#eagle and wildcat

[all-action-all-picture]

Wildcat No. 12, dated 25 March 1989 - 7 April 1989, 40p every fortnight. Turbo Jones cover by Vanyo. No clues on the cover but this was the final issue. It merged with Eagle (which still ran three Battle strips from a January 1988 merger), becoming Eagle and Wildcat for issues 368 to 382 of that title. Treasury of British Comics.

[ginge1962]

Loner Collection 2019 - Cover by David Pugh & Ian Kennedy.

[chiropteracupola]

ladyhawke (foth or sharpe)??? 👀👀👀

EXCITING DOUBLE BIRD EVENT! and here we get the fun time of describing the Difference between the sharpe and foth ladyhawke stories, and also why the sharpe one has been so much easier to write.

so the film Ladyhawke, in which both these stories are based, is about a curse placed on a pair of semi-star-crossed lovers, involving day-night animal transformations that don't overlap with the other half of the duo. but a lot of Ladyhawke's humor and charm proves to come from the fact that it's told from an outside perspective — a silly fellow with a penchant for theft, prison breaks, and general mischief. and thus, it's a much smoother journey to allow the Chosen Men to scamper about low-fantasy vaguely-medievalpunk au-Spain...

“We ain’t deserters,” said Cooper, offended, and set his jaw. “We was on a mission.” “It wasn’t really a mission, you know that perfectly well,” interrupted Harris, shoving his way forward. “But it was important we found the Major! …more important than that fool’s job we were s’posed to be working on, anyway,” admitted Cooper, refusing to show any fault on his part. Sharpe stared at him in mixed confusion and dismay, and Harris determined that he’d speak his piece more fully this time. “Well, you see, it was that you up and vanished, and so we figured that we ought to go and find you.” “And it’d be helpful, wouldn’t it, if we did!” put in Perkins. “We didn’t mean to be gone long,” said Hagman, the only one out of the four of them to display even a smidgen of guilt. “And we wouldn’t have been, if he hadn’t—“ “—if you hadn’t broken into the—“ “—well, you’re the one who—“ “—you and your damned rum—“ “…and that’s how we went and got ourselves arrested,” finished Harris, as if Sharpe had been able to determine the slightest through-line of truth in the cacophony of conflicting stories. “But we got out again, as you see.” The four Chosen Men, the last remnants of Richard Sharpe’s final command, looked at their officer proudly, quite as if they expected to be congratulated for their unexcused jaunt off from the army and their trip in through one side of a prison and out the other.

...than to take that whole journey through the soggy and sorrowful perspectives of Keith 'frequently is a cat against his will' Windham and Ewen 'really would not like to be an eagle anymore' Cameron...

The next day dawns misty and damp, a clinging curtain of fog folding itself around the two travelers. The sick, dizzy feeling that comes with transformation takes far longer to leave than is typical, and so he remains prone beneath the overhang of rock as his cramped muscles slowly ease. He had cared little for where he fell as the morning’s shift took him off his feet, sprawling to lie on his side with one hand fallen in the now-cold ashes of the previous night’s fire. Despite the scrap of shelter provided by the outcropping of stone, the thick wetness of the air has already seeped into Keith’s hair and clothes, and as a tendril of wind brushes across his back, he finds himself shivering enough to set his already-strained body to aching. “If this is summer, Ardroy…” he mutters, knowing that his words will be neither finished nor heard. The mere suggestion he has put forth inspires a wholly new fear in him — where shall each of them be come winter, and will the curse still bind them together when the seasons have made their turn? Keith laughs cheerlessly, stretches out a hand to feel the rain against his palm. Damn this country, damn this war, damn whatever fate had been cruel-handed enough to serve him so poorly…. Catching his words close again, he stops himself before he can finish. One thing at least, he cannot curse, and that is Ewen Cameron.

...so yeah! you see the tonal shift between these two.

[offsidenewsco]

At the start of every season, coaches, scouts and fans put forth their #NCAAHockey rankings.

Read our #HockeyEast 2024-2025 ranking here!

[bulletines-news]

Marquette Golden Eagles Surge to Victory Against Villanova Wildcats

[guguseti]

Keanu Pinder, un australiano para el Fuenlabrada

El otro día hablábamos sobre el australiano Wil Magnay, último refuerzo del Obradoiro, y hoy nos vamos a ir a Fuenlabrada, porque el equipo de la comunidad de Madrid también está reforzándose de cara a la segunda vuelta de la competición, en concreto vamos a hablar de su último fichaje interior, Keanu Pinder, que curiosamente, también es australiano. Biografía de Keanu Pinder Keanu Pinder es un…

[bonefall]

The wiki doesn’t really say so what kind of wild cat do you think the wild cats in Ivypool’s heart are? I keep thinking of them being like lynxes or something but I think a smaller wildcat would make more sense

They're European Wildcats. "Special tabbies" living in the British wilderness? There's nothing else they could be.

