#big yawn! put those chompers away

[rederick-ignis]

teefs

[evolutionsvoid]

I mentioned in the entry about the Nauthveli that looks can be deceiving. I bring that up again for this one, as this is another Illhveli that doesn't make its infamy obvious. Outsiders who spot these beasts laying on the shore or playing in the water may not think they are a danger. Rather, they usually find them cute! Look at them splash about and put on a show! How harmless! This is the wrong thing to be thinking when you see one, as most locals say that the correct response is fear. Fear that they will get closer to your boat, fear that they will get curious about what you are doing. Much like most wildlife, it is a whole lot of fun and games when watching them from afar, but not so thrilling when they start closing that distance. The species I speak of is the Hrosshvalur, or Horse-whale. Though it is a mammal, this "Evil Whale" is actually a seal, not a whale (nor a horse.) You can see it in the anatomy of their flippers, as well as the fine layer of fur that covers their bodies. The bright hairy mane that runs down their neck should also be a clue, but unfortunately they aren't the only Illhveli to sport such a crimson look. The Raudkembingur also has this fiery look on its head and back, but it should be noted that their crest is made of finlets and runs down the entire body. The Hrosshvalur's mane is full hair and is only found on the neck and tail. Why these two share such a look, no one really knows, but some suggest that perhaps this seal mimics the Red Crest to scare away possible predators. This mane is also a part of the reason they are called the "Horse-whale," along with other features that bring to mind the equine. Not many sea creatures sport such a full head of hair, but the Hrosshvalur is able to make it work due to the oil it secretes. This special oil makes their fur water repellent, keeping it from getting soggy and bogged down. It unfortunately makes these creatures reek, as that oil has an awful smell when brought out of the water. It is quite the pungent odor, like a strong damp musk. When they are upon the shore in their colonies, you can smell them a mile away. Perhaps this is a hidden blessing, as it keeps people far away from these beasts and lets them know when one is near. Thankfully, they aren't all that graceful on the land, as their bodies are better suited for swimming. They can crawl onto shore and even traverse hills and rocks, but it certainly is a slow and awkward process. This is why they stick to the beaches and shores, as it keeps them close to their preferred environment.

Swimming is obviously their strongest suit, and it is required because the ocean is where their food lives. When they plunge into those polar waters, they are immediately on the hunt for a tasty morsel. Since they stick to the waters closer to the surface, where the light is, they rely on sight to locate prey. Their big eyes are the tool they rely on the most, and they are finely tuned to pierce through the water and spot the smallest target. What they are looking for are fish, squid, crustaceans and even floating sea birds, all of which are torn apart by their fearsome set of teeth. You wouldn't know it when their mouth is closed, but when they yawn, you will see the shredding chompers they sport! They use their powerful flippers and agile swimming to chase down prey and outmaneuver them. Once they find their opening, they zip in and clamp on with their jaws. A quick thrash of their head stuns or finishes off their victims, and then they can devour them. When feeding on larger prey or feasting on a whale carcass, they will latch on and roll their bodies to help rip off meaty chunks. Though they are big, fast and mighty, there are plenty of other things in the sea that see them as just another meal. The mentioned Raudkembingur and the Sverdhvalur are just a few of these beasts that would consider having Horse-whale for dinner. When faced with this threat, the Hrosshvalur turns to their speed to outrun predators. Even when close combat is called for, they can use their teeth and clawed flippers to fight back. They also possess a hardened layer of skin that runs down their back, which serves as crude armor if things get dicey. It certainly isn't as strong as the Skielungur's, but it does the job! Even though they may fall prey to other Illhveli, they put up quite the fight and there are always plenty more of them! I imagine some locals wish more of them got eaten, as that would make for less problems on their end.

