willowxtor

[willowxtor]

Guess whose slaving away to make an Alesith fanart based on that Mizisua pose…

(And guess which design makes me wish I didn’t start this…)

[willowxtor]

(Got permission to post)

So, made another attack on artfight, and am once again shocked after making it. First of all, this is @snailcove on artfight’s character Abbey, who has SUCH a pretty design, and second, I based this off of a frame in the ALNST KARMA MV as soon as I saw the stuff about Abbey’s heart. Both of those things really compelled me to make this as pretty as possible, but still??

Don’t know what else to say except this is really really pretty and so is snailcove’s artstyle in general, so GO PEOPLE WHO READ THIS!! ATTACK HER!!

[willowxtor]

(Got permission to post this)

So, I decided to make a revenge against @audensvcks on artfight when he attacked with me a ship art of Clemmie and Aronia. I decided to do a ship art too with it’s characters, Valsena and Rellamis, and I wanted to make them cute with dancing in a flower field. What I did not realize is what drawing at 2 AM does to me I guess because THIS is what I made…WHAT 😦😦 HOW HOW DID I DO THIS I KNOW THIS DID TAKE ME LIKE FOUR HOURS BUT OMG WHAT OSKASPKSPSO

So so proud of this, but it’s also because of the character designs, they’re also so so pretty including @audensvcks’ artstyle, so GO. ATTACK HIM. NOWW

[willowxtor]

Hi, hi!! Remembered I don’t have the motivation engine to draw all the time for artfight, but I DO have the engine to work on something else while taking a break. So, here’s the relationships for Year 1 of CervidaeClan! Based on Louixie’s CorvidClan, but obviously just not the same exact thing, I just like the idea of worshipping another animal. Would’ve maybe made a comic, but it didn’t work out for the last clan I tried it with, so just making a relationship chart and recounting why stuff’s the way it is through memory! The relationships are only added when, in clangen, the bar turns into a color, but I honestly do not think I’ll include the same relationships again next year. I’ll probably only include the same two again if Love falls apart or Like turns to Hate

Long Explanation Below! + TW for mentions of war, pregnancy, and death

I don’t really know how to explain the worshipping but it’s basically deers becoming the moral code of the clan, representing innocence and whatnot, and ancestors can watch through a deer’s eyes. CervidaeClan’s friendly to outsiders, doesn’t hunt deer, and is careful about how they act as to not “scare off a deer”. Probably going to go deeper into this later, but so far, it’s Year 1 :)

Elderberrystar: The guy made leader because he’s literally the nicest guy in clan and a disney princess. He fell in love with and became mates with Carob after she flirted with him so she wouldn’t go on a morning patrol and now they’re discussing kits! One moon he checked on PlumeClan for an alliance, but found they weren’t at the borders because of a greencough outbreak, unfortunately for the guy, he got bit by a venomous spider on the way back and lost one of his lives. He was a mentor to both Moth and Weaver, becoming a father figure to them after I’d say a war between old clans caused the beginning of CervidaeClan, no longer wishing for violence, and Moth and Weaver’s parents are just dead I guess. I don’t know why he’s more close with Weaver than Moth when Moth was his first apprentice, but I guess it’s because Weaver had admired him and wanted him to be her mentor since she was like 2 moons old

Bullbat: The deputy, who has a crush on Elderberrystar and has been immediately friendzoned, but she isn’t horrible enough to hate Carob because of this, liking her a lot. She’s best friends with Bee because maybe they’ve known each other for a long time before CervidaeClan and is like a mother figure. Bullbat also basically talked to no one else outside of her friend circle, just not seeing a use for it, except Morel, her old apprentice, who has more social anxiety than she does, and the two easily got attached at the hip

Carob: Elderberrystar’s mate from earlier, has basically done nothing I can remember except getting a mangled tail after investigating a rumor of a badger on the territory. She just gets along with everybody and sees Admiral like a daughter, the reason why she’s discussing kits with Elderberrystar, unknown to Moth seeing her as the mom now that she’s mates with Elderberrystar

Morel: NONBINARY❗️❗️❗️Has done basically nothing and can’t get of their comfort zone to talk to anyone else except the girl whose job it was to talk to them

Weaver: Has the PRETTIEST sprite I’ve ever seen, maybe just because she’s a tortie and my two other favorites are also torties, but she’s been admiring Elderberrystar since she was a kit and maybe her parents dying in the war thing is the reason she saw him as a father. Also getting along with Moth since they shared a mentor. She has no idea about Admiral having a crush on her, admiring from afar, so Weaver just respects her

Bee: The oldest elder in the clan and probably knew everyone else when they were kits, catching feelings for Sculpin since they’ve spent a whole lot of time together in the elder’s den, but isn’t devastated when Sculpin comes back to camp with kits one day, knowing they weren’t mates in the first place, so she shouldn’t be mad *cough* unlike another cat later….