European Wildcats are the closest relatives of the domestic feline. They're practically indistinguishable. The only remaining British wildcat population is the Scottish Wildcat though, since they've been driven extinct in Wales and England.

(not that it matters all that much-- Canon!WC seems to take place in a timeline where eagles never went extinct in England, either, in addition to being a strange mix of America and Europe.)

There's also nothing of the sort in North America. Lynxes and bobcats, in addition to not being tabbies, are HUGE. People massively underestimate how massive those things are. There's no way you'd be able to pass adult bobcats as just "wildcats."

Thoughhhh..... honestlyyy? I kinda don't like this turn of events.

The inclusion of non-domestic cat species in WC has always kinda bugged me in a way that's hard to articulate, even in fanworks. Domestic cats are so incredibly unique (and destructive!) explicitly BECAUSE of their domestication.

Other cats do not behave like domestics do. Wildcats do not form clowders, and only lions are social. It feels wrong to me that these animals would ever really act in a way conducive to "Clan Life," and I often feel like attempts to include them just feel like the writer is stripping away the uniqueness of a TRUE wild species to make an "exotic rogue."

(don't get me wrong though, I've seen some stories handle it in a way that's fitting or cool, but I've seen a lot more that just kinda go "this big character is actually half-lynx because lynx big" and do very little with the implications. like. you dont have to be half-lynx to be big, y'know?)

So with those gripes already in mind, the idea of Canon using wildcats is.... uncomfortable, to me. Canon has a really bad running theme of justifying xenophobia with a lot of "PURE BLOOD" talk. I'm not fond of the idea of having the Clans prove that they truly DO have special genetics via being descended from Scottish Wildcats-- not from the writing team that brought us "She Was Only A Kittypet."

But! In a nutshell! Ivypool's Heart definitely has European Wildcats. They're a real, distinct species from domestic cats.

[laswells-ashtray]

Yo yo stalked all of your stuff and now I have nothing else to read so I’ve moved on to asking you stuff instead.

I’d like to hear what animal you’d associate with each of the COD guys and girls pls

Oh, this is gonna be a fun one.

Nikolai is a brown bear, I don't feel the need to explain this.

Because of the lovely art of a very talented @gomzdrawfr I keep thinking about Chipmunk Price so that's what he's getting.

Kate Laswell, my beloved woman of all time, is a Canadian Lynx. Specifically this fucking beautiful picture of a Canadian Lynx.

Ghost is a black-billed magpie because it just works aesthetically and I can also see him being a bird who's a lovable asshole.

Soap is a red deer, give one of them a mohawk and a blue-eyed star then it's just Soap.

Gaz is a Eurasian Eagle Owl, they're positively gorgeous birds but I don't doubt that if it came down to it then one could claw through me until they reach bone.

Graves is a sechurun fox, looks shifty but I'm endeared by it.

Farah is a California towhee. I can't explain it, but it fits and it's truly a lovely bird to look at.

Alex reminds me of a mountain weasel. Google it and you'll make it three pictures in before agreeing with me irritatedly.

Rudy is a Geoffroy's cat. Imagine that cat meets a wizard and asks to be made into a man wearing a grey hoodie, boom it's Rodolfo.

Alejandro is just a gecko because I saw a bunch of them once and they'd scare people with how quickly they moved before people realised what they were and everyone cooed over them like furless cats. Something to be said about Alejandro's ferocity as he wears his heart on his sleeve before realising it's a passion to protect his people.

And Adler, because I can. Kalahari wildcat.

[peachhcs]

person A cheering on person B at one of their games wearing their number and person B couldn't be happier

person b is jacob fowler please!!

you, in the stands

jacob fowler x fem!reader

the love is in the air at the conte forum between you and your boyfriend, jacob fowler.

0.8k words

warnings: probably inaccurate hockey game writing lmao. i know what jacob's hair color is now! thank you middstape i appreciate it LOL

GUYS i'm sorry i haven't posted anything in a hot second. i've been busy with ending school and starting my summer job, but i have more time now, so i'm hoping to get through my inbox, work on my gabe au and will smith au! this was so cutie to write thanks so much for requesting!! :) gif is not mine btw!

