#my favorite bobcat

[caustic-x]

Bobcats’ pretty medic

[escapingpurgatory]

my favorite animals pt.1

mouse loon crow

lynx duck bobcat

dog deer rabbit

[t00nified]

He can't get out of my head

[salemripley]

Watching Bonkers again you know what that means Lucky and Bonkers are Bisexual in twenty different posts‼️‼️‼️

[delicatefury]

Dude. Raccoons. We have wonderful little trash pandas. No one else has raccoons.

Look at these guys!

And cardinals! I love cardinals. These bright red little birds.

Flying jewels are what they are.

Bobcats. Nuff said.

Foxes! We have the largest true foxes in the world.

River otters!

I love our native animal life so much

Also, not an animal, but Venus fly traps are from the Carolinas.

look at me. listen to me. this is directed at americans for the record. the reason you think North American animals are boring is because you live here. there are so many cool and beautiful animals here. we have beavers. we have wolves. we have moose. we have sea lions. we have armadillos. we have mountain lions. we have alligators. we have foxes. we have bighorn sheep. we have manatees. we have bears. we have ocelots. we have BISON. and that’s not even touching on the birds! or the turtles! or the snakes! we have amazing beautiful and diverse wildlife right here and it deserves to be appreciated and protected

[enviedear]

can you pleaseeee do the reader’s first with billy??

i feel like that man would be a gentle giant 😞🩷

first time with billy bonney...

you asked so nicely i gave you a full fic <3 enjoy 2k words of first time cuteness with our favorite outlaw

tw— 18+ smut, minors dni, piv, unprotected sex, (do better irl) cumming inside

request

billy's charming in the way he helps you off his horse, eyes as bright as the stars above. you let yourself walk with him, hands interlocked and arms brushing together, as you escort him back to your small cabin.

up here, away from the fast-growing town, trees stand tall and animals call out—it's wild out here. so wild in fact, that no one in the gambling den batted an eye when the gunslinger offered to accompany you home. his citation of some recent bobcat attacks being enough to make his sinfully intended sentiment sound as if it were an honorable and gracious one.

of course, not that you gave it any mind. none at all. for as sure as the days are long, it's no question that you've fallen head first for the man on the run. in just a few weeks of his strolling into town, he's managed to endear himself so effortlessly to you.

you watch his slender fingers graze the doorknob of the wooden door, "i can find som'where else to stay tonight, darlin'. if you've changed your mind."

his voice is hushed and you furrow your brows at his admission, "why would i change my mind?" your resolve is unwavering as you look up at him, your stare wrought with permission.

he pushes the door open, letting you step inside first. for a second, you think he may back down, regret his decision at the den, and leave you here alone with only the idea of what could have been.

such thoughts are promptly absolved from your head when he wraps his strong, yet lean, arms around you. his chest becomes flush against you, and you note the prominent bulge pressing into your backside— how could you have ever thought of rejection? this is the furthest from it, this is obvious clearance, a promise.

"you look so pretty," billy whispers, cool breath hitting your shoulder, "i want you s'bad... just don't let me scare you."

another confused expression graces your face, "why would you scare me?"

the gunslinger breaths in your scent, nose brushing along the curve of your neck, "'cause i know how much i want you. m'crazy for you, sweetheart," he pauses to turn your head toward him, pointer finger at your chin, "just don't want to be too much and scare you away."

you ease into his touch, turning to face him, defenses down at his confession, "i won't run, billy. i like you too much."

your words seem to ignite the spark of passion within him as he pauses to let his eyes trail over your lips before finding your eyes again. the act is small but apparent enough that you feel comfortable enough to slide your hands up to his chest. his heartbeat thumps against your hands, rate accelerated.

with a shaky breath, you lean into him, lips brushing his. lingering, you feel as if you're on the edge of a cliff seconds away from jumping into the waters below. you feel him give the softest smile, bottom lip bumping into your own. the little sensation lights you aflame, and you have to fight back a moan when he finally presses his lips to yours.

his kiss is saccharine, loving, and careful. his hands keep you steady, at your hips, drawing you into him. you feel utterly lost in his being. the way he kisses you, slow and graceful, a welcome surprise. used to rowdy farmhands' awkward kisses and scorned by vicious schoolboys' unsolicited pecks, you've never had a kiss so sweet.

as his tongue tentatively brushes against your lips, you feel your body responding in a way you never thought possible. you feel animalistic, wanton and greedy. your hands grip his shirt, pulling him closer as you part your lips and let him deepen the kiss. the taste of him is intoxicating, and you can't get enough.

with a sudden urgency, billy pulls you towards him and lifts you onto the nearby table. you gasp as he breaks away from the kiss to trail kisses along your jawline before nipping at your neck. your head falls back, exposing more of your neck to him, and you hear him groan in approval.

his hands roam your body, tracing the curve of your waist before sliding under your shirt to cup your breasts. you arch into him, craving the touch of his rough hands on your bare skin. your own hands find their way to the buttons of his shirt, fumbling with them before pulling it off his body and revealing his toned stomach. you run your hands across his chest, feeling the stiff muscles under your fingertips.

you break away from him momentarily to catch your breath, gazing into his eyes as he looks back at you with such intensity that you feel like he's seeing straight into your spirit, "i want you," he whispers, voice husky with desire, have the minute i laid eyes on you."

