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mealvaan · 4 months ago

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What's Mine is Yours

Lost in a maze of mist and trees, Vahri’a holds the scarf to his muzzle for dear life.

Ilma had assured him there was nothing to fear in the fog surrounding Ataraxia. The ill rumors he’d heard would not befall a welcome guest. This, she truly believed — throughout their foray into the mist, she would regale him with stories and anecdotes of her life. As she had gotten settled and comfortable with her nephew, she would find herself running her mouth, carried away in her fervor.

However, he knew what he had been told as a kit, in his heart of hearts.

Mother told him of wanderers who ventured too far into the mists and fell into an eternal slumber. Their veins became the steadfast roots of trees, their hair the moss on the north side of the trunk, and their soul the possession of the elementals. She told him of huntresses who felt the mist creeping upon them, saw the dead as the fog wafted under their nose, and bore witness to the Hells from a mere sniff. They would run until their feet were blistered, their eyes windows to a realm beyond ours.

The little child within bids him to heed his mother’s warning and inhale only his own breath. The conscious adult, abiding by the child’s whims, knows why she spun these tales.

Vahri never wanted him to come here.

As he follows his aunt’s lead, the mist thins with every step. In his head, the same thick clouds begin to blossom. They had walked for a mere five minutes, yet now he finds himself a shade of what he was — a numb jumble of limbs and sinew, stumbling along.

The moment they emerge into the village, he gasps for air.

“Oh Goddess! Wanderer, are you alright? Uhya Ilma, please help—”

Ilma turns quickly, a switch flipping in her mind. “Easy, Vahri’a,” she soothes, taking hold of both of his shoulders to steady him. “You’re okay, I’m here for you. I’m going to sit you down now, so we can get a better look at you.”

Vahri’a feels the soles of his feet no longer anchored to the ground, but rather vaguely brushing against it as he’s whisked away to a nearby rock.

Ilma’s voice rises. “Is there anything I can do, Mana?”

The unfamiliar huntress replies without missing a beat. “Just keep him steady, uhya…”

Within a matter of seconds, he feels aether plunged into him once more — as if he were a pool of cold freshwater, and the spell a diving otter. Vahri’a’s vision refocuses on the woman who preempted them at the treeline: Mana.

Her hair unkempt frames her face with shiny, dark blue tresses. Her huntress’s marks are a vignette of curved lines and splotched dots, her fingerprints evident in each one. Her skin is possessed of that same blue-gray that stretches over his, his brothers’, and his aunt’s. Yet, she is not possessed of the brilliant squint signature to the Korla clan. Her eyes are rich, tumultuous oceans that look upon him with concern.

Patterns glow upon her forearms, fading after her cast. They’re similar to Ilma’s tattoos, patterns mimicking an older arcanima sigil for the spell Physick, though the circles used to form the equation are of specific symbology. They represent phases of the moon.

With the help of the healing spell, he rights himself.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you… Thank you,” Vahri’a says between recovering breaths.

“Don’t apologize! I only wish you had a smoother landing. Uhya, this is one of our wanderers?” Mana briefly looks at Ilma before continuing to appraise Vahri’a. “You must’ve been having fun elsewhere for epochs, for I don’t think I’ve ever met you…”

“Actually Mana, the story’s a little further than that.” she begins, looking between the two miqo’te. “This is Vahri’a, he’s my nephew. You know, Vahri’s kid?”

Mana pauses, then merely shakes her head. Her brows knit together into an apologetic scribble. Ilma smooths her hair backwards, thinking on where to begin — on how much to explain right there and then, and how much would have been better to talk about after they had gotten her ailing nephew out of the proverbial woods.

“I was gone for a few moons because I was looking for him and his siblings. Vahri’a here expressed some interest so… I wanted to introduce him to the rest of the clan. See how he feels, and maybe see if he wants to stay, you know? It’s all up to him and the rest of the clan of course but… I wanted to help make his trip as smooth as possible.”

Vahri’a expects a ponderous pause, but their hostess wastes no time — a gasp leaves her lips as she launches into a bright tirade.

“So, Vahri’a is long lost family? Of course I’ll give you both the tour then! There’s plenty of time to make up for, after all.”

Watching, gravitating eyes turn into gathering people — dozens of strangers who could be his relatives, indeed — Vahri’a finds himself in hasty agreement with their tour guide.

As the eye of the storm, Ataraxia is a haven no larger than a town square amidst the chaos of the outside world. This idyllic village of cozy huts and a canopy beyond the treeline sits pretty, shrouded in mist. The center of the settlement, which Mana introduces as the Heart, hosts a congregation of Keepers that look like him. Skin of dusky tones, just a minute past the twilight shade. Hair of pale moonlight with a smattering of darker hues. Bushy tails, diamond lips, slender ears. While they go about their day, their gazes gravitate towards him. Vahri’a pushes himself to answer each, “Ma, who is that?” with a gentle wave.

The Heart itself is a gathering of tables around a low crackling bonfire set under a gazebo-esque structure. The sunset breakfast is a gathering of mixed berries, sparse strips of jerky, and small rolls of fluffy bread, all atop the long table that is an apparent free for all. Children run by, snatching up rolanberries in their wake while chatting parents don’t so much as blink. Partaking in bisected bread rolls with bits of jerky at the center, they simply carry on.

Most cottages are residential, with one or two designated for each family branch. By Vahri’a’s wish, the Moshroca cabin is given a wide berth for now.

Some homes are not homes at all, rather hosting communal functions; Mana tours them about a few. There is a storehouse of various culinary and alchemical ingredients, galvanized with arcanima to preserve them. There is a bathhouse built into the rock that lines the river, lanterns faintly lighting the serene dark There is a small archery post where shortbows and arrows are stored; the Alonhi branch is already fletching while a young huntress, no older than fourteen cycles, works on her aim.

Lastly, there is a kitchen mostly populated by Mana’s branch of the Siltanho, though few chefs remain as breakfast has already been served. Despite the building’s purpose, it is distinctly without kitchenware.

“Watch this,” Mana says proudly, and from a constellation-esque tattoo in the form of arcanist sigils, she draws a translucent, aetherial frying pan from her thigh. With the snap of her fingers, flames wreath the bottom of the implement, which she places atop the stove. A marvel of ancient magics, he surmises, yet—

“Uhya Mholi developed it from some older texts,” he’s told. They leave it at that.

As Vahri’a meanders about, he is the object of the clan’s curiosity. Ilma and Vahri’a are coordinated in a vague, yet truthful story, but neither can reasonably hide the man’s name — especially not when Mana emphatically introduces him as Vahri’s first son. Some keep it at that, choosing not to assert themselves over what is clearly Ilma’s personal decision. Others express a deep pride in Vahri’a’s decision to visit his mother’s flesh and blood despite her wishes, the details of which are never expressed. Others yet raise their brows and allow the conversation to taper off coldly, no longer eager to learn of the wanderer.

Few greet their tour guide and she alone, until—

“Good midnight to you, Yutan Mana.”

Grounded and firm, the mysterious voice calls the attention of not only her charge, but the lot of the touring group.

Like all others of her clan, this woman of fifty cycles is dressed in flowing clothes heaped over her shoulders, cascading as patterned waterfalls stopped at her sandalled feet. She stands a mere few fulms away from the group, which begs the question: how didn’t he hear her?

“Unha!” Mana exclaims. “Vahri’a, this is—”

“Ahxe Cirka, the matriarch of this clan.”

With hands carved in the roots of trees, she lifts her hood to reveal a worn visage and two raggedy ears — the left of which is pierced with glistening silver jewelry, the only indication of her status. Her eyes flit to Vahri’a’s aunt.

“Ilma, I would have thought that if we had visitors, you would have let me know.”

Witnessing the matriarch’s formality, Mana is taken aback. However, it doesn’t take long for her to bow her head and assume a deferential stance on her clanswoman’s behalf. “Sorry, unha…”

Ahxe places her hand on Mana’s head despite being half a fulm shorter than her. “Don’t worry, girl. I’ll be seeing you later for dinner. Would you allow me some time to speak with our guest?”

“Of course!” She looks at the two, wearing a dazzling smile. It didn’t take long for her to put one on. “See you later, uhya, Vahri’a!”

“Vahri’a?”

Measure cannot mask the incredulity in this single utterance of his name. The hairs on the back of his neck bristle and threaten to jump out of his skin. His greeting to Ahxe is an uneven smile and a set of words so practiced they barely sound like pieces of vocabulary to him:

“Pleasure to meet you.”

As quickly as anxiousness grabs him, Ahxe settles. She pulls a curtain of soft cloth over her features once again.

“You as well. How about yourself, your uhya and I have a chat?” Without awaiting their answer, she begins her slow stride towards a nearby cottage.

Tail between his legs, he follows the matriarch. What else is a wanderer to do?

Akin to her garb, Ahxe’s cottage shows no difference to that constructed for the other families. However, from a single clue — that is, the building’s proximity to the Heart of Ataraxia and the river that runs through the village — it becomes clear that this was the first cottage to be built of them all, for the convenience of the main family — particularly the clan’s leader.

Inside, the hall immediately branches off into various rooms. Ahxe takes a harsh left, her lethargic tail sweeping the floor behind her. Before them is not the usual curtain that separates the other cottages’ chambers, but a fully fledged door built for a home’s entrance, repurposed for interior use.

With a slow creak, the door opens to a room plunged into darkness. Thanks to his nocturnal vision, he can make out shapes and shadows: a low table atop which sits various ornaments, cushions lining the floor around it, and an assortment of bone discs covered in soot and charcoal, nearly unnoticed.

A shard from a shallow bowl on the table is snatched between her fingers and crushed in her palm. The fragments dissolve into crystalline powder which conjures flame unto the candle. He can see the wax clearly now: a set of old candles, rarely used. The table is covered in ceramic bowls, parchment maps, and discarded flower wreaths. A rich aroma of sandalwood and the sharp scent of jasmine wafts throughout the room.

“Take a seat, will you? I don’t bite.”

Though Vahri’a casts a wary glance in Ilma’s direction, he folds up his long robes to sit as instructed. The pillow is soft and provides plenty of give, and ere long he finds himself sinking into it as there’s little else to lean on.

“So, Vahri’a. How have you found the village so far?”

“Ah, it’s really impressive. What you’ve set up here, that is to say. This part of the Shroud is typically Sylphland, so it’s a tall claim to reside so nearby. That’s not to mention the quality of the buildings and infrastructure—”

“You can thank the Siltanho for that. We knew little of construction before they came along.”

“Mm, that’s Mana’s family?”

“Indeed. They’re a newer branch. They rarely venture out, so it’s unlike you would’ve seen them before.”

“I don’t believe I’ve seen any of the clan before, truth be told.”

Ahxe leans back; in her hand, an ornate pipe with the bowl filled to the brim. Another crystal ignites it. The flicker of light betrays the firm, appraising look on her face — twin shards of obsidian boring into him. And then it’s gone, the earthy smoke mingling with the candles’ embedded aroma. It takes Vahri’a a moment, but he recognizes the emerging odor of dreamweed.

“We have our tricks.” She exhales a ring that curls into the shape of a crescent moon. Tricks indeed. “You must be old now, you poor kit. Yet this is the first time you’ve visited our hearth and home. What brought you here?”

“Ilma thought I should—”

“Ah, but you had to agree. So why did you?”

He swallows a lump in his throat he didn’t realize was there in the first place.

“Mother never told us about this place. When I learned I had family of my blood still alive, I thought… Why wouldn’t I want to meet you all?”

“Vahri never explained the clan from where she came?”

“As far as I knew, she was an adventurer before she came here.”

A rumbling laugh releases into a spluttering cough.

“Ack— I can’t blame her for keeping it from you, child. It would’ve been for naught. But you didn’t think to bring your brothers, then?”

There’s a sinking feeling in his stomach for an array of wrong reasons.

“They don’t care for this part of the woods anymore.”

“A true shame, that is. A shame indeed.”

Silence shrouds the trio. A feature of the smoke that has him hold his tongue, clamp his lips together, breathe shallowly.

“But I can accept that answer, first son of Vahri. You go join young Mana again. We haven’t had visitors in a long time, and she could use the company of a fresh face.”

“If you’re sure, Matri—”

“I am sure.” Her syllables puncture. A docile bow of the head is his only mark of departure, as he lets the door open only a sliver beyond what it’d take to swallow him whole.

Towards Ilma, Ahxe leans forward, her appraising stare accentuated in candle light. Her brightest features darkened, the shadows in her visage uncast. The face of a waning moon.

“Ilma. This place may think me its crown, but you know me as a sister of the hunt. So what I tell you now is not an order of the Goddess, nor a decree of our Bole’s will. I express what I do out of concern for my sister. Are we clear?” Ahxe’s address is serious and purposeful, in a tone that Ilma is not at all unfamiliar with, but is still a notable shift from mere formality. Ilma shifts forward in her seat, all the better to meet the matriarch’s gaze.

“Go on Ahxe. I know you must have several reservations.” Her brows scrunch closer to her nose as her eyes narrow ever so slightly in attention.

“Not unfounded ones. But first, you ought to tell me so we’re on the same page, yes? What do you know of Vahri’s sons?”

“Personally? Not much, admittedly. I have met several of them in my travels, and yet several more elude me for one reason or the other.”

“Your travels? I wasn’t aware that was what you left for.”

Ahxe isn’t offended — rather, she’s curious. Ilma sways her head from side to side as she explains.

“Yes, the moment I learned that Vahri’s children may have been in some form of trouble, I packed what I needed and left. Apologies for the sudden disappearance.”

“Hmhmhm,” Ahxe chuckles lowly, taking a long draw of her pipe before continuing. “I thought you might have gone on a long monster-slaying trip to soothe your nerves. Had I known you were on a vacation, I would have asked to come along.” It’s a dry, yet meaningful jest on her part.

“Well, had I known you were looking for one I would have invited you for the trip! Although, considering I barely slept for most of it, it would not have been pleasant.” Ilma laughs.

“And were the kits in trouble, sister?”

Ilma’s expression resets to one of gravity. “One of them is in prison. Otherwise, they were all alive and well, much to my relief.”

“Not in this part of the woods though, yes? Did I hear the first son right?”

“Not at all. One of them works as a wailer, but as Vahri’a says, he isn’t particularly keen on coming back here.”

“I am not surprised.”

The shake of Ahxe’s head fells lengthy, wispy tresses from her hood to her shoulders.

“I am not surprised that one is behind bars, that one allies with our oppressors, nor that they have scattered to the winds.

‘I have my ear to dirt and my tail to roots oft. Someone needs to do it since we have settled in this place. I know what ill those boys have wrought, not that I would inform yourself and Mholi of my findings. What use is the panic, the shame? Nothing. That’s what I thought then.

