#madeline north

[tfwroland]

Shall We Have Some Fun? | Roland & Madeline

Roland raised an eyebrow when he saw Madeline North approaching him with her scrap of paper in her hands. He wondered, for a brief moment, if she meant to tease him and suddenly turn towards another gentlemen at the last moment, but when she finally approached, she showed him his own name written there.

“Miss North,” He said, bowing politely, “It seems you should be congratulated on receiving the very best partner. We may not solve the most riddles on the Day of the Wolf, but I promise you, we shall certainly have the most fun.”

He winked at her, offering her his arm, “I hope you did not obtain my name through any underhanded means. That’s not being fair to the other girls, you know.” He added, teasingly, “Besides, we’ve already been partners once before four years ago. And I know you’d be lying if you said I haven’t been your favorite Yuletide partner. You, my dear, have certainly been mine!” And that he genuinely meant. He often had bad luck with this sort of thing and had been paired with someone insufferable.

Madeline North certainly had outranked all of them by miles.

[athena-xox]

List of my favourite polyamorous eah ships. Do with this what you want.

Maddie x Kitty x Lizzie

Sparrow x Duchess x Poppy

Cedar x Cerise x Kitty

Raven x Cupid x Dexter

Jillian x Nina x Rosabella

Ashlynn x Crystal x Farrah

Northwind x Daring x Sparrow

Apple x Raven x Darling

[costumeloverz71]

Madeline Fabray (Lesley-Anne Down) Light purple print dress.. North & South: Book 1 (1985).. Costume by Vicki Sánchez.

[mitchellpapalewis]

Finest cast to exist. Except John b and topper. Been re watching obx over and over again. Love it

[datingnewgirls]

Dating services Palmerston North: Madeline Ramirez is waiting for a Match

Dating services Palmerston North: Madeline Ramirez is waiting for a Match Hey all, I’m Madeline Ramirez from Palmerston North, New Zealand and I’m looking for a local connection, who’s near by me and want a good date with me. Are you seeking someone special in Palmerston North, New Zealand? Meet Madeline Ramirez, a vibrant 25-year-old who’s ready to blend her passion for travel with the…

[extrastrengthvirgin]

i think i’m done reading books about womanhood from cisgender heterosexual women for a while

[minnesotafollower]

Wall Street Journal Editorial: U.S. Needs More Immigrants

The Wall Street Journal on July 24, 2023, published an editorial calling for increased U.S. recruitment and admission of immigrants.[1] Here are its reasons for that conclusion. “The U.S. has a people problem. The birth rate has been sliding for years, and it’s about to translate into a shrinking labor force. By 2040, according to a study out this week, America could have more than six million…

[lieutenantfloyd]

Top Gun: Maverick Fic Recs

Hey y'all! Here are 21 of my favorite TGM fanfics of all genres and ships, listed in no particular order.

Some of these fics are 18+ so read at your own risk. None of these works are mine and all credit goes to the amazing authors! <3

X READER

Safe Zone by @sunlightmurdock — (Series // Rooster and Hangman x reader)

A team of elite naval aviators holding down the fort at the North Island Air Base while they wait for reinforcements after a virus sweeps the continental U.S. - only, it’s been three months and no one has shown up.

Hold My Hand by @labyrinth-runner — (Series // Cyclone x Reader)

Jag! Reader is assigned to defend a pilot, finding the job to be more complicated than she thought.

Rooster’s Flight or a Manual for the Marooned by DontLetThemTakeYouAlive (Series // Rooster x Reader/OC)

"Rooster's Flight: A Manual for the Marooned" follows Madeline, a pastry chef escaping scandal in Amsterdam, and Bradley, a lost naval aviator stationed in Japan. Fate brings them to sunny San Diego, where their friendship blossoms amid career challenges and a clashing of characters. Madeline's culinary journey intertwines with Bradley's self-discovery, navigating love and loss.

Resilience, self-discovery, and the unpredictable paths of career and matters of the heart shape their narrative in this tale of second chances and unlikely connections.

Fine Piece by @dragon-kazansky (Series // Cyclone x Reader)

You have it bad for Vice Admiral Simpson. But to prove you’re fit for the job; you need to put that aside and focus on the flying.

Someone Special by @fanboygarcia (Oneshot // Cyclone x Reader)

What happens when the Dagger Squad catches on to the fact that known grump turned lovesick fool Admiral Simpson has someone special in his life?

Invisible String by @halfway-happyyy (Oneshot // Rooster x Reader)

the one where rooster’s about to leave on a mission he doesn’t know if he’ll be back from, and he wants you in every way imaginable. as always, soft feelings ensue! 

Do you wanna make somethin’ of it by @theharddeck (Oneshot // Rooster x Reader)

turns out, our favorite WSO has a side hustle, as quinn's favorite cowboy.

@bullet-prooflove's entire TGM masterlist

Everything she writes is outstanding, but the Beau x Ally fics (The First Time Series, The General Series, Deployment!Series, and Syria!Series) are something I think about literally everyday.

i don’t know, blame the air force? by @gretagerwigsmuse (Oneshot // Rooster x Reader)

in which lieutenant commander bradshaw feels his girlfriend’s wrath after she gets her year end bonus and uncle sam takes a pretty penny out of it

There Are Rules by @tongue-like-a-razor (Series // Maverick x Reader)

Your risky flying seriously pisses off your instructor at Top Gun and you're about to find out why.

Through the Hourglass by @bratshaws (Series // Rooster x OC)

Rooster x Plus Size OC!

Happy Birthday, Mr. President by @rhettabbotts (Oneshot // Bob x Reader)

after a hard week, the last thing bob wanted to do was attend his birthday party. so instead, he plays out one of his biggest fantasies with you.

Whoever's in Lemoore by @cherrycola27 (Oneshot // Bob x Reader)

A fic based on the Reba McEntire song "Whoever's in New England"

Angels Don't Always Have Wings by @bradshawssugarbaby (Series // Rooster x Reader)

a series of oneshots revolving around baseball player!Bradley Bradshaw x reader (nicknamed Angel)

Do I? by @bradshawssugarbaby (Oneshot // Cyclone x Reader)

Inspired by Do I? by Luke Bryan. (this fic was so good I had to go take a walk after reading it for the first time)

Road to Perdition by @sailor-aviator (Series // Hangman x Reader)

The Great Depression wasn't called a depression for nothing. Jobs were scarce, and the price of food and other necessities were rising higher and higher with each passing day. What little money you were able to make went straight to the bank and out of reach from your booze-swilling lech of a brother. It's on one such run that you come face to face with members of the infamous Dagger Gang; a group of, admittedly handsome, men who steal from the banks to hand it back out to the poor. You want nothing to do with them, but that blond-headed devil might just have something to say to the contrary. (1930s!Mobster!AU)

His Best Friend's Wedding by @ereardon (Series // Rooster x Reader)

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw has been your best friend for a decade. He’s also your fiancé’s best man. So when he shows up at your hotel room the night before your wedding, it’s just because he’s your friend, right? 

