#her poachers pride cover

[dissectress]

i fall asleep to ethel cain’s unreleased tracks every single night

[kiame-sama]

Humans Are Extinct- (Yandere!TWST x Fem!Reader) Monster AU pt 11

(Lilia can hear extremely well and can be rather sensitive to loud noises. He often covers his ears or magically deafens himself if Malleus' temper ever causes thunder.)

Warnings; yandere, Yandere behavior, platonic and romantic yanderes, multiple yanderes, threats, blood, injury, poachers, drama, talk of eating Humans, attempts made, near-death experiences, violence, a few time skips, Shinigami, Vampire Bat, Dragon, Cervitaur, Raiju, Kelpie, Unicorn, Drider, Harpy, Genie, Naga, Merfolk, Cecilia, Nemean Lion, Werewolves, implied unnamed character death,

~~~~~~~~

Everyone moved quickly through the forest, eyes keenly searching every tree for any signs that could lead them to their quarry. Not just Housewardens were looking, a veritable army of students all searching high and low for their lost treasure. The staff were also keenly looking, the last location having been searched with a fine-toothed comb. When they found the Human's bloodied and broken collar next to Grim's ripped collar, it was not a good sign.

To think, one of Night Raven College's own students would commit such a crime. The crime of harming and stealing away such a precious creature was nigh unforgivable. The student accused of such a crime was equally unforgivable.

Many had seen him slip away into the forests shortly before the attack, all recounting the way his eyes glowed with danger as he slid from view into the underbrush. At the time, no one had known what he was planning to do and so many had even begun to believe he was harmless. Looks like they were wrong.

Ortho scanned frantically, wanting to find the Human he had befriended and hoping the terrible Beast had not harmed her. Lilia's words echoing in his mind after the chilling analysis of the blood left behind.

"It's (Y/n)'s blood. This... This is too much blood for someone of her size to loose and be able to recover from without aid. If we don't find her soon, she will die from blood-loss."

Malleus was raching through the trees, leading his Hoard in their search for the soft Human that had been attacked. He knew he couldn't trust the other Housewardens with his treasure, and all this did was prove him right. There was no pride in the realization that he had been correct, there was only white-hot fear that he was possibly too late.

Riddle and Trey galloped through the paths, leaping over fallen logs and searching the riverbanks for any sign. Riddle was beside himself with worry as he knew he couldn't trust that Beast that called himself a student. Trey was worried to be the one to find the Human's broken body and what that would do to his friend whose sanity hung by a thread. Riddle already overblotted once, who knew what finding the Human dead would do to the still recovering Unicorn. Who knew what it would do to any of them.

Rook carried his poisonous Harpy over and through the woods, both keenly looking for any sign of the lost treasure. As a hunter and a skilled tracker, Rook was the best bet Vil had to find the Human and hopefully find her alive. Should they stumble across the monster that committed such violence first, well, Vil was of the mind to attack first and question later.

Kalim soared above the trees on his magic carpet, watching his faithful Naga Jamil weave through the trunks and search from below as he searched from above. The Naga keenly followed the scent trail left behind, as faint and muddled by other scents as it was, his tongue tasting the air for any sign of the soft Human or the Beast that took her. Kalim wished he could use his own wishes to find the Human, but had to trust that himself and the others would find her in time.

Jade and Floyd searched the streams and rivers, following the waters into the depths of the forest and swimming at incredible speeds. If the Human were taken through the water, they would know about it and be ready to fight for her return. Jade was furious with himself for ever suggesting he take the Human along on a foraging trip. If he had only kept his mouth shut and never asked her to accompany him, maybe she would still be safe. He would never forgive himself for the tragedy that took place, or for leaving her and that cat of hers unprotected in that clearing while he ventured into the cave. He thought he was keeping her safe by preventing her from joining him in the underwater channels of the cave. He was wrong.

The Beast's own dorm had been placed on lockdown and none were allowed to leave through the mirror. It was a precaution given the fact their own Housewarden had been the offending party. Though many wanted to aid in the search, they were under scrutiny due to the actions of their leader and to many, that meant they were all guilty.

It was Malleus who came upon the scene first, smoke billowing from his mouth as he saw that wretched Beast's golden hide gleaming in the sun. The blood that flecked his fur only angering the Dragon further. What pushed him past his sanity was the way the Beast was positioned above his precious Hoard member.

The Beast was straddling the limp body of the little Human and looked over at the Dragon in surprise as he came thundering through the trees. Every scrap of evidence Malleus could see was more than damming and the Dragon was not keen to ask questions. This Beast had obviously killed Malleus' precious Human, and for that, could not be redeemed.

"For the crime of harming my Hoard and killing my Human, I- Malleus Draconia, Prince of Briar Valley- hereby sign the death warrant of Leona Kingscholar and consign his soul to oblivion."

~•§•~

Earlier that day.

You were slowly becoming more and more excited as each class passed, eager to get back to your dorm and play the promised Videogames you missed so much. Even if it was not the games you were used to, they were still games and should still prove to be a good mental distraction. Hopefully Malleus wouldn't be too upset that he was no longer your guard, the Dragon occasionally peaking into the classes you attended in a not so stealthy attempt to keep track of you.

Every time the Dragon appeared in the doorway, he would leave as soon as he caught sight of you smiling in amusement at his clear protective behavior. Even Silver appeared in the halls as you changed classes, walking with you and glaring at those who got too close to you. Grim was happy to have an extra set of legs to carry him around, hoping up onto the Deer-man's back and lounging between classes.

Perhaps you would invite one of your four Diasomnia guards to spend the night. All it could do was make them feel better about the situation and let them see you were safe. The question was who you were going to invite as one showing up typically meant the others would show as well.

All sorts of things fought for attention in your mind, but you were unable to give them much focus. Though you and Grim weren't really students or held to the same standard the other students were, you did want to know what you could about this world. You weren't native to Twisted Wonderland and so the many classes actually gave you a good look into the world you found yourself in and allowed you to learn.

Grim saw himself as a fully fledged student and was eager to remind others of that fact whenever they gave him odd looks in class. Despite how some of these other students seemed annoyed with the feisty cat-beast, most refused to upset or refute his claims as that meant upsetting you. Most students knew better than to mess with you by now and simply avoided conflict all together, as not even the dumbest among them were willing to anger Malleus.

It was during one of these passing periods between class that a familiar tall figure approached you. Silver rest his hand on his sword as the merman walked up, watching with untrusting eyes and a wary gaze. Jade politely approached, nodding his head in greeting as he held his hands in front of him to show he was not armed or seeking to attack.

"Hello, (Y/n), good to see you again."

"Hey, Jade! Haven't seen you since you and Floyd last came over for some dinner. How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you. I had a question for you- more of a proposition- since you are quite new to the campus. Would you like to come foraging with me today after classes? I don't expect this trip to take long as there is a nearby cave I was hoping to gather mushrooms from."

"Sure! I would like to know where you find a lot of the mushrooms you gather, so it would be helpful to have someone experienced guiding me along."

Your words and praise made a deep blue blush fan over the Merman's cheeks, dusting the blue-tinted flesh with a deep color. Jade was quite taken with your culinary skill and was keen to learn from you, so he saw this trade of information as a good way to gain your trust. Perhaps he could show you some gathering spots and you could teach him to make your fantastic meals. It certainly seemed like a fair trade to him.

"Wait, is that okay for us to go though? Crowley doesn't want me going into the forest, but if I'm with you, it should be alright, right?"

"Perhaps we should ask the Headmage just in case your collar prevents you from entering the woods? It should be safe enough during the day to forage without trouble."

"Well, I do have time until my next class, why don't we go ask him now?"

"If you're sure? Nothing would make my heart happier than the chance to forage with you."

"Yeah, may as well!"

You reach out and grabbed the Merman's hand, not seeing the way his blush darkened at the physical contact or how he seemed to cherish the feeling of your hand in his. Silver was less than pleased, but he was also not about to dampen your happiness and excitement, even for his own sake.

"Hooman, does that mean I'm coming with?"

"Of course it does. I'm your Hooman, and you're my Grim! We have to go together, or not at all. Right?"

"Yeah! No one can take my Hooman anywhere without me coming too!"

Grim leaped from Silver's back and onto your shoulder, snuggling close to you happily. The soft purr coming from the little beast made a smile pull at your lips as you chuckled and kissed his soft forehead, happy Grim was so sweet to you. It would be a lot harder for you to navigate the school and the students without your fluffy companion by your side.

"I'll check in with you after lunch, okay, (Y/n)?"

"Alright! See you soon, Silver."

~•§•~

"Absolutely not."

"But-"

"No. The forest is far too dangerous for a soft Human to be roaming around. My answer is 'no'."

"Jade and Grim will both be with me! And it isn't like I don't have a collar on that tracks my location. Even if my collar stopped working, Grim has one too. We won't even be going far from campus!"

Crowley frowned at your insistent begging, not keen to let you go anywhere with anyone, let alone the woods around campus. It was still daytime so there weren't too many threats so long as Jade stayed by you, but there was still danger in the form of poachers. Could he really trust this merman student with your safety?

"What if something happens?"

"It won't!"

"But what if it does? You are Human, (Y/n), and that means-"

"I'm sick of being reminded of that fact every damn day!"

Crowley was surprised by your outburst, not expecting you to be so upset by his casually stated fact.

"Every day it's 'you're Human, you're too fragile' 'you are the only Human left' 'you aren't strong enough to protect yourself' and I am so tired of it! I'm not a child to protect, I'm not an idiot that can't recognize danger, and I am not a pet to keep indoors! You said yourself that almost everyone at this school is willing to keep me safe, so why is it such a problem that I want to see what lies beyond the campus? I refuse to spend the remainder of my life in one place, never allowed to leave and never allowed to experience something new. How am I supposed to be happy or find my own purpose in life if I am kept locked away like some glass figurine?"

He sighed and looked away from your intense gaze and the heated argument. You were right of course, and he was terrified of that fact. The last Human in his care had been taken from him because he just couldn't let her be free and he kept her away from everyone except himself. He saw firsthand how devastating isolation is on the Human mind, to the point that Hades himself had arrived to take the Human away from the unfair treatment at the hands of Crowley.

He couldn't let you be taken from him too, not when you were his precious chick just fledged and seeking to see beyond the fence of Night Raven College. Crowley couldn't blame you for being frustrated with him either as he knew you would get restless being cooped up on campus. The college was large and held many secrets to discover, but it felt so very small when compared with the rest of the world. Surely he could allow one measly venture off of school grounds?

"Mr. Leech, will you be with her the entire time?"

"Yes. I swear it."

"And you'll protect her should any danger present itself?"

"With my life."

"... Fine. Don't go too far and make sure you have your phone and Grim with you. I will make sure the Housewardens and the rest of the staff are on standby. If anything seems amiss, come straight back, understood?"

Your frustration melted away at Crowley's eventual acquiescence to your request, happy to be leaving the campus even if for only a little bit. There was still your displeasure at the overall dehumanizing treatment, but this was a step in the right direction. Hopefully this would prove to the Crow that letting you explore- albeit with a guard- was something that could be good for you.

"Thank you!"

You hugged the surprised Crow as he finally agreed to allow you to go foraging with Jade. The Crow was stiff for a few moments before melting into the hug and returning it in kind. He really did struggle saying 'no' to you and it only made it more difficult for him when you responded to his agreement with such affection. Truly, the Crow saw you more and more as his own young with every day that passed. It was hard not to.

"I'll make sure the others are aware. But I am being quite serious, (Y/n), there has been an exponential rise in visitors to our little island here and it would be foolish to assume they are not here for you. Promise me you will be careful."

"I promise."

"Alright. Don't hesitate to return or call at even the slightest worry that something is wrong."

~•§•~

The forest during the day was vastly different from the forest at night and you couldn't be more thrilled. At night it seemed like every shadow was alive and looking hungrily towards your direction. During the day those shadows were driven back to their dens and bird-song could be heard through the trees. Sunlight streamed through the branches and gave the forest an almost fairytale feeling as crickets and grasshoppers chirped pleasantly around you.

It was less of a foraging venture for you than it was an educational lesson on mushrooms from Jade, who happily pointed out every fungi and plant species he knew. Luckily, Jade had the foresight to bring a second foraging bag with him for you to use and even seemed bashful when gifting it to you. Maybe mermen just had a shyness about giving gifts to others? Regardless of what it was, you were thrilled with the venture and Jade was happy to split the spoils with you.

"So where is this cave you were talking about? Looks like we have most mushroom types I'm familiar with already."

"Not too far now. It is the only cave I have found Agaricus Bisporus, which you really seemed to like in the soup you made for Azul, Floyd, and I that day."

"Oh, so this cave is where the Button Mushrooms grow?"

Jade chuckled slightly at the cute name you gifted to the mushrooms he enjoyed on a regular basis. They were certainly useful and clearly edible to you, so he just found it all the sweeter that you named them after buttons. Such odd creatures Humans were, but he was certainly not complaining as he found himself quite endeared by the uniqueness of the soft individual before him.

"Yes. It can be a little tricky to get where they are growing tough, so I think it would be best for you to wait at the mouth of the cave for me."

"Why is it tricky?"

"It requires some swimming to get to where they grow, and I am fairly sure you cannot hold your breath for that long. But there are still some Pleurotus Ostreatus mushrooms on the felled trees around the cave you could gather."

"Okay. So long as you're quick, I'm sure we both can gather up enough of both mushrooms and trade when you come back out of the cave."

Jade smiled at this, happy to see you seemed to be enjoying the little jaunt through the woods and keen to gather enough mushrooms for the both of you. Maybe after your joint venture he could even help you set up terrariums to grow some of the rarer mushrooms he has found deeper in the woods.

Grim didn't seem half as enthused as you and Jade were, laying across your shoulder as he watched the birds in the trees. He grew up in this forest and suffered at the claws of the other beasts that called the woods home, so he wasn't really interested in the things you and the merman gathered. That certainly didn't mean he was opposed to snacking on several of the edible plants, however.

"Didn't the big Crow say you couldn't be left alone though? Kinda seems like this Eel-guy is fixing to leave us alone."

"Well, I'm not alone because you will be with me, and you won't let anything happen to me."

"Of course I won't! I'm the Great and Powerful Grim! I'll always protect my Hooman."

"Exactly, so there's nothing to worry about, right?"

"Right!"

Despite the way Grim now seemed alright with the situation, you also vaguely hoped that nothing bad happened while Jade was in the cave. You trusted Grim to watch your back, but he wasn't the best mage and you knew there were likely poachers who could overpower your little friend. Naturally, you still intended to be on guard in case anyone tried to approach while you were waiting for Jade.

