#water pipit

[sugiichi]

Anthus spinoletta [タヒバリ,Water Pipit]

焼野でせ���しなくエサ探し。

[dansnaturepictures]

29/01/2024-Day off at the Titchfield Canal, Farlington Marshes, Lakeside Country Park and Riverside Park

Photos taken in this set are of; Lesser Black-backed Gull at Lakeside, Dunnock at Titchfield, Greylag Goose at Lakeside, views at all four locations including the moody mist at Farlington Marshes and old man's beard at Lakeside, Grey Wagtail at Titchfield, the Barn Owl at Titchfield which it was amazing to see for an eighth consecutive year an iconic and wonderful species that we got splendid views of a fantastic addition to my year, the Barnacle and white goose at Farlington Marshes and a gorgeous Black Swan at Riverside Park which I enjoyed seeing.

Also of note in a very packed and fun day out were my first Water Pipit of the year at Titchfield and my first Lesser Black-backed Gull of the year at Farlington Marshes. Other highlights at Titchfield were Nuthatch, Stonechat, Great Tit, Little Egret and Wigeon and it was also good to see Little Grebe, Lapwings, Avocet, Brent Geese, get great Marsh Harrier views and Shelduck at Farlington. Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Jackdaw and Goldfinch were other Lakeside highlights. Common Gull, Teal, Pintail, Redwing, Green Woodpecker and Jay were other highlights across the day. Other plant highlights today were beautiful golden crocuses at Riverside Park, mistletoe, daisy, violet, hazel and alder catkins, red deadnettle at Titchfield, rose hiper and Alexanders leaves at Farlington. It was good to see Rabbit well at Farlington. A phenomenal end to a magical long weekend of wildlife watching, walks and photos, one I will look back on as pivotal to my year. Woodpigeon was nice to see at home today too with Grey Silverfish seen well before bed last night.

[cryoriku]

Big Sis Ryne Waters

🐇 🍰 🧸 🐇 🍰 🧸 🐇 🍰 🧸

headcanons!:

she is a cool big sis and drives you places and lets you play on her tamagotchis and ds

but she also age regresses and will play with you like a kid sometimes :3

like she will play lps, dress up, and do tea parties!

reading!!! she always had her nose in a book growing up when she could get one and daydream of fairytales. she loves reading stories to you or letting you try reading them all by your self!!

she has a big stuffie collection and lots of kawaii things in her room that are so stimmy and comfy

[cutiebug21]

XD roxas said "IS THIS ALLOWED!??!?!" HEHEHEH i love rikki she is crazyyy

[apostateapologist]

babysitting for the neighbor today and other peoples kids are really so gross i'm like... baby... lets wash your hands and blow your nose and wipe your face, okay?

[sapphicseasapphire]

I’m wondering if any of the chain members have any dietary restrictions and if so how do they deal with food while travelling I’d imagine some wouldn’t exactly need to eat ( wars, wild and time) but also most of the other might need to have different diets then the typical hylian. ( honestly only twilight and maybe four might be the only with a more typical diet)

This is a great question, and one that I’ve thought about at length. Sorry I took so long to respond, I’m so incredibly busy with my classes! I hope this answer is sufficient haha! (Under the cut because long)

Wild: Surprisingly, he does need to eat! Just, not for the reasons that you or I do. Wild does not feel hungry. His body does not consume energy (it’s not… physical, really). But his magic is based in the natural world, so if he’s hurt, he must strengthen bonds to nature. The easiest way to do this is to ingest things that come from nature. So like… any food ever. He gets hurt a lot (the little chaos gremlin) so he tends to eat a lot! And he may be a silly little guy, but he has standards. He’s an excellent cook, surprisingly.

Wars: Doesn’t eat. Can’t eat. Is a sword.

Time: Time doesn’t need to eat, but after spending his life as a mortal, it’s a pretty tough habit to break! He’s nostalgic about food, almost. While he doesn’t feel hungry, he doesn’t typically feel full, either. So eating won’t make him sick or anything. If he smells something tasty, he’d ask for a serving! Other than that, he doesn’t have any dietary restrictions.

Hyrule: Vegetarían! And he LOVES sweet things. He fills up on berries and then will go days without eating again- it doesn’t take much to sustain his little body. (Like Wild, he’s not exactly physical, either. Most of his body mass is just magic). Sugar water? His favorite. Jelly? He loves. He’s such a little guy, I love him.

Sky: Pescatarian! As Link, he was vegetarian, but Aepon really liked fish. To this day, Sky’s favorite meal is pumpkin and fish soup, which is a weird combination. But Pipit made it for him once and it’s been his favorite ever since! (A combination of Link and Aepon’s favorites). He’s not against eating meat but his body isn’t really equipped to handle it. Same with dairy- but no one knew that until they gave him a bunch of milk after hearing that he has fragile bones. He is morally against eating eggs.

Legend: He has to absolutely douse all of his meals with a bunch of salt or he’ll die, but he’s vibing. He prefers seafood, but he’s been living on land (and has traveled enough) to be able to stomach the plants that grow above water. He has even developed a preference for certain meats. He’ll take whatever he’s given, usually, and add his own salt haha.

