#Storm Ridge Ranch

[stargazer-sims]

The boys are in Chestnut Ridge!

Victor and Yuri brought Storm to Chestnut Ridge. Storm did not appreciate the process of travelling as much as the guys did. When they got there, he was too worked up to even notice this pretty mare.

Storm: That's close enough! Any closer, and I will stomp on you!

Storm: *screams in suburban horse*

Yuri: Do you think he'll be okay?

Victor: I'm sure he'll be fine. He just needs time to calm down.

Storm: I'm warning you...

Victor: Look at me, brave boy. It's okay. You're gonna love it here. Think of all the exercise you're gonna get, and look at all this fresh grass.

Storm: No! I'm still mad, and... Ooh wait, is that a carrot in your pocket? Can I have it?

meanwhile

Yuri: Look how pretty you are! You could probably use a bath to do something about that smell, though. Do you belong to anyone? Are you a boy or a girl? Do you have a name?

Yuri: If you don't already belong to someone, maybe you can belong to me.

It seems Storm is still mad at Victor.

Storm: So long, buddy.

Victor: Ow... my ego.

Victor: Rude!

Storm: Rude!

Victor: Look, I'm sorry about the travelling, but we had to get you here somehow. We couldn't just leave you behind. You'll have a good time here, I promise, but we have to work together. Can you do that?

Storm: Okay. I guess. I mean, I like being with you, and there are probably lots of places to explore around here.

Victor: Can we try that again?

After Victor asked nicely for Storm's cooperation, things went a lot more smoothly.

Victor: See, isn't this better?

Storm: Actually, yes. It is.

Yuri: Right, then. I've seen people doing this on television. I'm sure it can't be very difficult.

Well done, Yuri! Got it on the first try!

Yuri: And to think you doubted me. How rude!

Yuri: All right, let's just take it slowly. We'll have a nice, leisurely little ride and get to know each other. How about that?

Storm doesn't know the meaning of 'leisurely'. Just like Victor, he needed to burn off some energy after being made to stay still for too long.

Storm: Yee-haw! Isn't that what they say out here? You better hang on!

Victor: I don't remember asking you to run!

Eventually, Storm settled into a brisk walk, and he and Victor enjoyed some truly beautiful scenery.

After a short ride around the property, Yuri had some trouble getting down from his horse.

Yuri: A little help, please!

All's well that ends well, and Yuri has made a lovely new friend.

She still needs a name.

#ts4 #sims 4 #sims 4 horse ranch #ts4 horse ranch #chestnut ridge #yuri okamoto #victor nelson #Storm Okamoto-Nelson #stargazersims

[mickimagnum]

Besides her mom, Logan's other best friend is her horse, Storm. In between studying and chores at the ranch, she works to prepare him for the day they begin competing.

#logan cassidy #storm the paint #high winds ranch #chestnut ridge #sims 4 horses #sims 4 horse ranch #simblr #the sims 4 #sims community #ts4 #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 screenshots #my sims

[pigeonleap]

map for my story, featuring full color and Clan borders! I've been having a lot of fun with this. Please send any questions in asks, I would love to talk about it!

Notes under cut

setting is the Colorado Rockies but obviously I have made up everything here

this is kind of a side view so that you can see mountains better so you can't see a lot of Blizzard's plains. Off to the right is what the cats call a "town" because they haven't seen one, it's really a couple ranches that have cats at them.

A lot of the place names are possessive (e.g. Eagle's Meadow) which means they're named after important members of the Clans' history.

Storm has a bigger territory than Blizzard, mostly due to access - Blizzard has more plains off to the east and is obstructed by mountains to the west, though they're expanding in that direction.

Neither territory is big. I am not good with scale but it's not meant to look like a ton of acreage: this is because the cats face heavy predation, with the woods full of almost every large North American carnivore you could think of. The clans are both small in population.

The unclaimed land from Cloud's Tooth to Sky's Heart will probably remain unclaimed and serves as a sort of political buffer. It's also just not great land. No one wants the freakin' Tempest Drop, and Thunder Ridge is very dangerous too.

You'll notice there is no designated sacred place of worship. StarClan is unlike canon in my story, which I may go into later. StormClan is extremely pious, but BlizzardClan doesn't care all that much because they have a lower rate of clairvoyants. Storm cats travel to the summit of the Cloud's Tooth to prove themselves as a Prophet, because they're extra. And, you know, the Stars will not let you survive the journey if you're not worthy, which can be interpreted however you want! Maybe your Prophet-to-be was just not a good hiker!

Besides the ranch "Human Town" to the east, and the long-abandoned Thunder Ridge, there is no human intervention in the area for many miles. Thunder Ridge, a steep backbone of boulders with not enough switchbacks, proved to be too dangerous (three guesses how) for humans after a tragic accident, and the trail was closed.

Lots of elk in the Colorado Rockies! The Clans respect elk and consider it a great honor that their river is named after the large and majestic animals. This would be flattering for elk if they knew about it, probably.

#warrior cats #warriors #wc #warriors ocs #oc #oc map #map #blackflood #rowanleaf #i need a name for this so bad #thinking maybe “summer thunder” #tentatively tagging #summer thunder

[jungle-angel]

Prairie Thunder

Another unbearably hot evening had come to the Floyd ranch, rendering everyone and everything miserable, including the critters. God, even the rooster wouldn’t crow in the morning nor would the cattle want to come away from the ponds. Everybody had been a disgusting, sweaty mess that reeked of b.o and horses, something that clung to them as though its life depended on it. 

Bob let out a deep breath he had been holding in as he rubbed himself down with a rag that had been soaked in freezing cold water just a few minutes before. The cold shower had felt like heaven, washing away all that grime and grit that was just an everyday part of life. 

He had ventured downstairs, everyone deep asleep, save for the eerie sound of an old slide guitar being played outside. Bob smiled and shook his head. Well, guess we all know who’s up at this ungodly hour.....he thought. 

Out to the porch he went, his skin blasted by the lingering heat of the day as the cold of the house flew away from him. Sue enough, there was Joe, his fingers picking away at the old slide guitar that had been passed down from his great-grandfather. 

“Still playin along to Elvis, Dad?” 

Joe laughed a little and looked up at his son. “Heartbreak Hotel,” he said. “Remember when Grandpa Jack used to play that for you?” 

Bob could hardly forget. “Like it was yesterday.” 

Joe soon went back to picking away yet the tune was interrupted suddenly by the unnerving roll of thunder in the distance. A chill ran down Bob’s back, his arms and his neck. It wasn’t often that he felt unnerved by thunderstorms, in fact as a child he loved them. But there was something about tonight that was chilling.....even spooky. 

Joe picked away at the guitar as Bob watched the black skies rolling in from the east, the music reminding him oddly enough of a story his grandfather had told him as a child. Joe’s voice melded together with the music and the thunder, deep, eerie and almost otherworldly. 

“ An old cowboy went riding out One dark and windy day Upon a ridge he rested As he went along his way

When all at once a mighty herd Of red eyed cows he saw Plowin' through the ragged skies And up the cloudy draw

Their brands were still on fire And their hooves were made of steel Their horns were black and shiny And their hot breath he could feel

A bolt of fear went through him As they thundered through the sky For he saw the riders coming hard And he heard their mournful cry

Yippie-yi-o Yippie-yi-yay Ghost riders in the sky....” 

Bob leaned against the porch post and seated himself with one leg hanging over the edge and the other drawn towards his chest. It wasn’t long before another crack of thunder was heard and Bob had begun to join his father, their voices becoming one with the music. 

“ Their faces gaunt Their eyes were blurred Their shirts all soaked with sweat He's riding hard to catch that herd But he ain't caught 'em yet'

Cause they've got to ride forever On that range up in the sky On horses snorting fire As they ride on, hear their cry

As the riders loped on by him He heard one call his name 'If you wanna save your soul From hell a-riding on our range

Then, cowboy, change your ways today Or with us you will ride Trying to catch the devil's herd Across these endless skies

Yippie-yi-o Yippie-yi-yay Ghost riders in the sky

Ghost riders in the sky Ghost riders in the sky”

The storm kept rolling in, the two men totally unafraid of its presence or power. Bob began to wonder if the thunder was really what it was, believing for a moment that the ghosts of every cowboy and Indian in history were riding across the dark skies, unseen by the naked eye. He wouldn’t doubt it. After all, the plains had a strange way of speaking to the soul. 

#top gun maverick #bob floyd #bob floyd top gun #original characters #bob and his dad

[tri-poke]

Demon Tooth huffs in agreement, turning to follow his gaze with hers.

Up on the ridge, Cookie waves with the phosphor gun, so the reflected light of the metal barrel makes her motion easy to see. She pumps her arm in victory a couple of times. Then she aims the phosphor gun back toward the ranch so Zach can see the telltale sign of a herd in motion, a huge rolling wedge of a dust-cloud with the leading chisel-edge at ground level, cutting through the loose dirt before it, and the trailing dome growing up before the vertical eastern face of the Western Wall until it expands too wide to show. It's quite a sight with the flashing darkness of the storm raging ever greater on the Wall's top, higher than birds dare to fly, billowing above and behind it like a predator that has sighted prey.

