#migrating tree frogs

[mceproductions]

Best of 2022 TV Shows #11: Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

By this point, if there isn’t a major event that day, you know that Seth Meyers doesn’t do a deep dive with his closer look segments .

But there are still smaller smile moments.

Like the return of the Sea Captain only this time, having a familiar bride .

Amber continuing to say what.

Along with being parts of jokes Seth can’t tell.

More stuff needing to be told Ya Burnt.

And his biggest surprise involving another day trip this time with Lizzo.

Never stop making us Smile Seth, never stop.

SUM 22: Seth Meyers went back to the attic and forth with his usual wit banter and reality checks. Lizzo looked like she was having a good time .

[freesia-writes]

Ch 33: The Waterfall

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 3.4k Fanart by @acryliccassetteart and @the-little-moment!

I can't stop giggling at this mood board but it just captures the vibes of the chapter so well. ;)

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“Come on, Hunter. Let’s just see what happens,” Omega begged, directing her most winning smile at him as he stared flatly from across the table. They were enjoying a late breakfast on a lazy day, and her curiosity about the mysterious blossom he’d discovered a while ago had taken front and center stage. He didn’t want anything to do with it, despite the baffling way it had come to him; it was too tightly wound around painful memories that he’d done his best to stuff away.

“You take it, if you want,” he offered, but she shook her head immediately. 

“It had to be the ‘recipient’ or whatever word it was,” she corrected. “It might turn me into a frog if I try.”

“That could be interesting,” said Hunter, eyes sparkling with a bit of mischief. It warmed Omega’s heart, not having seen his brighter side for nearly a month now. He’d been fairly upbeat during his wild adventures with Luciana, but after his overindulgence on Plata, and more so after the recent wedding, he’d seemed weighed down with an internal conflict that he refused to share. 

“I’ll try it if you come along,” she smiled, lifting her chin slightly as she became fairly certain she had him convinced.

“Alright,” he said, softening considerably as she beamed in enthusiasm. Her internship year had come to a close, and upon the completion of all of her evaluations and reflections, she had decided to take two part-time jobs to further narrow down her interests as she prepared for the Advancement Ceremony, after which she would officially be free to craft her life however she saw fit. One of the current pursuits was with a group of engineers on one of the neighboring islands, and the other was in one of the shops in The Cobbles, where she was learning about natural remedies and holistic healing methods. She was equally drawn to things requiring mental acuity as well as the tender-hearted care of others, and Hunter realized he didn’t often take time to fully appreciate how incredibly well-rounded she was. He was, however, continually amazed at her impervious optimism, and it had encouraged him many times over. 

He brought up the coordinates that Tech had sent for this “magical waterfall” and put the flower in his backpack, handling it carefully even though it had been secured in some kind of stasis orb that kept it perfectly suspended within the round shell. Omega threw in a few snacks as well as a couple of packable towels that would expand when the seal was broken, and the two of them set off.

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Artwork by @acryliccassetteart <3

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The walk was thoroughly enjoyable – a leisurely stroll punctuated with happy conversation and periods of quiet. It reminded him of Lyra, so he started thinking about all of his recent dates with Luci instead. It seemed that they’d spent every free moment they had in each other’s company over the last few weeks. If she wasn’t at work, she was visiting his shop, and if she had a day off, they had plans for workouts or adventures. He’d been out hunting increasingly longer, blaming the bountiful season of herd migration, but it was also the only place he was able to enjoy solitary time in a peaceful setting anymore.

The waterfall came into view, tucked deep within The Forest between two craggy mountains that were covered in trees. A single flat area was etched into the otherwise steep terrain, and the water poured into a pool from the flowing creek above. Omega was bouncing with excitement as they drew near, dropping their bags and inspecting the sight before them. 

“Well, go on!” she encouraged, opening his backpack to remove the orb. “Take it out and let’s have a go.”

“Calm down,” he smiled, pulling his shirt over his head and leaving his swim shorts on. The sun was filtering through the trees, providing some spotty places of warmth, but the rest of the space was mostly shady, which wouldn’t feel great if the water were as cold as he sensed. 

“There’s that beautiful sight again,” Omega teased, pointing at the half-skull butterfly tattoo on his ribcage. He sighed, shaking his head, and she patted him on the back. “You could probably go somewhere to have it removed easily enough.”

“I know. Travel just hasn’t been at the top of my list.”

He flipped a tiny switch on the protective orb, and it split open with a hiss, allowing the blossom to drop into Omega’s outstretched hand. It was no longer glowing, but still maintained an ethereal creamy white color, the runes still barely visible along the edges of each graceful petal. 

“You go in here, I think,” she said. “I’ll climb up to see what’s at the top.”

“Be careful, the rocks look crumbly and–”

“Hunter.”

“Alright.”

She made her way nimbly up the mountainside, aided by tree trunks that were conveniently placed to allow for solid steps, and she planted herself on a strong foothold as she peered over the ledge that held most of the flow before it crashed down the waterfall.

“There’s a little pool up here. The water seems to move slowly through all these rocks,” she called down to him. “So I’ll throw it in when you’re ready!”

Hunter sighed, wading into the chilly water down below. His body tensed more with each passing step that sank him in deeper until the bottom evened out as he neared the waterfall. Shielding his face from the spray, he glanced up to Omega, squinting as he saw her thumbs-up, then watched her lob the flower over her head into the pool above. He waited for a moment, staring at the water coursing down, but nothing seemed to change. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and sensing everything he could. There was nothing extraordinary about the scents or sounds, and the vibrations emanating from everything both living and dead felt the same as always. So he stepped all the way beneath the waterfall, shivering as it splattered over his head and shoulders. 

He was grateful that it wasn’t a very big flow, otherwise it would have been significantly more difficult. But as it were, he turned to face away from the rock wall, tilting his head back and running his hands over his hair as it washed away from his face. He didn’t feel anything other than the crisp refreshment that came from the cold water, and he rubbed his eyes in his hands.

Then he gasped in surprise.

Behind his closed eyes, a colorful vision was coming to life. He furrowed his brow, squeezing his eyelids together as it developed before him. He was able to make out a graceful curve of the edge of something fibrous, and at its edge were hundreds of things that looked like tadpoles. The whole image glowed blue and green, some of the tadpoles radiant with activity. 

Then suddenly, he was walking in a large meadow; some sheep were grazing nearby, and the scents and sounds were so realistic that he felt an anxiety rising in his gut. Distracted by the appearance of a fox that bounded toward from the forest, he stopped, watching the creature as it wove through his legs, brushing against his calf before cavorting playfully through the grass and flowers. It rolled onto its back, revealing its soft belly, and he bent to pet it. The fox closed its eyes, as content as could be, and Hunter found a smile on his face.

Without warning, the fox snapped at his hand, sinking its teeth into the side of his palm with a sinister gleam in its predatory eyes. He yelped, clutching his hand to his chest, feeling the pangs of pain there as well. He rose to his feet, taking a step back to kick the animal as hard as he could. Suddenly, everything froze except for a gentle gust of wind that reached from the sea with glowing tendrils of bluish green that danced gracefully through the air. They settled on the fox, also unmoving, and swirled around it a few times in loving caresses, then disappeared inside of it. 

Then he was free to move again, as was the creature, who got up, shook itself off, and, without a single look back, trotted back into the forest the way it had come, tail swishing pleasantly as it vanished with a carefree frolick. Hunter stared after it, perplexed and hurt. One of the sheep at the edge of the herd, with an older-looking lamb beside it, was watching them, ears flicked forward in alert vigilance and body tensed in apprehension.