OTHER SHIPS

Mistaken Identity by @ladylanera — (TGM x Mission: Impossible crossover)

What should be a joyous homecoming quickly unravels after it's discovered a nefarious, unknown group has put a hit out on Captain Mitchell, mistaking the Navy captain for being a covert IMF operative by the name of Ethan Hunt who has an uncanny likeness to the captain for some reason. Enter a twisty web of lies that threaten the very existence of the family as we know it.

**Fic contains spoilers for Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One**

Flower Power by ReformedTsundere — (Icemav)

Flowers, Pete reminds himself, slamming the last of the books closed, are the worst.

New Chat Created: North Island Daggers by Comin2U — (gen fic)

Harvard: why Whatsapp and not just a basic text message? Hangman: because one of us has an android and ruins the ability to message with just internet. Coyote: Screw you too hangman. ________________________________ In which 12 daggers, the best of the best of naval aviators, are all a bunch of kids and thrown in a group chat.

come fly with me (let's fly, let's fly away) by GatheringBlue — (TGM x 9-1-1 Crossover)

It's a common misconception that Buck trained to be a Navy SEAL. For as long as he could remember, flying had been his dream. Most little kids wanted to be a firefighter or an astronaut, but Buck had always wanted to be a pilot. He wanted to fly far, far away from home, where his parents’ comments that might as well have been slaps for how badly they stung couldn’t get to him. Flying was his way out. His escape. If he was thousands of feet up in the sky, way up with the clouds, then his parents couldn’t touch him. No one could. When Buck got pulled from the reserves just after the lawsuit, it seemed like perfect timing. There was nothing left for him in LA. Not anymore. So, it looked like Buck was heading back to Top Gun.

[butchfairyzine]

Artist spotlight- Garden Fairies: Tea and Megan! 🌱

"Megan Holt is an author and artist in North Carolina. You'll find her snuggling with her dog Destiny, or looking for coffee and a good book. Madeline Miller is a huge inspiration for her writing.

Megan can be found at @passionately_inked_art ""

--

"Tea Turenne is a mixed media artist and illustrator currently based on the east coast of the United States. Their experience transmasculine butch lesbian is central to their work, which seeks to highlight the love and emotionality inherent to their butch identity. when they aren't making art,they can be found playing Pokemon Mystery Dungeon or working out the gym.

Tea can be found at TeaTurenne.art

--

Stay tuned for more updates about our artists and writers , we have some more amazing talents to show you all. Zine kickstarter will be in June/July.

[lance-thunder-reporting-live]

Good morning Amity Park, I'm your ghostly weatherman, Lance Thunder. Today's Monday, November 20, and there’s a 90% chance of rain. Highs are in the high forties and lows are in the low forties.

The Box Ghost and Johnny 13 were seen arguing in the mall yesterday. It appears that the two were searching for Christmas presents together, but were unable to move past how annoying they viewed each other. This resulted in Hollister being evacuated of all customers while the two ghosts created barricades and forts from boxes and clothes and started shooting ectoplasmic blasts at each other, much like a child playing with nerf guns.

The Red Huntress and Danny Phantom both arrived to stop and capture the two ghosts, but ended up causing even more trouble as the Red Huntress, seeing Danny Phantom as a greater threat than the two battling ghosts, entirely ignored the two in favor of trying to either capture or destroy Danny Phantom. Danny Phantom and the Red Huntress ended up rampaging through Claires and destroying nearly half of the merchandise in the store.

The situation was strangely solved by Dr.s Jack and Madeline Fenton, as none of the ghosts present wanted to risk capture by them, and so fled, followed closely by the Red Huntress who still wanted to capture Phantom.

The north side of the mall will be closed off in some areas for repairs.

The Fentons will likely be driving today.

[f3mme-f4tale]

something wlw! with ellie! and valetines-esque!!

of course! my mind jumps directly to clairo :) specifically the song north (have i listened to the song twenty times today bc i have a crush? yes) & also (you) on my arm by leith ross ✧˖*°࿐

pairing: bestfriend!ellie x female reader word count: 1.3k warnings/tags: just fluff rly, mild suggestive content :3 summary: possible unrequited love (hehe), ellie is in love her with best friend, love confessions via literature, friends to lovers

Ellie was overwhelmed. She felt the emotions racing through her like a waterfall. She could practically imagine feeling her friend's warm hands on her thighs, and she was paralyzed with uncertainty. For the first time, she was unable to turn a blind eye because she was afraid of what it all meant. She was starting to have serious feelings for her friend.  It didn’t help that you would give her various homemade trinkets, such as the ceramic dish that you painted to look like her cat or knit beanies you just kept making.

So when you had handed Ellie a box wrapped in newspaper for her last birthday, dated from the day you met two years prior, that’s when Ellie knew she was a goner. As her fingers slid under the taped corner, careful not to rip the paper (to which you told her to hurry up), she felt like kissing you right then and there.

She imagined a hot summer day with you two together. Her hands wandering all over your body in an intimate moment as you both shared the summer heat together. The scent of sweat as she felt the hot touch of you. Ellie had always felt comfortable with her best friend, but now this was crossing the line. 

She wanted to take you to parties, adorned in a tight dress. She wanted to watch you curl your hair, hold your hand as you fell asleep beside each other. Ellie could picture pinching your cheeks, hearing you giggle in response. And god, did she love your laugh. Your eyebrows would furrow together, your head thrown back and hair a mess.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Ellie wanted to make something that showed deep appreciation and an understanding of just how much she cared for you. So when you had revealed to her two weeks ago one of your all-time favorite books – Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – she was set.

Ellie spent the last few weeks learning how to bind a book, how to weave together an intricate cover, and how to make paper look old. She also spent days reading your favorite books, looking for the perfect moment to pull a quote from them, that she would then include in the card for the book. She spent so much time on the book that it was becoming an obsession, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to actually give it yet. 