The three of you came up to what seemed to be a large hole in the side of a large hill, hearing the sound of rushing water from deep within. Jade paused at the cave entrance, removing his phone to give to you for safekeeping as the item did not work beneath the water.

"Alright, I will be back in a few moments and then we can head back to campus."

"Okay. Don't take too long," you gently teased the merman, "or I might have to come in looking for you."

"I'm sure you would."

The merman gave you a final smile of reassurance before heading into the cave, quickly swallowed up by the darkness. A faint sound of splashing met your ears before going quiet and you figured you could look for those other mushrooms Jade mentioned. Grim hopping off your shoulder to go bother some birds that were chirping rather loudly nearby.

Along the many fallen trees, you could see several mushrooms growing from the rotting trunks. They looked like oyster mushrooms to you, which meant they were likely the ones Jade had been talking about. Though you weren't overly familiar with the names Jade used for them, you did recognize several by their appearance.

As you crouched down to start picking the mushrooms, something odd occurred to you. The forest was silent.

Moments ago there had been birdsong and the sounds of bugs going about their little lives, now there was nothing. The only sound that met your ears was the wind in the trees. Something about the sudden quiet made a long forgotten instinct within you stir as the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end.

Where was Grim?

It was as you stood up to look around that a sudden force slammed into your side, throwing you to the ground beneath a much larger figure. You didn't recognize the beast man above you though they seemed to be some kind of heavily scarred wolf man with grey and black fur. His short whiskers were broken and his teeth were the same as he sneered down at you like a predator taunting his prey. The man on top of you was quick to slice the collar from your neck, nicking you in the process as he threw it away and to the side.

"Those fools just let this juicy treat walk right through their fingers. Idiots, the lot of them."

"Ow! Alpha, this stupid cat is more a nuisance than he is worth!"

You looked towards the second voice and felt your heart jump into your throat as you saw an unfamiliar Wolf-man with brown fur was holding Grim by the neck. Your devoted friend was struggling valiantly against the Gnoll but even you could see he was quickly running out of air and energy. Even as you tried to struggle to help Grim, a sudden stabbing pain forced you instead to return your attention to the one on top of you.

He had sunk a rather large hunting knife into your leg to hold you still and the pain made a harsh cry escape your lips. You couldn't reach your phone or Jade's phone as the bag you carried had been knocked out of your hands before you could react. With a quick motion the man ripped the knife from your leg and positioned it over your throat as if he intended to gut you with it.

"Quit your bitching! Break the damn thing's neck if it is that difficult to hold onto. I'll slice the Human up and we can scram before those students even realize-"

A sudden knobbed club seemed to fly from the forest, cracking against the lead wolf's skull with a sickening smack. The force of the club knocked the wolf off of you and for a moment you tried to get yourself to your feet, only to find your leg struggling to support your weight. In your dazed and panicked stupor, you barely realized there was a familiar golden Lion wrenching Grim out of the second wolf's grasp, throwing the wolf back into a tree. That same Lion was quick to hoist you up over his shoulder, breaking into a dash away from the wolves who were still reeling in pain and surprise.

"Damn it, hold on, Mousey!"

The gruff voice of Leona was a surprising comfort to you as the Lion swiftly ran opposite of the wolves. There must have been more wolves you didn't see as it sounded like an entire pack was chasing after the three of you. From your position over Leona's shoulder, you saw several wolf-men running on all fours after the Nemean Lion that had wisked you away. Despite how fast they seemed, Leona was faster and wasn't even slowed by your added weight.

Over felled trees and through the whipping underbrush, Leona was heading through the forest with far more grace than you expected from the temperamental and lazy Lion. Though it did seem like the school was getting further and not closer, he was still taking you away from the wolves and that was good enough for you. The pain in your leg sent shooting agony up from the wound and only hurt worse with every jostle or sharp turn the Lion had to make. Despite the fact that he was helping you escape, you still wanted to scream out to beg Leona to stop and give you a moment to address your wound.

You felt the trails of blood that ran down your soft flesh and you started to worry about how much you were losing as your leg was already fairly soaked. Only when you began to become lightheaded and started to lose track of the forest did Leona stop his sprint. The howling and barking of the wolves had faded away into the forest which meant Leona had a chance to slowdown and assess what kind of state you were in.

With a surprising gentleness you didn't expect from the Lion, he maneuvered you off of his shoulder and onto the grass. Judging from his grim expression, you were more injured than even you realized. The slight sound of ripping met your ears and you vaguely realized he had torn the leg of your pants to access your injury easier.

"Gotta stop the bleeding..."

Leona muttered as he worked, removing his belt and securing it above your wound. A loud cry left your lips as he tightened the belt and he visibly winced in response. Both Lion ears were angled back on his head as he used the torn fabric of your pants to apply pressure to the wound.

"Don't let my Hooman die, Lion-guy. Please- please, help her."

"I'm trying, you damned overgrown cub! How about you be useful and use your wings to go get help?"

"I can't use them to fly anymore!"

"Then run or something! We won't stay ahead of them for long, so use your collar to call the others before they catch up."

"That wolf-guy tore it off when he grabbed me, I don't have it anymore!"

"Fuck..."

Leona cursed angrily as he continued holding your wound. He could theoretically outrun them, but a lone Lion, even a Nemean Lion, was at a disadvantage when running from a pack. He had the element of surprise but had to throw his Knobkerrie to get the first wolf off of you. That meant he was without his Magestone, his phone- which he had left in his room that morning- and to top it off the one thing that was supposed to keep track of you and your cub had been removed.

The distant sound of howls made Leona's decision for him as he picked you back up, scooping up Grim and taking you both deeper into the woods. He couldn't make a wide circle to get you back to the school, he had no idea how many wolves there were in the pack and they could have spread out to cut him off if he tried. Staying still was not an option with the wolves already on your trail. Trying to signal to the others of Night Raven would also expose your position to the poachers. Leona would have to take you to the town in the valley beyond and hope you didn't lose too much blood in between or the wolves didn't catch you first.

~•§•~

Leona was getting tired. He couldn't keep up the pace forever and eventually he had to stop just to take a breath. Though he no longer heard the wolves, that didn't mean much as they were likely still in hot pursuit. No hunter would give up their greatest quarry that easily, and the soft Human was certainly a prize to obtain.

The problem was that your breathing had gotten shallower and you had fallen unconscious despite his best attempts to keep you awake. Your heartbeat was faint even to his ears and it was clearly upsetting your cub as Grim began to cry.

"No! Wake up, Hooman. Please... Please wake up, (Y/n)! We gotta go home..!"

"She can't. She can't wake up. She's lost too much blood to stay conscious."

"Help her!"

"I'm trying!"

"Try harder!"

"I am! I am trying to keep you and her alive! What do you think I was running for? Maybe shut up and let me think, damn it!"

Grim's ears went flat, the tears only falling faster now as Leona immediately realized his mistake, trying to reach out to the cat who only sobbed and fled into the trees. He couldn't pursue the little cub as he had to make sure you were safe, but it was beginning to seem like you weren't going to survive the trip. Feeling helpless and angry with himself, Leona tried to at least keep you warm and perhaps stave off the cold approach of death. If the wolves came, he would fight until you both no longer drew breath as he refused to leave even your body for the scavengers.

He was ready to fight to his last when he heard the forest rustling with the sound of approaching footsteps, what he wasn't ready for was Malleus Draconia to erupt from the woods. A fair bit behind him rushed in his usual lackeys who also seemed to be out for blood, but none moreso than the Dragon. Smoke billowed from deep within the enraged Dragon as a heavy magical pressure slammed into Leona.

"For the crime of harming my Hoard and killing my Human, I- Malleus Draconia, Prince of Briar Valley- hereby sign the death warrant of Leona Kingscholar and consign his soul to oblivion."

"Wait!"

The loud yowl that interrupted from the woods distracted the Dragon just enough that the bolt of lighting crackling from his form barely missed Leona's left ear by a hair. Grim, with tears streaking down his little face, ran out in front of Malleus to put himself between the Dragon and Leona. His little ruined wings flapped frantically despite giving him no lift or speed.

"Wait..! He didn't- he didn't hurt her! He helped us, but she isn't okay. Please, help her!"

"If it wasn't Leona, then who-"

"It doesn't matter who did it if she dies! Help her now! She's dying!"

The pleas of the little cat moved the Dragon, agreeing to solve blame later and solve the problem at hand. Malleus couldn't hear your heartbeat and that was concerning as he rushed forward to render aid. Lilia was quick to join his draconic lord as his sensitive hearing picked up on the faint sound of your heart.

"She is alive, but she has lost a lot of blood and is going into a coma," he removed his jacket and pulled up his sleeves, "Malleus, use your magic to pull the blood soaked from the wrap, it will have to be enough for now."

The Dragon took orders easily and Leona vaguely wondered who the true leader of their group was as Lilia directed the great mage. They only really took a quick breath of relief when your heartbeat had returned to a steady rhythm in your chest. It was still weak, but not nearly as quiet as it had been. Lilia had done enough triage to know what spells would work best and by directing Malleus he allowed the Dragon to be the primary instrument in saving your life. He had his own reasons to encourage the bond between you and Malleus to flourish, but mostly the Dragon needed to be the one to help you and Lilia knew it.

"Explain quickly what took place. I am ready to listen and deliver punishment to the offending party-"

The howling on the wind was loud and almost sudden, as if intended to startle as the pack of wolves emerged from the trees all around the group. It was clearly a pack of poachers as they all eyed the prize laying between the men. The alpha, clearly bloodied and angry, wielded Leona's Knobkerrie like a sword, threatening the group that dare get between his pack and their feast.

"Hand over the meat-sack. My pack has rights to that kill and I'll fight every one of you prissy ass mages who gets in my-"

The sky went black in seconds, as if night had suddenly fallen over the woods, but instead of stars only rolling storm clouds could be seen. Lighting leaping between the masses of black oily cotton in a sickening green that churned the stomach of the foolish wolves. Hunters now turned hunted as power electrified the very air and stones began to quake in the very presence of rage defined.

Words were not needed, not anymore. They would only be wasted on fools such as this. Filth that sought to take what was not theirs and dare call Malleus' beloved (Y/n) something as demeaning as a 'meat-sack' and a 'kill' as if they had rights to feast upon you like savage Ferals.

No.

No, Malleus would not stand for such blatant disrespect to his Hoard and himself. Punishment would be delivered and it would be by Malleus' hands. They were going to wish he had used his magic.

"Wha-"

"You will not speak. We are leaving the area immediately. Walking, not running. We don't need to draw his attention."

Leona was silenced by a hand over his mouth as Lilia gathered up Grim with his wings, covering him with his jacket and handing the little cub into Silver's arms. Sebek was quick to get the wounded Human up onto Silver's back, climbing on himself to keep her secure on the Reindeer. Lilia spoke in a hushed tone to the Lion as his fellow dorm members worked as quietly as possible to not earn the ire of the beast before them.

Leona found himself unable to disobey the enigmatic old Fae and knew he must have used some kind of magic to hold the Lion to his commands. The ground rumbled as the sound of a true terror escaping their secondary skin to show the beast that lurked beneath. Many of Malleus' features hinted at his true Draconic form, from his long tail to his twin horns and wings, the full Dragon was still a very different beast.

The pure magic in the air was almost as difficult to breathe in as smoke. Once confident snarls turning to yelps and whines of genuine terror as the foolish wolves realized just how outclassed they were.

Lilia stayed alongside Silver as Leona took up the other side, moving with them even as he craned his neck to stare behind him at the Dragon in the flesh. Black scales glinted in the light, green lightning spewing from the sky as the elongated fang filled maw of the beast snapped around the fleeing figures. Maybe he was considered one of the most powerful mages in the world for a reason, and he wasn't even using magic at that moment.

"Lilia, what if his majesty needs us-?"

"We need to get her back to Night Raven, then we can work on calming Malleus if his temper tantrum doesn't burn him out before she wakes. She still isn't okay and we need to let the others know what happened. All we can do now is leave for our own safety and hers."

[sketch-shepherd-art]

Old characters I come back to every now and then. Left to right is Themba, Zenzele, and Imka, a trio of nomadic lions who've suffered from tragic origins that became a found family.

Themba is an adult lion whose two older brothers were killed by poachers. Zenzele is a teenage leucistic lion who was kicked out of his coalition of male lions because his pale coat constantly blew their cover during hunting, making him useless. And Imka was forced to run from her old pride to avoid being killed by the pride's male lion, as her father was a rival lion not from their pride. But against all odds the three befriended each other and managed to survive as one.

[regiscarnivora]

Muse Profile: Sarafina

This post covers my portrayal of Sarafina from The Lion King. Please do not reblog!

MUSE INFO

Name: Sarafina

Species: Masai Lion.

Gender: Female.

Length: 1.90 meters

Height: 1 meter.

Weapons: 7,5 cm canines and 7,5 cm claws.

Likes: Hunting, Looking after Nala and training her, Spending time with ther pride, Peace and Quiet and Fighting.

Dislikes: Other predators (Mainly Hyenas and Wild Dogs), Nala getting into trouble, Having her share of the hunt taken, poachers and Buffalos.

Personality: Kind-hearted, protective, quiet. But prone to fighting if provoked or Nala is in danger.

[epistrefei]

❛ why is it whenever we see each other, you’re covered in blood? ❜ / from zahrosa!

To hunt: to pursue or kill for sport or food. Many times, it was for food--not for the goddess herself, she was not in need of such provisions, but for her kin, her retinue of hunters that provided companionship and worship. A good deal of other times, however, it was for sport. Artemis languished in the sport of it all. She delighted in adrenaline-fueled fear; the pitter-patter of a wild beast heart as it fled from her waiting hands. Whether ripping into a caribou in the shape of a giant grizzly bear, or pouncing upon a quick-footed ibex as a leopard, the feeling compared to no other.

The hunt was what kept her alive. It was what kept her sated--she was naturally a bloodthirsty thing, aching for battle and struggle. As much as she coveted the wild, she was also one of its most dangerous predators.

She was not so prideful as to think she was alone in this title, though. There were things that lurked on this earth just out of humanity's periphery, out of their understanding, and Artemis often encountered them.

Zahrosa finds Artemis blood-covered and nearly glowing from her fresh kills. A few feet away, they have been stacked neatly: an unfortunate group of poachers who happened upon the wrong person during their perusing. A stray finger twitched out of the pile of bodies, and it is not unseen by Artemis' sharp, feline gaze--but she is preoccupied with the thing that had just entered the scene--not so human, but not entirely unhuman, either.