The vision darkened, returning to the original image of blue and green tadpoles lined up around a curve. But now the same blue-colored breeze from the meadow swept through, its graceful wisps flowing freely through the fibers of the starkly-contrasted colors of the shape. Somehow, though, it was all changed; the tiny wiggling things were receding from its edge, and they were no longer glowing. 

“You alright?” Omega called, slowly making her way down the side to watch him curiously, a touch of concern in her voice as she saw his head in his hands.

“Fine!” he yelled, unable to open his eyes as he studied the mesmerizing pattern before him, committing it to memory as best he could. It slowly faded into darkness, and he couldn’t feel a single hint of peril, rather an overwhelming sense of peace and warmth as the entire thing dimmed to nothing. Now it was a simple idea that surfaced in his mind, something that one of the Xyloans had said at the tiki bar a while ago: the island was sentient in a way. It protected itself and those who lived upon it. There would be struggles and dangers, but only those that served an ultimate good. It was an odd sort of reassurance that settled in his core, as though he were being beckoned to trust the planet itself, and then it was gone. A wave of tingly energy ran over him as he stepped out from beneath the water, sucking in a deep breath as he reeled from what had happened. 

“So?” Omega pressed, face tightening in concern as he drew near. His eyes were large and he seemed to be unable to suppress a small shiver that would tease his shoulders every few seconds. She tore open one of the towel packets, shaking it out as it expanded once freed from its vacuum-sealed pouch, and tossed it to him. He climbed out of the pool, picking it up from the rock where it lay, and vigorously rubbed all of his limbs before moving to stand in the brightest beam of sunlight.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, turning to her with a shrug. “It was something about glowing tadpoles, then some animals in a field… a fox bit me while a sheep watched… then the tadpoles were fading… ” He cringed at the words coming out of his own mouth, suddenly self–conscious about all of it. “But then again, maybe I was just rubbing my eyes too hard,” he chuckled. 

“Well… do you feel different?” she asked, tilting her head at him intently.

“Other than cold, no.” 

“Hm. Well let’s see what Tech has to say about it.”

“We don’t need to–”

But she was already trotting down the mountain. 

Hunter didn’t even have time to change before he was plopped on the couch at Tech and Phee’s. Having air-dried on the hike back, he reclined into the plush cushions as his brother sat in a chair across from him, leaning forward with his hands together and his knees on his elbows. 

“I’m not a med bay patient here, Tech,” he warned, apprehensive at the intensity with which his brother was studying his every move. 

“No, you are not. However, I am highly curious. May I proceed with some questions and take a few samples if necessary?” Tech sat back, lips pressed together tightly as he waited for Hunter’s consent. He knew that, once given, it would prevent the stubborn clone from protesting every next move he would make. 

Hunter sighed. “Fine.”

“Excellent. Please recount the vision as accurately as you are able.”

Hunter repeated it, watching Tech typing into his datapad with flying fingers. Flickers of insight and satisfaction danced across his distinctive features as Hunter finished, sitting back and scratching his forearm. 

“It seems rather obvious, but I would like to ask some additional questions before venturing a hypothesis.”

“Obvious?” Hunter sighed. “Naturally. Anyway, what?”

“Are you able to recall the specifics of our second mission to Pantora?”

“I mean… We disabled the weapons research facility…?”

“Correct. Let’s continue.” Tech proceeded to interrogate him on a seemingly random array of events throughout their past, everything from the previous day to his first memories of existence, and Hunter felt his brain slowly turning to mush as he did his best to answer as much as he could. Eventually, he was at the end of his rope, and he flopped back on the couch in exasperation. 

“Can you just tell me what you’re getting at?” 

“Yes. Your description of the ‘tadpoles’, which is a creative amphibious equivalent… for a child… reminded me of a recording taken of the brain while an individual accessed specific memories. The fact that the vision showed some sort of withdrawal suggests memory loss, however, it does not appear to be yours. As for the part about the animals in the field, I would advise you to take some time to meditate on the potential metaphorical applications of the scene you observed.”

“Cryptic as always,” Hunter muttered.

“I am being as straightforward as possible,” Tech protested.

“No, I meant this island stuff. Should have happened to Phee.���

“According to whom? The entire saga has not yet been completed. Perhaps the resolution will be highly favorable to you.” It was Tech’s version of empathetic encouragement, and Hunter decided to take it to heart. 

“Well I won’t refuse that.”

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Fanart by @the-little-moment -- go give the post some love!!

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When Hunter finally got up to make the short trek to his home, he had only made it to the edge of town when he noticed a familiar figure on the road ahead. It was dusk, a time when the fading light played tricks, making everything blend together or seem to be all on the same plane. Fortunately, he was more adept than most at discerning the visual cues of this particular hour, and yet he felt the energy from the person ahead even before he fully recognized who it was. 

“Where were you?” Luci exclaimed as he approached, the urgency in her voice laced with anger rather than concern. Hunter felt a barricade rising in his chest even as she rushed to him and grabbed his hands tightly.

“Went on a hike,” he deflected. “With Omega,” he added in response to the quick flash in her eyes. “Then I went to Tech’s. Why? What’s the issue?”

“I was just worried! I told you I had this afternoon off so I figured we’d hang out,” she admitted, voice softening while the tension remained. 

“Sorry,” he said placidly. “We didn’t have any plans.”

“I know. I tried to comm you!”

“Ah. I must have forgotten it at home.” Nonchalance met affront as his eyes met her own, and he felt a nagging sense of conviction at his casual lie. She took a deep breath and shifted, eyes growing large and round. He’d seen this look before; she employed it when trying to manipulate someone into whatever she desired them to be in that moment.

“Alright. Sorry,” she said, deflating to her usual, much more tolerable self. “I just… I kinda missed you,” she admitted sheepishly, leaning into him and tracing a finger along his collarbone.

“Since this morning?” He wasn’t trying to be snarky, he just genuinely couldn’t comprehend it.

“What can I say?” Luci teased, nuzzling in to plant a kiss on his neck. “You’ve got me wrapped around your finger.” Her words sent a shiver down his spine as she spoke against his neck. “Anyway…” She pulled back, regarding him fondly. “I’ve got the best date plans ever for tonight.”

“Ah, I need to change… and it’s getting a little late…”

“Nope! Not a care in the world, babe,” she interrupted, raising a triumphant finger in the air. “I’ve got you. It’s a treat for both of us. Nothing crazy, just some special time to relax because I care about you.”

Hunter was getting tired of being dragged around by everyone who wanted something from him, and he realized with a flash of self-hate that he was doing precisely what he’d accused Lyra of: placating others with no regard for his own needs or preferences. But rather than be riled up at the insight, his shoulders slumped a bit, and he closed his eyes as Luci leaned in for a kiss. 

“Trust me,” she whispered against his lips.

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Lyra banged the pot against the stove, cursing her own clumsiness as she straightened it and returned to her chopping. She felt particularly cozy that night, lighting a few candles around the kitchen to add to the warm glow from the fireplace, and she was throwing together a last-minute dinner after having dozed off on the couch and lost track of time. As she sliced through the vegetables, she thought she heard a creak on the front porch. She slowly lowered her elbows, holding the knife still against the cutting board. 

Nothing. 

She continued her work more quietly, ears perked for any further sound.

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Hunter took a deep breath where he lay, flat on a massage table with a heavy blanket draped across his legs and nestled around his waist. Warm oil was spread across his back and arms, and the massage therapist’s skilled hands glossed across muscle and bone, kneading and stroking. He felt like a puddle, having finally given in to simply relax and enjoy it after an internal struggle of how odd it all seemed. Luci was in a room next to him, receiving the same treatment, and then they would have some time to soak in the nearby hot springs. It was a clever setup at this particular spa, where patrons could opt to be alone or with those they came with, and Luci had been notably understanding in offering him all the space and solitude he might want. 