700 celly masterlist

the conte stands were packed with fans wall to wall, bleacher to bleacher. boston v. new hampshire had been the most anticipated game since the eagles played them a few weeks back and the boys were most definitely ready to show the wildcats what else they had up their sleeve. of course you were at the game. you’d never miss one of jacob’s games, so there you were tucked five rows up from the glass where you were far enough away to avoid being too close to someone getting smashed into the glass, but close enough where you still followed everything happening. 

your best friend stood beside you after taking the whole day to convince her to come. she was never a huge hockey fan, so dragging her along to games was more of a chore than anything. the two of you sported your eagles gear along with every other person, except yours was special. 

you and jacob had only been seeing one another for a couple of months—neither of you wanting to take things too fast, so for the first few games you showed up in a sweatshirt (or jacob’s). this time, however, jacob gifted you his jersey to wear. 

your eyes literally grew the size of watermelons when he proposed the idea last night. 

“coming to the game tomorrow?” jacob’s voice filtered into the bathroom where you did your nightly routine in front of the mirror. 

“of course. is that even a question?” you laughed. whether you and jacob were dating, you’d always be at the hockey games growing up a hockey fan yourself. 

your boyfriend’s laugh brought a smile to your lips, “just making sure. i like looking up and seeing you there in the stands every time.” 

he was so corny, but you loved it nonetheless. he smiled when you stuck your head out of the bathroom, “you’re adorable. i think i’ll drag y/bsf/n (your best friend’s name) along.” 

“i don’t know about that one y/n. remember last time you brought her?” the boy laughed again. 

“whatever. i’ll make her come,” you shrugged and disappeared back into the bathroom. 

when you came back out your boyfriend spread himself out on the bed with open arms for you to climb into. it was a miracle the two of you even fit on the twin xl together. shutting the light off, you crawled in beside him, snuggling into his side immediately. his arm wrapped tightly around your waist as you breathed him in and got comfortable. 

“any outfit ideas yet?” jacob asked into the growing silence of his dorm room. he knew you loved planning out your game day outfits and appreciated the numerous options you’d send him. 

“mm, i dunno yet. sweatshirt probably.” 

jacob hummed as the idea in his mind grew larger and hung on the tip of his tongue to propose it to you, “what about you wear one of my jersey’s?” 

your eyes popped open. “one of your jersey’s?” you repeated like you didn’t hear him the first time. 

his eyes searched yours in a slight anxious manner, worried you didn’t like his idea. your relationship was still so new, he didn’t want to force you into letting other people know you were his if you weren’t ready. 

“yes?” the red head squeaked out. 

“i-i yes. i’d love to,” your smile grew wider which sent relief through the boy’s system.  

so there you were in your usual spot sporting your boyfriend’s jersey proudly. his last name was etched across your back letting everyone around you know that you were fowler’s girl. 

the famous freshmen line—will smith, ryan leonard, and gabe perreault—flew down the ice towards the goal. everyone was on their toes watching the trio work seamlessly together to get the puck across the ice. it was nearly impossible to hear anything, but this was the atmosphere you grew up in. loud and noisy was your thing and ice hockey could never fail to bring a smile to your lips. 

jacob told you he loved that about you. he loved seeing how happy you got for him and his team on the ice. 

unh came back down the rink with the puck in possession. you watched jacob get himself ready for a block, the boys each shouting incoherent things to one another. the wolverines were tough players, but you weren’t worried. the boys have beaten them each time they played and it wasn’t looking like unh was closing the score anytime soon. 

jacob slid down, blocking the puck from entering the goal. the fans, including yourself, jumped up in excitement. “that’s my boyfriend!” you exclaimed excitedly. 

whether jacob heard you or not, he looked up at the stands, smiling beneath his mask, seeing you there so happy for him. you blew tiny kisses in his direction which he caught and pressed against his chest before refocusing on the game. 

your best friend nudged your shoulder, a knowing smile on her lips. everything was good, really good, when you had your boyfriend’s name across your back and his eyes on you in the stands when he wasn’t playing. 

[gemsofgreece]

What's the fauna of Greece like? I'm guessing there are a lot of reptiles and bovidae...

Bovidae not so much. Apart from the domestic ones of course which are plenty indeed, especially the goats, wild species of bovidae are only the alpine chamois and the endemic Cretan ibex. A notable yet domestic species is the water buffalo.

Other ungulates include the wild boar, the red deer, the fallow deer, and the roe deer. There are originally domestic horses which escaped or were abandoned by their owners and have now formed herds up in the mountains and have returned to a semi-wild state of being. There is also the Greek breed of the Skyrian horse, some small and delicate horses that are maybe slightly temperamental. Plenty of domestic donkeys and mules in Greece too.

A Cretan ibex and a Skyrian horse.

 In Greece there are also the European rabbit and the European hare, the southern white-breasted hedgehog and the northern white-breasted hedgehog, the European mole, some ten species of shrew and around thirty species of rodents  (squirrels,  dormice,  mice,  rats  and  voles).

