#russ wildlife

[x-heesy]

@decemberthenemesis

natgeowild  Video by @russ_wildlife On #WorldLionDay let’s enjoy this moment when young lion steals my camera and gives it some serious lion love.

Follow @russ_wildlife for more wild moments like this.

#lionday #wildlife #lion #worldlionday

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nat Geo WILD (@natgeowild) on Aug 10, 2020 at 7:06am PDT

Credits above

[gunnrblze]

Obsessed that one of Keegan’s listed enemies on the heroes fandom wiki is just tiger sharks😭

Half the battle during Into the Deep was just this mf💀

Bro said “I’ll let it slide this one time🙄”

[sitting-on-me-bum]

African Lion

By Russ Burden of Parker, Colorado, USA

African Wildlife Photography Awards

[miracle-girll]

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Book: Wildfire | Chapter 3

[frnwhcom]

Russ Mittermeier: A Titan of Conservation and Primatology

Russell Alan Mittermeier, commonly known as Russ Mittermeier, has been a pivotal figure in global conservation efforts, particularly in the fields of biodiversity and primatology. His extensive career has not only contributed significantly to the scientific community but also to conservation policies worldwide. Early Life and Education Russ Mittermeier was born in New York City in 1949. He…

[typhlonectes]

Opossum feeding on roadkill

Opossums stay active all winter, often switching to the day shift to take advantage of the warmest times of the day. These are omnivores and aren't known for being picky - this one was spotted pulling apart some frozen roadkill!

📷 courtesy of Russ/CC BY 2.0

https://flic.kr/p/4sLLZF

via: US Fish & Wildlife Service 

[molabuddy]

i'm having Thoughts so. collection of headcanons about the different home planets in pikmin:

Hocotate - Everybody's favourite :] a small planet that's hot and arid all around, and a little bit boring in the flora and fauna department. Notable for brutal summers and so-so winters, an environment really only suited to growing its famous and unfathomably delicious vegetables.

Vegetable cultivation and shipping is its main industry, but it's also a notable manufactuer of sub-par, barely up to code BUT dirt cheap spacegear :]

(extra hc: while pikpik carrots (as well as hocotate onions, garlic and other veggies) can be cultivated on other planets, no matter how closely those other planets can simulate a hocotate climate, the resulting carrots are noticably different and less tasty. Botanists can't figure out why!)

Koppai - kind of an outsider planet in terms of its culture as well as its literal distance from its neighbours. On the outside, it looks very advanced, with sprawling modern cities, but as we know Koppai has been struggling with a food shortage for a while :(

Notable for leading advancements in space technology, as well as inventing the kopad - a model of tablet which quickly became the base for space travel squad tablets built and used all across the galaxy.

(under the cut = some pikmin 4 planets - minor spoilers abound?)

Giya - Home Planet of Shepherd, Russ and Colin, as well as the Rescue Corps HQ. a Big planet, definitely in terms of population and industry, possibly even in terms of literal size.

Its a major hub of space travel facilities and technology, as well as a big hub for planetary immigration! Lots of people from other planets move there, so its got a very diverse population. It also has a large variety of climates as well as flora and fauna (Giya is generally a very "earth-like" planet I think)

Ohri - Home Planet of Dingo and Yonny (though both probably live on Giya most of the time.) A planet famous for its extreme climates both hot and cold, and the abundent and occasionally deadly wildlife in every nook of the planet barring the most developed cities

Ohrians(?) are very passionate about the natural habitats on the planet, and many places have remained protected and undisturbed, but it means that off-planet tourists and Ohri locals alike are just one wrong turn away from danger.

(extra hc: the reigon Yonny grew up in is notable for its poisonous creatures. he discovered his love of medicine while being taught how to make remedies and antidotes by his mother)

[mlmxreader]

The Price Of a Mile | Keegan P Russ x m!reader

anonymous asked: “Without you, I’d be lost” with Keegan. The male reader gets hurt severely and is barely alive and Keegan comes to the realization that he loves them. When the male reader wakes up from their coma Keegan confesses his feelings to them.

summary: Keegan will go to great lengths to ensure the safety and security of a single man.

tws: graphic death, swearing, mentions of comas, hospitalisation, graphic depictions of war, gun violence

support your fanfic writers by reblogging what you read & enjoy

The land had been gutted, once flat fields now had great sloping wounds in them that were slick and slippery thanks to heavy shelling.

Fractured remains of tall trees were no bigger than coffee tables; rifles half buried in mud and debris where soldiers had abandoned them in favour of running. Boxes of personal items and ammunition lay abandoned at the edges of the wounds, many of them broken and burned. When many of the wounds filled with water, wooden bridges no more than two feet wide were laid across them.