billy eases you back onto the table, lips grazing your own, the feel of his skin against your own sending shivers down your spine. as your fingers fumble with his belt, you're reminded of your lack of experience.

you pause to look into his eyes, silently asking him for reassurance, "s'okay, darlin', trust me." his lips press against yours, reassuring and gentle, "you're doing s'good already."

you can't help but grow warm at his words, the bravery and candor in his voice giving away your own effect over him, "i trust you." you whisper against his lips, pulling him impossibly closer.

he hums, kissing you again before sliding your dress shirt off your body. you feel his hands roam your waist, following the curve of your stomach to rest on the swell of your hips, holding you steady.

you take a moment to appreciate the sight of billy's bare chest—the way the moonlight filters through the windows, casting an ethereal hue on his body. you catch yourself wondering if you'll be so lucky to have him in your bed again, and you decide then and there that if he leaves, you won't let him go alone.

focusing back into the ardor of his embrace, the kiss as passionate as it was before, if not more. your tongues dance against each other, neither of you keeping a single thing to yourselves. billy's hands slide around to your hips, gripping at your skirt.

a shiver runs up your spine as he pulls you into him, feeling the weight of him press against your thigh. the heat from his body feels almost as strong as your desire for him, and you shudder from the contact, "i need—" you break away from him, hands fumbling at your own clothes, "i need you, billy…"

you pull your skirts up, revealing yourself to the dark-haired man before you. billy's eyes are trapped on your hips, lingering on your underwear as his hands slide up your hips and hook themselves around your bloomers, "never had a lady tell me what she wants," he murmurs, "s'direct."

his words drive you to press your hips into his, wanting him to know that you mean it, "please, i need you."

his lips find your neck, teeth nipping at your collarbone, "i need you, too, darlin'."

you close your eyes, hands finding their way to the button of his pants, "take them off."

you hear him chuckle and he slides down off the table, unlacing his belt as he steps out of his pants. you turn your head from him, flustered as you slide your undergarments off your hips and legs, kicking them to the side to fully expose yourself to him.

the gunslinger glides your back onto the table, eyes grazing over every curve and plane of your body as you lie before him, "you're so beautiful, darlin'."

you smile at his words, reaching your hands out for him as he lowers himself over you. your breaths seem to come faster, riddled with nerves.

you can feel his breath on your cheek, and you lean into him, "billy..." his lips kiss yours once, stopping you from saying anything further. you can feel his erection press against your thigh.

his hands find your hips and slowly slide you towards him, "just relax." he whispers as his eyes find yours.

you feel him press against you, and you close your eyes, bracing yourself for the pain. you suddenly feel a heat wave course through you, leaving a trail of nerve endings burning at his every touch. the gunslinger groans in approval and kisses your neck, seemingly urging you to relax more.

you feel him nip at your collarbone before slowly easing into you. you feel a light burning sensation, but it seems to be more from his movement than from his dick. his hips are gentle as he thrusts into you, his breath catching in his throat as you move your hips. the gunslinger's hands move to your waist, gripping at you as he pulls you into him.

the need for oxygen breaks your kiss, and billy's lips slide up to your ear, nipping at it as he thrusts into you with more force. you gasp, your back arching as he pulls you into him. you hear him groan in approval, "darlin', you're s'tight, and warm…you feel so good. i could stay inside of you forever."

you shudder at his words, unaccustomed to such vulgar remarks. your mind is filled with thoughts that no lady would ever think, but you find that you don't care. the pleasure billy brings you is more than enough to excuse what others might consider improper.

his lips find your neck again, leaving gentle kisses across your skin. you shiver as you feel him pant against your skin, "more, darlin', let me hear."

you nod your head, not at all sure what to expect. as billy's thrusts become harder, your nails dig into the tops of his arms, leaving light trails of red on his skin. he groans, "good girl."

your mind begins to cloud, your body becoming light with pleasure, "billy…"

as he moves within you, your body instinctively tenses and your breaths become labored. billy's hands grip your hips tightly, urging you to move with him as he thrusts deeper and harder. you can feel the tension building inside of you, a primal heat that intensifies with each movement.

"god, darlin', you're so close. i feel it." he whispers huskily in your ear, his words fueling your desire even more. your nails dig into his arms, leaving marks on his skin as you cling to him desperately.

finally, the wave crashes over you and pure ecstasy washes over your entire being. billy's own release follows closely behind yours, his muttered words blending into the symphony of pleasure that surrounds you both. as you lay there, spent and gasping for air, billy wraps his arms around you, pulling you close to his chest. his weight is a comforting pressure against your body as he remains inside of you for a few moments longer.

eventually, he pulls out and lies next to you on the table, allowing both of your bodies to relax and catch their breath. you turn towards him, gazing into his deep blue eyes that are filled with adoration and passion. this intimate moment between the two of you feels like an eternity as you bask in each other's presence. you turn and face him, smiling as you lean to kiss him.

you know you've never been so satisfied, and you can't help but feel happy for the choice you made. the gunslinger is kind enough to take you to your bed, snuggling into both you and your covers.

you lay in his arms, exhausted from your previous activity. billy looks down at you and smiles, "you did real good, sweetheart. i didn't scare you, did i?"

you shake your head, stupid grin on your face, "no, billy. you were perfect."