Written on the inside cover, Ellie inscribed “In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun” in black ink, trying her best to heart the I’s like you like her to. She hopes it's not too cheesy, too overbearing. 

Ellie’s face was smashed against the unmade bedspread, her vision impaired slightly, with her hand beginning to lose feeling. The pin pricks shot up and down her arm, the nerves screaming at her to move. The bed linens, which held your scent, were causing her heart to race. You were face to face; her eyes scanning your features. A stray piece of hair fell over your nose and moved slightly with each exhale. The other girl wanted desperately to reach out and push it behind your ear, and before she could stop herself, she was doing exactly that. 

She struggled to stay centered – the real word fading away. Her eyes took in the beautiful curve of her friend's hips, the soft skin of her arms, and the way she curled her fingers against her own cheek as she sighed in her sleepy daze. The scent of coconut shampoo tickled her nose, not wanting to leave your peaceful figure. As if on cue, your eyes slowly open, a yawn capturing your mouth. You gaze at her curiously, feeling her hand on your face. You flash her a toothy grin, making Ellie blush a deep crimson.

“Hi,” you whisper, the sunlight pouring in from the window behind you. It was pushed partly open, not a single car rumbled down the street and the birds were just beginning to wake. The soft rays frame your silhouette, the dewy grass outside cold and wet to the touch.

With early spring seedlings beginning to sprout and the quietness of the wind, when everything is silent, Ellie wishes she could stay here forever. She wishes for her familiar early morning, even when the world is anything but. Everything is so different in the morning, and Ellie is determined to soak in it all.

“Hey,” she voices back, removing her hand from the warmth of your cheek. You stick your tongue lip out, the pink of your lips making Ellie’s heart swell. Neither of you meant for her to stay the night, but at some point during your heated discussion over which Beatles member was the best, Ellie had fallen asleep and you didn’t have the heart to wake her. So now here you were, squashed and tangled together on your full sized mattress, a thin blanket encapsulating both of you. 

“Got somethin’ for you,” Ellie mumbles, sitting up and stretching her arms. Your eyes selfishly stare at the patch of skin that becomes visible when her shirt rises slightly, the band of her boxers tight against her hips. You drop your gaze quickly, hiding your guilt with the safety of the blanket. 

“Els, you didn’t have to get me anything,” you reason, not wanting her to feel pressured to get you anything. After all, you were just friends. Close friends, sure, but that didn’t warrant an exchanging of gifts on romantic holidays. However, Ellie was a lovestruck lesbian and you had already made her a small present last month. 

As Ellie handed you the leatherbound object, you stared at her in confusion, forcing yourself to sit up. You were awestruck by its perfection. The stitching, the color, the engravings. Nothing about it was off-putting or made it look like it was done hastily. It was meticulously crafted.

"This is incredible!" you said excitedly, looking up at Ellie with a wide grin on your face as she looked down nervously, fingers fiddling with the strings of her sweatpants. 

Your hands graze over the cover, opening it up to a quote written unmistakably by Ellie. As the last words of the quote fill your mind, you can feel yourself getting flustered. This was the last thing you expected, this level of detail surpassing the sketch you drew of Ellie playing guitar with Joel. You jump forward, wrapping Ellie in a tight hug, catching her off guard.

You’re sitting on your knees, arms encircled around Ellie’s front, her sitting before you and faltering before returning the gesture. The blanket falls into a pool around your bodies, Ellie noticing how the shorts you’re wearing hang loose and the soft fabric of your underwear peeks out. She has to force herself to look anywhere else, because of course you’re wearing the most lacey pair she's ever seen. You’re breathlessly reciting thank you's, which come out high pitched and jumbled, causing the other girl to chuckle. 

“Your body is against my own, our breaths mixing as one. I see no end to this feeling, just the warmth of your touch,” you whisper softly, burying your head into her neck. Ellie stiffens at this, suddenly very aware of how your fingertips are on her back and having to bite down on her tongue to keep from confessing every thought she’s ever had about you. And then suddenly you’re sitting back, inches from her face, looking at her so gently that Ellie swears she might just melt then and there. 

With a hand placed gingerly on the side of Ellie’s face, you bring your lips to hers, saying everything with that simple touch. 

[rippleclan]

RippleClan: Moon 55

Puddlewhisper tries to have a conversation with Tempestshade but it ends up awkward when neither of them speak up.

[Image ID: Puddlewhisper says to Tempestshade, “Sorry about the, um… the omen… thing…”]

(Tempestshade: 16, nonbinary (they/them), caretaker, childish, incredible cook)

(Puddlewhisper: 20, trans female, codekeeper, righteous, natural intuition, ghost sense)

Curious and adventurous, Oilstripe and Carnationspeckle travel to the human settlement to hunt.

[Image ID: Carnationspeckle faces down Madeline, yowling, “Just run, Oil!” while Oilstripe obeys.]

---

There was something eerily exciting about entering the human settlement. Oilstripe couldn’t help but shiver as she and Carnationspeckle trekked further north, following Darkkick’s advice on what to look for. The world of humans was an unknown frontier to Oilstripe, and she was exploring it with her mate on a noble mission. How could she not be excited?

“Are you sure about carrying the kits this time?” Carnationspeckle asked as she walked alongside her mate. “Troutpool alone was exhausting. I don’t think we’ll get just one kit again. I’m worried about how you’d handle it.”

“But that’s just it,” Oilstripe purred. “I want to be a mother again, but this time, you won’t be worn down, and we won’t have… Shadowdrop to deal with.” Carnationspeckle’s tail patted her flank as she sneered. StarClan clearly decided he did enough to get in, since Oilstripe occasionally saw him looking after his kits or siblings or mother (she didn’t speak with him. She wasn’t sure he would want to anymore than she did). None of that was enough to wash out the bile that filled Oilstripe’s mouth at the thought of Shadowdrop’s creepy, selfish behavior.

“If you’re sure, I’m sure,” Carnationspeckle promised. She rubbed against Oilstripe’s cheek. 

“In that case,” Oilstripe chuckled, “what do you think of focusing on a brown tom for a sire? That way the kits might look more like you.” 

“I’ll take whomever seems kind,” Carnationspeckle sighed as the smell of the human settlement stung the couple’s noses. Oilstripe could see traces of the shipwreck’s design in the towering dens and sluggish monsters. It made the foreign land feel a little less foreign and pushed Oilstripe’s paws on.