But, all in all, it seems as if things are finally falling into order. Even, possibly, going better than anticipated, with the herd already moving out toward him, right on track to meet him.

It won't be long at all before everyone knows that the herd is leaving tonight but it will be too late to do much of anything that hasn't been done already. Because even as Zach watches, the light at the top of the herd's dust-cloud dims, the light leaving as the darkness grows from the sinking sun behind him, coloring the plume of dust into striations of orange and then reds and finally purple before the bone color of moonlight rushing up Western Wall.

Any fool who tries to work with more than just his own familiar Rex who knows them well is gonna get hurt in the coming darkness. So a posse is probably out of the question. Hopefully all the Rexes on the ranch have already been taken care of. Even the gentle giants of the herd will be dangerous enough as it is, just because of size. But at least so far, it seems to be looking as it should. And everything else may just finally be tomorrow's problem.

The world transforms to black shot-through with silver veins like the richest mine that ever could be. The greatest vein that stretches from the Wall to the horizon is tinged with amethyst and thick with light like the sky is a mirror reflecting back the beauty of the Long Wild stretching off into forever beyond human reckoning.

It's not a bad setting for sitting for a spell as the herd makes it to them. First is young Ms. Gale on her fast runner of a Rex, riding point before the herd, who finally signals him that his watch is done and it's safe to fall back to the drag position with Stammers and Revolver to protect the herd's rear from any problem that should have no business occurring at night. Not in a sane world. Though in a sane world today probably shouldn't have happened either.

((and here I will ask if there's anything else you want to do or should we skip ahead? If you're good to skip ahead, please pull just three cards for an oracle, and tell me what they are. Order doesn't matter since it's not a poker hand.))

[rabbitcruiser]

Black Sand Shores, CA (No. 5)

In 1909, an advertisement for the Idlewild Hotel on the Little Sur River stated that the camp would be accessible by auto as soon as the "Cerro Grade", the stretch of road from the coast to the Little Sur River near Cerro Hill, was completed. In 1910, the Monterey Daily Cypress reported that Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Cooper "motored down to Mrs. Martha M. Cooper ranch at Sur, leaving Monterey at 12 midnight and arriving there at 2 a.m." But the road was still very rough, and most goods including cheese produced on the Cooper Ranch was still shipped by boat to Monterey. The Idlewild competed with the Pfeiffer Resort for guests through about 1920, when the Idlewild was forced out of business by Martha Cooper, who acquired the land. In 1904, residents extended the unpaved road from the Pfeiffer Resort to the Post Ranch, and then it was extended another 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south to Castro Canyon, near the present-day location of Deetjen's Big Sur Inn.

As late as the 1920s, only two homes in the entire region had electricity, locally generated by water wheels and windmills. Most of the population lived without power until connections to the California electric grid were established in the early 1950s. The region has always been relatively difficult to access and only the sturdiest and most self-sufficient settlers stayed.

In July 1937, the California Highways and Public Works department described the journey, "There was a narrow, winding, steep road from Carmel south ... approximately 35 miles to the Big Sur River. From that point south to San Simeon, it could only be traveled by horseback or on foot."The southern portion, which was for many years merely a foot and horse trail, became known as the "Coast Ridge Road". It used to begin near the Old Post Ranch. It is currently only accessible on foot from near the Ventana Inn. It passes through private land and connects with the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road. It follows the crest of the coastal ridge south about 34 miles (55 km) to within a couple of miles of Cone Peak.  Both the Old Coast Road and the Coast Ridge Road are often unusable during and after winter storms.

The southern region of Monterey County coast was isolated from the few settlements in the north by the steep terrain. The southern homesteaders were more closely tied to the people in the interior San Antonio Valley including the Jolon and Lockwood areas than to coastal communities to the north. Those who lived in the vicinity of the Big Sur River were connected with Monterey to the north.

A horse trail connected Jolon through present-day Fort Hunter Liggett to Wagon Caves, and from there over the Santa Lucia range, from which two trails split to the coast or to the Los Burros Mining District.

The horse trail across the mountains was widened and improved into a road beginning in 1931, and completed in 1937. The road was constructed by crews composed of men from the Civilian Conservation Corp, U.S. Forest Service, and state and county relief agencies.

Source: Wikipedia

#Black Sand Shores #California State Route 1 #Highway 1 #Pacific Coast Highway #National Scenic Byway #Big Sur #Pacific Ocean #travel #original photography #vacation #tourist attraction #landmark #landscape #seascape #countryside #street scene #road trip #summer 2022 #California #West Coast #Big Sur Coast Highway #nature #flora #grass #tree #USA #blue sky #blue sea #beach #waves

[cdt-toomi-vangrizzle]

The Bob July 12-16

Great Bear/Bob Marshall/Scapegoat Wilderness 

This whole area of multiple wilderness designations, within the Lewis & Clark National Forest, is referred to by locals and hikers as “The Bob.” In the middle there is Benchmark (Front Country) Campground and the Benchmark Wilderness Ranch Camp, which accepts hiker boxes for resupplies. Otherwise, it’s a 30-40 mile hitch out to the nearest towns. We hiked five ~20 mile days from Maria’s Pass to Benchmark. 

Day 1

We hitched out from East Glacier to Maria’s Pass then hiked about 5 miles with our friend Pony from the hostel. My ankles were feeling fine in the morning, but by midday they were in a lot of pain. That slowed my pacing considerably. We took our first “alt” to go around a mountain and shave off a few miles. On the alt, we went through Trapper’s Gulch, which had smooth terrain. Because I was still in pain, Owen suggested I try hiking this flat trail in my camp shoes. So I put on my rubber birks and felt significantly better almost immediately! I hiked in those the rest of the way to a lovely pine needle - cushioned campsite.

Day 2 

We started the morning with an uphill, then we made decent time on some cruisy terrain. We started the day in the forest but transitioned into a burn zone for the afternoon. I found a good technique for wrapping my ankles with ace bandages that prevented my shoes from aggravating my Achilles. We made it to our desired mileage around 4:30, and the available camping was in direct, hot sunlight. So, we pushed on. There wasn’t great camping for a while. A big thunder storm rolled in, with particularly cold wind gusts. We braved our way through that and ended up going a little over 23 miles. We didn’t see the trail junction, but started the Spotted Bear Alternate. That was our intended trail anyways. We finally got to a ranger cabin right as the rain let up. There were 3 national forest employees hanging out there on a night off. We envied their fireplace and warm beds. They let us cook and eat dinner on their porch, then we crossed a river to set up camp on an island.

Day 3

This was a VERY COLD morning! Plus, all of our stuff was wet from the night before. We also had to cross a second river to start hiking. There weren’t any good ways to cross the river except to take off our shoes and ford it. It was mid-shin high and FRIGID. As we got hiking, my ankles were in a lot of pain. To add to the rough start, I hit my head on a downed tree.

However, the day turned around as the weather warmed a bit and we climbed up into the mountains. We ate lunch at Dean Lake with a view of Pentagon Peak. Then we continued into a picturesque mountain valley and climbed up Switchback Pass. A woman coming up the other side advised us to look out for the ripe wild huckleberries on the descent. We found them and ate many; we love huckleberries!

We stayed that night at a campground next to a river with a guy named Wonder from the hostel. I also beat Owen at a game of cribbage after dinner.

Day 4

The day started with a 9 mile cruise in the woods, following the Spotted Bear River. We finished the Spotted Bear Alternate and rejoined the “red line” (main trail). We climbed up a ridge and stayed high most of the day. We passed by My Lake, which seemed like a peaceful spot frequented my moose. Eventually we got to the Chinese Wall, which is a 12 mile long escarpment (a rock wall). It was quite stunning and probably the most beautiful feature we’d seen since Glacier. We walked along the wall for 5-6 miles then finally descended to a campground next to a hidden waterfall into a grotto/pool.

Day 5

We started the day with some cruisy woods walking, which made for fast miles. We got to a river and saw a black bear munching and hanging on the other side of the river. He acknowledged us but remained calm, because the river provided a buffer between us. We continued on and left the woods. We ran into a National Park Service volunteer who called himself Ranger Rick. He gave us tootsie rolls. We walked on and got hot and dry in the sun. We passed the time with some singing. It got hotter and drier. FINALLY, we got to a river, where we washed our clothes, filled our water, and ate lunch. We got to the Benchmark Campground and had to walk another 2 miles down the dirt road (in the sun) to the Benchmark Wilderness Ranch Camp. We eventually got a hitch in the back of a pickup. We got our food from the ranch, hitched back to the Straight Creek Trailhead, and walked in to find a camping spot. We found a great place to camp by the river and took a river bath. It was a lovely end to a hot day.

#cdt #National forest #the bob

[placesthatchangedpeople]

Storm Ridge Ranch parent testimony

My son just opened up for the first time in 3 yrs 5 days ago. He Was at Storm Ridge Ranch for six months from May 5, 2016 to November 2018 right before Thanksgiving. We were lied to by Darren Swalberg and other staff members.