Admiral: So so pretty and Carob’s old apprentice, but doesn’t see her like a mother like Carob sees her as a daughter, bitter about Carob being sick for most of her apprenticeship and having METALMARK as a temporary mentor. On their very first training patrol together, Admiral rambled to Metalmark about a dream she had, only to be yelled at about how her incompetence forewarned death and destruction, freaking her out. She admired Weaver for becoming such a strong warrior and how she had the support of the whole clan, even Metalmark approving of her, which grew into a crush or maybe she just wants to be her

Sculpin: The only other elder in the clan who has basically also done nothing. He isn’t really friends with Admiral, just seeing how much she tries and thinks she’ll become an amazing warrior, which Admiral unfortunately doesn’t see. He came back to camp one day with two kits without explaining anything, but the mom’s a kittypet named Mojito. I don’t know why Garterkit is his favorite, maybe since he doesn’t look like him it reminds himself of what his life could be like if he decided to live with Mojito one day

Snaggles: A queen invited into the clan by Morel when she was found giving birth in a bush to three kits. Now you must be wondering “Three kits? But the chart says she only has one?” Well the other two immediately died because I’m playing the gene mod, so I’m guessing the grief led her to not being fond of Fritillarykit, her remaining kit. She’s also now decided to become a medicine cat, others thinking it was the stares and whispers of her clanmates, about how her pale pelt will make her too unfit to be a warrior, unable to blend in with the forest and therefore unable to hunt. But, it was really so she could take care of future kits like she should’ve with her own, becoming a medicine cat on her own terms. But she does appreciate Admiral for saying that, if she ever decided being a medicine cat isn’t what she actually wants, she’d be a pretty good warrior

Metalmark….The insecure and the first medicine cat whose basically done nothing except be rude to everyone he goes on patrols with. He was annoyed by Admiral who was trying to build a bond since she couldn’t with Carob, but I at first chalked it up to the guy just being paranoid. Then, he got a crush on Moth, but it isn’t really a crush, more just him thinking she’s pretty, where was devastated when she announced her pregnancy. He used to get along great with Moth, but soon grew bitter around her like he is with the rest of the clan, literally yowling at her after she rejected him

Moth: THE girl ever!! She isn’t as close with Elderberrystar or Weaver as they are to her, just wanting to be her own person after her apprenticeship, so she’s been busy with other people. She wasn’t in love with the father of her kits, a loner named Shell, him basically being a surrogate since she just wanted to be a mother, what she saw in Carob. She used to think Metalmark was a cool guy, a little quiet, but she found it endearing, which was until he suddenly snapped at her when she rejected him, not even knowing he was in love with her. She doesn’t know what to think of him now, still just recovering from birth, but finds solace in Snaggles and Whiptailkit, whose her favorite since he looks like her

[willowxtor]

Back at the Hybrid Challenge again!! I did roll another pure dragon again, but I made up for it with the colors, just like Velvet.

So, this is Wildberry, Reliance’ mom! I imagine she’d kind of act like Calypso from the Odyssey (or Epic because I haven’t fully read the Odyssey) but she’s not an abuser ❤️ Just an overbearing person who acts oblivious to other people’s problems, but actually knows what she’s doing. She HATED lazing around like the other Rainwings, so she had been practicing flying at like an extensive amount compared to the others, just to prepare to leave one day. Unfortunately for her, some soldiers during the Sandwing Succession War had been wandering around the rainforest and spotted her, almost capturing her if she didn’t camouflage and run back to the kingdom. They injured her wings, making her unable to fly, and she obviously grew really bitter about it.

And, that adds to the whole Calypso thing, since she’s basically also stuck on an “island” now. That’s when she meets Reliance’ father, Unnamed Icewing, who I’m thinking was just exiled from the Icewing kingdom and is in really big denial about it. So, Wildberry’s like “Oh, you were “sent” here? Sorry, buddy. This place is like, y’know, a prison. But, that means we’re prisoners together!” To which Unnamed Icewing freaks out. Eventually, romance ensues, and Wildberry gets the courage to explore outside the Rainforest kingdom with Unnamed Icewing by her side, and then they have Reliance.

So, glad to be back at it, but I really do have to step up my game. Not only is Artfight right around the corner, but I’m also nowhere near close to finishing the challenge. Maybe this’ll take me a year, and if so, I can only pray 🙏

[willowxtor]

GUESS WHOSE DOING ARTFIGHT THIS YEAR!! That’s right, ME ❤️❤️ Had to go for Team Crystal, just look at my art 😭 I even have an OC that’s made out of crystal. My goal for my first ever year of artfight is to just avenge myself whenever someone attacks me. So, check me out on Artfight, my username’s Willowxtor and I don’t know how to link, if you wanna. And, can’t wait for July :)

[willowxtor]

It’s you!! And, since I posted Fisherman’s Requiem I just thought people either didn’t want to read my really long story or the tags didn’t work. So, thank you again :) ❤️

Hi, hi! As per request, I’m posting the writing I’ve done for my Unvale Collab World, Scorpion’s Ribcage, on here! It’s just the same world as “Fisherman’s Requiem” except it’s an alternate universe where the people are different and the war isn’t happening yet. Also, if you don’t know what a Collab World is, at least on Unvale, basically it’s where other people can make OC’s to be included in your world. And, there are these things called events, where you write scenarios out for the different sides of the world and then people vote for what happens next while roleplaying in the comments while waiting for the next one to come out. I think it’s super cool :)

So, here’s PART 1: the writing for the Savannah kingdom’s side!!

