#hunters - deforestation

[evviejo]

STAR TREK // S1E11 The Menagerie, Part 1 Don't stop me. Don't let him stop me. It's your career and Captain Pike's life. You must see the rest of the transmission.

[abs0luteb4stard]

[atwas-gaming]

Wow. I have got to figure out how to run old games on my shiny, modern gaming PC, because the new Carnivores remake. SUCKS.

[no-passaran]

Genocide experts warn that India is about to genocide the Shompen people

Who are the Shompen?

The Shompen are an indigenous culture that lives in the Great Nicobar Island, which is nowadays owned by India. The Shompen and their ancestors are believed to have been living in this island for around 10,000 years. Like other tribes in the nearby islands, the Shompen are isolated from the rest of the world, as they chose to be left alone, with the exception of a few members who occasionally take part in exchanges with foreigners and go on quarantine before returning to their tribe. There are between 100 and 400 Shompen people, who are hunter-gatherers and nomadic agricultors and rely on their island's rainforest for survival.

Why is there risk of genocide?

India has announced a huge construction mega-project that will completely change the Great Nicobar Island to turn it into "the Hong Kong of India".

Nowadays, the island has 8,500 inhabitants, and over 95% of its surface is made up of national parks, protected forests and tribal reserve areas. Much of the island is covered by the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve, described by UNESCO as covering “unique and threatened tropical evergreen forest ecosystems. It is home to very rich ecosystems, including 650 species of angiosperms, ferns, gymnosperms, and bryophytes, among others. In terms of fauna, there are over 1800 species, some of which are endemic to this area. It has one of the best-preserved tropical rain forests in the world.”

The Indian project aims to destroy this natural environment to create an international shipping terminal with the capacity to handle 14.2 million TEUs (unit of cargo capacity), an international airport that will handle a peak hour traffic of 4,000 passengers and that will be used as a joint civilian-military airport under the control of the Indian Navy, a gas and solar power plant, a military base, an industrial park, and townships aimed at bringing in tourism, including commercial, industrial and residential zones as well as other tourism-related activities.

This project means the destruction of the island's pristine rainforests, as it involves cutting down over 852,000 trees and endangers the local fauna such as leatherback turtles, saltwater crocodiles, Nicobar crab-eating macaque and migratory birds. The erosion resulting from deforestation will be huge in this highly-seismic area. Experts also warn about the effects that this project will have on local flora and fauna as a result of pollution from the terminal project, coastal surface runoff, ballasts from ships, physical collisions with ships, coastal construction, oil spills, etc.

The indigenous people are not only affected because their environment and food source will be destroyed. On top of this, the demographic change will be a catastrophe for them. After the creation of this project, the Great Nicobar Island -which now has 8,500 inhabitants- will receive a population of 650,000 settlers. Remember that the Shompen and Nicobarese people who live on this island are isolated, which means they do not have an immune system that can resist outsider illnesses. Academics believe they could die of disease if they come in contact with outsiders (think of the arrival of Europeans to the Americas after Christopher Columbus and the way that common European illnesses were lethal for indigenous Americans with no immunization against them).

And on top of all of this, the project might destroy the environment and the indigenous people just to turn out to be useless and sooner or later be abandoned. The naturalist Uday Mondal explains that “after all the destruction, the financial viability of the project remains questionable as all the construction material will have to be shipped to this remote island and it will have to compete with already well-established ports.” However, this project is important to India because they want to use the island as a military and commercial post to stop China's expansion in the region, since the Nicobar islands are located on one of the world's busiest sea routes.

Last year, 70 former government officials and ambassadors wrote to the Indian president saying the project would “virtually destroy the unique ecology of this island and the habitat of vulnerable tribal groups”. India's response has been to say that the indigenous tribes will be relocated "if needed", but that doesn't solve the problem. As a spokesperson for human rights group Survival International said: “The Shompen are nomadic and have clearly defined territories. Four of their semi-permanent settlements are set to be directly devastated by the project, along with their southern hunting and foraging territories. The Shompen will undoubtedly try to move away from the area destroyed, but there will be little space for them to go. To avoid a genocide, this deadly mega-project must be scrapped.”

On 7 February 2024, 39 scholars from 13 countries published an open letter to the Indian president warning that “If the project goes ahead, even in a limited form, we believe it will be a death sentence for the Shompen, tantamount to the international crime of genocide.”

How to help

The NGO Survival International has launched this campaign:

From this site, you just need to add your name and email and you will send an email to India's Tribal Affairs Minister and to the companies currently vying to build the first stage of the project.

Share it with your friends and acquittances and on social media.

Sources:

India’s plan for untouched Nicobar isles will be ‘death sentence’ for isolated tribe, 7 Feb 2024. The Guardian.

‘It will destroy them’: Indian mega-development could cause ‘genocide’ and ‘ecocide’, says charity, 8 Feb 2024. Geographical.

Genocide experts call on India's government to scrap the Great Nicobar mega-project, Feb 2024. Survival International.

The container terminal that could sink the Great Nicobar Island, 20 July 2022. Mongabay.

[Maps] Environmental path cleared for Great Nicobar mega project, 10 Oct 2022. Mongabay.

[typhlonectes]

Deforestation, climate change mean that legless lizard only recognised for two years before endangerment

The Hunter Valley Delma, a legless lizard, has been declared endangered just two years after it was named a species in 2022.  Ms Carruthers said that more than 90 per cent of the lizard's known range in the NSW Hunter Valley has been damaged by open cut mining and agriculture. "There are at least 20 coal mines within the species' known habitat range," she said.  She said that, as is the case for so many plants and animals, climate change is exacerbating other threats...

Read more: Over a dozen animals and plants join Australia's growing list of threatened species, prompting calls for stronger environmental laws - ABC News

[elbiotipo]

I just don't see any enviroment as pristine or free of human influence. I don't see humans as being apart of nature. And I don't see human activity on nature as inmoral or undesirable. Which does not mean I support paving over everything or building farms everywhere. I just think humans build landscapes, it's what they do.