I went to visit my son that November, he was acting extremely paranoid and afraid. His behavior was not normal and he was worse off than when we first sent him there. My son suffers from PSTD from attending Storm Ridge Ranch. He was never abused physically, but he suffered from verbal abuse and mental abuse and they made him and other kids work beyond what anyone should do. He witness little boys being beaten until bloody and one kid was forced to clean up his own blood.

Storm Ridge Ranch hires people who were in prison for assault and battery, drugs, armed robbery, etc... This place was recommended by the state of Utah and that was my reason for choosing it. Please do not send your kids to Storm Ridge Ranch. I sent my son there for horse therapy and ended up sending him to HELL.... Please do not make the same mistakes as all of us parents did. As a response to the person who wrote on Sept 22, 2018. You are wrong and have no right to write a good review. You are probably a staff member or one of the owners.

I know what the Bible says the Holy Bible as Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Not mormon or any other religion. I trust God will make all the wrongs right on behalf of the abused kids and ALL of the Staff members and the Owners will have to meet God Face to Face one day and God will be the Final judge. Jesus suffered a horrific death, But God turned it around to Honor and Glorify him... God is our Redeemer and He redeems in the most perfect way. I pray for spiritual, mental and physical healing for all of the kids and families. I pray that Storm Ridge Ranch will close for ever in The Mighty Name of Jesus Christ......I trust in the Lord and he Always answers my prayers as long as I pray according to his word.

#Storm Ridge Ranch #Lake Monroe #Utah #PTSD

[the-passenger-if]

MORE PROMPTS roach and newman heart eyes over something horizon's doing without realizing

Prompt under the cut.

“But there aren’t as many representations of the whale as it used to,” that’s how Horizon finishes the riveting tale of Sadalsuud’s fixation with sea life.

Roach taps their lips with their fingers as if they were considering the Domini’s words. Newman knows their companion enough to recognize they’re barely holding back an amused smile.

The three of them are strolling down the yard after a Calling in the meditation cabin. Once alone, Newman alluded to a question one of the Yellow Scrubs had brought up. Horizon didn’t mind filling in the blanks about Sadalsuud’s past.

“That whale surely–” Roach’s colorful addition is interrupted by somebody calling out for Horizon.

“Domini,” Velour says once they are close enough to be heard without raising their voice.

Horizon turns to face their assistant. Their expression, however, goes from inquisitive to bemused when they notice the worried look on the kid’s eyes, and their tense rictus. “Tell me,” they say.

Velour stops in front of the three of you, stare fixed on their Domini. “Dahlia’s, uh, son. He’s come back.”

Horizon nods once. The smallest of frowns flashing on their face before disappearing behind a mask of neutrality. They take five steps in the direction Velour came from–the front gate–before remembering Newman and Roach are there too. The Domini turns around, offers them an apologetic smile. “I have to take care of this, but it won’t take me long.”

“Then, we might as well go with you,” Newman says. Maybe they are bored, maybe they are curious about this new person showing up in the ranch and the way Velour and the Domini reacted.

Horizon blinks once.

“Yeah,” Roach interjects, “Dahlia… Dahlia… that’s the fifty-something woman, right? Used to smoke like a chimney but doesn’t anymore?”

Horizon’s eyebrows lift up. “You talked to her?”

“Nope,” Roach answers with a smug grin. “I’m right, am I not?”

Horizon doesn’t reply, but they look at Newman and nod indicating they are ok with them tagging along.

—

The man waiting on the other side of the gates seems to be around Horizon’s age. With a receding blond hairline, dark shades, black slacks and a navy blue shirt, he really doesn’t look ready for a hike in Luna Ridge.

He looks up from the pager he’s been frowning at when he hears the group’s arrival. Pocketing the device, he asks, “Where’s my mother?”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Ricci,” Horizon greets him with a polite smile.

“Save it, you insufferable douche.”

Next to Newman, Velour takes a deep breath ready to defend their Domini’s honor, but a neutral look thrown over Horizon’s shoulder quiets them down swiftly. The kid is practically vibrating with righteous fury next to Roach and Newman, but they don’t go against their Domini’s silent plea.

“Tell my mother I came to talk to her,” the man says before sniffing.

“You know Dahlia doesn’t want to talk to you,” Horizon explains patiently.

“Her name is Beatrice, not Dahlia,” the man replies.

Horizon tilts their head. “Well, that’s factually wrong. If you talked to your lawyer, Mr. Ricci–”

“Why do you think I’m here? What’s this nonsense about changing her will? You think your cult can drain my family dry? You’ve got a storm coming, you weasel.”

“Oh, then you should know Dahlia has legally changed her name too.” The Domini waves a hand. “Coming back to her will, yes, she’s decided to contribute to The Chosen People as a thank you for what we have done for her.”

“What you’ve done for her?” He takes off his shades, sticks his face on the gate. “You’re stealing from her! Stealing from us! You’re–”

“And you would know about that, wouldn’t you Mr. Ricci?” Horizon interrupts. The soft smile is still in place, but their gray eyes have turned harsh and calculating. “Dahlia knows money’s been vanishing from her account for months. She knows about the parties, and your…” cold eyes scan the man’s face, “expensive pastimes.” The man sniffs and Horizon’s smile grows almost imperceptibly. “Pastimes she doesn’t approve of, I might add. But,” they continue, extending an olive branch, or at least an easy way out, “Dahlia is more than ready to forgive you if you respect her choice to do with her money as she pleases without any further issues.”

“Listen–”

“Learning about that spending habit of yours broke her heart, imagine if she knew about the other ways you’re squandering her fortune.”

For once, the man is speechless.

“Should we call her? Tell her about Positano?”

“How…”

“Let’s not do that, Mr. Ricci. Dahlia has gone through enough thanks to you and your father.” The polite mask returns as sweet as ever. “Have a nice day.”

Horizon turns around and walks off, hair swishing behind them. Velour is watching them as if they had sprung wings and were glowing with divine light. They quickly follow after them.

“Hm.” Newman looks at Roach and Roach smirks at them. “Well, that was hot, wouldn’t you say?”

Yes. Yes it was.

#ask #tp roach #tp horizon #tp velour #rorizon #have velour hearteying the domini too

[stargazer-sims]

And you thought dogs were the ones who had problems respecting personal space when it comes to food…

The evening meal was interesting:

Mage: Welcome to ‘Cooking With Mage’, where we watch humans burn unidentified things in boxes filled with fire!

Mage: After burning the food, the humans then place it between two pieces of bread to mask the burnt taste. Sometimes they add delicious lettuce. Humans have a strange custom of ruining lettuce by adding it to otherwise unpalatable foods.

Food tourist ^^

Treasure: Ooh… look what they’re eating! How strange!

Storm: That actually smells pretty good! Can I have a bite?

#ts4 #sims 4 #ts4 horse ranch #chestnut ridge #mage okamoto nelson #treasure okamoto nelson #storm okamoto nelson #stargazersims

[mickimagnum]

🎶From a stick horse to a quarter horse, The saddle has been my home, I’ve always walked in leather boots, I’ve always rode alone🎶

#logan cassidy #storm the paint #high winds ranch #chestnut ridge #sims 4 horses #sims 4 horse ranch #simblr #the sims 4 #sims community #ts4 #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 screenshots #my sims

[trainthief]

how do u orient yourself walking off trail? do u bring a compass?

Unfortunately for you you’ve just asked a question I love talking about, so I’m going to give you a very detailed answer... 

First thing’s first: there’s a lot of different types of terrain across the US, not to mention the world, and navigating across each of them is a bit different. I have the most experience navigating mountainous regions in large stretches of public land, so a lot of my instincts come from that, and even though the navigational skills I’ve developed are pretty translatable I’m still pretty far on my back foot if I’m set in an entirely new ecosystem. Using your home court advantage is the first step to navigation. For me, the best example of this is that there’s certain distinctive mountain peaks in my area that I know will be in a specific direction relative to me. In order to get those sorts of landmarks established in your mind, its helpful to have a memory device of some sort attached to them. For example, there’s a particularly dramatic looking peak with a distinctive cliffside that - as long as I can see its sheer drop - I know means I’m standing west of it. That in itself means the mountain is more or less due east, which I remember by associating that mountain with all my friends who live east of me out in Chicago and New York and boston and michigan and what else have you. Almost everything is east of me. That also means the west is at my back, which I remember by recalling how much I dislike Californians. From there North and South are pretty obvious. 

