#ungulate express

[celesse]

The Ungulate Express is flying in again 🎀🦌🔔

The garlands, shirts, tea towels and more are back! Stock is rather limited this year, so don't delay!

✨ Available here! ✨

[local-hellhound-steals-spaghetti]

Let's talk about zoo animal welfare for a second...

(And I want to preface this by saying I have a 4 year Bachelor degree in Animal Science (focusing in welfare and behaviour with a major in Canine and Equine Science) before I got sidetracked into zoo animals and did 3 internships working with wild canids, ungulates and marine mammals - this involved both hands on behaviour modification/desenitisation as well as hands off behavioural observation and welfare study. I worked for 2 years as a marine mammal specialist and worked specifically in facilities to improve husbandry, behavioural training and welfare practises.

I also worked in a facility in the Asia Pacific, working to improve welfare standards for bottlenose dolphins and continued to work with cetacean welfare researchers after this. I also did a course in zoo management, husbandry and welfare and this involved working in an accredited zoo facility learning things like exhibit design, behaviour management and husbandry with multiple species.)

So a few points to say about zoo animal welfare when discussing zoo standards and practises:

The average person does not have the expertise to do behaviour observation and welfare evaluation in zoo animals - that's why when the general public visits a zoo and says "the animal looks sad" it's worth being skeptical of that claim. But it doesn't mean a gut feeling about a zoo's quality can be completely invalid. Just that it might be worth researching further or seeking more information.

However, with experience, it is possible to analyse behaviour in the context of welfare. And context to that behaviour is always important (for example, Moo Deng showing stress related behaviour towards the specific context of being touched or followed around by her keeper - very much an indication of poor handling practises)

Poor animal husbandry and welfare is not limited to specific countries or regions, however it can be more normalised and accepted under the influnce of cultures and laws. Or even just the culture of the zoo itself such as the "this is the way we've always done it" places.

Being an accredited zoo is a start to good welfare, but it doesn't make any sort of welfare concern obsolete. And accreditation is supposed to ensure that welfare concerns are addressed but because they are mostly run as a volunteer based organisation, they often don't have resources to check into every concern (unless it's a government funded organisation)

A zoo contributing to conservation research is great, but not if it is at the expense of the animals' welfare - welfare should always be prioritised, with research and conservation efforts to follow.

Welfare is a state that is in flux. So a negative welfare state can move into positive welfare state under different influences.

There are multiple factors that influence zoo animal welfare: enclosure/habitat, expression of natural behaviour, guest interaction, diet, enrichment, water quality, hygeine ect. It'll rarely just be one factor, though it does depend how salient that factor is.

Just because a keeper or management of a zoo have been there for a long time, doesn't mean they can't be criticised - it is possible to be still using outdated practises and believing in methodologies and management practises that need updating - that's the whole point of continued education

Having limited resources can often impact welfare. Giving a facility the resources they need to improve is a good start to improving welfare.

Even if an animal is being handled in an inappropriate way for a short time, that doesn't mean that can't have long term implications for welfare eg. if every time your dog jumped on you when you got home and you smacked him in the face once before going on with your day, that doesn't mean that your dog won't learn negative associations with your arrival just because it was one time.

Best practise husbandry of zoo animals involves:

Use of positive reinforcement based voluntary husbandry and health care

All interaction based on choice and voluntary interaction that is reinforced with primary reinforcement such as food

Mostly hands off approaches for the species that require them (ungulates, large primates, large carnivores)

Relatively stable social groups with aggression only in specific situations/contexts that are normal for the species

Back areas for animals to rest outside of public view

Species appropriate habitats to meet species specific behaviour requirements

Five freedoms of welfare being met but goes above and beyond the bare minimum

Poor zoo animal husbandry involves animals:

Being forced into anything such as presentations, education programs, medical procedures/gating

Any use of physical punishment such as chasing, slapping, pushing or poking - negative reinforcement such as bull hooks are also fairly outdated in handling species like elephants

Being excessively handled, chased and touched/restrained for no reason (eg. for social media videos)

Showing signs of avoidance and aggression constantly towards their keepers

Have constant conflict happening in their social groups

Are living in enclosures that are not suitable for their specific specific needs - size is only one factor in this. Substrate, habitat design, water quality ect. are also things to consider.

Are too close to the public/at risk from the public

Have no areas to retreat from the public/rest away from potential stressors

Have no enrichment program/no daily enrichment

Those are all flags that there could be some poor welfare happening and that a zoo is not prioritising welfare

Okay there's the ramble of the day done. Feel free to ask questions for further clarification if needed.

[penumbrialhexandroga]

DO you need ART REFERENCES?!

I love to organize, I love art, I love drawing from reference. I have a Pinterest account upon which I store boards for photo reference. I will also share in this post the android app I use for gesture drawing, which I have zero affiliation with it's just the only one I've found - you can hook it up to your pinterest account and use boards you've created..... I'm not sure if you can use other peoples boards that you've saved. (app listed under the cut) Feel free to save and recreate the boards which I am about to list. I'm sharing these because I love art and drawing from reference is one of the best ways to improve ones' art. My pinterest account shares the name of this blog: Penumbrialhexandroga

Here are direct links to each of my boards. I update these sporadically:

ARCHITECTURE - Any type of built structure ENVIRONMENTS - The great outdoors - this boards kinda small rn I'll try to build it up FASHION - Similar to Misc. Poses. I use "Fashion" very broadly here. Any kind of adornment; armour, runway, street, historical, traditional FUNDAMENTALS - Anatomy and basic form HANDS AND EXTREMETIES MISC. POSES - This is the one I use primarily for gesture drawings. Focuses on the form, full body poses. I try to get a diversity but I'm limited by what pinterest predominantly shows me. PORTRAIT - Face up close. There are expression sheets in here too. Great if you want to do a "Med's 100 heads" type challenge.

ACTION POSES - multiple people/beings or extreme angles BIRDS CANINE FELINE FISH INSECTS MAMMALS - idk if all these are techincally mammals MEDIEVAL/FANTASY WEAPONS MUSHROOMS/PLANTS/FLOWERS MUSTELIDS/RODENTIA/MARSUPIALS PRIMATES - non-human primates REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS SEA ANIMALS - including fish.... idk STATUARY - really just greco-roman rn I'll try to broaden it. TREES - gotta love em UNGULATES

(Disclaimer: I create the boards quickly, adding whichever thing sparks my interest or I think would be good for developing a broad visual library. My selections are limited based on what the Pinterest algorithm shows me. I dont do research into the images I select, I spend about one second on an image before adding it if that. I do my best to ensure there's nothing AI or anything, but if there's something that I ought to remove from one of these boards, please let me know and explain why. Thank you.)

I use the app GESTURE DRAWING PRACTICE by Avinash kumawat

on android to use these boards for timed drawing practice. This takes away the challenge of choosing an image from such a massive selection, and keeps me on a time crunch that allows my dissociative AuDHD brain to focus. This app is buggy, and the "shuffle selected images" doesn't work all too great. I have not been able to connect it to my google drive save of reference images (I use the PC application Gesture Drawing! for that - this program is far smoother than the app but cannot connect to pinterest unfortunately!)

