#yellow baboon
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
antiqueanimals · 2 years ago
Text
Tumblr media
Brehm's Tierleben. Written by Alfred Brehm. Illustration by Wilhelm Kuhnert. 1922 edition.
Internet Archive
126 notes · View notes
raw-wild · 4 months ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Yellow Baboon & Cape Hare | Sze On, Ng (Aaron)
2 notes · View notes
inatungulates · 1 year ago
Text
Tumblr media
Crawshay's zebra Equus quagga crawshayi
With yellow baboon Papio cynocephalus
Observed by simontonge, public domain
8 notes · View notes
dwollsadventures · 1 year ago
Text
Tumblr media
Monster Manual - Baboon
A type of monkey common in tropical grasslands. Their distribution overlapping with that of humans and their tendency to travel in large troops means one will have little difficulty finding them. On their own they pose little threat, only their dog-like muzzles being a point of worry. The troop as a whole is an effective predator deterrent. I myself was intimidated when I accidentally alerted a troop of 50, almost all of whom let up a series of barks, strong adults baring their teeth. When not on alert, they’re an inquisitive species of beasts. Once acclimated to humans they’re perfectly fine wandering through towns or camps. One man claimed to have learned their language and demonstrated his skill quite convincingly by getting some baboons to help him prepare a meal. Though seeing them handle knives and respond to his instructions was impressive, I turned down the food. Also: watch their hands! Baboons are larcenous beyond reason.  --
Yellow baboons, specifically. Few of them are going to have as many individual creatures as this one. The Number Appearing thing is just from the original monster manual, it's not an indicator of what'll be shown.
5 notes · View notes
nirajphotographer · 8 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
0 notes
bigtiddysamsungtv · 1 year ago
Text
im so good at blowong up balloons 💪
0 notes
tenth-sentence · 1 year ago
Text
Male African Elephants intertwine their trunks, while female Japanese Macaques sometimes suck on each other's nipples, and male Crested Black Macaques and Savanna Baboons affectionately pat or grab other males' rear ends.
"Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity" - Bruce Bagemihl
0 notes
bignosebaby · 1 year ago
Text
Tumblr media
The yellow baboon is only about the size of a five year old child, but they are capable of running at speeds up to 45km per hour. They have many vocalizations they use to communicate, including screeching, barking, and "yakking", and have cheek pouches they can store food in.
28 notes · View notes
dmrwildlife · 2 years ago
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Did someone ask for baboon babies?
Amboseli National Park, Kenya, January 7, 2022
69 notes · View notes
recklessfuture001 · 6 months ago
Text
In case of emergency,
Tumblr media
0 notes
philodendronforming · 1 year ago
Text
Lemon
Lemon
Tumblr media
Lemon is a citrus fruit with a sour taste. India is the largest producer of lemons in the world. The scientific name of plant is citrus lemon. Citrus is native to Asia. A lemon tree is a small tree or dense shrubby plant. Citrus fruits are mostly found in tropical regions.
Varieties 
Tumblr media
There are different varieties of lemon grown worldwide. Popular varieties such as Meyer, primofori, Verna, bearss lemons and baboon lemons.
Meyer lemon
Tumblr media
Meyer citrus fruits is a hybrid variety crossed between lemon and mandarin orange. This lemon tree is dwarf species with a quick fruit-producing variety. It has smooth golden skin and grows at a height of 6-10 feet.
Primofiori lemon
Tumblr media
These citrus fruits have a soft peel with a good amount of juice. It bears a medium to small, yellow colour. Large and hardy lemon tree. Grows up to 19 feet. The plant gives citrus fruits for 20-30 years.
Verna lemon
Tumblr media
Verna citrus is almost related to the eureka variety. It contains fewer seeds and a high amount of juice. This lemon tree is a vigorous nature plant with good productivity. Verna is a self-compatible species.
Bearss lemon
Tumblr media
Bearss variety is one of the most popular varieties. Citrus plants have a thornless branch. It has a high quantity of juice content. Fruits are round to oval shape.