—reblog and like if you enjoyed, let ur local writer know you like her work !

billy taglist— @honey-bees-13 @poppyflower-22 @black-yn @siriuslybeloved @sherlollyliveson18 @cosmicspacewitch @aravenswritingdeskblog @sabrinasbd

[sketchy-scribs-n-doods]

This video by Alex Hera is also a very interesting dive into the history of the internet horror culture that spawned analog horror and what defines it as a genre:

somebody please explain what analog horror is as a genre, like what are the bullet points that distinguishes it from found footage, is it even fair to consider them related genres or is anything analog horror as long as you slap a grain filter over it

[itsbubbleteataro]

Hehe inspiration is fun

I'm kinda in the mood for some angst so let's get to it! I ended up getting inspired by one of my favorite songs by my favorite band.

Please enjoy!

Pairing; human!Alastor x human!fem!reader

Warning; Alastor being Alastor, death, gore, murder, cannibalism 

Six feet under the stars

Summer of 1932 in New Orleans

You and Alastor had been living together for quite some time now. You moved in with him around two years ago and have been engaged for a little over two months now.

Tonight was a rare night where Alastor had gone out again for both a hunt and a surprise for you. Yes, you knew about his hunts and to be honest you didn't mind them. I mean you yourself had been doing something similar.

You were the daughter of a tea salesman and were well versed in the art of tea. Sometimes when dealing with a rather rude customer as you worked at your father's shop, you snuck a little something extra into the teabag, just a pinch of arsenic. Okay well maybe not just a pinch but enough to kill a man.

Anyways you looked at yourself in the mirror checking your appearance once more in the mirror. You wore a simple sundress as it's the summer and summer in the bayou can get quite hot and swampy.

You looked at the paper on the dining room table double checking where it said to meet Alastor. You laced up your boots with the heels before you stepped outside, walking down to Thames street where your lover wait for you.

*******

When you approached your fiancé you saw that he had changed out of his hunting clothes, he must have stopped at home while you were busy getting yourself ready.

With a hum the two of you linked arms and walked towards the outskirts of a different part of the bayou. Don't get me wrong, Alastor still knew this part very well and you trusted him in every way shape and form and in turn he trusted you. Trusted you enough to see him covered in blood, eating human hearts, even his hair in its naturally curly state.

Alastor lead you over to a waiting blanket and picnic basket, taking your hand he brought you to sit down.

"I was hoping we could have a lovely picnic this fair evening baby" 

His eyes shown in the low lighting. You swooned. He was always doing sweet things like this for you. You helped him set up the food, your matching engagement rings sparkling in the starlight. He had picked out matching rings himself, the main stone in yours being a ruby with small diamonds around it. A blood red stone, fitting choice for two serial killers.

About halfway through your evening you both had finished the food. It was one of the rare occasions that you too indulged in the taste of human flesh. Your head was against his shoulder as you watched the fireflies dance in the distance, taking in each others peace when you felt Alastor stiffen.

You were pulling your head back to ask what was the matter when you felt it, a scorching, red hot, searing pain in your shoulder. Your hand flies to your shoulder as a scream is ripping from your throat. Alastor's eyes widen and for the first time in a long time he feels terror make its way into his heart.

You, his love, had been shot by a clumsy hunter who had mistaken the two of you for a pair of bobcats out of all things.

You hunched over, eyes full of tears as you even try to process of what happened when a second shot rings out, this one hitting your torso.

Alastor was furious, quickly confronting the hunter who had yet to realize that he had infant shot a person. All you could hear was the hunters scream as Alastor quite literally ripped him apart with his blade.

He first cut the tendons in the hunters legs so he couldn't run, then sliced the ones in his hands so he can't fight back. Then he stabbed and stabbed and stabbed and stabbed, stopping only after he had plunged his blade between the fools eyes and twisted it.

By the time he had finished with the hunter he turned to you. Quickly going down to you he held you in his arms. His hands were shaking and he was covered in both your blood and the hunters blood.

You were losing blood fast and you both knew it.

"I should have known better than to call you out tonight-"

"Oh hush up love"

You cut him off. You didn't want him blaming himself for your death. You knew you were going to die when you felt your fingers starting to tingle from blood loss.

Alastor gripped your face with one of his hands,

"My dear, I fear that if you're gone I won't be able to hold back. I may just tear this place apart."

Alastor choked out, feeling tears well in his eyes. You took a shaking breath, leaning into his touch.

"Then tear the world apart if you so desire. Just as long as you promise to meet me again someday"

Alastor nodded his head, his heart breaking in two as your voice became weaker and weaker.

"I love you Alastor"

You reached a hand up to his cheek, rubbing it gently.

"I love you too (y/n)"

Upon hearing such words you know that your body won't be long for this world. You let a gentle smile rest upon your lips, pulling his cheek weakly in an attempt for him to do the same.

He gets the message and forces himself to smile as tears rundown his cheeks. With one last breath your eyes flutter shut, your hand slipping from his face and your soul plummeting straight down to hell.

He holds your body close and sobs. The smile never leaving his face as he does. He sits back up, packing up the picnic and stuffing it all in the basket, blanket it and all. He pushes his arm through the loop of the basket so he can pick up your lifeless body.

He makes his way back to your shared cabin walking through the bayou as he didn't want anyone thinking he had killed you, his precious lover.

He knew he would have to give you the best burial money could buy, so he did just that. Your tombstone was made of marble, your name engraved as "(y/n) Hartfelt".