Ravio: Literally the exact same as Legend. (Except he’s been neglecting the salt thing for pretty much his whole life. Someone help him, he’s not doing well).

Wind: Literally the exact same as Legend and Ravio, except he doesn’t need all the salt supplementation… at least not nearly to the same extent.

Four: Eats a typical diet! Nothing really to say here. Typical three meals a day, meat and vegetables and dairy and all that. Four will mix their food before eating, which the others might find odd. They prefer to have everything in every bite. Soups are good haha!

Twilight: Typical diet. He eats meat and vegetables and dairy and all that jazz. Lots of protein. He eats… more than you’d expect, and that’s because he has different forms to maintain. It doesn’t cost him anything to shift- it takes no energy- but if he only eats enough for a Hylian, he won’t be able to last long as a wolf or another large animal.

This post might offer some more insight!

[probablyasocialecologist]

Aesthetic sensibilities are deeply subjective, and hard to acknowledge and analyse clearly. They take root in us from the moment we’re born. They bind us to a particular view of the landscape, something we begin to think of as ‘natural’ or, at least, benign. What we see as children, particularly where we grow up, becomes what we want to continue to see, and what we want our children to see. Nostalgia, and the sense of security that nostalgia brings, binds us to the familiar. We are persuaded, too, by our own absorption in this aesthetic that what we are seeing has been here for ever. We believe the countryside around us, or something very similar to it, has persisted for centuries and the wildlife within it, if not exactly the same, is at least a fair representation of what has been here for centuries. But the ecological processes of the past are hard for the layman – and often even conservation professionals – to grasp. 

We are blinded by the immediacy of the present. We look at the landscape and see what is there, not what is missing. And if we do appreciate some sort of ecological loss and change, we tend to go only as far back as our childhood memories, or the memories of our parents or grandparents who tell us ‘there used to be hundreds of lapwings in my day’, ‘skylarks and song thrushes were ten-a-penny’, ‘the fields round here used to be red with poppies and blue with cornflowers’, ‘cod was the poor man’s fish when I was a nipper’. We are blind to the fact that in our grandparents’ grandparents’ day there would have been species-rich wildflower meadows in every parish and coppice woods teeming with butterflies. They would have heard corncrakes and bitterns, seen clouds of turtle doves, thousands of lapwings and hundreds more skylarks. A mere four generations ago they knew rivers swimming with burbot – now extinct in Britain – and eels, and their summer nights were peppered with bats and moths and glow-worms. Their grandparents, in turn, saw nightjars settling on dusty country lanes and even hawking for moths around the street lamps in towns, and spotted flycatchers in every orchard, and meadow pipits everywhere from salt-flats to the crowns of mountains. They saw banks of giant cod and migrating tuna in British waters. They saw our muddy North Sea clear as gin, filtered by oyster beds as large as Wales. And their grandparents, in turn, living at the time of the last beaver in Britain, would have known great bustards, and watched shoals of herring five miles long and three miles broad migrating within sight of the shore, chased by schools of dolphins and sperm whales and the occasional great white shark. We don’t have to look too deeply into the history books, into contemporary accounts, for scenes dramatically different to our own to be normal. Yet we live in denial of these catastrophic losses.

Isabella Tree, Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm

[luimagines]

Soulmates in the Sky

Another commission!

They asked for the similar Soulmate plot I had for Warrior but make it Sky. this includes beginning context so for the majority/ entirety of the fic, Sky is referred to as Link.

Masterlist

Content under the cut!

When Link was little, he always wondered what it would mean to have a soulmate. Everyone on Skyloft had one. Or at least they had the idea that they had one.

Link didn’t understand it, but he hoped he would have one. There was a time for everyone to go see their soulmate. It was a cave, they said. It was wonderful, they said. It was life changing, they said. Link couldn’t wait for his turn.

As life continued on, Link grew and studied and found his loftwing. It wasn’t long after flying lessons began that the instructor had asked the young student to listen carefully.

They would be going to Souls Cove.

Link could hardly contain the way his little heart swelled up in anticipation.

Zelda didn’t seem to care as much as he did, but he hoped they would be nice and pretty and would love to go flying with him. 

“Listen up!” The instructor called them to attention. “You fly behind me and stay above the line of flight. We’re going to go around the main island and then we’ll take a right and go under the torrent. Any questions?”

Link couldn’t stop himself. He raised his hand. “How do we know if we have a soulmate once we get there?”

The instructor smiled kindly. It wasn’t a secret that soulmates were well known among Skyloftians, but the manner of which they were found was kept under tight lock. It was something no one wanted to spoil.

But today was the day they would learn, so there was little harm in explaining.

The instructor pointed in the direction in which they would travel and looked into the distance. “Once there, each of you will take turns entering the cave. You will see and hear your soulmate for the very first time- although it will only be reflections. There would be a magic stone that would connect you to them that whispers their inner thoughts towards you. You collect that and keep it safe.”

“So they’re not actually there?” Zelda tilted her head. “Why bother going then?”

“To learn who they are.”

Link raised his hand again, a small yet terrifying thought entering into his mind. “What if we don’t see anyone?”