TW: Declaration of War, Religious Guy Having a Whole Speech, Overworked People

The crowd of the Savannah’s people were murmuring. “What’s going on?“…”The king doesn’t usually appear in public”…”Even those thieves two months ago didn’t get such a spectacle…” Crowds were only made at the palace if there was a new ruler, a future change to the kingdom. But, even the most optimistic citizens of the Savannah knew Obsan wouldn’t retire. He wouldn’t even retire if he had been reduced to a skinless mass of muscle.

Questions filled the air, filled with confusion, excitement, and worry. Maybe he was going to cut the funding of the musicians to revamp the temple again. Maybe he was lowering the age restriction on joining the army again. Or, maybe he was letting that daughter of his finally become Chief of the military.

The crowd quieted into almost complete silence as Obsan sat on his throne. All staring up at him, even as the sun blinded them. All listening as his voice echoed throughout the palace.

“As you all know, the Plains merchants have reported a decrease in quality goods. They have said their furs are bloodied, jewels shattered, and cloth soiled. They say your work lacks the passion it once did and the quality of their goods have suffered because of it. The Plains say it is my fault. They say I am overworking you. Do you all really believe that?”

“No. It is all a trick, a scam. You all are working hard from your own volition. All of you, feeding your families, and dreaming of starting your own. That is why you work, to serve your family and your community, to become a true citizen of the Savannah. Only for you to be exploited by the Plains. The Plains have meats and riches far beyond us, yet they complain about some stray hairs in their fur coats and coppers turning green. It is their gluttony for our goods that has increased the demand tenfold, that has increased your workload tenfold. King Efraín of the Plains is becoming a tyrant. His belief in a world without a god has caused him to believe in human’s absolute power. He believes we are better off without our morals, our lessons from the past, taught to us as consequences from the dragons. He will send humanity into the depths of the forgotten for his own pride. Would you want all you have worked for to be forgotten because of the actions of an egotistical man?”

“No. I think not. That is why I have come to a conclusion…For exploiting my people, your livelihoods, and having the will to drive humanity into ashes…I declare war against the Plains.”

…

There was a vote for the crowd to either cheer or be appalled and my people on Unvale voted for cheering, but after being like “Uh…yknow what, YEAH!! I never liked those Plains types anyway!” I also had a roleplay with @MacaRomy on Unvale, whose the creator of Obsan’s daughter, Sasha, where he decided to send a diplomat out to the Plains to “try and resolve it” to appease his daughter, but if it was resolved, then there wouldn’t be a story, so…

[willowxtor]

Here is PART 3: the “writing” for the Valley kingdom’s side, that I definitely put the same effort into as the other two parts. And, you should go check them out for context :)

TW: Uh…

OMG I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO WRITE FOR THIS. I PUT MY WHOLE WRITING BRAIN INTO THE OTHER TWO AND NOW I HAVE NOTHING. I had an idea for the Savannah and the Plains because, well, they’re reacting to the war declaration. But, since the Valley lives in…a Valley 😦 They have no clue what’s going on out there. The only idea I have is that Idaeus has this weird gut feeling that they should send the diplomats out early to check on the other kingdoms. I do also have an idea for Harper, (By @theHarperJackel!!), to be the one that’s encouraging him, just because she wants to leave. So, I guess the voting for this side is for people to either listen or be like “…Okay, peepaw, time to get you to bed…” I’m so sorry, they’re literally just living out their life in the beginning of the story, I swear they get interesting later on 😭

…

So…Yeah. My people on Unvale voted to leave mostly, Ikuneho on Unvale voted to just not care since her character, Acacia, relative of Idaeus, the king, also did not care. I also had a roleplay with IlluminatingSunray27 on Unvale, the creator of Eudokia, Idaeus’ wife, where it was just a cute moment of her comforting him. She also has a character whose Eudokia’s brother, Alexios, and I designed his husband :) The husband, Ezequiel, IS just based on Faruq from “Fisherman’s Requiem” in an alternate universe where the guy could’ve been happily married, but not to the Plains prince since he doesn’t exist in this version.

[willowxtor]

I’m posting the writing I’ve done for my Unvale Collab World into parts since it’s three different kingdom’s views on the same thing. If you want context, you can go check out the first part, which is the Savannah kingdom!

So, here is PART 2: the writing for the Plains kingdom!!

TW: Declaration of War, Guy Imagining Hurting People

“He will send humanity into the depths of the forgotten…”

“What is this?!” Efraín slammed the paper onto the table. The Savannah’s declaration of war.

“Becoming a tyrant he says…My people have the right to complain if the goods aren’t up to their standards! I knew that man was stubborn…But, not to the point of starting a war?! Our kingdoms have held an alliance for centuries and he’s destroying it because his people can’t pick at some stone?! Oh, I’d have half a mind to go over to that bastard’s palace if I wasn’t-“

Efraín pauses, before sighing heavily, trying to recoup himself by ruffling his hair.