‘These sons of ‘Korla’ were never a band satisfied with their lot of the woods. We received reports of their greed and hedonism on a moonly basis. Our clan was spared their thievery from the Twelveswood North, but others lost studs and crops, lost young hunts their bands were tracking until they grew and bore fruit. Those boys would not wait.

‘These reports stopped a few cycles ago. I had a feeling the forest was never big enough for them. After all, it was never big enough for their mother. So, you can see why I needed to verify their leader’s intent.” Ahxe gives Ilma a knowing look, peering into the windows of her eyes.

Expecting something.

Yet Ilma’s response is swift and short.

“Do you know what happened to Vahri?”

“Enlighten me.”

“She perished. Devoured by a mite.”

Leaning back from the table to her cushioned recline, Ahxe retreats.

It’s difficult to pick out in the shadows, but one can see the soft quality that melts the daggers of her eyes into silvery pools — then watch her steel herself with ease, a woman of the Shroud who has worked to greet grief in passing as an old friend each time it twists the knife of death. A woman who no longer needs to mourn. A woman won’t allow the likes of Dalamud to have pleasure in taking and taking.

Yet even as the matriarch bolsters herself, silence reigns here. She is Ahxe the Stalwart after all; her quiet is the only moment she allows for give.

Ilma, in contrast, has never claimed to be a stoic. Though she may not have always spoken her mind, her heart has always been worn on her sleeve. And so in the spirit of the youngest sister Moshroca, the range of emotions that dances across her face are a complex, multitudinous assortment that melds together to form one clear message.

Pain.

“It happened many… many winters ago. She was out hunting for her children, and just like that she was cornered and eaten. Torn apart I imagine, if time wasn’t enough to clean her remains.” Ilma pauses for a moment, deep and heavy breaths filling the silence as it seems that she has stopped to consider something.

“In confidence I tell you that Mholi was with her, and in confidence I ask that you do not bring it up. She had been helping Vahri hunt up until that point. She left our sister in a panic, and she left the children as well. She never came back. Vahri’a believed her dead.” Ilma closes her eyes, clenching her fist, shaking before her body relaxes itself and she meets Ahxe’s gaze once more.

“Vahri’a couldn’t have been more than twelve, fourteen winters perhaps? The past moon or so has been a haze for me, the numbers blur. So, what was the child who knew no better to do? Certainly not starve. He had almost a dozen siblings to care for. It would have been so easy for the boy to have left and fended for himself alone, but he stayed to raise his siblings, because who else was there? Certainly not Vahri, nor Mholi, nor myself.”

A snarl looses itself from Ilma’s lips, though not one directed to Ahxe. One of anger, frustration, with nary a target to mark. Held close, yet with no hunt to embark on. Her gaze falls to the side.

“I won’t claim to excuse greed or poaching. But he is my kin, and I was not there for him when he needed me most. None of us were there for him, and now he comes to us because once more he is in need, and once more he is alone in this world… at least as far as family goes. So this time, just this once…”

Ilma lets out a loud breath, looking at Ahxe once more.

“I want to do this right. Give him the chance that he never had. And I will stake my name — and whatever respect there is of me — for the first son, Matriarch.”

The heavy pants do not subside. As emotions get the better of her proclaimed sister, Ahxe leans forward, pipe in hand, and offers the smoking thing to her.

“Calm yourself, Ilma. Return to the here and now, if you so wish… I’m not your enemy, not your predator, nor your prey.”

A few extra breaths are drawn before Ilma finally relents and takes the pipe, then takes a long drag from it.

“You're… you’re right. Of course. I’m sorry Ahxe, I did not mean to snap.” Ilma slumps in her seat, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “So much has happened in so little time.”

“How can anyone blame you? At a time like this, no less."

Ahxe allows for the woman’s recovery, as the candles before Ilma die down, no longer stoked by the puffs of her breath. Finally, the matriarch speaks.

"First… Let it be known that what you’ve told me here today has been heard in confidence, and will remain in confidence.” A sigh. “Mholi’s will to assist those I have exiled is… well, you know your ahya. It comes as a surprise. That said, it is a thing of the past, and nothing will come of punishing such transgressions now. It’s clear to me you both have already been punishing yourselves.

‘As for Vahri'a — you vouch for him, Ilma. That means a lot to me, for you’ve never had a rotten bone in your body. It seems there are always two faces to this sort of thing — and should his account be truthful, then no, I can’t blame a young boy for doing what he can to survive.

'The truth and your judgment of it, I take into account… as parts of a larger consideration.”

Ahxe pulls her hood back. The twinkle of candlelight accentuates the moon and stars that decorate her otherwise frayed ears, torn not only by the teeth of rabid beasts, but also the elements that claimed this very star cycles ago.

“Only Vahri'a can speak to who he is. His actions, his words, and his beliefs in the present can rend your claims to ribbons. We do not take people into our fold for testimony alone. It is an effort built upon moons of trust, and never before a season passes. The purity of the heart is a whimsical thing.“

The matriarch’s pause is a stanza of heartbeats.

"So I will give him a chance to prove himself,” she says firmly. There is no going back on her word. “I will allow him to stay.”

It takes several moments for Ahxe’s words to sink in. Ilma thinks of a million different things she could say — how she can and should react.

“Thank you, Ahxe.” A pause provides her the opportunity to collect her thoughts. “It’s all I ask, a fair chance for him. I know that these things take time, but I also know that with time, he will prove his heart is true. So… thank you.”

Ahxe’s rumbling laugh returns.

“Mind you, this is me being generous. Most wanderers don’t get beelined right into our territory, you know. We keep them at the outpost for at least a few sennights. We get more gifts out of them that way,” Ahxe says with a wagging finger. “But I will make this exception, given the circumstances.”

She procures one of her dry, darkened spine discs and holds it half a fulm above the candlelight. Its glow filters through the bone’s pinpricks, revealing a map of stars. Ilma watches carefully as Ahxe draws from the stars themselves, a keen eye on the constellations. She waits patiently, quietly, and though she does not read the sky in the same way the matriarch does, she understands. For at the center of the ensemble, Ilma would recognize the image of the Wanderer. The Arrow.

“This season is an era of change, and so I would welcome it this time.” Ahxe says.

“A season of change indeed.”

Ahxe tucks the star map into the pile with the others, shrouding them in starless night once more. “This time. Under some conditions. Are your ears at attention, sister?”

“Always at attention, sister.”

“First, you need to keep your family up to speed for me. I’m not keen on uhya Aila knocking my door down about this, so it’s your responsibility to inform them that Vahri’s son is here and to tell them what the plan is moving forward.”

Ilma nods fervently as she says, “Of course. I will take responsibility for telling them all what has transpired and what will happen from here on out.” She rubs her forehead for a moment. “Ugh, I’ll have to tell them about Mholi too…”

“You won’t need to tell the little ones all the details,” Ahxe says with a dismissive wave of the hand. “And it’s Mholi’s responsibility to own up to her mistakes, not yours. I just don’t want them to be left adrift the moment they meet him.”

“No, of course not. I am simply thinking of what a nightmare it will be when Ma finds out.”

A shudder runs through Ilma’s body as she says this. Ahxe’s chortle is the briefest of whinnies; she can’t help but pity the woman.

“I will make sure that they are in the loop,” Ilma continues. “Your second condition?”

“Second, from here on Vahri’a is to introduce himself to our clanswomen as Vahri’a of the North Shroud. He ought to drop the use of that name that means nothing, Korla— it will do him better in his standing with the others, anyroad.”

Ilma places a hand to her chin as she thinks of this. “That would be a discussion to have with Vahri’a himself… though, I agree.” She folds her arms together, tutting as she ponders the condition deeper. “It will make it easier for him to integrate, and not scare off the clan by making them think he’s here to start a new one.”

“I am sure he will agree.” Ahxe is convinced of it at least. “Lastly, and most importantly… Whatever comes of this, Ilma, I do not want you to blame yourself for any of it.”

The matriarch takes her sworn sister’s hand into her own two. Calloused and worked, they have seen better days, but there is a warmth to her gesture all the same.

“If Vahri’a is rejected by our people, do not take it as a failure on your part. If Mholi cannot come to terms with the first son, that is not your doing. Yes, we are family, flesh and blood forged by the Goddess, but you are not responsible for who they are and what they believe. You are a daughter of Clan Cirka, whether your charge is a son of ours or not.

‘You will not be consumed by guilt on others’ behalf. Am I making myself clear?”

The matriarch’s dark gaze pierces. A longer silence is held in Ilma’s hands, in Ahxe’s hands. The two sit there with their stares locked in place. After what seems like several moons, the pain so ever-present in Ilma’s eyes disperses, replaced by a sorrowful tiredness.

“As clear as the night sky,” Ilma answers succinctly. “I have done my best. I have done all I can. It would be foolish to blame myself for things out of my control. It just isn’t… productive.” She squeezes Ahxe’s hands gently. In her eyes, sorrow turns to confidence. “So rest assured ahya, I will take care of myself.”

“Good.” Ahxe’s rough palm makes for a gentle pat. “You deserve to. And I’ll let that one slide between us, anhtan.”

Ilma blinks — then laughs, realizing what she had said. “I appreciate your discretion. I can’t imagine what I would do otherwise!”

The matriarch’s pipe has fizzled into curling wisps, and the smells of dreamweed and sandalwood have finished their dance. She takes her prized possession into hand and a fire crystal into the other, leaning back into her office chair of floor pillows.

“Now, don’t let me keep you from your nephew.”

With a firm nod, Ilma turns to leave, hoisting something invisible over her shoulder. The effects of muscle memory, no doubt.

“Not even you’d be able to Ahxe, but I’ll make sure he’s properly welcomed and introduced.”

Only after the door clicks behind Ilma does Ahxe find solace to utter to herself.

“Let’s hope the Goddess is on your side, third daughter.”

* * *

Uhya — aunt Yutan — niece Ahya — older sister Anhtan — younger sister Unha — grandmother, grand aunt, or matriarch

#Vahri'a Korla #Mana Siltanho #Ahxe Cirka #Ilma Moshroca

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strawbunnybooks · 1 year ago

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Overview: Guardians Of Greenhaven, my book series. The idea was created when I was only 12, and i started writing the first book way back in sixth grade! i decided to take the idea and adapt it many years later in HS, and made a book series out of it! it’s a dark fantasy novel series with adult themes.

if you’re looking for something with an interesting plot, unique characters, and lots of words, this might just be the series for you.

—

Background:

The books take place in a fantasy world with no vehicles but a good amount of technology. there are mythical creatures, such as griffins, shadowfangs, and “guardians”.

“In a far away land, human civilization met certain wildlife in a.. Much different way. There weren’t entirely people to protect the lands. Instead, they relied on unique, powerful animals to protect their sacred vicinities. One populated location was Greenhaven; a quaint little village, blanketed in hills and lush green grass. Vast amounts of emerald colored forests and floral meadows surrounded the tranquil town. Outside of Greenhaven, there was a large world out there; an entire country named Rezas.

Each guardian of Greenhaven was unique and had a special trait. There were only 6. One flew high in the skies, a beautiful barn owl. One raged below, a powerful gazelle. Another prowled the plains, a stealthy cheetah. Another howled into the night, a clever coyote. One glided within the freshwaters, an agile river otter. Lastly, a creature of grace, a panda. Within this strange and fascinating world also lived various other mythical creatures. Pegasi were rarely seen grazing in secluded fields, griffins were used as royal and military transportation for important missions.. but there were creatures nobody dared to speak of.. Creatures that truly represented hell in all possible forms and ways.

These creatures were called Shadowfangs, known as the demons of Rezas. Every human feared them after they began to act hostile towards all living creatures. Neshira, the queen of all Shadowfangs, commanded them to kill anything that moved and her loyal peers obeyed, wreaking havoc on Rezas and anyone who was unfortunate enough to cross their path. The Guardians of each village swore to protect any townsfolk inhabiting the location with their life. They worked hard and endured arduous, perilous encounters to save their people from the hellish beasts that they coexisted with. The Guardians were extremely loyal to their people and were bonded to the town via an enchanted orb embedded with great power. This orb was important to the guardian and the guardian would revert back to a normal animal if the orb was lost, stripping them of their powers and title.

The guardians worked hard for many years to put an end to the Shadowfangs’ perilous existence, but there were much too many. Neshira had never considered backing down. Sadly, the world of Rezas would always be at war with Shadowfangs.” -book 1

—

Character: The books follow one character: Pandora Willows. Here’s a little bit about her.

“Pandora, a black 5’4” girl who’s 17 years old, was born in the town of Greenhaven. Pandora has dark brown eyes and curly black hair tied into two ponytails while some of her curls hang loose and form bangs. She enjoys wearing big hoodies and occasionally skirts with graphic tees. Her favorite color is willow green and she enjoys sketching and being in the woods. Pandora was born into one of the lower social classes, and spent the majority of her childhood alone. Incredibly independent and orphaned, Pandora taught herself practically everything. Considering her reputation in the town was broken, Pandora had manage to make her first ever friend at the age of thirteen- Chloe Princhett, and soon made more friends throughout her life. Pandora has no allergies and loves taking risks- She also has a cat named Koi. Though she can be impulsive, nosy, and self-centered, she is also witty, charming, and caring. She struggles with depression and has been for most of her life, and her mental state is not the most ideal. Pandora Willows blows off steam by practicing sword fighting and aspires to become a warrior of Greenhaven one day.” -my lore journal

The books are pretty dark, and only continue to get darker as her life constantly takes turns. she meets new people- some good, some evil, and some in between. her mental state takes all kinds of turns throughout the series, and the plot goes through so many twists! pandora can never seem to keep herself out of harms way.

this is definitely an explicit book, with smut scenes appearing all throughout. there’s talk of self harm, suicide, and abuse, so please heed the tags on its page.

—

excerpts from the latest book:

1. “Not enough evidence and zero witnesses. This whole case is flawed.” Officer Jamie said, flipping through the missing-person folder.

“You’re not listening! Pandora disappeared after attending Cornelius’s party, and I think that dark haired guy that she always hangs out with had something to do with it! He’s shady as hell!” Chloe explained, eyes glassy with tears.

“You ain’t listening either. The case will remain cold until someone brings some evidence forth.” He spoke, closing the file.

“At least arrest him! Interrogate him! Do something!” She insisted, watching him rub his temple.

“Get the hell out of my office.” The man hissed, irritation growing within him.

2. “He’s sociopathic and he absolutely wants to hurt or kill me. Yet.. I slept with him? Natural selection, definitely.” She groaned as she sat back on the sofa, closing her hickory colored eyes. “And if anyone were to find out, we’d both end up dead.”

3. “The sight that she awoke to was deeply unnerving. He was staring directly at her. There was something about his predatory harbor-blue gaze that stimulated the heat within her. His unreadable expressions appeared to be the most terrifying thing about him.