Like I brought up at the beginning, this species has a rather cute and harmless look, despite their size. For those who have watched other species of seals and sea lions, you may just think this is a bigger cousin of theirs. They certainly show the same playfulness and intelligence as the others. Though they are quite big, outsiders tend to see their presence as a funny animal show, some performance to be watched and enjoyed. They have seen sea lions perform at circuses before, so here is just a bigger version of it! Sadly, this is not how this species functions. Just ask the actual circuses and animal wranglers who legitimately tried to use these creatures in their shows. The boats they sent out to capture one never returned, and just take a guess what happened to the crews. While the Hrosshvalur may look like they live a happy carefree life, all that tends to vanish once strangers get too close. I mean, to be fair, a lot of things run with that mentality. If you were playing around at a park or having a fun picnic then looked to see some strangers standing there staring at you, you probably would get in a sour mood. This is how the Horse-whale thinks. They like to have fun, but other species are not invited to join in. When boats get too close, or they get too close to the boats, they tend to get angry. With their size and speed, any tantrum is a serious threat to life and limb. They can ram into boats or even leap on top of them, like a Stokkull. Their weight crushes everything beneath them, and if your ship remains afloat, now you got a furious seal on top of you. Encounters become more frequent when this species realizes that boats tend to have plenty of fish, so they flock to these vessels for a free meal. From there, things always go south. It doesn't help that they will actually eat people if given the opportunity. A person swimming or flailing in the water instantly puts them in hunting mode, so they will treat them as prey. One strike is all it takes, and folk are dragged to the depths.

Their smarts and eyesight cause plenty of problems, as they are quick to spot faraway ships, and they always wonder if these vessels have food. In their waters, some swear it is impossible to avoid the attention of a Hrosshvalur. When you see that crimson mane heading your way, you know there will be trouble. If this happens, it is advised to get the harpoons out and any hefty object you can throw. Once the Horse-whale gets close, it will tend to stick its head out for a better look. Aim for its big eyes and open fire, as that is the best way to drive it off. Sadly, you can't exactly go with the tactic of "remain calm and hope it leaves," as this species always finds a way to stir up trouble or find an excuse to throw a tantrum. Funny enough, one of the things that can drive off a Hrosshvalur is another Illhveli! Since other species eat them, it is a possible for a predator to take notice and arrive for dinner. I heard of one tale where a crew was fighting off one of these Horse-whales, and were failing to drive it away. One sailor was able to get it in the eye with a thrown blade, and it caused the beast to briefly pull back. Just as it was about to ready itself for another go at the ship, an Illhveli burst from the depths and caught it in their jaws. In a flash, the two vanished into the deep, and the waters became calm. The crew was left in stunned silence, and then quickly made their way back to shore. Clearly they had used up all their good luck for the week, so they weren't about to test it again!     Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian --------------------------------------------------------------------- We are almost there! Almost done!

[justagoddamnbranch]

I roll around in his yard. It's mine now. The whole yard. I'm putting my scent all over it. Mine.

Chomper lets out a whine, he doesn’t like that one bit.

“Eddyyy.” he calls from the windowsill.

Eddy walks out, looking extremely tired and holding a cup of coffee, “What? Is it a spider again?”

“No it’s not a spider, I can handle those, it’s this person outside.” Chomper taps on the glass in your general direction.

Eddy walks up to the window and takes a sip before speaking, “Well. Just let em be.”

“What?!”

“They’re obviously working through some stuff right now, let em be. It’s gonna be cold tonight, they’ll leave once it’s dark.” Eddy yawned, he’s trying to stay up all night and is used to going to bed early.

“But Eddy, the scent-”

“Eh, big whoop. They leave you go out there and rescent it. Nobody’s gonna care if you piss if it’s our own house and it’s nighttime.”

Chomper frowns, “I wasn’t gonna piss.”

“Want me to?” Eddy smiles before walking away from the window, “C’mon, let’s watch some tv, I think the Twilight Zone is on.”

Chomper flicks his eyelights between you and Eddy, before deciding that his husband is probably right. He backs away from the window as well and joins Eddy on the couch, cuddled up with a blanket.

[justagoddamnbranch]

((This is probably the end, other things like details or an epilogue would be counted as an aside))

Dissension part 5 

Words: 1022 Rating: T

When Chomper finally got home, his phone's clock read 11:57 PM. It’d taken him a bus ride and quite a bit of a jog, but he’d made it home before midnight so it still was technically the same day. He took a short break in front of the house to catch his breath before turning to the door. For some reason he felt nervous rapping on the door, and didn't want to use the bell in case his family was sleeping. He looked under the mat where the spare key was always hidden, and pulled it out. He quietly unlocked it and turned the knob,closing it behind him without hardly a sound. It felt strange being in his own house after so long, it barely smelled like him after only a week. He sniffed around in the dark, like a new cat figuring out its surroundings.