“…If I was younger, then that man would have already been dead where he stands…Oh, but now…I have family who have never known battle…They know how to fight…But, they do not know what bloodshed looks like…If I had to see my little Cass on the battlefield…Ugh-!” Efraín slammed his fist against the desk again.

“I can’t bear to see my family hurt by any of those Savannah men…But, I am Efraín. The Human Axe…The Man Who Strangled Crocodiles With His Bare Hands…The One Man Who Won Against His Father’s Whole Military…Fighting is all I am known for…I would lose respect for myself…If I don’t fight back…I would be a coward…”

“My kingdom is cornered…If we were to not fight, then we would be surrendering…I can’t bear the idea of living under some narcissist’s rule…Under Obsan…I cannot surrender…I refuse to surrender…The Savannah blocks our main exit, if we were to go through there, we would already be attacked for being in their territory…The Valley is our only way out…But, I know they will be confused at our sudden presence…afraid…I know Idaeus has ties with Obsan, so if we’re not careful, he could alert Obsan to where we moved…I do not want another kingdom to be caught in this war…But, if I find out a messenger was sent…I can’t guarantee there will continue to be a Valley kingdom”

Efraín puts his head in his hands, slumping against the desk.

“…What do I do?…”

…

The vote was for either Efraín to prepare to fight back or to run away into the Valley kingdom and my people on Unvale chose to fight back. I also had a roleplay with RosemaryBirds on Unvale, the creator of Cassian, Efraín’s nephew, where it was him telling Cass “We might go to war” and then Cass going “WHAT” but, well, in a more emotional way :)

[willowxtor]

Hi, hi! As per request, I’m posting the writing I’ve done for my Unvale Collab World, Scorpion’s Ribcage, on here! It’s just the same world as “Fisherman’s Requiem” except it’s an alternate universe where the people are different and the war isn’t happening yet. Also, if you don’t know what a Collab World is, at least on Unvale, basically it’s where other people can make OC’s to be included in your world. And, there are these things called events, where you write scenarios out for the different sides of the world and then people vote for what happens next while roleplaying in the comments while waiting for the next one to come out. I think it’s super cool :)

So, here’s PART 1: the writing for the Savannah kingdom’s side!!

TW: Declaration of War, Religious Guy Having a Whole Speech, Overworked People

The crowd of the Savannah’s people were murmuring. “What’s going on?“…”The king doesn’t usually appear in public”…”Even those thieves two months ago didn’t get such a spectacle…” Crowds were only made at the palace if there was a new ruler, a future change to the kingdom. But, even the most optimistic citizens of the Savannah knew Obsan wouldn’t retire. He wouldn’t even retire if he had been reduced to a skinless mass of muscle.

Questions filled the air, filled with confusion, excitement, and worry. Maybe he was going to cut the funding of the musicians to revamp the temple again. Maybe he was lowering the age restriction on joining the army again. Or, maybe he was letting that daughter of his finally become Chief of the military.

The crowd quieted into almost complete silence as Obsan sat on his throne. All staring up at him, even as the sun blinded them. All listening as his voice echoed throughout the palace.

“As you all know, the Plains merchants have reported a decrease in quality goods. They have said their furs are bloodied, jewels shattered, and cloth soiled. They say your work lacks the passion it once did and the quality of their goods have suffered because of it. The Plains say it is my fault. They say I am overworking you. Do you all really believe that?”

“No. It is all a trick, a scam. You all are working hard from your own volition. All of you, feeding your families, and dreaming of starting your own. That is why you work, to serve your family and your community, to become a true citizen of the Savannah. Only for you to be exploited by the Plains. The Plains have meats and riches far beyond us, yet they complain about some stray hairs in their fur coats and coppers turning green. It is their gluttony for our goods that has increased the demand tenfold, that has increased your workload tenfold. King Efraín of the Plains is becoming a tyrant. His belief in a world without a god has caused him to believe in human’s absolute power. He believes we are better off without our morals, our lessons from the past, taught to us as consequences from the dragons. He will send humanity into the depths of the forgotten for his own pride. Would you want all you have worked for to be forgotten because of the actions of an egotistical man?”

“No. I think not. That is why I have come to a conclusion…For exploiting my people, your livelihoods, and having the will to drive humanity into ashes…I declare war against the Plains.”

…

There was a vote for the crowd to either cheer or be appalled and my people on Unvale voted for cheering, but after being like “Uh…yknow what, YEAH!! I never liked those Plains types anyway!” I also had a roleplay with @MacaRomy on Unvale, whose the creator of Obsan’s daughter, Sasha, where he decided to send a diplomat out to the Plains to “try and resolve it” to appease his daughter, but if it was resolved, then there wouldn’t be a story, so…

[willowxtor]

Hi, hi! So…I made another clangen called CrystalClan. I think I realized why I still haven’t gotten the VanillaClan allegiances out and that’s because I get bored of ref sheets. So sorry if you’re still waiting for that, by the way. But, for CrystalClan, I’ve decided for the sake of my motivation to just draw a png of a cat when they die, Aka, less things to draw 🙏

So, the first one to die in CrystalClan was Curlshade, the founding med cat. She was already really old when the clan started, but I didn’t want to waste the younger cats who could be getting food, plus, she can’t retire. She didn’t do too much before she died, just being a favorite among the kits, especially Brownkit, who became her apprentice. When they went on a patrol, they found a dead queen and his kits, so they took them into the clan. But, my favorite thing about her was when Verbena joined the clan because everyone was so mean to Verbena for no reason, I guess because she was an ex-PrivetClan cat, but still?? Curlshade was the only one who didn’t bully her and even told Sootback, the guy who literally let Verbena join but was still an ass about it, to back off.