Anyway, regarding compasses: they’re a great navigational tool, especially when they’re paired with a topo map. Even so, the use of both isn’t necessarily as intuitive as you might think, and although I was taught wilderness survival and avalanche preparedness for a week every year in grade school I have to imagine that’s not the norm most places. As far as compasses go, the first piece of advice I’d give is not to trust one that’s attached to anything else. The compass on a whistle or the zipper of your jacket or even the one on your phone are going to be hardly better than a magnetized needle in a bowl of water, since they’ll only give you a shaky sense of magnetic north - which is not in itself even the same thing as true north. That said, an expensive compass isn’t really necessary either. A basic suunto compass is really all you need, because it’ll allow you to set the declination (basically, the distance in degrees between magnetic north and true north in the area where you are) which can almost always be found on your topographic map. Following magnetic north rather than true north can get you hundreds of yards off of your course for every mile you walk. Regarding topographic maps, they’re hugely helpful, but they’re also not hyper-accurate. Lots of smaller landmarks will be left off, and larger landmarks are prone to change even within the year or two since the map was last printed. Avalanches or glacier movements can throw off your interpretation of a region pretty significantly. Still, finding larger landmarks such as lakes and ridges and making sure they appear where you expect them to is enormously helpful. A topographic map is also going to provide you with a general sense of the flow of the land, most importantly in terms of which general direction the ridges you are navigating seem to travel. Adding your own deductive reasoning helps flesh out any sense of place you might be missing. If you come across a stream that isn’t marked, you can still infer that it likely comes from snow runoff from the mountain it is leading away from, and is traveling toward a larger body of water that is likely marked on your map. If you can find the peak and the lake, you then know roughly where you are. If you want to pinpoint your location more precisely, you can scan around for a third landmark, find it on your map, and triangulate your position using your compass. I’d also recommend marking points of interest on your map. I often do that with locations that seem popular with animals, just because that’s of interest to me, but more concrete locations are much smarter. I also find that I tend to remember things best if I say them aloud, so often as I walk past a point of interest I might say to myself “giant-ass boulder next to a lightning-struck tree, and I’m heading north of them”. 

Technology is also a good idea. I’ve been meaning to buy a GPS unit, probably a Garmin, but I haven’t wanted to drop the money yet. I do use an app called onX Hunt, because it has really detailed coverage of topography and private land, so I can make sure I’m heading into public areas and not the buffer forest to somebody’s ranch (especially since people around here really love their castle doctrine). Generally, though, I wouldn’t recommend relying on your phone. 

If worst comes to worst, there’s a few fail safes you can always count on. Following a river downstream is a good bet, as is following the slope of the land downhill. There tends to be more civilization in valleys than on top of mountains. The North Star is a well-known and reliable one, as is the sun rising in the east and setting in the west (although it’s important to remember that with the exception of the equinoxes it’s never EXACTLY due east or west). If you see a large flock of geese or ducks flying above you you can know that their v shape points toward south in the fall and north in the spring. The idea that moss grows on any particular side of a tree is a fake one, don’t bother with it. To that point: never do anything you’ve seen Bear Grylls do. The guy’s a reality star, and his entire job is to overdramaticize and sensationalize the situations he goes into. Usually the solutions he comes up with are the absolute last resort anyone with any wilderness sense would ever attempt, and there’s a dozen much safer and less stupid things you can try first. I won’t pretend there’s no risk at all. Especially in areas like the intermountain west and Alaska - where there’s huge stretches of public backcountry land that isn’t groomed and maintained in the way that your typical hiking trails are, but is still there for public recreational use -  there are plenty of ways to get yourself hurt. I know a handful of people who have died or been seriously injured out there, and once a month or so I’ll hear the search and rescue helicopters flying around the mountain where I live. But it’s also worth considering that going into the backcountry is my state’s favorite pastime, whether it’s for skiing or hiking or snowshoeing or snowmobiling or horseback riding or hunting or fishing or camping or rock climbing or mountaineering or 100 other possibilities. It can be dangerous out there, but the source of that danger is largely just that the safety net of society has been removed from you. You’re far and away more likely to burn yourself on your own campfire because you weren’t being smart than you are to be attacked by a mountain lion. And even if you get yourself in a sticky situation, you’ve got plenty of opportunities to get yourself out of it. One of my uncles in particular has had to be picked up by search and rescue a handful of times, because he likes wandering off trail but neglects to pay much attention to the direction he’s doing it. He’s still alive, healthy, and perfectly happy. 

Anyway, as for me personally, my favorite reason to go off trail is to follow animal tracks (and to just generally get miles away from the nearest human being). The winter is a great time to do it, because the presence and freshness of the tracks is often extremely obvious. On a good day, it’s easy to head in and follow something for miles, only to turn around and backtrack your own trail to your car. Still, I wouldn’t let that be your one and only source of navigation, since a sudden winter storm or an unexpected amount of melt could screw the whole thing over. 

That’s much more answer than you likely expected or wanted, but hope at least some of it was helpful to you! Have a good one. 

[pcttrailsidereader]

July 9, 2010 . . . A (Trail)Magical Evening at Drakesbad

By Rees Hughes

There are certain magical days on the Pacific Crest Trail that stand tall; days that rise above that broad forest of glorious days.   These are the days that your memory immediately races to when you reflect on your life on the trail.  There was the day we guessed our way around snow-covered Mt. Adams ending on a ridge with a commanding view of Mt. Rainier and a solstice sunset; the day we swam our way down Falls Creek marveling at the granite walls above Grace Meadows only to while away an afternoon in the soft, lush grass basking in the warm sun near Wilmer Lake; or the day we walked south from Cook and Green Pass past Kangaroo Springs to Lower Devils Peak with its ringside seat to the conflagration raging across the Klamath River Valley.  Every hiker has their transcendent days.

Such days do not always represent a confluence of everything wonderful.  It is their enchanted quality, what English writer Nan Fairbrother calls “exquisite moments,” that sets them apart.  Besides, time seems to blur the difficult and brighten the best experiences of these stellar days.  Such was the case this particular day.

The day dawned with vestiges of the tumultuous evening resting on the peaks above Lower Twin Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.  We tried to shake off as much moisture as possible but there was no alternative but to pack the tents wet again.  Dr. Howard tended to Don and Eli’s ailing feet.  Wet boots and long days had chaffed their feet raw with blisters compounding their discomfort.  There were unspoken thoughts of an early exit from the trail as it is no fun when each step hurts.  Perhaps a short day will improve spirits.

Speed bumps of late season snow gave way to long stretches of snow sheltered by the dense tree canopy.  I always find these situations wearing if not exhausting.  Climbing up and down the steep edges of the snow banks; picking your path around downed trees; add in a couple of postholes.   We carefully crossed several creeks swollen by the melt water and preceding night’s rainfall. About midday we reached the crest of a line of basalt cliffs that comprise Flatiron Ridge high above the Warner Valley and, more importantly, Drakesbad.

Drakesbad, initially established clear back in 1900 as a guest ranch, remains a rustic refuge accessible via a corrugated unpaved road seventeen miles in from Chester (which is pretty remote itself) or on foot.  There are only nineteen units at Drakesbad some of which still rely on kerosene lamps.  However, the price for a night rivals the cost of a month on the PCT.  Yet, during much of the summer, accommodations have been reserved for years.  It really is a Northern California Shangri-la.

As we made the long traverse down, we could see the steam rising from the hot spring pool set out in a broad meadow.  The siren song of happy voices pulled us forward.  Our own chatter focused on the possibility of reserving a space for dinner.

We set up our tents in the Park Service’s Warner Valley Campground, hung a line and did our best to give the high mountain sun a chance to dry out our saturated gear.  Howard and I were nominated to walk the half mile to Drakesbad to ask about a table for four in the well ventilated section.  We donned clean tee-shirts and tried to sponge away the most offensive trail musk.

As we stepped into the closed space of the dining room, even our deadened noses became aware of the aroma that accompanied us.  The colorful tablecloths festooned the light wood of the dining room.  The room was set for dinner.  Salad forks.  Second spoons.  Wine glasses.  The ambiance was simple but elegant.   The realization that we didn’t fit here made us yearn for the opportunity that much more.

A tall woman brusquely emerged from what appeared to be the kitchen.  She had the air of a person with a long list of urgent tasks and little time for hiker trash.  Our first efforts to turn on the charm bounced off her and fell impotently to the floor.

We continued, “Any chance, any chance at all, that there might be a way to handle four more this evening?”  We weren’t above inserting a hint of desperation in our request.

“The Ranch is full and we usually only have enough food for our paying guests,” she replied without a hint of sympathy.  There was a pause as she saw our crestfallen faces.  “I will check with the chef and see if there is likely to be extra food.”   Perhaps it was her Germanic accent that underscored the futility of our quest.   Perhaps it was that she didn’t seem to be heading off to ask anyone anything.

We turned to go, tails between our legs.  Don and Eli will be so disappointed.  We had hoped this would be an antidote for their blistered feet and bruised morale.

With one foot out the door, Howard asked if it might be possible to use the phone for a quick call home as our cell phones had not been working along this stretch of the PCT.

It was if Howard had uttered a magic incantation that had propelled us into a parallel universe.  We were Dorothy trying to get into Oz.  “Why didn’t you say you were on the Crest Trail,” Billie Fiebiger exclaimed.  “We always have enough food for PCT hikers.”  In fact, Billie gave us the key to the city.  “Use the showers (please) and the pool.  Make yourselves at home.  Come back at 7 p.m. although you may not be seated until later.”  Still shaking our heads at our good fortune and this rather mysterious turn of events, we hurried back to tell Don and Eli the news before the spell was broken.