"Perhaps a more fitting question would be: why are you always here when I am covered in blood?" The goddess asks with a wry smile. It borders on unnatural; she has not reformed into the womanly image most expect to see despite her title and domain. She is still wild and nearly bare here, save for some remaining tatters of a reddened peplos.

"I did not think you to be in these parts, Soultaker," Artemis offers. She wanders over to the edge of the bog, where there was more water than mud, and crouches to wash the blood off of her hands. "Does the stench of death attract you so quickly? It is a wonder you do not stay by my side," the Olympian teases, silver eyes glinting over her shoulder.

[vi-is-short-for-violence]

New Frontier A Hollow Knight and Bug Fables crossover OC fic.

Full fic is under the cut!

PLEASE REBLOG!! MANY HOURS WENT INTO THIS AND I’D RLLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT!!

It had been a very interesting trip, taking the ferry from the continent Bugaria resided to the main continent known as The Outlands. Team Snakemouth, the heros of Bugaria were treated like celebrities everywhere they went. Everyone knowing them all by name and singing their praises, and if some weren't convinced of their greatness, many times bugs would contest them in combat and were quickly swayed into seeing their power. Vi especially enjoyed this attention.. being one of the first bees to truly venture beyond the Hive and find her place in the world as an explorer and rouge. The other two would often need to reel her in. Usually Leif did not mind Vi's more combative nature, so long as it wasn't a major risk.. though her pride is what both Leif and Kabbu would regularly keep in check. Leif appeared largely indifferent about their praise, but beneath his cold exterior, his friends knew he couldn't help but be grateful and flattered. Kabbu on the other hand loved the praise as much as Vi did, but unlike her, made sure to ground himself. If their mission around the legendary Everlasting Sapling taught him anything, it was that nothing was indestructible. Not the sapling, not his team, and certainly not him. After their first adventure however the one thing they all unanimously agreed on, was that they longed to continue their quests and even venture beyond Bugarias borders, and travel the mainlands.. The Outlands. They set sail into the world... the main continent.. the setting of their greatest adventures yet.

Team Snakemouth now walked on these ancient grounds.. and already the way they'd seen the world was beyond different than the world that came into view around them all. Chompy, the fourth and most beloved member of the team, who was resting comfortably around Vis neck and shoulders spread her autumn colored leaves.. taking in the bright sun. The other three gave a breath of pure awe.. The Outlands were full of rocky and mountainous terrain. Great mountains could be seen in the distance, their might and elegance seen plain and true even in the most distant horizons. "OOOUGH WHERE DO WE GO FIRST?! THE MOUNTAINS? THE PLAINS? THAT GIANT CLIFF?? OR- OR MAYBE WE COULD SEE WHATS OUT AT SEA OVER THERE!!" Squealed the VERY excited honeybee! "I'm not sure Vi! But my.. it is truly beautiful.. just as the tales foretold!" replied Kabbu. Looking just as giddy as Vi! The sun shining onto his iridescent green shell. "We feel like we've entered an entirely different realm. We can already feel an abundance of magic and energy here.." Leif remarked, spreading his navy blue and pale yellow accented wings. "Yeah yea, but can you imagine what kinda crazy treasure we could fine here? I heard this place is ancient as HELL!" "If I recall correctly Vi, The Outlands were settled eons before Bugarias continent was! It was filled with ancient scattered kingdoms." Kabbu knelt and placed his clawed hand on the ground, as if he were resting his claws on a monument of ancient history and peering into its secrets. "Hundreds of years ago, these lands were barren wastes. Polluted and corrupted with a dark substance.. These Outlands were once called The Wastelands, lawless and filled with mad bugs. That is why these scattered kingdoms existed. In a world devoid of life and law, someone had to do something." "Are these lands not still devoid of law? Law only exists in those kingdoms still we'd imagine." Inquired Leif. Kabbu stands back up and looks at his moth friend. "Well, yes and no. Some of the rulers of these lands keep an eye on the Outlands as a means of protecting potential citizens." Vi looked at Kabbu and raised a brow, "Jeez how do you even know all this stuff Kabbu?" "Well! If we planned on visiting this place, we might as well get to know it's history a little better." Vi shrugged, "Meh, fair. But hey, there's a lotta history in treasure toooo.~" "We anticipated a response like that. Lets not dally then. Kabbu, you know more about this place than either of us, do you know where we could head first?" Kabbu hummed wonderingly. "We could potentially head for the mountains, there are a fair few kingdoms there and we could stock up on supplies for the rest of our journey!" "FUCK YEA MOUNTAINS!!" Vi cheered, much to Kabbus displeasure hearing her curse like that again. "VI!! Watch your language!". Leif proceeded only to laugh.

It had been a long day, traveling to the base of the mountains. Bandits and beasts making attempts on their supplies and even their lives. Nothing they weren't used to really. Though there were a disturbing number of poachers. A dark stain from the Wastelands past economic practices; slaying bugs and selling valuable parts of them to the black market. Primarily wings, fluff, horns, hard shells and stingers, unique defenses of specific bugs, even certain pheromones to lure in bugs like ants. To say that their encounters with the poachers did not shake the group up a fair amount.. would be a dirty lie. They triumphed, but were still very on edge if they could harvest them. The sun began to set however, and the quartet was weary from the long day. Not a bad day, only a long one. Whimsy tainted by the reminder that the life of an explorer was still a dangerous one. Regardless, the team kept their spirits up. Knowing that the next day would bring great discovery! Following a nice meal and usual banter expected of their team, Team Snakemouth set up their temporary beds, and went to sleep for the night. Though one member of the team was far less of a deep sleeper than the others.. hearing faint, yet heavy footsteps, caused on of Vis antennae to perk up. She perked up, slowly looking around the area.. bathed in moonlight, yet sheltered from it in some areas with the rocks and shelter of the mountain and nearby terrain. But she could clearly see it. In the distance.. a tall, large and shadowed figure a fair distance from the team. It's silhouette was not one that Vi could identify, it appeared to have multiple horns, but the rest of its body held no defining traits. No abdomen, no wings, just a horned head and a long cloak.. as well as.. something spilling from its head that nearly dragged against the ground. Was... this even a bug? The lack of identifying features deeply frightened the bee. She remembered the last time she saw something like this. The reminder of the canniness of the Dead Landers shot a spine straight through her of pure fear and stress. This was... big. Not nearly as big as that.. thing with those large orange eyes was.. but it was still big whatever it was. Vi, now thoroughly terrified, slowly grabbed her beemerang and slowly approached the large rock that sheltered them from outside sight. Slowly she turned back to look at the figure. They appeared to sit down, back against the base of the mountain, sifting through items that Vi could not properly see due to the lighting. She squints to try and get a better look, before her heart was thrown into the base of her stinger. It looked at her. Two bright blue sparks for eyes stared directly at her. As quick as she could she immediately ducked back behind the rock, stifling any and every sound she made by desperately covering her mouth. Claws digging into her cheeks as fear overtook her. Dammit! Being stuck in this sort of situation scared the hell out of her, no, terrified her beyond words, but at this point she was starting to grow frustrated. They were fighters goddammit! Not cowards! Her and the others took out way worse than this, she- they could do this! So then why would her limbs not move an inch? Why was she still paralyzed with horror despite her frustration and rebellion against these intense feelings of fear?? She held her beemerang in a death grip, shaking intensely, which only grew worse when those footsteps began to approach once again. Move. MOVE! "VI! KABBU! CHOMPY! ON YOUR GUARD!" yelled out another voice. The familiar crack of Leifs magic smacking against the carapace of an enemy bug, as the large figure stumbled backwards with a grunt. Leif stood over his resting spot, glowing with that cold, blue magic. Kabbu and Chompy following suit. Chompy let out a horrendous roar, the chomper had grown in size since the teams first adventure, and while not as big as the mother she would eventually become, she was still quite formidable. Horrifyingly, the other "bug" let out an enormous and otherworldly sounding roar in response, as the appendages that came down its head flared up like black vines. Even Chompy recoiled at the sight. The creature leaped back, drawing a large sword and glaring with those bright blue eyes. "Vi!" Kabbu looked over to the trembling bee. "Come on, it's okay. Lets take care of this!" He held out his hand to help her up. Snapping out of her paralysis, she glared a serious look at Kabbu. "R-right!". The dark figure loomed over all four of them. Squinting at them as they readied for battle. "Four on one don't seem too fair.." it spoke.. it's voice, surprisingly normal sounding, though it had a sort of accent that struck the four as unfamiliar. "Yeah?! And NEITHER DOES SNEAKING UP ON A GROUP WHILE THEY'RE ASLEEP!!" Shouted Vi, anger and fear clear in her young voice. She threw the beemerang with all of her might, making a sharp CRACK as it made contact with the beast. It growled.. "I was doin no such thin' lil girl! I saw you gettin' a good look at me while I was lookin' through mah thin's!" Kabbus expression lightened a bit, "Wait- then maybe this was a misunderstanding?". The creature huffed, "S'fine. M' a big guy after all.. tend t'scare a few bugs out ere.. but since ya'll got up wantin' a fight then lets have one!" The creatures voice went from a gruff, tired and frustrated tone, to sounding as if it had all the energy in the world with the prospect of a battle. "BRING IT ON BIG GUY!! WE'LL WIPE THE FLOOR WITH YOU!!" Vi angrily shouted. Kabbu and Leif looked to one another, Vi's rage evident in her tone and posture. Kabbu and Leif knew there was no bringing her back from that, but they couldn't simply leave her to fight alone. They straightened themselves out once more. The creature turned out to be quite quick for its size, and it was able to take one hell of a beating. The Team would need to react quickly to block and chip away at its health. Saving Team Points primarily for healing and reviving, as well as low cost special attacks. Unlike The Everlasting King, it could heal but it could not steal health from them, and healing spent its entire turn. What sucked however was that his defense was high and his attacks hit hard. It was tough for sure, multiple times the team would go down, but they got right back up thanks to Kabbus pep talk and Vis shared stash. Eventually, for as long as the fight went on, it eventually ended with Team Snakemouth as the victors. As the beast finally fell, the light of dawn spilled over the land. Everyone was weary and very injured. The beast chuckled, "Good fight... hh..hhh.. ain't had one like that n' a while I gotta say. Good job.." "Who.. hhh. are you.?" "And more importantly WHAT are you..?" Kabbu asked before quickly being interrupted by Vi. With the light of dawn more of the beat became visible. Its horned head was an off-white shell, that looked almost like a mask, even the right side of it had a long crack that stretched from the top of its head to the base of its chin with some grass stains littering it in some places. It wore a black and grey patchwork cloak with a blue medal clipped to it and lastly, it's eyes. Not fully blue, in fact mostly black with blue pupils that looked like sapphire rings. What spilled down from its head however? None of the bugs could identify. It wasn't antennae, or fur, and while they somewhat looked like vines, they were smooth and black and even appeared to glimmer as if they were wet. "M'names Finnley. M' from a far away Kingdom ere.. betcha mighta heard uh Hallownest. But guessin yer not quite sure what I am thats- actually a toss up huehue!" Kabbu perked up a little bit. Despite his exhaustion, he couldn't help but be excited. "I have heard mentions of that place, yes! But its whereabouts and information I am unfortunately unaware of." It was hard to tell, but Finnleys face appeared.. vaguely happy.. despite lacking a mouth and appearing more like a mask. "Well. S'where me n all my kind 're from. We're vessels, n all of us 'r siblin's too! Ya might actually run intuh a few'uh us out ere!" Leif canted his head slightly, "Vessels. An odd name for a species of bug.." "Yeah and how are ALL of you siblings?" Vi interjected, skeptical of Finnleys claims. "Well it's a long ass story, one ion't think you'd wanna hear all of from me. But you stick round long enough you'll find out soon enough. S'pretty common knowledge ere." Finnley perks up a bit. "Oh! Shit I should probably heal yall up actually. Er, gunna need t' hold yalls hands t'do it though, if ya don' mind." Leif extended his hand, aware of what this could be. He's proven correct when white energy swirls around Finnley, moving over to Leif. Patching up his wounds. Soul focus. An ability utilized by only gods, higher beings and powerful mages. Kabbu and Vis eyes widened. "Woah what the hell?? How did you do that??" Asked Vi, amazed. "Soul Focus." spoke Leif. "But we believed only higher beings, gods and powerful mages could do something like that.. we did not take you to be any of those things." "S'a long story, again, like I said. But ey. S'th' least I can do after scarin yuhs." Finnley chuckles before healing Kabbu, Vi and Chompy as well. "Thank you kindly Finnley. We should likely introduce ourselves as well come to think.. My name is Kabbu. This is Leif, this is Vi, and this.." he lifts up the chomper plant. "Is Chompy!". Finnley giggles again, stroking Chompys head with his finger. "D'aw! Cutie pie! S'one hell of a murder machine but a cutie pie nontheless." "We agree wholeheartedly." Agreed Leif. After a while of speaking, Finnley gave the group a map of the Outlands, as well as what places to avoid, and a list of hotspots to rest up and stock up before actually making it to a kingdom. "If yer thinkin' uh goin up t'the mountains, ah'd suggest goin t' Xhalyun. Eroanne's nearby Xhalyun too n both 'r cold as hell, but Xhalyun shit is a helluva lot cheaper than Eroanne, closer too." Finishing that thought he handed Kabbu the map, to which he made a delighted squeak of excitement. "Thank you kindly, Finnley. Despite first impressions I am very glad to have run into you!" Leif nods in agreement as Finnley lifts up his bag. "Ain't no problem sir. I wish ya'll luck out there. N hey, maybe if we meet again ya'll can tell me shit bout Bugaria. Been wantin t'head over there myself someday." "Oh you'd love it there! It's a wonderful place.." Finnley nodded, before kneeling down to Vi. "Ay kid, sorry fer scarin' ya." He holds out his hand and Vi raises a brow. "Let's battle again sometime aight?" Vi hesitates for a second before her usual smirk returns to her, placing her hand in his for a handshake. "Abso-goddamn-lutely heheh!! Better be a bigger challenge next time though!!" Finnley gave a great laugh and stood back up again. "You too kiddo! If you ain't gettin better ain't no damn point in it! I'll catch ya'll later uh?" "For certain. Take care." remarked Leif with a smile, as both teams parted ways.

As the towering Vessel took his leave.. he chuckled to himself.. "..Seeker.. Wanderer.. I wish ya'll could come with me when I go t'Bugaria.. I know ya'll'd love diggin' intuh th' place.." "...Maybe one day we will.. I'd love that."  