The instructor paused, thinking over his words. “Well…most of the time it means that you already know who they are. But you can still collect the stone.”

Link calmed himself down. That’s fine then. Even better if he already met them!

“But what if there’s no stone?” Pipit asked next. He was going to skip ahead next year, Link was sure of it. So Link waited for the answer to his question. If Pipit was smart enough to skip a year, then there was surely a good point to his question. Besides, Link also wanted to know the answer.

The instructor looked nervous then. “There’s never been a case where there was no stone. So I’m afraid I can’t answer that question.” 

Multiple students didn’t bother to hide their disappointment.

“Any other questions?”

Pipt raised his hand once more. “What if we don’t hear anything from the stone?”

The instructor didn’t look amused. They deadpan and point to the edge of the island. “Impossible. We’ll head out. Follow me and stay close.”

They run and leap off of the edge of the island. Link is quick to do the same.

He can hear his classmates follow soon after and he whistles 

His loftwing comes up soon after, picking him up in what already is practiced momentum. Link has to keep an eye out for the professor- in order to keep their flying skills in check, they don’t tell the professors to wait for the students. The students have to catch up on their own or make their way back to the main island to be collected or redirected and start over. 

Link takes to the air like a fish takes to water. This is where he belongs.

He lands next to the instructor with practiced ease tucking into a roll and stopping in a sitting position. The instructor seemed mildly amused at his entrance as he turned to expect the other students to arrive.

“Link, you go first.” The instructor gestured to the cave. “It’s only fair you’ve arrived first. Besides, I have to wait for the other students.”

Link jumps to his feet, his heart in his throat as he looks towards the entrance of the cave. Was this it? Was it truly so simple? The cave entrance itself was simple and unassuming. Yet it held the air of destiny and it’s heavy in Link’s chest.

Link nods, taking the first steps into the cave. It’s quiet and there’s the sound of dripping water somewhere beyond him.

“Why are you so pretty?” A new voice says. They sound annoyed and irritated. “Don’t you know you make it hard to think? Do you have to be this distracting?”

Link pauses. He’s not sure if he should be offended or if he should take it as a compliment. What a strange thing to be annoyed about. At least they like the way he looks. 

Link walks further into the cove. He can vaguely hear the other students arriving just beyond the entrance, but the sounds of the cave seem to muffle their outcries and rough housing.

“H-hey… I didn’t mean it like that.” The voice sounds bashful now. Link looks around a stalagmite and into the crystal reflection on the wall. The reflection is not his own- but rather his soulmates. It’s suddenly hard to breathe. He’s never seen anyone like them. On one hand, he’s instantly enamored but on the other….he’s seen everyone on Skyloft. And he’s never seen them before. What does that mean?

“Link!” The instructor calls into the cave- ripping Link’s attention away from the reflection. “Not to ruin the moment….but the others have arrived. They need their turns before we have to head back. You can come back now that you know where it is, but you need to finish up.”

Link runs further in, just so he doesn’t miss anything else. Multiple iterations of reflections pass him. None of which belong to him. They’re from different moments of his soulmate's life. Each memory of his soulmate passes before him- letting him know about them before he’s ever actually met them. He sees glimpses into their childhood- up until he sees them as his age.

He stops at a pedestal of sorts. It’s a broken off stalagmite, protruding from the floor of the cave, but it’s the only one like that. The clearing around it seems purposeful. It looks significant.

There’s a smooth stone sitting in the middle of it.

Something in Link tells him to reach for it, to take it and keep it. He doesn’t fight it. 

“I’ll always be on your team.” His soulmate tells him. The stone feels warm. Feeling giddy and ready to take on the world with a new purpose, Link rushes back out of the cave, not willing to risk himself getting in trouble. If the instructor was honest, then Link would certainly find himself coming back here. He doesn’t know where they are, but he can already tell that he’d do anything for them.

He can’t wait to meet them.

***

Zelda gets taken two years later.

When she had come out of Souls Cove, she had looked as neutral as she could. Link had tried to ask questions about what she saw- or didn’t see- but she didn’t seem willing to talk about it. At the time Link had thought it was strange. They were best friends. She was always willing to talk to him.

But it hadn’t ever really mattered. Link would have gone to the edge of the earth and beyond for her. And then he had to prove it.

During his journey he had learned much, seen more than he could imagine, heard more than he was willing to believe. If there was a whole new world to discover, Link was certain that you were there, waiting for him. Even if you most likely didn’t know who he was.

But it’s fine, Link tells himself. He’s young. There’s peace on earth. 

He finishes his schooling and moves to the surface ready to begin the next chapter of his life. And to look for his soulmate. Surely they’re somewhere.

***

Years pass and Link finds a strange portal. It reeks of malice. He’s familiar with the smell and he’s emboldened by the energy. 

Something is trying to tear apart his home once more. He’s not entirely sure if he can bring back the Master Sword- but that’s not going to stop him from protecting everyone just like he did in the past.

He tells Zelda and Groose that he’s going on a journey again. He’s not sure when he’s going to be back. Link tells them about the portal and to watch for the people he’s about to leave behind. Zelda cries and Groose promises to do his best as he is incapable of doing anything less.