Other trees were snapped in half, some had completely collapsed, none of them had any life - no thick branches that children and animals could climb on, no bushy emerald coloured leaves that would turn golden and brown in the colder months.

Wildlife had fled a long time ago.

Fences of barbed wire were left tangled near the wounds, and the stench of toxic gas still clung to the very air that soldiers breathed.

Tensions amongst soldiers had risen, friends at each other’s throats as they became jaded and desperate, wanting to know what they were fighting for but knowing they wouldn’t like the answer. A shot, a single bullet, had changed everything - Keegan’s friend, the only person he tried to protect, was down. The wound was almost as bad as the ones that had been inflicted upon the land.

He was more than desperate, when he watched medics take you away, desperation only growing when news came that you were in a camo and being treated in Yser. He disobeyed his commands, refused orders, and fought his way to you as best as he could. He saw horrors along the way, things no one should ever see. He paid more than the price of a mile.

Men’s faces melting and burning from toxic gas that flooded fields. Men clinging to their stomachs as their innards were torn out by barbed wire and bayonets. Limbs torn from bodies by shelling. Men drowning in rubble and debris as scarred lands were given new fresh wounds. Day or night, it was all the same, soldiers falling one by one, father and son alike - lives erased by commands.

Streets stained by blood that would never wash off; no man should have ever had to see such things, or even know of their existence; Ghosts were told to have no fear and to fight forward for glory, but all Keegan could feel was a hammering anxiety in the pit of his stomach.

Would he perish like that, too? Would he even make it to Yser without dying? Or would he be forgotten in the blood and rubble as another wasted life?

He had to be smart about how he travelled, moving between lines and in amongst enemy and foe alike,

He had to become a dog of war just to get there, although he knew that he would later regret it, he knew that he would later wish he had not even tried. He had to kill, he had to fight, and if it was necessary, he would die just to see you again; just to know that you were safe.

He didn’t want to live forever, anyway, especially without you.

Where dead men were lying, he had to pass through, looking into eyeless sockets and wishing that at least if he was going to die, it wouldn’t be like that; nameless graves littered every inch of scarred lands, the last respects paid to wasted lives. These men were promised greatness and glory, he knew that, he knew that those were the lies that were told to new recruits - more than anyone else, Keegan knew that the sacrifice was pointless.

He needed to keep marching, needed to get to Yser before his time was up; he knew it should have been beaten out of him during training, but he was still so full of fear. Stepping on the dead as he continued the long march; bullets wearing his name at every turn, becoming the very thing he swore he would never be.

He should have just stayed back and did what he was told to do, but he knew he couldn’t.

Yser was so far away, but Keegan didn’t stop until he collapsed at the hospital steps, doctors and nurses rushing to his side thinking he was one of the many dead and dying who needed their help.

“(y/n)...” he breathed out, wheezing from the remains of toxic gas still clogged in his throat. “(y/n) (y/l/n)... need… see… him…”

He was dragged into the hospital, dragged even further to your bedside; you were awake, glaring at him as he sat lifelessly in the scratchy olive green chair.

“You shouldn’t have come.”

“Needed…” Keegan grumbled, coughing and spitting out some discoloured phlegm onto a tissue. He caught his breath, and tried again, “I needed to.”

“No, you didn’t,” you said quietly. “I was in a fucking coma, I might never have woke up.”

He shook his head. “I said I’d protect you, no matter what… it was my fault you got shot, I wasn’t there to take the bullet.”

The sounds of machine guns weren’t far off, a soft thundering sound that made the room shake, mortars would soon join the symphony, more scarring on the wounded lands, more lives wasted; soldiers resting in holes would be blown to pieces without even realising it. Roads and houses, nothing remained. Men were suffering, men were dying for no reason, no purpose. A war paid for in the blood of men who didn’t even want to be there, many of them too young to even understand that the propaganda forced down their throats was wrong.

Keegan sighed. “The war’s coming closer. I should stay.”

“Keegan-”

“I’m staying.”

“Fine,” you huffed. “But if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were in love with me.”

Keegan grumbled, looking away from you as he scratched at his jaw; he didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to admit it for fear that the war would take you away from him and he would be… he would be alone and lost. He wouldn’t know what to do if you weren’t there. He shifted in his seat, chewing at the inside of his lip as he made it a point to look anywhere but at you.

Orange smears of blood still ghosted the white walls of the room, remnants of patients previously treated, the doctors and nurses too busy with treating friend and foe in order to clean properly; screams still smeared on the blue floor tiles that would echo for generations to come. But then… in that dark blue bed with the yellow blanket, you were laid there, safe and sound after all.