Link to the latest book: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44390446/chapters/111644503

Link to the first book: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42490407/chapters/106719879

#writing #writers on tumblr #ao3 writer #novel #fantasy #dark fantasy #female writers #original character

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willowskyfeather · 1 year ago

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Are you looking for an extremely lengthy book? Well, I have a book series. It’s rated M for mature snd has very heavy themes. It’s a dark fantasy novel following the miserable, yet adventure filled life of a teenage girl. The book takes place in another world, with mythical beings and shit lol the book follows her declining mental state, social/romantic life, and her eventual spiral into instability! there lots of characters that are introduced, plot twist.. and death

Excerpt from book 1: “In a far away land, human civilization met certain wildlife in a.. Much different way. There weren’t entirely people to protect the lands. Instead, they relied on unique, powerful animals to protect their sacred vicinities. One populated location was Greenhaven; a quaint little village, blanketed in hills and lush green grass. Vast amounts of emerald colored forests and floral meadows surrounded the tranquil town. Outside of Greenhaven, there was a large world out there; an entire country named Rezas.

Here’s a link to the latest book if you’re interested in seeing where we currently are at!

#writing #ao3 writer #literature #novel #write to heal #smut #fantasy

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tribbetherium · 3 years ago

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The Early Temperocene: 125 million years post-establishment

Seen And Not Herd: The March of the Skullions

The central regions of Gestaltia, once frigid tundra and taiga during the Glaciocene's cold reign, have now, in warmer days, given rise to vast grassland of mixed vegetation, but in greatest abundance the fast-growing saberleaf: once invasive in the Therocene, it would dwindle in the cold, dry Glaciocene era, but with the weather of the Temperocene being warm and humid, it would once more begin to flourish: sharp and abrasive to many other animals, but a feast for the numerous extant species of ungulopes specialized for the task.

The growth of the saberleaf was seasonal, with dormant rhizomes springing up in the seasons of prolonged rainfall, blooming in great quantities to spread its seed before the grazers came. As such, cycles of feast and famine would drive the ecosystems of the Gestaltian grassland, with no one place suitable for long, and a constant need to be on the move in order to find enough food to survive. This cycle would bring about one of the most spectacular journeys the Temperocene would witness: the great migration of the skullions.

The skullions (Calvariaequimys cranihippus) are one of the most abundant species of ungulopes in Gestaltia, numbering in the tens of millions. About four feet at the shoulder, and distinct by their dark, sparse coats that protect from the heat of the sun, and the shield-shaped horn present in the males that protects most of their faces and serves as a ramming weapon, skullions are important ecological engineers, cropping away the abundant and inedible-to-most saverleaf, and creates space for more palatable plants to germinate--an ecological role that had made the ungulopes extremely important keystone species in the days of the Therocene. Highly gregarious grazers, they follow the seasonal rains where the saberleaf grows, moving across the plains in stampeding hordes huddled tightly for protection from predators.

At times of drought, where water is scarce and plants are few, the skullions embark on a long and perilous journey. They trek for miles in search of food, stampeding across a circular route encompassing a vast stretch of Gestaltia's tropical core. Here, they face nigh-insurmountable odds at their quest for greener pastures, finding their paths blocked by steep cliffs, high mountains, and hundreds of hungry predators waiting to pounce on the stragglers who lag behind away from the safety of the herd.

But their deadliest undertaking would be the crossing of the vast, fast-flowing rivers that irrigate the Gestaltian plains and drain out to the Centralic Ocean, carving a deep canyon through the earth as it plows through the landscape. With steep riverbanks, treacherous currents and uneven ground, further excarbated by the eagerly moving herds behind them giving them no choice but to press on forward, the skullions make a leap of faith: leaping down cliffsides and plunging into the rushing streams, in what can either be a ticket to new land-- or a one-way sentence to a certain demise.

But there is more than just rough water and rugged terrain for the skullions to worry about, for these rivers are also home to a skilled ambush hunter: the freshwater dwarf leviaham (Murosuchus pleodens), one of the last surviving leviahams that had persisted through the end-Glaciocene extinction. Once, these aquatic predators were giants of the seas, with one species, the plurodon, having been the biggest creature ever to live on HP-02017. But those times have gone by, and the marine titans are no more. The leviahams persist, but only a few small marginal forms in a new sea ruled by cricetaceans and bayvers-- and in the case of this one species, an entirely new and novel niche their kin had never taken before.

Capitalizing on a niche left vacant by the extinction of their far more basal relatives, the otter-like searets, at the end of the Glaciocene, the freshwater leviaham prowls the abundants rivers and swamps of Gestaltia. Typically, they feed mostly on small river prey, such as shrish, skwoids and pescopods, but the skullion migration brings out a hidden ferocity in these normally-placid predators: they rarely if ever exceed ten feet in length and a tiny fraction of their ancestors, but they are no less a force to be reckoned with. Their powerful jaws lined with multi-cusped pointed teeth boast an incredible bite force. Incredibly patient, they float at the surface, still and immovable like logs, until an unfortunate skullion wades too close: and then, they strike.

Clamping onto a victims leg or neck with its serrated teeth, the leviaham typically drags it underwater to drown, before dismembering it with twists and powerful rolls to tear the carcass limb from limb. They are surprisingly intelligent and even cooperative hunters, working in pairs to pull large chunks of meat apart, though they have far more than they bargain for: even without their active predation, hundreds of skullions still perish in these annual migrations, from falls, from drowning, or from being trampled by stampedes: and when the herds have moved on, hundreds of carcasses litter the rivers in their wake: the weak, the old and the ailing, who are unable to survive the perilous migration and fall to their demise as the herd travels on.

But even in death, the skullions play a very important role in the ecosystem, as the heaps of carcasses that accumulate in the river become a vital source of food for river organisms: the freshwater leviahams quickly eat their fill, packing up their fat reserves that allow them to go for up to months without food. And, drawn by the smell of decaying meat, soon to follow are shoals and shoals of small, carnivorous shrish known as the shrompers: descended from the marine shrarks, they too are shrunken descendants of sea predators that have come to colonize inland rivers. Shrompers measure less than a foot long, but they swim in large shoals, attacking smaller prey with their saw-like rostrums. They are, however, incredibly timid, and will flee from any larger living animals, including the migrating skullions: but sizeable carcasses are fair game, and once the leviahams have moved on these eager scavengers put to work cleaning up the leftovers: leaving nothing but bones in a matter of a day or two.

With the drama of death, however, comes new life, as the remainder of the herds reach their new grazing lands at the tail ends of the rivers. Here, saberleaf grows abundant once again, having recovered from last year's grazing, and the hungry mouths are once again at work, cropping away the grass like living hedge clippers as they move by the thousands: primarily of females led by a few adult males, with younger, immature males going together in smaller bachelor herds until they are old enough to fight for breeding rights and dominate their own herds.

It is during the rainy spring months that they migrate south, for they have come not only to find new land, but also to fulfill the destiny of every living creature-- bring forth the next generation of their species. Once they have replenished their energy after the long and arduous journey, the skullions prepare to breed. Clattering of horns can be heard for miles all around, as males fiercely use their bone-like head ornaments to use, ramming each other in contests of strength and dominance. Sustained by the rich crop of grass, it is not long before the calves are born in the late summer: already able to walk hours after being born, they too will soon take the first great journey of their lives.

By the time the calves are about a month old, the food supply would have begun to have dwindled once again, and once more, the herd is on the move, with new hopeful lives to replace the ones that had perished. Now these eager young travelers join their elders on this perilous expedition, as they turn back north to their winter grazing lands: bringing the journey full circle in one of HP-02017's grandest events displaying with such profound extravagance the cyclical nature of life.

▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

#speculative evolution #speculative biology #spec evo #speculative zoology #hamster's paradise

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ethanredotter · 4 years ago

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My ideas for Zootopia 2

Ah, Zootopia. It broke the record for the biggest opening weekend for an animated film, went on to be Disney Animation’s third most profitable film ever, became the second highest grossing original film of all time, and was nominated for and won innumerable awards including many for best animated picture, and rightfully so. It introduced us to a beautiful, creative, and lovable world populated by amazing characters, and had a poignant message that was conveyed, in my humble opinion, in the best possible way. I liked it a lot when it first came out, but after recently getting into stuff with a similar concept (Beastars), and being subsequently recommended various fan content on YT (Savage Company, Return to Zootopia), I got back into the film again and absolutely fell in love with it to the point that it’s joined my top three films alongside Coco, and The Land Before Time.

Which is why I am really, really craving a followup of some kind.

Seriously, of all of Disney Animation’s recent films (or heck, films in general), I feel like this one has the greatest potential for a sequel. The setting oozes creativity from its every pore, has so many nooks and crannies that we didn’t manage to explore in the film, its two main leads were perfect and I really feel still have plenty of room to grow, and there are still so many ideas old and new that can be explored. So far we’ve received a few tie-in books, a hidden object game which is no longer available, a few comics, including a series about stories from Nick and Judy’s childhoods, a very large and intricate land expansion under construction in Shanghai Disneyland and a game starring Nick and Judy in Epcot, and a Disney+ original series focusing on various characters from around the city. All of these are fantastic, but four years after the film’s release, we’ve received no official confirmation of a proper continuation to Nick and Judy’s story like a sequel or TV series, just a few rumors here and there.

We’ll get some kind of proper followup eventually, that’s for sure, but what could it do? What kinds of places could they take us to? What ideas could it explore? What could happen to our leads, and what kinds of new characters could they befriend or combat? Well, I’m gonna give my ideas right here; buckle up, because I have a lot.

The City

Let me start off with the City itself. I mean… It’s marvelous. The architecture, like the Oasis Casino, central station, first precinct, the various neighborhoods. The accommodations like the sprinklers, water tubes, Little Rodentia, and the climate wall! The city of Zootopia is a star in and of itself with just how much care, attention, and creativity was put into its every crevice, and we barely got to see half of what it has to offer, as we only got a proper look at five of its twelve districts. They’ve revealed a few other districts via some maps and books (Meadowlands, Outback Island, Canal District) but there are a bunch of others yet to be revealed, and plenty unexplored.

Let’s start with what could be done with the ones already revealed. The Canal District could accommodate the city’s highly aquatic residents like hippos, otters, muskrats, beavers and manatees, and also be one of the city’s primary trade hubs. In terms of layout, it could be like Venice meets the Mekong Delta on steroids where the citizens live and make their living either in boats, or in buildings whose entrances are right on the water. There could be some walkways for less aquatic animals, but most of the transportation is through the water; either via swimming, or via motorboats, riverboats, jet skis, and ferries. And indeed, this is possibly what they had in mind judging by the concept art of the canals. I hope to see them implement something like this in the future; this stuff is just insanely cool! In terms of infrastructure, alongside the various docks and warehouses, I’m thinking that it could be a place for aquaculture where all manner of freshwater seafood are raised, as well as plenty of touristy stuff like river cruises. Maybe we could have a boat chase here, or perhaps just a relaxing moment between our leads, or maybe both.

The meadowlands would be a place for more temperate grazers like sheep, horses, bison, and various kinds of deer. It could be akin to a massive park district with plenty of recreation and places to enjoy a bit of fresh air, and its buildings could possibly be like hobbit holes and built into the hills. I’m thinking it could also be a place with a lot of mills to process both food and textiles, and its overall atmosphere could be quite agricultural and country while being in the middle of a city and not having much in the way of crops.

Now on to potential districts

Credit to @florenze

The one that I and many others have thought of the most is a nocturnal cave district. This would be located beneath the rest of the city, and would, of course, have little to no light in order to accommodate its main inhabitants such as moles, mole rats, and bats. This place could have homes on the ceiling and walls for the bats, with various cranes and elevators for the non-bats to get around both to visit, and do maintenance. I imagine bat homes could be quite atypical compared to other species since they’d likely sleep upside down and crawl on walls a fair bit, and if they need to get anywhere they can just fly, so much like the canals, they might not have much in the way of front yards and instead just have elevators and sheer drops on their front doors. Likewise, the less residential buildings could have entrances at higher floors for the bats as well. Entrances to the district could be drive-in cave mouths, as well as big openings for the bats to just fly straight out of to see the other districts at night.

As an opposite to that, I was thinking that a central mountain district would also be cool to see. This would accommodate mountain sheep and goats, takins, pikas, llamas, as well as snow leopards, brown bears, and other mammals who like high and rocky locales. This place could be even more vertical than the cave district, and require either elevators, stairways, or surefootedness to get around, as well as perhaps some oxygen tanks depending on how high it goes. Therefore, cars would be nowhere to be seen, and if anyone wants to get in, they’ll need to park outside, or better yet just take public transportation to allow room for residents’ vehicles. Buildings could possibly be carved out from the stone, and the overall atmosphere could be a mix of the Himalayas and the Andes, and also a bit of the Rockies and Urals.

Regardless of what districts they show us, I would like to see a few more angles to the city than just a bright and clean middle class. Show off its dirty underbelly too, and I don’t just mean more of the street hustlers and thieves like Nick, Finnick, and Weaselton. The first film did an excellent job of showing us that Zootopia wasn’t some perfect society with its discrimination and criminals, and while we did get a nice glimpse of its dirtier side, I want to see more of the run down neighborhoods and their residents. Heck, maybe make poverty an aspect of the plot and a motivator for the villain. Although, they also could also easily cover it with Nick due to the fact that his family was struggling back in the day. Alongside that, I’d like to see high society too, especially the oasis casino that they really wanted to show off, but couldn't find a way to. Show us just how both lavish and run down this city can be.

New Characters

Of all the things I love the film for, its characters and their arcs are probably the biggest things, especially those of the leads. This film has a very diverse cast from a big old cape buffalo to a tiny little fennec fox, and they’re all quite memorable and fun. Now I know what some of you are thinking, “why are you covering new characters before the old ones”? Mostly because I have fewer ideas, but also because the ideas I have for some of the old characters are quite big.

Firstly, I’d like to talk about Nick’s family, starting with his mother. Yes, Mrs. Wilde is already an established character, but I’m still putting her in here since I want to talk about Nick’s family in the same section, and she’s gotten very little characterization; heck, we don't even know her name. She seems like a very nice and supportive vixen from what we saw from the flashback, there was a tweet from Rich Moore that we can infer a fair bit from, and the end of a comic that showed her being a very nice mother and a massive fan of a rock band made of rabbits. Nick is seemingly an only child since no siblings are mentioned anywhere, and they certainly seemed to be financially struggling at some point since he said that his mom “scraped up” the money for the scout uniform, and in the comics he was always extremely short on money and didn’t even have an allowance. Rich referring to her as “Mrs. Wilde” as opposed to “Ms. Wilde” shows that she was/is married and that the husband was probably Nick’s father. The last line of the tweet highly indicates that she and Nick are in contact and on speaking terms (although it really begs the question of where she was during his graduation as there’s not a fox in sight (although there were plenty of seats out of sight and obscured)), and also potentially hints at, uh… Things we’ll get to later. Unfortunately, we don’t know anything more about her. Did she know about Nick’s bad behavior? Did Nick even tell her about the incident with the scouts? Was she ever estranged from him? I’d like for it to be talked about, preferably with her present. I don’t want her to just show up in a call or something, I want her to actually have a scene with her son, and I’d love for her to meet Judy as well.