She had been much more clingy of late, and he kept sensing a frenetic energy when it came to his whereabouts. He was surprised at the petty jealousy she’d succumbed to – she’d seemed all too willing to share him in the past and had appeared to be completely secure in his affections. Perhaps she’d been shaken by his withdrawal after Plata, but it had been fanned into a larger flame when Lyra returned. He didn’t feel as though he’d given her any reason to doubt, and she had even encouraged him to be friends with Lyra despite his assurance that he had no interest in doing so. 

The calming music slowed as the track came to an end, and in the silence before the next one began, Hunter was lulled by his own heartbeat, echoed by the masseuse’s, and he paused his thoughts, centering himself in his senses and taking it all in. The building felt empty, he was surprised to note, and he suddenly became aware of a rhythmic vibration from his pack where it lay on a chair in the corner of the room. 

“Sorry, I have to get that,” he said quietly to the massage therapist, who nodded with a smile and slipped out of the room. He sat up, pulling the blanket around his waist as he shuffled to his bag, and his pulse was racing now as he emerged from the blissful fog of relaxation and realized the source of the sound. 

The emergency beacon.

Where was Omega–

No.

Lyra.

The emptiness of the rooms around him sent a jolt of electricity through him as he pulled his clothing on as quickly as possible. Leaving a handful of credits on the table by the bottle of massage oil, he left immediately, murmuring a quick apology to the masseuse as he fled.

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Song: It's My Life - Bon Jovi (Lyrics) 🎵.

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[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

Do you have any pointers on figuring out speculative island evolution? I have an island in middle of a massive lake & I'm trying to fill it with wildlife that would "make sense". The climate is rather cold & the one species I'm certain on so far is a kind of "dwarf mammoth" but obviously there would be more species then just them.

for starters, here's an article about island dwarfism and gigantism! the gist of it is that in an insular environment such as an island, animals which are normally large get quite small, and animals which are normally small tend to get bigger, just like your dwarf mammoth idea.

as for general island ecology, you're going to have a lot of aquatic animals, as well as flying ones! it being in the middle of a lake makes it less likely to have very many land animals, since they would have had to arrive in a time when it was easier to cross the area that is now a giant lake, but you can certainly have a few, like the mammoths.

I would suggest looking at things like river otters, lake Baikal seals, various waterfowl, and freshwater fish and shellfish! there could also be some species of amphibian, though they're likely in hibernation during the cold months. still, it's not impossible to have amphibians and reptiles in a cold region! wood frogs, for example, are able to hibernate by allowing their whole bodies to freeze in the cold.

here are some important niches to consider:

herbivores, perhaps with the larger ones more focused on trees for food while smaller herbivores consume plants on the ground

rodents, eating and storing seeds and nuts

predators, keeping the herbivore populations reasonably sized

scavengers and opportunistic omnivores

insects and decomposers

pollinators

fish, clams, and other aquatic animals like freshwater seals or otters

migrating birds and waterfowl, as well as predatory birds and smaller birds that eat seeds and insects

water plants!

also consider how the plants got here. are their seeds brought in via the feces of migrating birds? are there plants that reproduce by scattering their seeds in the wind? what's the situation with fruiting plants? etc. an environment can only have animals it is able to sustain nutritionally. grass grazing animals that prefer wide open spaces would have a rough time in a dense forest, and animals reliant on trees would suffer in a wide grassland. how big is your island? what population sizes can it sustain in every niche? every animal and plant available will have an effect on the population sizes of the other species present! as the number of herbivores rises, so too will the numbers of their predators! and if one population drops, so will the others around them.

[letaot-ze-magniv]

General guide to birds in Israel pt 2- cooler birds

This will be a long post. Link to part 1

White spectated bulbul/bul-bul me-mush-kaf

Usually referred to as just bulbul, this bisexual king is the roundest and my most favourite bird. IMPORTANT! BULBUL MEANS DICK! DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR BULBULIM IN PUBLIC!

These birds are slightly larger then the house sparrow and are easily distinguished by their yellow butt. Their calls are reminiscent of frogs. They mate for life and are all bisexual and they cuddle each other. They are a menace to farmers because they are fond of fruit and tend to nibble just a little at a time. You can find them in all parts of Israel as long as there are nice trees nearby.

Eurasian blackbird/shakh-rur

These timid birds like to hide in bushes and trees. Their calls are beautiful and I love them. They are smaller then a pigeon. The males are black and the females are brown. They feed on seeds, fruits and bugs, and use their beaks to search the ground for worms. You can find them in Jerusalem and the north, they like cool weather and don’t fuck with sand.

Great tit/yar-ge-zi ma-tzui

Life isn’t easy for these tiny psychopaths, which might be the reason they developed such a temper. Their Hebrew name translates to “angry one”, and for a reason. They are very aggressive towards other birds. They also feed on the brains of bats. You can distinguish between males and females by the thickness of the black stripe on their belly- males have a thicker one than females. They are most common to the north of Jerusalem, but you can find them in some parts of the desert.

Palestine sunbird/tzu-fit bo-he-ket

No, that’s not a hummingbird, it’s the sunbird! Despite their remarkable likeness they aren’t even a little related. Sunbirds feed on nectar and are pollinators! The males have black feathers that shine in the sunlight (which is how they got their name) and the females are a muddy grey, but they’re just as lovely. You can find them in all parts of Israel, especially near lush flowery areas!

White wagtail/nakh-li-e-li la-van

First migrant bird everyone!!! (Some blackbirds migrate here but some nest during summer so shhhh) This lovely round bird starts it’s visits around October and leaves when it gets hellishly warm again. Due to global warming the wagtails visits are shortening, so appreciate them while you can. Like their name suggests, the wagtails wag their tails. A lot. You can find them near water sources during the cold-ish months of the year!

Eurasian jay- or-va-ni shkhor ki-pa

Eurasian jays can be found in other parts of the world, but I’m pretty sure the one we have in Israel is a different sub-species because the ones in Europe lack the beautiful black top that they’re named after.

The jay is a type of corvid, and in addition to being extremely social and intelligent, these birds can mimic other animals. Due to urbanisation, the jays learned to mimic car alarms, the ringing of phones and the cries of human babies. Jays are extremely fond of acorns, and burry them in the ground in preparation for harsher months. A single jay can remember between 4000 to 5000 hiding spots!

Syrian woodpecker/ na-kar su-ri

This picture is of a male woodpecker. The females have a completely black head. Woodpeckers can locate bugs that have burrowed inside trees and use their beak and long tongues to eat them, thereby helping the trees get rid of pests! Woodpeckers also love acorns, and compete with jays over them. To prevent concussions, the woodpecker’s tongue wraps around their brain, keeping it in place while they peck. You can find them in non-desert areas of Israel!

Lesser whitethroat/siv-khi to-kha-nim

Another migrant birds! These floofballs come here twice a year, once in spring and once in autum, although some whitethroats nest in the north all year long. During their migration you can find them everywhere in Israel, even in very urban areas! They get their Hebrew name, which roughly translates to miller’s shrubbery-liker, because their white chests look how a miller’s apron would look after a long hard day!

Super winged lapwing/sik-sak

The siksaks are water birds with ridiculously long legs that they use to stab their prey. They kind of look like they are wearing a tux! Their original Hebrew name was “sharoni mezuyan”, which translates to “one that lives in the Sharon and is armed with a weapon” but also “fucking sharoni”. You can find them anywhere in Israel as long as there is a near enough water source.

