#eastern firefly

[uncharismatic-fauna]

A Night Out with the Eastern Firefly

The eastern firefly, or North American firefly (Photinus pyralis), is a popular sight throughout the United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. They are commonly associated with the beginning of summer, as they spend the winter hibernating underground and emerge only when the weather begins to warm. They are commonly seen in deciduous forests, grasslands, gardens, and backyards.

Contrary to their name, the eastern firefly is actually a type of beetle with well-developed wings. Adults are quite small, only 10-14 mm (0.39-0.55 in) long. They have a yellow and red head and a dark brown body with a narrow yellow stripe marking the outline of the wing casings. The main difference between the two sexes is the length of their wings; males have longer wings and are capable of flight, while females have shorter, less functional wings. Both sexes have a special organ on the end of their abdomens that produce light; however, the female's light tends to be weaker. The North American firefly produces its light by combining oxygen with a chemical called luciferin; the resulting chemical reaction gives off a glow which is amplified by special reflective cells in the firefly's abdomen.

Like all fireflies, P. pyralis uses its light producing ability to attract a mate. Males flash only while flying, in bursts about 6 seconds apart. Once a female signals her interest-- also by flashing-- the male lands near her and offers her a package called a spermatophore made of sperm, protein, and nutrients. If the female accepts, she inseminates herself and buries the rest of the package with her clutch of about 500 eggs. These eggs, which glow slightly during development, hatch about 4 weeks after being laid, and the larvae feed on the remains of the nutrient-rich spermatophore. The larvae can take one or two years to develop, and spend most of their time underground or near sources of fresh water like lakes and streams. Once the larva pupates and develops into an adult firefly, they only live in this stage for about a month before dying.

Both larva and adult eastern fireflies are predators, feeding on other insects like worms, snails, and other fireflies. However, larva spend almost all their time hunting for food, while adults spend the majority of their time seeking out a mate. To avoid predation, P. pyralis can emit foul-smelling odors and excretion of sticky substances; they also emit a chemical called lucibufagin that repells spiders. However, other species of fireflies will actually mimic the light patterns of the eastern firefly in order to predate upon them.

Conservation status: The North American firefly is currently considered Least Concern by the IUCN. However, they are threatened by light pollution, pesticides, and habitat loss.

Photos

Judy Gallagher

Katja Shultz

Sydney Penner via iNaturalist

[sitting-on-me-bum]

An eastern firefly zooms through the air. There are over 177 species of the glowing insects in the United States. National parks in the southern part of the country, including Great Smoky Mountains and Congaree, are some of the best places to see them in the summer.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN ABBOTT/NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY

[jtfieldsiii]

Jack of the Wood, of the Green, of the Tales, of Many Names.

I wanted to lean a bit into the whole “aura of summer” he has going on occasionally and got a bit self indulgent. All the species depicted (except one) are found within the Appalachian mountain range.

[cordycepsbian]

for entomology class we have to write a brochure about why a certain insect should be nominated as the representative state insect somewhere in the u.s. :autism_smile:

[calochortus]

Common eastern firefly (Photinus pyralis) by Trey Wardlaw

[arashi-ihara]

There is magic all around you…

[haveyouseenthisanimal-irl]

[apod]

2025 March 1

Blue Ghost to the Moon Image Credit: Firefly Aerospace

Explanation: With spacecraft thrusters at top center, the rugged surface of the Moon lies below the Blue Ghost lander in this space age video frame. The view of the lunar far side was captured by the Firefly Aerospace lunar lander on February 24, following a maneuver to circularize its orbit about 100 kilometers above the lunar surface. The robotic lunar lander is scheduled to touch down tomorrow, Sunday, March 2, at 3:34am Eastern Time in the Mare Crisium impact basin on the lunar near side. In support of the Artemis campaign, Blue Ghost is set to deliver science and technology experiments to the Moon, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Blue Ghost's mission on the surface is planned to operate during the lunar daylight hours at the landing site, about 14 Earth days.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250301.html

[mathmodder]

Get Wild Mod by MathModder (In Progress)

What you need to know:

This mod introduces wild animals into your game map that spawn naturally in beetle spawners. It includes birds, small mammals, amphibians, more insects and reptiles in nature zones. Birds can fly and land in random locations and ground animals can be seen walking around the map.

You can choose ONE from various versions that best suit your world. Select the version that spawns specific animals suitable for your World's location.

Here's a list of potential versions that will be included in the mod:

All Wildlife (City World)*

All Wildlife (Medieval / Country town)**

American Wildlife (City World)*

American Wildlife (Medieval / Country town)**

European Wildlife (City World)*

European Wildlife (Medieval / Country town)**

African Wildlife (City World)*

African Wildlife (Medieval / Country town)**

Eastern Wildlife (City World)*

Eastern Wildlife (Medieval / Country town)**

*Versions for cities will have additional specific effects that help create a more beautiful environment for your city, such as planes in the sky, fireworks, sunshine rays during the day, and sky lanterns for the All Wildlife and Eastern Wildlife version. **Versions for Medieval/Country towns will feature additional specific effects to enhance the beauty of your world, including hot air balloons in the sky, sunshine rays during the day, and more.

These additional effects mentioned above will appear rarely and randomly in your world.

