bulbie very much. Just like he loves his whole family! He is a Family Guy, complete with Funny Dog!

You may already know, or you may have noticed yourself, but Bulbie looks quite like a Bulborb. This is because Olimar named these creatures after Bulbie, due to their resemblance! It is also for this reason that they are members of the Grub-Dog Family. You see? Bulborb is just like a dog! While it is sweet of Olimar to name the species after Bulbie, it must also make his encounters with them even more disturbing. Not only is this a (comparatively) massive, hostile beast that could easily eat him whole, but it looks like his beloved little friend! That's like a nightmare! Especially with other, scarier Bulborb variants! I am happy to know that his Bulborb experiences do not affect his love for Bulbie one bit.

As much as I love and talk about invertebrates and funny fish, dogs have always been among my favorite animals, and always will be! They're an extremely conventional animal to love, and for very good reason. They're wonderful! And on this post about Weird Dogs, I would like to talk about how dogs are, in fact, weird in their own ways.

They're always sniffing with their wet noses, which they keep wet to smell even better. They love to lick, and lick to show love. And that love is such an important thing! Dogs are creatures of love! It is our love for dogs that shaped them into what they are today! It is what drove us to shape this single subspecies into countless distinct caricatures of its noble ancestors. All still members of the very same species! The amount of dog customization that has occurred is ridiculous. Need a better way to hunt badgers? Make a Long Dog. Yeah sure! Why not!

Obviously, most dachshund owners today aren't interested in hunting badgers. They are interested in having a Pet. And a Pet Dog is such a truly incredible thing! There are not many animals that should be kept in a house around humans, but then there is Dog, literally born to be among humans. Born to be loved, and born to love! If you don't think that's one of the most wonderful things ever then get outta here!

This is an animal that runs around and spins in circles because it sees an ape that it loves so much. An animal that ends up learning snippets of human language, because those are the snippets that make it happy. An animal that gleefully exposes its vulnerable underside, because it trusts a member of a different species to rub it in just the right way that feels so nice.

Even with the general consensus on dogs being pretty dang favorable, I feel that it's easy to take a lot of their behavior and history for granted, to see them as the "default animal", when they SO aren't. The default animal would be a parasitoid wasp, silly!

If I was not able to convince you that dogs are weird, then just look up canine transmissible venereal tumor, obviously using your own discretion, because there will be graphic photos. If you ask me, this one medical anomaly easily makes dogs a contender for one of the weirdest animals EVER! Bet you didn't know dogs could be contagious!

I like funny dog Bulbie

[wisteria-lodge]

If you're wondering about what the Snake/Badger/Lion/Bird stuff is all about ~

My favorite character analysis system of all time is called Sorting Hat Chats (SHC) It started (obviously) as a more complicated version of the Sorting Hat matrix. Everyone gets two main houses, their Primary and their Secondary (so - someone will be a Bird Lion, or a Double Lion.) It was my first tumblr community, it's got a discord, it pops up on reddit.

My first posts use the original Harry Potter Hogwarts House terminology. I stopped doing that in 2020 - I stopped writing about Harry Potter, at all, for about five years. But I changed up the words I use because:

I wanted people to look at the new terminology and go hm, that's strange. What does that mean? Then check out my pinned explanation of the system, and see that it is my mini protest against JKR.

I wanted people to go hm, that's strange - and then check out the explanation of the system, period. Because the original Sorting Hat system... isn't very robust, and by that point the SHC categories were different enough from the Hogwarts Houses that it was confusing people.

If I ever wanted to set up a thing so people could commission me for sortings, I would feel much better if I was just using my own terminology.

And sure, I got some people saying that the change was performatively woke, or hypocritical that I'm still playing with something that's got it's roots in HP at all (got one of those today, which is what prompted writing this.) I also got thank you notes from people who had been burned by JKR, and especially trans people. What feels comforting/empowering to person A can feel annoying/not enough to person B, I get that.

At this point... occasionally I'll see someone using a hybrid version of the terms, 'Hufflepuff/Badger primary.' But most people who write about this have switched over to the animals, the quiz, which is FANTASTIC, uses the animals. Some people even abbreviate it down to 'badgerpri' or 'snakesec' which I think is fun.

Also I will say - since the terminology change, I get WAY LESS "I like books, so am I a Ravenclaw?" type asks. I don't know it that's because people have more neutral associations surrounding the word "Bird," or because more people were reading the system, instead of laying their original understandings of these words across a character sorting post. I also like the animals, because it lets me know if people are using this system, instead of talking about 'hybrid houses' more generally.

[crybabycinna]

Short skirt (sugar mama Lin Beifong x sugar baby reader)

Minors just go away 🤣

Lin takes her favorite girl shopping and things get a little spicy when they get home. Also special guest Asami and Korra are here 💖 (I’m tempted to do an Asami cosplay I feel like 1. Id look hot asf and 2. My bf would be drooling)

“This is the eighth store love.” Lin said with a sigh. “I'm not leaving till I find a short skirt in my size.” I said. “Do you really need it?” Lin asked. I turned away from the rack and looked at Lin. “Summer is starting and I’m not gonna just wear shorts and dresses all summer. I need more in my closet.” I told her. “You mean my closet.” Lin said. I glared at her while she smirked. “You know I can always go back to my old apartment building.” I said and stuck out my tongue. Lin gently grabbed my face and squeezed my cheeks. “That’s not our arrangement.” Lin said.