Baboon lemon
Tumblr media
Baboon citrus has bright yellow skin, a slow-growing compact plant and a thick rind. Citrus fruits are knobby and highly acidic.
Soil
Tumblr media
This plants prefers grow in all types of soil. A simple potting mix should include 40 per cent coco-peat moss with 20 per cent compost like decomposed cow dung or vermicompost.
Watering 
Tumblr media
The watering frequency of course depends on the zone. Water it deeply and thoroughly so that the entire root system is drenched with water and water comes out of the drainage holes. Overwatering can result in root rot and death of the plant.
Sunlight
Tumblr media
Growing citrus plants on the balcony or on the terrace, location is very important because these trees need full direct sunlight of at least 6 hours for the best result.
Fertilizer
Tumblr media
During the time of fruiting add one handful of steamed bone meal powder which is very inexpensive. Add banana peel fertilizer once in 15 days to supplement good potassium.
Pests and diseases
Tumblr media
Improper care can cause pests like aphids, mealy bugs and whiteflies. Citrus canker is a major disease.
Control
Tumblr media
Best in prevention by spraying neem oil once in 15 days (5-10ml neem oil in one litre of water)
Repotting
Tumblr media
To maintain a healthy plant, citrus trees can be repotted once a year. 
Pruning
Tumblr media
To prune damaged and dried leaves to promote vegetative growth. Trees pruned prior to blooming. 
Benefits
Tumblr media
This plant helps in weight loss, and reduce the risk of heart, kidney stones and digestive issue.
This fruits are used in foods and cleaning products.
Helps clear skin and boost immunity.
Beneficial for throat infection.
It has a good source of vitamin C.
"Love the planet green to spend a happy life"
Lemon eco-friendly plant
Blog compiled by Santhionlineplants
0 notes
antiqueanimals · 1 year ago
Text
Tumblr media
Brehm's Tierleben. Written by Alfred Brehm. Illustration by Gustav Mützel. 1922 edition.
Internet Archive
72 notes · View notes
imyourbratzdoll · 1 year ago
Text
𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔
🕊️a whore's fairytale masterlist🕊️
summary - y/n jane porter (you) decides to prove men wrong by searching for the lost man, and you happen upon him after insulting a bunch of baboons, only to realise that you will never leave again.
warning - smut, dubcon, chase, marking, insulting animals, swearing, oral sex, creampie, kidnapping/held hostage?
18+ only please, the gif and headers I use aren't mine.
Warnings and Reminders - Please do not plagiarise, copy, repost/republish, adapt, or translate any of my work on any social media platforms, apps, or third-party sites. The only platforms I post my work on are: Tumblr and Wattpad. I do not own any character of any franchise (Marvel etc.) All my works are fiction and may be dark or triggering content: READ ALL WARNINGS BEFORE PROCEEDING.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
You huffed as you stalked the forest, searching for a man who had been lost to the world. Explorers have searched high and low for him but have yet to succeed. You were determined to be different, to prove to them that you could find the lost man. Secretly though, you knew he would be feral, not even knowing what a woman was and the pleasure you could bring him. You hiked up your light yellow dress, white-gloved hands scrunching the material between your fists. You spin when you hear a sound, looking up into the trees, and your eyes widen when you notice the many baboons staring down at you. 
“Oh, hello.” You look closer, squinting your eyes and scrunching your nose. “You’re quite ugly creatures, aren’t you?” You stumble back when they begin to screech, looking ready to attack, and you put your hands up. “I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just…” Your words are lost to them, and you start running as some of them jump from the trees and chase you, the others swinging through the branches. You pick up your pace, dodging trees and rocks, trying your best not to trip or get caught. You feel your breath shorten, and your lungs burn. A scream escapes you as your foot gets caught on a root, but before you can fall, something or someone grabs you, swinging you away from the baboons. 
You screw your eyes shut, not daring to look at what had grabbed you, feeling it would be better if you didn’t see what fate had planned for you. Your brows scrunched as you felt whoever or whatever was placing you down softly, and your eyes widened when you opened them, noticing the man everyone had been searching for. The lost man had saved you from being torn to shreds, and the excitement caused a jolt between your legs. You scanned his physic, noticing how tanned and beautiful he looked. Your eyes landed on his face lastly, eyeing the moustache and imagining what it would feel like in between your thighs, his unbrushed hair all curled and wild, like him. 