The day he buried you was one of the worst days of his life, right up when he had buried his mother. He visited your grave daily, telling you about his day. His never stopped grieving.

Fall of 1933

Alastor had been shot burying a body. He had gotten sloppy after your death, his hunts becoming more erratic as he worked through his loss. A hunter had mistaken him for a deer.

First his love had been mistaken for a bobcat and now him a deer, how fate has a way of working.

He welcomed his death, being found with a smile etched on his face for he knew that he could finally reunite with his lover as his soul plummeted down to hell.

He had a matching tombstone to yours, it being placed in the grave yard next to yours. As his coffin was lowered down into the ground and the dirt piled on, he rest easy.

As the two of you could finally be reunited,

Six feet under the stars



[sirxlla]

Deja Vu

----------------------------------------------------

Warnings: Fluff, Angst

Prompt: Part 2 to Past Misunderstandings, Tyler getting the reader to go around a horses again

Notes: gender of reader, italics are actions and thoughts.

-With that said it's all under the cut-

It had been about six months since the rodeo incident and you and Tyler had fell back into that 'Peas in a Pod' attitude. The two of you inseprible again, Layin in the back of his truck in the middle of his dad's damn near ten acres. His feet played with yours, his cowboy boots pushing against yours.

Tyler didnt know exactly what had happened to Moonshine due to the fact he left and the fact you both didnt talk to eachother. He was curious asked about the gunsmoke colored horse and you told him what happened....

Bobcats weren't overly or exceedingly uncommon for the area but they usually stayed away from livestock in this area due to a lot of the farmers killing them or scaring them off with shotguns.

Unfortunately, a few years back one of them ran straight right for your horse, of course your sweet boy got scared and tried to buck you, a foot stayed trapped in the stirrup for a few feet before you came loose.

Regrettably, for you and Moonshine the bobcat kept going right after that horse, that sweet horse you'd had for damn near almost your whole life. There was nothing you could do but leave him because as soon as they had latched onto his backside another came out of nowhere and went for the neck...All you could do was save yourself. Everyday you wished there was something more you could have done.

After you explained what happened to Tyler he rubbed your back with a sad sympathetic expression on his face.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Tiny. You loved that horse..." He smiles as a memory crosses his mind as he gazes at the clouds.

"You remember when we took him out to that field after we ditched school and we laid in the grass on that blanket all day. It was cloud watching, right?"

You smiled sadly, you know Tyler was just trying to make you feel better. Tyler always had a habit of knowing exactlt what to say to distract you.

"You cant say every cloud looks like a penis!" A laugh left your throat as you repeated what you had said to him, it wasnt just cloud watching...your had head spent that whole day on Tyler's bicep cuddled into him like he was your favorite teddy bear, not too different from how you were now.

The way your eyes light up just made Tyler feel so much better about how you felt right now over Moonshine. His heart swelled at the laugh that left you, music to his ears. He was so glad to have you back.

"Hey, I know you might not be ready for it but...My dad's just came into possesion of a horse who's really skiddish and he can't get her to come near anyone. I know your dad's horse Whiskey was pretty skiddish when y'all got him and you were the only one that got him out of that shell, you and your dad...Uncle's (You both called eachothers dads Uncle cause of the way you both grew up together) tried with this horse and she just wont budge. My dad asked me to ask you if you'd try."

"What's wrong with her?" You looked up at Tyler with a bit of worry as you spoke.

"He said something about her buckin' and stompin'. I think he also said something about her tryna bite." Tyler massaged your scalp as you rested your head on his shoulder.

"Yeah...I can. I can try." You told him with a bit of nervousness in your voice. Not only were you scared with how wild this horse seemed but letting a horse in seemed bittersweet after Moonshine. Cantaloupe (your brother's horse) was different cause you'd known that horse all your life but you know Tyler's dad and he wouldn't stop tryna break this horse, if done wrong he'd hurt her or himself bad at least.

A few days passed and Tyler picked you up and got you to his dad's farm. This barn was the same from that night but now the memory was fond because you knew it really had meant something to Tyler. He winked in acknowledgment of the spit you two had done it, which earned a blush from you.

You held Tylers hands with nerves as he guided you down to the horse, every step closer and noise that was made riled the horse up even more. You squeezed his hsnd with nerves, you knew horses like this were dangerous. Tyler's dad slammed something down in pure anger as he left the stable, his eyes fell on you. He had a black eye which you assumed was from the horse.

"TT, if you can get that damn horse to calm down then you can have the damn thing. I've had it up to here with the damn bitch!" Tyler's dad wasnt one to curse a lot but he was clearly pissed as he stomped off.

"You dont have to do this, Tiny." Tyler told you, he was clearly nervous about this after seeing his dad the way he was and hearing the commotion inside the stable.

"If I dont then what happens to her? Huh?" You asked, it was like all nerves had been stripped away and you went into savior mode. This was how you were when you were younger, determined and didnt back down from a challenge.

"Okay." He backed down cause he knew how you were, he grew up with you like this and it was good to see you step back into yourself.

You took a deep breath as you closed your eyes before opening them on exhale. You slowly slipped into that stable. 'Oh, she way beautiful' you thought, a Leopard pattern to her fur. She looked at you like you were a challenge but as soo as you saw that you bowed you head and bowed infront of her.

"Hey...Hey, Beauty....It's alright...It's okay, Mama. I aint here to hurt you." You spoke softly and stayed in place by the door. Invading her personal space without permission is clearly what Tyler's dad fucked up on.