Can I place individual animals in specific locations, such as on rocks or tables?

In a future update after launch, this function will be added, for now they will only spawn where there is a beetle spawner. Ground animals on the ground and birds in the air.

Is the mod heavy to run?

Within the game I am optimizing it so that a small number of animals spawn at the same time and only spawn at a maximum distance of 500 meters from the player's camera.

How many files will there be?

Because there are many animals and specific animations for each one, the files will be heavy, will be a maximum of 2 to 3 files. In tests in my game with 150 other mods from other creators, I didn't see any loss of performance due to the optimization I'm doing within the game.

It is worth mentioning that some files will need to be placed in the Overrides folder and others in the Packages folder, they will all be specified at launch.

Is this mod compatible with other effect mods?

Yes, it will be compatible.

Bugs:

Depending on the location, there may be some bugs such as birds landing in the air or animals walking a little above the ground, this is due to calculation problems on certain game surfaces and physics, whether hills or mountains, but over time I will update and see What can I do to reduce this. In this case I depend on the engine the game has and whether it is possible to correct certain errors.

Release date:

Between January and February 2024 (It is in the testing phase)

Here is the list of animals that will be included in the mod:

American Eagle Bird

Anteater

Artic Tern

Aphids

Bat

Beaver

Bees

Black Bird

Black Egret

Black Fox

Black Goose

Black Rat

Blue Bird

Blue Frog

Blue Green Parrot Bird

Blue Jay

Blue Lizard

Blue Parakeet

Blue Macaw

Booby Bird

Brown Bird

Brown Bunny

Brown Egret

Brown Hen

Brown Monkey

Brown Owl Bird

Brown Pelican Bird

Brown Squirrel

Bullfinch Bird

Bullfrog

Butterflies (many colors)

Buzzard Bird

Canary

Capercaillie Female Bird

Capercaillie Male Bird

Canadian Goose

Cardinal

Carcara Bird

Charadriidae

Chimp

Chimpmunk

Chukar partridge

Condor Bird

Cormorant

Coyote

Crow

Cicada

Cockroach

Dart Frog

Dove Bird

Dragonfly

Egret

European Goldfinch

Falcon

Female Peacock Bird

Flamingo Bird

Fox

Fireflies

Golden Monkey

Golden Pheasant

Goldfinch

Gray Frog

Gray Lizard

Gray Parrot Bird

Gray Partridge

Green Bird

Green Frog

Green Lizard

Green Parakeet

Green Parrot Bird

Harlequin Duck

Hawk

Heron Bird

Hoopoe Bird

Horn Owl Bird

Humming Bird

Humming Bird Loop

Jack Rabbit

Kinkajou

Komodo Dragon

Ladybug

Lilac-breasted Roller

Little Red Parrot

Little Yellow Bird

Little Yellow Parrot

Magpie

Mallard Bird

Marmot

Marten

Male Peacock Bird

Mole

Multicolor Bird

Nude Rat

Orange Bird

Orange Fox

Orange Frog

Owl

Pangolin

Pheasant

Pink Cockatoo

Piper Bird

Possum

Pigeon

Quero-Quero Bird

Raccoon

Raven

Red-Eyed

Red Fox

Red Frog

Red Head White Cardeal

Red Lizard

Red Panda

Red Macaw

Red-crowned Crane

Rooster

Scissor White Bird

Sea Parrot Bird

Seagull

Silver Pigeon

Skunk

Snake

Sparrow

Spiny Lizard

Stork

Striped Lizard

Swallow Bird

Toco Toucan

Tortoise

Vulture Bird

White Bunny

White Cockatoo Bird

White Diving Bird

White Fox

White Goose

White Hen

White Monkey

White Owl

White Pelican Bird

White Piper Bird

White Rat

White Squirrel

White Swan

Wild Rabbit

Woodpecker

Yellow Lizard

Yellow Parakeet

Yellow Pelican Bird

Yellow Toucan

Want to support? Be a Patreon and get Early Access! Math Modder | The Sims 3 Mods and MO-MO-MORE! | Patreon

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I will add them to this post!

[lowcountry-gothic]

"Six Seconds of Dark"

The proper habitat for synchronous fireflies can be found in pockets across the eastern United States, but they are sensitive to light — even a full moon can disrupt their ability to flash in unison. Large swaths of untouched, dark forest in national parks provide prime habitat. Every year, between 30,000 and 40,000 people enter a lottery for just shy of 1,000 passes to see the lightning bugs over eight nights at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A record-breaking 17,593 people entered a similar lottery in 2023 in hopes of being among the 1,300 chosen to see the Photuris frontalis species at Congaree National Park in South Carolina. 

From a story by Jessica Bradley for The Bitter Southerner. Photos by Stephen Cook.

[mishapeep]

Uh, I saw your post and you mentioned that you teach the kids... how do I put it... that are given to you at social functions due your park ranger aura for safekeeping how to tell the difference between predatory lightning bugs and normal lightning bugs.

And then you didn't tell us that secret! May I ask you to share the difference between predatory lightning bugs and normal ones?

Thank you very much :)

By popular demand and because this was the most polite ask: how to tell the predatory lightning bugs from the non-predatory lightning bugs.