White breasted kingfisher/shal-dag la-van kha-ze

One of my favorite birds. The kingfisher is a magnificent bird of prey with brilliant blue feathers that always make my day. They are most common in the north and west of Israel, but they nest in smaller numbers in the south. They kingfisher’s diet consists of not only fish, but of crabs, frogs, slugs, bugs, and even the occasional rodent. Their varied diet helps them thrive even in drier areas.

[obetrolncocktails]

Kiszka Creek | Josh Kiszka X F!Reader

Warnings: None really, just heart-exploding, feet kicking fluff!

Word Count: 2K

Summary: It's the first time you're visiting Josh's house "as a friend," but you both want so much more...it just seems every time you want to tell each other how you feel, nerves snatch the courage from you. This time, maybe it will be different.

“It’s so pretty back here,” You said, looping the thongs of your sandals between your fingers, watching your bare feet as you tiptoed carefully around the rocks, sticks and leaves that lined the creek in front of you. 

“Jake and I used to spend hours over here in the summer.” You looked at Josh as he walked across a fallen log, crossing from one side of the creek to the other. His arms were stretched out beside him in a careful balancing act as he spoke. “Sam, not so much.”

“Josh, please don’t fall,” you pleaded, trying your best not to be a hypocrite as you teetered into the cool water. 

“Trust me, I’m an expert when it comes to Kiszka Creek.” He finished the sentence with a perfectly stuck dismount on the other side. He offered you a boyish grin that seemed to say, ‘I’ve got the universe in my hands. I’m unstoppable.’ The creek was in a lightly wooded area behind his house. Tall pine trees allowed for shady cover over the stretch of water, offering bright dapples of sunlight through the canopy of leaves overhead. You made your way a bit further into the water, letting your toes feel the first chill of the cold stream. It was crystal clear with no sign of contamination. Under the glassy surface, you could see hundreds of rocks worn into round orbs that had been embedded into the earth from many years of constant current. The longer you looked, you began to see the tiniest minnows swimming in schools, migrating to areas where the current was weakening. “We’d come back here and swim all the time,” he said, wiping his brow. “Mom would yell at us from the back door to come back inside once the cicadas started. We’d bicker and beg for more time. Jake always made me do it because I knew how to soft-talk Mom, and most of the time, it worked.” He looked up at you as he walked along the other side of the stream, his toes digging in the silt and sediment, flipping over eroded rocks and pebbles as he spoke. “ We’d swim, build forts with tree limbs, watch and collect tadpoles, catch frogs…complain and argue…talk about girls.” You watched him as his cheeks reddened slightly with blush. You looked away.

“Want to get in?” he asked, eyes moving between you and the cool water. 

“Uh…” you hesitated, thinking about the possibilities of hidden creatures despite the clarity of the water. 

“Or are you scared?” He picked at you, stepping into the shallow drift, trudging toward you. 

“No, I just don’t want to get eaten.” You said matter of factly, crossing your arms over your chest, looking into the water suspiciously. Josh let out a belly laugh. “What do you think this is? I promise no river monster is going to come out of this tiny little creek and eat you. If anything tries, I’ll kill it first.”

“Josh, you can’t even kill spiders in the house, let alone monsters.” He made his way across the creek, holding out his hands for you to take. 

“Take a chance, Y/n. Come on.”

“I-I don’t even have a bathing suit,” you contested, taking a step backward. 

“It’ll be fine, relax. I’m sure Ronnie will have something you could borrow.” You wore a simple white tank top with a lacy bralette underneath, paired with a pair of thin linen shorts.  You and Ronnie were similar in stature, although you were a bit bigger than she was. You’d just have to hope that you’d find something and that she wouldn’t mind that Josh volunteered her clothing to you. Josh still held out his hand for you, wiggling his fingertips as if to entice you to join him. You took his hand and he led you further into the creek. You felt the water edging up your legs, the chill causing goosebumps to dot every inch of your body. The water felt miraculous. When you looked down, you could see straight through to the bottom. You watched your toes wiggle as you disrupted the silt that had settled, and you observed the weak current carry it all upstream, leaving the water still remarkably clear. You waded as a pair into the deeper part of the creek. “Be careful not to rely too much on the bottom. It gets slippery right around here,” Josh warned. His arm snaked around the small of your back, and you could feel your neck and cheeks beginning to flame from his close proximity. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice. “Just keep your legs kicking.” You did as he suggested, lifting from the slick rocks as the water edged further up your body, the buoyancy lifting you from the bottom.

“Ew, it’s gross down there.” You felt sliminess in between your toes, and it took everything in you not to squirm frantically. 

Josh took your other hand and helped you drift forward so that you were swimming directly in front of him. “One time, Jake slipped on these rocks and broke like two or three of his toes. Dad made him suck it up and walk it off. He actually went like that to school for a whole day before calling home from the office,” he said with a grin. “Mom chewed dad out so badly, he might as well have slept in the shed in the back.”

“Oh my god, that sounds like hell,” You admitted. 

“Trust me. Jake milked that injury for months,” Josh said. “I guess it makes up for a lot of the stupid shit I’ve done in my life.” 

“Like what?” You asked.

Josh smiled, pulling you closer, his lips pulling wider and wider across his face. You struggled to keep your gaze trained with his. “Like this,” he answered, bringing his fingertips to your face and leaning forward to kiss you. Only, he never stopped leaning. Your lips connected with his as he held you and you felt your body floundering backward into the water, still connected within the kiss. Air bubbles filled your sight, most likely from Josh laughing stupidly while under water. His arms held onto you securely as he turned you, lifting you with him so that you were back above the surface facing him. You sputtered as the water poured down your face. You punched him in the chest. 

“You’re such an asshole!” You were annoyed, but admittedly, the sight of his wet body halted you from any further upset. You couldn’t help but grin as you smoothed your hands over the top of your head. 

“Sounds so good when you say it, honey,” He said. “Sue me.” He shrugged, irking you further. Without warning, you threw your feet to the bottom of the creek, despite his warning. You launched yourself upward, throwing your body on top of his, pulling him into the current. This time it was you that was giggling. You felt the water infiltrate your sinuses, the burning sensation pounding through your head. You came up out of the water coughing and spitting.

“Oh my God, Y/n! Are you okay?” Josh asked, grabbing you by both elbows, pulling you to him. You nodded after a moment. 

“I’m fine. I’m perfect.” As if it were a movie–a scene from the Notebook, no matter how tacky it sounded–silence ripped through your embrace, filling your shared personal space with an unspoken dialogue. The trees above rattled in the wind, shaking down ill-fated leaves. Cicadas began to roar from deep within the woods, and you could hear the water trickling around the added obstacle of your bodies. Your eyes cascaded down his body in slow motion. His hair that usually curled around his head in a halo was smoothed flat, water dripping down from the ends and off of his ears to continue its journey down the rest of his body. His white t-shirt that usually hung from his body was now plastered to his skin and you could see his nipples through the shirt as well as the fit contour of his chest and abdomen, his happy trail evident through the wet fabric. He was just as guilty, his gaze disconnected, tracing the shape of your breasts beneath the thin t-shirt you wore. 

“You know those mistakes you were talking about?” You asked finally, breaking the heavy silence. You stepped forward toward him, finding solid footing despite the warnings he had given. Perhaps it signified the truth and rightness of the decision you were about to make. Josh nodded slowly. 

“Yes,” He answered simply, and you watched him swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. You found his hands and pulled him closer to you, an arm’s length apart. 

“I don’t think this is one of them,” You said slowly, wanting him so badly to make the next move. You watched the water around you ripple with the slow movement of your bodies. You watched as his irises ignited with an intensity that was only matched with the bright rays of golden hour, cutting through the branches and across his face, illuminating his beautiful features. 