I shrugged. I’m chief Beifong’s sugar baby and we agreed that I live with her, go on dates, help her keep the house clean, make lunch for her and of course have sex with her. I can’t complain because I get shopping trips and anything else I want. I get shown off as if I’m her girlfriend but I’m not. I’m just her sugar baby nothing more nothing less but I won’t lie I enjoy my time with Lin a lot. Lin let go of my face and I went back to looking for skirts. I felt like I was looking for hours. I mean I have been but now I’m just over it! I’ve been finding a lot of other cute things that I of course I picked up but still not what I’m looking for.

I’m gonna lose my mind. “Come here.” Lin said and dragged me over to a table. I looked at the table and they were full of skirts. I scanned the skirts and picked up a few. Lin grabbed a black one and handed it to me, I took it from her. Reading the tag it said it was mine and I pulled at it to see if it stretched and it did but not by a lot but more than enough for me. I let Lin hold it for me while I grabbed a few more in different styles. When I was done we made our way to the register. Lin paid for everything of course and we definitely don’t need to talk about how much money was spent.

As we made our way out the store I saw Asami and Korra. Korra was holding a lot of bags. I assume they are on a shopping trip like us. “Asami!” I called. Asami turned her head to my direction and she smiled real big. “Hey!” She shouted. We ran to each other and hugged. “I’m glad I caught you, I’m having a party next week. You guys have to be there.” Asami said with a big smile on her face. “Of course we’ll be there.” I told her. Asami and I continued to talk some more. “I see you got sucked into a shopping trip as well.” I heard Korra say to Lin. Lin just huffed. “The things we do for love.” Korra said.

Asami laughed at Korra’s comment. “You know I love you very much.” Asami told Korra then gave her a kiss. I felt a slight twinge in my heart. Korra and Asami love each other more than anything and everything they do is out of love and yes I’m jealous. I can’t help it. “We should go to lunch.” Asami said and grabbed my hand. “We should.” I agreed. “I know that’s not a badger mole stuffed animal hanging out your bag.” Korra teased. “Oh hush leave me be.” I said. “Aww that’s so cute, I need to find a polar bear dog stuffed animal.” Asami said. “You should! It would be so cute for you to have.” I said.

Asami looked at Korra. “It’ll be our baby.” Asami laughed. I gasped and looked at Lin. “No.” Lin said. “Yes, this badger mole is our baby and we have to figure out a name for her.” I told Lin. Lin sighed. “What restaurant are we eating at? I'm starving over here.” Korra told us. “Oh right umm where do you guys wanna go?” I asked. “We’re going to the noodle shop near my job.” Lin said and grabbed my hand to drag me away. “See you guys there!” I called as Lin dragged me away. Once the bags were put in the backseat we got into the car and I sat in the passenger seat.

“Thank you for taking me shopping.” I said sweetly then kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome hon.” Lin told me as she started up her car. As Lin drove she kept her hand on my thigh, sometimes she drew little circles or just rubbed my thigh. She gave me butterflies and I loved it. Every touch made my heart melt. I kept stealing glances at Lin. “What is it love?” She asked me. “Nothing, just looking at your beautiful face.” I said. She just smiled. She’s just so hot. I looked away because I could feel myself getting horny. I don’t know what it is about this woman but she drives me crazy.

Lin parked outside the shop then got out of the car, I unbuckled myself while she walked over to my side. She opened the door for me and helped me out. “Thank you baby.” I said. Lin nodded and held my hand. We entered the little shop and saw Korra and Asami waiting at a table. “I’m surprised we beat you guys here.” Asami said. “You know Lin has to drive the speed limit.” I teased. “Maybe you need to start driving.” Korra said. “I’m a passenger princess, I don't drive.” I said. “I’ll teach you.” Korra said. “Absolutely not.” Lin said sternly.

“Oh come on, Lin , I'm an excellent driver.” Korra said. “You drive eighty miles per hour.” Lin said. “I’ll teach you.” Asami said. “You ran over Mako.” Lin said. “I apologized.” Asami said. I laughed. “Then you teach her.” Korra said. “I’m too busy.” Lin said. “I feel like she’d yell at me a lot.” I said. “Oh yeah she definitely will.” Korra said. “Did you figure out a name for your baby?” Asami asked. “No, what do you think I should name her?” I asked. “Name her noodle.” Korra suggested. “No name her tea.” Asami said. I gasped. “I got it! Her name is Detective Tofu Noodle.” I said.

“I love that.” Asami gushed. “Detective?” Lin asked. “Do you have a problem?” I asked. “I’m just confused on how your little badger mole became a detective.” Lin said. “She’s our daughter and she just wants to be like her big brother Mako.” I said. “Stop saying Mako is my son.” Lin sighed. “Ok but he’s called you mom like three times and you didn’t get upset.” Korra said. “Exactly.” I said. Lin rolled her eyes. When it came time to order I let Lin order for me. She knows what I like and I just like her taking control like this.

After our lunch double date we went home and I decided to try on the black skirt Lin picked out. I slipped it on and it fit perfectly. “Wow.” I said. I went out to the living room to show Lin. “Baby look,” I stood in front of her. “You look good.” Lin told me as she looked me up and down. “I’m gonna go try on the others.” I said as I turned around and walked back to the room. Before I could grab another skirt I felt a hand grab my ass. “Lin.” I gasped. “Take these off.” Lin said as she reached under my skirt and started to pull down my underwear. I helped her take off my panties.

I reached to take off my skirt but Lin stopped me. “No, keep that on.” She told me. I raised a brow. “On the bed, ass up.” Lin commanded. I did as told and as soon as I got into position I felt my skirt go up and then a harsh slap on my ass. I let out a loud moan. “Spread your legs some more.” Lin told me. Once my legs were spreaded more Lin’s tongue swiped at my folds. “Mmm baby.” I let out a soft moan. As she ate me out she spanked me. “Oh fuck Lin.” I whined out.