First, there are over 2000 species in Lampyridea. I am not qualified to distinguish between all that. I grew up in Northern Ohio (71 species) and every year summer wasn’t official until the lightning bugs came out in the evenings (usually the first or second week of June).

This is our first clue. The first lightning bugs out each evening are a species of non-predatory chaps. Their glow goes in a special pattern. Flash, pause, “J” shaped flight about 2 -3’ off the ground. Repeat. Their glow is more yellow and lingers. These are the males of Photinus pyralis or the common eastern firefly. They look like this:

(Photo from iNaturalist: a lightning bug beetle, mostly black with gold lines around the wing casing. Head shield is yellow with a red “eye” with black iris in the center. Rounded front and back, long down the center.)

Their females hide in tall grasses waiting for the right suitor. If you’re lucky and clever you can see her dimmer flash in the grass beaconing the males closer.

As the dark of night progresses you’ll start to see a quicker, brighter, greener flash. Blip, blip, blip, blip, long pause. They are FAST! They’ll also mimic the flashes of Photinus females. These are usually higher up off the ground. Even in the trees! These lightning bugs aren’t looking for love.

Photuris (not gonna get to specific epitaph on this one without a sample and a key) are looking for dinner!

(Photo from blog.greatparks.org another lightning bug beetle. This one is slightly larger than the non-predatory bug. It has “shoulders” and extra gold lines running through the back. Its legs are longer and its shield is more “sharp”. The shield marking is less like an eye and more like a yellow D where the inside is a red triangle with a black line running through.)

Another way to tell is to go out at night and catch a bunch of lightning bugs (if you can; I hear they’re getting scarce). Offer them a slice of apple. If you wake up in the morning to only a few and the rest are dead, good chance you found some predators. (This is how I found out about them! Wooops!!)

Lightning bugs are freaking magical. I’m so sad to hear that they are yet another wonder that we are losing at an alarming rate. If this bugs you as much as it bugs me there are a few things you can do to help them:

1) do not spray for mosquitoes! That spray is not-species specific. It’s bad for lightning bugs. It’s bad for monarch butterflies. It’s bad for birds. It’s bad for bats. It’s bad.

2) kill your lawn. But Misha! You said they breed in the grasses! True! However native plants are going to provide so much more habitat for these guys than a gross monoculture of Kentucky bluegrass ever will. The Midwest has some of the best native plant nurseries in the country! Use that resource!

3) Advocate for them and donate to conservation if you’re able. Bugs don’t have voices and they fight an uphill battle just for being a bug.

Thanks for joining my ranger talk! Support your parks.

[of-stars-and-dust]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

2025 March 1

Blue Ghost to the Moon

Image Credit: Firefly Aerospace

With spacecraft thrusters at top center, the rugged surface of the Moon lies below the Blue Ghost lander in this space age video frame. The view of the lunar far side was captured by the Firefly Aerospace lunar lander on February 24, following a maneuver to circularize its orbit about 100 kilometers above the lunar surface. The robotic lunar lander is scheduled to touch down tomorrow, Sunday, March 2, at 3:34am Eastern Time in the Mare Crisium impact basin on the lunar near side. In support of the Artemis campaign, Blue Ghost is set to deliver science and technology experiments to the Moon, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Blue Ghost's mission on the surface is planned to operate during the lunar daylight hours at the landing site, about 14 Earth days.

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)

NASA Official: Amber Straughn

A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,

NASA Science Activation

& Michigan Tech. U.

[navybrat817]

The Pull of Gravity

Pairing: Shifter!Bucky Barnes x Shifter!Female Reader Summary: Bucky has a chat with Steve about his new friend. Word Count: Over 2.3k Warnings: Shifters, flirting, tension, teasing, slight possessive behavior, Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?). A/N: More Wolfie and Little Red! ❤️ Beta read by @whisperlullaby (thank you!), but any and all mistakes are my own. Dividers by the amazing @firefly-graphics .❤️Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

One of the most important rules of the eastern territory was that nothing and no one was allowed to disrupt the sanctuary of the land. It was a place for Bucky and the other shifters in the pack to shut out the rest of the world and be themselves without judgment or fear. They deserved a home with peace and security.

Watching you in the garden, he wondered if you were going to shake things up.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t know you. Other than that you're a little badass fox who can help in getting rid of a body. And spirited and beautiful and-

"Talk," Steve said.

Bucky raised an eyebrow at his best friend's authoritative tone. Growing up, Steve's growl was worse than his bite. That was only because he was so small. A late bloomer, his wolf form was one of the largest and strongest he had ever seen. And he was an affectionate punk.

"I'm not a dog. I don't speak on command."

Steve sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "Would you mind explaining why there's a fox playing in our flowers? I'm sure there's a good reason and I'd love to hear it," he said, not as entranced with you as he was.

Good. One of us needs to be logical.

It took a moment for Bucky to respond since he was too busy watching you roll around, bringing a small smile to his face as your red fur blurred through the petals. “A hunter was tracking her near the border of our land and she handled it before I stepped in,” he said.

"The body?"

"Buried and we covered our tracks," he told him. Even if someone managed to find the man, no one would be able to trace it back to them. It wasn't the first time they had to put someone in the ground.