At least we know a thing or two about her, but we don’t know a thing about Nick’s father that has been confirmed. In one of the original cuts of the film, Mr. Wilde was a tailor who wanted to start up a company with his son called Wilde and Son’s Suitopia and give his kit the best future he could possibly have. Unfortunately, after many attempts at getting a loan to start it up, Nick tried to stop some lemming bankers from denying their loan by trying to grab the stamp from them, was spotted by a guard, and was forcibly and permanently separated from his dad because the city in that cut was was a horrible place full of horrible prey who thought that predators were nothing but horrible monsters ready to blow at any time to the point that they were forced to wear shock collars that would zap them whenever they got even remotely excited. Seriously, screw this setting, it made Beastars look like a freaking paradise. Anyway, back on track. Nick only mentions his mom, so where is his dad? Again, a fair bit can be inferred from the sources on his mother. The simple fact that he wasn’t mentioned in the flashback or the comics seems to indicate that he was out of their lives at that point in Nick’s childhood. Go figure, fans have gone nuts with the possibilities. I’ve seen depictions of him ranging from dead, to estranged, to a genuinely good dad who’s back in their lives now, and a psychotic criminal mastermind who wants Nick to be his heir… Yeah. Out of all those depictions, the loving father one is my favorite. Sure, Rich didn’t mention him in the tweet, but that could have been a simple omission since the question was about Mrs. Wilde. I’ll be honest, my perfect version of this idea is from the fan comic It Should Have Been Me, in which which his backstory and character is almost exactly what it was in the original cut: he was a fabric worker who moved to Zootopia with his wife and son in order to make it big on a tailor business, as he strongly believed in the ideals of the city and wanted to show Nick what a fox could become. He was repeatedly denied a loan, and eventually his obsession with making the business made his wife leave with Nick. After some time, he finally realized that being a role model was not the same as being a father and returned to them. I adore this interpretation for how it shows a family that struggled to stay together for reasons mostly within their control, but still managed to, and are now seemingly happier than ever, something I can’t recall seeing at all in any of Disney Animation’s films (if you know any examples, please list them), and also the fact that Mr. Wilde is a great, likable, and kind of complex character here who is a good man who just messed up as opposed to a simple deadbeat dad I've often seen him depicted as. I want to see something like this out of his father in an official follow-up, but even if he is still separated from his wife, I’d like to see him, and if he’s dead, still give us something; I want to know who this guy is and where he is now, and if there’s anyone else in the Wilde family, I’d love to meet them too, and I want to know how they feel about Nick turning his life around and bucking expectations and stereotypes. His mother is probably exceedingly proud of him, and his dad probably is too if my preferred version is used. Either way, give us a lovely father, mother and son scene (or just mother and son scene, because you know, she’s the only one confirmed to still be around).

On to the villain! The villain should be as opposite to Bellwether as possible; big, male, predator, and not trying to fool anyone into believing that he’s not the mastermind behind anything. We’ll know, at least partially, who this guy is from the moment he’s introduced and what his motivations are early on. Unlike Bellwether, we’ll dive into his character more and more as the film goes on and see what makes him tick. So, what could he want? The idea I’ve conjured up was that he could be a segregationist extremist who sees the founding principles of Zootopia as foolish, believes that this all mammal society is unsustainable, and that all species should completely separate from each other. Perhaps he just wants to get back at the city that he believes wronged him and/or his kind, or perhaps he wants to go back to the wild square one where it’s every species for themselves, and perhaps he thinks that will genuinely be better for everyone. Regardless, I think that this idea would be an interesting continuation of the first film’s ideas of prejudice and living in peace with your neighbor, where this villain would want to bring down the city because he hates prejudice, wants to bring down what he sees as a hypocritical city, and wants mammals to be better off by being separate and under harm. Also, unlike Bellwether who was a power hungry sociopath, this guy will be far more genuine in his pursuit and see himself as a liberator. But as I said, he could very well just be using it all as an excuse for petty vengeance and lashing out at the world in a spiteful rage.

Despite what I said before, I do think that there should be an air of mystery around him. Since he’ll see himself as a demagogue for all animal’s “liberation”, he could conceal himself in shadows during his broadcasts, and also cover himself from head to toe in feature hiding clothes such as a helmet/mask, and specially designed gloves and shoes that hide what his hands and feet look like in order to not show off what species he is. Basically, he could be a twist on the twist villain; he’ll be all mysterious and some could think that he may be a character that we’ve met, but in reality he’s the same character we’ve known all along. As for what species he could be, I was thinking that he could be a less looked at member of a well known family of animals. My best bet would be a smaller and less predatory species of bear like an American black bear, sloth bear, or a sun bear since we saw so many brown and polar bears in the film, and while he’d be small by bear standards, he’d still be quite large, and heck, maybe they could make him particularly large and scary for his species of bear. Also, since he would be a kind of bear whose protein historically consisted entirely of insects (especially in the case of the latter two), he could have extra reason to be angry with society since his kind never wronged prey (although again not quite the case with American black bears since they will sometimes eat fawns and even fully grown deer), but yet he was lumped in with the brown and polar bears. Of the three species I listed, I think the sloth bear would work the best since their protein entirely consists of insects, but, despite their small size and goofy appearance, they’re one of the most aggressive species of bear and have been known to charge at elephants and rhinos at the drop of a hat, and this could play into his characterization as bear Kratos. I think there could be some hints to his species throughout the story, despite how well he may try to hide it. For instance, American black bears when scared tend to do things such as pulsing and clapping their jaws together, while the south Asian bears tend to rear up and stretch their chests out to expose their white stripe. Perhaps he could unconsciously do things like that when particularly agitated or under pressure.

What exactly could make him want all of this? I was thinking that much like our favorite fox cop, he could have experienced much discrimination throughout his life, only far worse, and been downright spiteful instead of rolling with the punches like Nick did. And again, it could have been more pronounced on him since the discrimination was due to “Sins of the cousins” and his kind had nothing to do with any of what they accused him of. A tipping point could have been the Night Howler Crisis, which could have either personally affected him, or just confirmed his beliefs and made him want to go through with his plans to try and tear Zootopia down, and now, about a year or so after that Crisis, his plans can finally go into motion. As for how he’ll go about things, well, he’d go for the hearts, minds and the infrastructure of the city. Perhaps he could broadcast all over to spread his propaganda and instill doubts in in the population (notably in his fellow preds by reminding them what happened not long ago), and also strike fear in those who oppose him. Other than that, he’ll of course go straight for the city’s infrastructure via sabotage and kidnappings. One victim could be the mayor, who this time could actually be a good person and politician, or, as one official comic showed, Lionheart again… Was this an error, or was he seriously canonically reinstated after the shady crap he got up to!?

Anyway, expanding on the idea of the concealing outfit, I’m thinking that his followers (who I’ll just call The Cell for now) could do the same thing with tail hiders, stilts, and padding which would be especially effective for bigger animals to possibly lean over and look like something shorter and fatter in order to make themselves appear roughly the same as to make themselves not see each other as another species for the duration of this insane operation (it also has the added effect of making them harder to differentiate and track). This will eventually be their downfall for reasons you may have surmised, but I’ll explain that later.

Speaking of more villainous characters, I'd like to see a bit more of the criminal syndicates and mobs throughout the city. I'd like to learn who rules what parts of the city, how far their reach goes, and how they operate. Although, we’ll probably only get a glimpse in the film, but we could see the criminal organizations focused on more in a TV series or official comic book, because I think a film would be about a much larger and complex threat that could change the city and characters as we know them.

What about more heroic characters? Well, perhaps we could see the return of concepts from the original pitch of the film like secret agents. Considering that the villain’s plot could be citywide and insidious, I think it would make sense. It could be cool to see conceptual characters such as Skye developed and implemented, and have them helping our leads with the case (or perhaps they could just be a cameo in a movie theater, I dunno, they had a billion other ideas when conceptualizing). I’d like to see her come back because she seemed like quite an interesting concept of a mechanic and badass secret agent (Also, look at that concept art; she's flipping adorable). Perhaps she could be undercover in The Cell, and Nick and Judy could meet her after being ambushed by them. As they’re driving away, Nick gets shot in the shoulder with a dart, but when they reach safety, he realizes that he’s fine. He pulls the dart out and finds that it’s hollow and clear and has a note inside it. They read the note and it includes an apology and directions to a garage in the meadowlands. Later they go to the address and find a light tan fox working on a car. She introduces herself, apologizes further to Nick for shooting him, and then brings them into a safehouse where she gives them vital info on The Cell, and gives them a number to call her at and a few special signals and monikers to help out.

If I were to describe the character I imagine her having, it would be extremely enthusiastic, friendly, and possibly coming off as a little childish, but also intelligent, savvy, and consummately professional and well trained. Basically, a quintessential bunny ears lawyer.

Some people have wanted her to have some kind of past affiliation with Nick, but I’m not sure. I mean, it would be interesting and a good callback to the cut where she was his sidekick, but in this version him knowing someone who just so happens to also be a secret agent would seem a little odd. Then again, he knows everybody. Maybe she’s that mysterious Lady Friend mentioned by Finnick…? (she is a mechanic after all, and he loves his van).

Other than that, I’d love to see the ZPD itself expanded and characterized a heck of a lot more. Maybe we could actually get to know Nick and Judy’s fellow officers like McHorn, Pennington, and Wolfard, and finally see some actual detectives as opposed to just patrolmen, and also get to see the city’s other precincts. I’d love to see the folks at first precinct all working with and respecting our leads, and for all of their strengths to be shown to the max. As in, I want to see them in full SWAT gear conducting a raid; Bogo and the big boys breaching doors, the wolves and cats on marksman duty, and Nick and Judy doing infiltration.

Returning Characters

Let’s start with everyone’s favorite tiny fox, shall we? Finnick wasn’t in the film all that much and only said a total of 37 words (yes I counted), but despite this, he still left a shockingly large impact on audiences for his in your face attitude and vocal dissonance of being a little fennec fox played by a giant former pro wrestler, Tommy Lister Jr (may he rest in peace). And honestly, I flipping adored him too. The creators also liked him a lot and have featured him extensively in newer material such as Zootopia Crime Files, which had him heavily involved in a case and really managed to flesh out his character and specify what his relationship with Nick was like (which is to say, they are genuinely friends), and he even appears as a playable character in Disney Heroes: Battle Mode, and they have said that they wanted to feature him more in a sequel. So what could he do in a follow up? I’m thinking that he could become a major supporting character. I’d like to see him having some genuine friendly times and conversations with Nick and Judy such as going out to eat with them, and also get them out of some scrapes; perhaps by going nuts on a perp that’s threatening them and/or driving them out of a sticky situation. Perhaps he could also help the investigation by acting like an informant or mole (but as I said, in this cut that could already be taken by someone else). Or perhaps he’s gone or will go relatively straight and operate a totally legitimate ice cream shop instead of running a complex hustle. Perhaps he could also act as a shippe- again something we’ll get to later. I’d also like to learn more about him as a person; did he get into the hustling life because of some kind of discrimination like Nick, or is he just a roughhouser who genuinely likes what he does and wouldn’t have it any other way? Who’s this lady friend he mentions? Does he harbor any resentment for Nick for getting off the street and into the force? Obviously it’s not too strong if he’s still giving him Pawpcicles and interacting with him in a cordial way, but is there any there? I’d really like to see. Also, what's his real name? The directors said that Finnick isn't his real name, so what is it? Maybe tell us, maybe don't. As for who could replace Zeus, I’m thinking Kevin Michael Richardson. Whoever they get, I hope he does him justice.

Leave Bellwether out of this; she's served her purpose.

I wouldn’t be mad at seeing Mr. Big return, but I don’t really have any ideas for him. That said, I think that Fru-Fru could be a nice inclusion as a good friend of Judy. Perhaps Judy could hang out with her and do a few things like a little bit of Godmothering for the little shrew bearing her name.

Flash… If he shows up at all, make it a minor appearance, maybe even a cameo.

Bogo was technically the tritagonist of the last film, and I’d like him to remain in a prominent role. I loved his character and evolution in the last film; he starts off barely giving Judy the time of day and repeatedly gets really pissed off at her antics, and also blows off Nick on the simple basis of him being a fox. But he’s an extremely principled and just fellow, and in my opinion, an example of what a good police chief should be, especially since he gets over his prejudices and comes to respect our leads as much as his other officers (which is to say, a LOT). And it’s that respect that I really want to see in a follow up. I want him to send Nick and Judy out on important missions, I want him to trust them with their conduct and intel, and most of all, I want him to protect them and treat them like valuable members of the force. For instance we could see him chew out another officer for talking badly of them, and also risk his life to keep them alive. Speaking of, I also want to see him in action, not just in his office playing with apps (although I certainly wouldn’t complain if we saw him messing around) or showing up after the fact to arrest a perp; I want to see this big bull kicking tail and taking names. Again that prospective swat raid. Other than that, I’d like to learn a bit more about him as a person outside his job, and maybe get a full name.

Benjamin Clawhauser… I don’t have much in the way of new ideas for him other than seeing him interact with Nick. I and many others think that the two of them would be great friends with some awesome banter (and in the Tame Collar cut he was supposed to be one of Nick’s employees at Wilde Times, so they’ve got some of their dynamic figured out already). If I were to imagine Nick's nickname (or I guess we could say Nick Name) for him, it may be Chomps. Other than that, for the third time, flesh him and his backstory out a bit more; he’s a likable guy and I’d like to know more about him. I also absolutely think that he’d be yet another shi- Oh yeah, the main characters!

Nick and Judy

And finally, the part that I’ve wanted to talk about the most; Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps. These two are incredible. I know I’ve already gushed about every last little thing this film has done even remotely right, but these two are genuinely just plain perfection. They’re my favorite cinematic duo ever, and some of my favorite fictional characters ever. Their dynamic, their chemistry, their dedication and adoration of each other, the way they grow because of each other, it’s all just wonderful. If you want more details as to why they’re so wonderful (especially together), check out @beastars-takes post on their relationship and why it’s so darn awesome; there is not an off word in there, offers a lot of insight into the hidden depths that you may not have noticed, and helped me understand these two and the film all the better and gave me the intense love I have for it. Buckle up, these two are the longest part of the essay, because they were the best and biggest part of the movie, and thus I’ve got the most to say.

