#treebody

[radargrind2091]

Everwilde residents of Junglewood

Peeki Parrot and Sheeny

Larissa Lemur and Ringlet

Mika Monkey and Swing

Sela Sloth and Treebody

Effie Elephant and Sway

Tamika Tree Frog and Burst

Fanci Flamingo, Swash and Kiba

-Fanci, Swash and Kiba were originally from the Grazy Grasslands

-Enchantimals (c) Mattel and Kickstart Entertainment

[heroforge-official]

So a few years ago, while running my first homebrew lego/d&d campaign, I’d left my players an ominous message telling them to travel west to meet with a wizard named Treebody. Around the same time I found this image of a Planet of the Apes/ Lord of the Rings crossover cosplay. I decided that chimp Gandalf was the perfect candidate for my mysterious wizard. Now that facial customisation is out, I wasted no time in recreating the grey wizard Treebody and his apprentice Rot Pota

[creaturefeaster]

just a little thought but would the herbites or treeple have flower-like hairstyles? because i think if they could a pixie cut that looks like a rose would be adorable,,

That WOULD be adorable!!! It's more likely in herbites/plant people, because their hair is bushy and very versatile to trim and style into different shapes, much like hedge bushes.

Treebodies have more of a weeping willow kind of hair, it hangs and is kind of viney, so it's harder to style + they can't see themselves to style it, so that'd be on a friend to do it for them. Treeple do, unlike herbites, sometimes grow flowers along their hair, so they can still have an adorable floral aesthetic :3

[richardsphere]

My thoughts on the RWBY9 Finale

So, that after credits scene was just the most dissapointing thing wasnt it.

I’m going to be honest, the introduction of even bigger gods on top of the two D-bags does NOT improve my hopes for the series to return to a lighter, more fun tone in the end. It feels uncomfortably like a series about to lorecreep its way up its own backside.

But if there’s a chance that the final climax at the end-of-days gets resolved by RWBYJNPORE Calling Mom on the Brothers about their most recent attempt at species-wide extinction, that’d be objectively humerous at least.

While I am happy there was at least a hug and some handholding as they entered the door, the fact that there were no apologies or talking out of the initial spat between Ruby and Jaune. Not even a single moment of Rubies friends adressing the whole “you commited suicide” thing feels bad to me. It feels like this finale threw the entire seasons emotional turmoil in the trash and said “dont you look at the turmoil behind the curtain, here’s an expositionary picturebook sequence to distract you instead”. This finale didnt need lore, it needed an emotional resolution to some of the heavy-ass topics they decided to introduce this season. More “summer lore” teases, they still dont mean anything but at least confirmed the one thing we already knew for certain: Raven knows what Summer did. hence why she knew Ozpin couldnt be trusted. Ruby gets to keep her memories because she decided to be herself (and the herself she decided to be had memories so of course she keeps them). Jaune gets de-aged by an actual deus-ex-machina born of a new one-of magical wishgranting mechanic that has no real establishment in the cannon so far. Its not the ominous “ascencion” that’s been looming over the plot, its just an entirely new and seperate thing. I have mixed feelings on the use of the treeherbs to make Neo have an off-screen halucination scene was sort of anticlimactic for that resolution as well. Im not saying it doesnt work as an excuse to get her to fight off the cat from inside, but Neo is tied for the longest-running antagonist in the series, and due to her muteness a non-reading audience knows so little about her. Like if you read the books i understand she’s got a lot of backstory but if you’re like me and just watched the show you only know 1 thing about her: She’s Torchwicks personal Harley Quinn. So while having her halucinations off-screen is probably the correct choice, because it avoids having to exposit an entire backstory in her presumeable final apearance, it is also verry frustrating because she’s still such a vague character to a large swathe of the audience. Also really sucks how they ended Neo’s character with a vague “she’ll become something else” tbh. Like i get that the only NON RWBY character in Blazblue is probably too marketable for them not to keep a backdoor open for a re-appearance when drama suits. (And her treebody just happens to be next to a door that plops people out “wherever they are needed most” so consider her less “dead” and more “A Heroic Return Locked and Loaded for Deus Ex Machina down the line”) Best Bun is gone now. Im not happy about that in the least. I’ll admit i never really cared for little that much (i found them sort of over-cutesied. Like i get that was the point but production overplayed their hand i feel) Im happy Pyrrha’s sash is big again. Im not happy the hair is back though, and its weird that “fixing what Alex broke” turned Jaune back into Pre-fall Jaune rather then Slightly-but-not-yet-extremely-rusted Jaune. Like most of Jaune was already broken before Alex met her, so it seems the spell is perhaps a little too generous. (but im willing to let that slide :P) I felt that the finishing move against the cat was a bit.... much. like it seemed perhaps a bit excessive and focussed on flash. Which is a bit dissapointing because RWBY’s fights are best due to its more nuanced aspects. Not saying there isnt flash usually, just that the flash and nuance normally work together and here it ends in a big ball of everyone-turning-into-streaks-of-movement -------- Now onto my personal notes of judgement. Will i be sticking with the series seeing its current trajectory if a hypothetical S10 gets greenlit? I’ll say Im semi-optimistic, The introduction of the tree smith as a genuinely benevolent deity is probably the most important thing here for the series tonal trajectory. But then that is an indication of levity/hope, not the “fun” that has long been absent of the series. I dont think im abandoning the series completely after all, or at least not yet. Im still worried but no longer hopeless for the series future.