Whenever being hunter-gatherers in cultivated forests, creating rice terraces, building skyscrapers, managing silviculture systems, deforesting to plant soybean monoculture, creating aquaculture in the deep sea, building small fishing towns, or preserving rainforests for tourism, humans are just part of nature. It is our culture that defines what kind of landscapes, what kind of ecosystems, grow around us.

We can either embrace this and build landscapes and ecosystems that will allow us to preserve our planet and recognize the importance of nature to our well-being, or keep the stupid "humans are a plague" way of thinking and keep the sharp dichotomy human/nature, which will only bring us to half-solutions at best.

[autumnmobile12]

So we know that when Quirks first appeared, villains started making grabs for power, vigilantes appeared to stop them and restore the normal order, and some people went about forming their own dynasties with people who had similar powers.

Personally, I really want to hear more about the environmentalist vigilantes who ignored the immediate chaos and just took off to undo the harm humanity caused to nature.

People with ice Quirks who formed a coalition and rebuilt the arctic and antarctic circles.

A random person with a Quirk that allowed them to breathe in carbon gases and exhale oxygen, so they just took a couple hours out of their day peacefully reading books near a factory complex while advocating for cleaner emissions in the meantime.

The ones with plant-based Quirks stimulating plant growth in deforested areas.

Someone with an accumulation-type Quirk who could consume plastic and convert it to energy.

Other Quirk-users specifically targeting poachers

Electricity Quirk-users forming power companies of their own and stamping out the more harmful competition.

People who can talk to animals teaching animals hunted for sport (or harvested for medicinal remedies that don't work) how to avoid hunters and traps.

In the eyes of large corporations, some of these people were probably relegated to the status of villains and may have been targeted by the proto-Heroes as such, only to be met with the controversy of environmental advocates against environmentally destructive companies.

Fictional nations like Otheon and Klayd have sprung up in the My Hero world, so it stands to reason there are other new nations as well. Like if these early advocates carved out territories of their own and now areas like the Amazon or pockets of the savannah and taiga and other threatened ecosystems are currently independent oases thriving in the world.

All things considered, I feel like for all their societal problems, the My Hero world is a world that at least has its environmental stuff sorted out.

[w3w]

Unnatural/Horrifying Creature ID Pack

photo of a bat. because i like bats. and they're sorta scary..

🌑 ꒱ Names

allt, amalgam, axylos, bea, brer, carver, deforest, discord, elwood, eris, hunter, hylas, juno, medusa, miasma, mimic, omen, pandora, raven, sawyer, shroud, silvius, trickster, trixie, twilight, umbra, wren

🩸 ꒱ Pronouns

amalga / amalgamation, anar / anarchy, bea / beast, claw / claws, crea / creature, cree / creepy, danger / dangerous, dea / death, deci / deceive, des / despair, des / desperate, dist / disturbed, dep / depths, eer / eerie, ent / entity, fea / fear, feat / features, gri / grin, gro / growl, hau / haunt, hide / hidden, horri / horrific, hun / hunt, indes / indescribable, lum / lumber, mad / madness, mi / mist, mist / mistake, mor / morbid, mort / mortified, ner / nervous, om / omen, ro / roam, rot / rotting, ser / serve, sna / snarl, ten / tense, thre / threat, unfla / unflattering, unknown / unknowable, unnat / unnatural, with / wither, wro / wrong

🌑 ꒱ Titles

[x] who induces fear, [x] who horrifies all that observe [x], [x] who terrifies, [x] cast out of [x] village, the exiled one, [x] rejected by the earth's blessings, [x] cursed by the hands of the unholy, [x] shrouded by mist, the abominable creature of night, [x] begrudgingly accepted by the community, [x] who frightens, [x] who isn't what [x] seems, [x] who'll get the life [x] deserves, the amalgamate of all who lost faith, [x] who'll make you fear the unknown, [x] who lost all humanity, [x] who travels with flies feasting upon [x] carcass, [x] who beckons you to follow

🩸 ꒱ Genders

amallenbilic, careldrisean, censoredgender, creat?re, creaturething, creatureweirdo, cryptidhorror, cryptidmasc/fem, cryptidredacted, eldrideity, eldrilover, fanorean, fearbodiment, firloen, horaugic, horheartsoundic, hyperhorror, laceldritchity, lacunaic, masc/femcreature, unfathogoreygender, virstalous

bonus: cryptid omninoun, fear eiment

[countesspetofi]

Today in the departmtent of Before They Were Star Trek Stars, DeForest Kelley guest stars in WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, season 2, episode 7, "The Empty Cell" (original air date October 17, 1959). De plays a telegraph operator who aids in a train robbery, and is then hunted by Steve McQueen's bounty hunter Josh Randall as well as a local sheriff played by Lon Chaney, Jr. (who he impersonates at one point).

I was there for De, but I enjoyed Chaney's scenes with McQueen a lot. It's an interesting moment; Chaney was at a point in his career where he was transitioning from films to mostly TV appearances, and McQueen was just about to break out of TV and into movie stardom.