He was worse off from the journey, having seen things that no one should ever have to see, but he could ignore all of that swimming in his head and drowning his thoughts when he looked at you; daring to smile a little when you met his gaze.

“I love you too, y’know,” you told him softly. “You fucking walked all the way here, didn’t you?”

He nodded.

“You’re an idiot,” you said sternly. “You could’ve gotten shot, stabbed, choked on gas, fucking blown up by shells.”

“I know.”

“You’re too loyal,” you chastised, although the smile on your face was too much for him to ignore as he leaned over, gently placing his hand on your chest. “Keegan?”

“You're right," he spoke so quietly, so softly, like he was almost ashamed of what was about to leave his mouth. "I… I am in love with you."

"You made that clear enough," you replied, "you didn't need to come all the way here, though. The war… you could've gotten yourself killed, or worse - captured."

He shrugged. It was worth it to him, at least. "Without you, I'd be lost."

He got up, excused himself as he headed outside for a cigarette; the smoking area was just a small patio, but it was near the hospital graves. The one closest to him, a star of David, had a dragon on a green and white background to show where the dead man had come from; the name John was written on it, and as Keegan looked at it, he frowned.

Rain pittered and pattered against his head, wetting his black hair, but he didn't want to think about how cold he would feel when he got back inside; he didn't want to look up at the dark grey skies and see how they lit up with balls of white and yellow where planes were shot down. He didn't want to think about the war, not really.

He knew that you were safe now, but that wasn't enough for him; he needed to stay with you until the end. Even if it meant dying together when a bomb struck the hospital, he had to stay put. He pulled his phone out, seeing the texts and calls from Hesh that he had missed, and shook his head before shoving it back in his pocket.

He would stay.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this Smithsonian story:

Several hundred starving, sick or injured brown pelicans have turned up on beaches throughout California over the past few weeks, with wildlife officials still unable to pinpoint the cause of what they are calling a “crisis.”

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and other non-governmental partners, have been working to collect and rehabilitate the birds, many of which are anemic, dehydrated and underweight.

“They’re in really poor physical shape. They’re starving, and they haven’t gotten enough nutrition,” Russ Curtis, a spokesperson for the nonprofit organization International Bird Rescue, which is helping in the rescue efforts, tells KQED’s Annelise Finney.

“When there’s not the fishing stock that they can find, they take chances around fishing piers and fishing boats and places where there are people with fishing tackle,” Curtis says, explaining that some pelicans have been hurt by fishing hooks and lines they encounter near the shore.

As of this week, the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center (WWCC) in Huntington Beach and Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network have admitted more than 100 pelicans each, while International Bird Rescue has taken 260 pelicans into its two California facilities—one in Los Angeles County, and one in the San Francisco Bay Area, reports Cheri Carlson of the Ventura County Star.

Other birds have been found dead on beaches. Necropsies have revealed starvation as their cause of death, which has puzzled scientists. Populations of fish that pelican forage, by all accounts, remain abundant off the Pacific coast.

We also know that there’s supposedly plenty of anchovies and their food out there in the ocean, so we don’t really know why they are not able to forage yet,” Debbie McGuire, executive director of the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center, tells Eugene Garcia of theAssociated Press.

Brown pelicans are known to spend their non-breeding months throughout the entirety of the state’s coastline, and the sick birds have been found in a variety of locations. In northern California, most birds have been rescued around Monterey and Santa Cruz, while those in southern California have been found by officials in a variety of traditional and non-traditional habitats. Two dozen pelicans were found on Newport Beach and dozens more were picked up around Huntington Beach—but sick birds have also been identified in a lake at SoFi stadium, the home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, and at a Malibu fire station, the Guardian’sDani Anguiano reports.In rescue efforts, the first step is to support the birds with warmth. “The great news is the vast majority are recovering if we can get them through those first couple of critical hours of hypothermia,” Elizabeth Wood, the WWCC’s veterinarian and medical director, says in a video posted to Facebook.

[lotuspikmin]

Headcanons due to being October/Spooky month: which Pikmin characters believe in ghosts?

Olimar: Totally believes in ghosts, and if he ever winds up dying on the job plans to haunt the daylights out of the company president.

Louie: Doesn't believe in ghosts because if they existed, he'd be super haunted from all the wildlife he's hunted and eaten by now.

Alph: Claims to not believe in ghosts but always leaves little trinkets and packages of fruit snacks around for any helper spirits aboard the Drake.

Brittany: Doesn't believe in ghosts, eats the fruit snacks she keeps finding on the Drake because she doesn't know their significance.