[honeybeenaturals]

Body Odor Control with Tea Tree

Tea TreeBody odor is a common problem that can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are natural remedies available to help combat this issue, and one of the most effective solutions is tea tree oil.

How Does Tea Tree Help Control Body Odor?

Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, which is native to Australia. It has been used for centuries due to its powerful medicinal properties, including its ability to control body odor.

Tea tree oil contains natural antibacterial and antifungal properties, which help eliminate the bacteria that cause body odor. The oil has a refreshing scent that helps mask unpleasant odors, leaving you feeling fresh and confident throughout the day.

Methods of Using Tea Tree for Body Odor Control

Tree Oil Deodorant: Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, and apply it to your underarms. This will help kill odor-causing bacteria and keep you smelling fresh.

Tea Tree Oil Bath: Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your bathwater and soak for 15-20 minutes. This will help cleanse your skin and control body odor.

Tea Tree Oil Spray: Dilute tea tree oil with water and pour it into a spray bottle. Use it as a natural deodorant spray throughout the day.

Tea Tree Oil Bar Soap:

Check out our online shop for Tea Tree Soap Bar.

Precautions and Tips

While tea tree oil is generally safe for topical use, it is important to follow these precautions:

Do a patch test before using tea tree oil to check for any allergic reactions.

Never apply undiluted tea tree oil directly to the skin, as it may cause irritation.

Consult a healthcare professional before using tea tree oil if you have any underlying skin conditions or sensitivities.

Avoid ingesting tea tree oil, as it can be toxic.

Additionally, it's important to maintain proper hygiene practices, such as regular bathing, wearing clean clothes, and using natural fabrics that allow your skin to breathe. These practices, along with the use of tea tree oil, will help you effectively control body odor.

Conclusion

Tea tree oil is a natural and effective solution for controlling body odor. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties help eliminate odor-causing bacteria, while its refreshing scent keeps you feeling fresh and confident. By incorporating tea tree oil into your daily hygiene routine, you can say goodbye to unpleasant body odor and embrace a more pleasant and confident you!

[enchantimals-dolls]

Sela Sloth & Treebody

[karispacek]

[whiskeyworen]

An Unexpected Guest

“Cyrus, there is a messenger bird coming in off the port bow. Shall I drop the Illusion matrix so it can land?" The voice of the Forsaken Aspect asked from a wall mount. Cyrus rinsed out his paintbrush before putting it aside and closing the paint jar.

"Yes. I think we're far enough from shore right now. Drop the field and see if you can get it to land on the upper deck. I'll head out to it now."

"Acknowledged." Aspect's wall mount glowed briefly as it cut communications. It took him a few minutes, but made his way out onto the upper hull of the ship, to where he could see a lone watchwork knight sprinkling birdseed on the deck plating. In amongst the birdseed, a carrier pigeon cooed contentedly, snapping up individual seeds. It always amazed him how these things could find their way anywhere in the world. It also disconcerted him that they were able to find the ship, cloaked as it was, in the middle of nowhere.

"Good thinking with the knight, Aspect." Cyrus said directly to the drone, which woodenly nodded before picking up the bird for him to take the message bottle off. "I never thought of putting birdseed out before. How about we make that a standard behavior when a pigeon is spotted homing in?"