There are about 36 species of bats. Larger, carnivorous mammals found in Greece include the European wildcat, the Balkan lynx, the red fox, the golden jackal, the grey wolf, the Eurasian brown bear, the introduced American mink, the least weasel, the European polecat, the marbled polecat, the beech marten, the European pine marten, the European badger and the Eurasian otter. There used to be Eurasian beavers in Greece but they have gone extinct from the region, however there are efforts to reintroduce the animal to the country. Greek seas are the most significant habitat of the severely endangered Mediterranean monk seal, the only seal in the Mediterranean sea, because this is where it reproduces, so there is a national marine park specifically for its protection. There are also 15 species of dolphins, whales and porpoises, including sperm whales and orcas. The dolphin is Greece's national animal.

Mediteranean monk seals.

The most populus large animal community in Greece is by far the avian fauna. There is a total of 478 bird species, so I am not going to list them all. Greece is a very good destination for bird watching. It is a remaining habitat for several birds that have started disappearing from the rest of Europe. Some of its most notable birds are the flamingos, the Dalmatian pelicans, several eagles and falcons and at least three species of large vultures.

Dalmatian pelican, flamingo and vulture of Greece.

Now the reptiles, I don't know if they are considered many, more like so-so. There are 76 species of reptiles in Greece, most of them lizards but a lot of snakes as well. There are also three species of sea turtles and six more species of tortoises and pond turtles, including the endangered Caretta caretta loggerhead sea turtle which also reproduces almost exclusively in Greece so we have another national marine park for the protection of this turtle. Notable is the presence of two species of chameleons. In Greece, only the vipers are dangerous snakes. There are five species of vipers in the country, including the endemic Milos viper.

The characteristically brown Milos viper, the Mediterranean chameleon and the loggerhead sea turtle.

There are 26 species of amphibians, mostly frogs but several salamanders as well. Three of them are endemic; the Karpathos frog, the Cretan frog and the Karpathos salamander.

On the other hand, there are several freshwater fishes, namely around 160 species, of which at least 18 are endemic plus the entire Tropidophoxinellus genus which is also endemic in the country.

There are about 1101 species of insects and 145 species of arachnids. Arachnids present in Greece include the scorpion, the Mediterranean black widow and the Mediterranean recluse (brown spider), those three being the venomous ones that can be a danger to humans. There are tarantulas in Greece as well, but not any dangerous species. It's important to note that both in the arachnid case and in the vipers' case, they are generally not aggressive and reports of dangerous bites / stings are extremely super rare. Same with the orcas. They don't approach the shores and humans. Same with the brown bears. They don't attack humans. Sometimes they get into the villages of Grevena to find food and people stay inside their houses but I don' t think there's ever been an attack actually.

As for marine fishes, I couldn't find a conclusive source on how many they can possibly be but they are a lot obviously. There are sharks in Greece, including large ones, including actually the occasional passing by of the great white shark but they stay way in the open. There's never been any report of a healthy white shark nearing shallow waters and populated coastal places. On the contrary, dolphins show up all the time, it's always so exciting to see them. And the seals rarely even lounge on the beaches next to swimmers. Back to the fish, there are rays but also haven't heard anything happening. On the contrary, more frequent are the incidents of stepping on a scorpaena fish and that hurts like hell. There are also venomous jellyfish in Greece that present a danger, however I don't think they are dangerous for a human's life. But it will need a visit to the hospital. Here I won't talk about the incredibly stupid decision I made once that resulted in a large jellyfish lying flat on my face. Thankfully it was a saloufa, which is not venomous, because if it was I would probably be before Saint Peter's Gates now after such a full face contact. The TERROR of seeing a jellyfish lying flat on your face though...

[probablyasocialecologist]

While white-tailed eagles, bustards and cranes were also all much more common than they are today, some other now-ubiquitous species were much less common before the industrial revolution. Rabbits were still mainly a coastal species except in lowland England, and roe deer were found wild only in the north of Scotland and Eryri (Snowdonia) in north-west Wales. There were no grey squirrels, and brown rats were only introduced at the very end of the period. On the other hand, red squirrels and ship rats were still widespread, and pine martens and “Scottish” wildcats were also found in England and Wales. Fishers caught burbot and sturgeon in both rivers and at sea, where they also pulled in plentiful amounts of tuna and swordfish, as well as now-scarce fishes such as the angelshark, halibut and common skate. Threatened molluscs like the freshwater pearl mussel and oyster were also far more widespread.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

In humanity’s war against rats, other animals are often collateral. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its final biological evaluation on rodenticides on Nov. 22 and found that the rat poisons are jeopardizing at least 78 endangered species such as black-footed ferrets and California condors.

The analysis adds to a growing body of research finding that the toxic ingredients in rodenticides frequently work their way up and down the ecological food chain—from iconic bald eagles and massive black bears to insects. If ingested at high doses, rat poison can cause internal bleeding, lesions, lethargy, weakened immune systems and, often, death. 