She had seen a couple spirits on her way to the settlement (Twinekit watching after her lively cousins, Locustseeker and Burdockcreek play fighting along the river), but the human settlement stole Oilstripe’s breath when she realized that her mate did not see the many cats wandering the streets. Most of them were translucent like water, as taut and strong as they likely were in life. They looked just like Cinderella’s spirit had before she stopped appearing. Each spirit moved quickly and with purpose or lingered around a living cat. 

Oilstripe’s curiosity spun. How did these cats work? Where did they go when they were finished in the mortal world? What were the details of their beliefs? She wanted to stop a spirit and ask them everything, but she bit her tongue. She had barely convinced Cinderella to testify during Shadowdrop’s trial, and the entire time she muttered, “This isn’t right.” Oilstripe hadn’t added that to her translated testimony, and Cinderella always ignored her after that. The spirits of the human settlement would probably act the same. 

“Oilstripe,” Carnationspeckle whispered, “how many dead cats are we walking around right now?”

“More than I expected,” Oilstripe admitted. One of the spirits had been only a few fox-lengths away from the couple when Oilstripe made the comment. Their green eyes met Oilstripe’s with a sudden realization that made the ginger molly feel too big for her pelt. The spirit slipped between two dens in a hurry.

Oilstripe and Carnationspeckle continued on, looking for a suitable tom. The humans ignored the pair, so long as they stayed out from under their feet. Their odd pelts reminded Oilstripe of Rattlepelt’s fox leather. Humans didn’t have fur either; was that why they wore such odd pelts? Oilstripe had no time to ponder, however. She was on a quest!

“Rabbitjoy told me about a group of young toms she spent a moon with during her traveling days,” Carnationspeckle said. “We could see if they’re still around. They may be willing to help.”

“I like that,” Oilstripe said. A crow cawed loudly from the roof of a tall den. The bird stared at Oilstripe, head cocked slightly. Spirits sat around the crow, watching Oilstripe and Carnationspeckle. Oilstripe nudged her mate onward. The crow cawed again and flew overhead.

“Are you feeling alright?” Carnationspeckle asked. She stopped to study Oilstripe’s face. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“No, I want kits,” Oilstripe insisted, trying to focus on her mate over the prickling of her fur. “I’m just starting to wonder if this isn’t the right place to look for a sire. I have a bad feeling about the spirits here.”

“They can’t do anything to us,” Carnationspeckle reminded her. 

“Well, there are those rogues you saw a while ago,” Oilstripe said. A crow landed on the roof right above Oilstripe.  “We’ve had some reports of them lingering by the river.”

“This is a big place,” Carnationspeckle said, leading Oilstripe toward a shadowy path away from the stomping humans. “If they’re here, it’s unlikely we would see them.” Another crow landed across the horse path behind Oilstripe with a loud caw. Oilstripe scurried down the path. There were no cats or humans between the dens, giving Oilstripe a moment to breathe. Carnationspeckle let out a meow of laughter and said, “Are you scared of a few crows, Oilstripe?”

“It’s not the crows that worry me,” Oilstripe gulped. “It’s what they mean.”

“Alright, you’re too nervous to keep going,” Carnationspeckle sighed, stopping. “Let’s go home. We’ll try the farmland to the south tomorrow. If it’s about being pregnant, I can carry the kits again, Oilstripe, you don’t have to lie for my sake.”

“Carny, I’m not lying to you!” Oilstripe groaned, unable to keep her fur flat. “There’s something wrong with this place. I never lie about what I see, and I don’t lie to you.”

“What exactly is it that you see?” Oilstripe’s back arched high. She hissed, turning to the newcomer at the end of the path. Carnationspeckle matched her stance, all traces of humor or annoyance gone. A black and white molly sat half in shadow, half in sunlight. Crow feathers wrapped around her neck and decorated her pelt. 

“I see a molly who needs to back away from my mate and I,” Oilstripe growled. A chorus of cawing made Oilstripe jump once more. Crows lined the edges of the rooftops overhead, staring at Oilstripe and Carnationspeckle. Spirits watched from beside the crows with burning eyes. One large crow flew down and landed beside the strange molly. It cawed in her ear, and the stranger nodded.

“A molly who claims to see the dead,” the stranger said. Her lips curled as she got to her paws. “That may be even worse than your blasphemous clerics. Who are you to poke your nose into the business of the dead? What gives you the authority to meddle with their affairs?” The stranger flicked her tail, and three more cats appeared behind her, claws out. Carnationspeckle moved in front of Oilstripe.

“Oilstripe, I want you to run,” she growled, her fur making her look twice as big as she was.

“I’m not leaving you!” Oilstripe gasped. “Why would you say that? We can take them on together!” Oilstripe stood beside Carnationspeckle, even as her mate tried to nudge her back.

“They want you dead, Oilstripe, not Carnationspeckle.” Oilstripe turned around once more. Applepelt shimmered and glowed at the other end of the short path. The crows screamed, wings flapping wildly. The spirits watching from above hissed and yowled, backing away from the ghost that did not belong to them. “As your friend, and as someone who’s learned a thing or two since dying, let your mate stall for time and get out of here.” The crow beside the black and white stranger cawed so violently that Oilstripe’s ears burned. The cool anger in the stranger’s blue eyes shifted to bloodlust.

“Get the witches!” she screeched. Carnationspeckle reared on her front paws and kicked Oilstripe back.

“Just run, Oil!” she yowled. Carnationspeckle launched at the feather adorned stranger with a battle cry. The crows swarmed down in sync with the living cats, sharp beaks diving toward the Clan cats. Oilstripe rolled back on her paws. Applepelt was at her side, hissing at the approaching crows.

What else could Oilstripe do? She ran back toward the crowd of humans and horses. The crows were on her tail, screaming with such fury Oilstripe thought her ears would bleed. But Applepelt was at her side too, matching her pace. When the crows reached Applepelt, they squawked and fluttered back, bumping into one another.

“Who are these cats?” Oilstripe yowled. She weaved between strolling humans, who panicked at the sight of a dozen crows flying so low to the ground. Their high-pitched yowls drowned out the crows and the sounds of battle.

“You know how those of us in StarClan like to help when we can?” Applepelt huffed. “They are the exact opposite.”