"I know, Uncle was an asshole. He came ib here acting like he owns the place." You said with a smile, that day you didnt even get close enough to touch her. As much as you loved your uncle, he could be impaitent.

As weeks passed you and her got closer as did you and Tyler. You and Tyler had started sleepin at eachothers places, innocent little kisses and hugs turned into showers together. The two of you didnt have sex or anything, it was just intimate and close. His body pressed to yours as you leaned your head back as he pulled you closer to him with his arm around your torso.

You got closer and closer to this horse, your 'uncle' had given the horse to you. When she was ready for it you had saddled her up and rode around with her.

Tyler had been asking after the beautiful white and black spotted horse so you introduced her to him, made him go slow and respectful and before you knew it she'd cuddle her face onto Tyler's arm to get him to pet her.

Tyler was so damn proud of you, he pulled you close to him and kissed you deeply pushing you against that same interior wall of the barn like he did in highschool but this was more. It was more languid and passionate, your hands found his face as he kissed you.

"We doing this again?" You asked against his lips with a smile and whisper.

"You wanna do this again, Tex?" He asked just to make sure you he wasnt pressuring you.

Your eyes flitted back and forth as they ran through the possiblities, 'Was this a good idea? Should I?'

Masterlist

[kommbee]

I suppose I could show some more art of animalsformers!

I do enjoy the idea of Optimus Prime being a grey wolf over a lion for the sole reason that wolves are a pack. Sure lions are a Pride and yada yada but I feel like when you think of a wolf you think of a pack of them, togetherness and it’s something special that I feel OP has. Also a less deep reason is because I made him a police dog at first haha!

Megatron being an inverted panther is also pretty cool seeing as you don’t really see these cats in big groups and they tend to run solo

Bumblebee and Cliffjumper being a Honeybee and Hover fly respectively was a little amusing because they do kinda look alike!!!

Soundwave as a bat should be pretty straightforward and easiest to understand being ECHO-LOCATORS and all. Shockwave being a rat is to parallel him but also the iconic lab rat stereotype fits.

Ratchet being a St. Bernard was more so because those dogs are associated with being med dogs and I thought its would be really cool to have him as a grumpy old dog and Wheeljack as a boisterous jackrabbit

Starscream is also another one of my favorites! FASTEST most pretty bird in the sky what will you do when you see that peregrine falcon diving right towards you!?!?

Knockout and Breakdown were pretty easy because of how pretty and red and sly foxes are it was a no brainer and I just had to think of a bigger BULKIER forest animal for breakdown and in turn it made a path for me to make Bulkhead a BULL! An animal that’ll give a bear it’s two sense.

Elita-1 as a lion over prime did turn some heads when I showed people but I truly think shed be a big and strong animal that represents those qualities and what better than a LIONESS??? Arcee is a bobcat or a Lynx idk for sure but I wanted her to be a cat like elita!

I really do hope to make more. Im kinda bored and very lonely and I smile every time I see people viewing something I like so I hope you guys enjoy my small rant!!!

[housepartyfortwo]

Am I the only person that kinda likes this? The Hornet's never really get much good rep, so I feel like this partnership could be a good thing. I also really like the chocolate, it's kinda fire in my opinion, but I can see why people dog on it sometimes

well at least north carolina still has college basketball

[the-elder-polls]

tell us about some of appalachia's folklore! i specifically know about the brown mountain lights but i'd love to hear and learn more

OOH okay!!

my favorite is the black big cats. leopards, cougars, panthers, whatever you wanna call em. there's been stories about them for centuries. they sound like screaming women (my mama described it as "like a woman being murdered") and are noted for just how eerie they are. they move silently and have huge yellow eyes. i have personally only heard one story of them being described as aggressive; most i've heard, including from my direct family, describe them as passive unless provoked. (note: they aren't melanistic bobcats. they're much larger and don't sound the same. this has been researched multiple times with most researchers concluding there's no way they exist, but i know those mountains and know they're good at hiding things, so i personally do believe they exist and are just rare.)

there's the tailypo. gods above and below know that baby me was terrified of the tailypo. the short and simple version is a hunter shot off the tail of a demon, the tailypo, which then drove the farmer to madness by pacing around his house at night saying "tailybone, tailybone, i want my tailybone" until it managed to kill the farmer, getting its tail back. i think this is probably one of our best known folklore cautionary tales

there's also the spirits. i don't personally know of any names for them, just that they exist and are why you don't go in the woods when it's dark. if you hear someone calling for you, crying, or screaming, no the hell you don't. getcher ass inside and close the windows and blinds. don't answer em, don't pay em attention. my family has iron horseshoes over our doors to keep the spirits and evil at bay.

we also cover mirrors and open windows when someone dies so their spirit doesn't get trapped. we don't leave rocking chairs rocking when we get up, and if we do, we apologize and ask for the seat before we sit back down in case a spirit took the seat, since it was still rocking.

[artist-issues]

So if you could tell everyone about your favorite movie, what would you tell them about it?

PS I love your blog and your media deep dives

Thank you! So kind! Anything good I have to say is really just because of Jesus, not me. I'd tarnish and ruin good things, left on my own.