Tangerine’s head tilts, doing the same to you. He was curious, never having seen someone like you before. He’s seen others that look like him, but none so… Beautiful, so soft looking. He licked his lips, scanning you like you were a meal for him to feast on. He glared when you lifted your hand, and you returned it with a soft smile. “It’s okay. I’m not here to hurt you… I’m Y/n Jane Porter. Do you have a name?” Tangerine grunts, lifting his hand and cautiously placing it against yours, thinking of his words. You squeeze your legs together at his touch, causing his eyes to snap down to the sweet nectar that lies between your thighs. 
Tangerine’s hand moves from yours and taps his chest. “Tangerine.” Your eyes widen as the words fall from his lips, and you offer a soft smile.
“Like the fruit?” Your head tilts, knowing another name that would fit him. Tarzan stays on the tip of your tongue as you watch him.
He grunts again and stops, looking around before roughly grabbing you, causing a gasp to pass your lips. “Danger.” He growls. You are lifted onto the large man’s shoulders again as he begins to swing away just in time as the baboons swing, missing you by inches. Tangerine lands roughly on the ground. After a while of swinging and making sure you were no longer being followed, he lets you get off of him. You fall as your legs feel shaky, and you stumble back. He spins, eyeing you more, gazing at your exposed legs. 
You clear your throat, brushing the dirt from your dress. “Thank you again.” Your chest moves up and down as you breathe heavily. You try and keep your eyes from looking at the bulge hidden behind the tiny cloth. Tangerine’s eyes lock to your heaving chest. You watch as they become black, filling with feral lust. He stalks towards you, backing you into a tree. You feel your cunt pulse, the large man turning you on. “W–what are you doing?” You gulp, squeezing your thighs together when he traps you against the wood.
“Me do you.” Tangerine growls. He grabs your hips, dragging you onto the ground and climbing over you. “Stay… Still.” He grunts, trapping you with his large body and rubbing his bulge against your dripping cunt. Tangerine had never felt something so incredible, and he hadn’t even explored that far yet. He sits on his legs, looking down at you with dark eyes filled with lust and hunger, growling as your dress becomes annoying. Tangerine grips the material, shredding it and causing you to squeal and squeeze your thighs together, feeling yourself clench around nothing. “Annoying” You don’t know why, but this feral man's few words turn you on. 
You whimper, subconsciously spreading your legs for him, watching his mouth open and close as he glares between your legs, watching your pretty pussy drip. Tangerine growls as he dives in, lapping at your sweet cunt. Your back arches, and you let out a scream that echoes through the many trees. Your hands curl into the ground, legs slamming shut around his head as he continues to feast on your cunt, licking and sucking, wrapping his lips around your swollen pearl and sucking, flicking the sensitive little bud with his tongue. You move your hand into his hair, gripping the untamed locks, pulling him closer. “O–Oh! That feels so good!” You exclaim, feeling the band inside you tighten, ready to snap. “Keep going, please!” Your eyes screw shut, and your toes curl, but suddenly everything stops, and you open them again. “What are you doing? Why did you stop?” You felt furious, sexually frustrated. This was the most pleasure you had felt in your entire life, and you couldn’t let it slip from your fingertips. 
Tangerine growls and your eyes widen when you watch him grab himself. The tiny cloth has tented massively and keeps nothing hidden. He rips the pathetic material from his body and throws it aside, tilting his head as you make an embarrassingly loud choking sound. You look at him and back to his cock repeatedly, staring with your mouth open. “That’s not going to fit inside me.” Even as you say those words, your walls clench as you watch his cock twitch. 