[blimbo-buddy]

New pinned hell yeah

Hey I'm Blimbo/Blimmy/Bilbo/whatever other funny versions of the name you make up. 15+ highly recommended for viewing/following. Pedos/abuse romanticizers (proship or anti-anti or whatever else is included) fuck off.

Born October 23rd 2005 and I use any pronouns

Yes I'm an adult but don't say nasty shit to me out of nowhere on here

A post compiling the various problems of the Warriors series from anti-indigenous writing to ableism

A lot of Warrior Cats stuff on this blog, but, this is just a general blog for whatever I feel like.

#1 Smudge Fan (5+ years going strong)

I’m highly critical of my favorite media (Especially Warriors) so expect a lot of posts/reblogs about it

You can use any of my art for your pfp with credit, as long as it isn't my own characters.

If you need me to tag anything just send me an ask I don't mind

Don't be afraid to @ me in any post unless it is NSFW

I tag homophobic and transphobic slurs, yes even in those funny joke posts. This is to help any of my followers who may not want to see them

ID's for my artwork are IN THE ALT TEXT

Mutuals/Friends can dm me for my discord. I'm not super active on there right now but I wouldn't mind chatting at all

I'm also on ArtFight

Tags:

#blimbo rambles - Talking tag, this also includes Asks

#blimmy art - Art tag, everything from actual pieces to mspaint shitposts

#blimbo designing cats - Warriors design tag, all are F2U with credit (Please for the love of god don’t say/make anything weird or gross about/with my designs)

#bug world no mercy - Bug centered xenofiction story of multiple bug kingdoms #wandering whispers - A non-wc related story about murder mysteries, corruption, and the likes. Still a wip #untitled animal war story - Another story that follows the animals of an area that has been ravaged by war and a nuclear bomb and their attempts to rebuild everything from the ground up. Still a wip #blimbo's twolegplace culture - A collection of posts that go over my attempts at fleshing out the world and culture of the Twolegplaces alongside the history of the ones we see INDEFINITE HIATUS

#bugs - This is just my general bug tag. I do my best to content tag bugs like spiders

#xenofiction - Anything that contains anything non-human doing something human-like OR stories about non-human characters. I have a very scattered definition of xenofiction so anything can go really

Au tags below the cut

#kittypet/clan cat swap au - A minor au where the Kittypets/Loners/Rogues are swapped with the Clan Cats. The clans are now referred to as "Districts" and the other cats live in one big clan together.

#badger!dovewing au - DoveWing but she's a badger. Goes in detail with how the clans deal with it, she faces a lot of prejudice.

#false fire au - Hattie is kidnapped by Thunderclan as a replacement after FirePaw turns up dead. She is followed around by his ghost and uncovers the secrets of the entire ordeal.

#sasha and darkstripe au - DarkStripe survives the Bloodclan battle and is tasked by TigerStar to watch over his(Tiger's) children. But, he begins to grow a bond between Sasha, Tadpole, Moth, and Hawk. Note: This au delves into themes of abuse, generational trauma/abuse, trauma bonding, and trauma healing process.

#the forest blood au - Princess, Hattie, and Smudge all are apart of Bloodclan. It follows them after Bloodclan is defeated, LongTail, SandStorm, and OneWhisker are also apart of the au. Bloodclan is shown in a more positive light in this au.

#ivy-rock au - IvyPool becomes Rock's successor after she screams at Starclan that she wants them to see her as something, as something special.

[tofautisawa]

I'm REALLY curious on what you mean by TLG giving ass backwards treatment to Jasiri and her pack

I like Jasiri, don't get me wrong. It's nice to have a hyena character in The Lion King franchise that isn't just a stupid cackling villain. She has a cute design, and I always enjoyed the episodes she appeared it. Don't Judge A Hyena By It's Spots being one of my top favorite episodes of season 1.

However, she is only "good" by the narrative because she and her clan live by the Pride Land's specific "Circle Of Life" ideology. A ideology that in my opinion, doesn't benefit her, her clan, or her species AT ALL. She and spotted hyenas in general are still subjected to living in a barren wasteland with little to no resources. (The Lion Guard even one ups this by saying even TERMITES don't live in the Outlands just to get the Aardwolves to come back. Continuity be damned.) They only got one water source to call their own. They live near an active volcano with open lava pits that one can easily fall into ( and one that she and the cubs nearly died in). There is absolutely no bitterness from any innocent hyenas, and they basically just accepted that this is how they must live. Jasiri can sing Kwetu Ni Kwetu all she wants, the melody will go real great with the sound of her homies sizzling at the bottom of a lava pit next to Ushari.

It's actually really bad that Makucha ( a reoccurring villain) is subjected to live in a much better environment filled with prey, water, and plenty of vegetation where even the zebras are happier.