[phoenix-manga]

Kanto Team:

Charizard (Shiny)

Moves: Dragon Claw, Flare Blitz, Steel Wing, Smokescreen

Phoebe got a Pokémon egg from Professor Oak as a reward for battling the Johto League and now challenging the gyms and league in Kanto. At first, Phoebe didn’t realize that the Charmander that hatched was shiny, she thought it was a normal orange until it evolved into a Charizard. She called Oak to ask him what was wrong with her Pokémon.

Oak has to explain to an anxious child that she got a rare shiny variant, it wasn’t sick or anything. Charizard seems to always want to seem cool to others whenever it’s out of the pokéball, Furret likes to tease it by tickling it with it’s tail causing Charizard to chase after Furret for making him lose composure.

Lapras

Moves: Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Life Dew, Whirlpool

The Lapras was rescued from poachers while Phoebe was at a beach trying to fish for water Pokémon, she spotted a suspicious boat that was chasing a Lapras to a corner. She called for Officer Jenny and pursued the poaching boat to try and save the Lapras.

She only had her Charizard to fight in an ocean field which was risky but had no other choice. She called out Charizard who burned the net into ashes and covered for Lapras as it swam away. Officer Jenny arrived to arrest the poachers and thanks Phoebe for aiding in the protection of Lapras.

The Lapras returned one night while Phoebe was at the beach and purposely got in between the pokéball that was meant for a Tentacool. At first, Phoebe freaked out because Lapras were endangered so she rushed to Officer Jenny to explain what happened and asked what to do. Officer Jenny escorted her to the beach to try and release Lapras but it seemed keen on staying with her. Seeing no problem, Officer Jenny allowed Phoebe to keep Lapras.

Kangaskhan

Moves: Double Hit, Endure, Outrage, Stomp

It was during a visit to a daycare that she first met the wild Kangaskhan visiting the area for the daycare workers to groom it and give it food before it went on its way. It has its routine every month to come to the daycare and leave.

One day the Kangaskhan rushed to the daycare, frantic and anxious. Phoebe noticed how its baby was not in the pouch, Phoebe offers to help find it and bring it back to its mother. She searched the usual place where the Pokémon nested when she came across some marks that looked like it belonged to Raticate and assumed they swarmed the nest while the mother tried to defend its territory.

Phoebe followed the trail to see the baby cornered by a group of Raticate, she used Furret and Charizard to do a combo attack of using Smokescreen to distract the Raticate while Furret used Agility to pick the baby up and get it to safety. Just as Phoebe was about to return to the daycare, Kangaskhan and the baby wanted to be caught and join the team.

Kangaskhan live true to its nature and often helps Phoebe with setting up camp and is one of her strongest defense in the team.

Nidoqueen

Moves: Superpower, Toxic Spikes, Ice Punch, Venoshock

Phoebe caught a Nidorina and it has a confident personality. It prides itself in its beautiful coat and was looking for a mate among the wild Nidorino. However, the Nidorino it had its eyes on fell for a different Nidorina which crushed its self-esteem. 

Kangaskhan always stuck close to it for comfort though it did little to help. Phoebe didn’t let it battle since it was feeling heartbroken, it was during one match that Nidorina was watching a match that was against a smug trainer and his Golem who was pummeling Kangaskhan without mercy and eventually fainting it. Phoebe is getting upset that the trainer was being such a sore winner, she was about to send in Charizard when Nidorina wanted to fight instead. It wanted to get back at the brute who hurt its mom friend.

Despite facing a powerful Golem, Nidorina made use of the Poison Point ability and learned a new move, Venoshock, winning them the match. It evolved into a Nidoqueen later on their journey while traveling through a cave, it happened to touch a Moon Stone when it tried to pick it up.

Pidgeot

Moves: Air Slash, Roost, Razor Wind, Protect

Phoebe caught a Pidgey when it tried to do a sneak attack on them, Furret hit it with an Iron Tail to allow the pokéball to make contact. Pidgey is quite stubborn and there are times it uses moves by itself, it has a rather strange need to prove itself.

It got more difficult when it evolved into Pidgeotto, it was more stubborn and often came out of its own pokéball. Phoebe was wondering why it was acting like this until the she saw a Fearow who seemed to be its rival. Realizing that it must be why it wants to push itself to be stronger, she decided to help Pidgeotto fight it.

It was during the air battle that it evolved into Pidgeot and finally defeated the Fearow rival. After that it was more obedient, though it can be stubborn still, but not to the point it was frustrating.

Vileplume

Moves: Giga Drain, Stun Spore, Sludge Bomb, Petal Dance

She caught an Oddish that seemed to be quite the prankster, it used Stun Spore on poor Charizard that made it drop to the ground with a thud while flying through the forest. Charizard managed to fight through the paralysis and spew a small fireball at its direction, fainting it. Phoebe felt awkward leaving it fainted in the middle of the forest so she threw a pokéball at it because she needed a grass type anyway.

Even through evolving to a Gloom it still was a prankster. Its eventual evolution into a Vileplume happened when Phoebe was at a jewelry store when a Leaf Stone caught its eye and nudged Phoebe to buy it. It likes to make people uncomfortable by staring at them while they go about their day. Phoebe got used to it though.

[disengaged]

:) 1, 3, 13, 23?

1. favorite fic you wrote this year

poacher's pride, i think !! it came so naturally, & after ~5 months of fairly consistent writer's block, that was a huge relief. just that unparalleled feeling of creative catharsis yknow ....... also i just posted it 3 days ago, which means i haven't had time to grow ashamed and dissatisfied with it yet ;-)

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

answered this twice but i have so many SKJFNKSJDN my 3rd answer is this lil moment from holdfast (nsfw/rest of the Qs under the cut):

Lars tucks the blankets closer to herself, scowling. “But—”

She hears James’ curt huff of frustration in the dark. There’s a rustling from the other side of the room and then the sound of heavy footsteps stumbling through the mess, and then Lars’ mattress dips and the covers lift up, letting in a gust of cold air as James slides in behind her. Lars makes an undignified squawk — somewhere between a “hey” and a “get out” and a “what the fuck, man”.

“Shut up,” James mutters into her hair, and suddenly, Lars does.

Because that’s James’ strong arm hauling her in close, and James’ mosquito-bite tits pressed up against her bare back, and James’ long fingers skimming down over the swell of her stomach, over her underwear, pressing hard at the wet patch between her legs.

“F-Fuck,” Lars blurts out in surprise.

13. favorite writing song/artist/album of this year

i basically never listen to music while i write !! too distracting . but i guess the honour can go to White Pony by Deftones, cuz it was my inspo for passenger [eyes emoji]

23. fics you wanted to write but didn’t

answered! basically a bunch of drafts that i unintentionally left to gather dust :-/ feels bad man :-/

[victconstsystem]

Alex Kralie (Marble Hornets) - Playlist

These songs have been picked because of several elements; the lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pace, instruments, vibes, etc.

Some songs may have triggering content that may or may not be stated in the (YouTube) videos. I have labelled songs that may be upsetting. Even so, please proceed with caution.

I apply the songs to the character throughout various points in the series which are not labeled or in order. I am basing these songs off of how I interpret/understand the canon character.

Some artists may be harmful or considered problematic; I do not support any harmful actions and am simply including songs I think would fit the character stated.

"Creep” - carolesdaughter (cover). Lyrical content, musical elements, musical pacing, tone, vocals.

“Violent” - carolesdaughter. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical pacing.

“Burning Pile” - Mother Mother. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pace, vibes, tone.

“Choke” - I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme.

TW: “The Things I Deserve” - Vocaloid [GHOST & PALS, Maika]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone.

“Afraid” - The Neighbourhood. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes, tone.

TW: “Drown” - Get Scared. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, instruments, tone, vocals.

“BURN IT DOWN” Linkin Park. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pacing, instruments.

TW: “Sarcasm” Get Scared. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone, vocals.

TW: “Saint Bernard” - Lincoln. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical themes, vibes, tone, vocals.

TW: “Hayloft” - Mother Mother. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes, vocals.

TW: “Pretty Bones” - yeule. Lyrical content, musical elements, tone.

“not ur friend” - haroinfather. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone.

“DEATHWISH” - poutyface. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme.

TW: “Honey I’m Home” - Vocaloid [GHOST & PALS, Dex]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone.

“The Distortionist” - Vocaloid [GHOST & PALS, Yohioloid]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, vibes.

“‘Cause I’m A Liar” - Vocaloid [Mcki Robyns-P, Fukase]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone.

“Dream, Ivory” [Dream, Ivory]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“Wires” - The Neighbourhood. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pacing, tone.

TW: “Believe” - Hollywood Undead. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone.

“Dance With The Devil” - Breaking Benjamin. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements.

“Wretched And Divine” - Black Veil Brides. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“Lost It All” - Black Veil Brides. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical pacing, tone.

TW: “Neon Gravestones” - Twenty One Pilots. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone.

“Where The Lonely Ones Roam” - Digital Daggers. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone, vocals.

“The Devil Within” - Digital Daggers. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone.

“Narcissistic Cannibal” - EarlyRise (cover). Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes, vocals.

“KiII Our Way To Heaven” - Michl. Lyrical content, musical content, musical pacing, instruments, tone.

TW: “No Children” - The Mountain Goats. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone.

“Icarus” - Bastille. Lyrical content, musical elements.

“Outcast” - I Prevail. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes, vocals.

“I Know I’m A Wolf” - Young Heretics. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes, tone.

TW: “When You Break” - Bear’s Den. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements.

“Ashes Of Eden” - Breaking Benjamin. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pacing, tone, vocals.

TW: “Save Me” - Avenged Sevenfold. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone.

“You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” - The Offspring. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, instruments.

“Creek Blues” - Nicole Dollanganger. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone.

“Fallen Angel” - Three Days Grace. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements.

“Brat” - carolesdaughter. Musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“Coup d'État” - Vocaloid [GHOST & PALS]. Subject matter/theme (title), musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“Heaven’s Plague” - Vocaloid [ponkansoup]. Subject matter/theme (title), muscial elements, vibes, tone.

“Stained Glass Eyes And Colorful Tears” - Pierce The Veil. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements.

“Dear Maria, Count Me In” - All Time Low. Musical elements, instruments, vibes.

“Purple” - Mandopony. Lyrical content, subject matter, musical elements, instruments.

TW: “What I’ve Done” - Linkin Park. Lyrical content, subject matter, musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“I Will Not Bow” - Breaking Benjamin. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes.

“Smack A Bitch” - Rico Nasty, ppcocaine, Rubi Rose, Sukihana. Lyrical content, musical elements.

“cut the act (everything ruined in moments)” - Vocaloid [GHOST & PALS]. Subject matter/theme (title), musical elements, musical pacing, instruments, vibes, tone.

TW: “Fall Away” - Twenty One Pilots. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone.

“i was all over her” - salvia palth. Musical elements, musical pacing, vibes, tone.

“Fire Drill” - Melanie Martinez. Lyrical content, musical elements.

“Control” - Halsey. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical pacing, tone.

“Caraphernelia” - Pierce The Veil. Lyrical content. subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone, vocals.

“Besitos” - Pierce The Veil. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, vocals.

“Arsonist’s Lullabye” - Hozier. Lyrical content, musical elements, instruments.

“Achilles, Come Down” - Gang Of Youths. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone.

TW: “Poacher’s Pride” - Nicole Dollanganger. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone, vocals.

TW: “Valley of the Dead” - Nicole Dollanganger. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone.

“Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites” - Skrillex. Musical elements, vibes.

“Medicine” - Daughter (sound remedy remix). Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone.

“Die Trying” - Michl. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pacing.

TW: “Otherside” - Red Hot Chili Peppers. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone.

“99 Luftballons” - Nena. Subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, vibes.

“Running With The Wolves” - Aurora. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical pacing, vocals.

“Can We Kiss Forever?” - Kina,  Adriana Proenza. Lyrical content, musical elements, vibes, tone, vocals.

“Teenagers” - My Chemical Romance. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, muscial elements, vibes.

TW: “Nowhere To Run” Stegosaurus Rex. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pacing, vocals.

“Texas Is Forever” - Pierce The Veil. Lyrical content, musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“Waves” - Kaitlin Grace (cover). Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, tone, vocals.

TW: “Someone Purer” - Mystery Jets. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, tone, vocals.

“Baby Boy” - Mother Mother. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

TW: “Old Yeller” - Joji. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vibes, tone.

“People Allergy” - Vocaloid [Kairiki Bear, vflower]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, instruments.

“I Threw Glass at My Friend’s Eyes and Now I’m on Probation” - Destroy Boys. Lyrical content, musical elements, musical pacing, instruments, vibes.

“TRANSGENDER” - Crystal Castles. Lyrical content, musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

“CHILD I WILL HURT YOU” - Crystal Castles. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, tone, vocals.

“LOST” - CRIM3S. Subject matter/theme (title), musical elements, instruments, vibes, tone.

TW: “Abstract Nonsense” - Vocaloid [Kagamine Rin]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, musical pacing, instruments, vibes.

TW: “Lemming-ming” - Vocaloid [Kairiki Bear, vflower]. Lyrical content, subject matter, musical elements, musical pacing, instruments.

“Five Minutes to Midnight” - Boys Like Girls. Musical elements, musical pacing, instruments, vibes.

“Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” - Fall Out Boy. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, instruments.

TW: “You’re An Awful Person” - Vocaloid [R.I.P, vflower]. Lyrical content, subject matter/theme, musical elements, vocals.

“Lucid Dreams” - Juice Wrld. Musical elements, vibes, tone.

[slasherkisss]

CABIN FEVER - JASON VOORHEES X READER [CHAPTER 6]

Summary In an effort to remove yourself from your previous life in the big city, you move to Crystal Lake. The cabin you had inherited from your father makes the perfect place for a fresh start, however, there is a secret in these woods (and within yourself) that you must come to accept…and to love.

A/N I wrote this whole thing like a week ago but kept for gETTING TO POST IT BUT HERE WE ARE NOW ENJOY-

——————————————————————————————

Jason had taken to sign language well. Better than you could have thought, considering your teachings were less than impressive.

You were learning right alongside him, if you were being honest. The phrases and hand movements were as foreign to you as they were to him, the shapes of the letters that formed the alphabet difficult to formulate as you repeated spelling your name over and over with your hands, before switching to his so that he could see what it looked like. When he spelled his own name with the shapes of his fingertips you felt pride well in your stomach, praising him with kisses and holding him close in a hug that made him return it with vigour. The praise made him more eager to practice with you, the patience you showed him as the two of you continued blocky, awkward conversations with one another was a breath of fresh air. You imagined Jason as a child sometimes in those situations. With teachers sneering down at him and ridiculing him for not knowing one thing or another in their classes… The thought made your blood boil. It made you see red.