From his comm, Aspect responded, while the drone knight nodded again. "I shall add it to the list of shipboard behavior protocols. When a pigeon is spotted, the nearest drone will move to put birdseed out, and secure the bird for collection." It paused for a moment. "... I shall also lay in a supply of birdseed in an appropriate dispenser, since it would not make sense to just have a bag laying around."

"Sounds good to me." He replied, unfurling the message. The drone knight turned and released the pigeon to the wind, where it immediately fluttered off for wherever its home was. "Perhaps also assign this particular knight for that duty. It seems to have an adeptness to it, and the pigeon responded to well."

"As you wish. Watchknight 27 is now designated for homing pigeon retrieval as a priority over its standard duties when a pigeon is detected. Programming accepted; I will assign an Illusion form for it before we make port next."

He nodded, pleased, before examining the item in his hands. At first, Cyrus thought it was a piece of parchment in his hand, until he saw the sawtooth edging, the faint veins throughout,  and the stem. It was a remarkably large leaf, albeit one that had deliberately grown into a rectangle shape. It even still had a pleasant, relaxing scent that he could only assume the Pale Tree had deliberately added for some reason. He carefully read the swirling script written on it not in ink, but in the joining of specifically larger veins, his eyebrow raising in interest.

"Aspect, pull up the anchors and let the others know we're heading towards the Grove. We've...just gotten a very odd request, and I'm kind of interested to find out more."

"Acknowledged. May I inform them the contents of the message?"

"Just mention that it's a special request....from the Pale Tree herself. In her own writing."

****

"Welcome back to the Grove, travellers. I trust your journey was pleasant?" The Avatar of the Tree beckoned to them as they left the seed pod lift and entered her Omphalos chamber proper. She had seen the ship come in through the various senses on her Treebody, watching as it swung low and docked down in Necrolith Bay, at the platform out there. While she could see the ship, there was something odd about how the magic flowed near it; it seemed to warp around the ship in a way that suggested something much larger. And down by the water, some distance below, there were strange disturbances she couldn't explain, but she could feel in her roots.

Moryggan smiled as they got closer, and placed a hand to her heart, bowing slightly. "It is good to be back, Mother."

Cyrus did much the same, before holding out the leaf note. "This is quite a surprise, if I may say so. I never expected an urgent summons like this. Do you require our services?"

The Pale Tree's smile seemed to falter for a moment, but she nodded. She turned to the warden nearest her and made a small gesture. The warden immediately bowed, and then headed for the lift.

"My apologies, Moryggan... Cyrus. I did send an urgent summons to you, but I had no idea you would be so close at hand. While the matter is somewhat urgent, it is manageable. But I am glad you are hear nonetheless. It will take a little time to explain, in any case."

Cyrus's eyebrow went up, and he stroked his chin, curiousity lighting his eyes. "You had my interest with the summons, Lady Tree..."

The Tree's daughter too, looked interested, crossing her arms. "Mother? You seem unusually tense. I don't think I've seen you with quite that look on your face before."

"Perhaps I should start at the beginning." The Tree's Avatar turned and began to pace slowly. Flowers erupted behind her feet, and retracted before them as she walked, so she never trampled a single blossom. "...A month ago some of the wardens in the Brisban Highlands received a request from the Skritt King in Skrittsburg. A terrible beast was haunting his mountain, scaring his citizens and stealing food and items. His own soldiers and warriors couldn't deal with it because it moved faster than wind, and seemed to be one with the shadows around it."

"Not surprisingly, the wardens took this request seriously. With the proliferation of wild ley energy everywhere, and the occasional bloodstone-tainted beast appearring, a single creature could be a serious danger. So... they dispatched a team to hunt it."

She paused in her pacing, and glanced at them individually, before letting her eyes stray over their shoulders. "It took a week, but they managed to find the creature's lair. You could say...they dealt with it. But there was a new problem."

Cyrus and Moryggan exchanged curious looks. What could be a bigger problem than a wild beast? Other than a bigger wild beast. Or maybe one that could think and plan?

"You see, what they discovered was it wasn't some twisted creature, some experiment-spawned monster, or a ley-infected thing. It wasn't a spirit, or a demon, or even a Largos having some 'fun'." The Tree stopped pacing, and looked past them, making a 'come here' gesture with her hand. "What they found was..."