He shook his head slowly, which made your heart suddenly lurch with embarrassment and dread before he finished. “Neither do I,” he finally answered, drawing you in closer. You felt the warmth of the summer breeze drift along your skin before it was replaced with Josh's fingertips, caressing your jaw so tenderly. You closed your eyes as he leaned forward, tilting his head to place the first real kiss upon your lips. He touched you so slowly and thoughtfully that it took everything in you not to spring forward, wordlessly begging for more–but he made you wait, his lips hovering just above yours, the heat of his breath wisping against your lips and cheeks. Then he took your lips again, this time with more intensity, the tilt of his head dancing with yours, moving in natural rhythm to the increasing intensity of the embrace. You inhaled him through every kiss, your hands migrating to rest on his shoulders before moving to his chest and up to his neck, feeling the solidness of his body before you. You stood there for what seemed like forever, intertwined in an embrace that you both had secretly pined for for so long. When you finally broke from the kiss, you felt the pressure of his lips still pulsing against your lips, the soft graze of his beard a memory on your skin. 

“Wow,” you said, rubbing your lips together, feeling the unconscious grin spreading across your face. 

“I wonder what took us so long,” Josh said, rubbing the back of his neck in nervous habit. “Hope it was worth the wait.” He said, his cheeks flushing lightly. 

“Definitely,” You said, taking his hand in yours again, squeezing it tight. 

“Are you guys done?” 

Your heart almost sprung out of your chest. You spun around. Sam was standing on the far side of the creek. “Mom sent me to find you two. Dinner’s done, but well–” he said, eyeing you both. “Shall I give you time to get decent?” 

“Sam, we’ve got it. Tell Mom we’ll be a little late to dinner. Something important came up.” You felt Josh wrap an arm possessively around you, and you couldn’t help but smile, your heart feeling impossibly full. 

Sam scoffed, but his faint grin told a different story that perhaps he was happy for his brother. “I’ll stall Mom, but you owe me.” 

“Thanks,” Josh murmured dismissively before turning you back against his chest, leaning in to kiss you once more. His lips pulled tightly into a grin of true happiness as he kissed you. Kiszka’s Creek may have been a childhood memory to Josh, but to you, it had become one of true adult longing. You silently vowed to yourself never to forget the warmth of the breeze drifting around your body, mingled with the cool chill of the water against your skin and Josh’s lips pressed for the first time against yours.

___

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[avatarmerida]

New brain rot? No, just Huntlow in a different font. It’s a Willina (?) HC/ if I wrote a fic this would be it but also I dunno if I will get so here are some crumbs under the cut if you care:

William gives me the vibes of like he is a grimwalker that Belos made but he’s the only one he’s gotten right so he has to “preserve” him until he’s needed because making a grimwalker is hard let alone a sustainable one. So that’s why he’s doing the classic sleeping thing and in his mind he’s under a curse which is why he can’t like remember a lot about his past or who he is and that’s where his arc stems from like he believes stopping by wild magic will restore his memories or something.

Also I feel like a fun little twist since this version of Hunter is very Disney-esque and I think he’d still be made of palistrom trees if they did like a Pinocchio type thing where he can’t lie (or at least can’t lie to Belos) without it causing him pain or like branches grow from him and he just chalks it up to the curse not to the clone thing. I also picture him like that frog from the Swan Princess movie where he’s convinced a kiss from a princess will save him but since he’s been asleep for who knows how long there are no royalty left.

And then okay also his is instantly charmed by Paulina. Like he just thinks she is so cute right away and she’s the only person who isn’t annoyed with his speeches of his backstory and mission and is genuinely nice to him. And they meet sooner in this version and Paulina takes longer than Willow to migrate to the plant track and maybe practices in secret and confides this to William in exchange for his secret about the lying thing. And she’s like “That’s awful, I wish I could help you.” And he’s like “I appreciate it, but only a princess can.”

And I fully subscribe to the HC that he calls her princess as a nickname and so she says “I’d like the try anyway.” And she’s not great at magic but she tries anyway and there’s a montage of them trying different spells and potions and stuff and then either they discover or William finally mentions that a kiss from a princess is how the spell was broken (according to the stories which are not factual but we’re brought over by Belos to like help manipulate people somehow) and Paulina plant girl is like “OMT there is a flower called Princess kiss and it’s rare but maybe that’s it.” And they go on a little quest where they get to know each other better and they find the flower and all it does is make him sneeze a bunch. It’s clear the books mean a literal kiss.

So William is so grateful but poor Paulina is like “If only I was a real princess, and not just a half a witch then I’d actually be able to help you.” And William blushes as he little brain process the fact that she basically said she would kiss him if it would help him and he’s like “Well, it couldn’t hurt to try.” And then they get very close to kissing before being interrupted (of course).

And then later on, William is like on to Belos and done with him and goes to tell everyone but Belos doesn’t wanna destroy him because he worked hard to make him so he turns him into a frog while he makes up another sleeping potion to try again later. And frog William tries to warn everyone but he is not a talking frog so he can’t communicate with them but he brings Paulina the princess kiss flowers and starts sneezing and Luz is like “I didn’t know frogs could sneeze?” (And idk if they do let’s pretend they don’t, Amphibia fans don’t come for me) and Paulina is like that’s weird and she puts two and two together and realizes it him and while they’re trying to figure out how to reverse it, she’s holding him tightly and assures him it’s gonna be okay and gives him a gentle kiss atop his head and he transforms back.

He’s so overjoyed and he picks her up and spins her around and he’s like “I told you being a princess was about more than a shiny crown.” Or something which is a callback to a conversation they had before. It doesn’t cure the grimwalker thing because that’s not a curse it’s what he is but then every time something goes wrong he’s like “Paulina can just kiss me and it’ll be okay.” And everyone is like “Dude you cannot just think you’re invincible because her kiss undid one super outdated curse.” And he’s like “Well it can’t hurt to try.” (It still can, btw) And Paulina is just a blushing smitten mess about how her scrawny little prince truly thinks there is nothing she can’t do.

Idk I feel like it would be a longer fix to explain all the differences but it’s an AU that I would get messy with and a little confused but that’s the vibe I got from th like 10 second clip.

[strixcattus]

The Wuggthea

I love making up weird birds for this game of bestiary telephone. (Design partially inspired by the very aptly-named Magnificent Frigatebird, which I only just found out about when looking for inspiration. Birds are already so weird.)

The Wuggthea

The Wuggthea, also called the Large-Throated Woodpecker or the Chatterbox Woodpecker, is a species of bird that migrates from eastern Europe in the summer to southern Asia and parts of Africa in the winter.

Female and male Wuggthea have vastly different appearances. Females are slightly smaller, and their feathers are a mottled pale grey across their entire bodies, and they have light grey beaks. Males, on the other hand, have solid grey or black feathers with white shoulders and underbelly. The undersides of their wings and tail are bright red, as is the tuft of feathers on the back of their head and a spot on their forehead, the tip of their black beak, and their featherless throat sac.

Wuggthea eat mainly invertebrates. Though they are often called woodpeckers, and do drill holes in trees, they are just as likely to search for their prey in the soil, or to seek out infested corpses and eat the insects that gather around them. Occasionally a Wuggthea will also eat small vertebrate animals, particularly frogs.

A Wuggthea is capable of making a wide variety of noises. Their most common vocalisations are "chattering" or "chuckling" sounds, which are used for communication. There is also a range of "shrieking" or "screaming" sounds, which are used as alarm calls, and a "cackling" noise which signals the discovery of a rotting log or corpse rich with invertebrates. Males can also use their throat pouches to amplify their "croaking" or "thumping" calls, which are used to vie for mates—those with more impressive calls and more prominent throat sacs are more likely to win partners.