As the four of us returned the dark clouds that had dogged us the past several days were building quickly.  But, the warm showers and the hydrothermal pool kept us occupied until the rumble of thunder became more aggressive. Within minutes the remaining blue patches of sky vanished.  Lightning forced us reluctantly to vacate the pool.  The hail drove us for cover under the eaves of the bathhouse.   The gusting winds pushed tentacles of rain toward even the most protected corners.

Valiant employees raced down the trail to the pool in an electric cart to rescue the castaways three per trip.  The meadow had been transformed into a Sargasso Sea and the pyrotechnics kept us all jumpy.  Eventually we were deposited in the Lodge where we were to wait until dinner.

The photo albums and memorabilia in the Lodge deepened our appreciation for just what a special place Drakesbad is.  For two generations the Sifford family had built and tended this Guest Ranch.  For over 60 years they reclaimed the facility after each harsh winter for its four months of annual operation.  It had to be a labor of love.  The facility was incorporated into the National Park in 1958.  For the past 19 years, Ed and Billie Fiebiger have served as the hosts, caretakers, and stewards of Drakesbad.

Ed, in his chef’s apron, called us for dinner.  We crossed to the dining hall and were promptly seated.  There were several choices of entrees.  Or, Ed suggested, “Try them all!”  Heaping plates were brought to each of us.  The folks at the adjacent table took a special interest in our story.  One of their group had come annually for nearly fifty years.  Another from their table was sent back to their cabin and instructed to return with some of their wine stash to be shared with us.  “White or red?”  “No”, she instructed her husband, “bring one of each.”  We were peppered with questions and asked quite a few of our own.  We soaked up the attention that comes with being minor celebrities.

Ed pulled up a chair.  He had a bigger than life quality and exuded a warmth that permeated the hospitality of this magical place.

My cynical side wanted to peer around to make sure that we were not being fattened up by some wicked witch.  But, Drakesbad is a place that replenishes your faith in the generosity of the human spirit.  Distrust, doubt, and skepticism have no place here.

And, there was desert too.  In fact, there were three kinds.  “Try them all!”

It was tempting to linger much longer than we did.  I confess that it was all I could to restrain myself from asking if they served breakfast too.

Eventually we said reluctant goodbyes and enthusiastic thank yous.  The rain had stopped by the time we walked back toward our campsite.  If we weren’t walking down the road with our arms around each other, singing and talking loudly, then it felt like there was that sense of conviviality. 

The storm had spread our clothes across our campsite and sent cascades of water around our tents.   But there was nothing capable of dampening our spirits on this magical day.

#Drakesbad Guest Ranch #Lassen Volcanic National Park #lightning #magic

[5am-the-foxing-hour]

Rainbow Ridge Ranch

(Centaur AU)

(Art piece)

Thomas is the owner of the ranch that he inherited from a family friend, Thomas with help from his friends turns the ranch into a sanctuary and rescue home for Centaurs who due to different circumstances ends up in bad situations.

The ranch is big, with huge acres of land to it’s name, all from green fields, to a old oak forest and a clear lake, perfect for swimming in the hot summers.

Logan: He helps Thomas around in the ranch, lifting, repairing or building something. He has no problems with heavy work. He is smart, give this boy books he loves to read when he get’s some peace and quiet, he tends to lie down next to the apple tree and read in the shade. He grew up together with Thomas and Patton.

Patton: He loves to teach children how to ride and tend to spend a lot of time at the riding school an hours ride away, he is the one who tends to help the most scared children t ride, he’s the calmest during these moments and often offers the kid a hand to hold if they want it. When he’s not teaching the kids how to ride he is one energetic centaur. Dad Jokes, so many many dad jokes. If the ranch get’s a child centaur Patton is the one who helps them feel welcome to the best of his ability, he can be a bit strict at times, but he tries his best.

Roman: He wandered to the range when he was 14, lost and hungry after a terrible storm, no one made any signs of him being missed on the internet or in the city, Roman doesn’t really talk about it either, not a big fan of thunderstorms.

He wants to be in as many games as possible to earn all those shiny medals and rosettes. He loves horse jumping, but dressage holds a special place in his heart because then he can dress up in fancy clothes and show just how beautiful he is.

Virgil: He arrived at the ranch after someone called about an abandoned centaur in a rundown barn. Virgil was hostile and terrified of everyone when he arrived, hissing and stomping. Logan helped calm him down, and Virgil stuck close to the bigger centaur, Patton instantly adopted him when they met for the first time. He’s still a bit skittish around new people, he help the others around the range trippel checking that things are secure. He is TERRIFIED of runaway plastic bags. They are evil.

Remus: Remus was delivered to the ranch by family who had found him on a hike, in a rundown chicken coop. He was malnourished and a bit crazy. He eat weird things and Thomas and the others are trying to make him stop and eat real food. It’s going slow, but they’ve made him stop gnawing on the wooden beams.

Thomas and the others aren’t sure if Remus and Roman are related, they look alike, but they don’t behave like siblings.

Remus can at times get wild urges to just run, and they can come at weird moments, Thomas learned the hard way that there’s no stopping Remus if he needs to run. It took a week to repair the doors.

Janus: When Janus came to the ranch he was in really bad shape. Fast moments and sudden noises could lead to Janus either lashing out or running.

He was a well known dressage champion, but the woman he was in team with was abusive and made him train so hard he almost collapsed, he did collapse during a tournament, which was what sent him to the ranch. Janus does not let anyone ride on his back due to this.

It was actually the scrawny stray cat that has claimed the ranch as hers, that helped Janus to even consider the humans help. The weight blanket/cape helps him stay in the moment.

Roman calls the cat the Dragon Witch. she really likes to be with Thomas even if all he can do is to sneeze and try hist best to keep her out of the main house.

Dr. Emile Picani: He live’s close to the ranch, and is the ranch’s therapist. If he has nothing going on he will join Patton in teaching the kids horse riding. 

Being a centaur when you’re a therapist for centaurs makes it easy for the others to trust him. Even if it might take a few sessions before they open up about their problems, he has a group meeting once a month (or more if needed) where they all gather, both centaur and human to talk about things and work through some issues as a group. 

Remy: He doesn’t live at the ranch, he is the postal delivery, he comes over every day and gossips with the others about what’s going on in the city. Out of them all he is the fastest, but he also never stays still for long and are always moving in some way. No mater what time of day it is, he is always found with a Starbucks in his hand and his phone in the other, either talking lively with a friend or arguing about hours and schedules. 

- - -

Centaur AU Tag list:  @emovirgil-sanders, @ebony-wolf, @nashiraneko, @secretlyanxiouspersona, @romanasanders, @llamaavocado, @allycat31415,@lunareclipse-524, @i-sold-my-soul-to-thefandom,@punsterterry, @sleepyssnail,  @nightmaresides,

#Sanders Sides #Cartoon Therapy #TsShots #centaur au #Janus #Sympathetic Deceit #Remus #Roman #Logan #Patton #Virgil #Thomas #Dr. Picani #Sleep

[sparksinger]

lionheart

lionheart is finally finished and is up on both ao3 and fanfiction.net! 

ao3 lionheart

fanfiction.net lionheart

rating: mature 

content/trigger warnings: suicide mention, pregancy, childbirth, stillbirth. 

summary: optimus prime travels into space to find his creators while cordelia prepares for the arrival of her baby. what he discovers will change them both forever. 

________________________________________________________________

“Our story binds us Like right and wrong Your hand in mine Marching to the beat of the storm”

‘lionheart’ – demi lovato

A steady tattoo was beating inside Cordelia Prime’s skull.  It felt as if there was a vice attached to her head, squeezing it until she thought it would explode.  Inside her mind, she screamed.

Silver hands whirred and rested on her face; an oasis of cool paradise against the fire that seemed intent on devouring her.

“Lia?  Are you in pain?”

She struggled to open her green eyes.  Through her eyelids, she could see the faint shadow of Optimus Prime’s large frame looming over her.  She felt his weight settle next to her on the bed.  Since she’d been ill, Optimus had activated his holoform and had not left her side.

She brought a hand up to her face, that one action an Olympic effort.  It was as if there were 50-pound weight attached to each of her limbs and joints, and to move anyone of them seemed just as likely as humanity making it back to the moon.

Optimus was careful not to disturb the clear IV line going into the back of Cordelia’s left hand as he moved to sit beside her on the bed.

Her usually cream skin was devoid of any colour, not even the faint flush that was usually present in her freckled cheeks.  She sat up without warning and lurched forward, coughing.  Optimus realised what she needed and grabbed the bowl from where it sat beside the bed, simultaneously tidying her auburn hair off her face.

She propped herself up weakly on one elbow as she threw up into the proffered bowl.  She spat out shiny, stringy bile and eyed the contents of the bowl with thinly disguised disgust.  She took a small sip from the glass of water Optimus offered her and swilled it around her mouth before spitting it into the bowl.

She settled back against the pillows, the beat in her head reminiscent of war drums.

Optimus looked at her, his blue optics grave with worry and concern.  He gently pressed the back of his hand to her brow and simulated a sigh.