And I say subjected because I never got the vibe that these animals live where they do out of their own volition, more like they are assigned. Aside from the hyenas not being allowed in the Pride Lands, I never got that vibe from the movies. It really makes me wish Fuli's quote from the pilot about "Always the Lions lording over the Pride Lands" was expanded on and explored. Anyways.... The show also never really addresses what she even eats, because I doubt much prey ventures into the out lands. BUT DON'T WORRY- Jasiri states that hyenas are clean up crews and eat what lions leave behind. Further reinforcing that outdated belief that spotted hyenas are primarily scavengers (which Ono even states in a later episode because he has to be the "educational mouthpiece" even when he's blatantly wrong). I can appreciate the show trying to show the benefits of scavengers- but it really should have been saved for animals like the vultures. So the show couldn't even make her and her clan respectable hunters that only hunt specifically what they need ( Probably because there is nothing TO hunt and whenever Janja is shown hunting on his own damn lands, he is stopped but I digress). I can't even help but wonder how she even CAN scavenge if all the lions live in the Pride Lands, and the alarm is sounded whenever a hyena sets a toe within Pride Land territory- unless the lions are just dumping corpses into the Outlands. This is probably why they had the show outright lie to you and pretend that Aardwolves are no way related to Spotted Hyenas because they can't have the children asking why they are allowed in the pride lands and not a friend of our protagonists, Jasiri.

Also, The hyenas specifically are only treated as "good" the very second they don't hunt for food and instead scavenge, and ONLY scavenge. (Not by their own choice) Compare this to Fuli who has been shown hunting, and it's treated as a bad thing that her hunts got interrupted and she doesn't get to eat. BUT WHATEVER, YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO THINK ABOUT IT MUCH! LOOK AT THE FUNNY HONEY BADGER!!!

I honestly wouldn't even be complaining about any of this if it turned out Jasiri secretly lived in a oasis within or in the outskirts of the Outlands, or even the Backlands where she had access to prey or even later got a better land for her own in the end.

Keep in mind, this is all just my opinion. And you are free to disagree with me. And it's been a hot minute since I watched The Lion Guard so my details might be off here and there. Just don't try to pull the whole "It's a preschool show" argument, because that really doesn't matter to me.

[unironicallytes]

hello i am laying emojis at your feet for the ask game - for zath, raelius, boga, & gereth, but in no particular order pls answer as you like for whomever you like:

🧶🍪��🐰🌕

For context and organization: Zath is my pre-HoK Silencer, a Bosmeri hunter from Grahtwood who nepotism'ed his way into the Black Hand; Raelius is my HoK Silencer, a Redguard/Bretonic grad student from Wayrest who got jailed for studying Ayleidic necromancy; Boga is my Vestige, an Argonian healer from Leyawiin who also became a necromancer but in a different way; and Gereth is Zath's father, a secretly-powerful Keerilth vampire and chronic-main-quest-avoider, also an enjoyer of homemaking.

🧶 - Do they do any arts, crafts, or creative hobbies?

Raelius learned to crochet from an auntie and the practice reminds him of home. All he can make are scarves and he's not exactly good at it, but it's the one article of kind-of-scraggly clothing that he'd be caught wearing. So trendy and bespoke of him.

Crafting is one of Gereth's passions besides cooking, and he's gotten quite adept with it over the past eight centuries. He's found weaving to be the most fun and artistically-satisfying.

🍪 - What are their favorite scents?

Boga enjoys strong, heady incenses, like those used in the Chapel of Zenithar where she studied to become a healer. She uses them while working to help mask the smell of various necromantic projects. Smelling of frankincense and myrrh tends to give others the impression that she still works in a chapel, which is a great plus.

⚡ - Does this oc have any unusual or “irrational” fears?

Zath doesn't like to ride mounts, especially horses. He's "no good with animals" in terms of making them do what he wants, so the idea of sitting atop one terrifies him. Even Shadowmere is iffy for him unless Lu is at the reins.

Gereth tries to avoid traveling in wetlands whenever possible. He was attacked, killed, and subsequently turned on the Shademist Moors, the Horrible Vibes of which persist as an ever-present anxiety despite his immortality.

🐰 - How huggable is this oc?

On a scale of 1 to Gereth:

Boga is a 5 - doesn't look or feel all that huggable, but is unexpectedly welcoming and smells like church maybe. Raelius is a 7 - he's your bestie at the function who will hurry over and hug you very tightly and warmly, but could hesitate if you look like you might dirty his brocade vest. Gereth is Gereth - hugs from him should be covered by insurance as therapy. Zath does not score within the range - he'd delight to lodge a dagger in your gut unless you've got some of his rarely doled out Special Hugging Privileges.

🌕 - If this oc was an animal, what kind would they be?

Zath is constantly compared to a snake, so that one's a given. Assigned bush viper at birth. Gereth is an ursauk, and in terms of non-fantasy animals he would be a grizzly bear. Raelius is a banded mongoose and Boga is a secretary bird, both notable for their ability to beat the shit out of snakes. Bonus pseudo-OC answer, Lu is a European badger.

[sparkfur-the-writer]

Sparkfur's Original Clans Thingy

Don't worry, I'm still alive. Working on all of the other Warrior Cats AUs of mine too(at the same time as each other). But I decided to write more about my five FanClans and other details(like the leaders).

Let's start with MistClan's Leader. Stonestar. While she hates being the Leader of the Clan, she has a difficult time refusing responsibility. She may have plotted an uprising at some point, not to take over MistClan, mind you. But a whole rebellion with a group that weren't cats. Mostly because she disliked how most MistClan cats treated the species of animal in question. Hates her family and has disowned them, especially because her best friend(since childhood) is now a ghost that sticks around her.

VetchClan's own Weaselstar, a fluffy gray she-cat who's both given some of her own lives to save some other cats in her clan before, but also is actively hunting her own parents(who are effectively nameless) down for their crimes. Her mother is a ghost, and yet somehow is still trying to build up resources to try again(and doing well beyond the grave). Her father is a failure at this, despite thinking he was actually the one who had any charisma between her parents. Weaselstar is bi, Stonestar and Stone's best friend are responsible for Weaselstar realizing this, while Stone and her friend were fighting. Weaselstar didn't recognize Stonestar at the time, and thinks she has four different crushes, when it's just on two individuals.