BUT! you can connect the app to Pinterest! You can set the time and amount of poses you want to do, the app works great for what I use it for. And there is no sufficient mobile alternative. This is like Line-of-Action or QuickPoses but with a library completely of your own design.

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

How would ungulates do sign language with a more limited possible set of signs? I feel like ears would be a big factor, but they can't replace hands. Leg motion could be a partial factor, but then they couldn't really walk and talk.

My assumption is that you mean a quadrupedal sapient species, like sapient deer or horses, since walking on all fours would indeed prevent the use of any forelimbs being a tool of silent communication.

in this case, I think they would put a lot more emphasis on facial expression and body language. The examples I'm drawing are all in profile because ungulates tend to have very wide vision with a blind spot directly in front of their face. as a result, visual communication would be best done while two of them are standing next to each other.

(image description: four simple sketches of a deer-like creature's head, displaying different forms of body language. first, the option to use its large ears like semaphore flags, moving them in different directions. second, the option to use blinking as morse code. third, the option of head motion, shown here as a nodding movement. fourth, the option of an expressive face, shown here as the creature making a face of disgust with its mouth open, nose crinkled, and ears laid back. end description.)

you could go with a combination of these, studying the body language of horses in particular. horses are domestic animals that have a complex relationship of communicating with humans, so that's a good place to start for nonverbal hands-free communicative language!

morse code and semaphore flags rely heavily on alphabetic spelling, with their signs mostly just representing singular letters. but your ungulate folk can assign bigger meanings to their own ear and blinking signals! especially combining it with the motion of the head and the expressiveness of their mouth, I'm sure they could create a whole complex language. it may not directly translate out into clean english grammar, of course, but neither do real human sign languages.

I don't think they would, for example, be able to communicate something as distinct as "oh I think I see a strange creature hiding between the trees just ahead of us", but they could communicate "strange creature [that direction] hide" or something like that. it's not necessary for their language to have complicated grammar. Language only needs to be able to convey ideas in a clear manner.

hope that helps! i'm no expert on sign language, so maybe some of my followers will have more ideas to add.

[the-soul-starved]

My very scattered very headcanony thoughts on why I enjoy the woodie Wortox dynamic so much. The quotes might not be exact but they are close enough to the original for now

————————

To me, it’s implied that Wortox got into the main part of the constant when he was young, through the gateway. The uncorrupted skin is always described as a 'fawn' ect so the main role model hes had growing up is Krampus, so he never quite got the all the social etiquette of being in a group, as well as i cant really see krampus as being the best parental figure in terms of morals.

So now hes in this big group, and has to learn what is appropriate and what isnt and its hard. Hes doing fairly well but his upbringing as well as being an interdimensional immortal imp means he just isnt as good at picking up social cues, or knowing what is or isnt appropriate in the moment (His quote for abigail being a pun ect) and now combine this with everyone else in camp, most off all havent really got the patience to deal with him, the way he speaks is confusing (salt lick quote- 'ive been told i dont make a lick of sense!) And his constant pranking and general silliness is easy getting on everyone's nerve. (there are a fair few exceptions, but even with Wickerbottom, who I'd expect to get on fairly well with him, there seems to be some tension (Quote- 'she needs to have some fun!'

Then there is Woodie. Woodie is incredibly laid back and, while he isn't soft, hes knows when he needs to be gentle vs when he needs to be tough. Hes one of the only ones who can kinda see Wortox and go 'woah that's an overexcited kid who needs to let off steam.' So they go out and chop trees and Woodie can show Wortox how to wittle and Wortox can show Woodie how to spar when hes a moose. I think Wortox is the kinda guy who will put 10 times the effort into getting out of a job instead of doing it and that will NOT work on Woodie. You are chopping those trees and chopping them now and while they are doing that, Wortox also bonds with Lucy (leading to his other quotes about her)

There are others Wortox does get along with like Wes and Willow, but i think thats more from them encouraging his tricks and pranks rather then genuinely making an effort to get to know him, they are still buddies but its a lot more surface level. Wickerbottom does make an effort but she doesn't quite understand that just telling him to get his ass in line is just not gonna work, so tensions start to fray a bit there. Woodie i think is bluntly spoken enough to get wortox to open up about a few things and they are also ungulate buddies. I also think that Wortox is an incredibly nervous creature, which tends to express as him seeming overexcited and silly, so having an incredibly stolid, stubborn guy like Woodie around helps with that as well. He longs for companionship but doesn't quite think he deserves it so he isolates himself from getting to invested but this funny moose guy wants some help gathering supplies so lets go help with that.

Overall the best way i can describe it is a rebellious young adult who everyone writes off as wild and a troublemaker and his one uncle who can actually see how troubled this guy is and so makes a genuine effort to understand and help that isnt just blindy encouraging his games

[kickingitwithkirk]

Paschal Moon

Summary: Jensen finds crossing the tracks isn’t always a bad thing

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Astronomer!Reader

WC: 2358

Warnings: some angst, really bad punning(sorry) divorce, cheating, innuendos, cursing, reader says shit like I do IRL 😅

A/N: 10/24-I’ve fixed the grammatical errors and expanded this part, cause you know me, I can be chatty and I've written a sequel!

Square Filled: @winchesterandbeyondbingo -midnight @spnmixedbingo -secret dating @spnaubingo -wet dream @j3bingo -camping @howbadcanitbebingo -cliche galore

*Moldavite

*divider by @firefly-graphics

*no Beta-all mistakes are mine

*photos found online

It was Thursday night, and once again, Jensen found himself the proverbial third wheel. The Padalecki’s meant well, dragging him everywhere with them since he filed for divorce, wanting to keep him from brooding with a bottle when not with his kids.

And it wasn’t that Jensen didn’t mind socializing. It was knowing the evening would be filled with repetitive I’m sorry, and the look of sympathy that sent him straight to the open bar first for many a shot nowadays. 

Feeling the slight buzz he needed kicking in, Jensen put on his game face and, with another tumbler of liquid courage in hand, made the rounds, chatting amicably with various groups and catching up with old friends.

Things were going pretty well until some dumb fuck turned to Genevieve, loudly blurting they’d heard Danneel making the rounds with guys with more sizable assets was the reason for the divorce pissed off her moose-sized husband, who bellows shut your unprepossessing cake hole causes a momentary distraction allowing Jensen to escape out a nearby door before punching the sonuvabitch with the double entendre himself. 

Slamming it shut, he stomped to the riverside view, wrapping both hands around the horizontal guardrail and squeezing like he was wringing a chicken's neck when the simultaneous swish of fabric and a hand holding half a glass of liquid appeared.

“Looks like you could use this more than me.” 

Jensen’s eyes met those of the tall drink of water he’d noticed throughout the evening. Looking at the glass again made her laugh, “I’m not slipping you a Mickey.” Lifting it to her lips, he watched her throat ungulate as she drank and felt Jen Jr. rising to attention. “See, Peaches, I’m not some crazy stalker.” 

Jensen takes the glass and feels a spark when their fingers brush. “Thanks, I wasn’t thinking..that.” Throwing back the rest, he appreciates the liquor's smooth slide down his throat. “It’s been a pretty shitty evening.”