The warden had returned, and brought someone with him.

"A sylvari."

There was a moment of flat silence, as both visitors stared in surprise at guest the warden had escorted in. Cyrus was perplexed. Shewas just a very slim, very small sylvari girl. Her skin was unusually and almost unnaturally pale; it was actually a blue-white, but of a kind of sickly complexion. Interestingly, he could see she also had strange, tiger-like purple striping for markings on her skin that matched her leafy hair. Her eyes were downright eerie though; though her eyes were intensely focused and piercing, she seemed uninterested in looking at anything in particular. She just...stared at everything with an intensity that was frightening.

She just seemed to...stare at him, when her gaze slid around to him, and to the space around him. He’d heard the phrase ‘look right through you’, but for the first time, it really did feel like that.

Moryggan on the other hand, jumped like a startled cat, taking a step back. "Mother?! What is... I can't..."

She stared in atavistic horror at this diminutive sylvari, recoiling despite herself. She actually began to hyperventilate. "I can't sense her at all in the Dream! Why can't I sense her?!"

The Avatar stepped forward and cupped Moryggan's cheeks softly hushing her with soft words. She leaned her forehead to her daughter's, whispering gently and stroking her hair and face. "It's all right, my child. You don't have to fear her. She is not a monster. You can't feel her for a reason I haven't mentioned yet. Please, be calm, and all will be explained."

Moryggan's fear began to ebb after a few moments, and she stopped her rapid breathing. Closing her eyes, she reached within and calmed herself. She could feel the Dream all around her...except in one spot. "I can't feel her, Mother. She's... Is she Mordrem?"

The Pale Tree released her and stepped back, placing a hand on the small girl's shoulder. "No... she's not Mordrem. She is Sylvari. But she is unique. Or perhaps I should say, she is merely unusual."

Cyrus watched all this with interest. What could unsettle Moryggan so badly? And what was all this talk about the Dream anyway? "What kind of unusual are we talking about?"

"This child... how do I put it in a way that a non-sylvari can understand?" The Pale Tree pondered for a moment. "I know; When you look at someone, you can see generally their emotions, correct? How they carry themselves? Maybe look into their eyes and see their emotional state even if they've mastered their expressions?"

He nodded. "Sometimes. There are very good liars out there."

The Tree favored him with a smile. "Now... can you do the same based on a shadow? Can you tell anything about the person who cast it?"

He frowned, thinking. It was possible to kind of tell someone's emotional state from a shadow...if they were moving around. Or in a certain pose. Or any number of things. But if she meant just a static shadow... "Not really, no. I could guess but it wouldn't nearly be as accurate."

"This child, in sylvari terms, would be considered a 'shadow'. Or rather, a 'reflection'. She has almost NO footprint within the Dream. To sylvari, she almost doesn't exist because we can't feel her presence in the Dream. I can, with all my strength, just barely sense her there. In fact, she's what I would term a 'reflective'. To look upon her in the Dream would be to see not just nothing...but an absence of anything. Not so much merely an empty space. But a void."

Suddenly it clicked for Cyrus. It was like something he'd read ages ago, in another place and time. "... She's a blank. She's a blank, isn't she."

The Pale Tree seemed to consider the term, before nodding. "I suppose that works as well. Her imprint in the Dream isn't a tapestry of what could be and what has been for her. It is, as you say, blank."

Moryggan, now recovered from her uncontrollable fear, frowned. "How is that possible, Mother? All Sylvari are connected through the Dream! Even the Soundless who shun the connection, and the Court who hate it. They at least have... have something! How does this girl even exist?"

"That is where my tale takes a rather tragic twist, I'm afraid." The Avatar sighed, and stroked the girl's hair. The girl made no movement to indicate she'd noticed or cared. She just kept looking from one person to another, fixing them with her solid stare. Occasionally she'd tilt her head, as if she was hearing something no one else in the room was.

"When the Jungle Dragon attacked the summit, he had sent a very large minion. A Draconic minion called the Shadow of the Dragon. I'm sure you're aware of that." She waited for their nods before continuing. "What you don't know, and what I wasn't made aware of until recently, was that during that attack, an outlying root was damaged by its claws."