Tangerine grunts, shrugging. He crawls on top of you, forcefully placing your legs onto his shoulder and tapping your gaping hole with his swollen tip. “Fit.” You gasp as he begins to push in, his hair covering his face as he puts his head down, never having felt something so good. “Good” The grunt he lets out causes you to clench around him and his hips to thrust forward, forcing his way deeper inside you. Your head rolls back into the dirt, closing your eyes as he picks up his pace, releasing the animal buried deep inside of him. Tangerine slams hard and fast into you, his cock so large it feels like he’s in your stomach. If possible, the bulge that forms causes him to become even more feral.
Your hands fly up and grip his arms, digging your nails into him before whimpering when he pulls out and flips you around, pushing your face into the dirt and lifting your hips before plunging back into you, grunting and growling as he fucks you like an animal. Your mouth falls open, and your eyes roll back, clawing into the ground and clutching onto it, trying to find something to ground yourself too. Tangerine grips your hips, pounding against you, moaning when he feels you grip his cock like a vice, dragging him deeper into you and allowing him to hit your sweet spot repeatedly. “Ah! Oh! Fuck… Right there!” You whine, fucking and grinding your hips back into him, wanting to feel him more. 
Tangerine pulls out again, your mind too fuzzy to get angry as he grabs you and pushes you against the tree, wrapping your legs around his waist and reentering your sweet cunt. Your eyes roll into the back of your head, mouth open in a silent scream as he fucks up into you, his lips against your neck, marking you as his. You are so close, feeling your walls pulsate and clench around the feral man, feeling so dirty and full. “I–I’m close!” Tangerine grunts, slamming harder into you, pinning you against the tree, not caring if the bark marks your flesh. Your vision goes white, and your body goes slack in his arms as your orgasm rips through you, squeezing his cock and coating it with your cream.
A growl rips through the large man. Tangerine bites into your shoulder, fucking deeper as he feels his balls tighten. He had only experienced this when he’d touch himself, teasing his cock and balls until he was close to cumming before stopping and repeating. He knew the release would feel amazing, causing him to continue to thrust, his hand moving between your bodies, locating your swollen, sensitive clit and rubbing. Your back arches, causing another orgasm to rip through you, and Tangerine groans, releasing his cum deep inside you, filling you with thick amounts as you squeeze his cock.
Your head slumps against his chest, your chest moving up and down heavily as you try and catch your breath. Your walls pulsate around his still-hard cock, wondering how he could still be ready for more. Tangerine cups the back of your neck, grunting as he makes you look at him. He grins, leaning close as he slowly begins to thrust again. “Mine.” 
The growl can still be heard as you realise you will never be able to leave again, but maybe that was a good thing.
Tumblr media
thank you for reading!
feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated.
4K notes · View notes
apiswitchcraft · 28 days ago
Text
altars for kemetic/egyptian gods
hi yall, another purely based in UPG, new agey post! historically, deity offerings for the ancient egyptians often took the form of art/sculpture/hymns, incense (like frankincense or myrrh), or offerings of food (especially meat and bread) and drink (wine/ale, mostly). dialogue with the gods was often facilitated through the pharaohs or funerary rites, but your average person had access to daily magic and regular temples as well.
Tumblr media
RA
Colors: yellow, orange, red for the sun
Offerings: eye of ra, dates, figs, grapes, apricots, sunflowers, morning glories, chocolate, pastries, orange juice, honey
Crystals: sunstone, yellow/red jasper, citrine, carnelian, honey calcite, angelite, kyanite
Animals: falcon
SHU
Colors: white, blue for the air/sky
Offerings: feathers (especially ostrich), sandalwood, gardenia, anise, paper fans, cornflower
Crystals: white/clear quartz, angelite, selenite, blue calcite, fluorite, blue lace agate
Animals: lion, ostrich
TEFNUT
Colors: white, blue for water
Offerings: sea salt, reeds, shells, water, coral, water (especially dew), lotus root/flower
Crystals: blue calcite, sodalite, lapis lazuli, amethyst, larimar, ocean/blue lace agate, aquamarine
Animals: lioness
NUT
Colors: blue, black for night. white for stars
Offerings: amber, sandalwood, sycamore, moonflowers, morning glories, milk
Crystals: lapis lazuli, star jasper, azurite, obsidian, smokey quartz, black tourmaline, labradorite, sodalite, moonstone (especially black)
Animals: boar, cow, sow
GEB
Colors: green, brown for earth. black for the underworld
Offerings: grain, beans, yarrow, cinnamon, coffee, egg shells, foliage, dirt, rocks, snake shed, milk
Crystals: jasper (various types), aventurine, moss/tree agate, unakite, obsidian, jade, malachite
Animals: snake, goose, rabbit, bull
OSIRIS
Colors: green for renewal, black for death, white for rebirth
Offerings: bandages, dark chocolate, dried fruit (especially oranges or dates), dark chocolate, coffee, cedar, vetiver, bones
Crystals: lapis lazuli, moss agate, jasper (various types), malachite, obsidian, smokey quartz, pyrite, jade, howlite, star jasper (for his astral form)
Animals: heron, ram, cow
ISIS
Colors: white, grey for the moon. blue, black for the night. green for life and resurrection.