“Preaching to the choir, Peaches! I came ‘cause my second cousin on my mama’s side girl broke up with him, and now I know why.” She bends over and retrieves a bottle, giving Jensen a fantastic view of her breasts artfully showcased in her cocktail dress, and pops up, pointing the bottle at him.

 “That motherfucker thought he could pimp me out for a promotion! What the hell is it with people having a ring on it?” She grabs his left wrist, tilting it so the outdoor lights glint off the wedding band he hasn’t removed yet, “Acting like this means absofuckinglutely nothing?”

“Now you’re preaching to the choir. My soon-to-be ex was doing that while I was working in Vancouver and telling everyone it’s because I’m lacking.” Jensen couldn’t stop self-dissing since catching Danneel and one of his closest friends together.

“Hoooly shit!  You’re the guy whose wife runs around saying you couldn’t find her clit with a map, GPS, or fucking bullseye paint on it!” Jensen’s eyes widened at her audacity. “Hell, most gals just use a vibrator if they wanna get off that bad. And did you just admit your package is..?” She wiggles her pinky finger while refilling the glass, “Don’t get me wrong, no shame if you know how to use it.” 

She finally noticed his expression slapped a hand over her mouth and mumbled, “Oh fuck, I’m so sorry! My mouth doesn’t know how to stop once I get started. Blame it on my upbringing.” Jensen took a drink to cover his humiliation, and a stiffener for no telling what she’d say next asked, “Upbringing?”

Removing her hand reveals a guileless smile: “You know what they say, you can take the girl outta the trailer park.” Bewilderment crossed his face to her self-deprecating response. “Yeah, I’m that relative they always warned you about.”

“Little late with the warning, sweetheart.”

She burst out laughing, and Jensen found himself doing the same.

Later

Jensen couldn’t believe it. 

In his profession, showing unscripted emotions was a sign of weakness many would exploit. Yet, here he was, a forty-three-year-old man usually in control, sitting outback of this building with a woman he’d never met before, who’d upended that control.

She was the distraction he needed before knowing it; he did something he’d never do under normal circumstances, told her everything, and got a response of, “That sucks balls, and not in a good way!”

“Kicker is; she wants alimony.”

“What a gall darn minute. You caught your almost ex doing the beast with two backs, right?” Jensen hums in response. “Peaches, I’m no lawyer, but I’d say that ain’t fucking happening,” She tips the second five-finger discounted bottle over the glass he’d again drained. “And no offense, your ex makes those whores back in Ratchet City look almost pious. Most have the decency not to fuck in your bed.”

Jensen rubbed his face, “I can’t believe I’ve told a stranger about my marital problems.”

“Sometimes it’s easier to unburden yourself to someone you don’t know.”

“I haven’t even told my family or Jared!”

“And Jared is?”

“The guy who has my back no matter what.” She ponders his response for a moment. “That’s probably why. You’re afraid that if he knows what happened, it’ll diminish how he sees you.” Jensen appeared confused. “Guys POV... if I caught my wife fucking around and saying it’s cause I couldn’t keep her satisfied in the sack, I’d not wanna discuss it either. But I know it’s,” wiggles pinky again, “Horseshit.”

“How?”

“You dress left, and I’ve never had an iPhone stand up to say hello.” Jensen struggled to formulate a coherent response. “Ahh, come on, Peaches, you know you’ve given many people wet dreams about the Ackelconda.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“Cause you’ve got the juiciest peach of an ass, and I wouldn’t kick you outta bed for eating crackers,” she says, winking at him, but before he responds, they hear a booming, “Jensen!” Jared appears out the side door, walking towards them. “Fuck, man, I’ve been looking all over for you!  We need to get going; it’s almost midnight.”

“Well, pooh, and here I thought I was going to get lucky,” she says as they stand up; a ringing church bell echoes across the river twelve times. “Guess it’s time to leave the ball and head back to the pumpkin patch.” 

Walked past Jared, she nodded and was almost to the open door when Jensen yelled, “Wait!” She paused as he ran over, “You can’t leave this way. I don’t even know your name.” She held out a hand, “Give me your phone.” He unlocked it and noticed her smirk while she was typing. “Give me a ring if you ever cross the tracks, Peaches." 

Both men appreciated her retreating form when Jared asked, “Who was that?” Jensen doesn’t answer until she disappears in the crowded room, then glances at the screen and gets his you’ve got to be kidding face.

“Cinderella.”

****

Weeks later

One afternoon, they were hanging out watching football, and Jared, tired of nagging Jensen about getting back on the horse and calling her, pulled out the big guns, telling him if he was going to act like a girl, maybe he should put on a skirt and call himself Jane.

That irked an inebriated Jensen, who fumbled his phone out of his pocket, pulled up her contact info…and chickened out again, tossing it on the couch. Jared saw her number on the screen and tapped call, knowing he risked getting kneed in the nads. Two rings later, her voice came through the speaker. 

“Peaches, you’re slower than molasses crawling uphill in January giving a girl a holler.” Hearing her voice mellowed Jensen, and they agreed to meet on Friday at a hole-in-the-wall for lunch where he wouldn’t be recognized.

That lunch became dinner. Dinner became bar hopping, and after indulging in one too many, they sneaked into Blue Hole Regional Park, went skinny dipping, and did things that would scare fish. Afterward, she takes him to a Waffle House, somewhere he hadn’t been in years, for a bowl of 4 AM chili.

****

Monday morning, coffeeholic Jensen grumpily fumbles around the shoebox-sized kitchen in her hundred-year-old farmhouse, searching for a mug while waiting on an aged percolator to finish.

Bending over to look in the dishwasher, he discovers one with a rainbow-maned unicorn flipping the bird, saying, I Run On Caffeine Sarcasm & Cuss Words.  Straightening up, Jensen bangs his head on an overhanging cabinet and finds the last two words apropos. Finally brewed, Jensen steps out onto the shady front porch, sipping on the dark roast, and sits in one of the old rockers, contemplating if he’s having a midlife crisis.

They were barely acquainted twenty-four hours before they got together, in the biblical sense. He heard Dean's gravelly voice telling him to stop being a dumbass, that he deserved this after the shellacking Danneel delivered the last few months.

What astounds Jensen is that when his heart broke harder than he knew it could, she was the solace he craved, and he began to believe it would mend with her.

Jensen was nervous because tonight was extra special.

A few months back, she bounded into his home excited about an upcoming celestial event and field trip her astronomy class was taking. She really, really wanted him to go, even though they agreed to keep their relationship secret until he’d finalized his divorce. It struck Jensen that it would be the perfect night to do something he’d wanted to do since their first date, so he said yes while mentally making other arrangements for the night.

****

“Peaches, this isn’t the way.”

“We’re not going there sweetheart.”

“I realize that Captain Obvious! What I want to know, wtf?!  Are you trying to get me fired? I have a class...."

“That Dr. Carnegie is graciously covering.”

“Why is..what did you do Jensen?”

“I went to the head of your department,” she groaned, “And inquired if someone else could supervise because I’d planned a special night with my girl.”

“What happened to us keeping on the DL? Carnegie is the biggest blabbermouth! Everyone on the planet’s gonna know about us by morning!”

“My divorce was finalized this morning.”