I wasn’t too attached to her, but the effects of her death were still a little sad. When she died, she left both Brownpaw and Verbena alone, and the bullying got to the point where Verbena literally hid in the apprentices den because people wouldn’t leave her alone. Fortunately, Sootback started to become a better person after his scolding, helping Brownpaw in the medicine den, and even complimenting Verbena’s hunting. Unfortunately, Verbena and Brownpaw aren’t close at all despite Curlshade, barely interacting, and when they do, it is NOT positive, like someone stealing from Verbena and she thinks it could’ve been him and how Brownpaw’s close to Sootback, who, despite no longer bullying Verbena, has turned into an accidental stalker. Otherwise, though, things in the clan are running pretty smoothly

[willowxtor]

Hi, hi! Listen, I know I said I would post the WC allegiances today….But, I recently downloaded Worldbox and it has infested my brain!! So, instead of working on the ref sheets, I wrote a whole 3.4 K WORD FIC ABOUT SOME WORLDBOX OC’S THAT DIDN’T EVEN EXIST. I’m so sorry, but I swear the allegiances will be posted eventually!

In the meantime, here’s the fic, if you want to read it! And, writing tips would be greatly appreciated because I’ve never done something like this before! My only writing experience are those one page essays in English class 😭

TW: Death, Starvation, & War

Fisherman’s Requiem

I remember what Gandabara was like when I was a boy. There was a distinct smell of sea salt in the air that you couldn’t even wash off of your clothes. There was the hustle and bustle of fishermen taking their catch to and fro in the market. The shouts and yells of children who had just caught their first fish. I remember how lively it was back then and now I can only hope it goes back to that.

Gandabara was built on the coastal fishing industry, being the only village that wasn’t encased in the cage. It was our daily routine to fish. You got up in the morning to eat fish, spent your day catching fish, took turns sitting in market stalls to sell fish, and then went to sleep surrounded by the sounds of the waves and more fish. It was quite a monotonous life, but I somehow never grew tired of it. Maybe it was the one day I wanted to try something different from fish. A crab.

I caught a few in a net one day (I still think it was one of my best hauls), and wanted to know what crab meat was like. Big mistake on my part, for when I grabbed one out of the net, it seemed to not care for my young mind and its little pincers cut my lip. I remember suddenly dropping the crab and scurrying away, scaring a few other fishermen until one put it in his net. I was now crying, all because of a crab, and everyone stared at me. My mother heard me and carried me in her arms, shushing me in front of everyone on the dock. I remember no one knew my name, no one learned each other’s name in the village, but now people did. Only, it wasn’t the name given to me by my poor mother, but “Crablips.” It still embarrasses me to this day. And, I am glad people’s attention is drawn to my larger, more recent scars than it.

But, as embarrassed as I was, life kept living and so did I. I continued my monotonous life, even with the people calling me “Crablips,” and would’ve been content that way.

…

It was all very sudden, the war. I didn’t understand why there were strange and brightly clothed men walking through our village. They took control of our little fishing village in exchange for more than two-thirds of our produce every day. While I do not recall any bloodshed held against me or anyone in public, I do recall the starvation.

I remember the once burly fishermen, who could carry what looked like 200 pounds of fish on their shoulders, now reduced to scrawny old men with loose skin. The fishermen who once had a fire in their eyes, for the art of catching the food that would then be prepared by another, more meticulous art form, were now dead. Though not always physically, there was still no use for a dying soul in another, slowly dying body. It was the worst era of the cage and one I do not like having personal experience with. But, there was one boy who seemed to be having the hardest time adjusting.

The prince of the Plains, the son of the Great Dire, the heir to a kingdom full of meat and luxury, is now reduced to a fisherman. When the Savannah invaded the Plains, they murdered the young prince’s father in front of him. His whole family. They could have killed him too, to end the Plains bloodline as a whole, but they didn’t. It wasn’t out of pity or remorse for a young boy, but to show the Plains what they now were. Weak and hungry. They kept him alive to humiliate not only him but the entire Plains kingdom.

When he was first moved to our village, everyone only stared. No one knew what to think of the boy who was a reminder that no one could help us, or protect us. But, it all started when a fisherman, one who I recall sold his fish across from me, gave the boy new clothes. Soon enough, another fisherman came up to him to teach him how to fish. Then, another gave him scraps of his latest haul. The village started to accept the poor boy as one of their own, not like a prince above them, but an equal. I think it was hard for him to accept this new truth.