I keep trying to tell everyone about my favorite movie, but I get so choked with all the things I want to say—and knowing that the more deep I make it seem the less they'll like it because they're not accustomed to deep-diving into children's media and that'll skew their enjoyment of it—that I wind up falling back on the tried and true "it's so good, you have to see it, I can't believe you've never seen it before, we have to watch it!"

It's Lilo & Stitch.

Lilo & Stitch is incredible for so many reasons.

It was an underdog in the Disney Studio. One of their lowest-budget movies, in their B-Team Shabby Florida Studio, and only a handful of higher-ups really believed in it. And now it's one of their biggest, longest-lasting, farthest reaching worldwide franchises.

Disney was stuck in a rut of making only a certain handful of movies; Triumph-of-Humans Adventures, or Princess-Fantasies. And Chris Sanders, the guy who basically invented their Story Department during the "renaissance" period, came along and said, "let's break the mold. Let's just try something small, quirky, bold, and new. Let's flip the script on everything except good storytelling." Instead of Princesses, you get Normal Humans Living in a 2002 rural beach town. Instead of Magic you get Sci Fi—but only like five minutes of Sci-Fi. Instead of a Romance you get Family. And when we say "family," no, we don't mean, "Epic Lion King or Tarzan Coming-of-Age Destiny Stories—" we mean "orphans about to be split up by the foster care system, needing a friend." Instead of Lassie (pet movies, like 101 Dalmatians or Lady & the Tramp.) you get something closer to Gremlins meets E.T. Instead of an Epic Adventure, you get Smalltown Sister Tries to Find a Job. Instead of Dashing or Loveable Main Character you get Mildly Disgusting Main Character who picks his nose and pushes little orphan girls down, for fun. Instead of a Namable Famous City on Earth, like New York or London in their old movies, you get Nameless Town in Hawaii. Instead of Hero Triumphs, you get Villain Redeemed.

The style. All the alien ships look like fish, all the alien creatures look like some take on small-town animals like armadillos or pigs or bobcats, or more aquatic life. And then it matches with what? Small Town Hawaiian Imagery. So you get the idea that not only, stylistically, do the visuals of the movie blend well, but, Stitch not only doesn't belong in outer space among those aliens—he doesn't belong on Hawaii, where even the locals have something in common with the Galactic People, and he does not.

Watercolor backgrounds. Nobody was doing that. Nobody is doing that. They didn't have to do that. It's just beautiful, and soft.

Stitch. As a character. Name one other character whose arc starts with "you can never belong; there is nothing inside of you that is good." and then ends with "loved unconditionally, adopted into a family that loves him in spite of the trouble he brings them. In spite of his inability, at first, to love them back."

Lilo. Lilo is loved that same way by Nani. Nani willingly invites trouble into her already fraught life if it'll make Lilo the tiniest bit happier. Even though Lilo already makes Nani's life hard. Lilo, too, is about to go into the next phase of life with nothing—if the social worker takes her away, she'll have lost her parents, her sister, her home, and her hometown, which she's shown to know and love—and we've already seen how feeling lost and like she doesn't belong causes Lilo to act destructively, because her classmates treat her like she doesn't belong and Lilo beats the crap out of them. The directors said it like this: "Lilo is a future Stitch," if she's taken away.

All these characters have holding them together is this commitment to this definition of family: "Nobody gets left behind or forgotten." Lilo and Nani were "left behind" by their parents, because their parents died. Or they could think of it that way. But Nani doesn't. She does whatever she can to keep Lilo with her, and refuse to "leave Lilo behind." She's eighteen, nineteen—she could go on to college, live in a dorm, while her troublemaking sister goes to foster care. She has all these surf trophies on her nightstand—she could've been somebody if she'd left her family behind. But she doesn't. Whether Lilo loves her back or not, she won't leave Lilo behind. And guess what? Whether David, the surfer boy, gets Nani's love back or not, he loves her and is there for her. Whether Stitch loves Lilo back or not, she sticks with him—until she almost doesn't, but guess what, by then it's okay, because he's learned. He's been transformed by the idea "nobody gets left behind," which is just another term for "unconditional love."

The commitment to FOCUS. Chris Sanders is always good at this. But this movie could've been about, or addressed, DOZENS of social issues. It could've picked up the "government worker" flag. It could've picked up the "racism" flag, or the "classism" flag. It easily could've picked up the "feminism" flag, or the "be yourself" flag, or the "find who you truly are," or the "you're worth everything" flag. But it didn't. It CUT OUT previous scenes that would've addressed racism or classism. It JUST later-focused on one, universal, unifying theme that every human on this planet can understand, and relate to, and needs to be reminded of: "family loves unconditionally."

This movie is why I looked into being a storyteller. Just this movie; no other movie did it for me.

[localsharkcryptid]

you can make both always. I love the concepts of boths designs for cdream. One bc it's shocking seeing the guy that destroyed countries and scared everyone into thinking he's a monter, just being a human like everyone in all senses.

And the other bc it's actually cool to challenge the ideas we have and how it's easy to dehumanize things that look different from the standards qe have. And how people don't think someone can be vulnerable or hurt when does not look close to what we think as "vulnerable".

Cdream fits so well with either design it's hard to choose i get You struggled sm

You get it Anon, you get it

On the one hand, Dream being human - just a guy who has made himself larger than life and flaunts this persona of him being the villain and a threat, is so satisfying during the staged finale in particular. The person behind the mask is just a 20 something guy. He's young. He's human. He's human and is constantly treated as lesser. It's an excellent narrative for the story and adds a LOT to the guy who's POV we never get. I do love any Dream that is just a guy for that choice alone.