Sagestar leads AshClan, a bit quiet, and one of the two youngest leaders. She has to put up with a group of cats that calls itself a clan trying to start stuff with the other four clans to get to them. This other group calls itself MarshClan, and they're only trying to get the caves because they hear that AshClan has access to the best catnip and other similar items.

Next up, WingClan's Rowanstar. Wanted to be a Medicine Cat, but couldn't at the time because they already had about four of them. She's covered in a number of scars, mainly because she was bad at tending to her own injuries, because she was clumsy and accident prone as an Apprentice. But for some reason, cats assume she's good at fighting. Ended up taking the Deputy position as the old deputy basically went on and on praising her for how much she's helped and saved everyone when they were retiring. And now she's stuck as Leader. The eight previous Leaders' ghosts at least make sure to help her with what she doesn't know.

And so, we FINALLY have RuffleClan, and their Leader is Mintstar. Former Kittypet, possibly a honey badger if you ask other honey badgers, utter menace. Why is she leader? She just is. What's her favorite food? Either leftover fries she steals from Twolegs, or frogs. Warrior Code? Only when it matches her morals. If it's wrong, she will ignore it without a second thought. The second of the two youngest leader. Sagestar and Mintstar are dating. Sage, Mint, and Stone all have eaten French Fries. Mint and Stone connect a lot over their affinities with other animals.

And finally, that hinted at friend of Stonestar's, Lucky. What are they? That would be spoilers, but they sure aren't a cat or badger. Unfortunately for Stony, Lucky's impulse control was his siblings, and he's not at all serious despite being a ghost. He's my favorite so far.

[pulpfricktionsart]

To start this new blog off, I'll be reposting all the pictures of my previous work from Instagram! Unfortunately, Instagram can never make relocating stuff easy (for me and my devices, at least), so I decided to just retake pictures of certain pieces in my personal collection.

(Plus, I've given some sculptures a few repairs/updates recently, so I figured it would be good to show them in their current state rather than just use the older photos.)

We'll begin with the first "series" I continue to carry out, which I like to call Spookie Jars!

I was getting back into my Egyptian mythology fixation a couple years ago, and I became so inspired by the canopic jars used for mummification that I decided to make one myself.

And from there, it just sort of became a regular thing for me. I keep four in my personal collection, but I typically make the rest as either gifts for friends and family, or to leave out in public spaces for strangers to find and take home if they like. (I hope that will eventually help me get more recognition as a local artist.)

___

Spookie Jar #1: Spotted Hyena

Started: February 9, 2022

Finished: February 14, 2022

Even with the inspiration, I didn't want to just copy the animals modeled in real canopic jars (jackals, eagles, baboons, and humans).

So, it was only right that I went with my all-time favorite animal! (Seriously, if you don't know all the fascinating truths about hyenas by now, please look it up. They're amazing animals who deserve so much more respect, love, and protection than they've been given.)

A relative of mine accidentally knocked it over a little while ago. After I repaired the broken pieces (just a few teeth and the nose, no serious damage) I gave it a few new coats of paint, as well as add a new front-panel with my updated larva design.

___

Spookie Jar #9: Tiger

Started: March 20, 2024

Finished: March 27, 2024

Like many of the others, this is technically a gift. I made it specifically for my lovely friend @sammys-magical-au (who also posts their own art on Insta, so go follow/support them there or you forfeit your kneecaps).

I always ask recipients for their favorite animals and favorite colors before I get started. Since Sammy answered "rainbow" for the latter, I ended up having to print out an abstract rainbow pattern and tracing my larva pattern over it. My wrist ached like hell by the time I was done, but that's the case whenever I draw/color stuff in general, lol.

The real struggle was getting the facial stripes just right. And don't even get me started on how surprisingly frustrating the backs of the ears were to paint. Still, it was all worth it in the end. I hope I'll be able to meet Sammy in person and give this over to them sometime in the future. But for now, I'll be keeping it safe with the others.

___

Spookie Jar #13: Honey Badger

Started: July 28, 2024

Finished: August 1, 2024

This one was inspired by the hilarious Mamadou Ndiaye/Casual Geographic.

Even if I wasn't a huge fan of his content, I still would've seen a questionable muse in these hood weasels (which is a borrowed phrase, since I wish I possessed even half of the verbal creativity and clever humor that Ndiaye does. Maybe someday...) sooner or later.

How couldn't I? Honey badgers are the cryptids of all badgerkind. They have 'roid rage and they OWN IT in a way pretty much nothing else really can. They've got more than enough stubbornness and legit street smarts to get their way.

(If you know about the infamous Stoffel, then you know I plan on using this to honor him, even if I don't know whether or not he's still kicking around. There's a good chance he is, with the whole being-a-honey-badger thing.)

Or, to quote the man himself on this subject:

"If orcas are homicidal sea-oreos, then honey badgers are double-stuffed with audacity" ... "This animal is basically a Black Air Force One come to life" ... "A malicious equality symbol with nothing to lose."

___

Spookie Jar #14: Vampire Bat

Started: August 17, 2024

Finished: August 23, 2024

This jar was definitely one of the toughest for me to make.

I love all bats in general, but I've got a particular soft-spot for vampires since, much like hyenas, they're incredible creatures who are criminally misunderstood. I'm the type to defend animals most other people would deem scary/creepy/ugly, so of course I like all the weirdness of a vampire bat's face.

Unfortunately for me, finding a way to sculpt all those weird-yet-cute details was almost an exercise in madness. I think I had to redo the head-lid four times before I was finally happy with the look.