“She was alone?” Steve asked curiously. Bucky nodded in confirmation. “What was she doing there?”

“The hunter was killing smaller animals in the western territory, so she lured him here. She figured a larger creature could handle him if she couldn’t,” he explained, his gaze soft as he watched your tail flick.

"Smart strategy, if not dangerous. What if you hadn't stumbled upon her? She could’ve been hurt," he said.

Bucky had a hard time not smiling as you sat up to stare at his friend. "I think she can handle herself," he admitted, as much as he didn't want to. He liked to think you needed him in some capacity.

"Did she follow you here?"

“No,” he answered, clearing his throat a little as he crossed his arms. “I may have asked her to come here.”

Steve gave his friend a thoughtful look. He was a man who thrived on doing the right thing, but he also didn’t want to compromise the safety of the place they made their home. "Why did you do that?"

Bucky glanced at you before he looked away. “I offered to get her safely back to the border after we buried the body, but…” he trailed off as he thought back to the conversation he had with you.

"Well, that's that," you said, brushing the dirt off your hands. You weren't afraid to get your hands dirty as the two of you buried the man, along with his bow and arrows. "Finished up quicker than I thought."

"Not eager to leave, are you?" he asked casually, wiping his head with the back of his hand. He wasn't ready to take you back.

"As much fun as it is to put hunters in the dirt,” you winked, stretching your arms above your head with a hum. He wasn’t sure how he managed to concentrate without staring at your chest. “I figured you'd want to lead me back so I can be on my way and you can go home quicker."

"The shifters I live with are used to me being out late," he said, stretching a bit himself. "I'm sure they'd like to meet you."

"I doubt that," you said, looking behind you. "Ready?"

Bucky's brow furrowed. "Why wouldn't they want to meet you?" he asked.

"Because I'm a stranger who killed a hunter in your land," you said, your expression blank. "Can we just go?"

"Okay," he said, ignoring the sinking feeling of you brushing him off. He understood that some foxes by nature preferred to be on their own, but he thought it would be nice for you to meet others like yourself. "So, what is your way once you get past the border?"

“Why? You planning on paying me a visit?” you smiled. "Take a roll on the dirt with me?"

In more ways than one.

"I'd offer a roll right now if we didn't need to get going," he smirked. As much as he didn't want to, he could see you itching to leave. “You said you came from the west, but is that where you’re living?” he questioned, curious to know even though you had no reason to give him an answer.

“It’s where I’ve been staying, but I'll likely move on soon.”

Bucky’s stomach dropped, hoping you wouldn't go too far away. “When are you going to leave?”

“Why are you asking so many questions?” you snapped, putting your hands on your hips. You didn’t back away or appear guarded, but the slight defense in your voice gave away that you didn’t want him prying. “Why do you want to know so badly?”

Bucky shrugged a shoulder, but it felt anything but casual. “You said you were used to going it alone, but maybe I want to make sure you’re safe. Is that so hard to believe?”

“Yeah, it is. Because it's always ulterior motives or people looking out for themselves,” you said, kicking a bit of dirt toward the grave with a flash of fury in your eyes. He wondered what happened to give you that mindset, but knew it wasn’t the time to ask. “I’ve been on my own for years and I’ve been just fine, thank you."

"The thing is, you don't have to be," he said, taking a slow step forward as surprise filled your beautiful eyes. He had a feeling that if he moved too quickly or invaded your space, you’d run. And it wouldn’t be the fun kind of chase. "I don't know your story and you don't owe it to me, but I do want to help if you need it."

"I didn't mean to snap at you, okay?" you said, your tone softer as your arms dropped to your side. He kept still when you moved close enough for him to feel the warmth radiating from your body. "I can sense that you aren't a bad guy and I appreciate that you want to help, but I’m not your responsibility, Wolfie.”

“I know you’re not,” he said, his hands itching with the need to touch you. “But maybe I’m not ready for you to go yet, Little Red.”

"Why is that?" you whispered, placing your hand on his cheek as his heart raced, your scent invading his senses once again.

Bucky couldn't say he felt a pull toward you. It would sound crazy. He had to word it carefully. "I just want to get to know you a bit more and, maybe, there's a part of you that wants to get to know me, too."

Your soft expression shifted to something a bit more sultry. "Not ready to let me go and you haven't even had sex with me," you teased.

Bucky didn't kiss you, but he did lean in close enough to feel your breath mingle with his. "If we have sex, you won't want to let me go."

Cocky, but true.

"I knew I liked you, Wolfie," you smiled, your playful demeanor back in full swing. "And maybe I wouldn't mind seeing your place, if you're really offering. It doesn't mean I'm staying though."

Maybe I can convince you to stick around.

"Let's go then."

"But what?" Steve asked.

"I just thought it would be better if she stayed here for the night instead of letting her go off by herself," Bucky replied, not wanting to say more on the subject as you continued to stare at them.

"But she doesn't want to meet the others?"

"Maybe after she gets some rest," Bucky said, though you weren't acting tired at all. "I'm trying not to overwhelm her."

“Does she realize we’re talking about her?”

Bucky smiled when you barked, loudly. "Yeah, she knows."

The blonde held up his hands when you barked again. “I mean no harm. I’m just trying to get some answers.”