“WHAT!” she indignantly squawked. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?!” Jensen bemusedly listened to her ongoing rant, eventually picking up her hand and kissing its back, entwining their fingers as he drove on for another hour to Inks Lake State Park. “Since when do you camp out?” She asks when he pays for an overnight camping permit. “Cause the one time I asked, you gave me stink face at the mention of a tent.”

“Since the day you bounded into my home all excited and asked me to come with you. I wanted to make tonight special.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I sincerely appreciate you compromising your creature comforts for me.” Jensen scratched the back of his head, “Well, it’s not technically camping out. I got an air mattress that fits in the truck bed.”

“I know it’s a yearly thing, so what makes this one so special?” Jensen asked as he gazed up at the moon awash with a vivid pink hue. The question made her lift her head from the telescope’s eyepiece, and an amused expression crossed her features.

“Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Robinson? Or do you want me to paint you like one of those French girls?” Jensen peers down at his unintentional position: one hand tucked behind his head, bowed legs splayed, one knee slightly bent, his other hand lying near the sliver of skin peeking out between his dark henley and well-worn jeans.

 “What makes this one so special?” She walks towards the truck, setting foot on the back bumper, gripping the tailgate, and hopping over it onto the mattress. “It is the moon's proximity to the earth.” She crawls forward, placing her hands on either side of his shoulders and slung a leg over Jensen’s hips, slowly sitting down. “Plus, being ultra-close, the color is so vivid that whatthehellisinyourpants!!”

Jensen quickly sits up, about to grab her waist so she doesn’t hit the sidewall, but she scoots down his legs. “That’d better be a sex toy in your pants and not Peyronie’s disease.” Jensen gave her a bewildered look. “What can I say? I like your cock as is. Curves just right for my pleasure.”

“Your mouth is gonna be the death of me..” “..but what a way to go?”

Jensen flopped on his back, groaning, “This isn’t how I imagined tonight going.” She smiled and crawled back over him, “So let’s pretend we’re on set. I’ve flubbed the scene and do another take.”

“That’s why I love you,” reaching up, Jensen tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “The fact that everything that pops into my head comes flying out of my mouth?” Jensen chuckles at her question. “Yeah, I like you, just as you are.” He reaches into the pocket she sat on, pulls out a box, and opens it, revealing the ring he’d chosen. “And would be the luckiest man alive if you’d marry me.”

Taking her left hand, he slides it on her finger, feeling apprehensive at her silence. It is almost deafening, having never known her without any response. “Getting nervous here, sweetheart,” Jensen says as he sits up. "Look, I know we’ve only been together for a short time. I don’t want you to feel pressured in any way to answer right now.”

“What’s the stone?”

“Umm... it’s a Moldavite.” She gets that expression he still isn’t sure what to make of it. “I know it’s not conventional, and if you want to pick something else,” Jensen breaks off, watching her eyes fill with tears.

“You gave me this not ‘cause you’re being cheap. The stone, you knew what the significance of its origin would mean to me.” She cupped his cheek, “You’ve never put on airs with me, never been anything other than yourself. A genuine, caring, funny-as-hell doofus with a beautiful soul and I’m saying yes!”

Paschal Moon 2.0-coming 10/24

SPNTAGS:  @donnaintx  @lyarr24  @flamencodiva @lassie-bird  @nancymcl  @spnbaby-67 @leigh70 @b3autyfuld1sast3r

Sam/Jared: @idreamofplaid

Dean/Jensen: @thoughts-and-funnies  @stoneyggirl2  @beabutterfly987   @smoothdogsgirl @deans-spinster-witch

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting Results: Dirubael

This entry happens to be pretty clear on what the animal looks like, so there's a strong similarity between the different depictions this week -- the main difference is how each artist interprets what the hell is going on with these horns.

If you're not sure what this is about, you can find an explanation and the rest of the series so far at https://maniculum.tumblr.com/bestiaryposting.

The entry people are working from this week can be found here:

And if you want to join in for next week, that creature's entry can be found here:

And now, art in chronological order as it was posted:

@silverhart-makes-art (link to post here) has designed an antelope-like creature that almost passes as normal if you're just scrolling past... and then you look at it properly and see that it has horned eyestalks. That is wild and I love it. (Fencing with those horns must be a challenge since its eyes are also moving around, but I assume it's adapted for that kind of thing.) More commentary to be found in the linked post.

@coolest-capybara (link to post here) went more of a rhinocerous direction, resulting in this nifty-looking creature. The thick, sturdy build here plus the tusks probably make this one pretty formidable in a fight even if it didn't have long, mobile horns. Dangerous beast. Also take a moment to admire that background, and consider clicking on the linked post for more details on inspiration & sources. (And thank you for providing alt text.)

@pomrania (link to post here) has another creative interpretation of what these mobile horns might actually be -- they're actually clusters of quills that can tense up into horn-like structures when the creature needs them. I think that's quite clever, and I really like the choice to show it fencing on the left there.

@ectocs (link to post here) has something that looks kind of like a boar and kind of like an ungulate... I'm getting "dog", too, mostly from the legs, but that might just be because that's the type of quadruped I spend the most time around. Solid Nonspecific Mammal either way. Anyway, the stand-out here is the interpretation of its mobile horns -- they're a set of mantis-like forelimbs, which happen to rest against the sides of its head to give the appearance of horns. I like this interpretation a lot. Check out the linked post for more information, sketches, and (I enjoy this) a recreation of this creature in Spore.

@citrvsdrake (link to post here) has also given us a very solid Nonspecific Mammal that's a kind of of boar / buffalo / horse blend. This one has traditional horns, but the way they are positioned communicates quite clearly that they are mobile. Fairly threatening expression, too, so let's scroll away quickly. (Welcome, Citrvsdrake!)

@wendievergreen (link to post here) notes that their interpretation has ended up going in the direction of "necromantic experiment", which... yeah, it definitely does look like that. We've got a few different animals blended together for the shape of its body, then a boar's skull with some additional spikes for the horns, and a spiky, exposed spine down its back. Honestly, if your necromancers aren't making stuff like this, what are they even doing with their time?

@cheapsweets (link to post here) has joined a general consensus of "boar-like creature with long legs like a horse", which really is a sound interpretation of the text. Traditional horns, and the linked post talks a bit about the difficulty of such an anatomical feature (as well as other things, go check it out). That's a pretty good boar's head, in my opinion. Also impressed by the fact that CheapSweets is doing this with a brush pen.

All right, to the Aberdeen Bestiary:

As I'm sure is completely obvious from this picture, this creature is the Yale.

(Unrelated to the U.S. university as far as I know -- I checked, and the university appears to be named after Iâl in Wales, while the creature's name probably comes from the Hebrew word for "ibex". Though according to Wikipedia, the university does feature some decorative yales in various places, presumably as an obscure pun in a "canting arms" sort of way.)

This is another one of those mythical creatures that didn't quite make it into the modern consciousness -- an ibex that fences with its horns is maybe a bit too low-key to compete with manticores and dragons for attention.

Also, I have to note that I think it's interesting how the medieval artist decided "jaws of a boar" didn't include tusks. The only visual indication I see here is maybe those jowls?