The Tree looked at them with pained eyes. "While I was...incapacitated... it seems that there was a sylvari who's mind formed at a distance from me, from the Dream. That root, much to my surprise and shame, developed a pod on its own while I was unwell. I had no control over it, much as you have no control over if and when your hair grows. It just happened. I did not even know the root existed until it the damage was reported, and I had to reach out and feel my extents as the Tree. I could just barely feel it, out there."

"You're telling me this girl is a sylvari, not-born-of-the-Dream, but born of the Tree?" Moryggan asked dubiously. Now that she was recovered, she could judge this sapling more critically. "But all sylvari born of you are connected in the Dream! It's where we learn! Where we become... us!"

"And she was never part of that." The Tree admitted. "When she formed, she WAS part of the Dream...but an extremely isolated, broken portion of it. A Dream of One. Imagine waking up on a desert island with no one around. You can see the mainland, but you can't ever get there. That is the reality she formed in. No mentors. No guidance. No sense of inherent community or purpose. No Wyld Hunt. She just... woke up out there."

Cyrus was still staring at the girl in fascination, listening to this tale. How interesting. He thought, as he watched her idly messing with the bandages on the tips of her fingers. She wasn't injured so it must have been an affectation she'd developed. Maybe from climbing? Who knows. A Sylvari that grew up utterly blank. For how long? "You said that she was woken after the Dragon attacked. How did she avoid the Call?"

Everyone knew the Call, whether Sylvari or not. The Sylvari of weak will or weak mind, or those who merely answered because they wanted to... became threats. Traitors. Murderers. Saboteurs. All in the service of the Jungle Dragon. If the Dragon called them hard enough, they would self-mutate into a form it decreed for them. Into Mordrem.

The Call was like a mountain falling on you. A roaring, snarling, angry mountain. Its pressure crushed your will, spirit, and mind like a tin can if you couldn't resist it. Moryggan had nearly fallen to it while Mordremoth was still in a partially-asleep state. If it hadn't been for Cyrus's intervention with a unique and one-of-a-kind piece of technology, she might have completely given in and become a Mordem.

"She avoided the Call because... I don't... know." The Tree's explanation faltered. She looked at this prodigal daughter with curiousity. "My dear. My love. How did you deal with the Dragon's Call?"

The girl stopped picking at her bandages and looked at the Avatar. Her voice was very soft, very quiet. "The noisy one? The one that roars?"

"Yes, my dear. That one."

"....He was loud. Had so many screaming voices around him. I didn't like it. So I pushed it out. Stopped hearing it." She said simply.

Jaws around the chamber dropped in surprise. Even the Pale Tree's perfect jaw popped open for a moment.

"I...see. Well that is very good. He was not a nice...person." The Tree smiled woodenly, and stroked the girl's locks. She stepped behind her, placing both hands on the girl's shoulders, before giving Cyrus a look that said do you see why I called for you?

"Uh.... okay. That's. Actually kind of impressive." He coughed into his fist, and glanced over at Moryggan, who still looked poleaxed. "But I fail to see why we were summoned. You obviously found your daughter here. Can't you just integrate her with the Dream, and with your other saplings?"

"I wish that were the case but..." The Tree indicated Moryggan, and Cyrus realized she was referring to the atavistic terror she'd shown. "...She doesn't respond to any of the mentors, or other saplings. And they're just downright..."

"Terrified?"

"Unnerved. By her."

"I see. But that still begs the question; Why us?" Cyrus glanced over at Moryggan, and realized she was still staring mutely at the girl. So he reached over and gently gave her shoulder a shake to snap her out of it.

"Because I don't believe she belongs with the Grove. She grew up outside of it, shaped by her own experiences in the wild. Shaped by her own mind without the benefit of the Teachings suffusing her being. She needs guidance that I don't believe can be given here in the Grove. Plus..."

"You're worried the Court will find out about her and try to get her." Moryggan realized, suddenly realizing the truth.

The Avatar nodded sadly. "She is like fresh clay, to be shaped. She has started her own shape, but she can be forced into another if they get their hands on her. She is unique, and... as much as it shames me to admit it... I would like to see what she becomes on her own, without influence from the Grove, or from the Court. To see what that uniqueness will lead to."

"So you want us to take her onboard then." Cyrus said flatly. "Make her part of the crew. Make her a ward to all of us."

"Indeed. One of the reasons I contacted you is because, in addition to your rather varied crew, your ship is one of the safest places I can think of for her to grow."

