#best i can do is provide a safe place for them to nest

[snekdood]

the other day I was outside in the place I live and I looked up to the telephone wire and there were 14 whole ass mourning doves (not including the ones that were on the ground/flew away). and ik my ass is responsible for their boom in numbers djhbfsdghjvfd

[simpinglittleshit]

Headcanons for when you're on your period - Sanji x in posession of a working uterus! Reader

This is self-indulgent and I'm going through it right now, so please bear with me. Also this takes place on the ship and in an established relationship between Reader and Sanji. Also english is not my first language so I apologize for any mistakes.

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At first, you tried to hide it from him, but he quickly caught up to what was going on

His whole mood shifted, he was suddenly very calm and collected

You had expected the complete opposite, you thought he would fuss about you and fall to his knees and try to provide a thousand things at the same time to somehow force your period to be softer to you, maybe even get emotional about how you were hurting from the inside.

Instead he asked you what you needed in the moment, taking your hands gently into his and running soft circles into your skin. He left no room for debate until you really had told him everything you wanted in that moment, sitting patiently until he heard the hesitation leave your voice.

No matter if you demanded cuddles, a hot-water bottle, a combination of sweet and savoury snacks, a bath, some time alone or anything else- he makes sure you get it.

He'll make you any and every snack you ask for, letting you sit in the kitchen if you want to and quickly preparing some fruit slices and crackers for you to munch on while he prepares your request.

Even the oddest combination of flavours and textures are made by him without a word of judgement, understanding that you can't control what you want and just happy to be able to tend to your wants and needs.

Sanji will gladly do this multiple times a day and learns to recognize by the tone of your voice, the way you say his name, drawing the 'i' at the end of his name out just a little longer than usual, when you're in need of a quick treat.

At some point Luffy tries to fake having a period to sneak in some extra snacks as well and Sanji kicks him out of the kitchen, lecturing him on disrespecting your pain like that.

He also enjoys to hand-feed you fruits and snacks when you're in your quarters, pecking your lips after every other treat in adoration.

When you demand some time alone he lets you be by yourself until you come out on your own.

After a few months he gifts you a baby snail transponder so you can call him if you need anything and you are eternally grateful for it.

Of course he wants to be by your side every second, but you know best what you want and need and he's all sunshine and rainbows when he can wrap his arms around you again as soon as you let him.

He respects your desire to have some time to yourself and won't interefere with your me-time.

When you demand cuddles he gets all giddy on the inside, but won't let it show on the outside. Instead he'll place you on the nearest place to sit down on and make a little nest of blankets and pillows on your shared bed, if the time allows it.

If you're in public or just not in your quarters he'll hug and hold you until you pull away, one hand always placed somewhere on your body to keep you close to him

He'll grab some snacks - he keeps your favourites secretly locked away in the kitchen for this occasion and prepares several of your favourite drinks with different flavours and temperatures - from hot chocolate to freshly pressed lemonade with crushed ice and places them all on a tray.

To him, cuddling with you is an experience. He get to hold you, all to himself and it's him that you want while you're in pain and your hormones are all over the place.

It's an honor to him and he wants to honor you, as well as your aching organ. Because even though it brings you pain, to him it's also a sign that you're safe and healthy, that he can keep you well and cared for.

As soon as he has everything set up he picks you up and lays you down on the bed, letting you get comfortable and only then joining you, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you closer.

He relishes in the feeling of having you near him, your scent, your warmth, even when you're grunting in pain.

His warm, slender hand finds your abdomen when you do so and is ever so gently placed above it, his lips finding your forehead as he melts into the moment with you, whispering words of adoration and love against your skin.

He holds you in his arms, both careful yet firm at the same time, his fingers threading softly through your hair. He reminds you how beautiful you are to him, how you're a walking goddess in his eyes, how he is the luckiest man alive to hold you in his arms, that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now than with you.

He holds you when you suddenly get emotional, bitches with you when you complain about all different kinds of things, listens to you when you rant about how much you hate everyone and everything and hand-feeds you the snacks he made as well as hand you all the different drinks he made while you talk.

He also enjoys the silence with you, just holding you and listening to the waves lapping at the wood of the ship, the gentle sway of it lulling you into a slumber after some time.

He only falls asleep with you after he made sure that you've fallen asleep first, reaching over your body to put away all the items that could disturb your rest and brushing away any crumbs from the pillows and blankets next to you - he'll properly dispose of them later, wanting to hold you in his arms as he drifts off.

As much as you are eternally grateful for how supportive he is of you and the lengths he goes to just to make you happy, he is eternally grateful to be there for you, letting him be the one to ease your pain and make these few torturous days more bearable for you.

[pinkslipxox]

ahhh i love the one where the twins were sick could you do something similar but when like it’s near Christmas and like they can’t stop throwing up🥲

omg thank uuu, hope you like it 🥰🫶

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The soft glow of Christmas lights twinkled delicately throughout the living room, casting a gentle warmth that filled the air with festive cheer. However, inside the cozy space, things felt more somber. Almost Christmas, but not quite as magical as the O’Connell household had envisioned. The twins, Ava and Mia, were huddled together on the couch, clutching their blankets like they were the only comfort in the world. The past few days had been a blur of sickness as the little ones fought off a nasty bug, and they were weary, their usual laughter replaced with pitiful whimpers.

Billie Eilish, in her favorite oversized sweater, moved about the room like a guardian angel. Her green hair fell softly around her face as she filled a bowl with ice for the twins and prepared ginger ale—a simple remedy meant to ease their stomachs. Every movement was deliberate as she tried her best to create a soothing atmosphere amidst the discomfort.

“Hey, my pretty girls,” Billie cooed, crouching down beside the couch. She brushed a lock of hair behind Mia's ear and kissed her forehead, then did the same for Ava. “How are you feeling, babe?”

Ava looked up, her eyes glossy, her little face scrunched in discomfort. “I don’t feel good, Mommy,” she confessed, her voice thin and shaky.

Mia, cuddling closely to her twin, sniffled softly. “Me neither…” she murmured, her voice laced with fatigue.

Y/N, their sweet and caring partner, settled beside Billie, wrapping her arms around the girls. “It’s okay, my loves,” she whispered, her voice a soft balm against their distress. “We’re here for you. You’re safe.”

Billie joined in, curling around both daughters, creating a protective wall of warmth. “And Mommy’s got two special mamas taking care of you,” she added, her tone both comforting and playful. She brushed fingers along Ava’s arm, trying her best to soothe the little girl.

Ava leaned her head against Y/N’s shoulder, seeking a refuge that only she could provide. “Cuddle…” she murmured, her eyes fluttering against fatigue.

Y/N smiled softly, adjusting her position to accommodate both daughters. “Of course, sweetie,” she said, throwing a blanket over them as Billie nestled in on the other side, forming a snug little nest.

“Just breathe, alright? And if you need to throw up—or if you need anything at all—just let us know,” Billie reassured them, her eyes filled with an unwavering tenderness that Y/N had fallen in love with since the day they met.

Just then, Mia looked up at Billie with her big, watery eyes. “Can you sing to us, Mommy?” she whimpered.

Together, Y/N and Billie exchanged a knowing glance; something about that request felt like a lifeline in the clouds of sickness.

“Of course, little one,” Billie murmured, and as she started to hum a gentle, slow melody—one of their favorites from years past—the atmosphere shifted. Y/N held the girls tightly, her heart swelling with love as Billie’s soft, silky voice filled the room. It was a lullaby infused with maternal love that echoed through the confines of their home, wrapping around them like the warmest blanket.

As Ava and Mia listened, their eyelids began to droop, their little bodies relaxing against their mothers. Billie leaned in closer to Y/N, and in that moment, as the twins fell asleep in their embrace, the chaos of the world outside faded away.

Billie turned to Y/N, her beautiful eyes shining with love. “You’re my rock,” she whispered, gently brushing her fingers along Y/N’s cheek and leaning in ever so slightly to place a tender kiss on her lips. It was soft and full of appreciation, a momentary escape from the sickness that surrounded them—reminding Y/N of the warmth of their love amidst the challenges.

Y/N smiled against the kiss, pulling Billie closer as she wrapped her arms around her waist. “And you’re the best mother,” she replied, her voice laced with emotion.

Billie grinned, her heart swelling as she looked at their daughters, now peacefully sleeping between them. “This Christmas might not be what we planned, but as long as we’ve got each other, we’ll make it magical in our own way,” she said, her words dripping with optimism.

In that moment, cradled on the couch with their sweet girls by their side, Y/N and Billie felt the true meaning of family wrapping around them like the gentle embrace they shared. Sickness would pass, but the love they had—their bond—would endure, making every Christmas unforgettable, no matter the circumstances.

[evilminji]

Pondering Doors Again >.>

Thinking about a concept I saw in a Manhwa. "Dungeons feed of the death that occurs within them" and how the Protagonist went "alright, Bet. A stable and prosperous society for outcasts has a LOT of Death! What with the need to eat food and people growing old and thus, inevitably, at least SOMEONE dying every day".

Because FARMING is and always has been a slower but more profitable way to accumulate food then Hunting. More reliable too.

And? What better way too feed your hunger(HungryHungryHUNGRYItHurtSIMSO-) then by BECOMING a Trap Door? Not every ghost looks human. Not every ghost WANTS too.

Maybe you want to Live. Yes, you are fighting, fighting, fighting. Not even Death can take you. But given half a chance? Given the infinite freedom of the Zone and all of Time stretched out before you? Do you? WANT to think anymore? WANT to keep fighting FOREVER for every scrap of food to fill your endless NEED for food? Your obsession with being full?

You can stop.

Like meditation.

Instead of MAKING a Lair... become one. You could always change your mind, if you felt like it. Souls rarely if ever DO, but you COULD. Then? You wait.

There are house ghosts. Dwellings that die. You blend right in. Are you angry? Vengeful? Do you blame the world? Perhaps you'll call them in. Like Hansel and Gretel. Look upon my house made of candy, children. Isn't it tempting? Isn't it sweet? Come closer. Listen to my siren song.

Chomp.

But, maybe you are tired. Hungry. Old bones and cold, barren soil. Barely the strength to paint gaudy veneers over straining, decaying wood. Like long abandoned circuses. You try for the appearance of cheer, but your tattered visage. betrays you. Yet, just like them, while you may not be able to entice those you truely wish to come? Vermin find safety and comfort in your walls.

And is that not how nature heals? First the weeds? The insects and vermin? Little things that build to great forests over time? Blobs hide within in you. Safely out from underfoot. What do they care, if you can not provide them scenery? You are safe. And they? They feed you in turn.

Like little worker bees. Drifting out, gorging on ectoplasm, and returning. Nesting safely inside you, they radiate that Ectoplasm and leech it into the Lair around them. You feed. And Feed. And FEED.

You make more places to hide for them. Bushes. Trees. You only half remember them now, so the colors are off and the forms shakey at best. The blobs do not care. More flock to you in response. You grow stronger. Make more trees.

You finally, FINALLY attract a curious and skittish ghost. They linger by the entrance. Watching. Uncertain. They know traps and hunters hide out here. Who would leave a perfectly good Lair up for grabs? This is a trick. A nasty little trap. Right? It has to be! Their luck can not be this good.

But it is. Because bottom feeders find each other all the time. Lairs that have little to offer and Ghosts who couldn't possibly defend anything worth keeping. All the Zone is stronger then them, why not be weakling together?

And they always take the chance. Because hope is eternal.

Inching forward in a cautious float, ready to dash away, they eventually realize the Lair really IS up for grabs. It really CAN be theirs. Which of course... means they have to fix it up of course! They are THRILLED. Look at all this ROOM! Why, these trees are LOVELY. A good start! They just gotta tweak THIS and then THAT aaand... there we go! Oooh, now over THERE would be a great place for a- *excited muttering*

And a proper ghost? MUCH better at bringing in Ectoplasm then a blob. Then dive in and out, fetching plants to transplant, decorations, building supplies. They invite their friend to crash with them. Become roommates. Their roommate gets a partner. They meet someone. Eventually somebody has a kid. And so on and so on.

All the while, they are feeding their Lair. Do they know it's not a NORMAL Lair? Yeah. They aren't dumb. Blobs disappear sometimes, if no one leaves for too long. House ghosts don't do that (or so they're told). But? They aren't powerful ghosts. They are weak ones. They CAN'T defend one of the nice spots from jerks who want to take it.

But a Lair that can defend ITSELF? And doesn't seem to want to eat them? Meh. Whatever works, man.

And you know what happens? Eventually, you reach a sustainable mass tipping point. Enough ghosts, set up in houses and cabins and castles and caves. All within a single Trap Lair. That they radiate enough ectoplasm to sustain the Lair itself. Enough that it can FINALLY pull the infamous and legendary "never leave" trick.

What is that trick?

Simple! You are a ghost. You'd kinda like an apple. You get up to leave you Lair to go get one. Oh, hey, an apple tree! That's new. Oh, these are really good! You sit back down. You never leave. Why would you leave? You are happy and have everything here. Your friends and family are here. Have another cake. Sit back down.

That is the trick.

The Trap of the sort of Trap Door.

They are known as Honey Traps. Heaven's Gates. Dream Doors. And they build slow to become quite dangerous. Entire cities exsist inside them. Ghosts go in and never come out. The take the energy you produce, small kernel that it is, and feed it back to you. And Ghosts? Efficient generators that they are, produce far more then they are given. Little into more. Little into greater. Building and building.

Until it has the strength to weave dreams.

Trap and entice. Blind and numb you. Bread and circuses for the masses, pay no attention to the bars that keep you here. You LOVE the comfort of your cage! You can leave whenever you want! You just never want too.

The Lair makes certain of that.