[hotvintagepoll]

WAIT i regret my hasty choices please redo the round 4 polls 😩

ok

[eezdalf]

We should also consider if the inhabitants of the mega-sites consciously managed their ecosystem to avoid large-scale deforestation... Archaeological studies of their economy suggest a pattern of small-scale gardening, often taking place within the bounds of the settlement, combined with the keeping of livestock, cultivation of orchards, and a wide spectrum of hunting and foraging activities. The diversity is actually remarkable, as is its sustainability. As well as wheat, barley, and pulses, the citizens' plant diet included apples, pears, cherries, sloes, acorns, hazelnuts and apricots. Mega-site dwellers were hunters of red deer, roe deer, and wild boar as well as farmers and foresters. It was 'play farming' on a grand scale: an urban populous supporting itself through small-scale cultivation and herding, combined with an extraordinary array of wild foods. This way of life was by no means 'simple'. As well as managing orchards, gardens, livestock and woodlands, the inhabitants of these cities imported salt in bulk from springs in the eastern Carpathians and the Black Sea littoral. Flint extraction by the ton took place in the Dniestr valley, furnishing material for tools. A household potting industry flourished, its products considered among the finest ceramics of the prehistoric world; and regular supplies of copper flowed in from the Balkans. There is no firm consensus from archaeologists about what sort of social arrangements all this required, but most would agree the logistical challenges were daunting. A surplus was definitely produced, and with it ample potential for some to seize control of the stocks and supplies, to lord it over others or battle for the spoils; but over the eight centuries we find little evidence for warfare or the rise of social elites.

a description of talianki (located in modern day ukraine), a neolithic site from 5,700 years ago (inhabited from roughly 4100 to 3300 bc) from the dawn of everything by davids: graeber and wengrow

once again this book is fantastic - and one of its main theses is that "the agricultural revolution" and some of the conclusions we draw from it are, largely, not true.

the development of farming in human societies is a much much longer and more "playful" process than popular narratives would have us believe. 'agricultural revolution' suggests an on/off switch almost. and the way it's usually taught sees agriculture being "invented" and then spreading like wildfire to take over the globe - only then allowing for true cities and the "necessary evils" they entail. this simply isn't true. an urban, farming society is not automatically doomed to bureaucracy, inequality, and exploitation.

all across the world the archaeological evidence points to the domestication of plants taking literal thousands of years longer than it "ought to." and then, even when the domestication of a wild plant was complete there isn't an immediate rise of huge fields and class stratification (as the popular narrative goes). again - in the magnitude of multiple thousands of years. we have generations upon generations of humans with farming know-how who don't immediately begin a march of politics and inequality precipitated by farming.

agriculture isn't humanity's curse no matter what the memes and capitalists say. we are not doomed to our current ways - we can imagine, we can build, we can create new ways of being. the past is the present is the past. and fuck you capitalism and doomed "human nature" debates. and read the dawn of everything <3

[rockybloo]

Are people allowed to pass through Nana forest? What about hunting the animals that live there?

The forest Nana lives in is typically just nicknamed "The Lupine Forest" due to it having such big and tall trees similar to how Lupines themselves are typically big and tall when in their wolf forms.

It's not completely off limits to people. It's just that people are usually scared to pass through it due to rumors of there being ravenous monsters living within the woods that will eat any living soul that dares to enter.

Those that are "brave" (aka aware these are just rumors and not real) aren't banned from entering or passing through. It's technically open woods. So long as you don't throw off the vibes, you're good.

When it comes to hunting, that's when it can become an issue. Nana's father, when he was still kicking, wanted to avoid another forest becoming the victim to deforestation and overhunting, especially one he was raising a family in.

Typically, if people are hunting for food, they don't upset that balance of nature. Similar to if people are just chopping down enough wood to build something, and planting back down tree sprouts to replace what they took. So he'd make sure people did just that: only kill what you will eat and only cut down what you will replant.

This went pretty well and the forest was THRIVING until his untimely death. So Nana took the mantle of keep the forest at peace. She might not be as big and intimidating (at first) as her father but she sends plenty of people fleeing when they push their luck.

In recent times, the forest isn't so much a spot people target for wood so much as people preferring it as a hunting ground due to the thriving wildlife within it. Having been untouched by humans for so long, it has a very healthy population of animals that come in many varieties due to being able to inhabit such a peaceful environment.

And because these dense woodlands are filled with plenty of peak critters, many hunters, that want something new to mount their walls and brag to their friends about, flock to it.

Which pisses Nana off.

Greatly.

These are often the people that run back to their little towns and villages and scream and holler about the rumors of a monster in the woods being true after an encounter with an unhappy Nana.

Nana doesn't know it but she's a urban legend and cautionary tale to many (and not just in the Little Red Riding Hood sense)

[notgonnaedit]

Healer's Care

Tribe

Summary: Eight months after the destruction of Tipoca City, and the Bad Batch are starting to question where they truly belong

Pairing: Bad Batch x Teen!OFC (clones being good brothers/dads)

Chapter summary: A job for Cid turns into a Wookie side quest

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, forest fires, deforestation, creepy spider things, (If I miss a tag LMK)

Masterlist

Tags: @hugmekenobi @nottwonerdy777

@dreamsight73 @delicioustacocollector

@covert1ntrovert @clonethirstingisreal

The ramp hissed as it lowered, allowing the Batch to exit the Marauder's confines into the shady space port.

"Cid said the Vanguard Axis is notorious for illegal smuggling," Hunter informed them. "So be ready for anything. We'll make the delivery. Echo, Omega, Althea. Guard the ship."

The medic nodded, watching as her squad walked off to deliver the forged chain codes. Omega settled on the ramp, resting her elbows on her knees. Althea leaned against the door, folding her arms as she scanned their surroundings.

"There's something off about this place," She murmured.

"I don't like it," Omega added.

Echo nodded. "Yeah, me neither. But we're not staying for long," He turned and walked up the ramp. "I'll prep the ship."

After the ARC entered the ship, a sound reached Althea's ears. She furrowed her brow. It sounded like a shout, followed by two thuds. ​​​​​​

She stood up straight, walking down a few steps.

"You hear it too?" Omega asked as she stood.

Althea grabbed her blaster made her way down to the end of the ramp. "Stay close."

The two of them made their way through the space port, following the sound of the shouts. They came to an area with shipping crates in orderly stacks everywhere, but that wasn't the center of their attention.

A Wookiee –A young one it seemed– was being electrocuted by two guard droids.

"Stop!" Omega demanded. "You're hurting him!"

Both girls raised their weapons.

"Halt, humanoid," One of the droids ordered. "Do not interfere with Vanguard Axis business."

"No!" Althea blasted one droid in the head.

The Wookiee quickly took advantage of this and jumped on the other's back, grabbing it's electo-staff and stabbing it.