Wuggthea can also make some imitations of sounds they hear, though they are not as clear as those of a raven or parrot. There were some attempts in the 12th century to domesticate Wuggthea, train them to mimic particular human speech sounds, and present them as exotic pets in parts of Europe where they were not native, but their capability for inflicting damage on wooden buildings and producing all manner of unappealing, loud noises when confined made these ventures short-lived.

[hapalopus]

The Root Span is one of those fantasy worlds that looks like our world, until you zoom and enhance. It looks flat, not because it's an unfathomably large sphere, but because it actually is. flat. It's a flat world. It has a sky and stars and sun though??? Yeahh, the "sky" is another flat plane, inhabited by giant glowing orb-shaped frog-like animals. The sun is the biggest one. They migrate in a very big circle and it coincidentally takes about 24 hours for them to get back to where they started. If you go to the edge of the Root Span it'll just be dark because there aren't any frorbs to light it up. Gotta bring your own torch if you wanna explore the edge. And the edge is made of wood, btw. The entire world is a giant fucked up tree with humans and horses and other creatures crawling around the roots and frorbs crawling around the canopy.

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii)

(Photo by Geoff Gallice)

Conservation Status- Least Concern

Habitat- Central America; Northern South America

Size (Weight/Length)- 80 cm

Diet- Small mammals; Birds; Lizards; Frogs

Cool Facts- You might think on first glance that the bright yellow eyelash viper lacks any form of camouflage, but you’re strangely enough wrong. Curled up in a palm tree, their scales are nearly indistinguishable from the bark. They will sit and wait for days without moving, only striking if prey gets close enough. Their venom quickly shuts down the nervous system of rodents and birds, giving the viper an easy meal. Some snakes have memorized the trees migrating birds favor to roost in. The viper returns to the same spot every year to get an easy meal in the form of travel weary birds.

Rating- 11/10 (Cannot physically wink.)

[fairy-verse]

Does error own any cats/animals? Or the other 3 firstborns?

Error may have a certain love for watching Gnomes, as they’re one of the few magical creatures that are highly active during winter. He once tried to take one home, but it cried so much from being separated from its colony that it made Error feel terrible, so he swiftly returned it and has henceforth been content with merely watching them. However, he does have an old snow owl that he’s good friends with, and on the days where he feels like leaving his mountain nest, he will spend time with her and cuddle up against her warm feathers.

Dream doesn’t have a “pet” per say, but he’s made many animal friends, and will often play around with them whenever he can. Squirrels, birds, frogs, rabbits, deer, and unicorns are his favourites to be around. In the earlier days, before he and Cross became close, he often allowed a couple of squirrels and birds to come and go in his nest during winter. Their company was well wished, and they often enjoyed the warmth that Dream would give when the frozen winds were particularly harsh.

Nightmare has a couple of fruit bats that live in the tree atop his underground nest, and some of these he’ll pet and treat like his own little friends, although he will not hold them back from living their life and is quite content with spending time with them only when they’re feeling for it. There is also a passage within his nest that leads to the den of a sweet badger, and Nightmare, along with Nightlight, will sometime go there to pet and play with him.

Ink has many personal gardens near his various nests where he keeps families of mushroom people safe. In return, he’ll often play around with them and paint them with pretty colours, so they stand out among the others, and while they lack the intelligence to fully comprehend this, they usually seem oddly bouncy when they’re splattered with colours of all kinds. Ink will also ride different unicorns within his forest, for many of them migrate between the Great Forest, through Nightmare’s domain, into Dream’s valley, and back again. They have many tales to tell, and they don’t mind that Ink often forgets the ones they’ve already told him.

[lavender-laney]

choking on sea salt snippet

This next chapter is taking longer than expected (mostly because I realized I don't have an actual outline... oops) so here's a little chapter two excerpt I wanted to share in the meantime!

Sadie is sure her responding smile is strained, but she shoulders past it, subtly tucking her hand into her coat pocket in an attempt to stifle the chill that had seemed to migrate from his frigid skin directly into her bones. Oddly enough, he doesn’t move to open the gate, but instead steps into the tall grass, pushing his way through the foliage. Sadie glances back at her car, left sitting before the gate, nearly swallowed by the thick fog, then grips her bag tighter and follows the man into the dark wood.

For a moment, there are only the sounds of the forest – but wrong, somehow. There is the rustle of a salty breeze brushing against the trees, sending goosebumps across Sadie’s skin. There is the crunch of the pairs’ footsteps as they make their way deeper into the thicket of towering pines. As Sadie listens closer, though, there are no crickets, nor the chirping of frogs. No birds pass overhead with whispering feathers, no chipmunks or mice skittering through the undergrowth. No moths flutter past, no lightning bugs float by like paper lanterns. As she stares at the back of Joseph’s tangled hair, and the bow of his shoulders, she feels a sureness in her heart that there are no creatures in this wood besides herself and this strange man. Feeling horribly off-kilter, she stumbles on her next step, thorns snagging in her pants. The sudden grip of Joseph’s hand against her forearm, stabilizing her, is like a frigid wave crashing over her, sending a shock of ice up her arm. She jolts back, nearly falling into the thorny plant, if not for Joseph’s unyielding hold.  “Thank you,” she manages, attempting to pull her arm away. He simply watches her for a moment before his grasp loosens and she can clutch her arm close to her chest. “I’m not really used to … trekking through the woods like this,” she attempts to chuckle, but it comes out shrill and loud, and she’s sure she sounds on the verge of hysteria. “That’s alright,” he says quietly, almost a murmur, sunken eyes locked onto her own shifting gaze. “A nice girl like you ain’t meant to be out here in the elements like this, but it’s the only way into town, I’m afraid.” "What about the gate?" she asks, glancing over her shoulder, though the forest's edge has long since disappeared from sight. As though he did not hear her, he pushes on, shouldering past a low hanging branch. "We're getting close," is all he says.

I promise there will be actual plot soon instead of just ~ spooky vibes ~

tag list (lmk if anyone would like to be added or removed! or if you'd only like to be tagged for complete chapter posts <3)

@megarywrites @at-thezenith @repressed-and-depressed @plasma-studios @wrenofthewords @palebdot @communist-mariner @phantomnations @thelittlestspider @eurydicefades @inkingfireplace @silverslipstream @atreegrowss @i-rove-rock-n-roll @kaze-writes

[dansnaturepictures]

Nine of my favourite flora and fauna photos I took in September 2024 and month summary

The photos are of; Red Deer at Bushy Park, Common Seal on the Beaulieu River, young Coot at Bushy Park, Barn Owl in a flying display at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, Clouded Yellow at Milford on Sea, Lesser Yellow Underwing moth at home, Ruddy Darter on Brownsea Island, Common Lizard at Thursley and hawthorn berries with a ladybird on.

Some of my most magical wild moments of a mesmerising September were watching mammals; immersive views of Common Seals and Grey Seals, enchanting Red Squirrels and ravishing Red, Roe, Fallow and Sika Deers bringing glorious late summer/autumn feelings of splendour. Grey Squirrel, Rabbit and Brown Rat provided some nice moments too.