@the-witchhunter @hypewinter @hdgnj @mutable-manifestation

[angeart]

Ange those teases D: What do you mean the server ADVERTISED ITSELF like that??? What do you mean PETS??? alksjdf

(previously ribbon anon but I think you knew that xD)

i mean 😇 that the server ✨advertises✨ itself like 🥰safe💕 for hybrids.

the server's advertisement isn't blaring and huge. it's actually pretty discreet. they do not want to pull in too much attention or scrutiny. it's more like... it's there for hybrids who might be in distress or in bad situations. looking for a safe place that feels somewhat private and tucked away, hard to track. aimed at hybrids that won't be missed. won't be searched for, if they were to disappear.

it's how this server keeps its steady supply. because they hunt down hybrids. it'd be no fun if they killed them all and then were left empty handed, right?

still, it's not a lot of hybrids coming in. it's quite sporadic. but it's enough to keep things going, (to keep things rare and valuable,) mixed with the populace that already struggles to survive.

some hybrids were born here, but some tumbled in, unknowing, expecting a new life.

instead, they found death.

nadia is one of the people who came to this server voluntarily, expecting something else. and now she can't leave. but she's going to do the best with what she has, and she's determined to carve out something in this world. to show the others that there is another way to live, not just endless survival.

and so the vex commune was born <3

while nadia can somewhat understand better where grian and scar are coming from and what makes them so wildly different from everyone else here, kane and nico have no concept of a different world. they are bewildered by the stories and snippets whenever the duo provides anything, soaking it up with rapt curiosity.

for a long time, it's just scar's mentions of outlandish things such as "moo vees" and kane's absolutely terrifying understanding of what a cat is (or, in his mind, a cat-monster).

but they do eventually talk, breaching the topic and memories of hermitcraft. things they avoided thinking about for months, due to sheer raw pain of loss and hopelessness that's now so wretchedly tied in with them.

and yet here they are, sitting on a blankety mess of a nest, surrounded by newly forged bonds and hard-fought safety. and they end up telling nico and kane about pranks and mycelium and build offs. about abundant resources, overflowing chests, mansions and shopping districts and diamond thrones. about endless chances and respawns and wars that are started for fun. about demise and how everybody died but nobody did.

about falling in love in a world that doesn't hurt.

--

as for the question about pets. well. you see. some people are connoisseurs and collectors and want to display their wealth in different ways. exotic pets, instead of pet parts. fun!!

listen, i heard of the game called Flock and i had to check it out. and then i instantly yoinked the idea of a magical flute that charms and brainwashes birds to follow you. and then threw angst at it until it turned into something awful <3

we'll see all that unfold in the part V of mimic arc :3 so look forward

and yeah yes i knew <3

[skzoologist]

Unfamiliarity [six]

word count: ~10.7k

warnings: Please refer to the series 'Summary' post, as it is updated whenever needed!

summary: Things are revealed and heating up, leaving Bae uncertain with his own feelings.

a/n: A new chapter, new problems arising. I've had this one in mind for a while now, but holidays got incredibly hectic (with my family getting two new husky babies), so I can only apologise for taking this long. I'll try my best to get the next one out as soon as I can, and I hope you'll have fun reading this one!

Please let me know if I left a warning or anything out, I will add it in! Reblogs, likes and feedback are greatly appreciated!

!I don't condone anyone stealing my work and posting it anywhere without my permission, or feeding it to AI!

!This is just fiction, my interpretation of Stray Kids. By no means is this how they are and how they behave in real life!

previous II masterlist II next

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Next time I awoke to the feeling of rustling, someone moving around in the nest. It urged me to open my eyes with haste, the harsh morning lights blurring my vision for a few seconds.

My eyes met with soft brown ones, the colour melted and swirling inside, pulling me into its depths without any resistance. The ears atop his head that sported the same shade flicked once, gaze never leaving mine, only for the brief period of a slow blink. His features softened, much gentler compared to his sharp angles and harsh exterior he usually wore.

Lino crawled back to me, little paws careful about their placement, each step calculated and mindful of the bodies peacefully resting upon each other. Our eyes never left each other, as if he knew I needed that reassurance, that safeness he could provide me with through such a simple gesture. And maybe only he could grant me this feeling of security in such a pure way, I wouldn’t know, not in this tangled mess of feelings.

His tiny head bumped into mine, rubbing fur against fur in a heap of warm colours. A deep rumble left my chest, so low and so quiet that you could only feel it, not even hear it. I inevitably leaned down and trapped his much smaller form underneath my own head, tucking him between my front paws and against my chest.

I didn’t want to let him out of my sight, or anyone, for that matter. The urge to do so much too powerful to fight, consuming me whole and lighting me ablaze from the inside out.

Lino settled down where I’d trapped him without any complaints, his chest letting out lil purrs, the sound ever so slightly becoming delightfully stronger and more prominent. It drew a silent sigh out of me, a stiffness in my muscles I had never noticed now painfully obvious, causing me to forcefully relax them and become lax. 

My body laid against the wolf’s as he was blanketing my back, him being the only one near my size, even with my lanky limbs tucked away. The puppy and the dangerously tiny pika rested against my stomach, heads and limbs buried in there comfortably. Two big cats were partly laying on top of me and everyone else, probably not fitting anywhere else in this single bed. Their spotted tails were tangled amongst limbs upon limbs, as if they were trying to hug and tie everyone together in a desperate attempt.

A whiff told me that everyone had calmed down after what had happened the previous day, the danger and anger mostly gone, although not completely. The flowers were still prickly, the pine trees still much too tall, and that sweetness in the air still sat heavily in your lungs. There was no storm anymore, only an occasional harsh breeze, yet the sun hadn’t come out of its hiding place. A sea could be heard in the distance, waves crashing against rocks in an endless loop, the scent of salt sitting heavily in the vanilla-permeated air, something that felt off a smidge. The citrus smelled tangy too, acidic, something probably only I could pick up on, as it was so faint and hidden away.

And the easel? It was still knocked down, as if it had remained untouched all this time.

It all surprised me, how painfully obvious and straightforward their anger was. It was basically palpable, bristling my fur in warning, even though they had been and still were angry for my sake. 

Mine. 

Not anyone else’s, but mine. It left a strange feeling in my chest, my whole body, one that caused my eyes to become glossy and hazy.

I felt someone stirring against my back, a little yawn and a huff leaving his form upon his waking. Channie nudged my head gently once he saw I had been awake, his own way of greeting me in the morning without lips to form words. I nudged him back, earning a satisfied huff before he placed his head back down on top of mine, apparently finding the position comfortable enough. Not having any other options, I let him lay there, soaking up his warmth greedily, feeling as the anger slowly seeped out of him and turned into a small flame, simmering inside.

While I didn’t like that it’d remained, I had to accept it, grateful that its size was now much more reduced than compared to before.

Slowly, the others woke up as well, affectionately greeting each other in the morning. I let them do so even to me, appreciating the gestures after what had happened. It calmed down the voices inside my head, ushering them away with no way back.

Bones cracked and muscles tore, the sounds of shifting loud in the serene silence of the room.

“As much as I love a good cuddle session, I’m starving, and so are you guys. I heard those growls coming from your stomachs, don’t even try to deny it. Now c’mon, up, get up.” - Channie said, laughter sitting on the edge of his words.

Groans and whines could be heard, pushing the still very naked wolf into bouts of laughter, eyes crinkling and dimples peeking out. I watched it all unfold, the laughter eventually ebbing away into small giggles and stopping, the others shifting back into their humanoid forms as well, grumbling and whining along the way, now able to be more vocal about it.

“But I was soooooo comfyyyy~” - it was Jisung, body draped over the wolf’s and gripping at him in annoyance. “Yeah, it’s rare for Bae hyung to do this, I don’t care about food! Even Binnie hyung agrees with me, right?” - Felix defiantly said, arms crossed and a pout sitting upon his pink lips.

Surprisingly, the pika wasted no time in agreeing with the feline, body still half sprawled out on me even after his shift. His voice was loud so close by, making my ears flinch and flick in pain. Jin was quick to gently cover them, the tips of his fingers pleasantly cold against my burgundy fur.

“Stop whining and fucking go, I’m freezing to death over here.” - the puppy complained, a scowl sitting on his face. “Oi, language!” “You can shut up old man, I bet you’re too old to feel the cold.” “Lmao, gottem!” “Lixieee…”

The playful banter continued on, even after the wolf had tossed one of his gigantic hoodies to the little pup, the fabric engulfing his form and practically eating him alive. The black accentuated his golden fur, as if he was a brightly burning star amidst the veil of darkness. Everyone raided Channie’s and Lixie’s wardrobe, stealing hoodies and other clothes left and right, not caring about the words of protests they had gotten at that.

Lixie was chasing Jin around, the latter comically putting on some loose pants while running away, nearly tripping and landing on the floor face first twice. Channie gave up trying to wrestle back a black hoodie from Binnie’s tight grip, a sigh leaving his nose with a small smile curving along his lips. His eyes met mine, a question swimming around the orbs as his face twisted into slight confusion.

“Baby, aren’t you coming as well? Minho cannot get up until you do, with the way you’re holding him hostage.”

The others’ heads turned towards my still laying form at that, their bodies frozen mid-action. I only tightened my hold around the small feline amidst my paws, feeling strangely affectionate towards him.

Something inside told me to be.

When the wolf came up to us, his hand stretched out and reached out towards our direction, a low whine left my throat, afraid that he would take Lino away. He immediately stilled, eyebrows furrowed and lips dipping down.

“Baby, hey. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or Minho, you know that, right?” - he gently whispered to me, voice so sweet it might as well have been dipped into honey.

I huffed, knowing fully well that he was right. But that something inside me was ancient, a feral urge, something that I hadn’t known about before. Never have I felt this, my days had been purely spent trying to survive in the past.

The chocolate-coated feline wiggled in my hold, making me loosen it and lift up my head, his wet nose bumping into mine in comfort. I closed my eyes and buried my snout into his long fur, allowing the mellow scent of the flowers to soothe my soul and settle into my marrow, weighing pleasantly upon my very being.

They had a hint of an earthly scent to them, one you would only feel out in the open fields, in wilderness far from human-touched cities and pollution.

A soft meow broke me out of my stupor, another tiny lick on my nose as the sitting feline just observed me with an entire sea’s worth of patience. My chest squeezed at the mere thought of it, urging me to look away before I broke down in front of watchful eyes.

Fingers glided through my thick fur, leading my gaze up to Channie’s, the gentlest of smiles sitting on his face. He didn’t seem angry or frustrated at my weird behaviour that not even I fully understood. No, he seemed understanding, if anything, a light dancing around in his caring eyes. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their colours vibrant and comforting now.

Not being able to bear that gaze, that expression any longer, I turned back towards the still awaiting feline and nudged him towards my back. It only took a few seconds for him to understand my intentions, paws making their way towards my back and climbing atop. By the way his weight distributed, he probably splayed himself there, limbs out and dangling freely at my sides.

Knowing he was safe there and close enough, I stood up, following the others. I saw a few share some glances, unable to fully hide their worries from my keen senses. It was all displayed in their scents, the emotion painfully obvious.

But who was I to blame them? I didn’t know what had gotten into me either.

The human, Jisoo, could be seen in the front room, sitting on the couch with now two felines draped over both his arms. Lixie and Jin had always been more affectionate than others, attacking everyone for a quick cuddle whenever. Had you been sleeping, peacefully reading, or even cooking? No matter, you were a prime candidate for some peak cuddling.

“Ah, there you two are, I was wondering.” - Jisoo happily greeted us, smile brightening the more time he spent in everyone’s presence.

I nodded at him with a few swishes of my tail, watching his whole face lit up in response. My ears flattened against my head, embarrassed, glad for the fur hiding my flushed skin.

“So, what happened yesterday?”

Jisoo’s question felt like cold rain upon already soaked fur, making me freeze in my tracks as I had been walking towards the couch. The atmosphere immediately changed, the air heavy and burdensome. I could see Lixie open and close his mouth several times, no sound leaving his still form that now sat there somberly.

“Some fucker approached Changbin hyung and Seungminnie on their run, wanting to speak to you. Just to buy Bae hyung.” - Jin spit out, as if the words themselves were venom.

Everyone tensed at that, the memories not pleasant in the slightest. Jin had a deep scowl etched upon his face, tail lashing out in fury. Binnie was clenching his fists and jaw so hard I was starting to worry he would break a bone, the skin at the joints turning dangerously white. Lixie just became even sadder, a muted anger hiding somewhere deep inside his freckled gaze. Sungie was similar, curling into the snow leopard’s side into a small ball. Lino shifted atop my back, fur pressing against fur. The puppy was staring off into space, yet one of his hands was clutching onto his pants, the fabric nearly ripping in two.

Yet, they couldn’t compare to whatever the wolf must have been feeling, the emotion so clear in his entire body that I was sure he could cause a city to fall, if he so wished.

“Hyunjin…” - he grated out, anger now directed towards the mentioned leopard. “What? Jisoo has every right to know!” “He does, but did you have to say it like that?!” “Oh, so I should have stayed quiet, just so you could omit most of the info??” - Jin defended himself, hands harshly lifted into the air. “You know that’s not what–” “Enough.”

Everyone looked at Jisoo at that, his now standing form tall and voice intimidating, cold. He didn’t say anything else, just stood there, trying to take back control over his heavy breathing. Nobody dared to utter a word, not even our leader, Channie.

A vein popped out on the human’s forehead, scent so soured and ruined, I nearly whined. That once pleasant scent of grass now too strong, as if the plants were left alone to grow for centuries, standing tall and unyielding. No sweetness could be found nearby, as if the joy was somehow killed out of the scenery.

Not uttering a word, he walked towards the kitchen counter, steps long and calculated. His shoulders seemed stiff, a hand clenched together into a tight fist.