And that's not even mentioning THE WINGS.

HOLY SHIT, THE DAMN WINGS.

I use a strong, effective two-part epoxy for a lot of my projects (my grandfather was nice enough to help me find it, since brands like tacky glue just wouldn't cut it). This one was no different...and yet it still took SIX-AND-A-HALF TRIES to keep the wings securely attached to the jar.

Still, all the more reason for me to be happy with this guy! Despite all the headaches, I didn't give up, and I eventually managed to make it work.

That's what matters in all forms of art: giving your work love and care and being determined to see it through.

(God help me keep these things safe when I'm finally able to move out and start renting my own place.)

___

(Note: I apologize if the picture quality here isn't so good, but I really want these to be the first things I post, since I already have art-plans coming up soon. I want to share all my old stuff before the new stuff comes along. Plus, the weather in my hometown has been very cold and gray lately; the sun was at least trying to shine when I took these, but the natural light was still a bit fickle.)

[pretentious-art-love]

Book Reviews #15 - The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White

I started the collection of The Once and The Future King by recommendation of a friend. This is the first book of the whole collection. Now, this a chosen one narrative. I often find chosen one narratives rather uninspiring. Fate, blood lines, all that, none of those things mean anything to me at all, but how does the story perform overall?

There will be spoilers, so beware.

This is a nice story, although it is not much of a story, but a short of fables with Wart's childhood as a wrap. This is my first true contact with any fiction about King Arthur, but naturally I have heard since my childhood the legend of the sword in the stone and the challenge of pulling it out, so I was in a way still familiar with the concept.

White paints Wart as a bit of an awkward, nerdy boy. Merlyn, his mentor, transforms him into several animals as part of his "education" and in there he sees all the kinds of societies that nature is part of. Societies that mirror human ones, the belligerent ants, the wise badgers, the owls, the fishes, and my favorite of them all, the wild geese. There is an abundance of humor and child like wonder in the story, nothing gets ever so serious, and Wart is depicted as mostly an spectator to all these kinds of worlds that the writer uses to show different sides of the human being.

The wild geese transformations were my favorite chapters. If I couldn't choose to be human, I think I’d love to be a goose. That feeling of freedom, of flying over the sea—I’m going to miss it dearly. I’ll miss Lyok and the 'cockneyfied' birds. To live in a world stretched horizontally, shaped only by relentless wind and endless waves beneath me—that’s a sensation you can’t replicate. The acrobatics, the silly birds on the islands, the freedom to fly farther than any human ever could… I think someday I’d like to read a whole book about what it feels like to be a bird, soaring away.

Merlyn is also an interesting character because (pardon me for viewing old stories through a modern lens) I feel he is an autistic person. The living backwards in time, knowing things that will happen but not things that happened as if in being in he's own wavelength. To me, it feels like a "medieval fantasy" take on autism. Of course, he isn't really coded to be that, so he not just knows things we don't know, but he also seems to grow younger, and even have been in centuries way past his life time, as he by accident gets a hat he worn in 1890 in one occasion. He is not a character that is supposed to make sense, but give occasional comedic relief and add world building. His motto about "learning" being the only thing that can cheer you up no matter anything is also fantastic.

About the chosen one thing, yes, it is still a chosen one narrative. Merlyn can only transform Wart into animals, not even Kay, and my friend said that "he was chosen because he would work" but this is not true, because in the very last chapter Merlyn reveals he is in fact the son of the previous King Pendragon. Now now, that doesn't mean the story is bad, because I think the writer is doing something interesting here. The scene where Arthur pulls out the sword is rather comedic and very anticlimactic, with Wart being the only one who is around to pull it out the first time. The narration skips most of the events after this with a quick narration to his coronation and leaves Wart intact at his core. I feel that the writer, while he did not reject the chosen one narrative, he made the protagonist indifferent to it, subverting any sort of fulfillment we could gain from it and in that way erasing my biggest complains in a story of this kind. Wart is never depicted as someone hungry for power, but someone who wants to fight evil. In this iteration of the story, Wart is a spectator in a world filled with silly rules and conventions designed to make us think about the own reality we live in, all this done in a heartfelt and whimsical manner.

How would I do it? I was thinking about the scene a lot. I thought, if I ever came into a situation that was as blatant as picking up a sword of a stone, I would be able to pick out my sword not because I was chosen, but because I choose to pick up the sword, because everything I did in my existence was to pick up the sword, so in reality, I would not be the person who would pick up the sword, but it would be sword that fits the most for my own purposes and goals the one I decide to take out. The moment that Sir Ector and Kay realize that Arthur in fact will be a king they kneel down and treat him like royalty is quite an ecstatic moment to me [THEY WEREN'T MEAN AT ALL LIKE IN THE MOVIE THEY WERE NICE WITH HIM ALWAYS IF YOU SAW THE ANIMATED MOVIE JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT MOVIE IS A LIE A LIE A LIE A LIE], in that moment the story turns into a secret identity story and the big reveal and change in reaction always brings me butterflies, you know, its like when people treat you as a girl the first time and call you by your new name and are a bit more delicate with you, it is such a wonderful feeling to experience that moment when you start being treated like your true self.

There are some colorful characters I really like, like King Pelinoire (who is only King on name, and who inspires me to be a Queen as well), Archimedes, who is a shy but also wise owl (when I looked clips of the animated movie to see his expressions, they completely ruined him making him in someone as irascible as Rabbit of Winnie the Pooh but less anxious), as well as Lyok and the charming hedgehog who would not uncurl.