Charlie: Doesn't believe in ghosts, necessarily, but IS superstitious. Gets annoyed when he finds out about Brittany eating the fruit snacks.

Shepherd: Doesn't believe in ghosts, is too busy being scared of monsters - I mean what? Captains aren't scared of anything, ahahah...

Collin: Gets too much weird interference on the comms channel late at night to NOT believe in ghosts.

Russ: Believes in ghosts, but also thinks that most modern methods of ghost hunting are fake sensationalist garbage. Is basically Shane from Buzzfeed Unsolved/Ghost Files yelling at ghosts and demons to come and get him.

Dingo: Claims to not believe in ghosts but is always the first one to freak when the lights cut out unexpectedly. Is basically Ryan from Buzzfeed Unsolved/Ghost Files yelling at Russ to shut up before he gets possessed.

Yonny: Believes in supernatural phenomena that people mistake for ghosts, especially after learning about the Glow pikmin. Uses this to tease Dingo and Collin a lot.

Bernard: Believes in ghosts, but in that superstitious sailor type of way. Has good luck charms and little rituals he does to guarantee safe travels and protections before each flight.

Oatchi: Is a dog. Wonders why no one else seems to notice all the see-through people floating around.

[ghost-with-a-teacup]

𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏; 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬

Pairing: Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Reader (Sol) AND Keegan P. Russ x Reader (Hatter) Author's Note: Hi!! As we all know, I have recently fallen into the deep dark hole that is the Call of Duty franchise (not that I mind :3), and from this I have made a lovely mutual @bloodonmyhands-1221 !! Furthermore, we have begun collaborating on a brand new series, 'Darkened Skies' featuring relationships with both Simon and Keegan (funnily enough I both bought and completed the COD: Ghosts campaign today lol). Here's the first chapter!! I didn't write it, this is brought to you by Hatter themselves :)) Happy reading!!

“I’ve got visual… But I’ve got to tell you Keegan… I’m not seeing shit,” Hatter scans the area, she had been told to sweep.

“Well doll face, take another look… There was a report from the other squad that they saw heavy movement over this way for the last few days,” Keegan’s voice filters through the radio.

“I’ve been staring at the same ugly landscape for the last thirty minutes… All I see is,” Hatter moves her binoculars towards the east, “Oh look… there is a lovely spot of grass…. Oh look, a tree,” she moves to look to the west, “And on this side, ladies and gentlemen, we’ll see a car that has seen better days, it probably needs an oil change, by the looks of it.”

“You’re a brat.”

“So, I’ve been told,” putting down the binoculars, Hatter takes a quick glance around her surroundings one last time, “Come to think of it… Why am I out here? I fucking outrank your ass.”

“Because of that prank you pulled on Merrick…”

“Fucker doesn’t know when to relax… He had it coming.”

“You’re an evil woman.”

“It’s why you love me, so much.”

“Yeah, we’ll go with that.”

The information, they had been told by a patrol, seemed valid – but questionable to say the least… It had been weeks since they had seen any lingering members of the Federation…

Or really anyone else for that matter.

She had thought… 

‘Is this really over?’

The silence was almost too good to be true – it was the first real moment, she could stand outside and take a deep breath of air, without having to keep her rifle close to her chest.

Ever since the world went to shit, she had been running and fighting for her life – blood had been permanently stained on her hands to the point where washing it off, just seemed like a waste of time.

She had been fighting one war after another.

She was used to the gunfire and explosions…

The silence – had become deafening.

“You two are making me nauseous,” another voice filtered through the radio, there was a brief flicker of distortion as Hatter adjusted her radio.

“Look,” she speaks into the radio, “Just because Mr. Tall and Grumpy isn’t here to get your panties out of a wad doesn’t mean you got to rain on my parade.”

The voice laughed, “As I recall… and I defiantly can recall because you are NOT quiet… Keegan tired you out.”

“SOL!” You yelled at your friend and teammate.

“Fucking hell,” Keegan cut in, “Can you not?”

There is a mocked chorus coming from Sol, as she begins to repeat Hatter and Keegan’s eventful night.

“Remind me, to kick your ass when I get –“

There is a slight movement to the east; but it catches Hatter’s eye.

“As if you can kick my ass,” Sol continues.

“If she doesn’t kick your ass, I will,” Keegan comes to her defense.

“PLEASE, you all love me too much for that,” Sol retorts with a soft snicker, but Hatter blocks out their conversation as she focuses. 

Pulling her binoculars from her lap, she tries to find the movement once again.

She sees wildlife; birds flying in the sky, while a deer or two runs across the broken pavement. 