It wasn’t the case now, at least, and you were glad. It was a gratefulness mixed with a determination to communicate with the otherwise muted killer.

All the while your farm grew bit by bit as the springtime passed, new plants sprouting their perfect buds from the loamy soil and proudly sporting their flowers that would soon blossom into fruit. The tentative patch of carrots and onions you had planted were rooted neatly in lines, slowly curling their leafy above ground plants in perfect shapes as they evolved with time. Jason had, at some point, surprised you with chickens as well. He wasted no time in repairing the holes and uneven surfaces in the two chicken coops your land sported, allowing the new members of the family a cozy home for the seasons as they kept their open area neat and free of any pests that might serve as detriment to your precious crops.

You had grown fond of one chicken in particular. The beautiful Rhode Island Red hen had a wit and personality that made you fawn over her. The way she settled in your lap as you worked outside, content with your stroke of hands over her feathers, made your heart swell with pride. Her name, you had decided, was Roda. She approved the title with a ruffle of her feathers and a satisfied cluck, pecking at Jason’s fingers whenever he held them out to her curiously. He was startled at first, but soon grew to see it as a sort of love tap from her. You let him think that, not sure of what it actually was in the end, and not caring so long as she still enjoyed your lap.

She nestled herself comfortably against you even now as you worked in your garden, pulling out pieces of weeds from the bed of your lettuce with a hefty sight of exhaustion against your tongue. The day had grown warmer than the past week had been, signaling the slowly approaching summer that dared itself to be around the corner. You stretched your back, shooing Roda off of your lap and back to her coop as she gave an unsatisfied cluck at your actions.

“Sorry, Ro honey,” You apologized with a meek grin, “But I need to hurry! I have a date after all.”

Date… The word made you giddy. So giddy that you signed it to your chicken without much thinking about it. Bringing your hands together in the shape of ‘d’s to touch at the fingertips, pulling them apart, and then putting them back in small and quick movements. Once the two of you had learned the relationship end of signs, Jason was quick to awkwardly ask you out on a date. A walk through the woods and a small time on the edge of the lake to watch the water as it glittered in the springtime light.

Well, he didn’t sign exactly all of that, but it was what you imagined he had in mind. Regardless, it was romantic and you were all sorts of eager for the trip.

You moved to quickly change out of your farming clothes and into a better outfit for your date, choosing a bright yellow dress with a white bow around the center that accentuated your waist line. The pattern of white polkadots that dabbled the entire fabric made you feel bright as you did a small twirl in the outfit and smiled to yourself, slipping on your hiking boots underneath them in a look of something between cute and functional. Flats would have been nice, but, you wouldn’t want to step on any rocks and twigs in them. Besides, Jason would surely enjoy whatever you wore for him on this date.

Your cheeks flushed red as you imagined his face (mask, you supposed) upon seeing your look. It made you all the more eager to grab your backpack and head out of your house, making sure to close the door properly behind you as you moved.

The forest was beautiful that day, the leaves rustling their whispers into your mind overhead as the wind brushed through them like an old friend. The babbling of brooks dueted with the singing of birds as the world around you came alive, nature devouring itself in an ouroboros of beauty that had your chest swelling and your heart bursting as you admired the way the ground moved and grew so many unique things against itself. From the mushrooms that sprouted near the bases of trees to the grass patches that had been nibbled on by passing herbivores, the world was a beautiful thing and you couldn’t help a quick stop to admire it.

A spider, massive in its body, scaled up a tree you had stopped in front of. It burst itself out amongst the purple and white flowers you had been staring at, their shape bending with each step of the insect's heavy legs. You reached out, allowing it to crawl onto your hand as you sat up to admire the way it moved against your skin, giggling at the soft tickling sensation that pressed on your fingertips as a result. Tilting your head to the side, you moved closer to get a look at the being’s strange eyes and moving mouth, the appendages around its front pushing to taste and explore its new environment as you held it close.

A gunshot echoed through the forest, making you startle and drop the spider to the forest floor.

Your head whipped around, eyes wide as you searched the now deadly quiet forest for the source of the sound, your feet moving without thinking about it. Who was that? Jason didn’t know how to use a gun and he would never, unless it was to bludgeon someone… So that meant someone was here. That meant they fired a gun on his property without permission. That meant they were doing something bad. What if Jason was the one being shot? Would he be okay? Your heart raced faster than your mind as you found yourself pushing yourself faster and faster through the forest, biting your lip as you tried to keep your breathing even against the cold rushes of air that pushed passed you. Your dress caught on twigs, ripping at parts and the underbrush stung your skin as you threw your hands out to catch yourself in a trip.

Your palms met the raw wood of a tree, scraping them in the process and making you curse as you heaved a breath of air. Looking outwards through slightly blurred vision, you saw them.

The group of men were smiling to themselves, some missing teeth as they chewed on what you could only imagine to be tobacco. They had a couple of women at their side, slim little things with heels on and shorts all too small for the mosquito ridden forest of Camp Crystal Lake. You felt your mouth fall into a straight line, your heart beating faster as you gazed at the guns they held, some of the tips still smoking from the previous shot you had heard.

Beneath them a deer lay, her body splayed outwards in an unnatural angle and her mouth hanging wide open as blood pooled from her jaw. Her knees were bent so far back that they had broken under her own weight, her  chest giving what looked to be a final spasm before ceasing to move. Your heart ached suddenly, your stomach clenching with rage at these men who shot such a beautiful thing when the property itself was private. Your head reeled with anger, a deep and vocal frustration that growled outwards in a huff through your nose.

Without thinking about it too much, you stepped out of your hiding place.

“Oo, well well!” One of the men whistled and adjusted his hat with a laugh, “Looks like this place has somethin’ even better than venison don’t it! What’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here alone, sweet cheeks?”

You didn’t answer, your breath held for a long moment s your body shook with fear and rage all at once, you swallowed a forming urge to run away and pointed down at the deer in anger.

“You did this?”

“Sure did, impressive huh? One shot too!”

“Get the fuck out of this forest, all of you.”

The group looked taken aback, surprise apparent on their faces and one of the girls cursed a soft ‘what the fuck’ under her breath before she began to giggle, covering her lips to glance sideways at you. The man you had initially spoken with frowned, approaching you so that you could smell the alcohol on his breath as he raised an eyebrow downwards at you. The stubble of his beard was an uneven thing, his intense eyes making you cringe beneath him as you glared back up in frustration.

“What, you own this place or something?”

“It’s private property and I live nearby. I don’t appreciate poachers in a place that isn’t theirs.”

“Look here, missy, we got a license to hunt!”

“Not HERE you don’t!”

You shoved the man, making him stumble back in surprise as he glared at you, his teeth bared in anger as he pushed himself forward. You saw the massive contour of his torso before his hand grabbed you and shoved you back in return, pushing you into the dirt of the ground and making you cry out in surprise, your leg twisting slightly and digging itself into a sharp rock. The material split your shin open, blood dripping from the wound and down your leg. You whined, gripping the cut and holding it close to your body as you  bit your cheek and glared upwards.

There was a deathly silence that followed, the man grimacing as he raised his hand up, as if to strike you. You heard the women and his friends beside him snap at him to stop, the echo of their words falling flat on the enraged man above you. You bit your cheek as you waited for the pain of his assault to bare down on you, your body clutching handfuls of dirt and squeezing it into your nails as you refused to shut your eyes. You wanted to make him know that you knew what he was doing. You wanted him to know that you saw him.

But the assault never came.

The man looked beyond you instead, his eyes wide and horrified. No sooner had he gazed up and a single curse word of confusion left his lips did he fall to the floor before you. The axe that now embedded itself neatly in his skull covered you in a spray of blood as an artery divided itself beneath his skin. You felt the wetness of the crimson across your mouth and forehead, leaking down to your collar bone and across your dress as you exhaled a long, deep breath that you didn’t realize that you had been holding. Slowly, ever so slowly, you turned your head around to see what had just happened… Though, honestly? You already knew.

Jason had found you.

The ruckus had drawn him out of his waiting spot to the noise, the instinct alongside his mother’s voice to protect his home driving him more than anything else ever had. When he saw you bleeding in the dirt, the man’s arm raised to strike you, he felt panic rise in his chest. Panic mixed with protective rage to fill his throat with something akin to possession. Bloodlust decorated his insides like a picturesque landscape and the instincts that came with practiced precision filled his movements as he walked forward to pull the axe out of the dead man’s skull, spraying blood across himself as well. His breath heaved, heavy and set as he watched the group before him, standing dumbfounded at the death of their leader.

“You son of a b-bitch!” One man stuttered as he moved forward to try and defend himself against Jason, but he was small. He was weak compared to the behemoth of Camp Crystal Lake before him. Jason’s hand wrapped around his throat with ease. His legs kicked weakly as he was lifted off of the forest floor and, with one easy squeeze of his neck, the sickening crack of the man’s bones echoed through the screams of the others at his side. His body spasmed for a moment before falling limp, Jason tossing his half-hanging off head to the side before focusing on the remaining two women and man who had started to scramble away from Jason out of fear.

One met the same fate as the first, the axe Jason held thrown to lodge itself neatly in her cranium, making her companion scream as she scrambled away. She pushed herself off of the forest floor as the man she accompanied tried to grab his gun, fumbling with the safety in an effort to fend Jason off with it. The few seconds of lost time were his downfall, however, as Jason grabbed the rifle from his hand, only to turn the firing end over and shove it neatly through his throat. The machine came out the other side of his skull with ease, pieces of hair and skin falling like snow against the spring ground.

Every inch of you felt wet. The blood had seeped into your dress, staining the front crimson as the trail of viscera not your own dribbled down your brow and chin, the coppery taste of blood not your own making you gag slightly as you pulled yourself into a ball to watch the events of the world transpire around you. By the time Jason had pulled himself away from his last victim, eyes searching for the final girl whomst he had already let live for far too long, she was nowhere in sight. You could see the heave of his shoulders as rage burned inside of him. You could all but hear his mother’s voice echo with fierce frustration in the back of his head and yours, a shared coinsius that startled you as you bit your lip and watched your boyfriend begin his hefty push forward and after his prey.

Kill her, Jason! She hurt dear, sweet [Y/N]... Kill for her and for mother, Jason!

“J-J-Jason!”

Your voice was a weak ghost on the wind. You spit out trails of blood and skin as you spoke his name against your mouth’s will, teeth chattering and chewing down on brains all at once. Jason’s body froze at your town, though. His entire body rigid as he tried to organize the hefty gasps of his breath against his body.

He turned to you, the splattering of blood across his face mask churning your stomach as you stared into the holes of his eyes with dry lips and shaking breaths.

“I… want to go home Jay…”

Your voice was a pathetic whimper. A plea to nothing as you reached out to him, fingertips shaking as you begged with your form for him to drop it. Your heart ached with panic and your mind had only one reaction to the situation: Go. Get out. Go and be safe. Safe and away from this place filled with gore even though you knew, oh you knew, it would remain on you as it was. Trailing down your face. Splattering across your form. Your entire body shaking as you bit your lip and offered your other hand this time, both outstretched towards Jason in patient hope that he would listen to your plea. To protect you as he always had.

Jason cast one last long glance towards the forest where the woman had run, her bloody footsteps a testament to her movements, but with a sullen lack of expression Jason put the gun he was holding down and returned to you.

You were lifted up in strong arms. You could feel the steady movement of his chest as he breathed to keep himself calm, grip tightening sharp on your body as you were cradled against him. You snuggled into Jason without thinking about it, your nostrils assaulted by the scent of metal and wet, rotting, fleshy blood as you shut your eyes. Your hands felt around his chest, touching the wet texture of his shirt. Squeezing the droplets of blood out of his coat. Your hands found his bare skin and smeared the redness across him, making him shiver as some of the intestines you had against your skirt dribbled onto him.

Your legs shifted despite yourself. The ease with which he had lifted you up, cradling you so carefully even after such a scene making your body betray its fear, turning it into arousal instead as the two of you arrived to your cabin.

Jason put you down on the steps of the front, where you shakily opened up the door and entered on wobbly legs. The two of you together trailed stains of fresh blood across the hardwood floor, footprints of such vastly different sizes ingraining themselves on the oak panels as you all but fell to the floor for a moment to catch our breath, splinters digging into your palms as you scratched at the wood with manic intensity.

Jason fell to your side in return, a hand touching your shoulder with worry if you were okay. A head tilt and a gentle sign with one hand asking that same question. Your voice found no air with which to speak, so you simply began to sign in return:

‘I’m okay. Thank-you for protecting me.’

Jason stared with an almost incredulous look before returning the movements slowly, with shaky and careful gestures of fingertips to body parts as he offered his gesture in return:

‘Of course. I love you.’

This was enough to make tears well in your eyes as you threw yourself at him, shaky limbs falling around his neck and bringing him into a kiss that you swore you could feel through his mask. Jason was startled at the suddenness of it, but fell into the motions with practiced ease. Hands found your sides, smearing the blood on your soaked dress as he pulled you closer, the both of you a tangle of limbs on the floor as he leaned back to allow you more access to him. The gentleman that he was, even in this situation you could feel him giving you space. Offering you room to breathe should you need it and space to run should you crave it. Your hands gripped at his shirt tighter as your mouth pulled away from him. Jason’s eyes through the mask followed your body. Blood had smeared across your lips and down your face. You licked a small drop of it from the corner of your mouth as you held onto him, your bodies pressed together in a slick of arousal and gore.

His eyes snapped forward after a moment and his hands moved despite themselves, sturdy fingers sliding your dress up your form until your lower half was shown to him. Jason pulled himself up to admire the entirety of your shaking form: From your cut leg smeared with dirt and your blood to the stains of red that had patched themselves up your thigh after it had soaked through your dress… You were beautiful. More perfect than anything Jason had ever seen. His blood soaked hands rose to smear the liquid across your thighs some more, painting them darker red as you moaned and whimpered into his touch.

“Jason,” You whispered with breathy hunger, “Touch me, please.”

It was adrenaline. It was fear. It was a sick, twisted beauty that you found upon staring down at the behemoth of a murderer after he had splattered you with the gore of four separate people. It made your body tingle and your mind wander with sensitive, careful arousal that amplified as Jason’s finger pushed itself up into your core, soaking your panties in blood before pulling them aside to play with your slick folds. His breath picked up now, shaking as he felt you from the inside. As he painted your walls with the blood of his victims in a hungry, voracious manner. Two fingers slid into you as he picked up his pace, twisting them as you instructed. Moving them in the way he knew you liked it.