He smiles and packs up his best gear, taking as much as he can before he reaches the edge of the portal. He hopes the settlement remembers to steer clear of it. Who knows what came out of it? He’s certainly going to find out.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Link remembers his soulmate and how he has yet to find them among the expanse of the surface. But he steels his nerves. If the world is destroyed, there wouldn't be any soulmate to continue finding. They probably don’t even know of the issue.

With their safety in mind, Link doesn’t have it in himself to look back.

***

Link finds a group of heroes. Interestingly, they all share the same name, so they opt for nicknames or titles. They call him Sky. This group, these boys all protect the surface time and time again because of his failure to shut up Demise in the first place. Most are younger than him. Only a select few are older. Many took the blade before they were teenagers- although Link can’t tell who did what. All he gathered was that the average age of taking up the blade is 11. But he has a suspicion that a few of the members were even younger.

It makes him sick.

Still, they have earned his trust and they all have a common goal. Fi seems to like them as well- although he’s not sure how they managed to bring the Master Sword on the journey. They let him carry her the most and for that he is grateful. It feels comforting, although he’s also learned that he perhaps is the only one to think that way.

And then, while he travels, when he least expects it. You’re thrown into the mix up.

You were running from monsters, screaming at first before you turned around grabbed a stick and started fighting back as hard as you could.

Link had to remind himself to stop staring once they were patching you up. As you explained your story, Link heard none of it. He took in your every detail, your voice, your clothes. You’ve grown just as much as he has since that first day in Souls Cove.

His fingers trace over the little stone he’s collected on that day. He’s never let it be found missing from his person. He carries it everywhere, just to hear you. But now it’s gone silent. Why would it speak? You’re right here in front of him.

You’re battered and bruised, but it appears that your ego had taken most of the blow. You seem annoyed with yourself as you get more passionate in complaining about the situation you’ve found yourself in.

Someone elbows him, hard. “Close your mouth. You’ll start drooling.”

Link wipes his chin just in case and shuts his mouth with an audible click. He turns to the young man next to him. Blond like most of them and strong hearted. They ended up calling him The Captain for his previous war experience. “I’m not drooling.”

“I know.” He says with a knowing glint in his eyes. “But we don’t need you starting. It’s a miracle they haven’t caught you yet. You suck at being subtle. Are you even trying?”

Link’s face warms. Of course he wasn’t trying. It didn’t even occur to him. “Shut up.”

“Any reason they’ve caught your attention?” The Captain asks, keeping that annoying, knowing smirk on his face. “You haven’t stopped staring since they showed up.”

Link coughs. He hasn’t disclosed to any of them about his soulmate. It didn’t take a genius to realize that they don’t have the same concept. It’s hard to reach Souls Cove directly from the surface anyway. And as much as it pains Link to realize it, he’s embarrassed to share his very common truth.

“They’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life.” He admits softly. 

His admission takes The Captain by surprise- his teasing mode only marginally dashed. But then it returns. “Then go say hello.”

“What!? No.” Link shuts it down. How on earth is he going to do that? Is he supposed to go up to you and say “hello, my name is Link and I’m your soulmate. I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen and I know what your favorite childhood toy is, what your dream job is and your happiest memory.” Yeah, right. You don’t know how he is. He’d ruin everything before it even starts.

“Why not? It’s easy.” The Captain begins to push him forward.

“No” Link tries to dig his feet into the ground. “No. No! Warrior!”

His yelling starts to gather some attention from the others. The one they call The Veteran raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. “What are you doing to Sky? Hasn’t he been spellbound enough by them?”

“If he’s going to stare, he might as well introduce himself.” Warrior adds with no shame in his voice. “I’m just giving him the push he needs.”

“Is that so?” The Vet starts stalking towards the two of them. Sky can feel his impending doom descend upon him.

“Legend, not you too!” He begs.

It’s futile. The two of them push and borderline carry him to where you are and plop unceremoniously in front of you. His footing is weird and he leans a little closer into your personal space than he’d like to and he overcompensates by throwing himself backwards, nearly tripping over Wolfie in the process.

You see everything. Naturally.

Link coughs and rights himself as fast as he can. He makes eye contact and freezes.

You freeze too.

Your eyes widen slightly and your jaw drops just enough to make your gaze as innocent and shocked as possible. Link thinks he sees your cheeks darken but perhaps he is projecting. His face is on fire as it is. The first time he gets to see you in full color, in person, in the flesh and he makes a total idiot out of himself.

He sticks his hand out. “Hi. My name is Link…”

They stare at him just as, if not, more so intently than he was staring at them. The awkward silence stretches on. They don’t react.

Link can feel himself growing more self conscious by the second. Was this how he wanted it to go? No. Was he given much of a choice? Also no.

Thankfully after another pregnant pause they also take his hand. It hangs loosely and limply, almost like a dead fish. It’s not something that Link wants to equivocate it with- but once the idea was in his head he found that he couldn’t fully get rid of it. He shakes it anyway.