Omega deactivated her bow. "More are coming. Hurry!"

Althea, Omega, and the Wookiee ran through the maze of stacks. Twisting and turning as they avoided more droids.

When they finally made it out, the Wookie ran the opposite direction they needed to go.

"Not that way," Althea said as the Wookiee began to dig through crates. "What are you doing?"

"You need to go before they find you," Omega warned.

"Omega, Thea," a familiar voice said. Echo walked up to them, helmet concealing his expression. "let's get back to the ship."

The Wookiee looked up at Echo and snarled.

"It's okay," Omega assured him. "He's a friend."

But the Wookiee payed no heed and ran off.

"Wait!" Althea called. She turned to Echo. "Those droids are after him. Come on!"

                        •°•°•°•°•°•°•

Hunter watched as the leader of the droids closed the case of chain codes– well, forged chain codes. So far, the mission was going well, even if that place didn't feel right.

The droid's comm beeped. It sounded with blaster fire and a modulated voice saying, "We have a situation."

The droid looked at Hunter, who cocked his helmeted head to the side. "Problem?"

It said nothing, merely walking past him and out of the office with a few other droids.

"The cause of that blaster fire is either Echo or the girls," said Tech. "Most likely the girls."

Just then, Hunter's own comm beeped. "Hunter, we need backup now," Echo demanded.

Hunter suppressed a sigh. So much for a smooth mission.

                          •°•°•°•°•°•

Echo, Althea, Omega, and the Wookiee took cover behind a crate as they fired at the droids.

"What sort of treachery is this?" Asked the leader.

"Stay back!" Omega ordered, her bow casting an intense light on her normally sweet face.

One of the droids went to fire, but a shot from behind stopped them.

Hunter, Wrecker, and Tech came out of the office, blasters ready.

"They're with us," Hunter warned, his voice low.

The leader regarded him. "I would advise you to take your soldiers and extricate yourselves from the situation."

"No!" Althea's held a firey glow. "They're going to hurt him."

The droid turned to her. "Oh, on the contrary. The Wookiee is a worth a great deal to our buyer alive."

"You can't smuggle living beings," Echo snapped.

"For the right price, I can do whatever I want."

Out of the corner of her eye, Althea saw the Wookie reach his hand out.

"Now stand down or be destroyed," The droid ordered.

Suddenly, a hilt hanging off of the droid's belt shot into the Wookiee's hand. In his grasp, it ignited into a green blade.

Althea stared in shock. The Wookie was a Jedi.

Blaster's fired everywhere, and the Wookie used his lightsaber with incredible skill.

Althea fired back, twisting and dodging in the fray. Hunter and Wrecker over turned a cart and used it to crush several droids.

"Get to the ship!" The tracker shouted.

The Wookie deactivated his blade. 

"Come on!" Althea shouted.

"Hurry!" Omega called.

In a rush of the battle, they made it to the ship, where Tech and Echo quickly flew away and into hyperspace.

                        •°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Omega glanced to the back of the ship as she set her hat and bow down. The Wookiee was sitting there, his knees tucked to his chest and his head buried in them. "Why is he sitting back there alone?"

Hunter glanced back at him, turning in his chair. "Because he's scared. He's been through a lot."

Althea dug through her medical bag, fishing out gauze, bandages, and an old salve her mother made. There wasn't much left, but it would have to do. "Well, he still needs to eat."

She stood as Omega took a ration pack from Wrecker, carrying a canteen as they walked back to the Wookiee.

He groaned softly as the girls approached, curling further into himself.

"Here," Omega set the food down in front of him. "You look hungry."

Althea looked over him, her eyes finding a small gash in his furry arm. He followed her gaze, grunting softly.

"I need to patch you up," The medic told him. She held up her old salve. "I had a feeling you'd like this better than stim meds."

He nodded, a small smile on his face. But as Althea moved to apply the salve, he snarled. Surprised, the ebony haired girl looked back to see Hunter and Wrecker, their hands raised in surrender.

"What's wrong?" Omega asked.

"He doesn't trust us," Hunter told her remorsefully.

"Well," Tech started. "seeing how all the clones were given an order to execute the Jedi, he has good reason to be cautious."

"I'm sorry about what happened," Hunter told he young Jedi as he sat down. He spoke slowly, acknowledging the language barrier. "But we are not like other clones. We did not follow that order. And we don't work for the Empire either."

Althea nodded, a kind smile on her face. "Hunter's telling the truth. You don't have to be afraid of us. They're different. They helped me when I needed them."

Omega smiled softly. "It's okay. Eat," She pushed the tray and canteen a little closer.

The Wookiee took the tray and ate from it, no longer wary. Althea worked on his arm as Omega hopped up on a crate for a seat.

"I'm Omega," She introduced. "What's your name?"

The Wookiee growled, his tone much more friendlier than before.

Hunter hummed. "My Wookiee is a little rusty, but I think he says his name is Gungi."

Gungi growled again, and this time Hunter turned to Tech for help. "You catch that?"

The pilot's visor was down and littered with the translation. "He's been on the run since Order 66, and was attempting to reach the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk before he was captured by those smuggling droids."

Hunter looked back to the Wookiee. "I'm not sure how you survived this long on your own, but it's impressive."

Althea tied off the bandage and Gungi growled gratefully. "If he's trying to get to his homeworld, we can take him."

"It's been a while since we've been to Kashyyyk," Wrecker added.

Hunter furrowed his brow before standing up and walking into the doorway to see what Echo thought.

"The Empire could have outposts there by now," The ARC muttered. "We don't know if it's safe for him there."

Hunter sighed. "He's a Jedi. He's not safe anywhere."

                     •°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Tech dropped the ship out of hyperspace as Wrecker opened a ration bar. He was about to take a bite when he noticed Gungi eyeing it hungrily. The demo man handed it to him, nodding kindly. Gungi took it and ate it in one bite.

"We're heading to a village we know of," Hunter told the Wookiee. "The Wookiees there should be able to help you."