[baaaa-king]

HUENICORN SPECIS INFO DUMP

hayyyy, so like, i have most of it in a docs but imma post some here and you can read the rest!, the ramble is under Read more

HUENICORNS

Huenicorns are a humanoid species who are friendly to humanity due to their origins. Where ever Humans are, so are Huenicorns.

 Huenicrons can be characterized by their loud, bright and heavily saturated skin and clothing colours; which they refer to as ‘colour schemes’, their enormous height compared to the average human, their singular hooves which make up their feet like other Equine Ungulates, their partially unmoving  and permanently affixed masks which, often depicting cheerful expressions, a long tufted tail and finally, one or multiple horns, spiraling from their heads.

 Huenicorns are also known for their seemingly overly cheerful dispositions, not saying that they are incapable of feeling negative emotions, it’s just incredibly hard for them to do so. You’d have to be, enquote, “The most annoying, narcissistic, pessimistic, rotten, two-timing lowlife to even get a semblance of a frown from one of those clown fellas”. Huenicorns choose to see the bright side and have fun in every situation, to the point where they are often thought of as reckless and unserious at the best of times. This is simply not true. Huenicorns are highly intelligent and empathetic. Their antics are more often than not the perk up everyone needs in order to progress in some way shape or form. Most people don’t want to admit it, but seeing these goofy horse-clown-people is enough to brighten ones day majority of the time.

HISTORY AND ORIGINS

Huenicorns just kinda showed up one day. That’s literally how they originated.

In the 23rd century, the KromeWorks Science Institute of Earth had a stabilized portal to what has been dubbed ‘false space’, a parallel plane of existence from which a new form of energy had been discovered. The first Huenicorn wasn’t even discovered until a newly employed intern was tasked with reporting to the head of the project at the time, Guerro Monti. Upon the Intern’s arrival, they stopped in their tracks. The rest of the staff were used to new interns staring and marveling at the stable portal and paid them no mind. It was only when they spoke that they realized something was off.

“Mr Monti sir, was there supposed to be an 8 foot tall cryptid in a lab coat on your team?”

At that the entire team paused and slowly turned to the, now noticed, 8 foot tall multicoloured (unnamed at the time, in both individual and species) creature holding a clipboard near the portal. He gave an enthusiastic wave. “Hello!” And all hell broke loose.

Read more on the Docs so Tumblr doesn't die on me ksjdsj

[adobe-outdesign]

got any thoughts on Tonu?

Tonu are obviously rhinos, though in classic Neopets style they have a mane (seriously, Neopets LOVES manes) and a few large spots on their sides. They sport a singular horn on their nose and standard odd-toed ungulate feet. They're nothing fancy, but they have just enough that they don't feel overly straightfoward to their IRL animal counterpart. Color use is also good, with a light base color for the skin and darker accents on the mane, tail, horn, and toes. No complaints here.

The Tonu definitely benefited from customization, loosing the very strange looking face with its oversized eyes, improper perspective on the left side, and unneeded line under the horn. Stuff like the tail shape and the mane size also improved, and the number of small spots on the side were reduced by one.

Favorite Colours:

8-bit: I went over this in my 8-bit colour review so I'm not going to go into too much depth here, but this is a beautiful color. There's lots of details in the pixels, including multiple layers of shading, and it comes with a very fun rainbow mane and unicorn-esq horn/tail. These elements are wearable as a bonus, so you don't have to keep them if you don't care for them—though personally I like them a lot, and I feel like they keep the colour from being overly bland.

Candy: What can I say? Tonus just do really well with rainbows. The candy Tonu has a subtly swirled pink candy body with these rainbow cotton-candy accents, including a unique shape for the mane and tail. The horn is given stripes to match, and some blue eyes make the whole thing pop. It's tasty, it's pretty, and it's fun—what's not to like?

Wraith: Wraith is one of those colors where how good it looks depends entirely on whatever artist worked on that species. I'm happy to report that the artist who worked on the Tonu did a great job with it. The entire body has a very fluid motion to it, with swirls around the mane and tail, and tings like their knees and nostrils have become stylized shapes. There's a careful balance of positive and negative space, and an appropriately malicious expression. Good stuff.

BONUS: Using a birch tree (and yes it is a birch, though admittedly the leaf shapes are a bit off) for the Tonu because of its white, rough, constantly-peeling bark is a brilliant pick, as it perfectly fits with a rhino's rough skin. The textures are good and wrap around the body correctly, and the leaf mane and tail are integrated with care. (An honorable shoutout goes to magma, which is solid but didn't quite make the cut.)

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Outside Online:

On February 29, Daniel, Wyoming resident Cody Roberts allegedly ran a juvenile wolf down with his snowmobile, taped its mouth shut, transported it to the town’s Green River Bar, posed for photos with the animal, then either beat or shot it to death, depending on which version of the report you read. State wildlife officials received a tip about the incident, and later fined Roberts $250 for a misdemeanor violation of Wyoming’s prohibition against possession of live wildlife. No other charges or penalties have been brought against him. As of April 10, however, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office announced that they—along with the Sublette County Attorney’s office—are now investigating Roberts.

“The individual was cited for a misdemeanor violation of Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations, Chapter 10, Importation and Possession of Live Warm-Blooded Wildlife,” says the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in a statement addressing the incident. “The department’s investigation indicated there were no other statutory or regulatory violations.”

The 206-word statement itself acknowledges the controversy that’s raging around the incident, saying: “The department acknowledges the significant concern and dismay expressed by many people from around the state and nation.”

Why was Roberts able to torture a wolf to death with no serious consequences? The answer lies not only in Wyoming’s incredibly lax wildlife regulations, but also in the violence that permeates the relationship between the state and its most famous wild animal.

After being extirpated in 1926, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reintroduced wolves to Wyoming in Yellowstone National Park in 1995. Wolves, the villains in many childhood stories, are a locus of fear for humans. But the animal also serves a vital role in its native ecosystem, where it helps keep ungulate populations healthy by slowing the spread of disease. And it does that at a net financial benefit to taxpayers, since tourists now flock to the state to view wolves. A study conducted in 2021 found that wolf-related tourism brings over $35 million annually to areas surrounding the park.

Speaking of taxes, before all the culture warring and fear mongering, it was the goal of the Republican Party to reduce tax burdens faced by the wealthy and corporations. The Republican Party’s policy positions are widely unpopular, so the GOP instead hoodwinks voters using fear and lies. The Republican-led Wyoming Statehouse passed a bill in 2021 calling to exterminate 90 percent of the state’s wolf population—a bill based on lies and misinformation. Pushing for policies based on fear instead of science has led to regulations around wolves that are unique among wildlife laws, mostly in their encouragement of cruelty.

When management of the species transferred from federal to state control in 2012, Wyoming’s political leaders established two distinct areas with differing population management goals. Areas adjacent to Yellowstone were set aside for trophy hunting, where wolf hunting is regulated. The rest of the state was designated a “predator zone” where wolves can be killed without regulation, reason, or justification. Wyoming also classifies coyotes, red fox, stray cats, jackrabbits, porcupines, raccoons and striped skunks as predators, and permits killing them throughout the state.