He was around my age, a few moons older from what I remember. I remember glancing at him while I was fishing, his handiwork was that of a toddler, barely able to catch anything unless one of the fishermen helped. I think it was when I giggled, that he looked back at me, to which I immediately turned away and pretended I did no such thing. This happened more than once. I never caught the look on his face before I turned away.

One day, I was sitting on the side of the dock, waiting for something to snag at the end of my line. That was until I felt the weight shift on the dock next to me. I looked over and it was the prince. Now, I was quite nervous. I thought he was going to tell me off for my earlier actions. And, if he wasn’t, I never had a friend before, at least, as much of a friend as someone sitting next to you is. I don’t recall the few minutes of us sitting in silence helping either. But, I decided to be the one to strike up a conversation

…

“So…Uhm……Nice weather today, huh?…”

It was raining.

“I mean- Well- Rain’s a good thing, you know? Keeps the plants healthy and waters the ocean…?”

He proceeded to still not respond for the next two minutes.

“….Do you need-“

“Why do you have a scar on your lip?” he asked suddenly, reaching out his hand and gently brushing a finger over my scar

“Oh- Uhm- I……got it from a…crab…” I flinched when he reached out his hand, not that the scar still hurt, but from his boldness. I wasn’t used to touch and I didn’t know why this boy I barely knew was already so comfortable

“A crab?…If you don’t want to tell me, it’s alright,” he said quietly, taking away his finger when he saw me flinch, keeping his hand on the side of my face

“No, no, no…I don’t….I’m not hiding how I got it…It’s just…actually from a crab..” I didn’t know how to feel about my current situation, and looking back on it now, I still don’t quite recall why I didn’t pull away

“Ah…I didn’t know crabs were dangerous..”

“Well…They’re not, really….Just a dumb thing that happened when I was a kid..”

He simply hummed at my words, the two of us sitting in silence once again. I was starting to get uncomfortable, wanting to at least adjust my position, so my neck wouldn’t be cramping. But, I didn’t want to bother this strange moment between us, if I would lose his hand on my cheek if I suddenly moved. I think it was his eyes that led me to that conclusion. A bright, piercing green, which I didn’t know how to describe as a boy. It was like he could see through me, through my soul, hearing all of the things I was currently thinking and ever thought.

“…Why are you so quiet?” he asked as if he wasn’t the one who had been silent for most of this conversation

“I…don’t know what you mean..?”

“I expected you to be talking quite a lot…After all, you seem to be having fun whenever you watch me struggle…giggling…But, now that I’m next to you, you seem to be nervous…stuttering…Are you uncomfortable now? Are you uncomfortable now that the one you’ve been mocking for years is touching you? So close to you?…” he asks quietly, his tone suddenly becoming more imposing. He holds my cheek a little tighter, his eyes narrow slightly, his eyes piercing even deeper into me

I was completely caught off-guard at his words, “Huh?- Wait- No, no, no, no- I’m not- I didn’t mean to make fun of you- I just- Uh-“

“Found my devastation amusing?”

“No! No, no, no- Not at all! I just- I just thought the way you were holding the rod was, you know, silly! I- I thought you were just playing around, promise!” I raised my hands like a surrender, shutting my eyes and shaking my hands profusely, afraid of incurring whatever wrath a starving 16-year-old could unleash

I was surprised when he suddenly let go of my face. When I opened my eyes to see what had happened, he was already gone. And, that affected me more than I’d like to admit

…

I can still imagine every detail of my interaction with the prince, the feeling of his finger against my lips, the little twitches of his hand as he cupped my cheek, seeming to be trying to understand my face. It’s quite a peculiar memory that I have, one even I don’t understand why I think so much about. I can’t even recall most of the details of our next meetings.

I know that a day afterward, I searched for him to properly apologize for laughing at him. I know I found him somewhere far along the beaches. I know he accepted my apology, but he looked so surprised. I still don’t understand his behavior. But, I know that I, in turn, quietly told him where my mother’s house was in case he needed me

One day, he showed up at my doorstep, asking me to show him how to fish. I wasn’t quite sure why that’s what he wanted from me, as I was sure he must have learned it over the years of staying at the village, but I agreed. It was quite awkward from what I remember. I tried to show him how to throw the line as far as his rock went when he skipped it across the water, but then I fell over the dock. I quickly swam back up and, after coughing a little, told him I was alright, but he simply said nothing and walked up the dock to cast. I remember the water being quite cold, which wasn’t helped by how wet my clothes were now, but I tried not to show how I shivered to him.

When he tried it, he too fell into the water, his steps almost a little too large and unnatural. He didn’t know how to swim, which I realized when he wasn’t surfacing back up. In a panic, I dove into the water and frantically grabbed at his shirt. When he was too heavy for me to carry him that way, I carried him by the armpits, but he was still strangely…light...as if he had already submitted to me saving him. When we came back to the surface, we were both coughing and sopping wet, but otherwise in silence. I then broke that silence.