"I've locked on to the coordinates," Echo said. "But I'm picking up heavy smoke and deforestation."

"Keep an eye out for Imperial outposts," Hunter warned. "Oh, and kid. Keep that laser sword hidden. It, uh, draws attention we don't want."

Althea snorted as she walked into the cockpit. "They're called lightsabers, Hunter," She snickered. "You're so old."

Hunter shook his head and folded his arms. "You remember that you're older than me, right, kiddo?"

The medic shrugged, still sniggering. "Laser sword. Heheheheh."

Tech brought the Marauder into the atmosphere, flying over the thick forests of Kashyyyk. He landed in a small clearing, and as the team stepped out, Althea found herself in the humid jungle. 

Gungi seemed incredibly interested, watching the wildlife intently as they walked.

"Do you remember anything about this planet?" Omega asked.

Gungi growled softly.

"What did he say?" Althea asked.

"From his dreams," Hunter translated.

They came to an area covered in large webs. They silky strands created a curtain blocking their path.

"Here," Wrecker grabbed his blade. "I'll take care of it." 

As he began to swing his knife, cutting down the webs, a creature emerged from the trees.

"Whoa!" The demo man stumbled back, grabbing his blaster to attack the clicking creature.

Gungi growled, putting his hand on Wrecker's arm.

"He says, 'They will not attack unless we pose a threat'." Tech told them.

Gungi reached out his hand and closed his eyes. The creature moved peacefully out of the way, allowing them to move on.

Althea marvelled at power Gungi held. She had only encountered the Jedi a few times in the war, but never had she seen something like this.

"According to my telemetry, the village is... straight ahead," Tech trailed off as they came to a cliff over looking the forest. Right where the village was supposed to be, smoke was billowing from the trees.

As they made their way to their destination, it became clear the village was destroyed. Whatever was left of the thatch and wood houses was replaced by ash and cinders. It felt all too familiar to Althea.

Hunter crouched, his hand running over the dirt. "Tanks came through here," 

Althea sighed, furrowing her brow. "The Empire incinerated the entire village."

Gungi walked to a smoldering house and fell to his knees.

"The Empire destroyed out home too," Omega told him. "Don't worry. We'll find your people." She helped him up with a kind hand.

A low rumble signaled the Batch to hide. They ran behind the smoldering home to find even more smoke climbing the skyline. They crouched low, avoiding detection as they tried to figure out if the Empire was there.

"What do you see?" Hunter asked Tech, who had pulled out his binocs.

"Trandoshans," The pilot answered. "And they have a Wookiee hostage."

"How did they get their hands on Imperial tanks?" Althea asked upon seeing the reptilians with the machinery.

One of the Trandoshans, probably the leader, shouted something. The tanks began to shoot fire at stones with carvings. The Wookiee hostage roared in protest.

Althea watched with sad eyes, but then she realized someone was missing. Gungi was gone.

"Hunter, Gungi," Althea pointed to the young Wookiee running into the fray.

They followed, finding their new friend fighting with his lightsaber. Omega and Althea joined him, fighting back to back to back.

Hunter disabled the tanks by fighting their drivers, and in no time, the Trandoshans we're defeated and the Wookiee was freed, seeing as he ran off into the jungle.

But the fire was still blazing.

"We need to stop the flames from spreading," Hunter said as he grabbed one of the Trandoshan's shovels. "Start digging."

                        •°•°•°•°•°•

It had been an hour and the fire had finally died out. Althea took a seat on a tank next to Gungi and Omega. The three sat there, taking in the shakey peace of a tired forest.

That's when they heard it. The trees rustlesd, putting everyone on guard.

"More Trandoshans?" Asked Tech.

Hunter listened. "No. Something bigger."

Just then, large felines hopped down from the trees with Wookiees on their back. Althea watched them as they lended their hands out. "I think they're offering us a ride," She guessed.

"I think so too, kiddo," Agreed Hunter.

                       •°•°•°•°•°•°•

When they reached the Wookiee village, the first thing Althea noticed was the large common house. 

Once the felines halted, the medic slid down from her place behind Tech, followed by the others.

An elder Wookiee came out of the house and greeted the former hostage. They put their heads together, closing their eyes in a type of greeting.

She then turned to them, her hooded shawl following her every movement. She growled in her native tongue.

"Her name is Yanna," Tech told them. "She appears to be leading them."

Hunter nodded to show his respect. "We are returning him to his homeworld," He and Wrecker moved to reveal Gungi standing behind them. "But he doesn't know what village he's from."

He approached the elder slowly, his soft eyes brimming with cautious excitement. Yanna looked up at him and held the back of his neck, lowering her head. Gungi looked around in confusion before realizing he was supposed to put his forehead to hers. 

When they pulled away, Yanna looked to Hunter and growled.

"We were soldiers of the Republic," The tracker answered as he took off his helmet. "But let's just say we don't see eye to eye with the Empire."

Yanna growled inquisitively.

"We came because Gungi was in trouble. Jedi or not, he's still a child. He needs his people."

                        •°•°•°•°•°•°•

Night had fallen on Kashyyyk and the Batch settled into the common house. The Wookiee hostage, who's name they learned was Chori, dipped a wooden cup into a bowl full of green stew and drank.

Echo scrunched his nose, waving his hand when Chori offered him some. "Uh.... No thanks."

"You don't know what you're missing," Wrecker declared. He took the entire bowl and drank from it.

Chori chuckled at the demo man as Gungi looked between the two curiously.

Althea sat by the wall, digging through her bag of medicine. She huffed in frustration when she saw she was running low on her herbs and salves.

"Yanna's agreed to let Gungi stay with them," Omega announced as she, Hunter, Tech and Yanna entered the room.

"What about the Trandoshans?" Althea asked as she walked over to join the conversation.

"The Empire's been using them to strip the planet's resources," Hunter told her as he took a seat at the table. "Many of the villagers have fled deeper into the jungle."