Wildlife and health advocates are encouraged by the recent EPA evaluation, which could eventually inform federal decisions to limit certain rodenticides. But pushback from the pesticide industry and deregulatory fervor from the incoming Trump administration could stall this process. Delays could pose widespread risks for wildlife populations as rat poison use increases and climate change throws predator-prey interactions out of whack, experts say. 

Kiawah Island in South Carolina is famed for its posh golf courses, pristine beaches and lush forests. It’s also gained a unique reputation as one of the country’s strongholds for bobcats, furry felines about twice the size of the average house cat.  

“They are kind of like a regionally famous little population,” Meghan Keating, a researcher and doctoral candidate studying rodenticides and wildlife at Clemson University, told me. “Everybody in Charleston knows that Kiawah has bobcats.”

But in 2019 and 2020, three of these iconic wildcats met a grisly demise. Autopsies revealed that the animals had ingested second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides—the strongest and most long-lasting poisons that kill rats by inhibiting the body’s ability to clot blood. With this in their systems, two of the cats bled out while giving birth to kittens, which either died in utero or were stillborn. The male’s death was equally gruesome: “He basically was sick, wandering around in the middle of the day and just keeled over in the middle of a park, because he just had massive hemorrhaging throughout his entire body cavity,” Keating said. “His capillaries burst.”

These were the latest in a string of deaths through 2020. Though the species is not endangered nationally, the bobcat population in this area dropped from an estimated 30 to as few as 10 individuals in less than a decade. But bobcats are far from the only animals facing this toxic threat. In recent years, researchers and veterinarians have identified a wide array of species across the animal kingdom falling victim to rodenticides. 

[madlyn5ever]

I need to talk about the near future Madlyn we didn’t get because it’s eating my brain.

Like we know that Maddox is helping with Romeo and Juliet, and we know somehow the Wildcats are going to weasel their way into it even as extras or crew and big red would of course be the coffee cart guy,

So I’m thinking, Madlyn romance that Parallels the movie.

Obviously Ricky is gonna be Romeo, and that’s gonna cause drama cause him or Gina will take the script a little too intensely and cause a thing

(something along the lines of “I thought you’d be happy we’re finally costars for real. No interruptions.” “Just because Mack left the movie and you stepped in doesn’t give you the right to treat this like HSM. This is a job, Ricky, not a miss Jenn production. This is my career.” “So you care more about you’re career than us? Where have I heard this before- oh wait! Nini.”)

(Ricky seems to be accidentally Romeo because they reporters thought the song was a great way to announce a movie, so obviously they assume Ricky’s Romeo,and Quinn doesn’t know how to fix it so begrudgingly she takes American Eagle advertisement guy)

but in the background Maddox and Ashlyn are like, Oh Romeo, Romeo, you wanna kiss me so bad, you wanna kiss me on the mouth and go on a date with me. I know we’re already together but do you maybe wanna go on a date, no worries if not, it’s stupid I’m stupid we’re stupid marry me.

But also we could get a little too over-protective Ashlyn, like she’s always seeing Quinn and Maddox or Maddox and whoever interact, and she’s always like, “do you want me to hate them for you, I’ll glare daggers at them for as long as you want Maddie. I can hold a grudge for you.”

And Maddox would be all chuckle-y and be like, “Ash, it’s fine, they’re just doing they’re job. I appreciate the thought though.”

And thanks to Quinn in this retelling nobody d-words so they end up following the script sort of closely (but in their own scenarios and not the exact exact ones in the story) and It’s actually all cute.

And of course we’d have Jet, who isn’t in the movie (or he’s Tibbalt that would also work really well) but he follows Maddox around the set when he has breaks from whatever musical Miss Jenn’s doing

(Maddox goes to rehearsals or meetings too but when Quinn needs her it’s hard to pull away for stage managing the musical sometimes)

And he mopes about Kourtney to her and has talks with Maddox about Ash and how “you should just tell her you’re burnt out. She won’t be mad at you.”

because Ash is getting worried at how much Maddox is taking on, and how she constantly has to go running bc of Quinn or Miss Jenn and she looks frazzled half the time.

take this ramble as a contribution to the idea of a season 5 that never was.

Idk I’m too deep in writers block to write this fic (it actually sounds like an interesting concept for a fic right? I’m totally burned out right now but if someone wanted to borrow this idea for a fic I wouldn’t say no. I’d read the hell out of that.)