Offerings: the tyet symbol, cow horn, milk, sycamore, feathers, dried fruit (such as raisins or dates), pomegranates, nuts, pastries
Crystals: star jasper, moonstone, rose quartz, amethyst, fluorite, bloodstone, red jasper, carnelian, labradorite, aventurine
Animals: birds (especially a kite hawk or vulture), cow, cat, scorpion, sow
HORUS
Colors: blue, purple for insight and intuition. white and red for pharoahship.
Offerings: eye of horus, weaponry/iron, lotus flower/root, feathers (especially hawk or falcon), yarrow, chocolate
Crystals: malachite, aventurine, pyrite, amethyst, lapis lazuli, jasper (various), howlite, sunstone, aquamarine, labradorite, hematite
Animals: falcon
NEPHTHYS
Colors: black for darkness and funerary rites
Offerings: beer, linen, feathers (especially of a crow or vulture), bones, coffee, nuts, milk
Crystals: obsidian, smokey quartz, black moonstone (because of association with Isis), black tourmaline, red jasper, bloodstone
Animals: vulture, crow
SET
Colors: red, black for chaos and storms
Offerings: lettuce, sand, alcohol, dragon's blood, patchouli, yarrow, vetiver, charcoal, dark chocolate, black pepper
Crystals: red jasper, black tourmaline, howlite, obsidian, labradorite, sodalite, bloodstone, malachite, pyrite
Animals: the set animal (which resembles a canine, giraffe, and aardvark), donkey
THOTH
Colors: grey, blue for intuition/intelligence. white for the moon
Offerings: quill, ink, pieces of writing/books, feathers, rosemary, citrus, sage, moon water, lavender, nuts
Crystals: amethyst, lapis lazuli, malachite, moonstone, selenite, howlite, angelite, sodalite, fluorite
Animals: ibis, baboon
ANUBIS
Colors: black, grey for funerary rites/death
Offerings: bones, ash, charcoal, red/black peppercorns, marigold (associated with the dead), linen, yarrow
Crystals: hematite, obsidian, black tourmaline, howlite, jasper (various, but especially red), smokey/rutilated quartz, bloodstone
Animals: canines, especially a jackal
BASTET
Colors: white, red for pharaohship
Offerings: ointments/perfumes of most types, cedar, anything cat related, rosemary, black salt
Crystals: tiger's eye, cat's eye quartz, bloodstone, red jasper, black tourmaline, howlite, milky/smokey quartz, pyrite, carnelian
Animals: lioness, cat
SEKHMET
Colors: red for war. grey for justice
Offerings: sand (especially red), scales of justice, iron, cypress, red pepper, black salt
Crystals: bloodstone, red jasper, carnelian, garnet, ruby kyanite, jade, smokey/clear, hematite
Animals: lioness
HATHOR
Colors: pink, red for love/sexuality
Offerings: dancing, dried fruits (especially figs/dates), pomegranates, sycamore, milk, honey, pastries
Crystals: rose quartz, amethyst, citrine, carnelian, fluorite, jade, aquamarine, garnet/ruby
Animals: cow, lioness, cobra
KHONSU
Colors: white, grey for the moon. blue, black for the night.