The hallway light flipped on, the suddenness causing Chomper to jump. Eddy slipped out of his room with bat in hand, ready to whack whoever had come in. He’d resigned to the idea that Chomper was going to be coming home tomorrow. Eddy raised the bat and was about to swing when Chomper yipped.

“Wow, you must be really mad at me.” Chomper joked, trying to laugh off his fear.

Eddy blinked, then dropped the bat and jumped forward, hugging Chomper. He started crying and a string of apologies escaped, Chomper accepting every one and shushing him until he calmed down. Eddy eventually did calm down, and called for Leo to come out of his room. Leo’d heard Eddy crying, but was busy trying to grab one of the cats from outside in case the one he’d brought earlier had gotten out. Once he caught one, he opened the backdoor a crack and immediately could smell that Chomper was home. His tail wagged in excitement and, setting down the poor cat he’d woken up, he opened the door up wider. He saw his dads hugging it out, and approached them with cautious hope.

Leo stopped once he got a better look at Chomper, seeing his legs were all scraped up, “Hey, uh, what happened?”

“I got home and started your dad.” Chomper smiled sheepishly, “It’s alright though, no damage done.”

Eddy looked down, and there sure were some scratches. It looked like a sander and lightly passed over his inner thighs down to his hocks.

“Dad made those scratches?!” Leo’s eyes widened

“Oh! No, these are from earlier.” Chomper waved it off, obviously hiding something.

Eddy pressed, “Where’d you get those?”

“Just underwater, there’s a lot of sharp rocks and it gets really dark down there at night.”

Leo nodded, he understood being clumsy. He’d scratched himself up like that running through bushes once.

Eddy looked concerned, “Well, I’m glad you’re home.”

Chomper sighed, “Yeah I am too, but we really do need to talk now that I’ve calmed down.”

“Right now?” Eddy broke his embrace and just held Chomper by the hands, “Can’t we talk about it in the morning?”

“Oh god yes, I’m beat.” Chomper yawned.

Eddy let him go off to get ready to sleep and quietly picked up with bat he’d dropped. On his way to follow Chomper, Eddy punched Leo’s shoulder lovingly.

“Thanks, pup. You were a real stand up guy during all of this.”

“No problem.” Leo gave a small smile, “’helped me get my mind off of things anyways.”

“Alright, well if it’s not a problem then go to bed. You’ve got work in the morning.” Eddy teased as he went inside his room.

Chomper was just pulling the blankets over him as Eddy entered. Chomper turned his head in acknowledgement, then once he saw who it was he let his head fall back down on his pillow. Eddy got undressed, leaving him just in his boxers, before climbing into bed too. He faced Chomper, who still had his glasses on, but Chomper didn’t quite like that so he flipped around and turned his back to him. Eddy scoot closer, it made sense that he’d still angry but he couldn’t sleep with his glasses on.

“Hey. don’t be silly.” Eddy reached his hand over Chomper’s shoulder and gently took off his glasses for him.

Chomper pouted, after all this his indignant gesture was ruined. Eddy thought it was cute in a way, but he didn’t like seeing him so upset.

Eddy strained to put the glasses on the nightstand closest to Chomper, “There. Now you can go to bed.”

“Goodnight.” Chomper grumbled, not his usual sing-songy voice he’d say it. No kiss either.

It stung, but Eddy reasoned that he deserved it. “Oh, alright, yeah. Goodnight.”

Eddy turned his back to him too, and turned out the light.

In the morning after breakfast, Eddy told Leo to warn the other guys he’d be late. Leo didn’t ask why, he pretty much knew, but he agreed to it nonetheless. Once he was gone Chomper and Eddy talked things over calmly. They didn’t quite come to an agreement, but they made a compromise. Eddy would first call his old group and let them know what happened to him, and apologize for that, then he’d call that Rumble person and hear them out. Chomper wouldn’t let strange people into the house unless he knew they were expecting someone, and wouldn’t run away like that without telling him again.

Life didn’t quite pick up back where it left off for them, both were very hesitant and careful around each other. Eddy wanted to be close to Chomper, he’d missed him a lot. Chomper wanted space. So they’d compromise with being in the same room at first, and got closer from there. About a week after Chomper came home, Eddy surprised him by asking him out on a date with a corsage and everything. Sure Eddy felt a little goofy, but the gesture as a big turning point for Chomper. They had a wonderful time out, and it helped them remember why they had even gotten together in the first place. They loved each other very much, and were going to work this out.

END OF DISSENSION