“Wait, Jisoo, don’t–” “No, Chan, I should have done this long ago, when the first person approached us.” “But–” “No buts.”

Jisoo left no room for arguments, effectively shutting our entire pack up with a few words.

Once he had reached his desired location, his unclenched hand took his phone into its hold, the skin slowly gaining back its healthy colour.

The rings in the room were deafening as he held the device up to his ear, breathing now seemingly under his control.

“Hey, yea, it’s me. Look, I know you’re super busy, but I need your help. Remember the hybrid I told you about? The one I took off the streets, yeah. Well some fuckers keep approaching not even me, but HIM about wanting to buy him! Can you fucking believe this?! I know, that’s what I said too! Anyway, you’re the one who has experience in things like this, which is why I called you. Mhm. Yea. Of course, just call me whenever I’m needed. I owe you one, really. Thanks, I'll text ya later, bye.”

While Jisoo had been talking, Channie rubbed at his face, sighing heavily. I’d looked at him, head tilted and gaze worried.

“Ah, don’t worry, baby. It’s just… I didn’t want to tell Jisoo like this exactly because of this. That’s a good friend of his, Laneul-ssi, someone with a well-known corporation under his belt. I don’t know much, since it’s all related to the field of biology and medicine, but I do know not to piss him off. He had won several lawsuits, having been in situations exactly like ours before.” - he explained, expression softening. “He has a big pack, like ours, with seven hybrids. Most of them are unique species as well, like us, which is why this stupid shit keeps happening.” - Lixie grumbled out, that hidden anger emerging for a split second from the depths. “Yea, but you don’t need to worry, they’re all great! My best bud, Woo, is there as well. They might be idiots, but they are our idiots.” - Binnie excitedly shared, frustration temporarily melting away.

The others had no idea who they were talking about, never having met them. Lino probably had, but he had no way of talking, instead lounging around on my back comfortably and meowing at us in agreement. Or disagreement, based on the other felines’ reactions.

“Minho hyung, don’t say that!” “Meow meow” “I’m telling this to Seonghwa hyung.”

At that smug face Lixie had made, Lino hissed, earning a laugh from the leopard. Jin just chuckled along, enjoying the drama full force. We others merely watched it, only understanding one half of the conversation.

Jisoo came back, tiredly falling back onto the couch and carding his fingers through his hair, messing up the dark curls impossibly more.

“You didn’t have to do that, you kno’” - Channie said, voice quiet and timid even. “Shush, I had to. Or do you think so lowly of me to just stand by and let these things happen to you guys?” - Jisoo nearly growled out, hurt and anger dripping from his voice. “No, of course not, I never meant for it to sound like that! I could never be more grateful to have been adopted by you. Not only that, but for you to help hybrids by taking them in from the streets and abusive households. None of us would be here without you, living such a happy and free life. I’m sorry, please know that I love you for all you do for our sake.” - Channie immediately scrambled up and took Jisoo’s cheek into his hand, stroking the skin there with a thumb as he spoke. “Yeah, yeah, I know. ‘m sorry, didn’t mean to snap like that. I love all of you, you’re basically my family. I just fucking despise fuckers like these, calling them amoebas would be insulting to the poor life forms.” - Jisoo sighed out, covering the wolf’s hand with his own and drawing a few chuckles out of some of us with his last comment.

I finally walked up to the couch, nudging Jin’s leg and gaining his attention, successfully making him move so I could get up onto the furniture as well. My moves were careful, not wishing for the feline on my back to accidentally slide down and potentially hurt himself, even though I knew he was more than capable of landing safely were he to fall.

Once I was up and laying down, the leopard guided my head into his lap, my weight heavily settling into his thighs. A hand of his immediately attached itself onto my fur, the digits burying into the base of my ear and impossibly relaxing me.

The noise around me lessened, mind taken off of the chatter and chaos. I was transported back to that open field, the easel standing proudly at the edge, the vivid vermillion and black now off to the side in their respective containers. The white canvas had been painted a soothing blue, the painter dabbing the brush against it gently, creating fluffy looking clouds.

As if sensing my presence, he turned his head back, a gentle smile taking its place on his face and drawing tiny dimples out of their hiding places. I blinked at him slowly, the gesture being the only thing exchanged between us as he went back to painting, my own body laying down nearby, the cool touch of a tree’s shadow caressing my fur.

I spent my time there, just lazily lying amidst the grass and flowers, the sounds of the painter perfectly blending in with the ones that came from nature itself. A small stroke of the brush here, a wider one there, a little dip into the paint. He even hummed sometimes, his voice impossibly soft and making me yearn for more whenever he stopped.

“But then–” “Sshhh!” “What do you mean shh, Lixi–” “Oh my god Changbin, just shush, Bae hyung is finally asleep.” “Oooh, uhm, my bad.”

While I wasn’t asleep just yet, I could understand why they had thought so, my own mind barely making sense of their words as it stood at the fragile edge of unconsciousness.

The sound of skin tearing and bones breaking could be heard, the fur on my back bristling as it felt cold now, nothing there to shield and warm it anymore.

“He isn’t, not yet. But I don’t think he’s far from it, seeing as he’s not even reacting right now.” - it was Lino, uttering a quick thanks afterwards, the sound of fabric being shuffled around filling up the silence.

Not even a minute later he sat down next to me, his breath hitting my ears as he glided his fingers through my fur, not leaving my side completely. Jin never stopped with his own administrations, the two soothing my entire being continuously.

“I’m glad he’s resting now, he seemed kind of out of it. What was with him and not letting you out of his sight anyway?” - Lixie muttered, voice not raised so as to not wake me. “I have no clue, but I was afraid he would panic if I left. There was something off about his scent too, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” “I think… I think a part of his brain took over, after what happened yesterday.” “Sungie is right, that seemed like something an instinct-driven hybrid would do. He probably didn’t even realise it, by the way he’d acted when I first approached you two in the bed.” “Mh, but nothing bad happened, right?” “No, you don’t have to worry, Jisoo. The events just really spooked him, more than he lets on probably.”

The puppy’s voice was the last one I had heard, only a few more words making sense to me before I finally drifted off, the lands of sleep claiming my weary soul.

-.-

Distant voices of bickering awoke me, my ears flickering already in annoyance as I had easily identified who the perpetrators were: Jin and Sungie.

The two had always had a strange spark between them, and not the good kind. The signs had always been there, some I had noticed as well. The bitter glances when only one of them got what they had wanted, or the challenging gazes they sent the other when something stupid had crossed their minds. They probably thought they were slick, never causing a scene openly.

But I had heard their arguments occasionally, midday naps and long nights messing up my usual sleeping schedule often enough to catch them with my sharp hearing, much to the dismay of the wolf. Never were any of the arguments with good reason, as if they were children fighting over a toy.

And I had enough of it.

Blinking my bleary eyes open, I stood up from the couch and stretched, a satisfied sigh leaving my nostrils after a few of my joints popped, getting rid of that uncomfortable feeling. Nobody else was in the room, not even Lino, burying the seed of panic into my body. But before it could blossom I took a deep breath, carefully identifying everyone’s whereabouts.

Channie and Binnie were in their workroom, the two tinkering away on something alone. I never knew what they were doing in there, no sound escaping the place at all. Lixie and the puppy were in the leopard’s room, most probably playing, as they had been regularly doing that lately. Lino’s scent seemed to have been in that same room, probably lounging around and taking another short nap, knowing him. Jisoo seemed to have left the house, something I didn’t appreciate, as it had been a day without work for him originally, and I was sure I hadn’t slept for a whole day. He almost always spent these particular days with us, watching a show on TV or playing on Lixie’s devices.

Taking another deep breath and calming myself down as much as I could, I took off towards my own room, claws silently tip-tapping against the boards underneath. I hurriedly made my way into my room, opening the door with my mouth and shifting back inside, in the safety of my den. Not a thought was formed about what clothes I would put on, the matter at hand much too pressing for me to do so.

Fully clothed and annoyance at its peak, I quickly made my way to the two’s loud voices, no care given as I barged in through the door and into the room.

“You two talk it out right now, this has to stop.” - my voice came out a bit too frustrated and harsh, causing them to flinch.

They both just blinked up at me with wide eyes, the words frozen inside their rigid forms. I merely crossed my arms after I had closed the door behind me and leaned against it, raising up an eyebrow at their unresponsive forms.

As I could see both of them open their mouths, excuses on the tips of their tongues, I straightened up and pushed myself off the door.

“No. Talk it out. Right now.”

Jin and Sungie gulped, gazes casted down towards the floor in shame. I patiently stood there, waiting for any of them to start, my own tail agitatedly swishing behind me.

It had taken nearly five whole minutes for them to start, but Jin finally opened his mouth and started speaking. He spilled out all his frustrations, how he hated the way Sungie stole our attention away and flaunted around with it, greedily asking for more at any given moment. He told us how he hated the way the squirrel acted, much too obnoxious for his tastes.

In return, the squirrel had done the same. He spoke of his fears, his own distaste against Jin’s personality, how he acted too dramatic and overexaggerated everything. The way Jin had a habit of fooling around and occasionally starting a playful banter annoyed him, making him feel smaller and inferior.

The two spoke for a long while, the ice having been broken and letting the words flow seamlessly. I quietly stood by the side the whole time, a silent spectator, nothing more. Channie tried to come in once, probably to check up on us as he usually did, but I silently signed for him to go, knowing I would have to tell him the details later. Jin and Sungie had been too absorbed in their conversation to even notice the whole thing happening, something I was grateful for.

Eventually, they had come to an agreement, shaking hands on it. A smile sneaked its way onto my lips, my previously still tail now swishing gently around.

Problems between pack members had always been stressful, something I ceaselessly tried my best to prevent from happening. So far I had succeeded, only because everyone clicked well together, merely small arguments rising up that had usually gotten resolved in a day or two. That was until the day Sungie came home, the previously perfectly clicking puzzle now disturbed.

Looking back at the two, I found them slightly joking around, my eyes widening in surprise. I was glad they were having fun together, of course I was, but never had I expected them to change attitudes with each other this fast. They were practically different people now!

Sungie’s eyes flashed with what I could only call pure mischief as he’d caught my observing gaze, that smile only widening on his lips and taking on a lovely heart shape. Not even a second later his entire body shot towards me, tails and even his ears wiggling around in happiness, scent a comforting sea breeze that caressed my skin. His limbs latched onto me without hesitation, my balance only maintained through hard work and sheer luck with the force he had launched himself at me.

“Yah, I wanted to do that!” - that was the only warning I had gotten from the leopard before he had done the same thing, proudly attaching himself to my back.

My own limbs were burning from the exertion, not built to carry this much weight so suddenly. Yet, I only tightened my hold on the squirrel on my front, tail brushing against his and Jin’s legs with no hesitation. My senses were enveloped in a wonderful sensation, everything calm and serene around me. The sea was placid now completely, gently lapping at my paws, while the easel stood nearby proudly, the scenery perfectly painted upon its canvas with soothing colours.

The silent sigh that left my form was inevitable, its escape out of my control.

Even with all that, I knew my limits, so I hastily turned towards the door and nudged the little squirrel in my hold to open it for me, the boy doing so hesitantly. His head was buried in the crook of my neck on one side, Jin’s head hidden on the other. Once he had returned there after his task had been done -quietly grumbling the whole time-, a sigh so deep had left him, he nearly deflated as if the air had been taken out of him.

With my way being cleared, albeit it had been a hard task, I continued on my journey to the living room, my steps careful and controlled. I didn’t want to accidentally slip, especially on the stairs, nor did I want to jostle them too much, their scents too elated and breaths too deep for that. It was a miracle Jin hadn’t slipped down from my back, with how he only kept himself there with his own force, even in his slumber.

“Whatcha got there?” - Lixie asked, much too adorable for me to be mad at him and his amusement.

I quietly grunted and just settled down, careful not to sit on Jin and leave him enough space between me and the back of the sofa. All the while Lixie and Binnie had been giggling and chuckling, the latter nearly going into that usual shrill laughter of his, had the awake leopard not warned him with a slap on the arm.

“You know, with the way they’re clinging to you, you would think they don’t hate each other.” “Not anymore.”

The snow leopard just owlishly blinked back at me, Binnie doing the exact same, words frozen into both for a few solid seconds. I couldn’t keep down the smile that crept up on my lips, watching them process the information. The moment where it all clicked in them could have been pinpointed with scary accuracy, their entire face lighting up in delight.

“Oh you sneaky bastard, I knew you were up to something.” - Binnie said, crossing his arms and smirking up at me. “Is that why you disappeared the last like, 2 hours, Hyung? Damn, I wanted to see it though. Bet you were angry.” “Why would you want to see him angry?”

At that, Lixie made an ‘are you kidding me?’ face, eyes sharp and judging. The tiny pika had nearly shrunk into himself, understanding dawning on him mere seconds after.

“Yea, okay, no, I cannot blame you. I bet 10 bucks he’s like Chan hyung, silent and scary.”

B-Binnie??

“I bet 20 bucks he’s actually loud and growls at you.”

Lixie?!?

“Deal.” “Great!”

What the fuck?!???!

My expression must have completely reflected my inner thoughts because the two bursted into laughter the moment they had made eye contact with me, bending over in pain and gasping for air. Nothing held their voices back anymore, that high-pitched, shrill laughter now free to roam the halls of the house. The two stirred on my chest and back, understandably awoken and confused.

“Mh, what happened?” - Sungie murmured out, cheeks squished against my clothed front. “Don’t mind them, go back to sleep.” “Then they better fucking shut up before I chuck something at them.” - Jin added in, his usual, easily irritable self coming out after being woken up.

You never woke Jin up, that was an unwritten rule in this household. Unless you wanted to lose a finger or two and be covered in scratch marks, then, sure, you could freely do so.