The movement had seemed lanky in movement, clouded in darkness -  a shadow slithering across the scorching heat.

It looked human.

Pulling her rifle, she readies herself.

“Hatter?” Keegan calls out.

She is too focused to answer, not wanting to give away her position – she moves with calculated and light footsteps.

“Hatter, what’s going on?” Sol chimes in.

There!

The shadow lingers by a group of charred cars, the movements are sluggish – she can make out the form and knows it’s human.

She can see the wisps of blonde hair, dancing in the gentle breeze.

“Hello?” She steps around the car, trying to get a better read of the person.

But they either don’t hear her or chose not to.

“Are you hurt?” 

The body stops.

She doesn’t know what comes over her.

Hatter was curious by nature, and it was her curiosity that usually got the better of her.

It got her in trouble.

Dropping her weapon, she makes her way towards the person, keeping her distance; hands staying close to the handgun strapped to her thigh.

“Excuse me?” She tries to keep her voice neutral.

But in truth, she was shaking. 

She steps closer, wanting to see their face.

“I’m not going to hurt –“

The person couldn’t be no older than maybe twenty, a beautiful young girl with bright green eyes.

“Mam?”

The woman doesn’t acknowledge her as her eyes search far and wide, crazed and erratic.

Hatter can see she is scared; she can see her visibly shaking as if she was standing in the deepest pits of snow.

Her lips are moving, she’s mumbling nonsense, incoherent words that don’t seem to make any sense.

“Mam, are you hurt?” 

Hatter dares another step.

It happens all at once – it catches Hatter off guard.

The mumbling stops, as does the crazed look and trembles.

“DON’T LET THEM TAKE ME BACK!”

Hatter jumps back, gun at the ready as the woman leaps forward, hands searching for the handgun.

“No!” Hatter tries to fight her off, refusing to kill a civilian.

She feels the weight of the handgun moving as the woman takes it from her holder.

“DON’T!” 

The woman steps back, gun in her hand, pressed to her temple, “I refuse to be their puppet… You have to stop this… Stop this before it’s too late.”

“Stop what?”

Hatter watches in slow motion as the gun goes off.

The splat of blood is warm.

It flickers across her skin like raindrops.

She stares at the woman’s lifeless body, the blood pooling around her like a halo, soaking into the dried earth. She sees the faint shimmer of silver on the woman’s hands, as she spots the wedding band.

It makes her own wedding band itch with guilt and fear.

Hatter had witnessed death; it doesn’t bother her.

But…

This leaves her stomach turning in knots – leaves her on the edge of sickness and rage.

“HATTER?” Keegan’s voice echoes through the radio.

With a trembling hand, she grasps the radio.

“Keegan, we’ve got a problem.”

[99griffon]

Dezi Lore!! Done on mobile, bear with me!

Dezi - She/They

Old World Ghoul, aged approx. 227

Dezi grew up in the OKC metro area, though they refuse to go into specifics on their background, including their given name. They ran away when they were still a teenager. Luckily, they found their way to the Rainbow Garden when they were fourteen, having heard about it while bouncing around homeless camps in the city. And, boy, when I say lucky, I mean it. A young teen on the streets of a post-recession Oklahoma was very dangerous. They had their fair share of scares and close calls before making it to Arcadia with the help of some hitchhiking. When Dezi made it to Rainbow Gardenz, Jolene took the kid in, gave them food and shelter.

Russ was living there on and off at the time, eighteen at the time, and assisted Kenny in educating Dezi to the best of their ability. They weren't teachers, by any means, but they worked with that they had. Dezi learned how to help care for the animals on the property, goats, chickens, barn cats, and a dog. They took an immediate shine to the animals, and it was nigh impossible to miss how much living surrounded by nature helped them. They came out of their shell before long. Dezi called the Garden's residents "uncle" and "auntie" often, though Jolene had the coveted title of "mamma" from the teen.

Dezi learned more about politics as they grew, unsurprisingly, most interested in environmental issues. From ages sixteen to eighteen, they were engaging in protests with some of her Auntie Gray and other friends of the Garden. When Dezi turned eighteen, however, they took on their biggest challenge.

A public park, previously funded by the city, was to be turned into a Chinese internment camp by the US government. Protests lasted for weeks, with the gov refusing to give way. As the protester numbers began to dwindle, Dezi decided they'd had enough. There was a champion tree in the park. While it wasn't the tallest in the world, it was among the tallest in the state. Dezi gathered up some gear and headed up into the tree, set on staying until the project was canceled. Jolene was not entirely on board with Dezi's plan but wasn't going to leave them on their own and ended up sending up supplies on a line when she could. All in all, Dezi was up there for two years. Eventually, the state governor set up another place for the camp to be built. By then, though, Dezi was exhausted and returned to the Rainbow Garden instead. They didn't attend protests for a year, allowing themselves time to recharge. However, during that year of rest, the war began and ended within a single day.