You stretched before you trotted over to Steve’s feet and looked up at him, not blinking as you assessed him. Bucky wondered what was going through his friend's head. The guy was massively built, like him, but you stared him down like his size didn't matter.

"I'm Steve. It's nice to meet you," he said, reaching a hand out to pet you before he decided against it.

Smart move.

Seemingly satisfied with what you saw after a moment, you went to Bucky and carefully climbed up his leg and side. Steve’s eyebrows shot up, not bothering to hide his surprise as you gracefully curled in the brunette’s arms. It had to be quite the sight.

"Are you not going to shift?" Bucky asked.

You yawned and closed your eyes like you didn't hear him.

Why aren’t you showing Steve your human side? Are you nervous to meet everyone? Or are you just being careful?

“I’m not just going to stand here and hold you while we talk, Little Red,” he said, a slight growl in his voice. Instead of jumping out of his arms or cowering, you huffed and lightly nipped his forearm. It didn’t hurt. If anything, he liked it. “Fine. I’ll hold you.”

Steve covered up his laugh with a small cough when you nuzzled against Bucky with a satisfied hum. “Little Red, huh?”

“It’s what she said to call her. Well, what I can call her,” Bucky said, stating your real name.

"She seems to like you," Steve mused.

You gently barked, a happy sound, and moved your head to his chest.

"I like her, too," he said, running a hand along your fur as he glanced down at you, your eyes crinkling as you stared back.

Fucking adorable and probably two seconds away from biting my chin.

"And she's just staying for the night?"

Bucky didn't give him an answer as you tilted your head. He didn't want to say "yes" and make you think you weren't welcome. He also didn't want to say "no" and pressure you to stay.

As if you sensed Bucky's dilemma, you sprang free from his hold and landed gracefully on your paws. He stepped back to give you room when your bones began to shift, your red fur gone within moments as your naked human form appeared. Steve averted his eyes as you stood, the gentleman shifter he was since he didn't know you. He was thankful he didn't have to growl at his best friend to look away.

Even though I have no claim over you.

"Nice to meet you, too, Steve. I like this place," you said, giving Bucky an amused glance when Steve continued to look off in the distance. "Will he not look at me? I'm sure it's nothing he hasn't seen before."

"Just being polite," he said.

"I'm not after you bit me," Bucky said, wondering how much lust was in his eyes when he saw your nipples harden in the breeze.

You rolled your eyes, ignoring his heated gaze. "Relax. It was a love bite and you enjoyed it."

Just a little.

"And, Steve, I'm curious. Will anyone get mad if Wolfie and I fuck in the flowers?" you asked, giggling when he chortled.

"Um. Natasha might ask that you put new seeds in if you make a mess of it."

Really, Steve?

Glancing below Bucky's waist, you smirked, a hint of arousal in the air. "Oh, I'm sure it'll be a mess. And I doubt he'll have any trouble filling a hole with seed," you said. Before Bucky could drag you over and pin you down, you turned and went back to the garden with a swish of your hips. "But maybe later. For now, I'm making you both flower crowns."

Fucking tease. You're going to drive me crazy.

"I'm not wearing a flower crown!" Bucky called after you.

"Yes, you are!" you called back.

Yes, I am.

"She's, um, bold," Steve commented, clearing his throat again as he finally turned his head. "And did she call you Wolfie?" he asked, not covering up his laughter this time when Bucky snarled.

"Tell Sam and I'll rearrange your face," he threatened.

"I'd like to see you try," Steve said as his laughter died down. "She can stay as long as she wants."

"Just like that?" Bucky asked. Was he sure? He knew it was a lot to have someone unfamiliar there.

"Just like that," he nodded. "You like her and I trust your judgment. And, like I said, she seems to like you, too. I have a feeling that doesn't come easy to her."

"Thanks," Bucky said. It meant a lot that he was willing to take a chance on you. "And I have that same feeling."

"I wonder why that is."

Bucky watched as you chose a few flowers, your eyes narrowed in concentration as you made a crown. "I don't know, but I hope she knows she's safe here."

His home was his kingdom. He had freedom and his friends who were practically family. But as you looked over at him with a smile, he didn't realize he was missing a queen to run along beside him.

Until now.

Oh, these two. Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[thetormentita]

all or none - interlude 3 (your hand in mine)

Hold on to what you have and never let go.

Pairing: Original female! Character x Joel Miller

A/n: and here comes the obvious conclusion to charlie’s distress last chapter! Pinky promise next chapter brings out big stuff 🤪

Warnings: blood, angst (ending with fluff, i swear), canon violence, mentions/scenes of hunting + dead animals, tommy being nostalgic (yup, a warning 🤣)

Rating: Mature (+16)

Tagging list: @maegelletargaryen @daryltwdixon @mmkkzz @isla-finke-blog

“What the fuck are you doin’?”

Charlie doesn’t even bother to turn, her focus solely on securing the saddle of the horse.

“What it looks like. Takin’ a horse to go find ‘em.”

“Charlie…” Tommy approaches her, a gentle hand upon her shoulder.

But she turns and shrugs it off.

“I can’t take it any longer” her voice trembles as she holds his gaze, irradiating a mixture of determination, leadership and desperation. “Gonna find ‘em and bring ‘em back home.”