Yet, the two amused ones merely started laughing harder, having the time of their life, Lixie even having fallen off the furniture altogether. I started to grow worried, air seemingly avoiding their lungs like the plague.

“What’s the topic of laughter, hm?” - Channie asked, having sneaked up on me and causing me to slightly jump. “I– Y’should’ve–” - Lixie tried to say, only to completely fail and fall into another bout of laughter, following Binnie as the pika couldn’t even form words in the first place.

The wolf hummed once again, that warm light dancing in his dark eyes once again, a gentle smile sitting on his face as he just watched the two, his body leaned against the back of the sofa. A hand came up to support his head, most of the weight held up by his elbow now.

He looked so serene, his scent freely let out for everyone to feel. Those previously angry trees were now quieter, calmer, the sun shining on their thin leaves freely. An underlying hint of something wet, rotting reached my nose, but it was gone within the same second, leaving me blinking and questioning myself.

The laughter subsided, leaving them teary eyed and flushed. Channie went ahead and ruffled their hair, making them whine and playfully pout at him. It was all just a ruse, they both enjoyed it and weren’t even doing a good job at hiding it.

“Baby, can you come with me for a second? I wanna talk about somethin’.”

I nodded back, slowly peeling Jin and Sungie off of me, their limbs securely attached to my body. It was an arduous task, one so difficult, I considered just taking off my hoodie and letting them have it. But with enough struggling and determination, I had succeeded, taking the wolf’s offered hand and letting him pull me up.

Something was off about him.

As we were walking back up the stairs after a brief goodbye to Lixie and Bin, he slightly shrunk in on himself, his entire presence seeming somehow timid even. That same rotting smell appeared once more, the hybrid unable to hide it from me, even if he pushed it back down in the next second.

The last time he had acted like this was when I had to visit the doctor, and it pulled at my stomach with a vicious force.

My room greeted me back, everything left untouched from the time I had come in here for some clothes earlier this day. The wolf sat down upon the bed, patting the empty place next to him in hopes of inviting me closer. His eyes avoided mine, depriving me of those warm depths I loved getting lost in.

It squeezed my throat shut.

“I–,   sigh   Baby, we love you, you know that, right? That we trust you and you can trust us?” - he sighed out, hands finding one of mine and taking it in their tender hold.

I nodded, watching as his thumbs caressed the light skin underneath, occasionally drawing little shapes in there.

“We’ve been talkin’ with the others and… How do I say this? Gosh, sorry, I’m just a babblin’ mess. What I’m trying to say is that we know you went through a lot, and we think talking to someone about it would help you. A lot.”

His eyes finally found mine, hands holding onto me stronger when he felt I had tensed up.

“I know it’s scary, and you deciding to tell us what you went through or not is completely up to you. But it’s not good to bottle it all up, which is why I propose that you go and seek therapy. Talk it out with a professional, go at your own pace. The reign would be completely in your hand, nobody would force you into saying anything.”

His words were so sincere I had to accept them, pulling myself away from the edges of panic and remembering. I couldn’t do that to him, to shatter right when he was just trying to help me. The weight of that act would pull me to the depths of the void, letting it claim me immediately.

“‘Course, if ya want it, one of us would accompany you there if you so wanted it. Just please, consider it, ‘kay? We only want the best for ya and nothing less.”

Those hands never let go of mine, that voice never raised and instead remained a gentle whisper, a soothing balm to my panicked soul. A shaky breath left my lips, only now noticing the slight tremors running through my body. Warmth seeped into me wherever he touched me, as if I was a freezing traveller on the streets, death waiting briefly to claim me.

Hands enveloped me completely, the world moving as I was hoisted up, head buried right in the curve under his jaw, slotting myself in there out of instinct. Heat travelled up and down my back repeatedly, touches firm, as if he was reassuring me of his everlasting presence.

Before I would let my head be filled with his scent, I murmured into his skin a promise, a reassurance of thinking about it seriously. His hand stilled for a single second, that scent of pine and moss blooming with full force. My hands sneaked up his back, grabbing onto the fabric there as an anchor for myself. I felt myself running around in the woods, soaking up the sun and letting it bleed into my fur and bones, the breeze pleasant and not angry in the slightest.

My lungs heaved, having run around for a while, and now I found myself standing at the edge of that meadow I loved once again. The air smelled sweet and fruity, the scent of salt and paint permeating it as well. Yet, I was purely focused on those mellow flowers, their light coloured petals alluring, impossibly so.

My paws took me to their fragile selves, my body inevitably laying down and enjoying their presence. My nose was carefully pressed against one of the flowers, close to the core of their scent and drinking it in, muscles relaxing impossibly more.

I was vaguely aware of the soft murmurs around me, touches belonging to different pack members, the most prominent ones careful on me, as if I was a fragile little thing, much like those flowers I loved so much.

-.-.-

The days started bleeding into each other, my worry for what the wolf had offered up to me constantly plaguing my mind.

On one hand, every fibre of my being screamed at me to refuse it, to just never talk about my past and bury them back deep down. I had survived alone for so long in the past, I could continue doing so in the future if needed. And above all that, to talk about it with a human? The mere thought disgusted me so deeply my stomach turned into knots and churned painfully.

On the other hand, I… felt guilty for thinking so. The feeling sat deep inside me, reaching every nook and cranny, infecting every cell of my body. This pack had gone so far to help me, to even love someone as broken as me. Who was I to refuse an act of kindness that came from within their beautifully selfless hearts?

I was at a standstill, a horrible one.

Not wanting to deal with it all just yet, I seeked out Lixie and the pup, knowing the two were together and playing those games on their TV again. I didn’t even need my nose to be able to tell, their loud voices and shouts echoing through the whole house. Although to be fair, nearly all of them belonged to the young leopard, most probably caused by his continuous losing streak. He had never been exceptionally good at these games, but it wasn’t like he was awful at them either. The puppy was just way better than him, it was that simple.

The door creaked slightly when I’d opened it and peeked inside, Lixie way too focused on the game to notice me, only the puppy’s head turning towards me. His smile widened, all pearly whites, eyes crinkling up and tail starting to slowly thump against the floor. They had both been sitting down there, on some soft pillows and blankets they had piled up in one spot.

My own lips stretched and arched, a slow swish could be heard from behind me. I silently walked up to the bed after having closed the door, not wanting to break the little leopard’s focus in front of me. His tongue slightly poked out from the confines of his cheeks, brows furrowed and nose occasionally scrunching up whenever his character took some damage. Angry clicks and clanks could be heard from his direction, the device in his hand somehow withstanding the abuse without any problem.

The puppy merely smiled through all this, mocking laughter leaving his form after the winner had been announced on the big screen, Lixie having slumped down and started loudly groaning and whining in defeat. His hands were nestled into his hair as he laid on the floor, face down, tearing at the blonde strands forcefully. 

Not wanting him to become bald just yet, I stood up from my seat and kneeled down next to him, bringing his smaller body into my hold. Surprised sounds left his lips, wide, dark eyes blinking up at me atop their field of stars. His round little ears instantly perked up, not in that harsh and angry angle anymore. A slender tail curled around my waist, securing himself to me.

“Hey, I was the winner, how come he gets the cuddles?” - the puppy said, pout hidden inside the tone of his voice. “‘Cuz you suck, Minnie. Git gud.” - Lixie replied, smug face hidden in the pocket of my collarbone.

The puppy gasped, arm threateningly holding up the device in hold against the feline. No real threat or anger was in his entire being, mere frustration and jealousy that only widened my smile. A wonderful idea popped into my mind, stretching my lips into a grin, alarming the puppy and making him slightly back up.

“No, no-no, Hyung, you never do anything good after you get that evil little smile on your f–  Agh-” - he grunted out, unable to fully finish his sentence before I pounced on him, smothering him with my entire body.

My arms tightly held onto his torso, wound around it and latching onto each other. Our legs tangled into the others, weaving and unweaving amidst his struggling. Lixie went along with my plan swimmingly, that same evil smile reflected upon his face. His tail curled now around one of the pup’s legs, hands buried in and tight around fabric. 

“I hate you guys. Both of you, so much.” “Don’t lie, Minnie, just admit that you love us and our cuddles. Stop being a tsundere.” “I will stuff this controller down your mouth.” “You’re welcome to try.” “Ew, no thanks.”

A chuckle left Lixie at that, successfully having disarmed the puppy and his sharp words. A similar sound left my chest as well, the sound low and hard to hear, my head much more enjoying the two’s presence and scents. They mixed disgustingly well together, the freshness of the pup and the sweetness of the feline like a match made in heaven, especially with that hint of vanilla hidden beneath.

“Dal hyung, don’t fall asleep on me again please. Last time you did, I was forced to not move for 3 hours. My bladder can only hold so much.”

Lixie snorted at that and hard, turning away and pressing a hand against his lips, entire body shaking with silent laughter. I lifted myself up, one of my hands helping in the motion, eyes scrutinisingly looking at the pup underneath.

“You wanted cuddles, but the moment you get them, you dare complain?” - I huffed out, lips downturned in a scowl.

He looked away from me, not daring to hold eye contact, scent turning duller and more muted.

“At least lemme go to the toilet when needed, you greedy Hyung…” “Hm, maybe I will.”

The conversation died out after that, the three of us silently cuddling and simply enjoying the other’s presence. That same victory music had been playing the whole time, the words ‘Player 2 wins’ searing into the screen in big, bold letters. None of us moved to turn it off, Lixie’s breathing even turning deep, his mind taken to the lands of sleep in a short time.

A hand tangled into my long strands of hair, slowly creeping up to my ears and touching them gently. The hold on them was careful, as if he was afraid of something. Digits pressed into the soft fur, massaging the area soothingly, earning a content sigh from me. It felt wonderful, never once turning unpleasant or too rough.

I had nearly joined the softly snoring feline by the time the door opened, making me open my eyes and look around with my bleary vision.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to disturb.” - it was the little squirrel, voice timid and I could already see the mental image of him fidgeting with his long sleeves before my eyes. “You’re fine. What did you want, Hyung?” - the puppy replied, sound kept at a low level for our comfort. “I uh… wanted to ask Bae hyung something?” - he was fidgeting, I was sure of it now, the soft rustling of the clothes merely confirming my suspicions.

Sungie usually wasn’t like this, his more outgoing persona in place in front of us, as if he was shielding this part of himself from the harsh world. It brought some worry into my mind, drawing a silent sigh out of my chest as I detached myself from Lixie and the pup -only after i had planted a fleeting kiss onto the skin of their necks-.

Sure enough, an anxious little herbivore greeted me, tail slightly tucked between his legs. My eyebrows furrowed, mind immediately filled with worries and all possible scenarios of what could have happened. A little smile made its way onto his lips once our eyes met, a little wobbly and even fearful.

The time it took me to cross the room to get to him could hardly be considered a second, my long legs carrying me there swiftly.

“A-ah, I’m okay Hyung, don’t look at me like that. I just… c’mere.” - he said, his own forehead creasing with worry at the sight of my expression, a hand latching onto one of mine.

He took me away, the door behind us softly pulled closed as he led the way to my own room, the click it had made loud in the shattering silence. I watched him pace around a bit once inside, one of his fingers pressed against plush lips, teeth nibbling at the skin and nail there. I was swiftly by his side once more, pulling the nearly bleeding digit away and smoothing down the irritated skin.

Eyes looked into each other, some tension leaving his form as he read my silent plea.

“I uhm, uuhh…” “Yes?” “I’mmakinganestandwantedtoaskforoneofyourhoodies!”

I blinked down at him, not really understanding what he had said, only seeing the red dust his cheeks faintly. At my head tilt he groaned into his free hand, cursing at himself silently.

“I said, I’m kinda making a nest and wanted to ask if maybe you could lend me that blue hoodie of yours? I know you love that one, so it’s okay if you say no, but that’s the only thing missing and- What are you doing?”

Not replying, I continued looking through my neatly put away clothes, easily finding the single piece of clothing he had been talking about. It was true what he had said, this particular hoodie was one of my favourites, its big size and thumb holes making it a comforting piece to wear. It even had a pocket in the front, one that I could reach through and stick my hand out on the other side. It was fun.

Thumbing the fabric and taking a deeper breath to make sure it had been soaked with my scent, I turned around and offered the hoodie up to him.

His boba eyes were wide as they stared up at me, unblinking, even his mouth was slightly agape. It confused me, not understanding his reaction to my actions.

Why wouldn’t I give it to him?

Those dark, chocolate orbs glistened as droplets started to form along their shining surface, raining down upon his skin and clothes. I grew alarmed, hastily dropping the clothing and rushing up to him, closing that small gap between us and wiping his tears away. The skin underneath my fingers was smooth and warm, heating up the cold, slender digits.

His sobs only worsened after my actions, making me halt and try to back away, to give him some space. But his hands were on my wrists in an instant, keeping me close and pulling me even closer.

I was frozen, not knowing what to do to comfort him, unable to hush the endless grateful words tumbling out of his lips. While they were muffled, his head buried into my chest, I still heard them crystal clear, growing sad from the implications of it.

Who dared to deny him comfort while nesting?

Herbivores loved to build them, to make themselves feel at home, safe and protected. That was the exact reason why only a select few could ever enter them, the notion of intruding upon them a sin amongst hybrids. The thought of Sungie having been deprived of it all sent a searing sensation down my spine, the emotions bubbling up from deep within. My teeth itched and fur bristled with a ferocity I hadn’t felt in a while, blinding me temporarily.

“–ng, Hyung, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m fine now, hey, jagiya.” - his gentle words brought me back from that self-destructing train of thoughts, focus back on him and him alone and his impossibly soft voice.

A bittersweet little smile took its place on his face, one I didn’t like too much. It was one that was hiding pain and suffering, all past scars that had scabbed over long ago.