(Oilstripe: 59, female, historian, charismatic, ghost speaker)

(Carnationspeckle: 57, female, caretaker, compassionate, fish-like swimmer)

(Madeline: 103, female, Witch Hunter General, faithful, omen sight)

(Applepelt: 31, she/they, historian, rebellious, lore keeper)

[Image ID: With Mosspounce behind her, Lemmy speaks in the background, saying “The Witch Hunters see the Clans as a threat to the safety of the Other Side, our afterlife. They’ll pry what information they can out of your friend and use it to kill you all. They may even turn her against you.” In the foreground, Troutpool, Oilstripe, and Spikecrash stand to the left together, while Downstar, Weedfoot, and Wildclaw stand to the right together.]

---

“If you don’t see her, then she has to be fine, right?”

“No, Rabbitjoy, because if I saw her, I would at least know she wasn’t suffering. I would know who to kill. Something far worse could be happening to her. You spent moons traveling, how did you not know about these cats?”

“I never heard of them!”

“Why are we standing around talking about this? We should be storming the settlement and rescuing Carnationspeckle!”

“We don’t know where she is. We can’t run through the human settlement without a plan or the humans may take us. I won’t lose anymore warriors. Is that understood, Lavendertwist?”

The Clan’s frantic ideas all melted together in Mosspounce’s head as he stood just outside camp. Downstar didn’t trust that Oilstripe returned to camp unfollowed and wanted someone on guard while the rest of the Clan discussed what happened. Mosspounce had already been on guard duty when Oilstripe ran panting past him, so he was asked to stay there. Probably for the best. His guilt would have been painted across his fur. 

If he had known Oilstripe and Carnationspeckle were going to the human settlement, he would have stopped them, even if it meant revealing his connection to Lemmy. It was Madeline, Oilstripe’s description matched her perfectly. She really could speak to the crows. The crows really spoke to the dead. It wasn’t that Mosspounce didn’t believe Lemmy, but it was so different from what he knew. But it was true. Oilstripe’s abilities would make her seem worse than clerics in the eyes of the Witch Hunters. So what would they do with the mate of such a blasphemous cat? 

Maybe Carnationspeckle was already dead and her spirit was hurrying home to let her mate know. Carnationspeckle was the last cat to deserve that. She nursed Mosspounce and his littermates, even though they were born because she spurned their father. Mosspounce’s heart ached like he had thrown Carnationspeckle to the Witch Hunters himself. He should have told the Clan about Madeline moons ago. It was his fault.

The wind carried a familiar scent to Mosspounce, but not the familiar scent Mosspounce wanted to smell. Lemmy? Mosspounce glanced into camp. Everyone had gathered around the Shiprock, debating with Oilstripe and Downstar. Mosspounce snuck away from his spot and looped around the rocky, bramble-lined walls of camp. Sure enough, when he turned the corner, just as he had last season in the human settlement, he saw Lemmy, sniffing at the rocks. 

“Lemmy!” Mosspounce gasped, hurrying to his friend. Lemmy bristled at the sound, but her fur relaxed when she saw Mosspounce.

“Mosspounce, there’s a ginger molly, Oilstripe,” Lemmy huffed. “Did she make it home?”

“Yes, she’s talking to the Clan right now,” Mosspounce stammered. “How did you find our camp? Did you follow Oilstripe’s scent?”

“She was smart enough to mask her scent in the river,” Lemmy explained, shaking her head. “The Witch Hunters won’t be able to track her.”

“So how did you get here?” Mosspounce asked again. Lemmy rubbed a paw into the sand speckled dirt. Her expression sunk inward, her usual icy confidence chipped.

“Hey!” Mosspounce and Lemmy jumped. Wildclaw stood behind Mosspounce, back arched and lips curled. Bandages covered her left shoulder, protecting the large dog bite that nearly took out a chunk of her flesh. Despite the injury, she still showed her claws and readied herself for a fight.

“Wait!” Mosspounce yelped. He stood between Lemmy and Wildclaw like he was trying to hide the tortoiseshell. Lemmy didn’t need his protection, he knew that; she was already showing her claws and bracing herself for Wildclaw to strike. “Wildclaw, hold on, she isn’t here to hurt anyone.”

“Mosspounce, I need an explanation before I start biting,” Wildclaw growled. 

“Do you want to know what’s happening to Carnationspeckle?” Lemmy pushed past Mosspounce, deep blue eyes locked onto Wildclaw’s burning amber stare. “Because I know what the Witch Hunters will do to her, and I have an idea how to get her back. But if you want to try and kill me, go ahead.” Mosspounce puffed himself up behind Lemmy. Wildclaw stayed tense, glaring at Mosspounce with a look of hurt that felt like an old memory.

“Rattlepelt!” Wildclaw called. “We have a guest.” She flicked her tail sharply. Mosspounce followed Wildclaw back to the camp entrance, with Lemmy trailing behind. Rattlepelt waited at the entrance. Her eyes widened when she saw Lemmy. She hurried back into camp and Mosspounce braced himself for a very long day.

“That’s one of the Witch Hunters!” Tempestshade yowled as soon as Lemmy entered camp. All of RippleClan rioted. Rabbitjoy looped around Rattlepelt and shoved her toward Spikecrash and Paleseed, who quickly backed up. Downstar jumped off the Shiprock, with Weedfoot immediately slipping to her side. James had to grab Parsley by the scruff to stop her from attacking Lemmy. Even the kits copied their elders in untrained battle stances, despite Clammask and Scrubmask’s efforts to get them into the nursery.

“Wait, please!” Mosspounce yowled. “She’s my friend! She’s not here to hurt us!”

“Um, Mossy, she literally tried to kill you,” Tempestshade huffed. Scalepaw crept beside them, puffing up his long fur to the point that he looked like a moss ball. Lavendertwist protected his little brother, sneering at Lemmy.

“Why are you friends with someone who's been haunting our borders for moons?” Wildclaw hissed, muzzle a mouse-length from Mosspounce.

“Lemmy’s not like the others,” Mosspounce insisted. “She listens and she really wants to do the right thing. She came here to help us.” Mosspounce stepped so close to Lemmy, their pelts were almost touching.

“Where is Carnationspeckle?” Oilstripe hissed. She shoved past her Clanmates, Troutpool in tow. Lemmy cooly eyed the Clan. Mosspounce couldn’t understand how she kept her fur smooth when everyone looked ready to slice her throat open.

“That, I don’t know yet,” Lemmy said. “Madeline, my leader, is keeping her location contained to herself, Achilles, the Witch Finders, and a few older enforcers. I haven’t been let in.”