"Yanna's scouts are reporting a large convoy headed in this direction," Tech said. "She says to leave."

"Hunter," Echo started. "the Wookiees have been our allies for years. We have to do something."

Gungi growled in agreement.

"We'll stay and help you fight them," Hunter looked directly at Yanna.

She growled in a tone Althea couldn't place.

Hunter furrowed his brow. "You don't have to do this alone."

Gungi growled and Yanna answered. She tapped her staff on the floor and walked outside. Chori and the other Wookiee warriors followed her, and Gungi after some confusion.

The Batch walked to the doorway to watch them. They went to the roots of one of the many trees in the jungle and places their hands on them. Gungi mimicked them. Then they kneeled and closed their eyes. Gungi did that too.

"What are they doing?" Althea whispered.

"They're asking the trees for help," Hunter told her.

"They're talking to the trees?" Omega asked.

Tech nodded. "They believe this planet belongs to the trees. And they are allies in this fight."

"We'll take all the allies we can get," Hunter hummed.

Althea glanced at him. She was surprised to see how quickly he volunteered to help the Wookiees, especially since it was the Empire after them.

What had changed?

"I'll go keep watch," Echo said. He and Wrecker moved to the other side of the house porch.

Althea looked up at Hunter. "So, why are you so eager to help the Wookiees?"

"What do you mean?" The tracker asked.

"Usually you want to avoid the Empire, but you're rushing head on this time."

Hunter looked over at her, his expression unreadable. He sighed softly. "I had a friend back in the war who was a Wookiee. He was the one who taught me their language."

"Where is he?" Omega asked. 

Hunter shrugged. "Don't know. But it wouldn't be right to let his people suffer. Not when I could help."

"Not when we can help," Althea corrected with a determined expression.

A corners of Hunter's lips tugged upwards as he nodded to her.

Footsteps sounded from around the bend. Echo and Wrecker came running to them. "The Trandoshan convoy's closing in," Echo warned.

Just then, the Wookiees stood from the tree roots. Gungi ran over and growled eagerly.

Hunter raised a brow. "The trees have a plan?" He shrugged, slipping on his helmet. "Alright... Whatever they say."

                      •°•°•°•°•°•°•

The Imperial troops making their way through the jungle was the only sound. The leaves crunched under their feet, and sticks broke under the weight of the tank.

BOOM!

An explosion directly under the tank sent the troops in disaray. From the bushes, the Batch and the Wookiees lept to join the fray. Althea blasted the Trandoshans, fighting with Omega.

"Stick to the plan," Hunter ordered. "Draw them into the nest!"

Althea nodded, backing up slowly but surely into the jungle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gungi and a Trandoshan run into the trees. Omega did too.

Together, the girls chased after them, knowing they needed to help their friend.

They found Gungi in a tree, watching as the spider creatures took the Trandoshan away as he screamed.

"Gungi!" Althea called him down.

The Jedi landed at their feet, nodding to them before the flames could swallow them. They ran back to the others. Hunter and Echo were waiting for them.

"The fire!" Omega panted. "It's spreading too fast!"

Hunter pressed his fingers to his helmet. "Tech, gather all the Wookiees."

                      •°•°•°•°•°•°•

It was morning before the fire was put out, and everyone was exhausted. In the common house, the Batch rested.

"You know, I could get used to this," Wrecker remarked as he drank the soup.

Echo took a small sip, trying it out. A small smile graced his face. "Hmm. Not bad," He hummed.

Yanna looked outside to see Hunter standing in the doorway. She took the bundle she readied and walked out. 

Tech stood and grabbed his helmet to translate if needed.

Hunter was leaning against the outer wall, his steel brown eyes gazing at the sight before him.

Omega, Althea, and Gungi kneeled at the base of a tree, their eyes closed in concentration.

"They're just kids," Hunter said sadly as Yanna walked out. "But they don't get to be. Not in this galaxy."

Yanna growled, and Tech slid down his visor. " 'When a young one leaves, the trees weep. But when they return, the trees sing. As this child found his new home, perhaps, one day, we all will find a new path'."

Hunter let out a sigh. "Hopefully..." He breathed. "One far away from war."

Yanna growled, and this time Hunter could catch what she was saying. She held out the small bundle in her hands, earning a small smile from the tracker.

He took the bundle. "I'm sure she'll love these," His gaze drifted back to the medic as he held the medicinal herbs. "They'll make her happier than you know."​​​​​​​

Previous

Next

[toxinellebug]

Paris and the World under The Supreme’s Rule Headcannons

Back during WW2, when Marianne suggested to Wang Fu they should use the Miraculous, she of course meant using them to fight. Wang Fu decided to use them to make a wish;

World Peace.

The price?

World freedom.

So there are SOME good things… No war in Vietnam, no war in Isreal, and good news Americans; 9/11 never happened and school shootings do not exist because it is impossible for anyone to get a gun, not even hunters!

On the downside, no guns for hunting means wildlife conservation is a thing of the past. Animal overpopulation in addition to human deforestation has led to a significant decrease in food sources for wildlife, many of which have gone extinct due to starvation. Another plus side is there are no “slap on the wrist” punishments for criminals who assault women and children. Death penalty is a very effective way to prevent recurring crimes.

Prisons are also no longer a multi-million dollar drain on tax-paying citizens; no free room and board for criminals. They all have to work in labor camps to earn every morsel of food and live in 15 square foot cells.

(Marinette’s Grandmother is currently serving time in a labor camp)

There aren’t really much in the way of trials either… You are arrested for a crime, presented with the facts/evidence, then sentenced.

There are no homeless wandering streets, begging for hand-outs. There are special labor camps for the impoverished where they are assigned tasks that meet their physical and mental abilities, snd are paid enough to afford them cheap living quarters, approximately 130 square feet in size, and the most basic of food stuffs and hygiene products to keep them alive. No, they cannot refuse.

Remember, the Supreme knows best.