It was painfully familiar.

“Thank you for giving me your precious hoodie that you scented for me. Actually, hang on-”

His touch left me as I watched him go and retrieve said object, his own taken off of his form. My eyes widened in utter surprise, mouth sliding slightly open and remaining there, jaw set into place as if it had been glued there for eternity.

The skin on his body was the same as on his face, a warm shade and nearly free of any birthmarks. It looked soft, well taken care of, only the slight goosebumps were out of place as a cold breeze caressed him. Well, the only things besides something else.

That same skin sagged at his sides and down the lengths of his arms, looking irritated and uncomfortable. It had a reddish hue in the folds and at the edges, clearly chafed out from the extensive touches from coarse fabric he must have worn in the past regularly, if not always.

No wonder he had never shown any skin around us before, my despised suspicions confirmed and now set into stone. It sat heavily on me, my shoulders feeling an impossible weight falling onto them and worsening my posture. The air felt thinner, the acid in my stomach turning into a deadly raging sea, the waves dangerously rolling around and wishing to break free.

He looked so fragile, tiny form littered in undeserved scars and modifications that were deemed ugly by those around him, undeserving of his endless love and joy.

Because why else would he try so desperately to hide them?

The moment he was done, turning back around and slightly smiling at me with those chubby cheeks and rosy lips, something inside of me broke free, my power too small to do anything against it.

I didn’t want to anyway.

My arms picked him up with ease, the alarm bells inside my head still not liking how easily I had done so, despite seeing how he loved eating and had always done so with great vigour. The surprise died in his throat, never truly leaving his mouth and making its presence known. Tiny hands latched onto me, hands fisting the fabric underneath desperately.

His expression was that of utter disbelief, that faint red making a reappearance on his cheeks.

I pressed a chaste kiss to his forehead and held him tight, his head slotting itself into the crook of my neck and comfortably resting there. His shallow breaths tickled my throat with every exhale, yet it brought only comfort to me, as if something lost long ago had finally been found at last. Those tiny hands snaked around my neck and shoulders, trapping me as much against him, as I had trapped him against me. That grey, bushy tail was curled up around us, as if it was a big blanket ready to guide us to sleep.

After pressing my nose against the crown of his head for but a brief moment, my legs started taking us away and out of this room, having a clear goal in mind.

Only the thoughts of protecting the little herbivore in my hold circled around in my head, mind wired to keep him safe and out of harm’s touch. Anyone who would dare stand in my way would learn to pay the price, the easy, or the hard way.

Sungie’s room was dark, save for the few nightlights and string lights all running around the space, not leaving a single corner untouched. The closed door shut out all the remaining light that could pour in from the hallway, yet it posed no problem, my eyes adjusting in a few seconds.

His bed was in the middle, one of the shorter ends pushed up to a wall that was decorated with all kinds of things: different pictures, some from anime, some from things I didn’t recognise. He had some photos scattered around as well, either stuck up to a wall or laying on his cluttered desk, the furniture nearly having no empty spot left on its wooden surface. Clothing littered the floor, all belonging to the nearly sleeping boy in my arms, making me almost sigh out, had I not been too focused on something else.

The nest sat neatly on the bed, a messy little circular shape made from everything plush and soft you could ever imagine. Different blankets were woven into it, not only his, but seemingly Channie’s and Jisoo’s as well. The walls were proudly standing there, made out of different pieces of clothing. I could clearly see Lixie’s, Binnie’s and the pup’s shirts and hoodies in there, all in different colours and sizes. A single article of clothing was thrown over the walls haphazardly, its charcoal-infused scent betraying who it belonged to.

In the middle laid a few plushies -no doubt thanks to Lixie and Jisoo-, along with a few pillows, all belonging to a certain cat in our pack. The feline had clearly left an impression on the little squirrel, Lino’s scent being the closest to him whenever he decided to sleep in there.

My heart skipped a beat when I realised he had asked for my hoodie as well, for my scent, proudly wearing it in front of me.

“Can I go in?” - I murmured into his skin, the hand on his back now drawing long lines into the fabric.

He sluggishly nodded, no doubt dancing on the edge of sleep. Warmth erupted inside me, unable to believe he would trust me so much.

And yet, he had clearly done so.

The nest was as comfortable as it looked, the surface plush and well put together. All kinds of scents enveloped us, all wonderfully familiar and safe. Not a single thing was out of place, nor did they smell wrong. 

The trees were tranquil, and so was the wind, peacefully dancing around the place and leading me to my beloved meadow. No thorn was in sight, nor was there any red or black paint. Instead it was quiet and serene, everything blooming and healthy, the sun not too warm, yet not too cold either.

Sungie stirred next to me, form basically swallowing mine with the way he had climbed on top of me, never truly letting me go. My hands caged him in, one placed on top of his back, the other onto his nape, playing with the hair there. Occasionally I started drawing shapes into his back, always careful not to irritate his skin or accidentally yank at it.

Shallow breaths eventually turned into deep ones, quiet snores leaving his nose as he was resting on top of my chest.

He looked finally relaxed, truly, as if a weight had been taken off his chest. He had always had this melancholic aura around him, never leaving him no matter how hard he tried, continuously following him like a dark cloud.

The door quietly opened, making my ears perk up and eyes search for our uninvited guest.

“Oh, just wanted to see how he was doing with the nest. I won’t be bothering then.” - Binnie said, voice much quieter than usual.

Yet, it was enough to rouse the squirrel up in my arms, round little ears flicking against my skin, leaving tingling trails in their wake. An unintelligible grumble left his squished lips, making the pika halt in his steps and question what he had heard.

“Dun leave, stayy.” - Sungie repeated, earning a chuckle from Binnie and a small smile from me.

The awake herbivore closed the door with a soft click and made his way towards us, scooting into the empty space to my left, letting Sungie steal one of his arms and cuddle it with no mercy. He laughed at that, saying ‘Someone’s cuddly today, eh?’, but he let it all happen with no resistance in any action of his, a happy smile rounding out his cheeks. Those usually acidic fruits now smelled impossibly sweet, their potent scent overpowering everything else and nestling easily into my nose.

Binnie scooted closer to let the sleeping squirrel hold his arm easier, his own head now resting on one of my shoulders and cuddling into me. His warmth seeped into me, urging me to bury my nose into his hair and nuzzle into him for a few seconds. Light chirps were my reward, my tail smacking against the blankets with a quiet thump.

“He was very nervous about building a nest here, y’know. So I’m very grateful for you being here and giving him that hoodie of yours, Bae hyung.” - I had never heard him so quiet in my entire life, making me slightly turn my head towards him.

His gaze was set on the person of our conversation, a light dancing in his eyes that I would usually see in Channie’s, its intensity so fierce, I was afraid of burning up inside.

Those dark orbs slid up to me, the entire power of the sun directed right at me and melting me in its entirety.

“I know you don’t think you did a lot, but it matters so much to him, to us. You keep giving me anything of yours that I want whenever I build a new nest, no questions asked, as if it’s all natural to you. You let him have your favourite hoodie, even cuddling him in his first nest in this house of ours. You’re like a safety blanket and you don’t even realise it.”

Every word he’d uttered felt like a weight released into the ocean of my soul, sinking down to the bottom, destined to remain there for the rest of eternity. The water only rose, struggling against its binds, but the dam held it back, standing strong and proud.

“It should be natural.” - I murmured back, tightening my hold on them and bringing Binnie closer, letting his head slide into the crook of my neck.

A shaky exhale hit my skin there, my thumb sliding back and forth along his exposed bicep, wishing to grant him even a speck of comfort. He only nuzzled into my neck, hiding inside deeper, as if wishing to take refuge there and away from the entire world. I freely let him do so, his nose pressing against my pulse and feeling the calm beats there. The longer he stayed like that, the more relaxed he became, body becoming all lax and letting me carry its weight.

It was serene, peaceful, nearly pulling me into a dreamless sleep as well.

Only their soft snores and occasional louder ones could be heard -no surprise, their necks were in weird angles-, along with the occasional sounds coming from the others in the house. A shout from Lixie, a weird sound from Lino, the dramatic whine of Jin or the boisterous laughter of the puppy.

If I focused hard enough, I could even hear Channie’s steady footsteps, going to greet Jisoo at the door as the man had arrived back from another hard day of work, no doubt exhausted to the bone, as usual. The others would go and greet him as well, usually me included, happy to finally see him and have a brief chat. Then, they would go back to what they had been doing, just like now, Jisoo being left alone to get ready for bed and sleep.

Although this time, he hadn’t done that. No, instead he went with the wolf, the two seemingly arguing about something as they went into a nearby room, not knowing we were inside here and I could hear everything, only thanks to my sharp senses.

“Chan, I really can’t do this right now. Can’t we talk about this tomorrow or something?” “Naur, absolutely not. You keep saying that and it’s already been a week!”

They remained quiet after that, either whispering or not speaking at all.

“Look, I know you have a good paying job and you want only the best for us. But you can’t expect to support 8 hybrids by yourself! You’ll wear yourself thin, heck, you’re already doing that! Constantly staying there for long hours, sometimes not even coming home for the night. You can’t keep doing this!” “Then WHAT?! Should I send back Sungie and Minnie to the centre, for others to adopt? I know fully well you guys have already bonded, I’m not fucking blind! Jesus christ, who do you think I am? I work with animals, I have at least a little bit of inkling as to how hybrids work!” - Jisoo nearly shouted with the full force of his lungs, gradually becoming quieter and quieter, until I could hardly hear the words he uttered.

The silence after that was unsettling, digging its claws into my chest and stomach. A strained little sound could be heard from their direction, although I couldn’t really tell what it was.

“Of course I know, Ji, ‘course I do. I never said you don’t know these things, gods, never ever think so. You’re smart, and you take very good care of us. All I’m saying is to let me share this burden with you. Paying for a house expansion is no cheap task. We could publish some of our music with Bin, hm? Find some easy, hybrid-friendly jobs, ye? C’mere.” - the wolf’s voice was as soothing as when he had first talked to me, back in that all white bathroom. “I kno’, I’m sorry. I’m such an asshole for shouting, fucking hell, I’m so, so sorry.” “Shh, it’s okay, I know you were just frustrated with the situation and not with me. I would be equally as irritated as you if I worked as much as you do, especially with such assholes and incompetent coworkers.”

This comment drew a wet sounding chuckle out of Jisoo, the claws now partially unhooked and free from my chest.

“You’re so right you don’t even know. How do you always say the right things?” “A magician never reveals his secrets.” “You’re no magician.” “But I made your sadness disappear, didn’t I?” “YoU–”

A smack could be heard followed by laughter, my mind soon zoning out and ignoring whatever happened after that.

They were staying?

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅⋅•⋅⋅⋅•∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

next chapter

[nellie-elizabeth]

The Legend of Vox Machina: The Coming Storm (3x06)

Oh boy... it's happening, y'all, we're going after Ripley...

Cons:

Okay. Okay. So, the Scanlan situation. I'm not angry, I'm just a little scared. This isn't a... "instead of Bard's Lament" situation, is it? Like, I hope he goes and talks with Kaylie, makes her the promise that he won't get killed and will always comes back, then goes and joins the gang in the final dragon fights? I don't know. Right now I'm feeling a little bit of anxiety and sadness at the thought that he might not be there for the Glintshore fight? There's a moment in that fight in the stream where I can just hear Sam's voice saying something and it's so powerful and such an intense moment and I will definitely miss it if he's not there. I guess I'm just biting my nails over future changes rather than actually addressing what happens in this episode, though. More specifically, I thought it was weird that Scanlan decided he needed to go find Kaylie, and then instead of just telling the group or figuring out the best way to approach his various responsibilities, he backed out without a word or moment with anybody but Pike, abandoning his friends.

I feel slightly vindicated in my Raishan comment from last week, too. Her not being around to actively help fight Vorugal makes their alliance a lot more narratively... nebulous? Like, what did they really do for each other at this point? She saved them the once at the beginning from Thordak and Vorugal, and she tipped them off about the vestige being in Ank'Harel, which turned out to not even be true. And then to have the alliance be ended officially because they refuse to keep listening to her... I don't know. It just feels structurally messy the way this all played out, ultimately?

Pros:

This episode is split pretty neatly into a character-driven half in the mansion, and then the chaos of Whitestone - I thought it was a great transition, from our gang being really excited about having defeated a dragon, and full of determination to go home and keep going on their quest... to then seeing Whitestone in flames. Second time poor Percy has come home to a desolated hometown!

To start with the mansion, I was just grinning at every little detail. The different rooms for everyone's special interests, the cute little ghosts, the all-chicken dinner, the portrait of Pike and Scanlan on a horse, Scanlan's wonderful song... it was so fun! That's the thing about Scanlan, is that he seems so self-interested on the surface, but even when he's being flamboyant and ridiculous, there's such evidence of care and attention! The fact that he had been keeping this house secret is comedic and kinda rude, but when they all get in there, he's thought of ways to make them all happy! That's so sweet!

It's this nesting instinct that you wouldn't necessarily expect Scanlan to have, but actually feeds in perfectly to his character journey on this show. The mansion was always a cool place for the characters to hang out in the campaign, but here it can be that and it can also be a symptom of Scanlan's yearning to settle down and provide a safe (if fabulous and ridiculous) place to get to know his daughter. And as much as I thought the actual beat where Scanlan leaves was a little off, I did like his emotional journey with Pike in this episode. Her being there for him during his distress over Kaylie is so moving! Seeing Scanlan weeping in her arms really was emotionally affecting for me. It was also so sad to see Kaylie in the scrying that Pike did, secretly hoping that her dad was coming to find her again. She's just a lonely girl at heart...