“Then what help could you be?” Oilstripe snapped. “What are they doing to my mate?”

“Oilstripe,” Downstar huffed. Oilstripe glanced back at her leader. Troutpool nuzzled under her chin. She gently guided her mother back. Downstar and Weedfoot approached Lemmy. “Lemmy, is it? What exactly can you tell us about the Witch Hunters?” RippleClan seemed to settle down slightly. Spikecrash joined Oilstripe and Troutpool, offering comforting whispers to them both. Wildclaw stood behind her mother, glaring at Lemmy and Mosspounce. 

“The Witch Hunters see the Clans as a threat to the safety of the Other Side, our afterlife,” Lemmy explained. “They’ll pry what information they can out of your friend and use it to kill you all. They may even turn her against you.”

“That’s not happening,” Oilstripe said. 

“Your leader is a mouse-brain if she thinks she can take on all five Clans,” Elmsprout scoffed from her spot by Darkkick. “I may not have been in AshClan since my father became leader, but he’s not leading a Clan of kits. They alone could wipe out a lot of Witch Hunters.”

“You didn’t see how many cats follow them,” Mosspounce said. “It was a Gathering’s worth!”

“And you know this how, Mosspounce?” Downstar asked.

“I…” Mosspounce gulped, “may have visited the human settlement a few moons ago looking for Lemmy. I saw their meeting. They were celebrating how they murdered Bubblemoon.”

“They’re the rogues who killed Bubblemoon?” Troutpool gasped. A new wave of righteous shock flooded over RippleClan. The Clans had heard about Bubblemoon’s death at a Gathering two moons back. They had all known it was a strange rogue attack, Mosspounce knew some cats theorized it was the Witch Hunters, but they had no proof, and it wasn’t their Clan. Mosspounce found himself grateful that Fennelspot was sick in the quarantine den; he didn’t have to see his grief. Should Mosspounce have said something back then? Would that have stopped Oilstripe and Carnationspeckle from visiting the human settlement?

“Madeline isn’t stupid, despite what you may think,” Lemmy huffed. “The Witch Hunters may have strong numbers, but they won’t launch a full-on assault on anyone without information. That isn’t how we operate. We study witches and we pick off the guilty. And now that they know RippleClan has a molly who can speak with the dead whenever she wants, they’ll focus their efforts on taking your colony out first.” Lemmy glared at Oilstripe like a misbehaving apprentice.

“So they’re interrogating Carnationspeckle to find our weaknesses,” Halibutdusk muttered. Trumpetspore pressed into them, the fear in her eyes as clear as sunshine on the water.

“What can we do?” Downstar asked. “How can you help us?”

“More like why do you want to help us?” Wildclaw snapped. “Why did you befriend someone you tried to kill?” 

Troutpool’s fur stood on edge. Oilstripe’s gaze broke off Lemmy and onto an empty spot behind her. Her eyes slowly drifted back toward Lemmy, but rather than looking at the tortoiseshell visitor, Oilstripe stared at her paws. Mosspounce knew that look. Back in the nursery, Carnationspeckle would call that her “haunted” look. There was a spirit in camp, sitting right in front of Lemmy, Mosspounce was sure of it. Could Troutpool see them too? She seemed unnerved, but looked around like she expected a surprise attack. Lemmy, meanwhile, sat and let tension ripple from her neck down through her tail.

“There is an afterlife where the dead must be respected and crows guard the boundary,” Lemmy sighed. “But I have learned that there is also an afterlife where the dead work tirelessly to guide the living. Your afterlife. I believe that over the course of the last year, I have been visited by a resident of your afterlife in my dreams, asking me to stop my community from hurting yours. This visitor, this little black kitten, has encouraged me to befriend Mosspounce, lie to my fellow Witch Hunters, and find out where they are holding Carnationspeckle so I can bring her back to you.”

“Duskkit,” Oilstripe gasped. “Duskkit is visiting you.” Troutpool enthusiastically nodded. Downstar squirmed at the mention of her daughter.

“You’ve been talking to my aunt?” Mosspounce gasped, staring at Lemmy.

“Why would Duskkit be visiting a Witch Hunter?” Rattlepelt asked.

“Maybe StarClan sees something in Lemmy no one else has before,” Troutpool muttered. RippleClan glanced at one another. Mosspounce sat with Lemmy. His tail slowly shifted towards hers. When the tip of his tail touched Lemmy, she did not flinch. 

“If I can win over Madeline’s trust,” Lemmy explained, “I may be allowed to see Carnationspeckle. When I find her, we can free her. Until then, I’ll keep an ear out for plans against the Clans and warn you when I can. Make sure there are cats by the river around sunhigh each day, that’s when I would share news if I have any.” Lemmy’s tail wrapped itself over Mosspounce’s tail. If they were alone, Mosspounce would have melted into purrs. “The Clans have their own afterlife. There’s no reason for Madeline and the Witch Hunters to interfere with you.”

“And we can trust you?” Downstar asked, carefully studying Lemmy’s face. Mosspounce stepped forward.

“If you trust me,” he declared, “then you can trust her.”

(Rabbitjoy: 92, female, artisan, charismatic, master weaver)

(Oilstripe: 59, female, historian, charismatic, ghost speaker)

(Lavendertwist: 21, male, warrior, playful, good singer, good storyteller)

(Downstar: 114, female, leader, wise, trusted advisor, very clever)

(Mosspounce: 16, male, caretaker, adventurous, talented fire-starter)

(Lemmy: 31, female, Witch Hunter enforcer, cold, deep StarClan bond)

(Wildclaw: 47, female, caretaker, fierce, trusted advisor)

(Rattlepelt: 38, female, artisan, fierce, leather artist)

(Tempestshade: 16, nonbinary (they/them), childish, incredible cook)

(Elmsprout: 22, female, caretaker, charismatic, helpful insight)

(Troutpool: 16, female, cleric, insecure, ghost sense)

(Halibutdusk: 47, nonbinary (they/them), warrior, gloomy, masterful storyteller, clever)

(Duskkit: 4, female, kit, troublesome, quick witted)

[magnusstan]

Kevin and Nico in the NY Times …

Kev on thinking he has time to be a Dad, getting called back to F1, priorities shifting, Laura liking the car, being torn about his kids being on socials and being neighbours with most of his family when they bought a house in his hometown …

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - MARCH 1: Kevin Magnussen of Denmark and Haas F1, wife Louise Gjorup and their daughters in the paddock during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain. (Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images)

By Madeline Coleman

Jun 15, 2024

Just behind the Formula One teams’ motorhomes inside the Monaco Grand Prix paddock, fans leaned over a fence, trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite driver. As various drivers passed by, they inevitably missed some fans’ requests for selfies and autographs.