“Your fever is 101.6 degrees Fahrenheit.”  Wordlessly she reached for his hand and locked her fingers loosely around his.

Another shiver made its way through her body, causing her to involuntarily curl into the foetal position.

“That’s it.”  Optimus declared.  “I’m calling Jenny.”  Cordelia heard the quiet click that signalled the activation of his comm line.

She heard but did not listen to what Optimus was saying to Jenny.  All she cared about was being able to eat something or to even simply move without emptying her stomach at every opportunity.

The discovery of her pregnancy had been shocking enough, but three weeks on, Cordelia was beginning to grow accustomed to the idea.

At her twelve-week scan, when she’d vomited for the sixth time in under an hour, the technician had called a senior doctor in to examine her and he had diagnosed her with hyperemesis graviderum on the spot.

Cordelia kept hold of Optimus’ hand as he quietly chatted to Jenny.

“Yes, if you could come as soon as you can, that would be most appreciated.  No, I don’t think she needs hospitalisation.  The IV you set up yesterday seems to be doing the trick, but her fever is 101.6.  I’ll send Drift to come and collect you.”

He disconnected his comm line with a quiet click.  Cordelia found it within herself to open her eyes.  Optimus’ face was etched with concern, his lip plates turned down in a worried grimace.

He stroked her face gently, using the cool of his hand to abate some of the fire within her cheeks.

“How are you feeling little one?”

“Rough.”  Cordelia’s voice was dry and croaky from throwing up so much.  “Who would have thought that something so small could cause so much aggravation?”  Optimus chuckled and placed his hand over the small bulge that was present in her abdomen.

Cordelia smiled and put her own hand over his, interlocking their fingers.  “She’s not got the best timing, but I want her, so, so much.  I can’t explain it.”

Optimus raised an optic ridge.  “’She?’” Cordelia shrugged and smiled to herself.

“I don’t know why…I just see a girl when I picture her.”

“Is it something you wish to find out?  The gender?”  She shook her head.

“No.  Let’s leave it as a surprise.  Life needs a little mystery, don’t you think?”  He smiled in answer.

Abruptly, the steady drum behind Cordelia’s skull upped in its intensity.  She clutched at her head and scrunched her eyes tightly shut, trying to shut out the pain.

“What time is Jenny getting here?”  She asked through gritted teeth.

“Soon little one, I promise.  I’ve sent Drift to collect her.”

Cordelia nodded and rubbed the back of her hand over her forehead a few times.  “Okay.  Ugh, I’m sorry.”  Optimus lowered himself so that he was kneeling against the bed, bringing their faces level with each other.

“Sorry for what?  Lia, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.”

She made a loose gesture to the immediate surroundings.  Optimus waved her worry away and stood in one fluid motion.  “Jenny has arrived.  I will go and let her in.  I will be right back little one.”  He bent to brush his lip plates carefully along her hairline.

She felt the faint puff of air as he dissipated his holoform to meet Jenny downstairs.

As Cordelia waited for Optimus and Jenny to come upstairs, her thoughts found their way to the kindly midwife.

Jenny’s services had been provided by Joshua Joyce as a way of appeasing his own guilt.  The ranch had also been paid for in full, as well as Cordelia’s medical expenses and that of any children she had, for the rest of her life.

Jenny was a spirited woman in her early forties with a kick-ass attitude.  She was a slim, petite woman with a short, graduated honey-brown bob accentuated by chocolate brown eyes.

At their first meeting, Jenny had put Cordelia at ease right away.

“Hi hon, let me tell you this straight away, I am here to work for you and only you, okay?”

Cordelia smiled at the memory, reaching over to itch the back of her left hand where the plaster securing the IV cannula had begun to irritate her.

The bedroom door opened as Optimus and Jenny stepped through.  Jenny had been informed about Optimus and all the other Autobots and had taken it all in her stride.

Jenny made her way over to the bed, setting her bag down on the floor.

“Hey hon, the big guy tells me you’re not feeling too hot today.  Let’s have a look at you, shall we?  Can you sit up for me chick?”

Cordelia started to shuffle herself up into a sitting position, but Optimus hurried over to help.  He slipped his hands underneath her arms and effortlessly lifted her so that she was sitting comfortably up against the pillows.  His hands lingered for a few seconds before he pulled away.

“Is that okay for you Lia?”

She nodded and smiled at him weakly.  “It’s great, thanks Optimus.”  Jenny turned to look at Optimus.

“Hey, I could use a cup of coffee if you don’t mind?”  Optimus faltered for a second before smoothing his features into a warm smile.

“Of course, Jenny, Lia, I’ll get you some more water.”  Instead of simply deactivating his holoform and reactivating it downstairs, he walked slowly over to the bedroom door, shutting it quietly behind him.

Cordelia listened as his footsteps grew fainter and fainter as he made his way down the stairs.  She turned her gaze onto Jenny, who was busy digging various medical items out of her bag.

“He really adores you, doesn’t he?”  She secured a blood pressure cuff around the top of Cordelia’s thin arm, sticking her stethoscope underneath it before she began to work the pump.

“Yeah.  I’m lucky to have him.  He’s…he’s saved my life over and over, never asking anything in return.”  Her eyes took on a slightly glazed expression.

She wriggled her fingers as the cuff began to loosen on her arm.  Jenny chewed her lip thoughtfully.

“Hmm.  86 over 58.  Not too great Lia – a bit lower than I’d like to see.”  Cordelia lifted her gaze to meet Jenny’s.

“Is it something to be worried about?”

“Not worried as in, ‘you need to be in hospital,’ but worried as in ‘this needs to be a higher figure given the fact that you are sixteen weeks pregnant’”.”

“Okay, so how do we get it to where it needs to be?”

“Medication if necessary, but I want to avoid that where possible.  I brought some medication for your hyperemesis graviderum because you can’t keep getting all your nutrients from intravenous fluids.  When was the last time you actually had something to eat?”

Cordelia snorted, “what, ate something and kept it down?  About three days ago.”

Jenny sighed.  “We need to treat your hyperemesis gravidarum first if we’re going to improve your blood pressure.  You need to be able to eat and keep it down.”

“Trust me, it’s not for the want of trying,” Cordelia sighed and toyed absent-mindedly with the IV line.  “I’m literally eating the blandest food I can think of – I mean yesterday I had boiled rice and chicken, no salt, no pepper and within fifteen minutes it had reappeared.”

Optimus returned through the bedroom door; a mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a plate of rich tea biscuits in the other.  It was all Cordelia could do not to rip the plate from his grasp and stuff them all into her mouth in one go.

Jenny accepted the mug from Optimus’ proffered hand and took a deep swig before setting it down on the bedside table.  “So, what we discussed while you were downstairs –“

Optimus held up a hand.  “No need to repeat yourself Jenny.  We need to find an effective treatment for Cordelia’s hyperemesis gravidarum before we can begin to effectively treat her hypotension.”

Jenny whistled.  “Impressive, were you a doctor on Cybertron?”

“No,” Optimus said with a small shake of his head.  “However, I take any ailment that Cordelia may suffer from very seriously and thus make it my priority to learn as much about these conditions as I can.”

She smiled and tucked the blood pressure machine and cuff back into its little case.  “Fair enough.”   She turned her attention back to Cordelia.  “I’ve brought some medication for your nausea, okay?”  She produced a box from her breast pocket.  “This is Zofran.  It’s one of the stronger anti-nausea medications on the market, but one that my patients have claimed is among the more effective.  And yes, it is safe to use while you are pregnant.”

“How many can I take a day?”

“I’m going to start you on a lower dosage, but you can take three tablets within a twenty-four-hour period, but you must leave at least a four-hour gap between doses.”

Optimus swiped the box up from where it lay on the rumpled bed covers and opened it, withdrawing the little leaflet inside.  He looked at the first side for all of two seconds before flipping it over in a move so fast that it hurt Cordelia’s eyes just to look.

Jenny raised a brow.  “You read all that?”

Optimus offered her a wry smile and folded the leaflet neatly and slid it back into the box.  “All in here,” he said, tapping the side of his helm.

“Again, I’m impressed.  Now – Lia.  I want you to start taking these today and let me know how you’re getting on with them.  You’re to ring me if you get any worse or have a reaction to the medication.  Is there anything else you want to go through with me?”

Cordelia took a deep breath.  “Yeah.  I wanted to discuss birthing plans.”

Optimus stood and brought a chair over to the side of the bed.  He seated himself in it, leaning forwards on his knees with his hands clasped together.

Cordelia looked to Optimus for a little reassurance and he gave her one of his ‘meant for her only’ smiles that didn’t quite reach his mouth.

“I don’t want to have the baby in hospital.”  Seeing that Jenny was about to respond, she held up a hand.  “I don’t want to give birth in the hospital, because let’s face it, this isn’t exactly a ‘normal’ situation, is it?  As soon as I walk through any hospital doors, all of my control will be taken away.”  She turned to face Optimus.  “The world’s media know about you all now, the secret is out, and my face with it.  Once they find out that I’m pregnant, the rumours and the hearsay will start.  Staff at the hospital will be made aware of our…relationship, and I know that you would personally examine the history and possible threat of every single member of staff that would be coming into contact with me.”