“I’m sorry.” Link says and he realizes belatedly that he has no idea where he’s going with this. Think of something. Quick! “...I don’t think I caught your name.”

You blush and it takes his breath away.

He’s never been overly fond of the color red- even if it matches his loftwing but this? This is absolutely lovely. It’s the most perfect color for you. Link can’t think of anything else that would add to just how perfect you appear in his eyes.

You say your name and Link repeats it just as softly as you say it. It’s just as lovely to hear as it is to have it roll off of his tongue. Link smiles and shakes your hand, holding it gently within his grasp. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

You shy away curling in on yourself. At first he thinks that you’re afraid of him or that he’s done something wrong to make you uncomfortable- which is more than well deserved, a voice tells him in the back of his head. But instead you smile.

“Link…” You say his name at last. His heart begins pounding erratically. He can feel his smile widen as his eyes brighten.

Someone coughs from behind him and he’s doused with the cold reality that you’re not alone.

“We’re all named Link to be honest.” Four adds with a grin. “But we all have nicknames. Mine is Four or the Blacksmith or Smithy. I respond to all of them. This one right here is called Sky.”

Four smacks his side with the back of his hand. 

Link loses his nerve and steps aside. His eyes still follow you even though others have taken over the conversation. By the looks of it, you’re going to be traveling with them since you’ve been dragged along for the adventure.

It makes sense now that he thinks about it. If hadn’t joined this cause, this group, he would have never met you.

He’s been waiting this whole life for this opportunity. He knows that you don’t know him but he can get to know you, be your friend.

And maybe you’ll love him too someday.

[outofangband]

Birds of Thargelion

After this I just have Maglor’s Gap and that will complete my series on birds in the Fëanorian realms pre Amon Ereb!

Flora, fauna, geography and environment of Arda Masterlist

Thargelion was the realm of Caranthir, located in the north east of Beleriand just north of Ossiriand and bordered by the Ered Luin, the eastern stretch of mountains that divided Beleriand from the rest of Middle Earth

As always this is not a definitive list! Please feel free to ask more or give me a more specific category!

Around Lake Helevorn and the rivers: Red-breasted merganser, mute swan, white tailed dipper, whooper swan, smew, little grebe, red throated loon, common crane, mallard, common white eye, northern shovler, green winged teal, corn crake, spotted crake, black winged stilt

Mountains: bearded vulture, water pipit, golden eagle, kestrel, peregrine falcon, Rock ptarmigan, common siskin, alpine accentor, northern wheatear, ring ouzel, white tailed eagle, chough, spotted nutcracker, Citril finch, griffon vulture, common redstart, common raven, wallcreeper, common jay, boreal owl, white winged snowfinch, crag martin, common redstart, black redstart

Foothills and forests: black grouse, wood grouse, goshawk, grey white fronted goose, hazel grouse, little bunting, meadow pipit, tree sparrow, hedge warbler, Bohemian waxwing, common kestrel, long eared owl, little owl, marsh tit, coal tit, mourning dove, rock pigeon, woodchat strike

World building notes

-Like most of the Noldor in Eastern Beleriand, many of Caranthir’s scouts keep birds of prey. In Thargelion these are primarily peregrine falcons and kestrels. Hunting with birds was less common however.

--There are populations of Green Elves who live in Thargelion, primarily in the mountains and near the border of Ossiriand. Though they also do not use birds for hunting, certain species are kept as companions or messengers.

-Chicken breeding as an art and science developed during the Watchful Peace. Chickens in Thargelion are appraised for long plumage and colorful feathers. Their eggs are eaten but they are not often used for meat.

-Chickens, peacocks and quails were kept by the Noldor of Thargelion, techniques of raising and breeding them were learned from Sindar and Silvan cultures of Eastern Beleriand. Indeed the Noldor of Thargelion were one of the only Noldor populations to keep quails.

-Bearded vultures appear on the crests of some of Caranthir’s lords and were even kept by a few of them

-Feathers of various mountain birds especially eagles and ouzel appear in wood carvings as an architectural motif during the Watchful Peace in Thargelion

-Out of all the Fëanorian realms, water birds appear most often in art and other cultural references in Thargelion as Lake Helevorn and its wildlife are a central facet of life there especially in times of peace. Wading birds like crakes, cranes and stilts are especially Valued.

[aurathian]

Rumors

AO3 | Written for the @zelinkcommunity Loftwing Letters gift exchange! I hope you enjoy @skyyknights !! This also fulfills @zelinktines24 prompt #14: “rumors” :) If you enjoy, please reblog! <3

Fandom: Skyward Sword

Rating: G

Ships: Link/Zelda

Description: There’s a rumor going around that Link and Zelda are in love.

Read the full fic below or read it on AO3.

Days on the surface were busy. From dawn, Link and Zelda were up collecting wood, fetching water, and making multiple rounds of the settlement to see who needed help. By dusk, they were helping cook meals, store equipment, and make sure all were safe to sleep. Their only respite was their one-room cottage, tucked a short walk away from the settlement, where at night they shared stories about the day and plans for the tomorrows they once never thought they would have.

There was a rumor going around that they were exhausted.