He chuckled at that. "Well... maybe. Our ship's computer did just make itself a body to walk around in. We weren't really expecting that."

"Will you accept my request? If need be, I can offer a payment of some kind." The Avatar asked.

Cyrus looked to Moryggan, who just gave him a non-committal shrug. She wasn't fooling him though; the girl still freaked her out, but she was clearly willing to put that aside.

To the girl, he asked "Would you like to come with us on our airship?"

She blinked at him, tilting her head. "...what's an airship?"

"It's a big, metal thing that soars through the sky like a -- YEEP!" Cyrus didn't get to finish, because the girl seemed to vanish from where she was standing and reappear directly in front of him. Uncomfortably close to him, actually. She was barely over five foot, and was practically standing on his boots to stare at him.

It was only then he noticed the ghostly green filaments, distortion fading away between where she had been standing, and where she was now. There was a half-formed afterimage still standing there by the Pale Tree, linked to where she stood now, as if she was in two places at once. Is...is she a necromancer? Did she just necro-warp her way over or something??

"It flies in the sky?" She asked, a small note of wonder in her otherwise flat, quiet voice.

"Um... yes... it does." He replied awkwardly. That concentrated stare was unnerving even him now.

"And I can fly through the sky with it?"

"Yes... after a fashion. We ride inside it, but it flies the sky."

The girl's eyes searched his face for a moment, flicking back and forth between his eyes, before glancing over his shoulder slightly. And then she smiled.

"That sounds fun."

"Well that's--Ahh!" Cyrus once again couldn't finish as a wave of fear swept over him when she darted back to the Tree's avatar again. It was like a stretched rubber band snapping back to normal - One moment she was stretched between two places, half-ghostly in both, the next she was reintegrated into back into one, solid being. Did that girl ever just walk anywhere? Is that how she moved all the time?

"I want to ride the airship." The girl told the Avatar, who blinked and then smiled in return.

"Then why don't you go with them, my dear? But remember to introduce yourself. They need to know your name." She prodded gently, turning the girl around.

The pale little sylvari with the purple striping, purple hair, and eerie ice-colored eyes smiled wide. "My name is Novni Ffion. Can we go to the airship now?"

[nauseateddrive]

TREEBODY by Sam Westcott

I awake, alone, from a dream where I willed words onto a blank page. The letters were thinned trunks, trees that failed to propagate leaves. The t’s a kind of tree arrowed in the breast with a single branch. Each t, each branch different, forming their own cross. The words were clusters of these trunks, bark-less. And each subset of them smelled differently like varying hues of rot, and decay. Of spruce and cedar and autumnal dampness. And experiencing the words this way I discerned a meaning from the page that now as I awoke, was already disappearing, as though determined to remain un-retained.

But these kinds of dreams have become more and more frequent. More and more in vogue for my REM-induced brain to screen upon my closed eyelids.

I pull on my gym pants this morning at 7:30am, my bladder hissing for its porcelain bowl, my knuckles red and irritated with eczema. The white light from an overcast Canadian sky refracts off the ice-covered concrete city and comes dull and grey through my blinds. When I piss and wash water onto my face, I scurry outside into this grey, and then underground to catch a train.

When I finally reach the woods on the outskirts, I bury my fist into pine needles, into moss, into dirt, soil, worms, bugs scattering, the ticks black and barely detectable by the eye. The light overhead a darkening autumnal grey, an indigo horizon, a sliver of silver moon having been born anew in Scorpio a day ago. I yank out a fistful of wet soil, white dots speckling in it like stars. I pack the soil in a sandwich baggie and bring it back into the city with me.

At the apartment, I close the door to spare-bedroom I’ve converted into a lab. Take a clear dish from the cupboard, which I spread the soil onto, and roll it under the lens of the microscope. I’m aware that to look for one’s lover through a lens is often considered stalking. But when love is inter-special, this is simply how I find her.

Alone, I twirl the knobs on the microscope. Distortion, until it’s clear, and I see her. And taking the tweezers from the counter, I pluck her up, hold her before me in the light, a thin strand of fungal matter. Closing my eyes, the red spots flashing before them, I place her on my tongue, my saliva coaxed out already, drowning it on my tongue.