As it stands, I would have rated it a 6/10, a solid tale with funny fables carrying a naive but also affectionate view of the world and that add a lot o color to an already old established tale, but those Geese chapters elevate the whole thing to me to greater heights.

7/10

[danganronpafan777]

*makes u read danganmon*

Alright, Anon! Just read the prologue (I’m probably not going to write x reader for this fangan, and even if I do, I’m gonna have to finish my current DRA and SDRA2 requests first)

As a heads up: I know little to nothing about Pokémon. I’m basically this guy:

So yeah, here’s my opinions so far based on just the prologue:

Kami’s design is cute. Her character feels kinda bland, but good

Zoro seems really cool! I like him so far, and his talent shows a lot of blackened potential ngl

Mari seems sweet! Ultimate Sheep herder is a new one lol

Kami: “Ah, that’s where you help sheep to their pens, right?”

Mari: “You don’t say-“  

(I lowkey wish she said that)

Juno sleepy boi-

“Ultimate Wish Granter” 

My honest reaction: :0

I want to give him head pats

Roxanne (I can’t be the only one who heard the song-) 

Her design is really cool, and idk I just really like her. Not sure what the pipe on her back is though 

(ITS A SYRINGE?!)

Okay, but she might be one of my favorites, I like her sense of humor and how she cares for Juno. I wanna say just like me fr, but there’s still the chance she might turn out to be psychotic

Lillie looks like a jellyfish, and Stella reminds me of that one girl from Yttd 

Stella’s cupcake swirl hair is so goofy I love it, but some of her sprites remind me of Celeste. I have a feeling she’s gonna die in chapter 2 or be a victim in 3, and/or turn out to be psychotic

Ultimate human subject?? Reminds me of like Mikan mixed with Kanata. Hope she doesn’t die, but she gives off first victim energy or ch3 killer

Amnesia gang ✨

Cyrus seems like a cool dude. He’s kinda like Kokoro but more expressive

I already love Flidgey, and you can’t tell me they aren’t the child of Satsuki and Haruhiko 

Reminds me so much of Kaito’s personality with Kokichi’s jokes

Fry’s hair is simple, but it just stands out to me. Maya got a cool design, but I’m kinda neutral about her. Don’t feel like I really know either of their characters enough for a solid opinion

Cyrillo’s design is easily one of the best, but I had no idea what his talent means

Wimessir is a lot like Akane, and the two of them kinda give mastermind energy 

Idk why they’re singing and dancing, but their designs are top tier

I was thinking of a surfer dude joke, but Sam is actually the Ultimate Surfer-

Looks like we found the game’s Yasuhiro /pos

(Or twist mastermind-)

Faust is kinda like Taka mixed with Teruya. (Love both of them) His face reminds me of Murder Drones. Hope he survives cuz I really like him so far

Apollo: “I have the power of the sun and anime on my side!”

Pyromancer boi seems like the antagonist, and I’m here for it

Is he flirting with Zoro??

I like his banter with Sapphire, whose design is also amazing. She reminds me of Kirumi in terms of personality and being passionate about her talent

WHY DOES CENTURY LOOK JUST LIKE THE BLUE BADGER FROM ACE ATTOURNEY?? 

Undersea lamplighter makes me think he just chills underwater while ppl use his light to look around lmao

He feels like that one guy who never knows what’s going on

Monoloin??? Of all names 😭

The design is really pretty tho and I’m all for her mastermind personality

Overall: Roxanne, Faust, Apollo, and Flidgey are my current faves

[kaelang12]

WitW Comparison pt 3: Badger

oh, Badger. the curmudgeonly grump with a secret heart of gold, and the one i love the most.

tj!Badger is my favorite version of the two, and i will not deny that he is the love of my life. Nicol Williamson plays him to perfection.

the poor animal just wants to be left alone and sleep, warmed by the fire. i'd be grumpy too, if someone woke me up just to go out into the cold.

he acts all tough at first, but when he sees who it is, he reacts accordingly and brings them in. for all the toughness, he cares enough to offer to let Mole come and live with him.

but don't let that kindness fool you.

"Were the weasels beastly to you, Moley?" (trans.: do I need to go and Cut a Bitch?)

when he hears what Toad has done, he immediately goes to start an intervention.

(granted, it doesn't work, but hey, he tries. multiple times.)

true to his badger nature, he actually threatens a human with bodily harm and gets away with it.

"...And I promise not to insert one part of it into any portion of your anatomy." and the way he says it is so casual! i do not know where he will insert the pieces, but i just know he would get creative enough to not need an orifice to do it through. he could probably take on a whole group of weasels and win.

oh wait...

he does. god, i love him so much. he could probably smack the idiocy out of Toad, but that would be too easy.

i am totally biased towards this animal. he's just about as tired of Toad as musical!Rat is, but still helps him out because goddammit, he made a promise and by god he will stick to it.

11/10 best animal and i wish to be as cool as him when i'm older.

marry me pls

-------------------

if tj!Badger is the stern grandpa, then musical!Badger is the tough but loving grandpa.

look at that. he's genuinely happy to see Rat and Mole, and eagerly lets them into his home. but don't confuse kindness for weakness.

like Chief Weasel did.

Top 10 Pictures Taken Before Disasters

not even Toad can bravado his way though a talking-to by Badger.

"I will dismiss my own butler if he needs to be dismissed!"

"THEN DISMISS HIM!"