You mewled his name as your hips rocked against his body. You felt the cleft of his dick on your ass and you moaned at the feeling. The blood and your slick made the most sickeningly beautiful sound as he played between your legs, making you clench and gasp as your orgasm began to creep up on you.

You whined when his fingers pulled out, pouting before yelping as his hands grabbed your hips in a white knuckled grip and pulled you up.

“Jason… “ You murmured as you saw the wild in his eyes. The hunger that came with seeing you so beautiful painted red. You shuddered, legs trying to support you as his dick was freed from his pants and you were positioned over it. Despite his animalistic nature that had suddenly opened up so loudly to you, you could feel his hesitation. His unsureness of the situation as you reached out to cup his cheek, smearing more of the blood of the people on him and scooping some on your finger. Without much thinking about it, you licked it off of your hand and sucked down on your index finger, swallowing the coppery blood off of your skin as you looked at him in the eye, the communication of acceptance warm in your body as Jason’s breath grew ragged and he lowered you down onto his cock.

You moaned at the feeling, the stretch impossibly wide and physically difficult to handle as you whimpered and squirmed on him, pushing down and adjusting your hips so that you were able to lower yourself at your own pace. Meanwhile Jason’s body was shaking, the feeling of your tight heat overwhelming him as he threw his head back, splattering still wet blood across your walls as you pushed yourself to take more of him with wet whimpers and tears building in the corners of your eyes, falling soon to stain a trail of clean across your bloody face. Your hands scratched at Jason’s chest, your form falling forward on him for support as you bit out his name in syllables so sweet Jason swore he was in heaven.

Once your body was finally used to the girth of him, you moved your hips testily. No able to take all of him in at once, it was a simple movement to pull out from the tip and then slide yourself back down, the blood an unfortunate but helpful lubricant in your endeavors as the two of you shook and moaned at once. Jason’s large hands held your hips again, his body pushing you further down on his cock in a way that made you scream with both pleasure and pain, your cervix not ready for so much at once. His fingertips dug deeper though, bruising white knuckled grip halting as he waited for you to say okay. To give him instruction on just how you wanted him to move, even though his body wanted to begin on its own.

“It’s… Okay,” You moaned beautifully above him, “You can keep going Jason… Make love to me, darling.”

No sooner had you said it, spit dribbling out your mouth and your body impossibly full, that he began to match your movements. Hips touched hips as he all but pulled you off of him and slammed you back down, your rag-doll form useless against his strength as he held you close. As he fucked you deep and perfect and near. Your floor was smothered in blood now, pools forming beneath the both of you as your leg’s wound left unpatched. As the sweat washed the blood from your body and the scent of sex overwhelmed that of the blood itself.

“Jason! Jason! Ja-ayson oh-” You moaned desperately in his ear as your orgasm built in your stomach, “I’m going to- mmm - Good boy yes-yes-yes-yes-ah-!”

You clenched around his dick as you came, your body releasing the desperate want for him in a flood that made Jason gasp and moan, fucking you faster and with little rhythm to his movements before stilling inside of you. There was nothing to fill you, no sperm to echo in the cavern of your uterus as he shuttered and gasp. Only a strange coolness, like air hitting somewhere in your body, before his dick grew flaccid within you, the softness doing nothing to ruin the thick, beautiful feeling of being full as you rested atop your killer with heavy gasps for air.

Jason’s hand touched your head, looking down at you with concern as he remained inside of you.

You smiled back, exhausted and bloody but okay as you sighed.

“I’m alright, love… We should get cleaned up though, okay? I… I want to go to bed as soon as possible today. It was… a lot.”

Understanding, Jason stood, lifting you with him so that the both of you remained connected. You giggled as you felt his dick twitch within you, still not quite ready to let go of your warm cunt just yet as you were moved to the bathroom at a slow, careful speed. You shut your eyes, holding him close as you hummed in his ear.

Perhaps for a moment you could forget about what happened. As you washed yourself with him… Perhaps it wouldn’t even happen again!

Oh, you wish you weren’t so naive.

[diddlesanddoodles]

DEAD WALLS RISE - CONNAR

PART ONE

The day that Connar found out he was red-green colorblind coincidentally happened to by the same day he first met Gen. And the two events were not all together unrelated. He’d been let out to play by his mother with the same vague warning she always told him, ‘don’t go passed the boundary’. The boundary being the yellow paint upon a selection of trees that marked the end of their property and the beginning of their neighbor Gen’s land. Or at least they said it was yellow. It just looked white to Connar.  

He had never met Gen, but his father had several times and for everything that the boy had ever heard about him, Gen seemed to be a very nice fellow. He just so happened to be a Vhasshalan giant. His father once told him that Gen was an old man, widowed, and liked his privacy. So to be good and respectful neighbors, they created the boundary so they never mistakenly foraged or hunted on his land.

“We’re not poachers,” his father told him once.    

Which was never a problem for Connar as his family hand plenty of space for him to run around and plenty of very good climbing trees. But what they did not have were the luscious blackberry brambles. They did have some brambles, but they had picked them clean of any and all berries earlier that season. From his favorite climbing tree near the boundary, he could see far into their neighbor's land and passed the low ridge near the stream, he could see the sprawling blackberry brambles. From even so far away and up so very high, he could see the berries. Sitting there. With only birds and deer to eat them.

The temptation became too great for the adolescent and he decided he was going to go pick a few of them. Not many. Just a few. Besides, Gen was a giant and blackberries were so small to him he would never notice or miss a few of them.

Careful of the thorns, Connar spent a good portion of the mid-morning greedily devoured handfuls of the little black jewels. It was only when he heard the first rumbles of thunder that he decided he had eaten enough and best head home before the storm rolled in. The sky was grey and the clouds thick. It would be a gulley washer for sure.  

He walked behind the thicker part of the bramble, ducking under the foliage and slipping through, when all of a sudden there was a loud snapping sound and the screech of metal springs. The clear path in front of him and the one he had just come through were abruptly blocked by metal bars and the force of them rearing up from beneath the ground debris sent Connar falling back onto his bottom. Under him he could feel the hard bars of metal.

Sitting there for a long moment and listening to the frantic beatings of his own heart, Connar looked around himself as he tried to decipher what it was that had just happened. All at once he understood and he was on his feet at the bars to one of the trap’s doors. He yanked ineffectively at them and when that failed, he began to push. Bracing his feet against one of the bars across the floor, he pressed his back to the trap’s door and pushed as hard as he could. But even then he only managed to move the spring loaded door a few inches before his strength gave out and he fell back down onto the floor, panting and shaking.

He had triggered a game trap; a spring loaded one. Near his feet he could see the trigger plate, hidden beneath more forest debris.

“Oh no…” he got back to his feet and peered out towards the direction of his family’s land. “Daaaaad! Mamaaaaa! Help!”

Only crickets and bird song answered him and before long, the thunder had its own say. A rolling rumble drew across the sky as the wind began to pick up. He felt the first few drops of rain hit his head and looking up through the foliage covering the roof to forest canopy and the swathe of sky visible, he frowned.

“…Mama’s gonna swat me.”

…………………………………….

The worst of the storm passed within an hour, but the rain persisted all morning and into the afternoon. Soaked through and shivering, Connar huddled miserably in the corner of the trap, hoping he would hear his family calling for him so he might call back and maybe his father could think of a way to get him out without alerting their large neighbor to the fact that they’d been trespassing or in Connar’s case, poaching blackberries.  

When he heard the crunch of footsteps, Connar got to his feet and looked back towards his family’s property, hoping to see he father crest the ridge and start yelling at him for worrying him and his mother…but belatedly realized that the foot falls were coming from the other side and were growing louder. Much louder. Until the sound of large boots sounded right next to the trap and through the foliage and brambles obscuring most of his view, Connar could make out a pair of very large feet. And then he heard the giant rumble above him.

“Hm…well ain’t that curious.” Connar edged himself to the farthest corner, staring up as leather clad hands pulled and swept away the vegetation covering the roof of the trap and revealing a greyed and wrinkled face. Brown eyes widened from under thick eyebrows as the giant huffed a short chuckle, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Well, well. Aren’t you a funny looking deer…”  

Connar hunched he shoulders as though he could disappear into himself.

“Now then,” The giant said and raised an eyebrow at him. “You wouldn’t happen to be Arthur’s little boy, would you?”

“Yessir…” Connar replied in a small voice.

Gen’s smile widened and he tapped the metal trap’s roof. “Tell me; how in all the seven hells did you miss seeing this contraption?”

“…it was hidden,” Connar explained, feeling just the smallest sting to his pride as the implied accusation.  

“It’s bright red, son.”

Connar blinked and looked beside him at the metal bars and the green brambles beyond. They looked the same to him. He turned his gaze back up and squinted at Gen, feeling as though perhaps he was playing a trick on him. “They look the same...”

Gen’s amiable expression turned incredulous. “You telling me this…” he tapped the trap again. “…and these…” he brushed a finger through the brambles. “…look the same color to you?”

Connar nodded, but jerked in surprise when Gen abruptly broke out into a fit of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Connar demanded, his face feeling hot and his pride feeling more than just a mere sting.

“Hate to tell you this, but I think you might be colorblind.”

“I can see color just fine!”

“Perhaps, but not all of them. At least not all the ones I can see,” the giant explained. “I paint my traps bright red so I can find them easily and also because deer can’t distinguish between the green of the bushes and the red paint. Humans should be able to see them just fine and dandy though. But not you.” He paused as though considering and then grinned. “So I suppose that really does make you a funny looking deer.”

Connar started to glare at giant, but a telling tickle at the back of his nose had him turn his face into the crook of his arm and he sneezed. Gen hummed thoughtfully and asked, “How long have you been stuck in there, son?”

“…a while.”

“And how long is ‘a while’?”

“Since this morning…”

With a resigned shake of his head, Gen sighed. Then, fixing the young boy with a curious, if not slightly amused look, he asked, “Suppose you’ll be wanting outta there, hm?”

“Please...”

“Alright,” he chuckled, slipping off one of his gloves and popping the top of the trap open. Connar felt a little silly for not having thought that the trap opened from above. But he had little time to contemplate as Gen reached inside, but with a deliberate slowness that may have been meant to keep from startling him. Large fingers wrapped around his back, cupping him into the large palm and lifting him up and out of the trap. Gen peered at him with a slight frown. “Boy, you are soaked to the bone.”

“It rained...” he replied. “A lot.”

Gen hummed to himself before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a handkerchief. He then draped it around Connar’s shoulders. “That’ll keep you a tad bit warmer in the meantime,” the giant said and then rose to his feet carefully. “Now let’s get you back to your mother before she starts to worry.”

It didn’t take him any time at all to reach their little house, a handsome little homestead built into the side of a moss covered hill. His father was seated outside on a stool, idly carving a small piece of wood

“Hello there,” his father said, looking up with surprise at Gen approaching.

“Hello Arthur. Apologies for just wandering in,” Gen said and then knelt down to place Connar on his feet. “But I think this one belongs to you.”

His father leapt to his feet and marched over to his son. “Connar! What have you been getting into now? Gen, I am very sorry if my boy’s been bothering you...”

Gen laughed. “Not at all, not at all. Poor little fella had a rough morning though. Got caught in one of my venison cages near the stream. Soaked through and chilled, but otherwise fine. Don’t be too hard on him.”

His father grabbed his shoulder and began to steer him towards the door. “Maria! Come and get your son, please.”

His mother’s head peaked out from the door as she was wiping her hands on her apron and she planted them on her hips upon seeing her son. “Connar, what in the God’s Greenwood have you been doing? You are drenched!”

“Got caught in one of Gen’s venison traps,” his father said, echoing Gen’s explanation. His mother’s hand reached out and snagged his right ear and began to pull him along.

“WHAT?”

As his mother dragged him into their home, he heard Gen laugh and say, “By the way, I think your boy may be colorblind, Arthur.”

…………………….

Connar’s family and Gen remained very good neighbors and for the two years that followed his first meeting with the giant, all seemed well with the world.

And then Vhasshal declared war on Silvaara and their once peaceful lives shattered.

Retribution came swiftly and the first to suffer King Nethrin’s rage were the residents of the Blackwoods. Blue coats hunted at night, torching any human homes they found and capturing any human that came across. People they had known for years disappeared with nothing but the ruined and burned out shells of their homes remaining. Once trustworthy Vhasshalan neighbors became hostile. Though they had not heard or seen Gen, they all assumed he was of a similar mind.

And soon enough, the reckoning came for Connar and his family.

His mother had been struck with a nagging feeling all morning and all but demanded of his father that they leave their homestead that day and hide in their winter storage larder. Just in case. It was an underground cellar that when shut, was indistinguishable from the surrounding mossy rocks. It was secure, it was insulated, and well stocked.  

That night, the blue coats came.

Five of them walked around their homestead, kicking over their cart and trampling Maria’s flowerbeds and smashing in the small windows. Their old pony, their heifer, and her calf were all taken away. And then they set it all on fire. From far off, they watched their lives be devoured by the flames and the smoke rising up into the uncaring sky. The question of what to do lingered heavily.  

His mother wept and though his father tried his best to comfort her, he too had tears in his eyes. Their home had been in the family for seven generations. His grandfather carved the wood that made their bed frames. The quilts had been hand sewn by great aunts. But it all disappeared behind the wall of flames, framed between the voyeuristic silhouettes of the blue coats. Connar and his older sister huddled together near the back of the cellar, listening to the haunting echo of their laughter.

……………..

They were beginning to run low on food and though making soup of what little remained would have stretched it considerably, they could not risk a fire. His mother had feeling poorly for several days and his father did want to leave her side, so Connar was sent out to fetch the water. He wore his dark green tunic and hood so as to better camouflage himself in case any giants were about. He found a quiet bend in the stream that was well hidden by thin limbed trees with thick foliage and uncorked the water sac, submerging the end into the stream and letting the bladder fill with cool clean water. His mind began to wander and he was not as observant as he should have been.

The snapping of a branch brought him back to the present and he looked up and up and into a familiar face he hadn’t seen in months.  

“…Connar?” asked Gen. The giant had been emerging from a cluster of trees just a few yards from the stream, a leather satchel filled with wild vegetation at his side. Upon seeing Connar, his eyes widened and then abruptly narrowed and then he was stepping forward with a purposeful stride down into the stream. Towards Connar. With a squawk of alarm, the human dropped the water sac and ran with Gen bellowing after him. “Stop!”