It was a marvellous month of avian movement with many of my top birds of a fine birding moth enjoyed on migration in and out including Ospreys, Hobby, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, Brent Geese, Pintail, Wigeon, Wryneck, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, a rare for Lakeside Tree Pipit seen on my patch, a Chiffchaff in the garden and unusually Sand Martin at Bushy Park and epic scenes of many House Martins and a few Swallows moving through places. Other highlights this month included incredible views of majestic White-tailed Eagles twice at Newtown and Poole Harbours, Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawks including one coming into the garden, Kestrel, Sandwich Terns, Shag, Curlews, Common Gulls, Mediterranean Gull, Egyptian Geese, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Starlings, Ring-necked Parakeet, Grey Heron, Greenshanks, Sanderlings, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Snipe, Great White Egret, Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets, captivating views of Spoonbills in Poole Harbour, Little Grebes, Whitethroat, Grey Wagtail, Rock Pipit, Dartford Warbler, Cetti's Warbler heard and Kingfisher. Cormorant, Stonechat, Jay, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker and lots of nice views of Great Crested Grebes including the chicks, Moorhens and Coot were other highlights at Lakeside. It was great to spend a day spellbound by birds of prey and others on an amazing day at the wonderful Hawk Conservancy during the super week off of day trips with so many phenomenal places visited and much wildlife seen.

Butterflies did quieten down this month for me but I saw some fantastic ones, headlined by adding the excellent Clouded Yellow to my year list a great final piece of the jigsaw to another memorable butterfly year for me. I also really enjoyed seeing Small Coppers at Bushy Park and Southbourne, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Speckled Wood especially seen well at Lakeside, Common Blue, female Adonis Blue at Old Winchester Hill, Green-veined White, numerous Small Whites and Large Whites especially on sunny days, beautiful Painted Ladies, Red Admirals and Peacock. I enjoyed seeing a fair few moths this month too including dashing Willow Beauty, Garden Carpet, L-album Wainscot, Light Brown Apple moth, sumptuous Lesser Yellow Underwings, pretty Lunar Underwing, Square-spot Rustic and Silver Y and Vestal in the day. Dragonflies and damselflies took a large amount of the limelight again as they dazzled at this well lit and beautiful time of year, Brown Hawker, thrilling Black Darter, Common Darter and Ruddy Darter views, Keeled Skimmer on Brownsea Island, resplendent Migrant Hawker, gigantic and eyecatching Southern Hawker and exquisite Emerald Damselfly were special to see.

It was captivating to watch Common Lizards at Thursley Common and a Common Frog on a wet New Forest walk at Puttles Bridge. Symbolising the shift to autumn I saw loads of craneflies this month which was memorable. I also enjoyed seeing Long-winged Conehead, Common Green Lacewing, hoverflies, bees, wasp, hornet, enigmatic Devil’s coach horse beetle and ground beetle at Thursley, ladybird, Forest Bug, Dock bug, and Grey Silverfish and spiders at home.

Key flower/plant sightings this month included my first ever skullcap at Bushy Park, lots of great devil’s-bit scabious one of my favourites, harebell, common toadflax, restharrow, marjoram, wild basil, water mint, great willowherb, sundew, bog asphodel, sea rocket, wild radish, seaside daisies, sand spurrey, yellow-horned poppy, sea kale, rock samphire, mercury yarrow, wild carrot, pineappleweed, mignonette, hedgerow crane’s-bill, red clover, white clover, comfrey, a strong month for yellow with ragwort, fleabane, tormentil, sowthistle, oxtongue and autumn hawkbit, montbretia, self-heal, gorse, ivy, plantain, black medick and bell and common heather painting the landscape a splendid purple. There was a lot of nice fruit to see including apples, dogwood berries, guelder rose berries, rowan berries and fine ruby hawthorn berries. Sunflower, pretty fuchsia, buddleia, roses, rose hips, firethorn berries and other colourful plants were nice to see at home this month.

[bocchithegrappler]

Short Story: Toumaï 

(based off of this fossil)

It was in the first rays of sunlight that I first saw him. Still slick with fluids, wailing out as if in response to the encroaching dawn--either of the day, or his life. My son. My child.

He did not climb as fast as his siblings, but that was alright; he liked to spend his days collecting shells, rocks, and anything else deemed worthy of his possession. Some of the others worried over him, convinced his strange ways would lead to his death, but he lasted his first winter proudly, finding out migration to warmer climes a personal game, playing (not like his brothers and sisters, who tried each to find the most berries) at finding the smoothest or shiniest rock, the tooth of a now-dead carcass, or the prettiest flowers. Each item was brought before my eyes reverently, outstretched in both palms carefully, awaiting my inspection. I loved them all, and him more for doing it.

My son is not strong, but he does not need to be. After his fourth winter (my twenty-second) he joined his siblings' cavorting through the brush, still not as fast (but I and the others drew pride from seeing the children slow for him to keep up) but clever, digging shapes into the dirt and inventing strange, exciting games to play. He found joy at the river, or any water, spending the day splashing back and forth, searching for fish, and occasionally looking down at the still surface, as if watching something.

On a cool, starry night a day's travel from our home, by the Long Water, I found him beside the shore, peering downward. It was dark, making it a dangerous prospect to leave the safety of the trees, but I paused, watching him at a distance. A few droplets of water still clung in his fur, moonlight dappling across his body before bouncing, shimmering from him. As he looked down, he didn't move, face showing the same childlike wonder that had begun to leave his siblings. My son, in that moment, was truly peaceful; undeserving of the world he was in, but nevertheless part of it, as inexorable yet distant as the moon above.

My son has seen nine winters. The wonder still lives, muted by the effort of survival. Though I am not yet the oldest, the tips of my fur are beginning to lighten; I feel the weariness taking longer and longer to leave. My son now has a scar across his forehead. He had jumped after a frog that, wily and slippery as they all are, had evaded his grasping reach, causing him to fall face-first into the river, cutting himself. My son, when he cries, drowns the whole world in his sorrow.

I have now seen thirty-six winters; my son, fourteen. My fur bears my age with pride, though my steps have grown much weaker. My son helps me when I struggle, finds me the sweetest fruits and coldest water when I rest. I cannot leave, yet, though my bones very much wish to; my son is not ready--or I am not ready--to see us parted.

On a day much like the one I first beheld my joy, my son, as the sky had just begun to lighten before the sun itself strode forth, I saw my son beside the Long Water, beneath a shady fruit tree. I could not clearly see, but knew it to be him; he was once more watching the water. His age was just as apparent as mine. Sixteen winters had made him strong, despite the fears of others; he knew all of our sacred paths and homes, knew the plants and streams best for foraging. My son was no longer small, or weak. As I had many times before, I waited at a distance, beholding him like a beautiful sunset or the uncountable lights in the sky alongside the moon.

Rising, I moved to join him, stopping again as he began to move. Seeing a fruit on the branch above him, he rose, looking upward as if preparing to jump. The first brilliant ray of the sun stretched out into the sky, warmth tickling my fur, and I watched as my son, as unsure and faltering as much as his first weak steps, rose further, back onto his hind legs, until he was standing tall, reaching up to the branch to pluck the fruit from it. The light of the sun poured over the horizon, framing him along the shore in golden fire that twinkled off of his wet fur, triumphant. My son is hope.

[outofangband]

Spring Headcanons for the Elves of First Age Beleriand

Autumn headcanons

Winter headcanons

Obviously I couldn’t go through each group or culture so please feel free to send one and I’ll tell my ideas for them! I’m going to do humans next. Feel free to request for outside of Beleriand too!

For elves the season of stirring (Echuir in Sindarin) begins the equivalent of February First and ends March 27th. Yestarë or Iestor is the first day of the year, approximately March 28th on the Gregorian calendar. Echuir (Sindarin) or stirring corresponds to February first to 27th March on the Gregorian calendar and ethuil or spring began on March 29th and ended May 21st.

Stirring and Spring are seasons of awakening. The frost melts, the rain replaces the snow, and the grounds become green once more. The elves become reacquainted with the earth.