"Thank you, Rabbit, that will be all."

i have the feeling, judging by the coat and his tone, he was in the army at one point. he's at most a peg lower than R. Lee Ermy when it comes to discipline. he won't insult your sexuality, but he would be Very Disappointed in You, and that hurts even more.

he clearly experienced in psych-out war tactics, given how he approved of Mole's taunting of the stoats.

goddamn, he even pulls a Metal Gear Solid and takes out the light before the Riverbankers activate their plan. he's got a good eye with a slingshot.

after all is said and done, he's still not used to being around other people, and this little bit gets me.

"It's not my usual place, but I thought they wouldn't mind my joining in for once."

"Mind? How can have a celebration without you, after all you've done?"

"You flatter me, Mole."

"I sometimes wonder if you know how much we love you, Badger."

"No one's ever said that before."

i just...gimme a moment...

musical!badger is clearly lonely, but i feel that his reputation is too well-known to offer him any comfort.

he's the type to have a little tyke on his lap and tell them stories about Long Ago, and dammit where are these tears coming from??

[nigel-banyai]

What is your favorite animal, flower, theme (Room theme, etc) and food?

Also do u have a type

Favorite animal? badger - wolf is in close second and then Dachshund, lavender, calming to me, and theme… not sure I like darker, moody colours. Maroon, grey, black, dark greens, stuff like that. That's my go-to aesthetic at least, Papanași or Sarmale, I'm not picky, doll. I like the feisty ones, that know they can take me down if they wanted to, yet they still follow my lead. I like the ones that are as stubborn as I am, the ones I can banter back and forth with and not worry about offending them or them losing interest, y'know? Maybe red heads, or brunette with whiskey colored eyes, blue eyes are pretty too~

[thecraftyfoxthewriterscorner]

Stories Featuring Animal Friends

Some thoughts on how animal friends fit into storytelling. 🐾

Hey Story Crafters,

A lot of my favorite stories feature animal companions. It’s one of my favorite storytelling tropes—and I’m sure many of you will agree with me. I think the bond that can form between a person and an animal—the absolute trust and devotion that can develop—is a bond most people either wish they can experience for themselves, or have experienced it, and enjoy seeing other types of person-animal companion bonds develop.

If I had to trace it back to a source, it would probably be Pokémon. Or at least, that’s my earliest memory of a creature companion being featured in a story other than Disney movies. I loved watching Ash encounter new Pokémon, gradually gain their trust, become friends and then go on adventures together. I rewatch the Indigo League arc every once in a while, and I still experience that sense of wonder and get hit right in the feels while watching Ash (and Misty and Brock) interact with Pokémon. And naturally, I haven’t outgrown the need to read or watch stories that feature animal friends!

Based on the media I’ve consumed, I’d say stories featuring animals can be divided into two categories: animal companions and anthropomorphic animals. I’ll share a few examples of each below and my thoughts about them from a storytelling perspective.

Animal Companions

In some stories, the world-building creates the expectation that animal companions aren’t unusual. This is the case in Pokémon (or Pocket Monsters), where inhabitants of this story world can breed or catch wild Pokémon and train them. This then leads to the expectation that the main character’s journey will involve Pokémon: Ash’s goal is to become the greatest Pokémon master.

In other stories, animal companions may be used as part of the world-building to establish a fantasy setting, or fantasy/supernatural elements. This is true for Brian Jacques’s Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, in which an angel curses all of passengers on the pirate ship, The Flying Dutchman, with immortality. Among the passengers is a cabin boy named Ben and his dog, Ned—and because they are the only innocent souls on board, Ned is gifted a human-like consciousness and a telepathic bond with Ben. Another example is Nghi Vo’s novella, The Empress of Salt and Fortune, in which a cleric named Chih is partnered with a hoopoe named Almost Brilliant, and tasked with recording stories. In both of these stories, the connection between the main character and their animal companion serves as a reminder that fantasy, supernatural elements exist in their respective story worlds, even if nothing else fantastical happens as part of the plot.

Anthropomorphic Animals

I was a big Brian Jacques fan when I was growing up. Before I read Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, I was already hooked on his Redwall series, a fantasy children’s book series featuring anthropomorphic animal characters. For those unfamiliar with Redwall, its story world is similar to Disney’s Zootopia in that the inhabitants are divided into “good” and “bad,” with the Redwall series being more concrete about which species falls into each category: with woodland creatures like mice, otters, squirrels, hares, and badgers (“good”) vs. vermin like rats, stoats, weasels, and foxes (“bad”). Basically, it was another way of identifying the heroes vs. villains, cops vs. criminals in storytelling. This allowed Jacques to tell straightforward stories of good vs. evil using the types of characters most children identify and like to play make-believe with—animals.

Juneau Black’s Shady Hollow series also features anthropomorphic animals characters, and like other media (e.g., Redwall series, Zootopia), it doesn’t dwell on the logistics of how predators can coexist with prey animals. While a character’s animal traits may be addressed to establish setting or make observations, the focus is on solving the mystery established at the inciting incident. There is no good vs. evil, just characters living their lives and making choices to the best of their ability. A predator can be a spunky reporter like Vera Vixen, eager to sniff out a new story to publish for Shady Hollow’s local paper, and a prey animal can be the suspect—or culprit—in a crime that’s been committed.

As with any storytelling element, the relevance of the animal friend trope needs to be weighed, and woven into the storyline. If you’ve recently finished a manuscript that features animal friends, I’m the editor for you! I mostly edit fantasy, dark fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but I’m open to working in most genres if an author and I fit well together (like cozy mysteries!). Get in touch below if you’re interested in working with me.

Visit The Crafty Fox Editing Services!

Send me an email!

Until next time!

Leah

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Substack Post: https://thecraftyfoxwriterscorner.substack.com/p/stories-featuring-animal-friends

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