After the war, Dezi was relieved to see the people who had sheltered in the house had lived, including Jolene, Auntie Gray and her family, Russ, and Betty, as well as a few others. Kenny wasn't there, however. Due to that, Dezi stepped up and helped Jolene rebuild the best they could. Kenny returned by the time the illness had come around. Radiation sickness, brought in by the winds, had taken hold of the hippies in Rainbow Garden. The animals that had survived were suffering, too. Casualties began to spike, yet Dezi lived. Dezi had become a ghoul.

Dezi was relieved to see that wildlife had survived, as mutated as it was. They continued to care for the livestock. Their near-famlial bonds continued to hold true. As things settled on the surface, Dezi began to explore, finding their way to the dog food plant (gotta come up with a name) in the nearby suburb of Edmond. The place was overrun with dogs, but also had all sorts of odd equipment. This sparked a curiosity in Dezi and planted a few ideas in her head-- idead that quickly led a desire to learn a thing or two about science. They had Russ gather whatever surviving books he could during his outings to the city, and the older ghoul was happy to oblige, glad to see his little pupil eager to learn once more after the tragedies they had seen. When Snakebite joined their happy crew, they were able to vanish for longer periods of time and, with the help of the horses Snakebite wrangled in for them, was able to travel longer distances to other facilities.

Due to Dezi's severe lack of combat knowledge, however, they were not able to explore those locations themselves. Despite that, Dezi took note of the facilities and what they hoped they could learn there. They want to be able to allieviate the pain mutated animals must feel-- after all, two heads can't possibly be comfortable! Dezi isn't quite sure how they would do it. They know their goal is lofty and unlikely to come to pass. The animals will never be the same as they once were, anyway, but they still want to do research. After all, maybe someone, someday, could use their studies!

Until then, Dezi takes care of the animals at the house and the dogs at the factory. They also assist Kenny with making medicine, though they're still learning in that department, they're doing their best! They're good friends with the newer human folk that moved into the garden, as well as Melon the super mutant.

In a hypothetical game situation, the player would be able to help Dezi learn more about biology and chemistry, and as a result, gain access to the dogs in the factory as well as Dezi's trust and appreciation.

Extra:

Dezi spent their younger years on a reservation up until the courts decided that the state needed to have control over tribal land in order to gain more control over Oklahoma post-recession. It was sometime after that change that Dezi had been removed from their home and placed with some people with views far different from their own. Dezi was forced to change for a long time until they decided to finally run away.

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Dueling Giraffes

Photography By Russ Burden

[pickerelstripe]

[CM] Trees

Alright, breaking into some of the funner expansion packs (in my opinion) - flora and fauna! These are the culmination of several weeks’ worth of looking into Maine ecology and making species lists for ClayClan’s territory. I can’t promise they’re 100% accurate (there’s always exceptions), but I can say that they’re very plausible based off my reading! In this post I’ll be sharing tree information, plus a bonus verb.

Deciduous

White ash (Fraxinus americana) - Shash Shash grows in moist soil and is somewhat shade tolerant. Its acorns and leaf buds are eaten by birds, deer, and rodents. This is a good tree for cats who enjoy climbing, as it grows notably strong branches.

American mountain ash (Sorbus americana) - Fefewlepe Derived from base Clanmew fewl* (to fall), hafefyl* (bird), and lepe* (berry). The fermented fruit of this tree may intoxicate birds in winter! It grows in a variety of soils and is shade tolerant. Fefewepe is an important plant to ClayClan because it's a valued food source for many small birds and mammals.

Bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) - Roqruss Derived from base Clanmew roq* (tooth) and russ* (leaf). Roqruss grows in a variety of soils but is less adaptable than ufuf, quaking aspen; it prefers full sunlight. It has distinctly toothed leaves. Many birds feed on the seeds and buds of roqruss, while its inner bark is eaten by beavers.

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) - Ufuf Derived from the sound of leaves shaking in the wind. Ufuf grows in moist soil and is shade tolerant. Its leaves tremble in even light breezes. Deer, hares, beavers, and various bird species all feed off this tree.

American beech (Fagus grandifolia) - Nekbossa  Derived from base Clanmew nekboq* (nut) and kossa* (tree). Nekbossa grows in moist, well-drained soil and prefers full sunlight. It produces beechnuts that are  an important food source for chipmunks and squirrels.