Offerings: lavender, sage, mugwort, dried fruit, moon shaped items, moon flower, ash
Crystals: moonstone, selenite, sodalite, obsidian, black tourmaline, smokey/milky quartz, jasper (various), blue lace agate, lapis lazuli
Animals: falcon
189 notes · View notes
marlynnofmany · 1 year ago
Text
Arboreal Species
We had plenty of options for ways to keep occupied while waiting for the client to show up and collect his delivery. Several of the crew were playing card games with the captain, using a delivery crate as a table, and she was beating the pants off all of them. (Though none of these particular aliens wore pants. You know what I mean.) Some of the others waited inside the ship, declaring boredom with this particular patch of exotic wilderness.
The rest chatted with crew from the ship that had arrived after us, which was also delivering cargo for the same late-to-arrive local. They had plenty to complain about. They also had food to share, and a decent chance that it would be edible by those they shared it with.
While Alien Food Roulette was always exciting, I’d found a much better option.
“Hey, they tell me your species climbs things,” the stranger from the other ship had said, long snout curling into a smile. She looked like a mix of 3/4 baboon and 1/4 crocodile.
“They’re right!” I replied easily. There weren’t many climbing opportunities on our little courier ship, and I was curious where this was going.
The alien pointed at a huge tree on the edge of the landing pad, which boasted smooth orange bark with branches every couple feet. “I’m gonna go climb that. Care to join me?”
“Would I ever!” I said, already heading toward it. I called back over my shoulder, “If you guys need me, I’ll be up a tree!”
Captain Sunlight didn’t even look away from the game, just waving distractedly, her scaly face intent on whatever play Mur had just made. He was chuckling about it and rubbing his tentacles together in a way that was probably a bluff. As soon as I looked away, he made a noise that said the good captain had just wrecked his clever plan. Trrili hissed with laughter.
None of them cared that I was about to climb to a dangerous height. None thought this was out of character in the slightest, and all of them were missing out on an excellent climbing experience.
It was a great tree. The bark was smooth but not slippery, reminding me of a madrone tree from back home, just without the flaky outer layer. And it didn’t feel as cold. If anything, it was warm as we scampered skyward, almost as if the tree welcomed a good climb by people who’d appreciate it.
The alien stopped, picking a branch to sit on and leaning back against another. “Now that is a nice view.”
I had to agree. “It is!” I found my own convenient pair of branches, draping my arms over the top one and finding a nice footrest on a third. “Everybody down there doesn’t know what they’re missing.” The forest around the landing pad was bright with oranges and yellows, the kind of vivid colors that I associated with autumn, but which could have been year-round here. Rolling hills lined the horizon, with a river sparkling merrily in the distance. The only straight line was the road. It made a nice counterpoint to all the gentler natural shapes.
My new friend cupped a hand to her snout unnecessarily. “Hey, everybody down there! You should come see this view!”
To no one’s surprise, she got a chorus of “no thanks.”
I shook my head. “Such a shame. They’re missing out on all the knowledge that comes from above, too. Hey, Paint!” I yelled down to the crewmate who had just dropped a box of round things. “One rolled under the ramp, and two are over in the grass!” I pointed them out.
A distant “Thank you!” reached my ears.
The alien nodded. “Wisdom of the heights indeed. What else can we see, that those on the ground can’t?”
We spent a good few minutes pointing things out to each other and swapping stories. Apparently her people were called the Farsights, for exactly this reason.
“Oh, motion on the road!” she declared, squinting into the distance. “Looks like somebody’s in a rush to be a little less late.”
“Well that ship has launched,” I said, following her eyes. “Nice thought, though. Say, is that one car or two?”
The Farsight didn’t answer immediately, which made me worry a little. Then she said “Uh oh,” which made me worry a lot.
“Uh oh what?”
She stood up on the branch and bellowed, “INCOMING! Client’s being chased by hostile fauna!”
“Oh jeez.” Now I could see it too: something large and antlered galloping after the little surface skimmer. Both were headed straight toward our landing pad.