Project Oxygen is a go- several small parks have been “re-habilitated” into giant filters and fresh air is beginning to be sold in fancy plastic bottles thanks to Bertrand King. He’s been trying for a while to convince Gabriel that Adrien should do commercials for Project Oxygen, as it would be great for the boy’s career…. But Gabriel always comes up with an excuse to get out of it. The latest being that it wouldn’t match with Adrien’s new look.

Audrey Bourgeois ADORES Adrien’s new look! It’s so much more bold and edgy! Also, the latest fashion trend is not glitter, it’s metal studs- industry and progress in a sleek, metallic form.

Audrey is home more often than Andre, who could be gone for months at a time working on one of his movies. But of course he still handles important paperwork and does video calls to check on hotel and sends lots of very expensive gifts to his little Princess.

Chloe is even more abusive and demanding of Sabrina, and poor Sabrina puts up with it for her father’s sake-

There has been a lot of vandalism lately (thanks to Shadybug and ClawNoir) and talk that Enforcers just aren’t as effective at keeping the order as they used to be. Word is that tech Giant Tsurugi is in the process of designing new automatons that will be more efficient (and less costly) than human Enforcers. Who knows? There may even be a surge of Enforcer lay-offs if the project becomes successful. Chloe has hinted that she MIGHT be willing to put in a good word with Daddy, should Mr. Raincomprix be one of the many Enforcers who finds himself out of a job. The Hotel could always use more security guards/bouncers. But since Daddy ONLY hires the most DEDICATED employees… Well, how can Chloe possibly make a recommendation if she’s not sure Sabrina’s dad would REALLY give it his all? So Sabrina bends over backwards until she breaks and then some to keep Chloe happy.

Officer Raincomprix is also uneasy about talks of future layoffs, and as such, has become harsh in Enforcing law and order. No little wrong doing goes unnoticed or forgiven. No leniency. (Think Roger-cop without the Akuma).

Rose is not that perky. Under the Supreme, there is no socialist nonsense like Universal Healthcare, so medicines, doctor visits, prescriptions, hospitals… it’s all crazy expensive just like in the USA. This means, in order for Rose to be able to attend a private school like Francois Dupont; her parents work a LOT of overtime and pinch pennies whenever they can. So it’s very lonely at home and in this universe, Rose has not (yet) met Juleka (as stated in previous headcannon). Instead of Unicorns, Rose’s favorite animal is the Caladrius, (a mythological bird that can heal any illness). Though unicorns and kittens are still in her top five favs.

Rose doesn’t see the word through rose-colored glasses. She can’t see the silver-lining in ever raincloud… Instead, she tries to make it herself; if there is no positive, she will just have to invent one! It’s more work, and exhausting, but she HAS to, otherwise she’d drown in depression. Rose’s illness is kept a secret, not because she fears people will treat her with pity, but that she fears people will look down on her; like she’s a burden on her parents, like it’s annoying to have to put up with her weakness.

(I’ve actually been sick myself, since xmas day in fact- perhaps as punishment from the universe for making ClawNoir cataclysm Santa Claus)

Penny is Bob Roth’s personal servant- er, I mean, assistant… which means she’s also gopher for XY. (There is no woman in Paris more miserable than Penny).

Jean-Pierre Monlataing is still an Art teacher at Francois Dupont… and he teaches traditional art styles. Helping students practice time-honored techniques through repetition and standardization. Graffiti is not art, so no spray-paint cans in his classroom! Alix Kubdel is his most troubled student. Marinette does not attend art club. Nathaniel shows great talent for portraits.

Jalil strives to be better than his father; he admire Nathalie Sancoeur and hopes to rise to her position of Director of the Louvre someday.

Directors of Museums are prestigious positions you have to work hard your whole life to even be considered for, as The Supreme appoints them. As far as the public knows, this is for the sake of preserving history as well as ensuring that dangerous ideas from the past do not repeat themselves and inspire anarchy in young, impressionable minds.

The reality is that they are searching for clues to missing Miraculous.

The Supreme has already taken steps to ensure the Prodigious will never pose a threat to his power (Temple and access to cave have been destroyed and the bracelet has been confiscated and placed in a secure location).

But there are still most likely Miraculous scattered across the earth. Gems that, if fallen into the “wrong hands” could disrupt the peace and order that the Supreme has worked hard to maintain.

Marianne intends to find these Miraculous first… if only she had the help of someone younger and more physically up to the challenge.

When Gabriel/Betterfly/Hesperia forms “The Resistance” and Marianne is introduced to their ranks, this is exactly the plan she suggests in order to take down The Supreme and give power back to all the people.

She only has a few clues on where to start searching though.

…Fun fact, if you were to unify the Ladybug miraculous of creation with the Eagle miraculous of freedom, you would get Ladybird- determined to create a new, free world.

[dizzycloudzzz]

Shrek AU?????

I just watched Shrek and some spirit possessed me to do this

OKAY *inhale*

It's on the Boiling Isles buuut in the Deadwardian Era, as if they were ancestors of the current Gus, Hunter and Willow

Does that make sense? Of course it does

Let's change the term "ogre" in the story to "Grimwalker", so this Hunter here is living isolated from witches and Belos, a Golden Guard who escaped and discovered the truth and now just wants to live his own life in peace and A L O N E, so he maaaay have forged his own death and then maintaining the lies that he was some zombie or spirit when one or two witches saw him in the forest and were called crazy for that

-

And then we have Augustus Porter, running away from a group of annoying witches who were calling him "Donkey" 'cause of the size of his very cute ears and dirtying him with abomination magic, just bullies being bullies

He ran so much until he bumped into one person, and the group of witches behind him also stopped running when they saw who

That guy certainly hasn't slept for a few past lives and not even had found no one alive since WHO KNOWS, and it wasn't even a pleasant surprise

It was just like: eye contact, children screamed when they saw that the legend of "the Golden Guard being alive and cursing anyone who entered the forest" was true partially, and then he walked away, remembering why he didn't like people that much

"new best friend", Gus decided and followed Hunter around like a small but endless source of curiosity and questions

Hunter tried to walk faster, pretend he was deaf or mute, just ignore

Nothing functional, soon he gave in, NOW THEY WERE DONKEY AND DORK UNBEATABLE DUO

Nah, not yet, Hunter was just making up something to distract Gus, trying to scare him by telling him that the legend (that he himself had spread) is true and he was a danger and GUS WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION HE THOUGHT IT WAS SO COOL THAT HE WAS MEETING A LIVING LEGEND

"... you would be SO popular if you showed up to everyone!!!!"