Honestly, my favorite parts with them were in the last 20 minutes of the film where they are just a perfect buddy cop duo (and ironically enough, weren’t even cops at this point) who clearly had an unbelievable amount of love for each other and even faith in each other while kicking serious butt, and seeing Nick give off that extremely genuine smile upon finally being able to live up to the oath he made as a kid at his graduation was absolutely heartwarming. I want to see more of THIS duo in the next film; a duo of true companions absolutely brimming with charm and endearment who you want to be on screen as much as possible. These two had such good chemistry by the end of the film that many people wondered whether there was something more between them than mere friendship. Were they… Romantically involved? If not, should they be in the future? Many people have been against this idea because they either don’t interpret their relationship that way, and/or they feel that a romance would be cliched and/or forced. What’s my opinion on this whole thing? We’ll get to that soon, for now, let's talk about character focus and development!

I think that Nick should be in the protagonist seat this time, and Judy should be switched to deuteragonist, although she’ll be more in focus than Nick was last time. I want to see how Nick feels about his new life as an officer, his past and connections, his home (does he live in a leaky pipe ridden apartment and sleep in a drawer like in this concept art, or does he live in a better place?), him kicking but with his new training, and as said previously, his family. I want to see him being truly happy and fulfilled for the first time in his adult life, and how it affects him. I want to see the full weight of everything that he’s gained and will continue to have at the forefront of his story arc, and likewise with Judy. I want to see him open up to people more, and I want to see him continue to prove to the world that a fox can be more than a shyster, and heck, maybe he and Judy are becoming something of celebrities from their adventures and maybe the two of them are using their status to help their communities in ways other than police work. Maybe the two of them will visit schools, more run down neighborhoods and communities of stereotyped animals to tell their story and show them what they can become if they believe in themselves and in others. I also want a big emotional scene from him, or at least an adult big emotional scene. While we did see plenty of big emotional scenes from him and certainly saw the depths of what he’s been through, it was Judy who really brought out the most emotion. This time around, I want to see Nick carry the most emotional scene, tears and all. My choice would be him realizing the weight of what he has gained and how much he doesn’t want to lose it. For instance, perhaps they could have a party at the station in honor of their promotions (I'd guess detective given their skill sets) with him, his fellow officers, his parents, and even his and her civilian friends such as Finnick. He’ll sit down next to Judy and his folks with a plate and a cup, and they’ll start conversing. Suddenly, officer McHorn comes up and commends him and Judy for their great work in their short time on the force, and how they deserve to be detectives after all the cases big and small that they've solved. Nick will look at him with a smile as he’s talking, and then notice something: all of the most important people in his world are right there in that room, and each and every one loves, respects, and appreciates him. His parents, his friends, and most importantly his brothers in arms, and especially the one who brought him into the fold and changed his life forever. The realization that he’s achieved the camaraderie he wanted and fulfilled the promise he made in his youth, how he's made people see him for who he is and not what he is, and how whole his life has become from this job and how it will get even better from this promotion hit him like a train and he starts shedding tears. His parents, Judy and McHorn notice. He tries to play it off initially, but he realizes that he has nothing to hide anymore and explains everything. McHorn says he really meant what he said and that he’s an integral part of the PD, and Judy and his folks begin comforting him and eventually Judy says “Oh you foxes, you're so emotional”. Nick gets a big smile on his face and gives her a tight hug, and then chooses to get up on a table and say a big speech of thanks and cheers to his family, friends, his fellow officers, and especially to the greatest gal he’s ever known.

Speaking of the sly bunny, I want to see how the events of the last film have affected her and have shaped her into a wiser person and more effective officer. Much like with Nick, I want to see her continue to buck other’s expectations of her and prove that rabbits can be far more than just meek farmers. I want to see her grow even more street smart, wise, and a better problem solver from seeing all that Zootopia has to offer and from her proximity with Nick. I want her to see more of the world’s complicated problems and for her to start to understand the bad parts of it even more, but at the same time continuing to see plenty of good as well (sometimes, a bit of both). Also, there’s a lot of Zootopia as a city that she still hasn’t seen; species, districts, holidays, you name it. I want a big part of her story to also be her experiencing everything the city has to offer, preferably with Nick at her side, and the wonder on her face. That said, I want the wonder to be shared. I want to see Nick enjoying this city like never before since he can look at it in a whole new light, and do so with the one who made it all possible. And likewise, Judy would feel the same in regards to being able to explore it with the one who changed her for the better, helped her keep her career, learn more about herself, and has continued to be there for her. And again like Nick, I want her to really feel what she’s gained: a great career, comrades who respect her, the ability to help others, and fulfillment of the dream she’s wanted since childhood, and an amazing partner who helped her achieve it all and got all the same things because of her.

And all that of course brings us to the big question. How should their relationship evolve? Well, uh… I think… You see, I… I uh… Well...

This is on the bookshelf in my room

And this is one of my most viewed images on furaffinity (credit to RelaxableFur)

Of important note; I’m not someone who casually ships characters. I may consider the idea of them being a couple when they’re together on screen and have good chemistry, but I’m never like “Oh my god, they need to get together!” (in fact, I was neutral about the idea of WildeHopps until last year when I dived back into the movie), and I’m especially not one of those people who ships characters who obviously have no chance in hell of being romantically involved. I only really get on a ship if I think there’s a strong precedent for it in terms of character plausibility and storytelling potential (and it also helps if they’re absolutely adorable on screen). And in the case of these two, I absolutely think that they hit all three categories.

Now, let’s get into details. Do I think they’re just friends at the end of the film? Not necessarily. Do I think they’re romantically involved? Again, not necessarily. I think their relationship is complicated. As I said, they trust, respect, and care for each other to such an incredible degree that they were willing to do THIS all for the sake of milking the scene and keeping up appearances to keep the bad guy talking (and as you may or may not have noticed, Judy’s nose didn’t move even a bit during the entire act until Nick was right on top of her, whereas before at even the slightest sign of distress it would twitch like crazy), and then just casually laugh about the whole thing while holding each other. Speaking of which, they are clearly very comfortable with physical contact; Judy comforts Nick with some arm caresses

Nick let Judy cry into him and wrapped his tail around her when making up (how else would she step on it)

The two of them share the aforementioned very nice embrace when gloating to Bellwether (yes, Judy had a wounded leg, but the way they’re holding each other and how comfortable they are indicates way more than just physical support)

And there was also this part in the concert…

Y’all thought that was just a hip check, didn’t you!?

There’s also the fact that, while it’s obviously a rather playful exchange, they just casually threw the big, big L out there in their last conversation, and not only that, but the whole thing is delivered in a kind of longing fashion, and depending on the translation the wording gets either more or less explicitly romantic.

As myself and Beastars Takes have stated, they are perfect kindred spirits who have irrevocably changed each other’s lives for the better, and they believed in each other when no one else would. For those reasons they have grown closer to each other than anyone else and can’t get enough of each other. They made each other’s dreams come true, they’re the greatest things that have happened to each other, and they will continue to be so, especially now that they’re together nearly every day of the year since they’re now on the job together. To me, that’s not a will they get together, that’s a when will they get together, and I’d find it more forced if they didn’t become an item (unless their sexualities don’t match, but I doubt that, because again all of their dialogue and physical closeness)

And this officially licensed merch…

And these park character interactions.

And honestly, I think that many mammals will probably think the same way. As I almost said throughout, I think plenty of folks like Clawhauser and Finnick will see the spark between them and be Shippers on Deck. I could imagine Finnick teasing their obvious affection for each other, and Clawhauser could just be his usual self and just make little squees and mental notes whenever he sees them interacting, and there could be a few rumors about them floating around the PD.

So how should their romance develop, and how should their couple dynamic be? Subtly, and not too much of a change from how they already are, respectively. As I said, these two already think the world of and can’t get enough of each other, and I really think that there’s already a romantic spark between them that they just need to think through and expose. I give them half a year on the force before they’re all over each other, a year at most. I don’t think that they’ll even have to make any real confession of love to each other, I think they’ll just have to have the right moment to properly figure out that their relationship already is romantic and/or that it really would be able to work out between them, and actually cement it right there and then. That said, don’t drag the hookup out. Don’t have their entire arc be about them getting together. Don’t have them magically be together at the start of the story, but certainly don’t drag for the whole time. Give us time for them to be the slightly better than best friends we saw at the end of the last film while building up some extra tension, and then have them properly hook up in the second act. But as I said, their dynamic shouldn’t change too much. Again, it’d be more of a realization than a decision since they already have an unbelievably high opinion of and affection towards each other (and they seemingly already know that there’s something between them), and it’d be an enhancement of what they already have as opposed to a change; they’ll continue to be the best friends that they’ve been, just with an extra openly romantic component. Have them be even more willing to show affection both physical (hand holding, cuddling, and kissing) and verbal (more flirtation, and some I love yous). I want this romance to be sweet and unique with a lot more friendly banter, discussion and enjoying more platonic fun stuff (like playing games and joking together), and way less lubby dubby crap. I want their trust and love and respect for each other to be extremely apparent; continue to have it be clear that they think the world of each other and show the reasons for it, and don’t have them be too doting, or at least not that often. That said, absolutely feature some powerful romantic moments like a little dance, or the hookup stated before.

As I said before, I also really get on to a ship if I believe that it can add to the story, and in this case, I really do think it can. I think that their relationship could bring up and/or amplify a lot of strong themes that would complement the first film’s message perfectly. For instance, friendship, love and family not knowing the boundaries of species.

Now, it’s clear that interspecies relationships and marriages are a thing in this city: the directors talked a bit about how society could see their relationship and how Zootopia is probably open to the idea; the first couple that Judy meets in Zootopia are her neighbors Bucky and Pronk Oryx-Antlerson, who are a greater kudu and a gemsbok (they’re also same sex, so that indicates even more societal openness)

There was also an official comic about Flash trying to ask Priscilla out on a date to a movie, but he was too slow and lost out to a Hyena, so that indicates that even predator-prey relationships aren’t widely looked down upon.

However, as the first film showed, Zootopia’s not a perfect society, so they absolutely could receive some nasty stares and insults in the city, and Bunnyburrow Seems to be less open on the whole. Yes, I’m bringing up the ever so popular “Nick meets Judy’s parents after their hookup” idea that hundreds of people have written stories about, but I genuinely think it’s a fun idea, and I’d like to see their reaction to Nick if he’s romantically involved with their daughter, and Nick trying to get used to country life and bonding with a new family. We saw in the last film that Bonnie and Stu are opening up to foxes, and I would imagine that they met Nick around the time of the concert in the credits, but how could they feel about their daughter being with a non-bunny? That could be a fantastic storyline to cover, and it could be a fantastic way to explore that theme of interspecies bonds, and also of families being built on love. That being said, them visiting Bunnyburrow (AKA my hometown in upstate NY: we seem to have an infestation of rabbits here), would be best for a TV series arc or a comic as opposed to a theatrical release, but they could still have the Hopps family visit Zootopia in the film and have many similar things go down. Another scenario could be from Nick’s family. Remember what Rich said about his mother waiting for a grandkit? Does this mean that she actually wants him to continue the family line, or does it mean that she just wants another little tyke to help raise? Either way, she could be an interesting addition to this idea since the creators have specified that they normally fall back on what is scientifically plausible for the film, meaning that Nick and Judy probably wouldn't be able to conceive a child, so they could introduce some hesitance or vice versa into the story through her.

With my previous villain idea, the theme of bonds beyond species could come up quite often. Nick and Judy could become targets of The Cell from the beginning for their friendship, but they could perhaps become more of targets once it becomes clearer to The Cell that they may be more (and because they’re likely foiling their plans). If the villain actually saw proof up close that they were together, he could absolutely lose it and just try to tear them limb from limb. But of course, their bond could also be used to their advantage alongside the villains’ hypocrisy and foolishness. For instance, in a final confrontation. Here’s my prospective scene: Nick, Judy and possibly other characters are surrounded by Cell members who are armed to the teeth and pointing all they have right at them. Everyone in the room is weary from all that’s happened over the course of the film, and are hesitant to start fighting again. Then, Nick speaks up and asks The Cell why they’re still fighting. He brings up the fact that they’re all fighting for the downfall of Zootopia and the separation of all species since they believe that animals only see each other for what they are and are cruel because of it, and that they’re going as far as to hide their species from their comrades to not see each other as separate, but only until the job is done, and then they'll go their separate ways. Of course, why should they see each other as one only for now? They’ve all bonded and seen each other as comrades all this time while not knowing each other’s species; why should knowing what they are be any different? This would result in some taking the plunge and removing their helmets, which would then result in the others seeing what they are. Our leads would tell them that they have not known each other's species this long and yet they’ve bonded together as brothers in arms; why would they want to break that because of stupid differences, and why would they want to use those differences to separate themselves? Some folks can tear and digest meat, some can clip and digest grass; what difference should that make? If they want things to be better, then they must be better, and show those who hate them that things can be better (and for extra effect, Nick and Judy could show off the bond that they’ve gained despite being not just two different species, but predator and prey). One member throws his mask out, then another, and another. More and more continue to throw away their masks and even suits, either because they were convinced or because they see the cause as hopeless, and within a minute the floor is littered with masks and discarded body suits, and the members of the once mighty Cell walk out of the room, many with their arms around one another, and some holding hands, and soon it’s just the leader and the officers alone.

Conclusion

So those were my ideas for a Zootopia sequel. To recap, I want to see even more of the city’s districts and more of its socio-economic angles. I want to see new characters both brand new and from old drafts, and I want an interesting and fresh villain who we can gain a bit of sympathy for. I want to see all of our favorite supporting characters from the first film continue to be great and have expanded roles. And above all, I want our leads to continue to grow themselves and their bond into something even more wonderful. I want to see Nick grow as a person and officer, and I want to see Judy grow alongside him. I want to see Nick’s family and connections, I want how his new life is affecting him, and I want to see him open up emotionally with himself and with those he loves, and I want Judy to continue to grow wiser about the world and everything ugly and beautiful about it, and how being on the force, and with the one she cares about most no less, shapes her into an even more effective problem solver.

So when could we see a sequel? Well, we may have to wait a while longer. While it’s very clear that the franchise isn’t dead, we’ve heard absolutely nothing official on a sequel, and current events at Disney Animation Studios are making it seem like we may have to wait more for one to come. The director and mastermind behind the film, Byron Howard, and the co-director and screenwriter, Jared Bush, are currently working on a musical film currently called Encanto which is set to release in November. Why did they do this instead of going straight for Zootopia 2? Rich Moore, the other head director, had to scramble back to work on Ralph Breaks The Internet after leaving it for a year and a half, and that pretty much left the team in pieces. Considering how much he seemed to want to be a part of the development of a sequel and how they said that they didn’t want to rush it, the other guys seem to have started Encanto to do something new while Rich was busy, and of course shake up their creative juices. However, Rich left the studio in 2019 to join Sony Animation, although he said he left the studio in good hands, and I certainly hope that’s true. Considering that Disney tends to announce films around two years before release, and also tends to have directors work on films released two years apart, 2023 seems like a likely release year, but 2024 would work better for getting a bit more development time into it, get some test screening done and to iron out any possible issues.