“But you don’t know where to start!”

“You said it yourself. University of Eastern Colorado.”

“And you’re gonna go there alone?” She nods with a hum as she returns to what she was doing “It is dangerous.”

“For me it is and not for them? They’re my kin, Tommy, and I must keep ‘em safe.”

…

They have taken the same route Tommy told Joel days ago when they arrived to Jackson, even making it earlier than expected, avoiding any possible danger that may be lurking.

“Gotta take some rest, woman.” Tommy had said two nights earlier when they set camp.

“They’re all I have.”

They go to the supposed Firefly base, and all they find is debris, broken stuff and a myriad of bullet shells along the place. They get to the lab where the corpse in lab robe is and they listen to the recording telling about the Fireflies moving to Salt Lake City. None of them dares to talk much, their eyes and ears doing all the job while they move through the Science Building of the campus, the quietness broken the moment Charlie spots the broken bannister and the blood spot next to a body between the garbage of the place.

“Fuck” she covers her mouth with her free hand to muffle a sob in an attempt to not let her mind roam free and imagine the most terrible situations. She has to shake her head to keep her thoughts clear and focused. “It may be them.”

“We don’t know if this is Joel’s or Ellie’s” Tommy’s face is a reflection of hers, of the internal fight to keep himself steady.

Her eyes follow a path of blood drops on the floor, and she keeps going, her heart aching more and more as she walks towards the exit, her hand gripping the gun so tightly her knuckles turn white with the pressure. Tommy falls into step beside her, his silence only broken when his boots hit any bullet shell or crush any tiny piece of crystal scattered on the floor.

When they arrive to the last blood stain, the biggest since the beginning of their way in the building, both of them cross gazes, silent, only the chill wind daring to disturb.

“Infected don’t bleed, at least this much.” She says, her voice carrying a hint of desperation. “It has to be one of them.”

They both know what Joel is capable of. They’ve witnessed an example of it.

“Okay, let’s believe so. Where the fuck have they gone then?”

…

They rush to follow the horse tracks, one placed at each side of them, gun up, eyes sharply scanning their surroundings for any imminent threats. If it weren’t for Ellie and Joel, it would be just a hunt.

A shot echoes through the valley, and both cross gazes in silence, Tommy swiftly pointing with a gloved hand towards where he thinks the sound has come, his years in military service and with the Fireflies coming to surface.

And he is not mistaken.

They leave the horses aside, half covered between the branches of two big trees, and carefully they take their arms out of them, Charlie keeping her gun by her hand and the rifle hanging from her shoulder, Tommy preferring to use his beloved rifle instead.

They come into the woods, missing the charm of the recent fallen snow as their steps guide them through it, all senses on high alert, the tiniest noise calling their attention, no matter if it is a rabbit, some snow falling from overloaded branches, any other animal…

Or voices.

It is a man and a girl. No, two different men. For a moment Charlie has her own doubts, but her instinct makes her believe it is Ellie the one who is talking.

And none of the men sound like Joel.

A quick glance at Tommy is enough for her to know his plan, and a nod confirms her agreement even though her feet have already started moving on their own. They are moving slowly, circling them as the voices become louder, clearer, and a veiled threat comes from one of the men.

“I could protect you.”

Those four words are enough to freeze Charlie’s blood.

“Ya better protect yourself first, buddy boy.”

At the same time Tommy and Charlie come from the vegetation around the small cottage, their arms trained at the men, their steps steady and firm, eyes flickering between Ellie, the dead deer and the men, one of them pointing his own gun alternatively at them both.

“We mean no harm. We’re just talking.”

The guy unarmed raises his hands, voice somewhat unsteady, clearly not expecting company.

“Get the fuck outta here before we put a bullet between your eyes.” Tommy points directly at the armed man, grip steady and index gently brushing the trigger, ready to end the conversation in any moment.

Both of them had cladded themselves in thick coats, wool hats and scarves, and what neither of them are aware in that moment is that Ellie is trying her best to seem steady and brave while her mind is trying to confirm if the strangers that have put themselves between the men and her are friends or not.

“We just wanted to take some of the deer in exchange for antibiotics. Our group is starving, and there are women and children suffering.”

“Take the whole damn thing and leave before we change our minds.”

“What are you gonna do with the girl?”

“The girl comes with us” Charlie raises her voice as one of her hands goes to her back, gesturing Ellie to get behind her. “Any objections?”

Both men hesitate for a moment, and finally move when Charlie shoots and the bullet lands on one of the walls of the cottage, having flied less than a couple of inches from the unarmed man.

The three of them wait until the men take the deer and go downhill, getting quickly lost from sight. Despite the relative recent safety, Charlie and Tommy keep their positions for some more minutes until no sound from the men dragging the deer can be heard before leaving their guns aside, turning to face a clearly flabbergasted Ellie, who hesitates between fighting and flying away.

“Are you okay?” Tommy says, hanging his rifle from his shoulder as he turns to face the girl.

“What the—”

“El.” Charlie lowers her scarf as she looks at Ellie too, her other hand quickly leaving the gun in its holster before taking her beanie off, letting the girl take a look at her to make sure she won’t be hurt.