"ew. why would I want that."

He really didn't want anyone much less Belos to know he was living there hidden near a Palistrom tree, and the idea of ​​being known was not attractive to him, he had just invented those rumors about "stealing their souls and bile" so that people would NOT want to know about him, but the plan backfired, now he's famous

And while he and Gus were talking, a crowd gathered around the Palistrom tree/Hunter's home and surrounded the two, not exactly friendly as they trapped Hunter with magical vines and then trapped Gus as well when he tried to save his friend in vain

-

There was monarchy before Belos, Willow's dads ☝️

Gus and Hunter were taken to their castle and it was a relief to know that they actually wanted to ask for help

They told the sad story that their daughter, the princess of the Islands, had been trapped for years in a tower surrounded by the boiling sea and with a Selkidomus guarding the entrance and preventing anyone from saving her 'cause she mistook Willow for one of her babies lol

and no one was able to save her, but Hunter could!!!!!

"you've already tried the most powerful witches on the island and now you're sending me to die there too?"

"aren't you already dead?"

"... touché. I go, but uhhhhh prohibit entry into Palistrom Forest"

"why??"

"'cause they are... deforesting... and in a few years there will be a shortage..?"

"makes sense. we have a deal then"

"can I go rescue the princess too? and get free passage to the forest as a reward?"

Hunter said no, the kings said yes, Gus only heard yes

And they walked a loooong way to get to the beach, being able to see the tower in the distance in the middle of the boiling sea as if it were a small island

Hunter tested getting close to the water, not hesitating to put his hand in there and notice that he didn't burn himself, Grimwalker advantages

Gus created a boat of abomination so himself can float to the tower along with Hunter who just went on his own, being received by an angry Selkidomus out of distrust but who was quickly tamed by an illusion-spell mixed with beast keeping magic from Gus that made her believe that they were also her babies, letting them pass and enter (The "heroes" that were sent earlier were trying to fight the poor Selkidomus, a waste of time)

"it was more easy with you"

"I did nothing"

"I would do nothing either if I were alone, thanks for the moral support"

"I still feel useless... but you're welcome..?"

NOW they're bros, and meet the third future member of the inseparable trio

-

Willow is a Grimwalker too, obviously, she wears contact lenses both to be able to see without needing glasses and to change the magenta color of her eyes to green

She wasn't exactly expecting to be saved (when they arrived, she was trying to escape) but was relieved when she saw the two coming to get her out of there

As they were on the boat heading back to the sand, Hunter noticed Willow touching and playing with the water while they were on the boat and thought about warning her about the obvious fact that it was boiling, but she didn't seem to be affected so he stayed quiet

Gus and Willow? Instant friends, she enjoyed being treated like something other than royalty and liked having someone to talk to after so long

Hunter just like to listen them, during that long journey he discovered himself as a great listener

And they weren't so bad, he didn't hate them, in fact, he liked the company, a little

-

And so we have in a hasty summary:

Willow giving a little lesson to the jerks who bullied Gus before and being named the coolest of the group without needing even an ounce of magic, CAMPS, Everyone venting about their traumas, Huntlow moment with them cutting each other's hair after an accident and talking about his scars and her broken crown, Gus being a brat but a great cupid for them, Flowers and fruit and backhanded compliments 'cause Hunter doesn't know how to flirt

AND theeeeen

"c'mon! you like him and he DEFINITELY likes you too, he's pretty obvious! what's so complicated about that?"

"that would never work, donkey! how could anyone like someone who isn't even a real witch?! a real person? this is not natural..."

Willow was talking about herself, trying to pretend she didn't care, AND GUESS WHO LISTENED?? YEAH HUNTER IS NOT OKAY NOW

-

Another summary:

Discussion and separation, Willow was like Elsa singing "For the First Time in Foreveeeer" and trying to focus on being in the present, back at the castle, to the role of princess and... Without her friends, Hunter just wanted to go back to being a lone wolf but obviously Gus wouldn't let him, he clears up the misunderstanding, Hunter discovers she's a Grimwalker too, another little discussion before they sort themselves out and HOOOLD HANDS and then group hug

They keep meeting in the Palistrom forest as a sacred place for them and as if the rest of the world doesn't exist and they don't have to worry about anything while they are together, just being free and having fun and being young

YAY HAPPY ENDING!!!!!

wait, has it been 22 years since Shrek released? ☠️

[bumblebeeappletree]

In the face of extreme habitat loss, wildlife biologist Dr. Chris Jenkins puts an ambitious plan in motion to save two uniquely American reptiles, the eastern indigo snake and the gopher tortoise, and the forest they call home.

The two threatened species are as important to their ecosystems as they are interconnected themselves. The eastern indigo snake is a prolific hunter that manages predator populations in the southeastern United States. In the northern part of its range, the snakes – along with more than 350 other species – rely on the deep burrows that the gopher tortoise creates to survive freezing temperatures every winter.

Both the indigo snakes and gopher tortoises are in steep decline, as their native habitat has been deforested for centuries and then further fragmented by roads with fast-moving vehicles. Dr. Chris Jenkins is part of a massive conservation effort that takes the reptiles’ homes into account. The team surveys the most critical tortoise land, purchases it, and then restores the native forests. From there, Dr. James Bogan, who leads the only eastern indigo breeding program in the world, can reintroduce new snakes to areas where they have previously gone extinct – with plenty of tortoise burrows to protect them.