But Laura Magnussen wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

The three-year-old pushed her red scooter down the road behind a Haas team member and her father, Kevin Magnussen. When she realized he missed a fan’s autograph request, Laura scooted up to Kevin and tugged at his shirt, grabbing his attention and pointing at the fan. Kevin backtracked and signed the notebook, Laura pushing her scooter behind him.

It was just the latest of many moments featuring one of Magnussen’s two daughters to go viral on social media. Although plenty of team personnel, track employees and media members have families back home, Magnussen, teammate Nico Hülkenberg and Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez are the only parents on the grid.

Motorsports are ruthless and dangerous, a cutthroat sport where every millisecond and millimeter count. As elite athletes like F1 drivers rise to the top of their respective sports, the focus largely is centered on them.

That is until a little one comes along, radically changing how the adults approach life.

“It changed a lot of my priorities, like my perspective on life and my career and sport, and made everything else seem less important,” Magnussen said. “There’s always pressure on the drivers and also a bit of an anxiety where you think, ‘If I can’t be racing, then what am I? What do I do with my life?’

“Whereas now, that side of it is all settled in a way. I know if I’m not racing, then I have a fantastic life anyway.”

Magnussen didn’t initially intend to have kids while racing in F1.

He joined the grid full-time in 2014 but lost his seat to Fernando Alonso a year later. Magnussen found a full-time seat for 2016 and was out of a seat again after the 2020 season. He moved on to the lower profile world of IMSA. Rather than traveling the globe and competing during 20-plus weekends a year, he raced in sports cars in North America at places like Belle Isle in Michigan and Watkins Glen in New York. He competed in nine races that season and had no marketing or simulator duties, he said.

“I thought (the) timing was perfect because I finished my Formula One career, I thought, and it was the right moment,” Magnussen said. “We had a fantastic year. The next two years were fantastic, too, but in a much different way than I expected it to be.”

In January 2021, shortly before Magnussen flew to the U.S. for IMSA, he and Louise Gjørup Magnussen welcomed Laura into the world, born seven weeks early.

Hülkenberg was in a similar position when he and his wife, Eglė Ruškytė-Hülkenberg, had their daughter, Noemi Sky. “I was kind of a little bit out of the hot seat, and I had more time. Life was a bit more relaxed,” he said.

“My wife said I was always in a good mood because I didn’t have the bad days of the race weekend. You cut out the bad days, and you’re always kind of happy and balanced and well because we take this pretty seriously, this job, and if we have a bad weekend, it can tend to take up to a week to digest it, and obviously it impacts your mood.”

But when he returned to the grid full-time in 2023 with Haas, Hülkenberg said being a father didn’t change his approach, just that his life now revolved more around his family, as well as racing.

“I think racing drivers, the way we are wired, when you get in the car and when you put the helmet on the visor down, you forget all that. You don’t really think about it, and it’s just a blank mind,” he said. “You’re solely focused on performance and getting the best possible result. So no, I don’t think it’s changed my approach in the car. But outside, it takes a lot of focus and time being a dad.”

Sporting bright pink headphones and an all white outfit, Noemi Sky beamed as Nico and Eglė walked through the Monaco paddock, swinging their daughter in the air. On her feet were a pair of decorated shoes in honor of her father, one reading “Go Daddy” and the number two, and the other “Noemi Sky” and the number seven. (Her name came from both parents: Hülkenberg liked Noemi after seeing it in movie credits on a flight with his wife, while Eglė really liked Sky).

Bringing kids trackside takes a lot of planning, Hülkenberg said. Their schedules need to be factored in, like how to squeeze in naps at a noisy track. He added, “If you’re away from home and you have the hotel and it’s far away from the circuit, you really have to make sure you have all the toys and the iPad or whatever to get through the day.”

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 25: Haas F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg is accompanied by his wife Egle and daughter Noemi during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco. (Kym Illman/Getty Images)

Nico Hülkenberg said being a father didn’t change his racing approach, just that his life now revolved more around his family, as well as racing.

Magnussen finds it both “fantastic” and “frustrating because I’m too busy to really spend a lot of time with them. My kids think they’re on holiday.” Anges is nearly one year old and has visited the paddock before. Laura now understands that her father is racing, which is something she looks forward to, he said.

“She loves being in the garage and watching the car and all that. But still, she gets frustrated that I’m not available for the whole weekend. She wants to swim in the pool, and she wants to explore the place that we’ve come to, and I can’t do that. I’m just too busy.”

Magnussen says his oldest daughter isn’t intimidated by the loud sounds that come with the sport, and when she is in the garage, she wants to be close to the car. “She loves it, I think, because she knows that this is what daddy does, and she can be proud of the world that I go into every time I leave them alone.”

Over the past few years, Laura’s become a recognizable figure in the paddock, often going viral on social media, like when she helped her father prepare in Abu Dhabi last year. With her headset on, she helped Magnussen out on his gloves and closed his visor.

Magnussen’s social media accounts are run by his team, but his wife shows him the content of their daughters when it pops up. “It’s something that I feel divided about,” the Dane said.

“Laura doesn’t understand that millions of people are watching this and she didn’t consent to that. Also I feel like it’s a lot of people. Laura has been recognized, and I feel like she didn’t ask for that. I don’t feel too good about it,” Magnussen continued. “But at the same time, I think these videos are super cute, and these moments that we have had in the garage, they’re very special. And I treasure those videos because it’s awesome that we got to have this to keep and look at years to come.”

They try to balance the chaotic life of an F1 family, building some normalcy and making the kids happy. Magnussen pointed out how the number one thing in life is having real relationships and friends, not the jet-setting lifestyle.

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - MARCH 2: Kevin Magnussen of Denmark and Haas F1 walks through the paddock with his daughter during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain. (Kym Illman/Getty Images)

“Whatever you think is important before you’re a parent,” Magnussen said, “don’t worry about it. It’s not.”

“Me and my wife bought a house in a normal neighborhood with normal people close to our family. My wife’s parents, they live one house next to us, and my dad’s house is also on the same street,” Magnussen said. “Just around the corner, my mom’s house is also 100 meters away. My best friend is 50 meters. So we’re all within a radius of 100 meters, and I treasure that a lot.”