Not since the day before the war broke out had his family seen or heard anything from Gen. Connar knew from the stories he told him that he used to work at the Vhasshalan castle when he was younger and he spoke highly of King Nethrin often enough that it did not leave any room in his or his family’s mind just what side of the conflict he stood. It hurt his father and him to think that their friend and neighbor would or could do them harm if he found them. Supposedly there were bounties being offered for captured humans to entice those who would otherwise have left any humans they found alone. In that moment, the only thing Connar could think was to lead him away from his family’s hiding spot and hope he was able to lose the giant under the thick brush.  

But as he dove for cover through a thicket, his foot caught and he fell forward and the sound of squealing metal springs echoed around him as the venison trap snapped shut. Connar looked around at the metal bars with a sinking dread.

“No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!” He scrambled gracelessly to his feet and looked up just as Gen came into view behind him. He pressed himself against the furthest end of the trap and stared with terrified and bated breath as the giant bore down on him. It was all too familiar and he knew the outcome was going to be drastically different. 

“Connar…”

“I won’t tell you anything!” Connar yelled angrily at his former neighbor. Gods, his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. The giant knelt down beside the trap and with one hand, popped the top open. Huffing through his nose and shaking, Connar stared up into Gen’s face.

“Connar,” Gen said breathlessly. He did not reach in for him like Connar had expected. He only stared down at the human youth. “You’re alive…”

“No thanks to you lot!” the boy yelled, angry frustrated tears pooling into his eyes. He couldn’t get the image of his home burning out of his mind.  

Gen flinched at that. “Please, just listen to me…”

“No!”      

“Connar,” he said firmly as he reached inside. Bristling, Connar ran to the other side of the trap, but it was useless. There was nowhere to go that Gen could not reach. He felt thick fingers wrap around his torso and pressed into his belly, pulling him bodily from the corner and up. “Stop that…will you just…”

“No-! Don’t…don’t touch me! Let me go!” He thrashed and squirmed as best he could. He succeeded in shimmying partly out from his tunic, but Gen just tightened his hold and Connar found himself partially dangling from the giant’s grip. His cries for released were muffled by both the fabric of his tunic and Gen’s fingers. His legs bumped up against something as he was planted down atop it, the fingers retreating marginally, but only shifted to lightly hold him. Gen was sitting down against the thick trunk of a tree and had placed Connar onto his knee. For several seconds, neither spoke and were content to study one another. It was only when Connar began to struggle again that Gen spoke.

“I’m not going to hurt you, son.”

“Yeah, sure. You’re just gonna give me to the blue coats and let them do it!”

“I would never…”

“Liar!”

“Would you shut your gob for one minute and listen to me, dammit?”

“What is there to say?” Connar demanded, his voice cracking. “We’re at war. And your King wants us all dead. We didn’t do anything!”

“I know. I know…”

“Then why? Why is this happening?” he demanded, but his voice was softer. More pleading. “We didn’t do anything…”

“I don’t understand either. I don’t know,” Gen said, looking down, with a visibly anguished expression. “But that man is not the same King I remember. The one who I loyally served for all those years. The man I knew was a just and kind man. Whatever he’s become…he is not my King. It seems that he died along with Prince Thadeus. And now some demon wears his face.”

For a long while, they did not speak and Connar took a moment to study his neighbor’s face. He looked so much older than the last time he had seen him. “…they burned our house...”

Gen nodded. “I know. I went to look for you all and found what was left. Gods…I thought for sure you’d been inside when…or that they took you.” He looked into Connar’s eyes, moisture pooling under them as he said in a hoarse voice, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s happened. What’s happening. Everyone’s lost their fucking minds. The world’s gone mad and...” He shook his head and sighed deeply. “You aren’t hurt none?”

“No.”

“And your folks? Your sister? Are they…alive?”

“…yes.”

“Thank the Gods!” He said, falling back against the trunk and looking up into the canopy of trees above. “Blessed Mother, thank you.”

Connar shifted and was surprised when the fingers around him pulled back. No longer holding him, but merely cupping his back. “You…you’re not…you don’t hate us?”

“Why would I?” Gen asked. “You didn’t kill the Prince, did you?”

Connar glared at him. “Of course not!”

“Then I have no reason to hate you or wish ill upon you. Or your family. I’m your friend, Connar. That at least has not changed.”

He wanted very desperately to believe Gen. If the giant did wish harm on him, why go through the pretense of making him believe otherwise? “I…I…”

“Listen to me, Connar,” Gen said before he could finish his thought and carefully scooped Connar up and placed him on his feet. “I’m gonna let you go. And you’re going to go back to your folks. Tell your father…tell Arthur that I can help. I want to help. The rangers are upping their patrols. Vhasshal is using the road only a few miles from here to transport their men into Silvaara. It isn’t safe for you all to be out here. I can protect you. Hide you. Please. Tell him.”

Struck dumb, Connar fumbled for a reply before finally nodding.

“All right,” he said with a tired nod. “I will wait near the south end of my property. If you don’t show up by sundown, I will know my answer and I won’t bother you again. I can understand…I do understand why you would not believe me. But I hope you will. I hope these passed years of friendship mean as much to you all as it has for me.”

…………………………………….

His father’s face was hard as stone and his sister wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Did he follow you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Arthur reached out and grabbed his son’s hand. “He didn’t hurt you?”

“No,” Connar said. “He…he looked really sad. And…he was crying. I think he was telling the truth.”

“But can we risk it?” his sister, Penny asked. “Maybe he just wants you to bring us all to him. For a bigger payout. They probably already gave our land to him.”

For a long time, Arthur did not speak. Heavy in thought he stared at the ground, at the cellar they’d made their home and to his children. His ill wife. Their all but used supplies.

“Dad?” Connar asked. “What do we do?”

…………………………….

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” Gen said, relief clear on his face. But only Arthur stood before the giant in the small clearing at the furthest point of where his land met that of another one of their shared neighbors; a human couple who had disappeared soon after the war had begun. Connar, his sister, and mother were all back inside a thicket several yards away, hiding and waiting for Arthur’s signal.

“I do value our friendship, Gen. Which is why I’m taking this risk and hoping to the fucking Gods you aren’t lying,” Arthur slowly stepped closer, never tearing his eyes from Gen, “I’m weighing my life, my wife’s life and the lives of my children on your word.”

Gen did not move as Arthur approached.

“Marie’s been ill all this passed week,” Arthur said, tight jawed. “With the yellow reap.”

“I have medicine,” Gen quickly offered, his face slipping into concern and worry and it did not go unnoticed by Arthur.

“You would risk your own health like that?”

“Maria is a kind woman. A good mother. And my friend. As are you,” Gen replied. “Of course I would risk it.”

Arthur nodded, the hard steel of his face melting into abject relief and when he met Gen’s gaze again, it was with tears in his eyes. “I am so very glad to hear that. Because we need your help. Desperately.”

[sneakybunyip]

Flash Fiction: Tarkin; What is home to a man like Grand Moff Tarkin? A random question asked by Grand Admiral Thrawn during a lapse of conversation.

“Home?” Tarkin asks, taken aback by Thrawn’s sudden question before remembering that this is Thrawn, and he is known for his blunt-force questions. “Home is not a word I would use in the traditional sense. Walls, windows and a roof barring one from the outside world is nothing short of stifling for someone with my upbringing. And yes, I know I have an estate with a very large, very old Tarkin-family residence, but that is not my Home.”

Tarkin furrows his brow, and although he looks cross, it is merely an expression of extreme thoughtfulness, wishing to make his point as succinctly as he can without putting any unnecessary, or perhaps unexpected, Emotion into it.

“Home is something you should earn. We come into this world with the expectation that all shall be provided to us until we are ready to fly from the nest. This is a lie. It can be ripped away at a moment’s notice and either one must fight to win it back or one must perish. 

“I was removed from my parents’ home at ten years old, and although Uncle Jova taught me lessons needed to survive the Wilds, my true mentor was the Carrion Plateau herself, and her teachings came without mercy or reprieve.”

Tarkin takes another moment to stave off the Emotion rising in him. Thrawn has been very still, listening without hint of expression and...he has not blinked in some time. It is something that unnerves most people, but for Tarkin it has a calming effect. Thrawn has always been easy to talk to. 

“Formally, I earned my Home on the Carrion Plateau when I completed my trial at the Carrion Spike - I have told you that story before, but I felt at Home far earlier than that. 

“I was fourteen, already covered in scars, animal skins, and the confidence of a skilled hunter twice my age. The plateau, however, was not my Home, until I met those who took from her without earning their right to do so. They were poachers of the cruelest variety, taking down bulls from reek herds and alphas from nexu prides for small meaningless trophies while leaving carcasses to rot in under the summer sun. 

“I had separated briefly from the main party to track down the invaders myself, against Jova’s insistence I stick with the group. I found them in a small camp:  three hardened humanoids wearing the skins and trophies of my planet’s beasts, while beside them lay heavy artillery to slaughter them without skill or respect. 

“Have you ever felt anger so greatly that your vision turns bloody? They came into my family’s territory, my territory. my HOME and stole our resources without earning it. These men were full grown, dangerous and greedy, and I - a fourteen year old hunter  tall and stringy but hardened by the Platuea’s lessons - killed these three heavily armed poachers not with blasters or vibro-pikes, but with a clawed dagger and my bare hands.”

Tarkin lifts his hands, and could still feel the bones break beneath his palms, and see the sticky lifeblood pour from his fingertips. He puts his hands neatly back in his lap. 

“I took a finger bone from each of them, and they remain to this day the only humanoid trophies I have ever taken. I had made a pact with the Carrion Plateau that day that She was My Home and I would protect her as best I could. And it was on that day, that I earned my Home.”

Thank you so much, @sirisderp​ for this prompt! 

Writing Prompts are open! Send your asks here

[ororowrites]

T’Challa x Ororo - Sparks

Characters: T’Challa x Ororo 

Word count: 2,504

“What are you saying, Ororo,” T’Challa questioned, wanting to make sure his hearing wasn’t failing him.

“I think we should get a divorce,” Ororo repeated, this time sounding certain that this is what she wanted.

Two months later, Ororo and T’Challa were still living separately part-time and on two different continents. The Queen of Wakanda had moved back to the States and T’Challa stayed in Wakanda. Before any divorce was finalized, counseling was required by the Council if there were children involved. Their four-year-old baby girl was stuck in the middle of her parents’ feud. Azora wasn’t old enough to understand what was going on but even she could feel the tension. She was fussier than usual and clingy when she usually liked to be independent. It was difficult keeping the pending divorce quiet from nosey media outlets looking for a story. But, Ororo and T’Challa managed, continuing to attend royal events together as a couple and keeping the buzz down.

T’Challa was in town for a royal engagement and thought it would be a good time for them to discuss the living arrangement for Azora. Ororo invited her soon to be ex-husband over to help tuck in their princess and have the weighted discussion.

“Babaaa,” Azora shrieked as soon as she heard the familiar voice in the living room. Her tiny feet hit the hardwood with light smacks until she leaped into her father’s arms.

“There’s Baba’s princess! I missed you,” T’Challa added with equal enthusiasm. Azora was the perfect mix of Ororo and T’Challa. She had her father’s smile, her small gap matching his, but she had Ororo’s eyes. Her personality matched more with her Aunt Shuri, which meant many jokes from Azora’s end.

“I missed you too,” Azora exclaimed, hugging the King’s neck. “Can you read me a bedtime story?”

T’Challa looked to his wife for approval, earning a smile and nod. The parents were escorted to Azora’s room after she forced to hold hands on the way. “Read this one,” Azora demanded, holding up Amazing Grace. Even though she had heard the book many times, Azora couldn’t get enough because she thought the young black girl on the cover “matched her”.

“Okay, okay. We’ll read this one. That alright, mama,” T’Challa chuckled, directing his question to Ororo.

“That’s alright with me. This is one of my favorite books too,” she stated, sitting beside her husband. “Is it okay if we take turns reading?”

“Yes,” Azora shouted, pumping her fists in the air.

They followed her instructions until the princess could barely keep her eyes open. Once her eyes had fluttered shut for the last time that night, T’Challa and Ororo quietly left the room.

“That didn’t take long,” Ororo whispered, making sure they were fully out of earshot. “I need to talk to you about her, by the way.”

Worry etched itself on T’Challa’s features until Ororo eased his nerves. “I think...actually I know she has my abilities. She’s quite young and that scares me because you know how hard it was for me to control my emotions then.”

The King placed a hand on Ororo’s shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. “Hey, we talked about this being a possibility when you were pregnant. We’ll handle it. You know Azora will always be in good hands with us. I’ll have Shuri do some research.”

Not even thinking about his statement or how it could be received, T’Challa followed Ororo back into the living room.

“So you don’t think I’m capable of taking care of our child,” the Queen questioned, handing him a glass of wine.

“You know that isn’t what I meant,” T’Challa sighed in frustration. Everything he said got a reply when he wasn’t looking for one. Ororo always got offended each time he made a statement.

Ororo sighed in return, “But you were implying it. That’s one problem we have. Every time I voice my feelings, you get defensive.”

He could appreciate her effort in being honest but it was still irritating. Thinking about their counseling sessions, T’Challa took a deep breath and thought through his answer, “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant, but clearly, I hurt your feelings. I apologize.”

She nodded and decided to change the subject, “All I want is for this process to go easy for Azora. She shouldn’t feel the tension between us,” Ororo stated. “But she’s already questioning where you are and why you don’t live with us.”

“This is what you wanted.”

Tears were threatened to spill over, “And you don’t?” Confusion was one hell of a feeling and it was hitting hard. Not being around T’Challa made the divorce pill harder to swallow. Now that he was present, Ororo began reminiscing on their good moments. T’Challa was her first love, a love that she never thought would sour.

T’Challa refused to ignore Ororo’s tears, even when she quickly wiped any evidence of her emotions away. But it was too late. He saw them.

“Are you sure this is what you want,” T’Challa questioned, moving from his chair to join her on the sofa.

Quite frankly, this is what made it hard for Ororo. Even when they were at odds, T’Challa still cared. She wanted him to be the cold man he was after the snap, but even then she’d have a hard time.

“Ororo,” T’Challa repeated, this time taking her face between his hands.

After gathering her emotions, Ororo was able to speak, “No,” she admitted. “But is it for the best? Yes.”

“What makes you think that,” T’Challa countered, not understanding the double-edged sword of an answer. “Because we argue?”