[iamidentical]

Rhyah Stewart, first female to play for the Cape Breton Eagles, in action against the Moncton Wildcats, Aug. 25th 2023 (preseason)

[fatehbaz]

Travel back [...] a few hundred years to before the industrial revolution, and the wildlife of Britain and Ireland looks very different [...]. [B]etween 1529 and 1772 [...] [i]n the early modern period, wolves, beavers and probably some lynxes still survived in regions of Scotland and Ireland. [...] [T]he now globally extinct great auk could still be found on islands in the Outer Hebrides. [...] [A]nd pine martens and “Scottish” wildcats were also found in England and Wales. [...] [B]urbot and sturgeon in both rivers and at sea [...] [and] threatened molluscs like the freshwater pearl mussel and oyster were also far more widespread. [...] [S]everal species of wolf have gone extinct [...]. The capercaillie is [...] [t]oday [...] found only rarely in the north of Scotland, but 250-500 years ago it was recorded in the west of Ireland [...]. [B]y the end of the 18th century, sea eagles were essentially extinct across England and Wales. [...]

The Powte’s Complaint is a protest ballad probably written in 1619 to bewail the drainage of the Fens around Ely and Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. 

Attributed in one manuscript to a “Peny” of Wisbech, it is written from the perspective of a burbot, a freshwater species of cod commonly found in the Fens at this time. (This fish is now nationally extinct, but may be soon be reintroduced.)

The ballad summons the “brethren of the water” - probably meaning local people as well as fish and other animals - to fight against the drainage scheme, which sought to create new pasture land: 

Come, Brethren of the water, and let us all assemble,

To treat upon this matter, which makes us quake and tremble;

For we shall rue it if ’t be true that Fenns be undertaken,

And where we feed in Fen and Reed, they’ll feed both Beef and Bacon.

According to research by Todd Borlik and Clare Egan, the subject of complaint here was a plan to cut a canal through an area of common land south of Haddenham. This scheme would remove the ability of local people to catch fish, and also to transport their produce and fuel on the water. Protests against the scheme apparently culminated in a demonstration of some 2,000 people who lit bonfires, banged on drums and fired guns all night during a meeting of the Commission of Sewers in 1619.

Within the poem, the alliance of the “brethren of the water” seems to recognise the interdependence of humans and wildlife on each other, and on the environment of the Fens. 

A comparable example [...] is the Welsh poem Coed Marchan (Marchan Wood), written around 1580 by Robin Clidro, a wandering poet from the Vale of Clwyd in Denbighshire, known for his humorous rhymes.

Clidro’s poem tells the story of a group of red squirrels who go to London to present a petition against the felling of Marchan Wood for charcoal. As with The Powte’s Complaint, the use of the squirrel as narrator is a conceit, and the poem is really a protest against deforestation on behalf of human interests. But again, the author re-imagines the world from the perspective of animals:

Odious and hard is the law, and painful to little squirrels. They go the whole way to London, with their cry and their matron before them. Then on her oath she said, “All Rhuthyn’s woods are ravaged; my house and barn were taken one dark night, and my store of nuts.” The squirrels all are calling for the trees; they fear the dog.

---

All text above by: Lee Raye. “Wildlife wonders of Britain and Ireland before the industrial revolution - my research reveals all the biodiversity we’ve lost.” The Conversation. 17 July 2023. Image and caption are shown unaltered as the originally appear published in/with the article. Published at: theconversation dot com /wildlife-wonders-of-britain-and-ireland-before-the-industrial-revolution-my-research-reveals-all-the-biodiversity-weve-lost-208721 [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism.]

[call-sign-shark]

✨ FROM HELL || Joke's on You ✨

Summary: Forced to work with Pete, the agent who had thrown you to jail years ago, you do everything to drive him crazy... Until he decides to show you who is in charge. (FROM HELL: Part 1, Part 2)

Words: 1,5k

Tags: Mention of murder attempt, mutual violence, dirty talk, daddy kink, allusions to smut, knife play!!

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Crazy bitch,

Pete thinks, emptying the bottom of the whisky bottle he is holding in his hand. Since he has got you out of prison, you are taking great pleasure in driving him crazy. Don't you ever shut up? He had the unpleasant impression you were constantly babbling or bothering him. Your worst mischiefs usually took place when you were both in the same room. Each time it happened, you would cling to him like a kitten would do to his mother. Sometimes you would even start to nibble his neck or lick the corner of his lips with your fury tongue. And each time it happened, Pete struggled not to pin you against the wall and give in to something he would regret later. Captain Mitchell pinches the bridge of his nose, tormented by the conflicting feelings you brought into him. As soon as his eyes fell on you, you struck the match and lighted up something he was afraid of: desire. His heart swings between the fear of consequences and the burning passion he feels. Despite all his efforts, he cannot help but be fascinated by the dangerous creature you are. The way you move, as gracious as a wildcat, the way you bite your lower lips when he stares at your eyes a bit too much... Even your slightly psychotic laughter shakes his whole soul to its core. All he wants is to tame the uncontrollable and rabid animal you are.