Instead of saying anything, Ellie throws the small package she carries between her hands and the riffle aside and rushes to hug Charlie tightly, burying her face against Charlie's jacket, her arms wrapping Ellie protectively.

“It’s okay” she says, letting herself lay her cheek against the girl’s head. “We’re here” she lets go of her to look at her with attention, hands unconsciously palming her arms and cupping her face with care. “Are you hurt?”

“Ellie, what are you doin’ out here? Where’s Joel?”

…

He half opens an eye, the effort taking too much, and the sight of only his pack is a sort of mix between comfort and dread.

He is going to die there. Alone.

God, how much he hates it.

A temptative hand goes to his belly, and his fingers, despite their numbness, find the improvised bandage Ellie had put over the wound.

Damn kid.

Where does she get all that courage?

A trembling sigh escapes his chapped lips as he closes his eyes, his body not even daring to fight back, a shudder passing through him as cold seeps into his bones, no matter how much blankets Ellie has put over him.

A noise from the garage calls his attention, the horse moving along the space, and despite he wants to curse and get angry because Ellie has not done what he told her he just lets himself go, the blurry image of the basement twisting and turning into the backyard of his house in Austin. The sound of giggling calls his attention, and when he raises his eyes he cannot help but smile at the sight of Sarah and Ellie playing, fighting the usual summer heat drenching themselves with the hose.

“They are unstoppable.”

His right hand lands on a naked shoulder, and when he lowers his gaze the sight of Charlie—his Charlie—observing the girls with a soft look upon her face and a closed book on her lap warms his heart.

“They’re kids, baby. Let ‘em tire themselves and leave us the night for ourselves.”

His thumb brushes the skin over her collarbone, and he leans to gently kiss her hair, taking a deep breath to just soak his senses in the scent of the honey conditioner she has used.

“Love you, y’know that?” He mumbles as he ducks by her side, his eyes not missing any detail of her features.

“Joel” she takes one of his hands and kisses it, lovingly, leaning into the touch she herself has provoked. “Stay with me.”

…

“Holy shit.”

Charlie rushes downstairs the mere moment her eyes spot the covered lump on the floor, for a moment forgetting about Tommy and Ellie, throwing herself on her knees as she approaches a half unconscious Joel.

“Oh, God” she breathes as she observes him, her hands trembling by her lap, unable to stop, and she clenches them into tight fists as she takes deep breaths, trying her best to keep herself calm. “Joel” her voice is a mere mumble as she gently leans over him, one of her hands trembling less, softly landing upon his cheek and his forehead, she sighs at the excess of warmth. “Babe, it’s me, Charlie” as she talks, both her hands search for his, almost desperate, grabbing them steadily. “Came here with Tommy. I know I made you a promise but I—” a shudder escapes her lips and she can’t do anything against it. “Joel, stay with me.”

Charlie lowers her head the moment one of his hands gently grabs hers, fingers moving just enough for her to know he has heard her, for her to cling to the tiniest glimpse of hope.

She doesn’t even notice Tommy approaching, ducking at the other side of his brother, concern etched on his face.

“Ellie, that man said you got antibiotics?”

Charlie has her eyes closed, hands firmly gripping Joel’s, as they speak, the effort to try and be strong too hard for her in that moment.

“Yeah” she fidgets with the package. “It says ‘penicillin’. Will it work?”

“If we keep the wound clean it will. But it’ll take time.”

Ellie hums in approval, and Charlie can only nod, the back of Joel’s warm fingers brushing her forehead.

They leave Tommy inject the first dose of penicillin, because they both know that he may be the one with clearest mind in that moment, and decide to take shifts controlling Joel, one by his side and the others taking care of the horses, hunting and resting.

By the time night comes, there are no signs of improvement despite Ellie insisting on it. Charlie finds herself frowning when Tommy pushes her to get some rest.

“Once we make it outta here, we’ll go to Salt Lake City, and then back home” Tommy whispers, his eyes going to an already asleep Ellie, a curled form in her sleeping bag, only a grey beanie and some flocks of hair out of it.

“I can take Ellie there, you can get back to Jackson with Joel. He needs a proper rest.”

“And havin’ to deal with his grumblin’ alone? No damn way. Tomorrow I’ll show you how to shoot ‘im up and we’ll pray for it to work. Now do me a favor and go the fuck to sleep, woman.”

The next morning Charlie takes some snow in a pair of buckets and gives it to the horses for them to get some water, in an attempt to focus on something else apart from Joel. Once she has finished she takes more snow and a cloth before going back to the basement, Ellie’s disturbed anxiety welcoming her as she approaches Joel.

“Gotta keep the wound clean. Got no alcohol, so we’ll wash it with snow.”

“Can go to the other houses to see if they have some booze.”

“Later, I’ll go with Ellie to hunt something too. Can’t survive much longer on rations…” Tommy frowns as he carefully takes off the worn blanket and uncovers Joel’s belly, the wound stitched by Ellie ugly and throbbing. “Good thing ma was a nurse. Whenever we hurt ourselves playing she’d take us inside, wash the place carefully and put some alcohol there to avoid infection” as he talks, Tommy takes a little bit of snow and starts to melt it between his hands before letting the water fall gently over the place. “She taught us a thing or two. She’d probably freak out if she sees us doin’ this…” he adds with what could pass for a smile if it were bigger.