“You could pull a wolf apart with horses in 85 percent of the state,” explains Amaroq Weiss, Senior Wolf Advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. In the predator zone, there is no regulation governing how or when wolves can be killed. This stands in contrast to typical hunting regulations in any other state, where what are called “methods of take” are carefully defined to ensure animals are killed in ethical, humane ways, along with precise dates, to-the-minute guidelines on legal shooting hours, and generally universal bans on artificial light sources. The age and sex of animals it’s permissible to shoot are also written in law. But none of that is true in Wyoming’s predator zone when it comes to wolves. You don’t even need a hunting license or tag to kill one, just the opportunity.

Weiss cites “wolf whacking” as an example, and it’s how Roberts captured the wolf he would go on to torture and kill. The term describes using a snowmobile to run a wolf to the point of exhaustion. Once it slows or collapses, you kill the animal by running it over. As Roberts’ escapade demonstrates, sometimes that might take multiple impacts, and sometimes the animal is simply left to die a slow, painful death.

[multiplicity-positivity]

Here’s some positivity for systems and headmates who are pet regressors!

Like age regressors, many folks may pet regress for a wide variety of reasons! Whether you, your system, or your headmates pet regress as a coping mechanism, trauma response, just for fun, or anything else, it's important to remember that you are a welcome and important part of the plural community just the way you are! So here's to all the plural pet regressors out there!

🐸 Shoutout to pet regressors who enjoy being regressed and spend a significant amount of their time regressed!

🐭 Shoutout to pet regressors whose animal identities are lesser known or uncommon pets like reptiles, birds, ungulates, or rodents!

🐱 Shoutout to pet regressors whose regression is closely tied to being otherkin, or whose pet regression aligns with their kintypes!

🐴 Shoutout to pet regressors who need help taking care of themselves when regressed, and to those who can easily care for themselves while regressed!

🐹 Shoutout to pet regressors who regress as a trauma response or a coping mechanism!

🐮 Shoutout to pet regressors who are new to regression or are just starting to get involved in pet regression!

🐶 Shoutout to pet regressors who use or want things like collars, leashes, harnesses, chew toys, grooming brushes and tools, (human-friendly) food and treats, pet beds, and other pet supplies while regressed!

🐰 Shoutout to pet regressors who educate others on pet regression, or help advocate for pet regression’s SFW nature!

🦊 Shoutout to headmates who are caregivers to other members of their system who regress, and to systems who are caregivers to others in their lives who pet regress!

🦄 Shoutout to disabled pet regressors whose regression is influenced by chronic pain, fatigue, or illness, who are unable to act in ways that are common yet physically demanding while regressed!

🐺 Shoutout to pet regressors who identify as pet regressors even if their regressed animal identity is a wild animal or would not be fitting for a pet!

🐯 Shoutout to pet regressors who can't control when they regress, and who rely on help from others when they regress involuntarily!

🐻 Shoutout to covert pet regressors who may seem and act normal or inconspicuous while regressed!

Pet regression can influence anyone, and there is no one right or proper way to be a pet regressor! Pet regression can look incredibly different from system to system, and even from headmate to headmate. Regardless of what pet regression looks like for you and your system, know that there is nothing wrong with regressing to cope or just for fun. You're allowed to express yourself and explore your identity however you wish, and pet regression is nothing to be worried or ashamed of! We truly hope you can enjoy and make the most of your time spent regressed. Thanks so much for reading, and take care!

(Image ID:) A pale orange userbox with a cluster of multicolored flowers for the userbox image. The border and text are both dark orange, and the text reads “all plurals can interact with this post!” (End ID.)

[celesse]

The Ungulate Express release is flying in early next week! ✨🦌✨

Watch the stars! 💖

[thedaemonarchivist]

Could I request a tiger analysis please?

The TIGER (Panthera tigris) is the largest living cat species native to Asia. Largely solitary, tigers are tough, resilient, and steady, somewhat habitual and remarkably stubborn. Tigers are highly adaptable and resourceful despite largely living in forest habitats and occupying home ranges: they are powerful swimmers and capable climbers (though less so than many other cats due to their size). The tiger is an apex predator which preys mainly on ungulates such as deer and wild boar, which it takes by ambush: these cats are patient, methodical and practical, but obsessive, dedicated and highly devoted. Distinctive black or dark brown stripes mark the tiger's fur; this feature is advantageous for camouflage in vegetation with vertical patterns of light and shade, such as trees, reeds and tall grass: tigers are calm and relaxed, but bold, and likely manipulative. Tigers are normally silent but can produce a wide range of vocalisations, including growling, snarling and hissing. In friendlier encounters, tigers will prusten, a soft, low-frequency snorting sound similar to purring. Tigers also communicate through their tails and ears, facial expressions, scent marking and bunting, or rubbing against each other's bodies: these cats are remarkably expressive, communicative and playful. Tigers are independent with loose ties, confident and self-assured, sensitive and perceptive, likely courageous and opinionated, but tactful, prudent and not particularly bullying or hostile.

The SNOW-WHITE TIGER is a colour morph with extremely faint stripes and a pale sepia-brown ringed tail: these cats are more avoidant, solitary and likely guarded.

The WHITE TIGER is a colour morph with a white coat and sepia-brown stripes. These cats are bolder, highly spirited and likely more confident.

The GOLDEN TIGER is a colour morph with pale golden fur and reddish-brown stripes: these cats are likely more calm, relaxed, patient and highly indulgent.

[askshadowsilver]

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I appreciate the support this blog has gotten over the years and the kind comments people have left about remembering this blog fondly. -Nyx

[Transcript]

Hi, it’s Nyx, (Any/Them/Her), I wanted to talk about this panel because hedgehogs actually do not scent mark and this is more like a nostalgic head canon from my middle school years.

Hedgehogs put scents on them in a behavior called “Self-Anointing”. Where a hedgehog finds a smell they really like, puts it in or near their mouth, and then begins to make a froth they’ll rub onto their quills.

This is less ‘scent marking’ and ‘scent masking’. (But you can imagine the reasons to not include this trait in the head canon.)

But in a middle school collab, we were more focused on how to make sense why there was a difference between male + female presentation.

We went with something familiar and gave them scent glands on their paws + cheeks + forehead! Much like most mammals have; like cats, dogs, and ungulates.

We also gave this trait to reptiles too since we saw them more as alien than as animals. Which allowed a lot of wiggle room to make up a lot of fun things! (btw hi, it was our middle group that established Espighty on Deviant Art, lol)

We had a fallout during high school. Though, I felt bad I wasn’t as transparent how many of the ideas here were a part of a collective in the beginning.

While I was mostly in charge of Silver, this idea actually was made by someone else, but I did change the design into my own personal one.

I didn’t include Iblis Silver in the old blog because I didn’t feel right using the original design.

But the more I thought about it, and the more I realized that remembering this time fondly was because it was a good moment in our lives.

And, idk, Covid and recently almost dying change my mind about preserving this blog.

As far as I can tell, all traces of the original story are gone and I also was apart of erasing it. I went into hiding and that meant a complete and sudden burning of all of my existence.

I was sucessful. I survived. And, I've lost everything.

I’m tired of running, of hiding, of being scared.

I know this is oddly personal to put on this blog, but this story has so many pieces of myself and others in it that I didn’t feel right NOT having something that states it overtly.

I lived. With how much has gone against me in the past 20 years, I did not expect to survive being queer and disabled.