Optimus made a noise similar to a throat being cleared and wiped his fingers over the corner of his mouth, as if wiping away an imaginary stain.

“Lia, I will stand by you, however or wherever you choose to have this baby.  I’ve got your back little one, now and always.”

Jenny smiled.  “Okay, well so long as you don’t encounter any serious complications through this pregnancy, I don’t see any reason why you can’t have a home birth.  I do have a question of my own though.”

Cordelia arranged her hair into a loose bun at the nape of her neck.  “Sure, what do you wanna ask?”

“Will you let me deliver your baby?”

A wide smile broke onto Cordelia’s face, lighting up all of her features.  Her eyes tilted upwards; her dark freckles prominent on the pale canvas that was her alabaster skin.  “Of course!  I wouldn’t have anybody else obviously.  Optimus, you’ll be there too, right?”

His optics grew misty as he leaned forward and grazed her cheek lightly with his knuckles.  “Little one, it would be my absolute honour.  Thank you.”

Jenny slapped her hands down on her thighs and rose from the bed.  “Great!  That’s settled then.  I’ll get the paperwork in motion and email the details to you.  Does that sound okay?”

“It sounds great Jenny, thank you so much.”  She leaned down and pecked Cordelia’s cheek, leaving behind a waft of floral perfume.

“No problem at all hon.  Please, don’t hesitate to call me if you have any concerns whatsoever.”  She gathered her things together and made her way over to the door.

Optimus got up and graciously took her bags, hanging them casually over his left shoulder.  “Ooh!  Tall, dark, handsome and a gentleman!  You wanna hang onto him nice and tight hon!”

Cordelia felt blood rush up her neck and flood her cheeks with heat.  Optimus shot her a ‘help me’ look as he escorted Jenny to the front door.

Cordelia smiled to herself and popped one of the Zofran tablets out of its blister and swallowed it down with a tiny bit of water.  She waited for the usual gag reflex to kick in, but nothing happened.

Let’s not walk before we can run Lia, she thought to herself.

She pushed the covers off her body and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.  Her pyjama trousers hung loosely on her protuberant hips.  She smiled wryly to herself.  Great, I’ve actually lost weight while I’m pregnant.  She wondered how many women would want to look how she did at sixteen weeks pregnant.  If only they wouldn’t mind living with the constant nausea.

Optimus reappeared then, nudging the bedroom door shut with his hip.  His optics widened and his mouth dropped open in a surprised ‘o’ when he saw Cordelia half in, half out of the bed.  It would have been funny if she had the energy to laugh.

He hurried over and detached the IV line from the cannula on the back of her hand.  “Lia, what are you thinking?  You-“

“I’m fine Optimus, please.  I’ve got to wash or have a bath or something.  I’ve been laying in that bed for two days and I feel absolutely disgusting.  Even if I just wash my hair.”

Optimus’ hydraulic joints hissed air out from between their housings – a sure sign that he was frustrated.  He ground his lip plates together, working hard to bury his frustration.  “Then please, allow me to assist you.  Please?”

She burst out laughing.  “Oh my God, are you actually pouting at me right now?”  He dropped his gaze from hers and she saw the corners of his mouth twitch.  She draped an arm around his neck.  “Go on then big guy, we both know you’re not gonna let me walk to the bathroom.”

He crossed his optics at her – his version of poking a tongue out.  He moved so that his left arm was secure around her back and shoulders, sliding his other arm underneath her knees.

He lifted her carefully, holding her against his chest, supporting all her weight with his upper body alone.  He walked carefully, not swinging her at all.  He turned sideways to pass through the en-suite, gently placing her down into the wicker chair that sat parallel to the bath.

“Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah.  I think that pill is beginning to kick in.  I feel a little groggy, but I don’t think I’m gonna throw up.”  She paused, scratching the back of her neck.  “But...I do feel really shaky on my feet – Optimus, can I ask you something?”

He knelt, resting his hands on her knees and bringing their eyes level.  “Of course, you know you can ask me anything at any time.”

His voice was so sincere and so full of love that it made Cordelia’s throat ache.  She reached up and ran her fingers lightly over one of his ear finials.  He leaned into her touch, almost purring.

“Can you…can you help me?  I mean with washing and dressing.  I don’t think I’m gonna be able to do it on my own.”

“Lia, of course I will help you.  And please, don’t be embarrassed about asking me to do so.”

She stared at him, incredulity present in her green eyes.  “How did you know?”

Optimus chuckled, a warm vibrant sound that warmed Cordelia’s heart.  “Because I know you better than you know yourself.  Seeing you in any state will never, ever change my attitude towards you or affect my love for you.  I will love you come what may, Cordelia Prime.  Through thick and thin, you have my Spark.  Now and always.”

“I’m just worried about…about you seeing me naked.  I don’t want to change things between us.  I mean, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything, but I don’t love you romantically, and I know you don’t love me romantically and –” he placed a finger over her lips, silencing her.

“Easy little one.  You’re panicking.  Seeing you…naked as you put it, will not change my feelings for you.  You are right – I do not love you romantically, so seeing you in any state of undress will not affect me.  But, if it really makes you feel uncomfortable, why don’t you put your swimming attire on?”

Cordelia smiled and shrugged.  “You’re right.  It’s stupid to feel insecure.  I mean, Adam and Eve were okay about it, even if only for a little while.”

Optimus raised a metallic brow.  “Adam and Eve?  Oh, you are referring to ‘Genesis’, the first book in the Holy Bible.  I’ll start the bath.  I’m not going to let it get too deep just in case you begin to feel unwell.”  He got up and flicked the hot and cold taps on, holding one finger under the pouring water until he was satisfied with the temperature.  “Do you want to test it?”  He turned to look at her and she felt that all that was missing from the picture was a pair of half-moon spectacles on the end of his nose.

“No.  I trust you big guy.”  She watched Optimus as he searched through the bathroom, grabbing shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath and body wash.

He lined them all up along the edge of the bath.  Then he went into the cupboard under the sink and pulled out an elegant glass vase.

“What do you need that for?”  Cordelia asked, taking her hair out of the bun, and shaking it loose about her shoulders.

“It is for rinsing off your hair.  I don’t think that it is a good idea for you to get into the shower just yet.”  He turned the taps off and the water settled with a thick blanket of foamy bubbles resting on top.

Lavender and jasmine scents filled the room as Cordelia began to remove her clothes.  She slid her top off and left it in a rumpled heap on the floor.  Optimus respectfully turned away from her, his hands clasped behind his back.

She eased her trousers down over her hips and wriggled them off without needing to fully lift herself off the chair.  She got to her feet and promptly lost her balance, falling back into the chair with a soft plop.

“Damnit,” she muttered under her breath.

Optimus appeared wordlessly at her side and lifted her easily into his armoured arms.  He kept his blue optics on her face as he moved over to the bath, never once lowering them.

He stepped over the lip of the bath, lowering one foot into it as he did so.  He lowered her carefully into the water and as she was completely immersed in the warm water, she realised that the bubbles covered every intimate part of her body.

The water was simply delicious.  It caressed her tense muscles like the soft touch of an old friend.  She sat up against the wall of the bath, her legs stretched out in front of her.

Optimus filled the vase and poured the water carefully over her head.  He reached over and retrieved the shampoo bottle, deftly removing the cap and squirting some into the palm of the opposite hand.  He worked it up into a lather and started rubbing it slowly into her scalp.  He worked in slow circles, slowly growing bigger and bigger as he made his way from the crown of her head down to the nape of her neck.  No words were exchanged between them because they had already said all that had needed to be said.

She leaned backwards into the ecstasy that was his touch, relishing in the simplicity of it.  He ran his hands through her hair, working the shampoo into every strand.  “I love your hair, it’s so soft.  It takes on an entirely different texture when it’s wet.”

Cordelia snorted, turning to face him.  “Do you realise what you just said?”

He met her gaze with a perfect poker face.  “I’m perfectly aware of what I just said.”  His optics tilted upwards in one of his wry grins.  She chuckled and turned back around.

Optimus rinsed her hair, holding his hand over her brow so that the bubbles from the shampoo wouldn’t go into her eyes.  While Optimus was working the conditioner through the ends of her hair, Cordelia began to wash with the honey and vanilla scented body wash.  She grabbed the flannel and worked it over and under her arms and legs before washing in between her legs.

Optimus rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair.  “Are you ready to get out little one?”

“Yeah.  I feel so much better already.  It’s amazing what a bath can do.”  He helped her out of the bath and wrapped a fluffy blue towel around her shoulders.

He darted into the bedroom and returned seconds later with a fresh t-shirt, underwear and sweatpants.  Cordelia used his proffered arm to balance while she quickly dried and dressed herself.  She wrapped her wet hair into the towel and turned to face Optimus.

“May I dry your hair?”  Cordelia went into the dressing table drawer and pulled out the hairdryer and a round brush.