They had many disagreements but the past year they were arguing several times a day. Their disagreements went from petty spats to screaming matches over royal matters. When their marital issues began to affect how they worked as King and Queen, Ororo knew they had a major problem. Ororo felt like they were far too gone to save, especially when some members of the X-Men attacked Wakanda, putting the couple at odds. Words were exchanged that should be been left unsaid.  

“We don’t just argue, T’Challa. We don’t work. How can run a country together when we can't even run our marriage,” she explained with tear-streaked cheeks. “I will not destroy a country because I can’t work with my husband. Do you see how troublesome that is?”

He had to think fast. What could he possibly say to save their marriage and talk Ororo back from the ledge? Finally, he got out of his head and decided to speak from his heart. Taking Ororo’s hands in his, T’Challa began, “Remember when we first met?” The memory caused Ororo’s face to light up. “That’s a day I won’t forget. Those men almost kidnapped me but this beautiful girl with white hair scared them away because she had lightning in her fingers. I’ve never seen a group of grown men run that fast.”

Their first encounter came at the tender age of 14. T’Challa was on a voyage to prepare him for his future as a King. Poachers in the area attempted to kidnap him, thinking he was there to kill their plan. Ororo emerged from a nearby bush with flashes of light coming from her fingers, running the men off and leaving T’Challa safe and untouched. His country held the secret of vibranium, but what secret did this girl have?

“I didn’t even know how to control my abilities then,” Ororo smiled. “That was out of fear.”

“Well, you saved me, my love,” T’Challa grinned. “I was in unknown territory and outnumbered.”

“You were training to be the Black Panther. I’m pretty sure you would have managed without me,” she added, relaxing back against the couch. Memories were bittersweet. They reminded Ororo of the times that led to the deep love they had shared.

“Maybe...maybe not. My whole point is, we’ve gotten away from what’s truly important. Why we fell in love with each other in the first place,” T’Challa explained. “I’m guilty of it too. I could have done better making sure we had time to ourselves outside of work. I took advantage of you simply loving me and I stopped dating you.”

“Dating me,” Ororo raised a brow in confusion.

“I stopped trying, Ororo. You should still feel like I’m courting you but I became too complacent,” he answered, bearing his heart to Ororo in a way he hadn’t done in a while.

Hanging her head to look at their intertwined fingers she agreed, “We’ve both been too complacent. I’ve noticed the distance between us for a while but just didn’t attempt to fix it. I’ve felt unloved and abandoned but kept those feelings to myself because of my pride. I hate when we fight and it seems like the only way I can get my points across. And I know I haven’t been the most pleasant person to be around, after…” Ororo trailed off, her mind drifting back to the fateful day they returned to Wakanda.

After the snap, Ororo and T’Challa were left to deal with the aftermath. Several Wakandans had vanished, including members of the Council, Dora Milaje and countless civilians. The Avengers vowed to get the lost back and tracked Thanos down to reverse the snap. They had succeeded at the expense of losing Okoye and that tore T’Challa to pieces. He’d never forgive himself for losing someone so precious to the kingdom. Okoye was more than his General and protector, she was his sister. T’Challa considered Okoye family and hated that he couldn’t protect her. Her death sent T’Challa into a depression as he struggled to handle his grief. He had never reached acceptance and it left him in an angry state.  

“Neither of us have been. I’ve been a terrible husband like you said,” T’Challa added. “I’ve been cold and closed you out when I’ve needed you the most. I’m sorry.”

“T’Challa…”

“I want my wife back. I want my family back,” the King admitted. When Ororo served him with papers, he was shocked. They didn’t make rash decisions without discussion but clearly, Ororo had her mind set on ending their marriage. “Baby,” T’Challa pleaded. “We can work through this. I’m willing to do whatever it takes but signing those papers would be the biggest mistake we make.”

He begged with everything he had in him and poured his heart out as much as it would allow. Losing his family would tear him apart, ruin the last pieces of sanity he held on to after the war against Thanos. Guilt was already eating at his soul and signing those papers would open up a lifetime of regret.

Ororo used the opportunity to open up about her truths and feelings, something she had a difficult time doing herself. It made her feel too vulnerable. “Can I be honest with you?” T’Challa nodded. “Remember that big fight we had after the gala?”

How could either one of them forget that night? That was the night T’Challa had to do a speech in front of world leaders about opening Wakandan borders to exchange students. It was the night he also had to do a speech about the loss of a Wakandan General. He was tense the entire night, dreading the moment he had to talk about Okoye to the world. There were certain things he liked to keep private and his grief was one. That night, he had snapped at his daughter when she got too wired. He never yelled at Azora and she had never even heard her father raise his voice at anyone. That’s when Ororo stepped in and only made matters worse. They went for the jugular, both saying things they didn’t truly mean but only meant at that moment in order to hurt each other.

That night, Ororo told him he was a terrible husband and he stated he should have married a Wakandan woman instead. They regretted the statements as soon as they left their mouths. For the rest of the night, they were forced to put on a front and Ororo planned to file for a divorce.

“At times I wished it was me instead of Okoye. I thought you wouldn’t feel as guilty and you’d be happier if it was me instead,” Ororo admitted, watching T’Challa’s eyebrows smooth out as his face softened. “Things were rough that night. I thought about leaving right then and sending the papers later on. Then I thought about Azora and how unhappy it would make her.”

“Why would you think something like that, Ororo? Losing you would have killed me,” he reassured. “Come here.” Pulling his wife into his lap, T’Challa held her close. The close proximity seemed to relax them and provided a comfort the couple had been missing. “I can’t imagine living without you or Azora. After Okoye went down that day, my life flashed before my eyes. I just knew I was next and I didn’t want to leave you here alone. That day was the first time I’ve been afraid of dying. Because I had so much I’d leave behind.”

Moments from that terrible day haunted both of them due to the loss they experienced. Haunting T’Challa more than anything. When he was finally able to recognize his depression, his relationship with his wife had already fallen apart.

“Now I’m afraid of losing you,” he added, placing a finger under Ororo’s chin, forcing her to look at him. “I’m sorry for abandoning you two and making you feel like I don’t care about you...about us.”

“It’s not all on you. I haven’t been the best partner to you when you needed me. And I’m sorry for that,” Ororo apologized. “I want what’s best for our daughter. I’m tired of fighting with you and she doesn’t deserve to see us like this.”

T’Challa agreed, “Me too and I want to fix this. Please,” his eyes were pleading.

Was love truly enough to stick this out and hope they could repair what had been damaged? Could it be repaired? “What if we can’t fix this?”

“Baba,” a tiny voice interrupted. They looked up to find Azora, rubbing her eyes after a bad dream had disturbed her sleep.

“Bad dream, sweetie,” Ororo held out her arms, inviting their daughter to join them.

“Yes,” Azora sniffed, snuggling into T’Challa’s side as he comforted her.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about those monsters getting you. Baba has that all under control,” he offered, kissing Azora’s forehead. Glancing over at his Queen, he attempted to read her current thoughts since they didn’t get to finish their conversation. Ororo nodded, letting him know that their discussion could wait until the morning and there were more important matters to handle at the time.

Within a matter of minutes, Azora and T’Challa had fallen asleep, their light snores the only sound in the silent living area. Gazing at her family as they slept, those familiar butterflies fluttered in Ororo’s belly.

This was home. 

A second part may or may not be in the works.🤔 Okay, it probably is! 

Taglist: @oceanscorazon, @heybriheyyy, @superhoeros, @90sinspiredgirl

@champagnesugamama @ashanti-notthesinger @maddistundentwritergaines  

Azora Faceclaim: 

[regiscarnivora]

Muse Profile: Vitani

This post covers my portrayal of Vitani from The Lion King. Do not reblog it please!

MUSE INFO

Name: Vitani.

Species: African Lion.

Gender: Female.

Length: Varies according to her stage in life.

Height: Same as length.

Weapons: 7 cm canines and 7 cm claws.

Likes: Fighting, Her Mother and Family, Hunting, Punking Predators out of food (Mainly Hyenas, Leopards, Cheetah, Crocodiles and Wild Dogs) and Dominating Lands (Formerly); Defending the Pridelands.

Dislikes: Failure, other predators, rival lion prides, being ordered about and poachers.

Personality: Brazen, bold, resolute, aggressive and hot-headed. Can be very stubborn at her own risk, but reasonable when she sees it.

[chocoboyjames]

#FFxivWrite2019 - 2 - Bargain

for @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​ ‘s FFxivWrite2019!

“James!” a panicked female voice shot through the stables of the Bentbranch Meadows. The blonde Midlander dropped his broom in fright, a loud clattering followed, when hastened footsteps came closer to him. “A pack of Poachers stole Lucia!” James turned around, his eyes widened as he witnessed his Mi’qote colleague catching her breath as she leaned against the stable door. “I was out with her, giving her a nice walk after she’s been in the stable too long, you know? Because she’s finally healthy again, and she’s not sick anymore!”     The young man blinked a few times, before he began to soothe her. “Hush now, H’olga.” he tried to remain calm, yet hearing the words ‘poachers’ and ‘stole’ in one sentence when it came to chocobos, was never a good sign. “Where have they taken her?” H’olga tried to take a deep breath, but it turned into a loud sniff. “The South Shroud!” James gritted his teeth, the South Shroud was known to be home to a few poachers, but for them to go at a chocobo. “I’ll get her back.” the blonde Midlander hissed out, clearly not to be trifled with, if a chocobo was in trouble. “I’ll take Dorian, and ride for the South Shroud.” “Be careful, you know they are not to be trifled with!” She made a yammering sound, and James but his hand on her shoulder, making a weak smile. “It’s going to be alright, I’ll bring Lucia back, I promise.” 

After grabbing his jacket, lance and saddle for Dorian, he prepared himself and his chocobo to set out for the South Shroud. Not soon after their small journey began, raindrops started to fall. “By the Twelve, such a great timing.” he mumbled under his breath, yet he didn’t let this stop him from going. A bell later, he arrived in the South Shroud, and looked around the area to see if there were any poachers about, he could spot before he would need to venture out too far into their territory.     Yet, little did he know a poacher already catched the sight of him. An arrow flew by James’ ear, who in shock tugged heavily at Dorian’s reigns. The chocobo made a loud kweh, and with panic of what just had happened. The Midlander slipped off and with a loud grunt he landed on the muddy ground. His chocobo was about to run away, but more poachers approached from the bushes. “Seems that female stablehand has called for help!” one of the poachers shouted, the arrow still nooked on her bow, which was aimed at James, who still lay face flat on the ground. “And another chocobo to capture!” another one laughed. Dorian made a few threatening shoves with his talons, ready to defend his master, but it seemed now five poachers surrounded them. James spit out some mud that came into his mouth from the fall and looked up seeing that same display. “I’ve only come here to retrieve our chocobo.” he carefully began, and raised his hands to show he was unarmed. “Retrieve the chocobo, lad?” one of them laughed. “And what is your offer?” “Offer? You see this as a chance to bargain with our chocobos?” James hissed, and clearly became the more furious. “There won’t be any bargaining if we just shoot you down and take yours as well!” The young man wiped a bit of the mud from his face and had a hard time containing the rage that was now building up inside him. His lance was strapped on Dorian’s saddle, who now was a few steps away. If he could just reach it, he might give a few good swings and take them down. 

“Fine, then my offer is this.” James began with a tone of confidence in his voice. “If I beat all of you, you’re to return her to the stables anon.” “And what if you lose, little boy?” she sounded all the more menacing. “You’ll get to take my chocobo.” The rest of the poachers laughed and James saw this as his chance.

    Without further ado, he made a slippery attempt to reach out for his lance. Another arrow was shot, and razed past his shoulder. Every single poacher reacted, a fellow lancer already lunged towards James, who in the meantime had a wonderful opportunity to get ahold of his weapon.

“Dorian! Now would be a good time!” James shouted, and the chocobo made an aggressive chirp, and shoved a good amount of mud towards the poacher with the bow, who then slid on the ground. James was now engaged in fighting the lancer, which was more a slippery dance, than clashing weapons.

“You little shite!” the poacher growled, and James made a grin on how easy it was to dodge them. It was far easier than the sparrings with his father. In a flash, he found a chance to grab the poacher’s lance and give a good tug at it, making the man slide over into the mud as well. Two down, three more to go. James glanced over, and saw how Dorian was playfully yet aggressively made two of them trying to catch him. A smile formed on the Midlander’s face, the chocobo really had learned a lot from his training. Pride engulfed James for a mere moment, before a sword swooped down on him, which he blocked just in time.

“You should’ve taken the faster way out!” She hissed and pushed her sword closer to James, who was still blocking it with his lance. A loud kweh was heard from behind James, almost as if his chocobo was in distress, and in an instant he looked over his shoulder, seeing if his companion was fairing well. The two men had their weapons drawn at Dorian, who didn’t seem impressed by it at all. A strong kick into one’s stomach, and with a loud thud he landed on the ground. Yet the female poacher didn’t let this moment slide, and when James looked over, she lashed out to his face. A loud gasp echoed through the forest, when the young chocobo caretaker felt a sharp blade rush past his right upper cheek. He covered his wound with his hand, trying not to let the pain overcome him. Dorian made a few threatening steps towards his opponent, yet the man shivered slightly, dropped his weapon and ran away. The chocobo then rushed over to his master’s aid.

    “You did well to take them all down, but let’s see if you can take me-” before the female poacher could finish, Dorian ran her over, and she rolled a few malms away. James blinked a few times, realising what had just happened and made a soft and relieving sigh.

“Well done, my dear friend.” He gave his chocobo a big hug and once more touched his wound to cover it up a little. “Now, please do bring me back Lucia.” he panted, making a firm grab on his lance, shuffling over towards the female poacher, who lay on the ground defeated, her squad too, inshame alongside her. “Do as he ask…” she spit towards James’ boots, and one of the poachers nodded heavily and took off. “Take this as a warning, that we are not to be trifled with.” James spoke up, pointing the lance into the woman’s face. “You do not want to touch our chocobos ever again. See this as a lesson.”

The female poacher looked away with anger in her eyes, clearly still ashamed by her defeat, frustrated even. A kweh was heard from a behind a few trees and suddenly Lucia was in view with the poacher who was ordered to get her. Dorian made a very loud and excited chirp in return, clearly happy to see her back as well. “My thanks.” James grinned, and got ahold of Lucia’s reign. “Don’t even think about trying anything.”

A last warning, and the young Midlander walked away from the group of poachers. When they were far away from them, James finally knew he was able to relax, and call this a well deserved victory. Little did he know that he would be so brave to take on a band of poachers. He shivered slightly of what might’ve been had things gone wrong. Yet, when he arrived back at the stables, the smile of H’olga seeing her beloved Lucia back, made it all vanish. Today was a victory, it was now time to celebrate.