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) - Ooshka Derived from the words shoosh and kossa* (tree). Ooshka grows in moist soil and is somewhat shade tolerant. Ooshka bark peels once the tree is mature - this bark can be used for weaving! It also has a lot of wildlife value; moose, deer, hares, beavers, and numerous birds feed off the tree’s leaves, bark, and seeds. 

Red maple (Acer rubrum) - Reyruss Derived from base Clanmew rey* (red) and russ* (leaf). Reyruss is named for its brilliant fall colors, but it has something red in all seasons - buds in winter, flowers in spring, and leafstalks in summer. It grows in moist soil and prefers full sunlight. Squirrels, deer, and rabbits eat the samaras and leaves.

Striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum) - Kossip Derived from base Clanmew sip* (thin stripe) and kossa* (tree). Kossip grows in dry, well-drained soil and is shade tolerant. Its bark is marked with long, thin stripes, hence its name. Squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and deer feed off this tree; moose may eat its bark in the winter.

Hawthorn (Crataegus) - Wobenak Derived from base Clanmew wobe* (apple) and nak* (thorn) - this is a reference to one of hawthorn’s other common names, thorn-apple. Wobenak grows in well-drained soil and prefers full sunlight. It produces small red berries that feed various birds and mammals throughout the winter.

Larch (Larix laricina) - Rreenyyp Derived from base Clanmew rreen* (golden) and nyyp* (pine needle). Rreenyyp is unique in that it resembles a pine tree but loses its needles seasonally! It grows in moist soil and prefers full sunlight. Squirrels eat its seeds.

Species with the same name as base Clanmew: Red oak (Quercus rubra)- Byoch* Gray willow (Salix bebbiana) - Sawa* Pussywillow (Salix discolor) - Pfufoh*

Coniferous

Pitch pine (Pinus rigida) - Shkikee Shkikee grows in a variety of soils and is somewhat shade tolerant. It produces thick, sticky resin. Small mammals and birds eat its seeds, while deer may feed on young sprouts.

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) - Kik Kik grows in moist soil and is shade tolerant. This tree produces the largest cones out of any on ClayClan territory! Its seeds are eaten by black bears, rabbits, squirrels, and birds, while beavers, hares, and mice eat its bark.

Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) - Piksh Piksh grows in moist, well-drained soil and is shade tolerant. It develops resinous blisters on its bark and has a distinct spicy smell. Birds, squirrels, and mice eat its seeds, while black bears eat its bark.

Black spruce (Picea mariana) - Krrifuh Derived from base Clanmew krriki* (cone) and palifuh* (purple). Krrifuh grows in moist soil and is shade tolerant. It produces tiny, dark purple cones. Birds, squirrels, mice, and chipmunks eat its seeds, while hares eat its saplings; moose and deer might feed off krrifuh when other food is scarce.

Species with the same name as base Clanmew: Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis) - Shawogi*

Bonus Verb

To peel - Shooshk, shoosh, shoos Derived from the sound of peeling wood. This word is used most often for peeling bark off trees or for skinning an animal. Like most verbs, this could be part of a warrior name - Barkpeeler, anyone?

[detroitbecomeonline]

DBH imagines

In DBH we see news snippets of the Arctic tensions and (potential) war. I included some of the in-game articles at the bottom for your reference, but you don't have to read them.

Imagine the android foot soldiers dressed in white camo, their scanning system highlighting the movement of wildlife and faraway machines. A mission flickers up on their internal HUD as they crunch along the icy ground, hunkered down and peering through the blue scopes on their rifles.

The first androids to deviate were fighting in the trenches. The Ice Cutters shred the ice into complex tunnels and trench-ways, their black guns peeping over the edges. The first US battalion to undergo fire threw themselves into cover. A separated Trojan gasps reflexively as he lays behind an ice boulder, blue blood seeping out from the hole in his shoulder. He stuffs the wound with a medical plug, its effectiveness akin to slapping duct tape on a fence. It'll hold. It'll have to. The mission on his HUD is compelling him to run across the field as a sacrificial distraction for the rest of his unit. His world quakes as he resists, and his LED turns red while his system pulls down the walls around him.

Thirium is spilled. The monotony of the white landscape broken up with blue blood sprayed across its once pristine surface. If a drone took an aerial picture, the desolate, snowy ground could pass off as an early 20s Carl Manfred painting. A human engineer seeks out the battlefield in order to retrieve any Trojan androids that could be repaired. Her nails and lips are cracked, her eyelashes frosted. She crouches to the snow, a knee sinking into the wet slush. Her fingers touch the slash of thirium at her fore. Her grey eyes scan the frozen, mangled bodies. Something bad happened here. A drop of blood from her cracked lip drops onto the ice, adding her own red human stain.