Though hybrid Dream, GOD, it writes a slightly different story that's just as compelling. Admittedly I almost always fall back into writing him as a hybrid, and it's without a doubt my favorite for the variety AND the reasons you listed as well as some of my own.

Cause usually, regardless of who it is, there's a decent amount of other hybrids on the server, it's established that they are at the least uncommon - but most likely society still follows a similar status quo to us on how they judge. There are unspoken rules of society for the hybrids that are 'dangerous', that you don't bear your natural weapons, you don't do anything to make others uncomfortable, you must conform to the comforts of others. It's all subtext and undertones, rules never spoken. Societal Conventions the loathed.

I'd like to think, with my Dream who's a chimera - based on the combination of a Florida Bobcat, General Ambiguous Serpent Creature & a Bongo/Forest Antelope (taking that last one from my buddy Charlie cause it's just so silly) - that he detests such things and has fought his whole life to ignore them, he wants to be accepted for ALL that he is, he doesn't want to bend to rules that paint him as dangerous and untrustworthy if he doesn't adhere to shit that people don't even talk about. This is without a doubt why the server in its early days is so important to him, cause he doesn't need to hide, his friends accept him and could care less about what he is. He's not a monster, he's a friend, he's a companion. They care about who he is - not what he is. Even if his reputation from the manhunt days proceeds him. The mask only becomes a courtesy when new people show up, to hide his face - not for their sake, but for his own anonymity that ties back to the Manhunt reputation, it is not to hide his fangs despite what others may think.

Then there's the thing of him being shoved into this box cause of what he is, and it makes it so easy for others to dehumanize him - to villainize - to justify. Yes, he's done bad things, he's done horrible acts and it's all too easy for people to say "it's in his nature" than to acknowledge HIS perspective and reasons, to even consider that maybe, just maybe he was simply pushed too far. A snake kicked one too many times. And unfortunately every single time he's forced to or tries to defend himself with the only language anyone understands, violence, it's just more 'justification' that he cannot change and is eternally a danger.

It also adds another layer of parallels between him and Sam - Who in my interpretation has done everything he can to fit in with society, to prove he's not a monster or anything of the like, he's a good guy. Unfortunately as we all know, that line of thinking goes to Sam's head in the end, and he becomes a monster for reasons that have nothing to do with him being a creeper hybrid. And that's not even TOUCHING Rivals Duo and how they mirror each other.

---

I could say SOOOO much more but I think you get the gist - I generally just have such a soft spot for characters who look different/have certain features and are shunned by society for it in one way or another + plus the whole motif of characters who struggle to change their ways cause it's the only thing that works - At the end of the day I'll be sticking with the hybrid take, for sure, I was just stuck in my own head thinking it over for a minute XD

[kittyandco-archive]

BRO. I ACTUALLY STARTED CRYING A LITTLE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU I'M REALLY GLAD YOU LIKE HER ;__;

Hi, Kitty!! my brain's in fnaf mode– if you have a minute, tell me the story about how Bobcat got into clowning with the fredbear's/freddy's locations! And like, do they like their job and the kids and everything, or is it more of a necessity with the added bonus of letting them work around the animatronics? I am curious about them and their horrors - @frankmillerturnonyourlocation

@frankmillerturnonyourlocation THANK YOU FOR ASKING ABOUT HERR EEE AAAA i'm sorry this is so late. i haven't been online much/very mentally well, but i have been in fnaf mode since last august 😭 the movie definitely reignited my love (even more)!

kitty reinhart was a lonely kid. she spent a lot of time by herself; she couldn't really relate to kids her age, and adults thought she was "troubled." her parents weren't really around. most of her companionship was found in objects -- primarily her toys -- and in her imagination. she tried to focus on her studies as she entered high school, and she was a great student, but she didn't find fulfillment in it. very distant from just about everyone and everything.

and then fredbear's family diner opened in the late 70s.

she attended opening day, and instantly she fell in love. she's a kid-at-heart like me, and stood starry-eyed watching these huge robots move around, dance, and sing.

she spent all the time she could there. sometimes she'd sit there from opening to closing. sometimes after closing, when she began to get close with william and henry (though primarily the former). sometimes she wouldn't really speak much, but it was clear that she loved being there. they, and her love of the animatronics, brought her out of her shell eventually. she rediscovered her love of entertaining (even though before then it was just to her toys), and it was more comfortable and fulfilling being someone else, so she began to develop an alternate persona: a clown named bobcat.

they needed a more human touch to the location, even if it was just an experiment, so william promised her a job. they got very close; he was her mentor in many ways, and her only human friend for a while. in 1982, she went to work! she makes appearances at each location at some point, also.

she does enjoy working with the kids. deep down, she wants to give them the support and attention she never really had. working with the animatronics is the best part, though. sometimes she'll wander backstage and talk to them. (eventually this gets... almost literal once they're possessed, though i have canons where this doesn't happen. I HAVE A COUPLE OF ALTERNATE CANONS AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE DETAILS STRAIGHT IN ALL OF THEM BECAUSE FNAF LORE IS WILD)

but in normal canon, yeah... she gets suspicious of william after a while. he's acting more erratic as he realizes that he can't get away with it forever. but she wouldn't assume anything that bad like... help, but she does know there's been a change in him, and in the animatronics. and then the disappearances... she spends the most time with them out of anyone, and when they start acting strange/acting out... she knows there's something wrong.

even though she's an adult, though, they don't target her. they know she's safe (and this is also where being a "kid-at-heart" kinda saves her). they remain friends, and if the truth comes out somehow and she's still able to help, then she tries her best. 🥺

[poptimus-prime]

Here's my piece for the To Be Gentle Zine hosted by @allsparkzines! It features TFP Optimus and the human kiddos meeting a rather prickly little critter.