I can’t promise I’ll be able to write it all down, but if this story can exist like I exist, then it’s all I can really ask for.

This story is inherently aro/ace at it’s core and about two traumatized individuals figuring out how to express an undefined love when all they’ve known is pain.

This story always ended in tragedy.

I still consider preserving* the original plot and ending it in pain again… but part of me wants a happy ending too.

I dunno what that ‘happy ending’ looks like, or how it’ll take shape, but putting this story down is a step in that direction. I’m sorry if this disappoints anyone here for a more allo presentation of the ship.

That will not happen.

[horsebark]

fav expressions to sprinkle into conversation as an ungulate polytherian:

-i have to pee like a racehorse

-so hungry i could eat a horse

-im a little (hog)tied up rn

-chomping at the bit

-oh deer

[animelovelover123]

DMC: Family Pet AU – Habits Die Hard (part 1/2)

Link to Master List [Links to other parts can be found in master list.]

Set-Up

Growing up in your colony where any of your people could be, and were, snatched up any moment to serve a family, you were taught from birth what to expect when you were eventually taken. How to please, how to survive, and how to ride out any possible abuse. The latter two things were of no use to you though as the Sparda family took exceptional care of you and would not inflict serious punishment past a stern talking to. But for the first year, you couldn’t quite shake off your colony’s warnings and teachings, some being cute, some being bad, some being sad.

V

You shift uncomfortably atop the cold wood flooring of the dilapidated house. It was one of many abandoned homes in this city but this one had most of its walls intact, blocking out much of the cold night breeze, so you had decided to sleep there for the night. Not that the wind didn’t pass through, creaking the decaying structure around you and making your body shudder, but this was your best option right now. So, you curled up further on the hard floor, the furniture in the house being either wholly destroyed or still damp from the rain last week so they were even less comfortable, and tried to fall asleep.

Then, slow, quiet, yet still heavy footsteps moving outside of the building catch your attention. You raise your head from your bent knees and are met with the glowing purple eye of Nightmare looking at you through one of the building windows. It watches you, unmoving, as the goopy consistency of its body ungulates as if it were thinking. As you two stare each other down, you hear a set of footsteps, lighter and faster than Nightmare’s, approaching the building. Then you hear the broken door of the building being pushed open and your name being called.

“V?” You call back, recognizing his smooth voice, though it had called your name with a bit more alarm than his usual calm demeanour would allow. V followed the sound of your voice to the room you were in.

“There you are.” V turned into the room, his worried expression softening upon seeing you but quickly turning back into concern as he looked down at your shivering form. “I have been looking for you, my little wanderer.” V’s hair turned from white to black as he called Nightmare back. His tattoos also darkened, showing that he had called back Griffon and Shadow as well. V must have been using his familiars to search for you. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m trying to sleep.” You reply plainly as V walks up to you.

“But why here?” V reached his arm out to you. “Come songbird, let us return to Nico’s van where it is warm.” V puts on a calm smile, though he was still a bit shaken from having awoken in the middle of the night to find you gone.

“I can’t.” You answer, only glancing at the hand held out to you. “I’m just the Pet, I can’t sleep in the home unless I’m told to.” Your colony had taught you such. Although, past aunties had conflicting stories, with some demon families seeming more open to letting their Pet sleep within the family home while others outright forbid it. You had not been given direct instructions though, so this was the safest option.

“Well, you have my permission.” V reached his hand forward further, practically begging you to take it. But when you refuse, he lets out a defeated yet understanding sigh. “But that is not enough, is it?” It was Nico’s van; V didn’t exactly have the right to say who could and could not sleep in it. Though he was sure she would welcome you wholeheartedly if she was awake. “I won't force you.” V then got down beside you. “But if you could allow me this one thing,” He then called forth Shadow as he laid your head atop his shoulder. Shadow flopped her large, warm body over you two like a purring blanket. “please let me at least keep you warm for the night.”

Nico

(The morning after V's story.)

Nico sat on one of the steps leading into her van as she flicks the butt of her cigarette to the pavement, stomps it out, and kicks it to join the other 11. Her eyes scan the area, back and forth, as she pulls out another one. She had been high-strung all morning despite how desperately she tried to hide it behind her usual sassy attitude. The last she saw of you was the night before. When she fell asleep you were outside with Nero so she assumed you were safe. When she woke up an hour ago though you were nowhere to be found and Nero claimed you were awake when he went to bed. She just about snapped Nero’s newly returned arm for not making sure you were put to bed, as he was the last to be awake with you.

V was also gone but he had a habit of disappearing and she knew he had his animals to defend himself. You though, you were like a defenseless little puppy. And, as far as she knew, V fell asleep before her and you disappeared after she herself passed out, so you two were probably not together. At least if you and he were together you had protection, but if you were alone…!

Thankfully that last part was proven wrong when you and V returned hand in hand.

“Sweetpea!” Nico tossed the freshly lit cigarette aside to instead practically tackle you in a hug. “Where in the hell have you been?” Nico backed up enough to look at, and cup, your face. “You damn near gave me a heart attack, not botherin’ to leave word on where you were goin’.” She glances between you and V. “If y’all wanted to shag in some ally, you coulda left a note or somethin’.” She flashes a glare at V to show that she blames him for the lack of consideration she assumed had happened.

“We did not run off together.” V defended, his expression stoic, unaffected by Nico’s debaucherous accusation. “I woke up much the same as you, fraught with concern over our missing Pet.” V used his cane to tap the ground near the pile of cigarette butts left by Nico, indicating that he knew how worked up she got over your disappearance. “I found our little wonderer alone in an abandoned building trying to sleep.”

“What!?” Nico turns back to you, her expression a mix of confusion, concern, and pity. “Why would you hold up in a shack like that?”

“I wasn’t given permission to sleep in your van.” You explain.

"Permission? Sugar, you don’t need permission for somethin’ like that.” With a chuckle, she squishes your cheeks a bit and shakes your head like you would a chubby-cheeked pet animal. “And you know what? In the van is the best bed especially for you. It’s called my lap.”

Nero

“Food’s ready!” Nero announced from his spot in front of the barbeque, placing the last of the cooked skewers atop the already impressive pile.

“Finally!” Nico sighed dramatically as she stood up from where she had been sitting in the grass with you, Kyrie, Credo, V, Griffon, and Shadow. “I didn’t think you would be so bad at this.” She said, making a hand motion towards the garbage can that held the smouldering remains of obliterated skewers.

“I’m not bad at this, it’s your stupid grill. Who puts a goddamn turbo mode on a grill?” As Nero and Nico bicker about how practical a grill that shoots out a pillar of fire every so often is, the other humanoid family members rise from the grassy ground and make their way to the picnic table. Except for you.

You were just the family Pet. You were nowhere near important enough to eat at the family table, at least that is what your colony had taught you. And so, you stood back, stayed where you were along with Shadow who only raised her head.

“Hey, don’t forget us deadweight.” Griffon cawed, jumping off a nearby bush to glide around Nero.