Chaos erupted down below as we slid off our perches and scrambled downward. The bark was still friendly-smooth.
“I think that creature eats these!” my friend said, bounding out toward the end of a branch to shake loose a bundle of round seedpod things. “I’ve seen them before!”
“Will that matter?” I asked, slowing. “It looks pretty mad!”
“Can’t hurt!”
I couldn’t argue that. There were more than a few seedpods waiting on my path down, all of which came loose with a little judicious bouncing of the branches. When I hit the ground, it was in a sea of baseball-shaped plant bits.
The rest of the crew was scrambling to move crates and dash into the ships for anything weaponlike. A handful of beefy individuals from the other crew lined up to stare the thing down as it approached, and my ship’s biggest and scariest hurried to join them. Trrili claimed a place in front with her black-and-red carapace gleaming in the sun, pincher arms spread wide. She left space for the skimmer to zip past, but only just.
I grabbed seedpods, making a basket with my shirt. “Will we need these? Is it going to stop?”
“Beats me!” said my new friend. She grabbed an armload and ran. “Let’s find out!”
I raced after. We joined the lineup just before the gigantic whatever-it-was skidded to a halt, rearing to paw the air and roar thunderously. The guy in the skimmer was trying to park behind our ship. The various scary aliens yelled back at the huge moose-rhino.
“How well can you throw?” asked my friend, not waiting for an answer. She dumped her armload and started chucking seedpods.
“Pretty well!” I didn’t bother dropping mine, just grabbing them one by one from my shirt basket and aiming for the head.
I didn’t count how many of those direct shots were me, but I’m going to say most of them. The pods burst into squishy fruit with a solid core, doing a great job of annoying the creature as well as coating it with presumably-tasty purple goo.
Its forefeet hit the ground with a teeth-rattling thud. It roared some more, but half-heartedly, like it was just trying to save face at this point.
My friend the Farsight had run out of seedpods, so I gave her some of mine. While our crewmates did their best threat displays, we pelted the dangerous beastie with fruit until it turned to lope in the other direction. I made sure to throw a few on the road near it, in case it felt like picking up a bite to eat on the way. It didn’t, but I did see a tongue lick out as it turned its back on us.
Belatedly, Kavlae and Eggskin skidded out of our ship with stun guns at the same time as a couple people from the other — was that a rocket launcher or a flare gun? — none of which turned out to be necessary.
“Take that and eat it!” crowed the Farsight.
“Yeah!” I agreed. “It’s probably delicious!”
“It probably is, actually,” she said as the congratulations started to pour in.
I picked up a seedpod I’d dropped and sniffed it. “Smells a bit like kumquat.”
Captain Sunlight, busy trying to coax the client out of his vehicle, yelled across the landing pad, “Don’t eat that until Eggskin runs it through the medscanner!”
“Aw, really?” I complained, perfectly in synch with my new friend.
“Yes really!” She shook her lizardy head. I couldn’t make out her muttering from here, but I could guess it was about omnivorous habits, self-preservation instincts, absurd treeclimbing species, or all of the above.
The Farsight said, “If these are safe, I’m taking some back with me.”
“Even if they’re not, the seeds would make good souvenirs,” I pointed out, pulling at the pod where it had separated. “Look how perfectly round they are.”
“Oh yeah, those are nice.”
Trrili stalked past with a haughty tilt to her antennae. “You two get along far too well.”
“Like two seeds in a pod!” the Farsight quipped.
That made me smile. “Hey, my people say that too!”
We had plenty to talk about while everybody else handled the actual delivery we were there for. Eventually Eggskin did check the thing with a medscanner. It tasted like sour kumquat. The seeds cleaned up nicely.
And most importantly, my new friend had family with a whole enclave at the next space station my ship was planning to visit. And they had a climbing structure three stories high. I couldn’t wait.
The rest of the crew thought that sounded pointless and dangerous, of course, but none of them had ancestors who danced through the tree branches, so clearly they have no taste.
~~~
The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!
823 notes · View notes
nirajphotographer · 8 months ago
Link
0 notes