“Sure!  Knock yourself out.”  She sat down in the chair he so graciously pulled out for her.

She watched his reflection in the mirror, the way his hands gently rubbed the worst of the damp out of her hair with the towel.  He began to guide the brush in smooth strokes through her dark hair, brushing back the shorter pieces of hair that had been her fringe a month ago.

She’d decided to let it grow out.  Being pregnant seemed to have kicked her hair growth into overdrive, and she’d put on two inches in the last six weeks alone.  Not to mention it was much thicker and shinier than it had ever been before.

He turned the hairdryer on and separated the hair into sections, his optics intent on the task at hand.  She watched as he brushed her hair down and under.

Twenty minutes later, he took out the section clip and let her hair fall in loose auburn waves about her shoulders.  He arranged it so that some was sitting evenly on her shoulders.  She looked at him in the mirror.

“Well, I’ll just have to start calling you Vidal Sassoon!”  At his confused expression, she waved her hand dismissively.  “Don’t worry; it doesn’t matter.”

She pushed the chair out from beneath her and moved to gingerly stand.  Optimus’ hands hovered nervously near her arms, ready to catch her should she need him.  At that moment, her stomach decided to emit a thunderous rumble.  “Oh my God, I’m so hungry.”  Optimus swept her up into his arms.

“Allow me to rectify that then,” he said with a wink.  He carried her down the stairs and set her down on the plush leather couch.  “What takes your fancy?”  He clapped his hands together, his metal palms making a soft pinging sound.

“Hmm…something salty?”

“I think I may have just the thing – a cheese and bacon omelette?”  Cordelia’s mouth started to water.

“Oh my God, yes please.  That sounds amazing.”

He grinned at her and then set to work in the kitchen.  Cordelia rose slowly up off the couch and made her way slowly through to the kitchen.

She sat herself in one of the oak dining chairs and leaned forward on her knees, watching Optimus as he prepped the necessary ingredients for her omelette.

He tapped three eggs open with his index finger and poured them into a jug.  He produced a whisk and began to stir the eggs in a whir of red, blue and silver.  The frying pan on the hob began to spit lightly.  He placed the jug down on the worktop and tossed in the bacon and tomato, seasoning it with salt and pepper.  He poured in the eggs and added a splash of milk.  The contents of the pan sizzled when he added the grated cheese.

The ingredients began to bind together, and just as Cordelia thought it was done, Optimus swiped the pan off the hob and stuck it under the grill.

“That’s the secret; it gets cooked evenly on the top and the bottom.  It also disperses the flavour more effectively.”  He grasped the pan and slid the omelette out of it and onto a plate with more flourish than even the most qualified chef.

He set it down before her with a glass of water.  “Bon appetit!”  He proclaimed, theatrically kissing his fingers with a soft click of his lip plates.

“Oh my God Optimus, you are such a dork,” she said as she dug her fork into the yellow mixture.  She popped a mouthful in, and it was gooey and mushy in all the right places.  The flavours exploded in her mouth, the strong taste of salt from the bacon and the sweet tangy taste from the tomatoes.

She finished it in record time, placing her knife and fork down on the plate.  She waited nervously for the usual feeling of nausea to claw its way up her throat, but nothing came.  Optimus cleared the table and began washing up.

“Did you enjoy that little one?”

She nodded.  “Yes, thank you.  It was absolutely delicious.”

“Are you feeling nauseous at all?”

“No thankfully.  I think those pills are doing the trick.”

“That is marvellous.  I’m so glad they are making a difference already.”  He dried the frying pan and hung it back up on the rack above the sink.

Optimus walked over to the couch and sat down on it, patting the vacant space next to him.  “Do you want to watch The Green Mile?”  In answer, Cordelia grabbed the thick blanket from the back of the couch and draped it around herself before sitting against Optimus.

His arms moved to fit her body and he sat with his chin resting gently on top of her head.  His left hand found its way down to the faint bulge in her abdomen, resting loosely on top.

Suddenly, Cordelia felt a fluttering sensation behind her naval.  She and Optimus shot into sitting positions at the same time.

His face was full of wonder.  “Did you just…”

“Feel that?”  She finished, slightly breathless.

Each of their faces broke into a wide smile and they embraced each other, rejoicing in the first movements of Cordelia’s baby.

#optimus prime #bayverse optimus prime #transformers #transformers bayverse #transformers fanfiction #first chapter #lionheart #oc

[honhonluigi]

Didn't get to ask this before, but... Welcome back! How was your trip?

Thanks! My trip...was a fucking rollercoaster. I had no clue it could be so damn freezing in the desert in late April, but now I know. I flew to Utah in the US to visit my sister. We took my parents and her boyfriend and bounced around some national and state parks there. I did Angel’s Landing at Zion, hiked around some Hoodoo formations at Bryce Canyon, saw the Arches, went to places like Dead Horse Point. Hiked a slot canyon in Capitol Reef. Drove through and camped in Monument Valley during a dust storm. Then we rounded it out with a trip to South Rim of the Grand Canyon (North Rim was closed for the winter) where we did a small section of the Rim Trail until my dad hurt his leg and we had to catch a bus back. 

Like I said, the trip was a god damn rollercoaster. There were times when really good things happened, vs. when really bad things happened. 

I loved all the sights that I saw. It was absolutely gorgeous out there. I got a really interesting book about every known death in the Grand Canyon. I saw a ton of different kinds of wildlife and plants and that was super interesting. 

But, for the most part...I hate driving and it was a road trip. I was pretty much stuck in a car upwards of 4 hours every single day and it fucking sucked. I love camping, but I’m not big on road trips. We did more driving than camping, so that bummed me out. Because of all the driving, we didn’t do nearly as much hiking as I wanted. Like...3 hikes overall maybe? I really wanted to push my physical strength to the point of collapse on this trip but instead I just sat in a car the whole time, driving to various overlooks. Angel’s Landing was the best part, because it was incredibly challenging both physically and mentally. (It’s a long free-climb up the ridge of a huge sheer, narrow rock cliff and I’m deathly terrified of heights. Seriously. If you doubt how horrifying this hike is, look it up on youtube or google images.) That was hands-down the best part of the trip, because I love a challenge. And we hiked one long but not challenging trail in Bryce Canyon. But other than that, it was nothing. I really love hiking and physical activity outdoors. I’ve been stuck inside all winter and I was looking forward to letting out my pent-up energy. But I didn’t get to. 

Not to mention, my sister pretty much ignored me and talked to her boyfriend the whole time, so I was really lonely. Plus, as I said, it was freezing fucking cold all the time. I know “desert is hot in the day and cold at night” and shit, but it wasn’t even warm during the day. It got up to 50 degrees. That was it. And at night it was below freezing. Which to people who are bigger than 5′2″ and weigh more than 86-90 lbs max I’m sure that sounds like pleasant hiking weather, but I have the physique of a chicken bone and I was fucking freezing the whole time. So even in the hikes we did, I couldn’t enjoy myself because it was too cold. Especially because the 50 degree high was at 3-5 PM, and we started our hikes at like...7 AM. So it was still cold. Either I was too freezing to have fun, or I was waddling around in three giant coats, which also wasn’t fun. We had to wake up at 4 AM one morning, and then at like 6 AM every day after. I was used to going to bed at 4 AM so that hit me hard, plus I have insomnia, and both my parents snore really loud. Plus like I said, in one place we camped, the area was hit by a dust storm and all I could do was sit in the parked van from 5 PM to bedtime. That was super boring. Also, my stupid mother insisted that we pack only five outfits for 10 days, but then wouldn’t let us do laundry while there. And she insisted that I pack summery clothes, so I had two emergency pairs of warm pants and guess what I had to wear for 10 days straight? Yuck. I was dirty and disgusting literally the entire time and I hated it. I mean, I can hack it. I’ve been in the wilderness before. But that doesn’t mean I enjoy wearing the same sweaty, dusty pants for 5 days in a row. Then my sister decided to split off early from us and do Bright Angel Trail in GC, but told us that we shouldn’t follow her because we would slow her down. (We still weren’t accustomed to the high elevation yet and got out of breath super easy) So we didn’t. Even though I really wanted to hike into the GC and check out Phantom Ranch or Hermit Camp (which is a different trail but point being, I wanted to hike in the Grand Canyon!!) So instead my parents and I did Rim Trail, which is beautiful, but is flat and mostly paved, and that’s incredibly boring terrain for an experienced hiker looking for a challenge. Then we had to cut it off early because my dad hurt his leg. And in two of the places we camped, on freezing nights, my sister said we “didn’t have time” to make a fire. Which is a really nice way to raise morale and relax after a fucking freezing day of hiking. Then I would go to sleep in the back of the van in a tiny sleeping bag every night, and wake up shivering cold several times in the night because of the freezing temperatures. 

So...as you can see. A huge rollercoaster. I was constantly bombarded with beautiful, amazing scenery and unique wildlife. The sights I saw and places I went were monumental. But every circumstance surrounding those sights was horribly unpleasant and disappointing and almost ruined it for me. Plus I got super fucking sick on the plane rides there and back.