I do not remember what I said, only that I was yelling while shaking his shoulders. I do not know why this one man was the reason I had yelled for the first time in my life, but I guess I was still as emotional as I used to be. He did not interrupt me, he did not refute whatever claims I made. But, he simply looked up at me and wrapped a cloth around the both of us, the sides of our arms touching. We sat in silence once again, staring off into the sea, but still feeling eyes on me. The last thing I remember were my words to him before I left to go back to my mother’s house

“…Don’t do that again”

“…..I won’t,” he muttered

…

He visited my doorstep more often. I continued to teach him how to fish and, eventually, how to swim. Swimming wasn’t important when it came to this island, all other islands being thousands of waves away. But, if you’re a fisherman, it was an important skill, if you didn’t want to drown after falling off the dock. Which we did, a lot. After his lessons, we’d just lie down on the beach, and stare up into the dark sky. Sometimes, we fell asleep there, other times, we went our separate ways.

One night, he fell asleep next to me. I did not. I just stared at him, watching his chest rise and fall slowly. His eyes were closed, but I still couldn’t look away. I remember slowly reaching out my hand and brushing my finger over the two moles beneath his eye. A sign of his lineage, so perfectly aligned. I felt him flinch, taking my finger away, thinking he was waking up, but he didn’t. So, I simply cupped his cheek. His skin was somehow soft, even with the state of our kingdom. It comforted me, enough for me to soon fall asleep with my hand still on his cheek. Perhaps this was a strange thing to do. I did not know if my feelings were romantic, or if I simply sought connection. But, when I woke up, I simply took my hand off his cheek and waited for him to wake up.

I miss the feeling.

…

The rest of our days together are all blurred with one another. We continued meeting up on the beaches for his swimming lessons, then went to the dock for fishing. Our market stalls were right next to each other, so we talked the whole day when customers were slow. I think we both noticed that he was paid much less than me, with even more taken from him. I’m sure this was a way for the Savannah to keep reminding him of who he was, to humiliate him. But, I fed him my fish in secret, anyway.

When my mother succumbed to starvation, it was the first time I had cried in years. She knew me and the prince were friends and said nothing when I brought him home for dinner. She simply treated him like another son. I think he saw her as he did his mother. And, I wept and wept into his arms, gripping his shoulders and staining his shirt, but he just held me. He shushed me quietly, rubbing my back. We grew closer because of that, the both of us losing our parents. I’d say it was like he was comforting his younger self. But, I think it also awakened something in him, something that he was tired of hiding

One day, we left Gandabara, just to stare at the capital. At what was once his home. I could tell he was starting to get emotional and I reached out to hold him, just like how he did to me. But, he gently brought my arms back to me. I glanced down at him, trying to understand what he was thinking. He didn’t look back at me, but he simply spoke

“…Do you know why we’re here?” he asked softly, and I answered with a shake of my head, he continued, “…I’m nearing my 20th birthday…Almost half of my life away from my home…Of those animals killing my family…I cannot bear to live with the thought…

…I want to start a rebellion,” he turned to look at me

I think I froze at his words. I had thought about rebelling against the Savannah when I was younger, but I never thought it was possible. But, as I stared into his eyes, I knew he wouldn’t have listened, even if I tried to make him reconsider. He was a replica of his father after all, always set in his ways until it was too late. I had brought Gandabara to our cause and even convinced other nearby villages. I remember, before the battle, I had one last conversation with the prince.

“…We’re really doing this?..”

“…We need to avenge the Plains. Even if we die in battle, we need to inspire the rest of the kingdom for what must be done. I have watched my people starve for almost 10 years of my life and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I refuse to fail them once more.”

“……If we live, then maybe I won’t be known as “Crablips” anymore, eh?” I flashed him a toothy smile

“…I doubt it…It’s the only interesting thing about you,” he said like it was a state of fact

��Wha- Hey! I’m trying to lighten the mood here! And, after everything we’ve been through, that’s what you say?! I can’t believe I’m friends with you!” I retorted back, pretending to be offended, crossing my arms and turning my head away

A small smile appeared on his face, “…You’re a good man, Faruq…

…A good man.”

…

I do not recall what happened during the rebellion. Perhaps my mind wanted to spare me the sight, or maybe it’s my age talking. My body remembers it, after all, it covered me in scars and took away my arm. But, I’m afraid I can’t recall who gave me those scars. I do not know if the fisherman who sold his fish across from me is alive. I do not know if the children who knew me as “Crablips” are alive.

What I do know is that my prince is dead. I think he took the blow that was aimed to kill me. I remember seeing his body drop onto the ground and how I screamed while running towards him. I held him as close as I could with my one arm, for what felt like my entire lifespan. I think I was crying. I think I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to gently shush him. He made no noise. But, I thought I could pretend he was alive for just a few more minutes. I stared into his wide, green eyes for as long as I could. I watched the life that I held to such a high standard fade away. I did not take his body with me. I simply ran and never looked back.

…

I do not know why I wrote this. Maybe so I wouldn’t forget him as I aged. But, I would be lying to myself. Maybe to just reminisce on my younger years, when everything was so simple when he was still alive. I dream sometimes, of alternate realities where he survived as well. Perhaps we would have run away together. Perhaps I would have confessed my strange feelings towards him. Maybe we would have married. But, dreaming doesn’t resurrect the dead.