That said, the extra year may not be totally necessary. Considering how well developed the first film’s world and characters were, and how much they conceptualized during its production, I don’t think they’ll have to conceptualize quite as hard, and most of what they’ll have to create from scratch will be storylines, themes, character development, and brand new characters, as well as possibly a few districts and species designs. But again, there was so much that they have already made that they just need to show us, as well as so many concepts to fall back on with developing brand new content that even in the conceptual stage that it may have be in they’ll have a relatively easy time coming up with incredible new content; unlike Frozen II & Ralph Breaks the Internet where they had to make up totally new locations, concepts, and everything in between. I’m of the opinion that with all the time that it’s likely been in partial production that the relatively little new stuff that they've had to come up with has probably already been quite refined, and by the time Encanto is done, they may well have something extremely robust and just need to refine it, and then make models and animate it, and give us Disney Animation's best sequel ever. But then again, that extra year may be good for it. But then again, I'm not a filmmaker, so I don't know crap.

And after that, we could end up getting a TV series with further adventures of Nick and Judy, and also flesh out the world even more by showing us districts, criminal groups, precincts, and all manner of other things. Perhaps it could be a police procedural with our leads taking on whatever the city has to offer as well as de showing off more about them and other characters than the films could, and also potentially be a bit of a Segway into the next film (why yes, I think a Zootopia trilogy could be amazing). Thankfully the majority of the cast is made up of accomplished TV actors, so they’ll probably be able to get almost everyone back (but I am hoping for Jason Bateman the most since he IS Nick Wilde and no one can replace him (the same applies to Ginnifer Goodwin with Judy to a very slightly lesser extent)). My hope is that it'll be a D+ original, and thus have an extra good budget that'll hopefully bring in a great cast, and excellent animation and writing.

But anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed my ideas. Was there anything you'd like to add, or anything you didn't quite agree with (or any mistakes I didn't notice while proofreading)? Well then please do discuss them. Until next time, may your battles be won and your day be blessed, and may you be excellent to all those you meet!

#zootopia #zootopia 2 #nick wilde #judy hopps #clawhauser #benjamin clawhauser #finnick #chief bogo #film speculation #film theorizing #disney #disney animation #walt disney animation #wdas #movie essay #wildehopps

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prettyboy-asmo · 4 years ago

Text

Aquarium Date

Pairing: Diavolo/Reader(Gender Neutral reader)

Pure fluff/attempt at humor- SFW

Summary: Diavolo asks about your favorite things to do in the human realm, and you tell him about aquariums. He decides you should go to one together.

Huge thank you to @jugodeflores for motivating/ encouraging me to write this and also beta reading for me!

“MC,” You look up Diavolo from your D.D.D, wondering when he’d stopped doing his own paperwork. Instead, his gold eyes focused on you as he propped his chin on his hand, “What’s your favorite thing to do in the human realm?”

“Well, I guess it depends,” You tell him, smiling a little as he listens to you speak with intense curiosity, “Do you mean day to day, or special occasions?”

“Special occasions?” He questions, leaning forward in his seat now.

“Yeah, Like vacations, day trips, or dates and stuff.”

“I’m interested in special occasions,” He answers.

“Okay, Well, I never really went on vacations or traveled much,” Which in a way, is what had prompted you to sign and mail the mysterious exchange forms that had found their way in your mail one day, “But I liked taking trips to the cities I lived near, just to explore and find new places and stuff. There were a couple of water parks around, and some carnivals during the summer, along with an amusement park a few hours away, a few museums too. I think my top favorite was the aquarium though, alone or for a date.”

You watch the Prince tilt his head slightly, his expression urging you to continue. “There’s just something about the experience that never gets old for me. Seeing all the different creatures that I wouldn’t see otherwise, and it’s more than just looking at fish too, sometimes they have live feedings for certain animals, and the one I went to had penguins and sea otters and A jellyfish tank. I could watch the moon jellies for hours. And there’s information on everything housed in there, so you can learn about them while you observe them. I went for a field trip in second grade and I fell in love with it.”

“That does seem like it would be an entertaining experience.” he grins warmly at you, “Let’s go to one.”

You blink at him, processing his words, “Huh?”

“Let’s go to a human realm aquarium. I want to experience one with you.” You feel your face flush when he laughs, “I’ll make all the necessary arrangements.” He already looks so excited that you can feel your heart melt. It’s not like you’d have said no in the first place, but you nod your agreement anyways.

So a week later you’re visiting the human realm, Your hand gripping Diavolo’s as the Demon Prince led you along to the aquarium he’d chosen to visit. It wasn’t very often you got to see him in casual clothes, So while he was focused on your destination you took some time to admire the way he looked in the dark red button down and black slacks. It was kind of unfair, really, how good he looked.

Soon, though, you had reached the doors and Diavolo was paying the entry fees, taking a map and leading you into the building farther before stopping and turning to you, “What should we do first?”

“Well,” you pondered, glancing at the pamphlet he held out to you, “There’s a show with the dolphins in two hours if you’re interested in that. Until then, we can start here and work our way through the building, unless there’s something you want to see right now.”

Diavolo shook his head, “I want to see it all.” and with that he sets off again, his enthusiasm drawing a laugh from you as he leads you in the direction of the exhibits. His eyes light up as you walk into what you note is supposed to be an exhibit on the Amazon, and the look of wonder that graces his features is something you want to commit to memory for the rest of your life.

You move along the tanks, and he leans in close to each one. Sometimes, you’re able to point out a specific fish and give a few facts about them, and sometimes you read him the trivia posted around the exhibit.

“It kind of reminds me of Leviathan,” Diavolo says suddenly, prompting you to turn from the sign of facts about Piranhas you’d been reading. You can’t help the laugh that you let out when you see he’s observing a rainbow boa that’s draped lazily on one of the many large branches in its enclosure. The pattern along its body does indeed remind you of Leviathan’s demon form. You don’t have time to respond as Diavolo takes out his D.D.D, double checks the flash is off and snaps a picture.

You try to peer over his shoulder to see what he’s doing, but with a grin he finishes typing and turns the phone toward you. The Picture of the snake is there, soft iridescent sheen on it’s skin visible along with the pattern, under it is a short message that simply reads, Is this you? And you can only imagine how Levi will react when he opens that message. The thought is amusing but it quickly drifts to the back of your mind as Diavolo starts moving toward another enclosure, attention captured by something there.

You follow him through the rest of this exhibit, letting him lead you around the rooms and take as much time to observe everything he wants. You’re glad he’s so tall, otherwise you might be afraid you’d lose him in the crowd with how suddenly he seems to take off to other exhibits when something catches his eye. The interest and child-like excitement that continues to shine through him rubs off on you, and soon enough your hands are intertwined once again as he pulls you gently along. You make it through a freshwater fish exhibit before you decide it’s time to head to the show.

As you’re heading there you pass a group of young children clearly on a field trip, and apparently heading to the same show you are. A few of them stare at you- or, more accurately, Diavolo. One of them whispers to their friend, a not so quiet- “He’s really tall, like, as tall as a superhero!” You feel the soft chuckle Diavolo lets out, biting back your own laugh. Diavolo though turns back slightly, sending a wink at the pair before guiding you to your seats for the show.

Now, instead of his grip on your hand he wraps his arm around you, pulling you flush against his side. It causes a slight blush to dust your cheeks, but you lean into his side anyways, enjoying the closeness of the moment. “Are you enjoying your day so far?” he asks as people continue to find seats, shuffling around and settling while waiting for the show to begin.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” you tell him honestly, your own smile bright, but your conversation is cut short by the show beginning. You both give it your attention, though every so often, after a dolphin performs a particularly impressive trick or amusing maneuver, you glance at the demon beside you to see his reactions. Each time he laughs in delight you can feel it move through him, and you can feel the way his arm tenses around you during tricks, can see the awe in his eyes when the trainers explain some of the mannerisms of the animals, the relationships they form with one another, and efforts to help the earth’s environments to help the natural habitats of the animals.

After the show, you end up at the touch pools- something that sets off a whole new level of excitement in Diavolo. He’s extremely careful when he reaches in, fingers gently grazing the creatures sitting in the shallow water. “It’s fascinating,” the Anemone his hand brushed against swayed gently with the movement of the water.

“You don’t expect them to feel so...squishy, right?”

You go through a few more exhibits after that, and you even manage to sneak a few photos of Diavolo, your favorite being the one where he’s nearly leaning against the glass of the beluga whale enclosure, one of the creatures on the other side staring right back at him, the delighted expression on Diavolo’s face is priceless. You also manage to send it to Lucifer, knowing he’d appreciate it as much as you do. A while later, Diavolo takes your hand in his again.

“The Aquarium is hosting a jellyfish exhibit for a limited time,” he says, leading you along to a staircase that has another attendant standing at the top, “I got us the passes because you said you liked them.” He hands the attendant the passes, who nods as you continue on down the staircase. Even in the dimmer light as you reach the bottom you can see the faint tinge of pink on his face.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you squeeze his hand, smiling up at him, “but thank you, I love it.”

The pace you took around the exhibit was slower now, moving along the dim rooms and taking minutes at a time to watch the strange creatures drift through the lit tanks. It’s quieter here than the rest of the aquarium, and less crowded, probably due to the fact that it required additional passes- but it feels almost serene, despite the low chatter of the other guests roaming the rooms.

“I believe I understand what you meant when you said you could watch them for hours,” Divaolo says next to you, his golden eyes are tracking the movement of the Jellies, his features bathed in the blue glow of the tank’s lighting- it makes everything feel softer somehow, the way his lips are curved into a smile, how his hair falls just slightly into his eyes, even his gaze.

When he turns to you there’s something else in his eyes that makes your face heat up. “They really are beautiful,” he says, and you realize he’s leaning in closer, as he continues, “Almost as beautiful as you,” he finishes, and even though there’s sincerity in his voice- even though you know he doesn’t lie- you have to fight the urge to roll your eyes.

“That’s...so cheesy.” you say, but you can feel your own grin on your face, your hand squeezes his tighter, and you lean up, almost completely on your toes to meet him in a soft, quick kiss. “Thank you for this,” you say earnestly, “I’m happy we got to come here together.”

“As am I. I should thank you for putting up with me dragging you around all the exhibits, I’m sure you are used to a more relaxed atmosphere than that.”

“I think it’s cute.” You answer, satisfaction washing over you at the blush that covers his face, “I like how excited you are. It means I can tell you’re having a good time.”

He chuckled slightly, “I would say any time spent with you is good.”

The two of you lingered in the Jellyfish exhibit for a while, silently admiring the displays.

When you finally emerge you have to blink at the sudden increase in light, but Diavolo is already leading you along again. “I was told that these sort of trips aren’t complete without a visit to the gift shop.”

“I guess that is kinda true,” you admit, following him into the shop. Immediately, something catches your eye. “Dia, look!” You hold up an almost perfectly round stuffed seal in your hands, squeezing it’s soft sides slightly, “It’s so cute!” It’s little flippers dangle slightly as Diavolo looks at it- and you- with unveiled amusement, “Feel it!”

He takes it from your hands, squeezing it slightly. “It is incredibly soft,” he turns it over in his hands, squishing it again, “Do you want one?”

“Wait- really?”

“Why would I ask If I didn’t really want to know?”

“I do like it,” you admit- “Reminds me of you, in a way.”

Diavolo looks at the Seal’s face, then back to you, “It reminds you...of me?”

“Nice to hug. Cute.”

“Is that so?” Diavolo’s cheeks are flushed pink again, and even though your own face feels warm you can’t help but admire the ability to make the Prince of the Devildom blush. He tucks the seal under his arm without saying anything else- and then it seems that a display of t-shirts catches his eye. “All proceeds go to charity. MC, do you know this charity?”

You glance at the sign. “I do! It’s a good one, they support a lot of rescue habitats and environmental efforts- and they actually use their money for what they say they do, unlike some.”

Divaolo’s eyes shine as he takes in the shirts, Colorful cartoon fish decorate the fabric, and bold, bright letters declaring “Don’t be Shellfish, Protect our Oceans,” are written on the front. He moves to the display, rifling through the shirts before pulling out three different sizes.

"Three?"

"One for Lucifer as well!"

You laugh out loud at the mental image of Lucifer wearing the shirt and nod, "Good idea." Diavolo wanders around the shop a bit more, when another stuffed animal catches your eye. A beluga whale. Your mind flashes back to the delight on his face when you’d snapped that picture of him and the whale earlier that day. You pick the stuffed beluga up, it’s large and, to your delight, is just as soft as it looks. You glance over at Diavolo and see that he’s distracted by a book display, so as stealthy as you can you make your way to the cashier with the whale.

You pay, thanking the cashier, then make your way to the door before calling out, “I’ll be waiting outside, Dia!”

It’s not long after he exits the gift shop with a curious expression, multiple bags gripped in one hand and the seal tucked back under his arm. “MC?”

You hold the whale out to him, “I thought you’d like this,” you say, pleased by the fondness obvious in his expression, he frees the seal under his arm, handing it to you and taking the gift.

“I adore it. Is this why you left before me?”

You grin, squeezing the seal with one arm and linking your free hand with his, “I wanted it to be a surprise, as well as a thank you for all of this.”

You feel like you’re half asleep when you get back to the Devildom, eyes drooping and legs slightly aching from all the walking you’d done that day. You eat dinner with Diavolo, and then you insist on joining him in his study when he says he has some paperwork to finish before he goes to bed.

You’re curled up in one of the armchairs, the stuffed seal Diavolo bought you under your head like a pillow as you watch him do paperwork. You feel your eyes droop, slower to open them each time. Eventually you decide it’s easier to give into sleep, figuring Diavolo could wake you before he went to bed for the night.

“Dia,” You mumble, waiting for him to look up from whatever paperwork he was pouring over now, “Thank you for today. I love you.”

He smiles softly back at you, “I love you, sweetheart.” You give him one last smile before curling up tighter and letting yourself fall asleep.

#long post #obey me shall we date #swd lord diavolo #diavolo x reader #diavolo x mc #fluff #aquarium date #swd obey me #gender neutral mc #gender neutral reader #it's soft

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encyclopika · 4 years ago

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Animal Crossing Fish Explained - Habitats #5

Brought to you by a marine biologist completely out of her element...

CLICK HERE FOR THE AC FISH EXPLAINED MASTERPOST!

I figure since we just did the estuary, we would continue up the river as salmon would. The Flowing River tank is really gorgeous. When you first start filling in your museum, this area is blank and kinda ugly. As you put in fish, it transforms into this beautiful, rocky Temperate River ecosystem that really reminds me of the snow melt rivers and streams in upstate New York, (although I’m sure it could be any Northern Hemisphere river). I mean, the waterfalls just absolutely sell it. Rivers are incredible habitats that humans have relied on since we decided the nomadic lifestyle wasn’t cutting it anymore.