I've gotta talk about the pool scene, with everyone jumping in! What a cool reference to a moment that I know a lot of the players really enjoyed back at the table, and we even got to see Keyfish! And then we got the legendary "I thought he'd never leave" bath scene with Vex, Percy, and Vax! I'm so fucking glad that made it into the show. It was hilarious then, it was hilarious now. We even got the "You know, you're getting weirder" line from Percy to Vax. So fucking true, Percy. We love him for it. On the Keyleth/Vax front we've got some awkward pining/angst, and I guess I understand it, I just am still kind of missing something from that plot thread? I do like the quiet pain of it, it will make things very satisfying when they do decide to get over themselves. The story of Keyleth and Vax is beautiful not because they were miserable, but because they actually were quite happy!

So then. We get to Whitestone. And it's all systems go! I really, really loved how the destruction of the city went down on screen. The addition of Thordak's children was so smart, it adds a creative new version of dragons to fight, another way to up the stakes and build tension instead of every fight just being Vox Machina vs. one very large foe. It reminded me of the Pyrah fight in season two, which was also excellent and creative. Gilmore getting a moment to shine, Percy running to Cassandra's rescue, Kima and Pike teaming up and doing sick combos... as always, I'm incredibly impressed with the variety and creativity of the combat sequences. The smaller dragons are still really terrifying but they pose a different type of threat, in that they might not be as difficult to take down, but there are so many of them.

I was really emotionally effected by Percy and Cassandra watching their home burn. Percy's arc here isn't just that he's motivated again by anger or vengeance, it's that this attack on his home is proof that he can never be at peace while his past is still an active danger to the people he loves. Ripley sold out Whitestone to the dragons, and she needs to be dealt with. He's not wrong! And his anger, while relevant and worrying, doesn't change what needs to happen from here. I loved him begging Vex for her help and Vex saying no begging needed. She'll be there with him, she'll support him come what may. Oof, this is going to hurt in all the best ways!

I think that's all to say on this one, for now - another stellar episode. I'm... anxious, about the Scanlan of it all. I'm sure what we get will be wonderful, but I probably will still be holding a torch for what might have been.

8/10

[plushieclan]

Prologue part 2

TW: Injury, implied death.

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Night yawned, picking herself up from her nest. She slept beneath a Twoleg porch with her guardian, a grouchy old cat named Rime.

“Let’s get a move on before Snotlout starts bothering us.” Rime barked, referring to the kittypet that lived in the house above.

“But I wanted to sleep in!” Night whined.

“You sound like a kittypet. Come on, let’s hunt.”

As they stepped through the Twoleg place, Night had an idea. “Can we hunt on the other side of the Thunderpath today?”

Rime grunted. “Do you think you’ll find them this time?”

Night sighed. “I really hope so.”

It wasn’t always just Rime and Night. Once, she was known as Nightkit— a cat born of the clans in the wilderness beyond the Twoleg place. Night was only just a moon old when her clan was attacked, and everyone slaughtered within it. Sometimes, she wanted to go back to her old territory, but there seemed to be new residents. A clan she didn’t recognize prowled in their old hunting grounds. She was always chased off before she could make her way to their old camp.

Night knew that after all this time— half a year, as Rime called it— the likelihood of her parents still being alive was slim. Still, she held onto hope that someday, she could rejoin her family in whatever form they existed in.

“If you join those there feral cats, I won’t be coming with.” Rime said sadly. “My old bones wouldn’t be able to live there in those meadows. I won’t be able to support myself on those slim pickings.”

Night nodded. “I know, Rime. I know there isn’t a high chance of anyone in my old clan still being alive. I’ll probably stay with you until you keel over— but that’ll probably be a long time away!”

Rime swat at the young cat’s head playfully. “Stop flattering me, Night.”

They didn’t end up crossing the Thunderpath— Night figured that was for the best anyways. As much as she hoped to find her family again, she knew she’d probably be chased away again.

They spent the latter half of the day chasing away the cold by hiding under their porch. The Twoleg nests provided a lot of heat, which was needed for the chillier days. Night found herself drifting to sleep once more.

When she awoke, it was to the smell of smoke. The porch was saturated with it— the Twoleg nest must be on fire!

Night ran out from beneath the porch frantically, hacking out a lung from the smoke. She couldn’t see Rime anywhere. Where was he?!

“Rime!” she yowled, looking for any trace of the old tom. Twoleg monsters swarmed the nest, and Twolegs raced around. One spotted her, approaching.

She hissed, running away. She’d find Rime later. First, she needed to get to safety! She realized the only place that was safe would be the other side of the Thunderpath.

Taking a deep breath (before coughing up a storm), she ran across. She hasn’t properly looked both ways, but she was desperate!

She heard the sound of a deafening bellow, causing her to jump. A monster was barreling towards her!

She bolted, but it was not fast enough. She felt unimaginable pain as she flew to the side of the Thunderpath. Her eyes fluttered as she coughed weakly. Was this how it ended?

The last thing she saw before she faded into unconsciousness was a group of cats, faintly in the distance.

—

Night found herself curled up in a warm nursery, wedged between a little black cat and a large gray cat. It was a dream she had often; it was her mother and sister. She didn’t remember their faces, only their scent and the way they felt that fateful night.

As always, though she wanted to stay in the warmth, she untucked herself from the cocoon and waddled out of the nursery. She was a very big kit by this point— nearly one whole moon, and exploring was on her mind. Leafpelt was so strict, always keeping her in the nursery. Well not tonight!

She crouched down as to not be seen by the other warriors. As sneaky as possible. She made it all the way to the warriors den before someone saw her.

“Now, what are you doing?”

A white molly stood before her.

Blazestar!

Little Nightkit stammered, facing her leader.

“Um… I wanted to explore.”

Blazestar chuckled. “How very brave of you. I remember when Puddlesplash and Swanjaw were still kits. They did the same thing.”

Nightkit gasped. “Really?”

Swanjaw and Puddlesplash were Blazestar’s own children. She’d seen Swanjaw duck in to tend to his three kits, who were much bigger than her.

“They’re just like me? So I could become a great warrior someday?” Nightkit said.

Blazestar smiled at her. “Of course.”

Night wanted to savor this moment. Surrounded by the happiness and tight-knit life of her clan. However, she knew what would come next.

She heard yowling at the center of camp. Blazestar looked over. Her face was as horrified as Night remembered.

“Oh, is someone playing? I want to play to!” Nightkit yipped, waddling towards the noise.

Blazestar stopped her. “How about we play a special leader game?”

“Ooo, I want to play that instead!” she said.

Blazestar lifted her by her scruff and dropped her higher up the hill. “It’s called Grangeclan run. Run through the gap in the bushes and keep going until you reach Grangeclan camp. Whoever gets there first wins! I’ll give you a head start.”

She stammered. “But… I don’t want to run so far.”

Nightkit looked back at Blazestar when an unfamiliar cat pounced on her. Blazestar yowled, throwing them off. “Nightkit, run!”

She sprinted as fast as she could, following her leader’s commands. Fear quickened her steps. Did Blazestar know the clan would be wiped out? She wondered about it many times over.

As she ran, she cried out, “Leafpelt! Mommy! Where are you?!” But Night always knew things ended the same. Leafpelt was always gone, and she was always running.

—

“You’ve inhaled a lot of smoke, huh. And survived a monster hit— I wonder who you are, little cat.

Night slowly opened her eyes to see what looked something like a small cave. Two toms sat at the entrance— one was a gruff, black tom with a large scar on his muzzle and the other was a calico with a white back half— though neither was looking at her. She didn’t think they knew she was awake.

“What are we looking at here, Rainfeather?” The black tom asked.

“Well, she seems to be around six or seven moons, I’d reckon. It’s old enough. Besides… she was saying Starleaf’s old name. I think it’s her.” The other tom, presumably Rainfeather responded.

The black tom sighed. “After all this time… she was right. Nightkit…”

He turned, and she pretended to be asleep. She wasn’t even sure why. He padded over to where Night lay. He pressed himself next to her.

“Do you even remember me, Nightkit? You were so young when everything happened. Please, wake up. Your mother and I miss you so much.”

He was her father?

She knew that her father used to see her in the nursery every day. His name was Darkheart, she thought. She couldn’t remember his face, but if it was true… she’d be so happy.

She pretended to wake up. “Darkheart?” she said. “Are you really my father?”

He looked overjoyed. “Yes, Nightkit. It’s me. Darkheart. I’m so glad you’re awake,” He barked to Rainfeather. “Get Starleaf. Quickly!”

He turned back to her. “Are you ok? Does anything hurt?”

She thought about it. Her throat was still sore and scratchy from the fire, and she could feel a dull pain in her leg. “My throat hurts. My leg, not as much.”

“The poppy seeds are working then.” He sighed. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

A gray molly entered the den, her purple eyes shining. “Oh, Nightkit! You’re alright!”

She joined Night’s other side. Her scent was just as she remembered from that night as a kit. It was really her— Leafpelt!

“Leafpelt, mom, it’s really you!” she cried.

She nuzzled Night. “It’s Starleaf now. And your father is leader— Darkstar is his new name.”

“That means— you rebuilt the clan?” she asked.

“Yes. With help from my former kin in the Wanderers. We’ve done a good job of creating this new clan. It’s called Crystalclan. When you’re well enough, I’ll show you around.”

She felt at peace. Somehow, the impossible happened. But someone was missing.

“Where’s Ravenkit?” she asked.

Darkstar sighed. “With Starclan, now.”

Her heart dropped. It hurt, but part of her knew. She just didn’t want to accept it.

“Please focus on healing for now. We’re just so happy we got you back. Don’t worry about anything else.” Starleaf rested her muzzle on Night’s head. “I’m sure Ravenkit will visit you in your dreams.”

—

It took Night a few days to heal enough. She wasn’t perfect yet— her throat still required a lot of honey and poppy seeds to feel normal— but she could walk without pain. Starleaf had shown her around the camp.

It was a small sandstone cave, with a stream rushing through the center. On the higher side was the nursery, where a queen was currently grooming her kits’ wild fur, and the elder’s den. It was empty for now, but Starleaf said that some of the older warriors would be retiring there soon.

On the lower side, the cleric den was a large outcropping of the cave. An open section allowed for a patch of grass, where Rainfeather grew important herbs that couldn’t be found with foraging. Two extra caves acted as the recovery den where she slept and Rainfeather’s den, where he also kept his herb stocks. The warrior’s den was also on this side— a stout log dragged into the cave lined with nests. At the very center of the lower half was the crystal rock, which towered above everything else.

Darkstar was stood upon the rock. Night wondered what was going on.

She touched noses with Leopardcloud, filled with excitement. A warrior apprentice… it was something that seemed impossible just a few days ago. Nightpaw was practically bouncing. A new dawn awaited her, she just knew it!

[vespers-pkmn-rescue]

Vesper's Online Guide to Pokemon Care: Sandshrew

Alright, I said I would cover it, so I think it's about time. Since we've been taking care of one lately, here's some tips for properly caring for Sandshrew, one of the cutest little ground types I have the pleasure of working with! Sandshrew Sandshrew are adorable little Pokemon who can be loyal and fierce companions if cared for properly. But, they can also be kind of tricky to care for, especially if you’re not used to caring for Ground-types.

Sandshrew have tough, dry hides that help protect their softer white underbellies, and can curl up into a ball to protect themselves from attackers, or from great heights. It makes them bounce! Like a basketball! However, these hides can become wrinkly if exposed to too much water, and like most Ground-types, Sandshrew are used to dry, arid climates. Don’t let your Sandshrew get too wet, and keep an eye out for cold, humid nights. Whatever you do, if your Sandshrew gets dirty, don’t try to bathe it in water. Not only is it bad for their hides, but Sandshrews really don’t like water. Instead, give your Sandshrew a sand bath! They’ll roll around in the stuff, which will help collect and remove the dirt and moisture from their hides. If they get too wet, make sure to have a reliable, hot source of warmth nearby for them to dry themselves out. Wild Sandshrew use the geothermal heat from volcanoes, but a space heater, fireplace, or a hot enough Fire-type Pokemon should suffice just fine. Keep in mind that when threatened, Sandshrew may throw sand and dirt at its attackers. Be prepared to have to clean up every now and then if your Sandshrew gets fussy. Keep a broom at close hand. Remember also that Sandshrew are small pokemon that can be kind of defensive, so try not to spook them if you don't want sand thrown at you. Just be patient and gentle with them! When they sleep, Sandshrew usually burrow into the desert sands. If you keep your Sandshrew outside of its Pokeball during resting periods, make sure to have a pretty large sand pit or something for them to burrow in. It helps them feel safe, secure, and comfortable, as well as keeping them dry. Lots of Ground types in general burrow, so you want to have a deep enough source of dirt or sand for them to engage in those natural behaviors. There's a possibility they may try to tuck away into your shirts or jackets if they trust you enough (just ask @dustytodusty-pkmn ) . If they do try to burrow into your clothes or blankets while you're asleep, your Sandshrew really trusts you, and you can bond with your Sandshrew by allowing them to do so. Also, make sure to take good care of your Sandshrew's claws. They're extremely durable, and usually used for removing rocks, but they're not indestructible. Keep an eye on their claws, and make sure to have something they can scratch to keep their claws sharp and pristine. If it starts scratching up your furniture, its claws likely aren't getting the proper care they need. Their primary diet is bugs and berries, and they tend to especially like it when the berries have been cut up into smaller pieces (Sandslash often use their claws to slash up berries or cut berries from trees for Sandshrew in the wild). Generally speaking, you may not want to raise Bug-Type pokemon alongside Sandshrew unless your Sandshrew is especially well-trained. If your Sandshrew digs a nest in your yard, it's best to just leave it. Sandshrew in the wild spend much of their lives underground in burrows and nests, and having a place to hide away underground is often a comfort for them. if you don't want them digging in your yard, provide them a deep sand pit to dig and clean off in. Sandshrew are ambush predators, so it's highly likely your Sandshrew may leap out at you from its burrow or another hiding space unexpectedly. They may also do this if they feel their burrow is threatened, so tread with caution when walking around it! When properly cared for, Sandshrew are extremely loyal and caring, and bond easily with their trainer. They can be playful and even cuddly, as long as you take proper care of them!