Sometimes, I wonder what he thinks of me now. Would he be disappointed? Perhaps he hates what I have done to his story, what I have told the public. The world now knows him as the prince who no longer wanted to fail his people, but also a man who fought valiantly in battle with his father’s coat on his shoulders, and who spit on the dead body of the man who killed him. He no longer saw himself as the prince of the Plains but as an equal to his people. But, no one else knows that.

Maybe I am selfish. For not listening to his wishes, despite our bond. For letting the world see him for what he wasn’t. But, I couldn’t bear the thought of people not worshipping him like I did. I still saw him as the prince of the Plains. And, now, so does everyone else. I do not know if those who knew him as a village boy are still alive. I do not know if anyone remembers me.

Maybe I wrote this, so I could reminisce on my decision to share his story. So, I could remember he wouldn’t have wanted this, how he’d be disappointed in my cowardice. Or maybe, he’d be proud of me. Maybe he smiles at me for how I have helped his people become independent again. How I have memorialized him in history. I even commissioned a statue of him to be built back in Gandabara, with emeralds for eyes

…

It has been 50 years since his death. I do not know why I cannot stop thinking about what a dead man would think about me. I do not even know if there is an afterlife for him to be watching over me in the first place. I can only hope he is waiting for me. And, even, even if the first thing he does is shout and yell about how much he hates me. I get to see him look at me again. And, that is enough for me.

[willowxtor]

Hi, hi! Just wanted to ask if anyone could give me ideas for cats in my fanclan, VanillaClan. Since this my first fanclan made from scratch and not clangen, I have to write stuff out myself and it’s been really fun! Only problem is, I know the clan should be pretty full, but I have 10 WHOLE CATS, 5 of them are just my human Oc’s turned cat, and 3 of them are from my post on Unvale also asking for ideas.

It doesn’t have to be, like, the description of a whole guy, could just be a design, a little description, or backstory. If anyone responds, the gist of the clan is basically: Plague spreads through coastal territory, survivors search dangerous rainforest for cure and new home. But, they don’t have to be from the coast or the rainforest, it could be anyone. Like how the two elders I have are from what is basically the basalt deltas from Minecraft and someone on Unvale suggested a jaguar that was raised as an exotic pet and now has no clue what to do. But that was mainly because they just aren’t in the WC fandom, so it was the first cat they thought of

But, anyways, ideas are greatly appreciated!!

[willowxtor]

Reblogging with my yapping because it won’t load for some reason??

Hi, hi! Just wanted to show off my FIRST EVER animatic! I think it turned out really good, but I think you can tell what frames I locked in for

Also, tips are very much appreciated! Especially how to edit with Capcut because, while I decided to use it for this because I’m just more familiar, the only things I know how how to do is split and add frames, add audio, and make transitions. That’s all I got 😭

Also, also, fun fact, this is my first ever fanclan made from scratch! Usually they’re based on clangen, so I’m having a lot of fun just writing out my own kitties. If anyone wants to know more about Seasalt and Lakesong (the two in the video) then you can absolutely ask!

TW: Flash, Blood, Animal Death, Abuse

[willowxtor]

TW: Flash, Blood, Animal Death, Abuse

[willowxtor]

Beryl and Mulberry are the new characters in the excerpt for book 16! I think you can find it by looking on the account wingsoffirenews and scrolling down a bit. It should be the post that has a doc of what Tui read at the fan fest

Spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read the excerpt!

I am SO excited for book 16. In fact, I’m so excited that I told my parents and they do NOT care /hj. But, I do feel like we’re getting a parallel of Icicle and Scarlet with Sora and Beryl. Like, they’re both duos with a child whose trying to do their best after losing a sibling and finds relief in some creepy Skywing. There also might be a parallel of Sora and Icicle to Scarlet and Beryl, but I don’t really know. Because, I know Icicle and Sora weren’t on the best of terms after Sora literally tried to blow her up, but I have no clue as to why Beryl’s on Scarlet’s hit list. Which also might be because I haven’t read the guidebook 😭

I’ve never done one of these thinking posts before. But, really, the question here is if I’m cooking or if I’m Carnelian’s charred remains right now

[willowxtor]

Spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read the excerpt!

I am SO excited for book 16. In fact, I’m so excited that I told my parents and they do NOT care /hj. But, I do feel like we’re getting a parallel of Icicle and Scarlet with Sora and Beryl. Like, they’re both duos with a child whose trying to do their best after losing a sibling and finds relief in some creepy Skywing. There also might be a parallel of Sora and Icicle to Scarlet and Beryl, but I don’t really know. Because, I know Icicle and Sora weren’t on the best of terms after Sora literally tried to blow her up, but I have no clue as to why Beryl’s on Scarlet’s hit list. Which also might be because I haven’t read the guidebook 😭

I’ve never done one of these thinking posts before. But, really, the question here is if I’m cooking or if I’m Carnelian’s charred remains right now