Sixth grade history class probably beat it into your head that many ancient civilizations settled and grew in river basins, such as Egypt on the Nile River. Since then, humans have heavily relied on - and degraded to shit - rivers all over the world. These days, many rivers are altered in some way. Many are dammed for hydroelectric purposes or to protect towns downstream; most of them are polluted somehow because we use them as a constantly-flushing toilet for chemicals, industrial waste, sewage, and so on. Which is pretty dumb, considering, of all the water on Earth, only about 3% of it is fresh, and only 0.5% is drinkable and available (the rest is locked up in glaciers, floating around in the atmosphere, or, y’know, polluted and now not potable). We quite literally create our own problems.

Mmmmm, delicious. /s Photo by James P Blair

Anyway, there is so much to say about water. Yes, it’s a very common substance in your life and you need it to live (go drink some water!), but it has very interesting properties that have shaped life on Earth. For instance, water becomes less dense when is becomes a solid, which is fucking weird. So, solid water (ice) floats on its liquid form! That’s truly nuts. Water molecules are extremely attracted to each other, so you get these instances where water can pull itself up against gravity, like you see in plant tissues! It’s pretty amazing. Water is also really great at being the base of solutions because it is charged and can hold onto other chemicals and compounds, like sugars. You’ll notice all of these are properties life on Earth relies on to function, so, pretty damn awesome. And the fact that Earth is warm enough to support the fleeting liquid form of water, without being too hot so as to evaporate it all away is also really amazing and important for life on Earth.

Water also has a really neat cycle on Earth called the Water Cycle, or, more scientifically, the Hydrologic Cycle. Water evaporates off the land and ocean surface, hangs out in the atmosphere until it condenses into rain, falling back down. From there, it seeps into the ground or collects as streams and rivers that make their way back out to sea. It’s pretty simple, pretty great.

^Really simple, but you get the gist. Rivers form from precipitation (rain and snow and ice) falling onto the land and moving down via gravity.

Lots of animals and plants rely on freshwater systems. I’ve explained many times that lots of sea creatures travel into rivers to spawn, like the famous salmon. But lots of animals also live here full time as well. Amphibians and insects use the river for important life cycles, and of course, there are many species of fish that call rivers home. You also have crocodiles, turtles, waterfowl, and mammals, like beavers, otters and even dolphins, make a living of the river. Not to mention the river is a clean source of freshwater for everyone to drink from. Just as we explained in the Westerlies, the Temperate River experiences the different seasons, so many animals of this habitat are seasonal as well.

Is there anything more gorgeous than a forest in full autumn colors? No, there isn’t.

Anyway, water traveling over the land and ending up in rivers and bays is called run-off. It is literally running off the land, and as it does this, it picks up stuff. Some of it is natural - leaf litter, dirt, nutrients, eroded rock - and some isn’t - our trash, for example. All of that gets dumped into the river to be transported to the nearshore habitats, like estuaries and coral reefs, and y’know, the most productive aquatic habitats. Meanwhile, the river water quality degrades, and sensitive animals, like frogs, suddenly start vanishing. That’s when you start seeing pollution sending ripples of consequences through an ecosystem. Without a healthy frog population, insects we’d call pests get out of control. They then spread into our communities to wreak havoc on crops, among other things.

TL:DR: Rivers are important. Stop trashing them! Water is really cool. Frogs are great. Here are the animals ACNH features in the Flowing River tank: Char :: Golden Trout :: Cherry Salmon :: Stringfish :: Tilapia :: Dace :: Sweetfish :: Pale Chub :: Freshwater Goby :: Crucian Carp :: Yellow Perch

#river #freshwater #animal crossing #animal crossing new horizons #fish #biology #science in video games #animal crossing fish explained

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drops-of-moonlights · 5 years ago

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Some miscellaneous characters redesigned/created! Harmonia, the dead Keystone keeper, Deseo, the Wishing Star from S8, and Lusiz, the Limnad as well as Limnads in general, my replacement for the water nymphs/undines of S1.

Harmonia was the leader of the Pixie keepers, and was the Pixie of Echoes, having amplifying magic as well as sound powers. She was sweet and kind, and also incredibly skilled in combat for a Pixie - only Athena rivaled her strength. She passed way during the first fight with the then newly formed Darkar, having been killed by him to steal her Keystone. She didn’t go down without a fight, however, and managed to weaken Darkar severely and almost disrupting the spell that keeps him in a semi-corporeal form, so that he could then be finished by the Company of Light. As all pixies, she dissolved into Essence Dust when killed, and her Dust was used to keep Magix’s Tree of Life (which back then was on the verge of dying thanks to Dakrar) alive, making it grow healthy. Her conscience is believed to still be inside the Tree, but it’s mostly just a rumor.

Deseo is the physical form of the Great Wishing Star, an ancient being that goes around the systems, an endless joyride for her, thought she likes to stop from time to time in Lumenia for a rest, as well as grant wishes whenever she crosses a planet’s skyline. She was a creation of the Ethereals, hence her capacity to grant wishes, and he form merely resembles Lumens, though she is still linked to them. She can only grant wishes to still living, corporeal beings, which puts a hamper on Valtor’s plans during S8 - I’ll elaborate more on this... whenever I get to the S8 summary.

Lusiz is a Limnad, the freshwater equivalent of the Selkies. They’re born similar to Selkies, though through a lilypad-esque plant called the Crystal Lotus rather than through Crystal Coral. They’re overall equal to Selkies, just residing in freshwater places and looking like otters with plant-like parts than seals. Lusiz here was in search of Xylith, a magical herb with incredible healing capabilities used during times of great sickness, but she misteriously dissapeared while on the search.

#Winx Club #Winx Redux AU #Drops's Art #Harmonia #Deseo #Lusiz

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teenyfish · 4 years ago

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Marine Biology Story of the Day #11

Hello followers. Today we are going to talk about a very special period of my life that really drove my interests, opened up doors for me, and gave me a lot of confidence that what I had chosen to do with my life was my calling.

When I was in college, during both my undergrad and my graduate degree, I worked at a small aquarium. To my young budding marine biologist brain, it was a dream job. In many ways, it still is a dream job, and I’m glad I got the opportunity to have this experience.

The aquarium I worked for is the Virginia Living Museum, a small, not well known, but somehow magical place tucked into the Newport News woods. You might know us from our virial photo of an albino catfish with a binky in it’s mouth—it went viral a couple of years ago. Yep, that was us.

Not only are there aquarium exhibits, but there were also reptiles and mammals as well, including a huge outdoor trail where you could see wolves, deer, water birds, otters, etc. One of the really unique aspects of this museum was that almost all of the animals found here were Virginia native species, and therefore were either animals that needed care or rehabilitation, or, in our case, were caught in VA waters and hopefully eventually released.

So I originally started volunteering at the VLM at the touch tank, and then I got an opportunity to volunteer for the aquarium department, and then, eventually, around my Junior year, I was offered a part time position as an aquarist. I dove into the experience, and the chaos.

Our aquarium department was small, but we did have a lot of exhibits to take care of, ranging from a 30,000 gallon salt water aquarium, to our “habitariums” which were large freshwater exhibits built to mimic natural ecosystems in Virginia, the cypress swamp and a mountain river. We also had much smaller exhibits—some of the smallest being no more than 30 gallons, housing juvenile marine fish, dwarf sunfish, and blind cavefish.

(our Chesapeake Bay Aquarium (above) and our Mountain Cove Habitarium (below))

We were taking care of these animals 24/7, holidays, snow days, weekends. A typical day included getting in and feeding all of the exhibits, and then doing food prep for the next day. We would feed our fish a variety of seafood products, cut up depending on their size and biology—squid, shrimp, scallops, herring, capelin, smelt, mysid shrimp, to name a few. Then, we would get to work on some water changes—this would involve replacing out 10-50% of the water in an exhibit with new “fresh” water (meaning new water to the tank, not necessarily fresh as many of our tanks were salt water). When you have biomass in a system (meaning fish, crabs, plants, etc.), these animals release excrement, and bacteria breaking down this waste can release ammonia and nitrates into the water, which can eventually kill fish at high levels, so it is important to exchange water weekly. In addition, we would scrub algae from rocks and the tank glass, and use a “gravel washer” or a siphon vacuum to suck up un eaten food and waste that gets trapped in the sand or gravel substrate. We would do 6-7 of these a day, depending on a rotating schedule.

Now, with the bigger tanks, this meant getting in them in order to clean them. We would either snorkel or dive, depending on the depth, and so I got my open water dive certification as soon as I could. My absolute favorite was diving the Chesapeake Bay Aquarium.

Now, along with all of our public exhibits, we had a set of quarantine tanks as well. A quarantine tank, in the terms of a public aquarium setting, is a place were we can acclimate new fish to tank life. It allows them to become comfortable with feeding in an aquarium, it gives us time to treat them for potential diseases, and allows the individuals to be as healthy as possible before they get put on exhibit. We had quarantine tanks for everything—from racks of small 20 gallon fresh water or salt water tanks for juvenile fish, to huge industrial tubs for sharks and turtles.

Some of our fish in quarantine: Juvenile Atlantic Spadefish (top left), Juvenile Smallmouth Bass (top right), Juvenile Black Drum (Mid left), very teeny tiny baby Atlantic Spade fish (mid right), Two of our juvenile Sandbar Sharks (bottom left), a very small (5 in) clearnose skate (bottom right).

These were often some of my favorite tanks because they were constantly changing out—we were constantly getting new fish and it was always exciting to see new species. It also gave me a chance to get really good at fish identification—including juvenile fish. Juvenile fish often have much different coloration and even physiology than the adults, so this has helped me in my marine biology career.

This job gave me a lot of cool experiences, but I’m going to give a brief talk about three of our programs that were some of my favorites, and that I got to work on. I may elaborate these in more detail in later posts, but for now, I’ll give brief overviews.

The first project that we were heavily involved in was the North Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle program. We would receive young juvenile loggerhead turtles, many of which would become stranded on beaches during the winter months, and care for them, have them on exhibit, but also, feed them and allow them to grow and be healthy. Then, once the turtles got too big for the tank, or at a certain weight, we would release them, with a tag, back into the Atlantic Ocean. I went through 3 turtles while I worked at the VLM, we would get about one a year. It was a fun, sometimes frustrating, and rewarding experience to work with this beautiful (albeit, dumb-as-a-rock) animals and see them released into the wild.

(Top: One of our adult turtles on exhibit, bottom: one of our turtles getting a 6 month check up, right: juvenile turtle in quarantine, getting ready to go on exhibit)

Another program that I loved was our Sea Horse Breeding Program. Sea Horses are notoriously hard to keep in captivity as they are extremely sensitive to contaminants in the water and environmental changes. Breeding them is even more difficult—the babies, when they are released from the dad’s “pocket” are no larger than an eyelash, and even in perfect condition, sea horse babies have a 90% mortality rate. Our little aquarium had the most successful lined seahorse breeding program on the east coast, we would regularly get baby seahorses to survive into adulthood—and this was mostly thanks to our aquarium curator, my boss. We also managed to bring in new DNA into the Sea Horse scene by introducing wild-caught seahorses into our breeding population, only increasing our success. Chances are, if you’ve been to an aquarium on the East Coast, you’ve seen our sea horses.

(Some macro pictures of newborn seahorses--reminder, these fish are no bigger than an eyelash. The white dots surrounding them are newborn brine shrimp their food)

Okay, last project I worked on while I was there was our coral reef tank. Now, I know I said before that most of the exhibits held only Virginia native species---well that was true, except for this exhibit. This exhibit was supposed to represent prehistoric Virginia—as at one point, millions of years ago, Virginia was covered by a warm, shallow, inland sea—and so a coral reef is the closest we could get to representing that environment. I bugged, and bugged, and bugged my boss to teach me about it, to let me re-do the tank, because at the time it was pretty bare of coral, and wasn’t doing great. He agreed, and together we rebuilt the exhibit—this whole saga probably needs it’s own post. We drained the entire tank, added calcium and magnesium treatments, added new corals from the Mote Marine Laboratory down in Florida, and slowly but surely, created a beautiful exhibit.

(Top left: finished coral exhibit from above, top right: tank from the front, during our re-build, mid left: xenia coral in quarantine, mid right: spiny lobster in quarantine, bottom left: frogspawn coral in quarantine, bottom right: a shot of our quarantine tank after taking a trip down to Mote Marine Lab in Florida.)

Overall, this was a great experience for me, and I will probably do more posts on it, but I eventually left, because…weirdly enough, it got monotonous. I think aquariums are great for public education, but I wanted to do more, I wanted to answer questions and solve problems, I wanted my work to impact my world on a bigger scale. But I will never forget how this place shaped my young career—and I am still, always very excited to go to an aquarium, and I don’t think that is something that will ever change for me.

Now, because of this pandemic, the VLM had to let a lot of their staff go. They are non-profit, and therefore do not have a lot of back up funds to keep the museum running. They are still open now at low capacity—so if you are in the area, feel free to visit (with a mask of course) and if you are interested, you can donate to this little-museum-that-could here. And, you can read more about the workings and the past experiences of the aquarium department here, it’s a blog run by my former boss.

Thanks for listening, and as always if you have questions about my experiences or about the animals we housed, PLEASE do not hesitate to ask or comment.

#marine biology stories #marine biology #marine biology story of the day #virginia living museum #VLM #aquarist #aquarium #aquarium stories #aquarist stories #ocean stories #coral #coral reef tanks #sea turtle #sea horse

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5hining-aus · 5 years ago

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Clan AU (Reader Insert)

Just a little something I came up with one night. I actually thought of it while watching a LP for the game Pine, so this is loosely based on that. Like, very loosely, very VERY loosely. I also haven’t decided on a pairing for this, so it may be a kind of “choose your own member” AU, or it may just be a Platonic OT5 X Reader AU, I’m not sure yet (though I DO have a few ideas for some Member X Reader scenarios) Anyway, I hope you like it!