“Ya ya,” Nero waved off, in too good of a mood to get grumpy over the insulting nickname right now. As his family (the ones that were present at least) gathered at the picnic table and began to eat the skewers he had spent literal hours putting together, along with the other sides that were made and brought to this potluck, Nero stepped back into the house. He quickly returned with a bowl and bag in hand. Griffon landed on the ground in front of Nero excitedly and Shadow jumped to her feet beside you, ear twitching as she sniffed the air. “I may have been saving these for you guys.” Nero said, fighting down his blush. Even if he bickered with V’s familiars, he had come to like them quite a bit. He handed Griffon a bowl of seeds and berries, both demonic and human breeds, who cawed excitedly, wings flapping but not taking off. Griffon carefully took the bowel into his beak, easily holding it with his multiple lower jaws, and toddled over to the picnic table to eat with the rest of the family. Nero then opened the bag and pulled out a rather large demon leg bone with much of its meat still hanging on. He threw it towards Shadow who caught it easily, quickly trotting off to teeth at it in the shade of a tree.

Then Nero looked at you, now standing alone. You watched Nero expectantly, waiting for whatever food he decided to gift you with.

“What are you doing over there?” He said with a playful smile before motioning you towards the picnic table where the family was enjoying their lunch. “Come on, it’s food time.”

“Ah! But…” Your eyes drift to your family that were too busy eating and chatting to notice the worry in your eyes. Nero saw though, and it left him with a sinking feeling in his heart. “I’m just the Pet.” Your colony had taught you that your role was that of a servant, nothing more. You would take what food was handed to you gratefully and stay out of the way.

“That’s not true.” Nero cut off your reminiscing with a happy voice that held sprinkles of pity and seriousness. “You’re not just a Pet, your family too.” Nero approached you and gently grabbed your hand. “Now come on, I want you to sit beside me.”

Sparda

You can hear Sparda’s breath start to regain its regular rhythm as he calms down from his high. You turn your head to look at him, able to see his blissed smile fade into one of peace despite the low light in the room from the dwindling fireplace. Even though you lay side by side atop his bed, you can still feel the lingering warmth of his lips that travelled the expanse of your body not too long ago. You can feel the remaining pleasant ache in your lower back and core. You can still feel the fluttering in your chest at how sweetly he had smiled down at you and showered you in compliments and praises. But then you remember the warnings of past aunties from your colony, how a Pet’s job was to have sex and then get out of the way once used.

As carefully as you can, trying not to disturb Sparda, you start to slip out from under the blanket. You are able to swing your feet off the side of the bed and onto the plush rug under it before you feel a tug at your hand.

“Where are you off to Pet?” Sparda asked, his voice deeper with tiredness and relaxation. He didn’t sound angry or demanding, instead gentle and concerned.

“We are done, aren’t we?” You ask. Did Sparda want another round?

“Ah… yes, I suppose we are.” He said, eyes wandering to the bed sheets below him as he took on a look of disappointment. His eyes drift back to you though and his hand gently squeezes yours. “But that doesn’t mean you have to leave.” He tugs on your hand gently, a welcoming smile on his face. “Come, rest with me, you must be tried.” You let yourself be pulled back towards Sparda who sits up to wrap his arms around your waist and pull your bare chests together. “I wish to hold you longer, to sleep with you in my arms… if that is alright with you.”

Eva

(Immediately following Sparda’s story)

The warm, welcoming feeling of Sparda’s embrace as he insists you sleep the night with him is suddenly washed away by the sound of the bedroom door opening.

“Oh.” Eva takes in a little gasp. Despite her subdued reaction, your brain goes into a full-on panic when you realize the situation you are in. You were naked, in bed, wrapped in the embrace of the family leader when his WIFE had walked in. Even though this was your job as the family Pet, this was the kind of situation that got a lot of your people killed by jealous and territorial mates.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” You cry, scrambling out of Sparda’s arms. In unbridled fear, you throw yourself off of the bed and onto your knees before Eva who jumps back a bit at your sudden actions. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” You babble almost incoherently through oncoming tears. Your begging comes to a stop though when a gentle hand cards its fingers through your hair.

“It’s alright dear.” Came Eva’s calm, sweet, motherly voice. “There is no need for you to apologize.”

“B-but…” You stammer, keeping your head down until you feel Eve tug gently at your arms.

“You were just doing your job dear, I know that.” Eva leads you to your feet, smiling sadly at your tear-stained face. “There is nothing for you to fear sweetheart.” She gently wipes your tears away with her thumbs then places a chaste kiss atop your pouting lips. “Now then,” She turns you back towards the bed where Sparda still sat, waiting patiently with a gentle smile of his own. “I think we could all use some rest.” Sparda pulls back the covers as Eva leads you back towards the bed so all three of you may sleep in each other’s embrace.

Credo

“Do you understand the danger you put everyone in?” Credo asked, patience hanging on by a thread at this point as he sat glaring up at the small group of new recruits, two teen girls and one teen boy huddled together on the other side of his desk. You stood off to the side, your panic rising as the tension in the room grew despite not being part of the conversation.

“We just wanted to have some fun.” One of the teen girls argues back, hand on her hip and glare on her face, being the most confident compared to her friends standing close behind her. The two friend’s stances were tall and formal like they had been taught to stand as a knight of The Order, but their forced stoic expressions had long since broken in shame.

“Your missions are not the time to have fun.” Credo pointed out sternly, clearly annoyed but focusing his frustration on the one teen continuing to be petulant rather than the two in the back who listened and clearly regretted their actions. “As knights of The Order, your duties are to watch over and protect the people of Fortuna, not disturb a demon nest for entertainment.”

The cold tone of one of your family members set an alarm off in your brain, one that flashed with memories of other Pets from your colony being beaten and broken by their angry demon family. Whether what brought on the anger of the demon was due to the Pet’s actions or not was often inconsequential to whether they would receive dealings or not.

“Oh come on.” The teen girl rolled her eyes disrespectfully. “No one actually believes in The Order’s prissy values.”

Credo slammed his hands on the desk as he stood up, his patience snapping at the teen’s disregard for the morals and values he, as the captain of the Holly Knights, believed in wholeheartedly. This anger, though not directed at you in the slightest, shot you into a fight or flight response and you ran from his office. You could hear Credo call out to you but that only made your panicked mind frantic. You find a small linen closet down the hall and hide inside. You cower in amongst the clean sheets and spare blankets as you carefully listen for any sounds that could mean you are being hunted.

After a few minutes of just hearing people walk by casually, giving you a bit of time to breathe, you hear Credo’s voice. It was back to his calm, serious tone, with a hint of concern as he called for you and asked people in the halls if they had seen you. It doesn’t take long for him to locate you. For a moment your racing heart makes you grab hold of the doorknob to stop Credo from opening it, but he didn’t even try. Instead, he knocks on the closet door lightly, calling your name. “I know you are in there.” He could hear your nervous, dog-like whining through the door. “Are you alright?” He waits for you to respond, but when you don’t, he sighs. It wasn’t a sigh of frustration. It was one of acceptance. “I won’t force you to come out, but know that my anger was not at all directed at you.” He places a hand on the door separating you two. “I will leave you to recuperate at your own pace. I will be back in my office; my door will be open for you if you feel comfortable to return.” He truly hoped you would, but he would not burden you with his desire when you were the one in distress. However, he could not stop his lips from curling up into a pleased smile when you opened the closet door for him.