I did my best and that's what matters.

Title: Nature Walk

Word Count: 950

It was a warm evening in early summer, and Optimus was grateful for a wave of peace. He continued on, making sure the children were still nearby. They were scaling the hills beside him as he walked, the slope not too steep and eventually leaving them at around eye level to him. 

He smiled to himself as he watched them all chatter among themselves, and how Jack and Miko would walk slowly to allow Raf to keep up on his little legs. Something about the mundane nature on Earth spoke to his spark; it refreshed him and made him more resolute to fight for it. 

He wished it didn’t take the war to get here, but he wouldn’t trade these moments for anything.

He pauses to take a look at some flowers on a tree, slightly wilted as they prepare to become fruits. He finds himself fixated on the mottled pink petals that are now dry and wrinkled, and he wishes his hands weren't so big that it would be nearly impossible to touch them.

“Hey, Optimus, check this out.” Jack interrupted his train of thought. He looked over to see the teen pointing at a tree in the near distance, though upon further inspection it was clear that he wanted Optimus to see the bird perched on one of its strong branches. It cawed out loudly, flapping its wings to resettle.

It was a beautiful bird, Optimus thought, noting its striking burnt orange tail. He racked his memory for the name of this bird, this hawk more specifically.

“I believe this one is called a red-tailed hawk.” He responded with a small smile, watching Miko take pictures on her phone. “Though, it seems to be a bit of a misnomer, because I have never seen one with a truly red tail.

“Seems pretty red to me.” Miko hummed out her observation. 

“You’ve seen lots of them?” Raf asked Optimus with wide eyes, flapping his hand a little. 

“Of course, I frequently come out to this part of this landmass. This is where many of them live.” Optimus explained. “I haven’t seen many of them in Jasper.”

“Yeah, they don’t live out there.” Raf sighed. “Unless the zoo counts.”

“I understand.”

Optimus and the children continued on, talking about the various animals Optimus had run into—polar bears and penguins, tigers and elephants, and his favorite—the moose. 

“I hope we’ll see a moose.” Miko said to Optimus. “I heard they’re so big and kinda epic.”

“I believe we are a little too far south to see a moose.” Optimus admitted. “But we will see.”

“Why is that your favorite animal?” Jack asked, more curious than anything else.

“…I’ve never really stopped to think about that.” Optimus admitted. “Do I really need a justification for why?”

“No, not really.” The teen answered back. “People just have different reasons for how they define a favorite animal. Sometimes that’s interesting to hear about.”

“Hm…” Optimus thought hard as they walked. He remained quiet for a few minutes before speaking again. “I suppose I appreciate how protective they are of their offspring.”

“You would say something like that.” Miko snorted a little, delighted in how much of a softie this giant robot was. 

“Well, it's the truth.” Optimus insisted, pausing as he heard the rustle of the bush nearby. His audials slowly turned back, almost apprehensive. The children took note, barely peeking out from the edge of his shoulder as he stood in front of them. 

After a painful minute of rustling, interspersed with yowling, a small bobcat ran from the brush, many quills sticking out from it. Optimus almost went after it, but by the time he registered the quills, it was already gone.

“Poor thing…” He laments, guilty that he couldn't have helped the cat.

“He'll be fine later.” Jack assured Optimus, patting his plating. “He probably won't tangle with whatever got him again.”

“Was it a hedgehog? Do you think a hedgehog is nearby?” Miko asked, very pleased at the thought. “I didn't know there would be hedgehogs here!”

“Hedgehogs don't live here, Miko.” Raf informed, a little disappointed at the fact.

“Another quilled creature does, however.” Optimus turned his head to them and brought his finger to his lips. The children obeyed, quiet and still. Optimus could feel tension build in his frame as he held still, waiting.

A rather frumpy looking creature covered with the same quills that cursed the bobcat emerged from the same bush, making its way to a nearby tree. It sniffed in Optimus and the children's general direction, and then began to scale the tree.

Miko in particular was transfixed, watching as the animal shimmied up the tree, using its tail as almost a fifth limb. She had her phone out to record video, but she found herself…not doing that.

“What a rare sight.” Optimus’ voice curled lightly under his smile. “A North American porcupine. I have heard that most humans who go out of their way looking for one never find one.”

“And we got to see one without even trying.” Jack caught on to what Optimus was implying, a smile on his face.

“It's so cute!” Miko giggled. “I wanna hug it.”

“I wouldn't. Didn't you see what it did to that bobcat?” Raf cringed a tiny bit.

“Right.” She sighed. “That would hurt.”

Optimus couldn't help but allow a chuckle to bark out of the back of his throat. Of all the things he found curious about humanity, the fact that they could look at dangerous animals and want to hug them was rather amusing. 

Though, he questioned how dangerous a porcupine actually was. Perhaps he would have to do more reading later.