“That’s silly,” Zelda yawned, taking a sip of tea from her mug. “Karane, you should really stop gossiping.” Setting down her cup, she resumed her knitting project: a blanket for Kukiel who, despite her love for adventure, was having a hard time adjusting to the surface. The blanket would be covered in pictures of loftwings and clouds.

“It’s not gossip,” Karane protested. “I can see it in your eyes, Zelda. You have bags!”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Link had to wake you up this morning. It’s usually the other way around.”

“How do you know– ah, Pipit…”

“You should take some time for yourself,” Karane encouraged, getting up to refill her teacup. “You and Link give a lot.”

“We don’t mind,” Zelda argued as she shifted to watch Karane over the back of her chair. “There’s a lot of work to do and we can do it.”

Karane sighed and swirled her cup. Looking out the window, she said, “Link is out with Pipit right now chopping firewood. Maybe you can go get some fresh air, walk a little bit, without starting a new project.” She walked to the door, lifting the cup. “Oh, I’ll return this later.”

And then Karane was gone and Zelda was alone and maybe her best friend was right. A light breeze blew outside, gently ruffling the curtains on the window through which she could hear birds singing. A walk outside, without any projects or jobs or strings attached, was something Zelda hadn’t done in a long time. So, she gently set Kukiel’s blanket aside, finished her cup of tea, and ventured out into the surrounding woods.

On the other side of the surface settlement, Pipit hacked away at a pile of firewood while Link–unwillingly–stood and watched.

“I’m not letting you help,” Pipit huffed as he lifted the axe over his head. “This is my job.”

“But I can do it.”

“You’ve done enough.” With a whack, the log at Pipit’s feet split into two. “You never do anything for yourself anymore.”

“I do plenty for myself,” Link protested. “Last night, I ate dinner.”

Pipit couldn’t stop himself from bursting out in a fit of laughter so loud the birds hidden in the trees launched away into the air.

“Alone?” Pipit asked between chuckles.

“Well, Zelda was finishing up some of the laundry she was helping with, and she got back late.”

“That’s exactly it.” Pipit set leaned on the handle of the axe and glowered at Link. “You two don’t have any time to do something together that doesn’t involve working.”

“Finishing up the settlement is important,” Link replied. “Once that’s done, then we can rest.”

”Or you could rest now—“

“Hey,” a voice rang out, and Pipit didn’t miss the way Link’s eyes lit up. “Am I intruding?” Zelda emerged from behind a tree, and to Pipit’s surprise, wasn’t carrying a pile of fabric or a bucket of water. It was just her.

“Not at all, Zel,” Pipit said, casting a glance at Link’s tomato-hued face, “not at all.” He also didn’t miss the slight fumble in his step which almost sent the logs in his arms rolling.

“I was wondering if Link had a minute,” she said. “But if you’re busy, I don’t want to interrupt—I know that wood is urgent.”

Pipit hurriedly, almost eagerly, replied that it was not urgent. “Take him if you need him.” Link hesitated, glancing between the pile of uncut wood and the woman dearest to him, wondering what mattered more.

He went off with Zelda, leaving Pipit alone and knowing he would never hear the end of this later.

There was a rumor going around that Link and Zelda were in love.

“What happened?” Link asked as they walked through the forest.

“Does something need to happen for us to take a stroll?”

“No, but— usually— I mean, when you come get me it’s because you need help with some work.”

“I just had an idea that we could take a break.” Yes. An idea that was entirely her own. “But if you have to get back, I understand.”

“No! No, I don’t.” Their hands swung at their sides as they walked and Link ever so gently grazed his fingers against hers. Zelda glanced down and turned her face away to hide her blush. Nervously, she slipped her fingers into his. The rest of the walk was silent, but in that silence was comfort. The silence said everything—that they could truly be at peace, even in the midst of building and planning and healing, their peace could be found within the other.

Just outside the forest that surrounded the settlement was Lake Floria. Zelda had grown fond of it on the rare occasions she visited. Beside the lake was a tree taller and much older than the rest, which is where they sat down. For a long time they stayed there, talking, reminiscing, clutching hands, and they were so engrossed in each other that they didn’t notice the golden light of sunset or the glowing bugs that came out of hiding.

“It’s been very nice to do this,” Zelda said as she plucked at some grass. “Perhaps we could do this more.”

“I think so too.”

“You know,” she continued after a moment of quiet, “I’ve been working on a blanket for Kukiel.”

“Have you?”

“She’s homesick, so I thought it would be nice.” She tore a tuft of grass out of the earth. “Maybe… I could make a blanket for us, too.”

“I could get some more wood,” Link offered, “for our hearth.”

“We could sit under our blanket in front of our fire and drink tea together. Just us, for ourselves.” And Zelda thought there was no moment more perfect than this, surrounded only by the forest and its wildlife, treasuring every detail: the upward curve of Link’s lips, the presence of his hand over hers, the blush that was surely creeping onto her face.

They faced each other. “That sounds nice,” Link said, eyes traveling down to her lips, then back up to those sky-blue eyes that would always remind him of home. Not the Knight Academy, not Skyloft, not the Goddess Statue, but home: her.