Even in a glitzy and glamorous world like F1, the simple moments in life may mean the most to the drivers, like flying home early to see their family or playing with their child after a difficult weekend. “It’s really nice when you have a bad weekend or a bad day and you go home and you take her and you play with her and she smiles at you,” Hülkenberg said. “It helps to forget the day, and it makes you feel better in that moment.”

When it comes to being a parent, the drivers’ priorities are the same as those of the everyday fan. It’s wanting to protect and be there for their child, providing a life that’ll make them happy. Priorities shift fairly heavily in the new chapter, putting life in a different perspective despite competing in a pressure-cooker-eseque environment.

“Whatever you think is important before you’re a parent,” Magnussen said, “don’t worry about it. It’s not.”

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

Queer Books November 2023

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

❤️ The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl by Emily Riesbeck 🧡 Heading North by Holly M. Wendt 💛 The Wisdom of Bug by Alyson Root 💚 Trick Shot by Kayla Grosse 💙 A Holly Jolly Christmas by Emily Wright 💜 Outdrawn by Deanna Grey ❤️ Yours Celestially by Al Hess 🧡 The Christmas Memory by Barbara Winkes 💛 Violet Moon by Mel E. Lemon 💙 The Santa Pageant by Lillian Barry 💜 Only for the Holidays by Shannon O’Connor 🌈 Homestead for the Holidays by Wren Taylor

❤️ You Can Count on Me by Fae Quin 🧡 No One Left But You by Tash McAdam 💛 The Worst Thing of All is the Light by José Luis Serrano, Lawrence Schimel 💚 Today Tonight Forever by Madeline Kay Sneed 💙 Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt 💜 Emmett by L. C. Rosen ❤️ Finding My Elf by David Valdes 🧡 Tonight, I Burn by Katharine J. Adams 💛 Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng 💙 Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree 💜 A Power Unbound by Freya Marske 🌈 We Are the Crisis by Cadwell Turnbull

❤️ The Manor House Governess by C.A. Castle 🧡 You Owe Me One, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 Last Night at the Hollywood Canteen by Sarah James 💚 Skip!: A Graphic Novel by Rebecca Burgess 💙 Something About Her by Clementine Taylor 💜 Touching the Art by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore ❤️ A Nearby Country Called Love by Salar Abdoh 🧡 Normporn: Queer Viewers and the TV That Soothes Us by Karen Tongson 💛 Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost by Esme Symes-Smith 💙 The Order of the Banshee by Robyn Singer 💜 Once Upon My Dads’ Divorce by Seamus Kirst, Noémie Gionet Landry 🌈 Forsooth by Jimmy Matejek-Morris

❤️ A Common Bond by T.M. Kuta 🧡 Risk the Fall by Riley Hart 💛 Just a Little Snack by Yah-Yah Scholfield 💚 Home for the Holidays by Erin Zak 💙 NeurodiVeRse by MJ James 💜 Dark Heir (Dark Rise #2) by C.S. Pacat ❤️ sub/Dom by Rab Green 🧡 Bitten by the Bond by Elaine White 💛 Heir to Frost and Storm by Ben Alderson 💙 The Sea of Stars by Gwenhyver 💜 Bad Beat by L.M. Bennett 🌈 Idol Moves by K.T. Salvo

❤️ Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa 🧡 In the Pines by Mariah Stillbrook 💛 The Crimson Fortress (The Ivory Key #2) by Akshaya Raman 💚 Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison 💙 Megumi & Tsugumi, Vol. 4 by Mitsuru Si 💜 Pritty by Keith F. Miller Jr. ❤️ Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid 🧡 An Atlas to Forever by Krystina Rivers 💛 Come Find Me in the Midnight Sun by Bailey Bridgewater 💙 Bait and Witch by Clifford Mae Henderson 💜 Shadow Baron by Davinia Evans 🌈 Day by Michael Cunningham

❤️ Livingston Girls by Briana Morgan 🧡 Delay of the Game by Ari Baran 💛 The Nanny with the Nice List by K. Sterling 💚 A Talent Ignited by Suzanne Lenoir 💙 A Kiss of the Siren’s Song by E.A.M. Trofimenkoff 💜 Rivals for Love by Ali Vali ❤️ Whiskey & Wine by Kelly Fireside, Tana Fireside 🧡 Buried Secrets by Sheri Lewis Wohl 💛 Ride with Me by Jenna Jarvis 💙 Living for You by Jenny Frame 💜 Death on the Water by CJ Birch 🌈 Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles

❤️ Vicarious by Chloe Spencer 🧡 Sapling’s Depths by Spencer Rose 💛 That French Summer by Sienna Waters 💚 System Overload by Saxon James 💙 King of Death by Lily Mayne 💜 Warts and All by Ashley Bennett ❤️ Principle Decisions by Thea Belmont 🧡 The Best Mistake by Emily O’Beirne 💛 Sugar and Ice by Eule Grey 💙 Until The Blood Runs Dry by MC Johnson 💜 Splinter : A Diverse Sleepy Hollow Retelling by Jasper Hyde 🌈 The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q by Felicia Davin

❤️ The Queer Girl is Going to be Okay by Dale Walls 🧡 Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black 💛 Leverage by E.J. Noyes 💚 Alice Sadie Celine by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright 💙 Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon 💜 Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher ❤️ To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn 🧡 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💛 For Never & Always by Helena Greer 💙 A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sally Hawley 💜 Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 8 by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù 🌈 A Carol for Karol by Ann Roberts

[tpeakphotos]

This is my favorite old Aermotor wind pump in Lassen County, California, USA. It is in a field just a few miles south of the community of Madeline. It stands there proudly doing its job to keep the cattle watered day in and day out.

Madeline is an unincorporated community in Lassen County, California, USA, approximately 45 miles north of Susanville on US-395. This is a very remote and rural part of northern California. The predominate industries here are cattle ranching and hay farming but there has been some mining, including gold mining in the region over the years.

The Aermotor Windmill Company has been a strong competitor in the wind driven pump industry since the late 19th century. During World War II the company played a role in the manufacture of the then top secret Norden Bombsight which helped the allies win the war. Today the company is the premier manufacturer of wind driven pumps in America with approximately an 80% market share.

I captured this image on an October evening after the sun had dropped well below the horizon and some thick clouds moved in. I felt the textures in the scene lent themselves to black and white. Prints and merch: https://buff.ly/3uW2kR0