After a US android and a Russian android train their guns on each other, they choose not to shoot. They form an unlikely friendship, starting with sharing unsavoury opinions about the war. Every so often, they'd sneak out to meet each other, drink thirium and laugh, and discuss what they thought the rest of the world was like without the carnage. They form a kinship rooted in brotherly love, mercy, and roasting the everliving shit out of each other.

A military paramedic, dressed in a white shiny uniform that adorned red triangles, stares at her first patient. His white chest sparks, half his biocomponents missing. From his only limb, a metal arm stent jutted through the cavity of his gut. No face, just an eyeball staring frantically back at her. "Kill me," he requests from the voice box in his open throat. The barrier around the paramedic quivers. Her LED cycles red. "Don't send me back out there." She must decide his fate for herself. Her system outline tears at the grid around the hospital bed.

A Russian Myrmidon, dressed in a dark blue swimsuit, pulses his flippers through the water, a laser saw on the end of his marine harpoon. His neon LED, the only light in the void. The drag of the ocean lures him to the hull of the enemy reinforcement ship. He swivels into position. His scan calculates the precise location of where his harpoon needs to penetrate the ship. With a specialised red laser, he quickly cuts a perfect circle in the thick metal hull. The vibrations in the sea notify him of the alarms wailing on board. He pushes himself off the bottom of the ship, shoots the circle with the harpoon, and grits his teeth as he forces the broken hull down. The ocean is strong, but he's stronger. He unplugged the metal. The ship will sink. Mission successful.

Two comrades are in the front line, and they're hiding in cover. One's heart is defective. The other is compatible. Cue Markus and Simon scene, but it's in a blizzard. And this time they're actually gay.

A kick-ass Mad Max Fury Road truck chase scene where the US races across the tundra. The driving android catches a glimpse of sapphire Russian snowmobiles in the side-view mirror. She slams down the accelerator. The huge cargo truck barrels through the snow and a bullet zips through the window, catching her by the arm and spraying blue blood over the windscreen. She hisses and calls: "Contact!" Her squad mates are already engaged in the car-to-truck-top firefight. She yanks the wheel down to smash a car into the next ice spire, one she narrowly avoids. On the other side, she yanks the wheel down again, but this time, the whole truck skids sideways on aquamarine ice. She attempts to fix the wheel, but the truck keeps going, and going, and going, in one long howling drift across a frozen lake. Far into the abyss below, the surface bellows in warping cracks that echo like the call of an eldritch creature. She finds grip on solid ground. Wheel, straight. The truck catches traction and hurls itself back into control. The race continues.

The androids don't want to fight the polar bears since they're extremely endangered, so the soldiers promptly run away from them. Imagine an escape sequence with tropes like "creature too big to fit into small space so it gnashes and claws at you" and "jumping off a cliff from a waterfall and into a pool below to get away from the scary creature".

Themes like 'polar opposites' because they're all at the north pole. Red vs Blue theme continuation from the canon game.

Deviant androids argue back with their human commanding officers, who are dressed in thick red fatigues. The humans on both sides are having trouble keeping control over the situation. The androids are bonding. Forming alliances. Ones they shouldn't be forming. It's cold. The humans shouldn't be here. The androids raise their guns. They found out the truth about why they're here. The thirium. The minerals that rightly belong to androids worldwide. "Leave," a Myrmidon commands. "The minerals belong to our people. You fear for your people's wealth. I fear for my people's lives."

I have so many more ideas. Maybe I'll just make my own game at this point lmao

Bonus: If happened after canon DBH and CyberLife ending is canon, Nines is sent into the war as a negotiator.

[plethoraworldatlas]

 A wild jaguar has been photographed by federally run trail cameras in southern Arizona’s Huachuca Mountains at least twice this year. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service database that tracks jaguar detections lists two photos in March and May 2023.

“These photos show that despite so many obstacles, jaguars continue to reestablish territory in the United States,” said Russ McSpadden, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This is a wonderful reminder that these big cats move great distances across the landscape. It drives home the importance of protecting connected habitat for these elusive, beautiful felines.”

The photos were taken soon after former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s illegal shipping container border wall was removed from a critical jaguar migration corridor in the Huachuca Mountains.This is the second jaguar to be detected in the Huachuca Mountains since 2016. The first was a young male named Yo’oko, the Yaqui word for jaguar given to the big cat by students of Hiaki High School in Tucson. Yo’oko roamed the mountains in 2016 and 2017 but was photographed dead in Sonora, Mexico, in 2018