He reached up and cupped her face with that same gentle care he always had, like he could lose her again with just a simple touch, and she closed her eyes and gingerly leaned in…

…and there was a rumor going around that they shared their first kiss underneath the tree by the lake.

[batrogers]

LINK, OF SKYLOFT Skyward Sword

[From my original Link's Meet AU, That Broken Promise]

GENDER: Male (amab) PRONOUNS: He/Him HEIGHT: 5'2" AGE: 24 HEALTH: Fatigue, weak lungs, periodic lung bleeding [curse], other old scars that come and go.

WEAPONS: None ITEMS: Beetle, fireshield earrings, water dragon scale, stamina potions SPELL: None

Skyloft travelled the forgotten surface world and destroyed two incarnations of an evil god: the Imprisoned and Demise. Zelda regained the Goddess' memories, but has largely returned to herself. Link, however, retains internal scars from his battles and has been in poor health ever since.

His first two priorities are, and always have been, those he considers family and close friends. While his parents died when he was young, he always had someone looking out for him in Skyloft. He loves Zelda deeply, and considers her father as good as his own. The only secret between them is how much she remembers of acting as Hylia and what she said about shaping him for her purposes, and he intends to keep it that way. Zelda and their community are all very scared he's gone missing, and fear something bad happened to him.

Skyloft speaks easily, is literate, but doesn't know sign language. He understands all spoken language.

He's bisexual and likes to keep things light and playful. He had a crush on Pipit a while back. Currently monogamous, and involved with his Zelda. They have four year old twin daughters.

CURRENT MEDIA:

Where Demons Have Gone Before, rated M for blood and horror Not to Me, Not if its You, rated M for blood and horror Cave Frogs, rated T for graphic violence and near-death The Great Sea, rated T for threats of violence Fluff Dump: Head Injury, rated G Fluff Dump: Touch Starved, rated G

Songs from the Playlist for Skyloft: Alive, by Hillsong Young & Free Playing With The Big Boys, a cover by Steve Martin & Martin Short

Author's Note: I do not subscribe to reading Christian allegory into Zelda mythology. While Skyloft is absolutely the definition of a mythic hero, and a passionately loyal, optimistic person, the choice of Christian music is because that particular genre embodies faith, love, and hope perfectly. It is NOT meant as a declaration of allegory. I am not personally Christian. I'll be posting something about how polytheist the Zelda mythos is another time.

[crazylittlejester]

I like to think that sometimes the chain are just causally telling stories and then wars will stop the most booty quaking toe tickling jaw dropping thing ever like

sky: oh yea one time my knights instructor yelled at me cus me fledge and pipit were messing around with pumpkins and I broke a window haha

Wars: Yea dude I know once some guy accident broke my bunk cus he didn’t like me and the next day we all had to beat him to death. And the worst part was they made ME carry him to the dump, my pores were OBLIDERATED

everyone: ….you good???? Homie you ok??

wars: oh yea my skin was fine I just put water on it

your ability to talk about such heavy matters in a 💅✨🌸🥰🕺 kinda way terrifies me to my core, but yknow what slay, more power to you king (or queen, whichever you prefer, anon. or monarch?)

I feel like Wind is more of a lore dropper than Wars is, but i can absolutely see Wars trying to make light of the fact he survived a war as a coping mechanism lmao

[dansnaturepictures]

25/03/2023-Farlington Marshes and home 

Flora and fauna photos taken today in this set: 1. Alexanders, my first of the year a beautiful flower that adorns the area around the car park and was great to see today. 2. A record shot of one of my first Wheatears of the year the main target today and we saw about four, a lovely spring moment I always enjoy seeing these and for a bird I can sometimes have a wait to see in year’s it’s by one day my second earliest ever sighting of them in a year after my first of 2018 five years ago yesterday. 3. Dunlins, Turnstones and Ringed Plovers crammed onto some stones in good camouflage, it was a delight to see the Ringed Plovers shimmer white as the group took off. 4, 5 and 6. A smart pair of Shovelers I enjoyed seeing on the sea. 7. Some more great cowslips to see. 8 and 9. Some gorgeous Brent Geese we got some epic and close views of these birds I adore close to the fence as they fed on grass, an amazing intimate natural moment with one of the bird species that inspires me most. 10. Goldfinch in the garden in a splendid splash of sunlight in the back garden this evening. 

On a packed and exciting afternoon of birdwatching at Farlington I had a fair few other highlights, led by a fantastic view of an alluring and handsome Water Pipit near to the lake, only the fourth I’ve ever seen of the species alongside the Wheatears taking my year list to 158 which I am so thrilled with. Other highlights were another thrilling view here this winter of a Short-eared Owl here seeing it fly briefly another bird I love, giant Marsh Harrier flying over the reedbed mobbed by a Lapwing at one point, majestic Kestrels, exotic Mediterranean Gulls seen well again, loads of Avocets on the windswept lake, Shelducks, Great Crested Grebes, Little Egrets including one near a Grey Heron, Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwit, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, female Pheasants seen nicely and Greenfinch with Cetti’s Warbler heard. Red deadnettle and ragwort between the road and car park were nice to see. I enjoyed great views of Buzzard before leaving out the back, on the way and on the way home tonight with Roe Deer on the way back too.