For a moment Charlie allows herself to take her sight out of Joel and instead observing Tommy, the creases around his eyes when he allows himself to attempt a smile, the small pout of his lips betraying his focus every time he ends a sentence, the subtle bright of his gaze when he mentions a mere glimpse of their past. She thinks the youngest of the Miller brothers is a handsome man, tender of heart and prone to believe there is always something good in every person he meets—past patrols by his side help her get a clear image of the man kneeling by her side.

“Gotta put the needle ‘bout an inch from the wound.”

Tommy gives her the syringe loaded with penicillin and she takes a deep breath before carefully injecting the substance, her heart missing a beat when by the corner of her eye she can spot Joel wincing.

By the time Tommy and Ellie get out hunting she is tired, and to be sat with her back against the wall doesn’t help to keep herself fully awake, her eyelids dropping heavy.

“Charlie.”

The whisper is not enough to make her move, she even thinks it may be her mind playing games with her, but as soon as she hears her name again she flinches, opening her eyes, quickly approaching Joel when she sees how one of his arms move from his side.

“Joel?” Her voice trembles as she crawls to him, her hands gently cradling one of his as soon as she reaches his side. “I’m here, baby.”

He looks at her with half-lidded eyes, and when he manages to compose a soft smile to her, she leans to kiss his forehead, lovely, feeling how he leans into her touch.

“You were s’pposed to stay” he rasps, one of his hands cradling her cheek, his touch somewhat hesitant. “What—”

“Couldn’t handle it.”

A rough thumb brushes her jaw, slowly, as if tracing every memory they’ve ever shared.

“‘M sorry, love.” His eyes filled with a depth she hasn’t seen before. “Shouldn’t’ve left you— Thought you’d be safer in Jackson.”

“Leave it. We’ll talk about it back home.”

“But, baby—”

Charlie gently hits him on his arm, trying to show any kind of outrage even if it is pretended after knowing that the thirty-year-old penicillin is working.

“You made me shit my pants, you fucker, at least have the decency to do what I say for a bit.”

[roselyn-writing]

Worldbuilding: The Sa’Hahir (السحاحير)

A/n: I saw a picture of a grey monster, it resembled a female one, and oddly enough. I literally said to myself this is the perfect look for the Sa’Hahir. I don’t know who is the owner of the pic. It doesn’t belong to me but I found it on Pinterest.

Divider by @firefly-graphics ✨

As a big fan of Monster mythology; I deeply enjoy any monster mythologies of each country, and culture of the world. It is just my cuppa of tea ✨.

Anyway, in this post; I’m focusing on one of my favourite monster mythologies from: Sudan. In summary, It talks about a Nubian village named ‘Nawa’ in the northern state on the eastern bank of the Nile river.

The locals interacted many times with humanoid beings: The Sa’Hahir, but sometimes they showed unhuman features: like a long tail similar to a kangaroo’s. They feast on humans, and they show a big distaste for milk or diary products.

In all honesty, I don’t know why they dislike milk or diary products, but please if any Sudanese man or woman may read my post; tell me if you know why. Otherwise, I’d put my own reasoning and my own twist to the story, because: Worldbulding duh 😒

Anyway. Turns out, the Sa’Hahir are cannibalistic beings; resembling huge-ass grey-skinned Reptilian creatures (my Hc). They solely live on human flesh. And for some reason, They like to burn places? (I read a few articles about the Sa’Hahir; They like to burn places)

So yeah, they like to burn places of their would-be victims. They’d always interact with locals; disguising as humans, venders, and peddlers.

My Hc, the reasoning for their distaste for milk or dairy products, Because it is easily would reveal them; by affecting their shapeshifting skills; they’d flicker, and glitch between their human disguise and their true Reptilian selves.

What do they look like? In all honesty, the Sudanese folklore wasn’t specific in their descriptions of the Sa’Hahir. So my HC for then goes like this:

Standing at 7 feet tall, grey-skinned reptilians with rippling muscles and sharp claws, mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth that could easily rip through flesh and muscles. A thick eyelids specialised for protection in the sunlight, and seeing in the darkness of the night. They have high hearing, and can easily detect and identify the sounds of humans and animals alike.

And yes, They literally resembled some monsters in sci-fi movies if that helps. That is all for today’s worldbuilding session ☺️.

[barananduen]

ORCHID FROM "LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL" "THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW..."

Part of my square cdrama chibis series.

This actress is a good match for my chibi style. 😊 I have a MiaoMiao from Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, too, and I like how she came out there as well, but I'm stuck on a different part of that drawing.

ABOUT THE ART:

She's letting the fireflies go; they're going from the stone into the air.

Another art where I try to use saturation as a compositional tool, for focus. Want to read my partial tutorial on composition? [click here]

DETAILS WATCH:

The pattern on her umbrella is a collection of orchids and the moon pendant.

REFERENCES:

"Love Between Fairy and Devil" - ep.2

☂ I love this scene so much. 🥺 It's so pretty. One of my favorite umbrella scenes in cdramas. ☂ If you like paper umbrella aesthetics, I made a post with a collection of such screencaps from various cdramas [here], in case anyone's interested.

For more cdrama fanart, click this tag: #fanart - asian media