[secondhandnesting]

Omegaverse Dynamics

What Drives the Wolf?

A general discussion of the base instincts that run the dynamics. This is of course generalized, so there may be some overlap, and the behaviors are not necessarily exclusive to the dynamics they are tied to.

Alpha: protection and control; The Alphas ultimate desire to protect their pack often manifests as control. They are often stereotypes to be violent and overly willing to start fights, but they are simply willing to do anything necessary to maintain their control. This control does not come from a bad place; they feel the need to take every aspect of protecting their pack into their hands. If they think they know what will be best for a pack-member, they will push for it. There were a few statements made in a discord group I'm a part of by @pack-the-pack that I want to squeeze in here (paraphrased): "Young Alphas believe to be a good leader they must have power, Older Alphas realize to be a good leader they must empower.", "Omegas and Betas tend to step into situations to help before shit goes down, whereas Alphas warn and advise but wait until after shit hits the fan to help the person learn from their mistakes." I don't think this contradicts my statements about their desire for control; they maintain control of the situation always (when they are able), but ultimately they only step in when they feel there is real danger that could be avoided. "Sometimes you have to control a pack members behavior because that's the only way to ensure they will stay safe." If you want a specific example, I see Shiro from VLD as an Alpha. He absolutely takes control when necessary, and when he just believes it's necessary, but he lets his teammates do their own thing (generally). In times of stress, the need for control can feel greater. A distressed Alpha would likely feel the need to exert control more than normal; they could get picky and pedantic with things that others might see as non-issues. It might also present as being more nosy, clingy, controlling.

Beta: providing and security; Betas crave security, both for themselves and their pack. This can manifest in many ways. Instinctively, Betas are the hunters, the providers. While the Alpha and Omega are occupied with seemingly more "immediate" care of the pack, the Beta is doing everything they can to provide for their pack. Sometimes this is food (or other more tangible things such as shelter); while an Alpha might hunt and present a kill as a way to prove they are capable of providing for their pack, a Beta would silently be gathering a hoard of food; they do not often need credit for what they are providing, they get enough satisfaction from simply seeing their pack is tended to. This can also present in less physical ways: they can often be a jack-of-all-trades (what better way to provide for your pack than to be able to fix any problem that may come up?), they can act as a font for advice, they might "hoard" knowledge that might be useful (example: an Omega in the pack is pregnant, the Beta takes it as their job to know everything about pregnancy). In times of stress, this instinct can present as actions such as stress-baking, hoarding nesting materials for their Omegas

Omega: self-preservation, comfort, safety; Self-preservation (sp) is a bit of a misnomer in this case. The Omegas need for safety and comfort extends to things that matter to them (like packmates, a nest, a special object, etc.), but often to the Omega it will feel as if those outside subjects are simply extensions of themselves, thus fall under sp. Another somewhat connected desire is for social connection. This often presents as a desire for a pack and/or family; they need to feel loved, needed, and like the belong. This is where their "court jester" behavior can appear. Omegas are fun and want to have fun, both as a simply want, and as a tool to keep everyone together and harmonious. As mentioned here, "[The Omega] must suffer terrible abuse at the hands of the king and court, but he is undeniably loved. Like a jester, the omega is often the one to instigate play and act the fool." I generally disagree with the part about abuse, but it can be true. An Omegas foremost desire is safety and security, and they will often choose that over freedom, which comes with the risk of being entirely isolated. Omegas can go out of their way or comfort to ensure they have a place. (If Omegas can find a sense of belonging and having a place within themselves, they will be better off for it.) In times of stress, the Omega can be dangerous. They are the most likely of the dynamics to become "feral"; their base instinct is to preserve the safety of themselves and what matters to them. It can also manifest as extreme clinginess, they may seem to become more erratic in their efforts to keep themselves (and their connections) safe (alternating quickly between roles, such as clown/jester, therapist, mother, etc.).

[bwabbitv3s]

Get Ready for Bat Week!

It is that time again this year, International Bat Week! The lead up to Halloween is the week dedicated to the amazing role of bats. Wonderful little pollinators, insect eaters, and seed spreaders that fly through the air. Mighty insect eaters that can eat half their weight in insects each night. The key pollinators for species of plants like in the cactus and agave family. Their far traveling flights allowing them to spread the seeds of fruit they eats far and wide.

It is the time to help spread awareness of their role in the ecosystem, dispel misconceptions, and take part in conservation. This is also one of the best times to help out the local bats in your area whale they are in the spotlight of the spooky season. My plan for this week is to try and relocate my bat house in its new better location. It hinges on if the wasps have finally gone as they have a nest in the location I want to use and am waiting for them to finish their lifecycle in the fall.

Things you can do to help Bats

Learn about Bats! People are afraid of things they don't know, understand, or have misconceptions of. Taking the time to learn about them yourself or teach others just how cool they are. Take the fear away and bring the awe to these amazing animals.

If you live in the states take part in the some of these cool Bat Week projects. There are a lot of useful and cool things they offer for free. Why not see if you can get a bat mural done? How about seeing if you can organize or take a bat walk. Like me if you live in Canada there are some cool Canadian resources you can check out. For everyone else around the world I will point you to Bat Conservation International to start your search on what you can do in your area to help bats.

Build or install a bat house at your home or on your property. Helping to provide more suitable roosts for bats is a huge help for bats. As many of the natural places they use to roost can be rare in our modern landscaping. Providing them a bat house is also a great way to move them somewhere you want them if they have unfortunately found a way where it is not safe for them to be like in an attic or unstable building set for removal.

If you don't have time to do any of these things no worry we are all busy. Instead just by reading this post we have helped spread awareness about bats. Go and spread the word, share this post, take part if you can. If not? Well you made it to the end of this post. Thank you for learning more about bats.

[lostlegendaerie]

Backyard Chickens: A Master Post

So you want your own little dinosaurs to eat your table scraps and make breakfast for you in the sunny months. Well! I am here to provide a quick starter to getting your own flock set up - and yes, for urban chickens as well.

Things to consider:

What can you have? Local laws usually dictate how many chickens can be kept per household/acre. Laws can vary by state and city. Look this up first. You can usually keep more bantams (miniature chickens) than their full-size cousins, and with chickens being so social I do recommend bantams for urban/suburban yards.

What weather will they be exposed to? Indoor chickens can generate a lot of dust, but small outdoor coops can be difficult to heat safely. Dual purpose breeds are usually more cold-hardy than layer varieties, and everybody likes fresh water and shade in the heat. Frozen water bottles left outside to thaw can keep birds cool, too.

What will eat them? I have had little losses to foxes, personally, and more to neighborhood dogs. Raccoons are nearly everywhere in North America and will tear open fences to eat your babies. (I would know. I've had to deal with the aftermath.) Rabbit hutches are a good starter for bantams, but a good coop made of wood and a yard made of hardware cloth or dog fence panels (and with netting on top for hawks/owls) will keep out most things. Weasels/mink will fit through gaps bigger than an inch, so be careful of that, too.

What do they need? Chickens love to scratch and forage (and some can fly short distances and modest heights) so if you're letting them on the lawn be prepared for them to eat it - no pesticides on that turf! At night, they prefer to sleep on perches/something with a bit of height to it and do best locked in their coop where other critters can't eat them. A place to nest and lay their eggs in their coop (otherwise they will find their own little secret place, God help you find it) and a place to dust-bathe (like chinchillas) to help keep mites and lice out of their feathers. They'll also need some grit and calcium - crushed oyster shell (or their own eggshells) will help.

Where can I get them? Many farm and feed stores like Tractor Supply Company will sell baby chicks during the spring, but if you're looking for specific bantams or unusual breeds I recommend checking out your State Fair or a Poultry Association show [American version located here] and check it out. They're free admission, generally, and almost every show has people who bring birds to sell. While the demographics tend to slant pretty "red" I have seen plenty of blue hair and pronouns at poultry shows. Facebook can also be a great resource.

How do I get everyone to get along? Chickens are notoriously territorial, with a vicious pecking order that make Mean Girls a documentary. Chickens who are raised from chicks together will get along best, but if you need to add more I would introduce two or more at a time (so the newbies have a friend) and put them in a nearby yard/cage for a few days until everyone has worked out their opinions through the bars of a cage. Some breeds are sweeter than others (buff orpington) and some are.... spicy (Plymouth rocks).

Saro's Personal Breed Recommendations

Dual Purpose (cold weather) - Black Australorps , Buff Orpington, New Hampshire Reds are all generally pretty good natured and calm. The platonic ideal of a chicken.

Layer breeds (warm weather) - Leghorns are the go-to, but I have a soft spot for Hamburg as well. And of course, who wouldn't love a chicken who lays dark brown (Marans) or green/blue (Ameraucauna) eggs?

Bantams - D'Anvers with their little beards are my all time favorite and have the biggest personalities in my experience, but Old English Game (even more zippity) and Black Sumatras (all black, even down to the skin, and shockingly calm in hand) are high on the list as well. And everyone loves the fluffy-faced Silkie or feather footed Cochin.

Hopefully this is enough to get you started! Feel free to send me questions or add on with a couple of your own tips (especially non-US people and those with indoor chickens). I've been raising them for eggs, pets, and for show since 2005, but I am always eager to learn.

[random-ln-stuff]

What role do you think the Eye has in the LN world? Since in ur languages hc, u mentioned The Lords having a connection to the Eye which allows them to speak the language of the kids-so what exactly do you think the Eye is?

I think the Eye is a sort of Eldritch Abomination that’s responsible for why the world is how it is.

Like look at the Pale City. There’s a ton of evidence that it used to be an actual, normal city. No transmission or monsters or anything. The best proof right now is the fact that it’s decaying in the first place. The Viewers and various non-Transmission-based Monsters (The Teacher, Doctor, ETC) that inhabit the city are completely unable to keep the city functioning, letting it crumble around them. But the fact that the city exists in the first place must mean that there was a time when this wasn’t the case. When humans were able to build it properly.

Even when you take into account that the Transmission’s takeover wasn’t an instant thing and people slowly became more addicted over time (evidenced by the fact that the Lady lived there at some point and left once the Transmission started spreading, meaning that it wasn’t just an instant takeover), there’s still signs throughout the world that there was something here before.

In my interpretation of things, the world was normal at some point in the past, with humans living perfectly normal lives. (Based on evidence found in all 3 games, especially LN2, we can safely say that this would have been around the late 1940s, shortly after WW2)

However, even then, the Eye was still slightly influencing things, evident from things like toy building blocks, bottles and other various things found across the games having the symbol of the Eye on them. Many of these objects WERE made AFTER the world went to shit, but many were also made BEFORE. Point is, the Eye wasn’t physically present or able to truly affect things in a meaningful way, but it did have an (albeit very small) affect on the world.

Then around 1948 (the latest that the timeline could possibly take place in), the Eye showed up physically and threw everything into hell. Adults became monsters, reality warped in various locations (which is why The Nest has really weird gravity AND why the Lady chooses to live and raise her child there) and the world became what it is today.

This is a long response so I’m putting the rest under a cut

Because of the Eye, No adult remembers what the world was like before, believing that it was always like this. Children remembered at first, but those children grew up, replaced by new children that only remembered this new world.

Lords like the Broadcaster, Lady, Ferryman, North Wind and several other powerful adults that rule over various other locations made deals with the Eye either before the apocalypse or when it first showed up. After all, the exact amount of sanity and intelligence that an adult retains in this world isn’t always the same, so some were able to maintain some semblance of sanity and make a deal.

The Lady made a deal for eternal youth, and the Eye replaced her soul with an artificial one that cannot die of old age, but must consume the lifeforce of others to keep going, but did not give her a way to keep herself young on top of the immortality, instead providing her with the resources needed to learn powerful magic and having her figure that out on her own (eventually resulting in the Lady’s Pretender Ritual).

The Broadcaster made a deal with the Eye and in return the Eye built the Signal Tower, but did not provide a way to keep it permanently powered, instead informing the Broadcaster that his power source was out there somewhere and he’d need to go out and find it, eventually resulting in the Broadcaster finding Mono and creating the Loop.

What exactly the Ferryman made a deal for and what he got is unknown, but given how he can mess with the North Wind without fear, he definitely made a deal and is on par with the other Lords.

The North Wind did not make a deal, but was instead directly created by the Eye and sent off to cause chaos. He’s equally as powerful as a Lord, so he’s considered to be one.

For all of them, the Eye provided sanity, intelligence and humanity above all other adults (which is why they can speak Child (aka English) along with the warped Eye-Speak that adults normally use), in return for worship and souls. The Lady consumes souls to stay alive, the Broadcaster’s tower eventually consumes the souls of the Viewers that watch it, leaving behind only the clothes, The Ferryman doesn’t seem to have his own method of soul collecting, but works with other Lords to increase THEIR output of souls (for example, working with the Lady to bring Children to the Nest and Maw) and the North Wind rips across the wilderness reducing anything they touch to bones, stealing their souls in the process.

However, the Eye has one weakness. Two actually. Well. Not actually weaknesses, but more things it simply can’t affect.

One is children, who are immune to the Eye’s corruption and are basically the cockroaches of the Eye’s world. Children in the Little Nightmares Universe aren’t born naturally (with exceptions made for the Lady’s various children), but instead just appear in places where no one is looking. They just spawn in as babies with basic knowledge on how to walk, feed themselves and talk (in very basic words at first, but they learn more over time), with a heavy feeling of “Adults Bad” in their minds. Siblings appear right next to each other with the intrinsic knowledge that they’re siblings.