"Pete, the fuck is going on?" He whispers to himself as his green eyes watch his phone screen. He lets out a grunt when he noticed the ton of unread messages he had. All coming from Penny, who is certainly worried since he left for the mission the Government gave him. Seeing her name written on the screen is a harsh reminder: he is a married man, and you, you are a fucking psychopath. And as if being a criminal is not enough, you were twenty-five years younger than him. Still, this mere thought is enough to send a surge of arousal between his legs. Pete clenches his jaws and closes his eyes, trying to focus on something else. But a faint sound, barely noticeable but oh-so-familiar, snatches him from his thought. Maverick jumps from the couch and rushes to his own bedroom."

"Hell!" He roars, kicking the door open.

You freeze.

"You goddamn brat!" His green eyes are now darkened by frightening anger. Usually, Pete Mitchell is not the kind of man who loses it easily - years have managed to tame his wild young self. But it seems like you always know how to make him go full berserk.

"Oopsie, I guess?" You pout, your thin fingers tightening their grip around the heavy Desert Eagle you have just stolen from Maverick's drawer. The man's emerald eyes shine with the same threatening glimmer as the gun's metal. Unfortunately, the Desert Eagle is dry and you did not manage to find the hidden bullets. Even though the weapon is impressive in your tiny hand, it was completely useless. Still you keep it, ready to knock Maverick out if he comes too close.

"What did you want to do with that? Blow my fucking head off and run away?" Pete's voice rumbles like a menacing storm. His hand is squeezing the door handle so brutally that he is about to break it. While his face usually bears soft and playful traits, it is now distorted with violent fury. He is almost snarling, showing his perfectly white teeth like a wolf about to kill its prey.

"On point, Daddy!" You retort, bratty as you are.

Daddy.

Adrenaline rushes through his veins, making his head dizzy. Pete shakes his head, already intoxicated by it. His jaw is clenched, but he remains motionless. Rather than bouncing on you, he patiently stares at you. At first, looks dagger at your beautiful eyes, as if he could kill you on spot. In spite of the electrifying tension, you stare at him back. Then, his eyes fall on your juicy lips, slightly parted for you are gritting your teeth at him. He knows that all you want is tearing his throat with your fangs and he is tempted to let you do so, only if he can kiss you before. Then, he looks down. He is now observing your breasts, whose perky nipples can be seen through the thin fabric of the shirt you are wearing. The t-shirt that is covering your body is actually one of his, for you had no personal belongings since you are a prisoner temporarily hanging out outside.

"What are you looking at, uh?"

"Don't change the topic of our conversation." He snaps. To be true, he had almost forgotten about the gun in your hand. A sick yet teasing smile stretches your lips: of course, you know what he is staring at, "These?" You tease again, bringing the barrel of the gun between your breasts and starting to slowly rub it up and down. While doing so, you bite your lower lips and let out a small, alluring moan. Pete's legs feel weak all of sudden.

"Stop that." He growls. Now, you can tell that he is very pissed. So pissed that he feels his self-control breaking down in thousands of bits. He walks towards you with an infuriated step and, drunk with both anger and desire, he grabs you by the throat. You open your eyes wide because of the surprise - he had been so quick you barely understood what just happened, " I can't believe you tried to kill me for the second time..." His fingers tighten their grip around your neck, enough to obstruct your windpipe but he is not really strangling you yet. You whimper, displeased by his domination.

"Let me go!"

Pete brings his attractive face closer to yours. His dragon breath crashes against your skin, almost burning you, "You don't seem to understand that here, I am the one in charge. You know I can throw your ass back to prison right? And God knows I can even ruin your beautiful doll face without no one batting an eye. You are nothing. You are not even a threat anymore."

You tried to swallow, but his grip tightens again around your throat, "I-I" You stutter, struggling to talk, "I think Daddy is scared of me. And yelling at me is just his way to cope with his fear." Your voice is merely a whisper, but your words are candy-coated with temptation. The surprise you had on your face a bit earlier had turned to amusement, despite the fact you are being strangled. You wet your lips with the rosy tip of your tongue in one sensual gesture. To be honest, you are having the fun of your life. He can even choke your harder if he wishes to, you think.

"And Daddy thinks his bad kitten needs someone to punish her. The kind of punishment that will turn her into a crying and begging mess." He raises a brow, looking at your parted lips gasping for air, "Pretty sure I could make that tough-girl behavior disappear in one big thrust inside your, fucking brat."  His voice has nothing soft anymore: you had just released something you should not have. A chilling thrill runs down your spine at Pete's cold voice.