But in her death, she becomes a part of me as I too will one day become a part of the soil, and my soul will be freed as my body is further broken down and taken to her. There, she’ll divvy up which trees get the scattered nutrients extracted from my flesh, bones, inner organs. My memories will run free, unhinged from the spotlight of my former waking attention. And they’ll join the moss, and the grass and rainwater, where eventually it will be bottled, or run through taps into the thirsty mouths of those whose turn it is to live mammalian.

It’s already starting. I’m reminded that this is not simply psilocybin, that this species of fungi is un-hallucinogenic, that if I wanted to, I could study it further. That there are places on online publishing science with a lowercase s. But this is art not science, and so the only lower case s is secret.

The room morphs around me until I move toward the blank concrete slate of the wall, wet with perspiration. And onto it I’m superimposing clusters of those leafless trees. And I sharpie these would-be words gravitated towards one another as verse, onto the wall, realizing now that this is the forest. That I’m transcribing the forest as prose where the meaning is not the meaning of the words themselves, but the image of the words collected together, a topographic map of a forest. And realizing I am to find this forest before I die, I hear the door unlocking, and find myself on the concrete of the sidewalk, walking forwards.

Beneath the night, my pupils are black holes that the light from the eyes of passers by are drawn into. And I see this light splayed before me, lunar-like. The faces of strangers staved on the event horizon, the strangers themselves already gone.

When I remember again, I think not singularly but with the conscious awareness of a being with incalculable limbs. I’m vaguely aware of my back upon the damp grass. Of the skin of my neck resting upon a thick, entangled root. The forest is the text is me is the text is the forest and the text is not something I texted but something I am texting, and my memories of what came before are obsolete and now forever both at the same time.

Sam Westcott is a writer and musician in Ottawa, Ontario. His short fiction has appeared in or is forthcoming from Black Hare Press, The Bear Creek Gazette, Close To The Bone, FILTH, The Paper Mill Press, and others. You can find him online at samwwestcott.com or on Twitter @samwwestcott 

[selin-portf]

Inner Tree Carvings (2) - 2017

Japanese saw/mallet/chisel/rasp/file/dremel/sand paper/steel wool

[tbjeremiah]

MY EMPIRE GROWS #gardening #plants #tree #treebody #mint #lemonbalm #herbs #containergarden #lifeinthesubmarine via Instagram http://ift.tt/2qoirUK

[waxyflexibility]

Treebody

[creaturefeaster]

I think one of my friends asked this already but could a payan have a child with a talpian (or the other way around)

Absolutely! Most races can hybridize, very few exceptions, save for plant/aquatic based races like treebodies, fish people, and plant people.

[enchantimals-dolls]

Animal Friends Junglewood Treebody

[enchantimals-dolls]

Junglewood Slow-down Salon: Sela Sloth & Treebody

Treat your little one to some pamper and play with this enchanting nail salon playset! Kids can help Sela Sloth doll and Treebody sloth "paint" their nails with colors as fun as they are. The tropical-themed nail station with seating for two is perfect for special bonding time. Little ones have everything for the perfect manicure, with smaller accessories like a lamp, fan, brush, nail polish bottles, and clip-on nails (that really fit onto doll hands)! Ready to beautify her enchanting customers, sela Sloth doll comes dressed in a themed outfit with a removable skirt and apron, headpiece, and shoes.

[enchantimals-dolls]

Animal Friends Assortment

Welcome to the world of Enchantimals, where you can find fun and adventure across all the different lands! Voyage to the village of Wonderwood, swing through the lush Junglewood rainforest, or ride the waves of Wishing Waters to go offshore. Oh, there's so much more to explore! Along the way, collect the Enchantimals animal friends in each of these magical lands. Little ones will sparkle at these familiar friends, designed with special glitter finishes and adorable new expressions. Choose from favorites like Flap peacock, Sprint deer, Largo dolphin, Sheeny parrot, Tuft tiger, and more! Plus, each Enchantimals animal figure wears a necklace to hail to their homeland. Collect them all and travel 'round the world of Enchantimals!

Tuft, Nari, Flick, Marisa Yawn, Caper, Twist, Largo, Stumper Snore, Flap, Sprint, Sheeny Pointer, Pester, Cackle, Dab, Bounder

Compass, Burst, Poise, Curdle Ringlet, Idyl, Cheese?, Marshy Flag, Swash, Treebody, Mop, Fondue