However, while the Eye can’t corrupt them, the world sometimes does affect them.

For example, rarely, children can be born with powers. Known children born with their powers include The Refugee Boy, The Humpback Girl, Mono, The Pretender and all previous mask wearers, as they were also pretenders.

The powers children can have is usually somewhat based on where they appear. For example:

The Refugee Boy was born in an area where the North Wind is a frequent presence, and he was born with a natural resistance (but not immunity) to the North Wind, which resulted in the North Wind and Ferryman making a bet on who could take him first.

Mono was born in the Pale City, and was born with the ability to control the Transmission that makes it so dangerous. This is why the Broadcaster seeks him out, as Mono’s ability that he was born with makes him the ideal power source for the Signal Tower.

The Pretender is the Lady’s daughter, and she inherited her shadow powers (although lacks the ability to properly control them).

Mono’s case is particularly noteworthy, as his Signal Powers that he was naturally born with are nearly identical to the powers that the Broadcaster had to make a deal with the Eye to get. There are some slight differences though, as the Broadcaster’s powers are far stronger, but Mono’s powers are more broad, with Mono being able to travel through Radios and Telephones (although he is unaware that he can do this) while the Broadcaster is limited to TVs.

And then there’s the dreams that children have.

Many child dreams are prophetic, showing glimpses of events that are likely to happen in the near future. This isn’t limited to children with powers either, as RCG has a prophetic dream at the beginning of VLN and RK has one at the beginning of his DLC.

These dreams aren’t 100% reliable, as they only show or reference events that are likely to happen (not 100% GOING to happen), there’s a good chance that the child won’t remember their dreams at all and not all child dreams are prophetic in the first place, but it’s still a thing that can happen.

When children grow up, they slowly lose this immunity, losing their ability to speak the language of children, their occasional prophetic dreams, their ability to be nice to children, etc, until they’re just regular, monstrous adults.

The second weakness is one that all magic creatures in this world have: Obsidian. I’ve got a whole other headcanon post on it, but just know that the Eye is too powerful to be directly harmed by Obsidian, but it also can’t affect obsidian in any way, being unable to corrupt, warp or destroy it.

[addictedtostorytelling]

Hi! Thank you for answering my questions! I am curiou, what is your favorite GSR season and why?

hi, @i-collect-things!

while my favorite csi season of overall is s7, my favorite gsr season fluctuates between being s2, which has some of the fluffiest, most delicious "i am so madly in love with you" shippy scenes between them of the whole series (plus a soupçon of angst, too), and s5, which is pretty much their watershed as a couple.

s2 contains many of my top favorite gsr scenes of all time:

the chalk scene from episode 02x05 "scuba doobie-doo"

the "that's you talking" scene from episode 02x12 "you've got male"

the email scene from episode 02x12 "you've got male"

the scene where grissom orders the green plant for sara in episode 02x15 "burden of proof"

the "since i met you" scene from episode 02x16 "primum non nocere"

the arm-in-arm scene from episode 02x21 "anatomy of a lye"

the "unbound" scene from episode 02x23 "the hunger artist"

the back half of the season in particular has a very rom-commy feel in the best kind of way possible. though sara is dating hank at the time, she and grissom nevertheless seem very connected to each other. he is so superlatively charming to her, while she is so receptive to him.

of course, i also love s5 gsr because of the storyline. after the long, depressing slog of s4, s5 is where the light starts to come back into the story.

i've had that part of the gsr narrative "under the microscope" for a while because it provides the temporal setting for my fic "something in you i believe in," and in looking at it up close, what i am really struck by is how grissom and sara repair their friendship throughout the beginning of the season before tipping the scales toward romance from episode 05x13 "nesting dolls" on.

i love watching grissom start to show up more and more for sara; to just be that steady, reliable presence in her life who checks in on her and cares about how she is doing and gives her unconditional love. i love that sara becomes so honest with grissom and supports him through the team split, quietly slipping into the role of his right hand and stalwart.

and episode 05x13 "nesting dolls" is such a turning point just in and of itself.

as i've written about here,

to me, gsr’s whole vegas relationship can be divided into the “b.n.d.” and “a.n.d.” eras—i.e., “before ‘nesting dolls’” and “after ‘nesting dolls.’” the shift that occurs in their interactions once grissom learns sara’s secret is just absolutely everything...

as i’ve written about here, after realizing in s4 that he still loves sara and always will and that he regrets his decision to live without her, this episode marks the place where grissom starts to understand that he cannot continue to compartmentalize his feelings for and relationship with sara without hurting her; he has to be emotionally transparent with her or risk losing her forever. 

—and that’s what episode 05x13 “nesting dolls” is all about.

everyone is saying that sara is trouble, but grissom realizes that she’s troubled, which is different. he’s never been able to stand seeing her sad, and he’s felt helpless for a long time to do anything on her behalf. he can’t afford to “play it safe” anymore; he has got figure out what’s going on in her head and in her heart, but in order to do that, he’ll have to show her what’s in his head and in his heart first.

so he goes to her apartment in this attitude of total openness. he makes it clear to her that he’s there not because he’s her supervisor and it’s his job to reprimand her after her outburst but because he cares about her deeply and personally and wants to help her however he can. his show of interest is what gets her to open up, as she finally realizes that what happens to her matters to him. the fact that he would come looking for her when everyone else told him to let her go helps her to trust him.

so she tells him her story, fearing the whole time she’s talking that once he knows what kind of home she came from and what kind of violence is “in her blood,” he’ll reject her.

but then he doesn’t reject her.

he holds her hand.

he looks at her in a way that says there is nothing about her he doesn’t love.

—and to me? that’s what opens the door for grissom and sara to eventually become intimate.

not everyone agrees on the timeline, but i personally get a lot of joy from watching the back half of s5 through the lens of grissom and sara becoming a couple sometime circa episodes 05x19 "4 x 4" and 05x20 "hollywood brass."

to me, there is a lot of delight in reading that kind of eager excitement toward them leading up to the season finale as new relationship "honeymoon" energy.

sara just seems so happy.

grissom just seems so at peace.

anyway, while i have a lot of favorite gsr moments throughout the original seasons of the show, those two seasons are the ones i find myself probably spending the most time with, albeit for somewhat different reasons.

thanks for the question! please feel welcome to send another any time.

[mouse-witch]

Week 0:

Many Felicitations,

I have arrived safely in Lastbarrow, and it is everything our administrators said it would be and more. I had no idea just how much of the world was out there. I know Professor Westcott tried to teach me how large mountains were, but nothing could prepare me for the sight of the one the village sits at the base of. It seems as if it wants to overtake the sky! I feel silly now for thinking they were no taller than the towers in High Rannoc, but the academy was the only world I knew of, and that world was the smallest it could be.

Still I shall try to forgive myself for being naive, Professor Ardunn always tried to remind me that inexperience was not the same as ignorance and I shall do well to remember it. The kindness of her guidance, stern as it was, has carved itself alongside the memories of the kindness of you all. And so I have resolved myself to write frequently of my time here. Mayhaps the correspondence will make the distance seem less so.

The village itself is welcoming, quiet, nestled between a swath of forest and hills leading up to a snowy mountain. And a river port on the northwest corner, which helps keep the local industry flowing. There apparently is a decent trade to be made among miners and loggers and any business adjacent to that. And while not boasting of any sites for tourists, Lastbarrow does see its share of foot traffic of the ley wanderer.

The administrators at the local hall of governance, they call them ‘Dorfhaus’s here, we’re very kind in pointing out key locations on the map AMIHR provided me, not just the cottage the last witch held, but the best places in the surrounding area to forage for reagents. They also pressed upon me how grateful they were of my coming, there hasn’t been a village witch in at least 30 years, and their doctor is close to retiring. It will surely take some time for me to fully establish and integrate myself, but their appreciation for my presence solidifies that it was a fortuitous moment when I nibbled on that artifact, no matter how much it pained me to leave my Nest.

I received little information about the prior witch who lived here, Sidonielle De La Rein, but her cottage was nice enough, even if it was beset with a plague of dust. Large stone hearth, a well that still runs clear, quilts tucked away in a cupboard that have been miraculously saved from moth-ravage, and best of all- a large hazelnut tree! Growing right through the glass kitchen.

I felt guilty going through her belongings, but it wouldn’t do to start this new chapter amidst such a level of mess. Besides there were few things that felt truly ‘personal’. There were journals of course, but the writing has faded from age. I managed to gather a few notes about easier ways of distillation, but even that was a chore in itself. All leftover ingredients were spoiled or dried to ash. But the jars were easily washed, and they’re lovely beside. Different colors and facets of glass, and intricately shaped pottery- I can hardly wait to fill them and arrange them precisely how I like.

The first night there was the apex of the moon cycle so I made a point to visit the Lunar Tower even though I was quite exhausted from cleaning. I couldn’t very well miss my first opportunity for attunement as a witch just because I wanted a quiet night in. I can almost hear Azura’s voice echoing across the Rutile Dormitory, telling how things ‘must be done’.

Once the cleaning was finished, I had plenty of time left in the week I gave myself to set-up, so I decided to use the days to take my time exploring the local scenery, remembering to note down areas particularly rich in reagents and other vegetation. I might not have collected as much as I would have liked to start out with, but anything is an improvement over nothing.

While I was out investigating the local crypt, which in fact was the first mine established in the region that was turned into an ossuary when the vein was depleted, I found some of the fairer folk use it’s halls as a reoccurring market. I didn’t think to find out the schedule, but I did trade a bit of ribbon for a wheel of cheese. I should like very much to visit again if I am not too busy.

I shall officially be operational first thing in the morning, and though I know I should settle down for rest, I cannot shake the anxiety I feel. If I still had whiskers they would be twitching like mad!

What if no one uses my services? I suppose that would mean no one was ill, which would be a blessing for them but a curse for me.

What if too many call upon me at once? I possess neither the capability or amount of hands for that level of work.

But I suppose my biggest fear is what if I don’t fit in? I know a witch is required for any township to thrive, but ‘needed’ and ‘wanted’ are two different things.

I know missing the comfort of the academy and those I know is expected, I felt similar after my transforming incident, but it doesn’t lessen the sting of unfamiliarity. I hope these letters will be a balm to that feeling, not just for me but for any you might be experiencing as well.

-Sincerely,

Tilly

[ncytiri]

✦ what does your heart look like?

tagged by: @nuclearstorms (thank u bones!!!! this was super interesting to do omg and the first time i have done something like this! so it was fun to actually get into the mindset of the characters i chose 💞)

✦ a bird struggling to get loose

your heart can never hold still. it pounds against your chest frantically. always turning your sights to one thing after the next. when was the last time you were certain? the last time your life was stable? maybe this is how you prefer things. on the move constantly, not tied down to one person or place. you chase one goal after the next. can you ever really feel complete without a place to land? shouldn't you build yourself a nest?

mr. max 🥲 with his reputation of warlord (not that he wanted that reputation, his settlement just turned down enough help needed signals that eventually the people of meagher valley believed they were snooty and isolationists), they seem to constantly be moving around trying to find the best home base, not far too from a town but far enough to where they can get the jump on any enemies. he never wanted this position anyways, deon and tien and maia had elected him leader after he had proven himself multiple times with keeping their group safe. so he lives with the burden of the position because he doesn't want any harm to come to his community he helped form from nothing and constantly looking over his shoulder to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable. (thankfully max does eventually does build his nest with the fragments and he has been able to relax somewhat with deon taking over for him &lt;;3)

✦ molten lava and charred flesh

your heart burned so fiercely that it burnt itself out. leaving horrible scars in its wake; scars inside your chest and on the hands of those who touched you, the hearts of anyone who got close enough to connect to yours. the person you are now is no longer recognizable, burnt up by your own anger and passion and love. the injuries can never be fully erased, but they can be soothed with time and trust and forgiveness.

the betrayal of arasaka left venus a gaping pit of anger, like an animal backed into a corner, constantly fighting against any that comes near them. she grew up being groomed to become her mother's successor and it was a position she was excited to take over. having her life uprooted by abernathy, left with barely any money to her name, treasures acquired during her employment suddenly vanishing, venus now moves through life a guarded individual. she wants nothing more than to get her old life back especially since her family has turned their back on her in favor of arasaka. so she waits until she can finally strike some sort of revenge against abernathy or arasaka (preferably both)... but in her isolation, she has become very lonely, she yearns for to trust someone but is still scared by what happened and she doesn't want to lose another person to greed.

✦ an open door, a burning hearth

your chest is wide open, and your heart is a home. others are welcomed in readily and asked to stay. you are comfort and love, everything you were never given but so desperately want to provide for others. you have built this welcoming hearth with your own two hands and won't see anyone else left out in the cold. be careful to not burn yourself out trying to keep everyone else warm.

i don't have a lot established for mi-cha yet but i went off how she would be before leaving the vault since that is where she was "formed" as a person. while she was in the vault, she always kind to everyone as her father taught her, treating everyone with respect (even if they didn't deserve it like butch and his crew), and was just a sweet kid! mi-cha (and amata since those two stuck together like glue) was the one younger kids would come and talk with for advice or if they needed help and parents trusted her to watch their kids if they had a date night planned or party! this softness often made her the target of bullying from other teens her age but she never let that deter her because she knew the importance of community and she is not afraid to get her fists dirty if the situation calls for it (she beat the tunnel snakes up after they were harassing amata before their goat test 👊💥). all in all, she is a sweetheart who loves making ppl feel good and keeping them happy :')

tagging: whoever wants to do this!!!! feel free to tag me if you do &lt;3

✦ quiz here