There are two clans: The River Valley Clan & the Forest Clan. There are others, but these are the two main ones

The Forest Clan is your typical hunter-gatherer clan, hunting prey like deer, rabbits, and pheasant, and gathering things like tree nuts, apples, berries, and wild mushrooms

The Forest Clan lives in houses that they’ve built among the treetops. Most of the houses and buildings are connected via rope bridges, pretty much forming a treetop city of sorts

Meanwhile, the River Valley Clan’s diet is more based around fish and other aquatic/semi-aquatic critters like otters, waterfowl, and freshwater crustaceans. They also forage for aquatic and semi-aquatic plants like lotus, wild rice, water chestnut, and watercress

Members of the River Valley Clan live in small, typically circular houses on the banks of their home river. Also, instead of living communally like the Forest Clan, members of the River Valley Clan tend to branch off, either alone or in groups of 2 - 8, and find their own place on the riverbank

The two clans don’t really have much of a relationship. Like, to both of them, the other is just kind of...there. It’s very much a “you do your thing, we’ll do our thing, that’s it” kind of relationship

Anyway, now that some basic background info is out of the way, let’s get down to business

You’re a member of the Forest Clan, a Scout to be exact

There’d been some rough weather recently, so the Clan Leader had sent you off to assess the damage. A simple mission that you had done hundreds of times

So armed with your trusty bow and dagger, and with one of the clan’s loyal hounds by your side, you worked your way through the forest, taking note of any fallen/uprooted trees or unstable rock formations that you saw

As you were busy inspecting a slightly damaged tree, you heard something nearby that you could only describe as a small, pitiful cry accompanied by a louder, more frantic cry

Upon investigating, you found the source rather quickly: a little fawn had gotten trapped by some trees! It’s mom was nearby, looking quite distressed

Now, your clan was very “circle of life, respect all creatures, only hunt what you need,” so you were obviously going to try to help the little one out

Mama Deer didn’t seem like she knew what to think about this human approaching her baby (or about said human’s canine companion) but there was very little she could do to you, so you walked slowly over to the fawn and began moving the collapsed saplings that were trapping the poor thing

It probably took about 20 minutes to half an hour, but eventually the fawn was out and the little deer duo was on their merry way

You quickly finished up your mission and decided to take a page out of the deer’s book and head home. Doing one more once-over of the area, you turned back towards home. That’s when you saw it

One of the few beasts that not even the bravest (or the stupidest) of hunters would even dream of taking on alone

A moose. A cow moose. And you would’ve bet anything that there was a moose calf somewhere nearby

The entire world stood still and you were acutely aware of everything going on around you. You were especially aware of your hound that was standing nearby

Don’t bark, don’t bark, don’t bark. PLEASE don’t bark. I will give you half of my meat for the rest of the moon cycle if you just don’t move

You heard a small growl coming from the direction of the dog

Oh no. Okay, all of it, all of my meat, just please don’t bark

Surely enough, the dog growled once more, and began barking up a frenzy while lunging at the moose

Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit

Luckily, the dog was able to distract the moose for a second, which was just enough time for you to jump away. Deciding to try something crazy, you got the dog’s attention with a whistle and gave it the command to head back home. Obeying immediately, the hound turned tail and started bolting away. It was just you and the moose now

Knowing that it wouldn’t be safe to follow the dog, lest you lead the very pissed off moose right to your clan, you dashed in the opposite direction

You had hoped that the moose would tire itself out eventually and give up the chase. That never happened, and pretty soon you found yourself at the edge of a cliff

The moose was gaining on you and you were sure that that day would be the day you met your (unexpectedly moosey) fate. But then, you saw a precariously-rooted tree that gave you a glimmer of hope

Reaching for your dagger, and being ecstatic when you felt it still on your hip, you began hacking away at the tree roots, hoping that a crashing tree would be enough to scare the moose away

I’m sorry tree, I’ll plant two new trees to replace you if I survive this

You managed to cut through the final root just as the moose reached you. Bracing yourself for the monstrous sound, you stepped away from the tree as it came crashing down, successfully spooking the moose and causing it to gallop away. You were home free. Or, more accurately, you thought you were home free

You had initially thought that your legs were just shaky, but then you heard the noise. The cliff was crumbling beneath you. You tried to grab onto the tree, hoping that it could save you once more but alas, you weren’t fast enough, and you soon began sliding down the cliff. Anything that happened between that moment and you reaching the bottom of the cliff is a blur

When you first began to come to, you heard unfamiliar voices. It was a group of them, all male, and they all seemed concerned

“Where do you think she came from?”

“I’d say she got caught in the landslide.”

“Is she dead?”

“No, she isn’t dead. Look, you can see her breathing.”

“I think we should poke her with this, just to be sure.”

“We are NOT poking her with a stick!”

“What do you think Jinki? We can’t just leave her here.”

It was silent for a moment, even the two voices who had been arguing over poking you with a stick were quiet

“You’re right, we can’t just leave her here, we’ll take her back to camp where it’s safe and we’ll figure out what to do from there.”

You still couldn’t open your eyes, but you felt yourself being picked up and carried away, undoubtedly to the camp that had been mentioned

What camp? Where am I? What happened? Why are my eyelids so heavy? Who are these people anyway? Do I hear...water? Am I near the water? Did I slide all the way down the cliff?

You had many questions, all of which would be answered eventually but, at that moment, you just needed to recover. Answers could wait

#SHINee AU #SHINee imagines #SHINee #SHINee scenarios #SHINee x reader #onew x reader #jonghyun x reader #key x reader #minho x reader #taemin x reader #5HINee #jinki #jonghyun #kibum #minho #taemin #Clan AU

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alexllove-blog · 6 years ago

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Lit by early-morning sunshine, the country lane ahead of me is enchanting.

One side is hedge, sweetly fragrant with white hawthorn blossom, and the other, old dry-stone wall, covered in emerald moss, moist and springy to the touch. Every now and then a wren darts in and out of the wall, looking for the perfect space to nest-build. On the ground, life is also starting to fizz. Fresh, tender shoots are emerging. The broad dark-green leaves of foxgloves spread themselves out and a pair of golden brimstone butterflies flutter around the mauve petals of common dog violets.

A misty valley in Borrowdale in the Lake District National Park

I stop for a moment and take a slow, deep breath –thankful to be back in Lake District National Park in North West England. It’s not just me that finds these landscapes so irresistible. Just over 114 kilometres from the thriving metropolis of Manchester, Lake District National Park, at around 2,362km2, is England’s largest, and more than 19 million people from all the over globe visit it annually. Just like me, visitors here are thrilled not just by the region’s spectacular scenery, but also by the rare creatures that live in its ancient oakwoods and the birds of prey that majestically soar the skies.

At springtime, the Lakes – as the area is better known – are especially magical, but it’s a place that beguiles at any time of the year. The otherworldly beauty of its windswept mountaintops, dramatic valleys criss-crossed with idyllic country lanes, sparkling waterfalls and deep, clear lakes often haunts me long after I return home.

Path from Stonethwaite to Rosthwaite

But of all the region’s valleys, it’s Borrowdale that casts the strongest spell on me. The picturesque area, which is situated in the green heart of the Lake District, is a haven for some of Britain’s most endangered flora and fauna. It’s where I am now, and the country lane I’m passing through is in the small village of Rosthwaite, some nine kilometres south of Keswick, the valley’s main town. This is the start of one of my favourite walks, which will take me through a myriad of arresting landscapes, from craggy fells to wild moors, from mountain tarns to oakwoods and, finally, from river valley to lakeshore. It’s a beautiful microcosm of all that the Lake District has to offer.

Borrowdale has thrilled me since childhood. A huge, wild, living playground, it was the perfect antidote to the grey shades and straight lines of school and suburbia. With my parents, brother and sister – as well as our dogs, a young and exuberant Irish wolfhound and a sensible, much older border collie – many happy summer days were spent here. In the meadows, we searched for daisies, buttercups and forget-me-nots for my flower press. And, in the woods, with socks and shoes off , we chased each other around huge oak trees, picking up acorns, throwing them for the dogs to catch, always saving a few to play wonky marbles with later. Then we’d find a clear stream to cool down and clean our hot little feet before starting our adventures all over again.

A ram near Watendlath

Of course, some four decades on since playing in the woods here, it’s sturdy boots, rather than bare feet, for me on my walk today. Now reaching the end of the lane, the view opens out and my climb up Great Crag, a steep fell-side, begins. The colours are different here – less verdant, more of an autumnal palette of faded-purple heather, burnt-brown bracken and grey rocky knolls. The colour of storm clouds. Now, some 200 metres above sea level, I turn around and marvel at the classic Lakes view. The valley floor – which in the summer months is ablaze with wildflowers – is strikingly green, intersected by the shimmer of the River Derwent that snakes through Borrowdale like a silver ribbon.

Turning back towards Great Crag, I follow the bridleway until a large whitewashed farmhouse and a small cluster of stone cottages come into view. This is the secluded picturesque hamlet of Watendlath that nestles on the shores of the tarn here. Apart from a mewing buzzard above me, enjoying the warm thermals, and a gaggle of honking barnacle geese, it’s incredibly quiet.

A blackbird on a wall near Stonethwaite

I take the path around the water’s edge, passing a flock of free-roaming sheep. Huge moss-covered oaks, with branches outstretched like arms and twigs pointing like fingers, cast their shadows. As the terrain turns to moorland, damp and peaty in places, I spy the yellow-green heads of bog myrtle popping above the scrub.

I scan the sky, hoping for a sight of another buzzard or maybe a falcon. It is empty. If I’d been standing here three or four years ago, though, I might have seen England’s last golden eagle, known as Eddie, filling the void. Up until the early 1800s, golden eagles – Britain’s second-largest bird of prey with a wingspan of around 1.8 metres – were numerous in the Lakes. But regarded as a threat to new-born lambs, the birds’ eyries (nests) were systemically destroyed by local sheep farmers – causing such a catastrophic decline in their numbers that golden eagles became locally extinct by the 1850s.

A pair of keen ramblers taking in the scenery

Since then, only very occasional pairs have settled in the Lakes. The last known couple were Eddie and his mate. He is believed to have died in 2016, some 12 years after the female. Fortunately, conservation measures have been put in place to encourage the return of these iconic birds. It’s hoped that chicks from successful populations in southern Scotland will be introduced here soon, turning the Lakes’ skies golden once again.

“Rare creatures live in its ancient oakwoods and birds of prey majestically soar the skies”

After two and half kilometres or so, I see Dock Tarn, one of the Lake District’s most beautiful mountain lakes. Circled by a small ring of tor-topped hills, covered in heather and bilberry, the tarn is aglow in the sunshine. On the surface, some yet-to-flower waterlilies shiver slightly as a light breeze brushes over them. Come high summer, orchids can be found among the grasses, and when the heather blooms, the tarn will reflect their hazy-purple hues, as if in perpetual twilight. It’s not just Dock Tarn that mesmerises. From here, I can also admire the summit of Glaramara and enjoy take-your-breath-away views of other mighty fells, including Haystacks, Honister and Pillar.

An arresting view of Derwentwater as seen from Catbells fell

The Lake District’s natural beauty has quickened people’s hearts for centuries. During the 1800s, some of England’s best-known Romantic poets and writers – including William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge, Thomas de Quincey and John Ruskin – were particularly enamoured. They celebrated the Lake District’s sublime beauty in their writings, often elevating the region to a heaven on earth, a wild Eden where man could achieve spiritual harmony with nature. William Wordsworth – probably the most famous Lakes poet, and author of the love song to the Lakes “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” – in his great autobiographical work The Prelude, published in 1850, described the region as a place where:

“The solid Mountains were as bright as clouds, Grain-tinctured, drench’d in empyrean light; And, in the meadows and the lower grounds, Was all the sweetness of a common dawn, Dews, vapours, and the melody of birds, And Labourers going forth into the fields.”

A bridge in Rydal

Turning away from the “bright as clouds” view of the summits, I trace a stone-pitched track to the hanging oakwood at Lingy End and begin my descent. The climb down through the ancient wood is steep, and I’m kept company by the babbling Willygrass Gill stream. Originating at Dock Tarn, it cascades gently down the valley, eventually joining the River Derwent. Shoots of pungent wild garlic sprout between rocks and stones, joined by butter-yellow, star-shaped celandine flowers.

“A wonderland I first visited as a girl, I am lured back to the Lake District year after year”

I scan the trees for red squirrels, an endangered native species. Thanks to special conservation programmes, Borrowdale’s woods are one of the best places in England to spot this rare and elusive creature. I also look out for red and roe deer, but as with the squirrels, I am out of luck. I do, though, sight a great spotted woodpecker drilling into a tree, its distinctive black, white and red markings glimmering softly in the dappled light.

A cottage in Stonethwaite

Borrowdale’s oakwoods are the remnants of the temperate “rainforests” that once flourished on the western seaboard of Britain. They are the precious last habitat of disappearing moss and liverwort species and support an incredible variety of ferns and fungi, as well as butterflies, moths and other insects. That’s why Borrowdale’s oakwoods – over 500 hectares, home to more than a hundred bird species – are afforded the highest tier of protection available to habitats in Europe.

After an hour or so, the steepness of the slope eases and I’m back on level ground in the village of Stonethwaite, just next door to Rosthwaite. The wide walled and pretty path here runs parallel to the River Derwent, considered one of the purest rivers in Europe. Freshwater shrimp, lamprey and salmon thrive in its protected waters – even sleek-haired otters, once locally extinct, are back and can sometimes be spotted on the riverbanks with freshly caught fish in their paws.

Two people fishing at a reservoir in Watendlath

Back at Rosthwaite, I jump on a bus and less than 10 minutes later find myself on the shores of Derwentwater, one of the Lake District’s fi nest glacial lakes. In the afternoon light, the water reflects the shape of the mountains that circle it. A swan glides by, heading towards Lord’s Island, one of the lake’s four main islands. Once inhabited by the Earls of Derwentwater, the island is now a desirable residence for nesting birds and primroses only. During the winter months, the secluded bays and headlands here provide shelter for many wildfowl, including greylag geese, mallards and moorhens.

The Queen of the Lakes, as Derwentwater is also known, is the only place in England – apart from Bassenthwaite Lake about 16 kilometres further north – where vendace, a rare Arctic fi sh species dating back to the Ice Age, survives. Bassenthwaite Lake is also the place to see the Lake District’s only ospreys. These spectacular birds of prey, with a wingspan of almost 1.5 metres, returned to breed in 2001, after an absence of almost 150 years, and during the summer months can be seen diving for fish in Bassenthwaite’s pristine waters.

A river scene in Rydal

Two years ago, in 2017, the Lake District National Park was designated a Unesco World Heritage site. It became a National Park in 1951, one of the first established in Britain after the passing of the 1949 Act of Parliament. This year marks the 70th anniversary of that Act, without which the UK wouldn’t have its 15 glorious National Parks to explore and enjoy today.

That the Lake District is – and remains – a protected place is important to me. The Lake District is a gift. A green refuge where once-lost species have returned; a precious jewel of a place where I, and countless others before me, have felt at peace and been inspired, and found gentle reminders of a more natural past. A wonderland I first visited as a girl, I am lured back to the Lake District year after year. And each time I return, I fall back in love – bewitched all over again by the “empyrean light” of the Lakes that shines forever bright, captivates completely and re-wilds my heart.

SEE ALSO: Why Manchester is the UK’s next creative powerhouse

This article was originally published in the June 2019 issue of SilverKris magazine

The post Over vales and hills: The enchantment of the Lake District appeared first on SilverKris.

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