"What is Daddy waiting for?" Boom. The Desert Eagle you were holding in your hand falls on the ground with a loud sound, "Why doesn't Daddy try to tame me? Come on Mitchell, are you afraid of the fall?"  You conclude your sentence with a deranged chuckle, half-muffled in your compressed throat.

Loving you is like a free fall, whose ending is always deadly. Yet he jumped by himself.

"Come on, Pete." You repeat, your smile growing wider on your juvenile face.

Seized by a violent mix of fury and arousal, Pete brutally pins you against the bed in one quick movement. You have crossed the line, and you know it. You squeal with surprise at his violence and try to break free from his grip but he has far more strength than you. Soon, he blocks your body from moving with his by straddling you. Pete tilts his head to the side, his breath short and quick, and a fire burning in his magnificent emerald eyes. This time he cannot control himself anymore - and he does not want to. He grabs the black K-bar knife that was strapped to his belt and presses the pointy tips on your collarbone. As soon as you feel the sharp and uncomfortable sensation on your skin, your heart's pace quickens. It beats so hard in your chest that you are pretty sure it wants to burst from your ribcage like a fucking alien. You swallowed, your throat still sore and your chest raising and falling quickly. The silence that hovers over the bedroom is only disrupted by your panting. Maverick had released your neck from his grip but, somehow,  you still feel his warm and strong hands around you, which contrasts with the cold steel of the knife's blade.

"You're so pretty." He suddenly admits absent-mindedly. His voice has the soft tone of a fascinated man. Pete presses on the sharp tip of the knife again to make it go through the fabric of your t-shirt, "That's just a safety measure. Just so I know you don't hide any weapon." This time, his words are candy-coated with a teasing tone.

"You wouldn't dare. You're a married man and-" 

You stop in the middle of your sentence: Pete had just sliced your shirt in half, unveiling your naked and trembling body to his hungry eyes, "Pete..." You gasp, looking at him with eyes wide open. He had just taken your breath away, and for the first time in your life, you feel vulnerable. As fragile as a house of cards in a raging wind.  You turn your head to the side, blood rushing to your cheeks.

"You drive me crazy - literally," He whispers, looking at your dazzling naked body while biting his lower lips. Your two blossoming tits, the flesh of your belly, and the delicious curves of your body... Pete lets out a feverish sigh. Damn, he would let you drag him to hell for just one fuck. He traces down your curves with his knife without cutting you, blade flat on your burning skin. Another thrill - you almost moan. A wave of heat invades your lower belly. You were soaked. "Look at you." Pete chuckles at the begging look you had on your face. "So touch-deprived after years of prison." 

You want him. And you want him so bad that you feel miserable, about to cry and beg for him to fuck you rough. But words are stuck in your throat: you are far too bratty to tell him what you really feel.

"Spread your legs"

"No." You grunt, closing your thighs between each other to do the exact opposite of what he had just asked. And maybe to hide how wet you are. A part of you hates yourself for such a stupid reaction, all your body wants is to feel him deep inside but you are too stubborn to give up.

"No?" Maverick repeats, tilting his head to the side again, with a glimmer of amusement in his malevolent green eyes. You are still challenging him in spite of your vulnerability: you are at his mercy and you know it. Yet, you still struggle, like a trapped animal feeling its death coming closer. The knife went down your belly, making you shake like a leaf, "Wrong answer."

You close your eyes, waiting for him to stab you right in the heart but the blow never occurred. Rather than tearing your flesh, Pete's lips crash against yours and pull you in an intoxicating kiss. You give in, your tongue looking for his. When he breaks the kiss, you are both panting and craving each other's touch. His face is still near yours, so near that your breaths melt together.

"I spent those last years fearing you, you know? You were always there with me. In my nightmares, in each corner of my mind, lurking in the shadows or even in my wife's closet. I was afraid you'd come out of nowhere and drag me to hell. But now- I realize you are just a kid." His words feel like a guillotine's blade on your neck, "Tough, fearless... But still a damn kid." Years of fright had just vanished. He sighs with relief, for he knows the table had turned:  he is the predator, and you, the prey. 

"Go to hell, Mitchell." You hiss.

"In hell, brat. In Hell." He corrects you. With one skillful movement, he grabs your arms and forces you to turn around. You are suddenly lying on your belly, one cheek pushed into the mattress. A moan of arousal and protest escapes from your mouth. You try to buck, to kick him but all you attempt are vain - and somehow you don't really want to break free.  His two large hands grab your hips and lift them before bringing his body against yours. Legs already shaking, long tears of love juice running down your thighs from your weeping pussy, you feel your mind sinking deeper into madness.

You hear the clicking sound of him unbuckling his belt while he leans over you, mouth close to your ear. He whispers.

"You haunted me for years... But joke's on you... After what I'll do to you, I'll haunt you forever."