[cryoriku]

home

🐚 🌸 🌴 - 🐚 🌸 🌴 - 🐚 🌸 🌴

[cutiebug21]

lots of people were out relaxing by the lake after work ^_^ hopefully no one saw me practicing my waterbending!! X3

[whumpsday]

Traitor/Traitor

Writing Masterlist

content: angst, betrayal, captivity, dehydration, starvation, begging, infected wound

based on this prompt by @shywhumpauthor​!

@amonthofwhump​ March Trope-A-Thon Day 7: Angst / Misunderstandings / Betrayal / Catharsis / Reassurances

Pipit could have sobbed looking at their empty water bottle if there was any moisture left in them to cry with.

It had been days since they’d been thrown in the cell, and no one had come to visit them. They weren’t exactly friends with most of their team, they didn’t hang out outside of work, but they were friendly enough that they thought maybe someone would come check on them. Just to see if they were okay. Especially after they’d been tortured.

But no one did. Not even Dole, someone they actually would call a friend. On the first day, Pipit had been mortified by the concept they might have to beg their own team for food and water, but now they’d do anything for the opportunity.

Would they really be left to die here? To die of dehydration, alone?

That was, if their wounds didn’t get them first. The gash in Pipit’s side where they’d been cut during the interrogation was hot to the touch, still throbbing with pain that only seemed to worsen by the day. The fact that they hadn’t eaten in days and barely drinking water didn’t help. They couldn’t even spare any water to wash it out.

But now they were out of water, too. And they were going to die.

Pipit thought they might die during the interrogation. They were prepared to die, rather than give up what they knew. But then...

They just couldn’t believe that even after surviving all that, being released and sent home, they would die at their own side’s hands instead, branded a traitor. A slow, painful, dry death.

Pipit heard footsteps approaching, and their head snapped up instantly. Someone was here. “Help!” they cried, voice raspy and dry. “Please, I’m still down here! Help!”

The footsteps continued until Dole walked into view of the cell. Dole, the leader Pipit had relied on time and time again. If they could call themself friends with anyone, it would be them. Dole was their mentor, the one who helped them become who they were. Their best friend. They’d been thinking about asking to be more.

But Dole had left them in here just the same. Dole had ordered it. And there he stood, looking at them stone-faced.

Sitting on the floor, Pipit looked up through the bars with pleading eyes, desperate. “Dole, I- I’m dying,” they croaked. “Please, you’ve gotta help me. I need help.” Their face tingled a bit with the feeling of crying, but no tears fell.

Dole unlocked the cell, thank god. Pipit tried to stand up, but Dole just glared icily at them, and-

Pipit fell back to the floor, chest exploding with pain as Dole kicked them in the ribs, hard. They knew how often Dole trained, and all that force against Pipit’s already-weakened body had them crumping into a heap on the floor, coughing and gasping for breath, only making their throat even drier.

“Do you seriously think you have the right to ask me for anything after what you’ve done?” Dole hissed.

Pipit fought the urge to scoot backward, anxious of another kick. They stayed where they were, on the floor where Dole wanted them, and sobbed drily as they clutched their aching chest. “What do you want me to do? I’m sorry!”

“Nothing you can do now,” he snapped. “You already went and blabbed.”

Pipit wanted to argue. They wanted to yell that there were hostages, innocent civilians. But they already tried that, and all it got them was put in here.

They held the empty water bottle up, looking to Dole desperately. Please.

Dole snatched the bottle away so fast it made Pipit flinch. “What makes you think you deserve to live after what you’ve done? You should have fucking died in the interrogation room. You knew what you signed up for when you joined.”

“Please help me,” was Pipit’s only response. “I don’t- I don’t know what to do. Please don’t make me die in here.”

Dole’s glare only seemed to intensify, and Pipit tensed up, afraid they’d just be kicked again.

“Fine.” He slammed the cell door shut behind him as he went to refill the water.

Pipit sighed with relief when he returned with a full bottle, barely resisting the urge to chug it immediately. They had to be smart: who knew if Dole would be accommodating enough to give them more?

“Th-thank you.” The words were empty, just a thing they knew was expected of them. Their eyes held only fear, none of the fondness that their gaze used to hold for Dole, every painstakingly build bit of trust shattered beyond repair.

Dole seemed to feel the same about them, though with resentment instead of fear. “Take it,” he said gruffly, shoving an apple at them, “And get out. I never want to see your face again. Leave the country. I don’t care how. If I find you again, I will kill you with my own two hands.” His eyes welled up with furious tears. “And I hope you think every fucking night about how many people died because you opened your fucking mouth.”

Not as many as the hostages they were threatening.

The people whose information I leaked weren’t civilians.

You didn’t see the looks in their eyes.

“Thank you,” they repeated, the words so hollow they would be surprised if Dole read them with any sincerity at all.

Pipit took Dole’s orders one last time.

-

oneshots taglist:

@icyheart-and-friends

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast

@lilac-and-lemon-whumps

@whuarri​

@whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump​

@whumpycries​

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