(Note: I do think some elves hibernate but that’s a different post)

Note: I used a more canon climate for Beleriand and other lands here but I'm always happy to make environmental or other world building posts for locations based on other places including specific real ones like I did for the Havens of Sirion! I did talk about non temperate climates a little here and I did more on the winter posts

The Northern Sindar (in Mithrim and elsewhere in Hithlum as well as parts of Nevrast) mark the beginning of spring by the return of leaves to trees and through watching the migration of certain communities of birds back to their homes. Bird houses are built by some, constructed of natural materials like bark and woven grasses. Children often collect feathers left behind. The Northern Sindar also gather may apples, wild strawberries and rhubarb which are favorite spring edible flora. These are often used for cool drinks, the strawberries used to sweeten.

Seasonal changes in Doriath are mostly mild though there are regions that experience more extreme differences throughout the year. While snow rarely falls due to the Girdle, the winter months are still colder. Spring in Doriath brings a forest floor carpeted in new flora; crocuses, snowdrops, bluebells, wild tulips, primrose and more early spring flowers. Lighter materials are often worn in celebration of milder weather. Traditional outfits for spring use fabric created from nettle fibers, a custom shared with the Sindar outside Doriath as well as certain Avarin groups.

In Himring, stirring and then spring represent a slow release of the extreme cold and snowy conditions of the local winters. Visibility becomes clearer as the lands themselves are uncovered. Scouting groups, though in operation all year round, are sent out more often and for longer periods as travel and communication become easier. Trade also increases and rations become more generous. The gardens in Himring (post here) are started as soon as the ground is soft enough to allow for it.

Outside of this climate, the beginning of spring might indicate a rainy season as it does in some regions East of the Ered Luin. Some of the Silvan who live there gather water and collect rain for when the overflowing rivers become too dangerous to use reliably. Shelters are fortified with a variety of materials before the beginning of rainy season and in some locations settlements move temporarily to higher ground

Amphibians returning to activity occurs throughout Beleriand in early spring. Elven children (and human children of course!) often enjoy staying up to here the first choruses of frogs, searching for eggs and watching tadpoles. Many adults too find joy in this new continuing of life. In Nargothrond for example, there is a tradition to follow short migrations of salamanders as they reach the ponds they will lay eggs in.

(I worry this one isn’t as good as my previous ones, I hope it’s ok! Please feel free to give requests)

[hunting-songs]

Nature Aesthetic: Senritsu Döne Repost, don’t reblog! BOLD everything that applies to your character:

fluffy white nimbus clouds| dark grey cumulonimbus clouds.| rain clouds.| a hurricane.| light spring breeze.| a sherbet-colored sky at sunrise.| hazy yellow skies.| deep blue ponds of fresh water.| blankets of sparkling snow.| tornado winds.| monsoon flooding.| rich, orange sunsets.| soft, purple clouds at dusk.| heavy hail.| the rumbling of thunder.|

icy sleet.| gentle snowfall.| moss-dusted tree bark.| pink sunset clouds.| grey winter skies.| navy blue skies in the daytime.| cool mist in the morning.| leaf-bare trees.| giant ocean waves.| the full moon.| a cracked, dry desert.| rolling hills of prairie grass.| sweeping waves of briny seawater.| rocky, steep ravines.| rippling canyon walls.| spindly, cave stalactites.| creeping, green ivy.| lush canopies of leafy trees.| dense, white fog.| a peaceful creek of clear water.|

flowering  cacti dusted with dew, catching light in the morning sun.| a bubbling,  hot pool of volcanic sulfur.| sharp, grey mountainsides.| fossils nestled  in chunks of rock.| a white sand beach.| deep imprints of animal  tracks in the dirt.| soft, squishy moss.| uniform rows of birch trees in  winter.| delicate mushrooms popping up in spring from beneath the decay  on the forest floor.| tumbleweeds jerking in the faintest wind across the  desert landscape.| light rain.|

summer wildfires.| a mixing of  hot and cool air before a storm.| silent lightning in the static of  summer heat.| a windy blizzard.| thick flakes of snow tumbling down from  the sky.| a tree standing alone in a barren, yellow field.| a desert  of loose sand and tall, orange dunes.| a pure blue sky.| a river of molten  rock.| a grove of flowering trees.| twisting, mangled roots sticking up from the muddy ground.|

bitter, cold winds.| tumultuous skies of stormy clouds.| branches of lightning ripping across the sky.| a foggy swamp.| the tree-bare foothills of a mountain range.| sandy brown cliff sides.| rocky coastlines.| the  violent shaking of an earthquake.| the lights of the auroras borealis and australis.|

a black sand beach.| a lone tropical island in the reef of shallow, aqua waters.| underwater volcanic vents.|  a herd of migrating mammals.| tree branches growing heavy with ripe  fruit.| light streaming down through the clouds.| a field of lush grain  wading peacefully in the summer breeze.| the sound of insects and frogs  teeming in the night.| natural diamonds nestled in coarse desert sands.| a frozen lake.|

[wuxiaphoenix]

Thoughts on A Winter Sky

Some days the sky is so clear and blue and sparsely tufted with white, you could reach up with chilled fingers and rake down ice crystals. Some days, you just know it’s cold.

I’m open to debate whether a dry cold or damp cold is worse. On the one hand, when it’s damp and gray and otherwise shadowed with overcast, you at least feel like it ought to be that miserable. On the other hand on the clear, cold days it’s almost warm enough in the sun... until the wind blows. Then you’re icicle-knifed to the bone. It feels distinctly not fair.

I know there are people who love winter. I have no idea why. Though I have been known to indulge in the occasional, “Isn’t this great? No mosquitoes!”

I prefer spring, even with the thunderstorms. Maybe even especially with thunderstorms. Snow and ice can be handled with plows and salt. Usually. But for pure “yep, staying home and reading”, nothing beats a tree-dropping, thunder-cracking, tornado-spawning spring storm. Anything that comes down probably would have come down sooner or later. And odds are you needed the rain. The tulips and crocuses appreciate it. I live too far south for those without refrigerating bulb shenanigans, but roses and azaleas like it too. To say nothing of the frogs. So. Many. Frogs.

(And oak pollen. Argh.)

Summer’s nothing to sneeze at either, though it’s more of a lizard time than frogs. Anoles, brown and green; skinks, glass lizards appearing on night walks. Snakes, too, become more visible; especially if it’s been a good frog or lizard year. Garter snakes come in a stunning variety of colors and patterns, sometimes all from the same live-born litter. All harmless, unless you’re a smaller herp. I find them a reassurance that the local ecosystem is ticking on. And they’re nice quiet neighbors. Not something you can say about squirrels. Or jays. Or woodpeckers.

I can only imagine the look on the first woodpecker’s face to encounter a metal roofpipe, and realize that his drumming to attract females would be so much louder. It’s the woodpecker bling equivalent of showing up to the date in a limo and an Armani suit. They love it. Very loudly.

Fortunately, by autumn, most of those hijinks have tapered off. Though autumn brings more rain, meaning the frogs are at it again. Or an entirely different set are. Hard to tell through the cacophony of at least four different species all trying to announce themselves as Most Eligible Frog in the pond.

But eventually it gets too cold even for the leopard frogs to court, and the honking of geese migrating from pond to pond (yet never quite leaving) rings through the twilight. Which has turned from hazy to crisp clear yellows and oranges, because Arctic air is here again....

And the ice-clouds streak the sky, like cotton fluff pulled too thin to hold warmth.

Yeah, it’s cold down here. Brrr.

(Originally written January, been a bit since I could actively post...)