#dune lark

[caitlin-snow-leopard]

Musicals as Birds, Part 3/?- Les Miserables

or Les Miserabirds, if you will

Jean Valjean: Harpy Eagle

Javert: Great horned owl

Bishop Myriel: European goldfinch

Fantine: Killdeer

Cosette: Dune lark

The Thenardiers: Eurasian Magpies

Eponine: Luzon bleeding-heart dove

Marius: Blue-footed booby (in the words of Victor Hugo himself, “this booby is madly in love with Cosette”)

Enjolras: Bald eagle (he may not be American but come on. FREEDOM.)

Grantaire: Bohemian waxwing

Gavroche: Ruby-throated hummingbird

#les miserables #musicals #broadway #broadway musicals #birds #jean valjean #inspector javert #fantine #cosette #thenardier #madame thenardier #eponine thenardier #marius pontmercy #enjolras #grantaire #gavroche thenardier #harpy eagle #great horned owl #killdeer #dune lark #eurasian magpie #luzon bleeding heart dove #blue footed booby #bald eagle #bohemian waxwing #ruby throated hummingbird

[space-blue]

Modern AU Feydpaul, hear me out

Imagine... Just imagine... Feyd's older brother (canonically called Glossu Raban btw lol) is in line to inherit the Harkonnen business, leaving him to enjoy the life he wants. He not really going to uni, one of those smart kids who shows up for the test only and smashes it, *somehow*. He prefers to spend his time working on his band (the Harpies, it's him and 3 bald ladies).

And then one day a student transfer comes in... And destroys Feyd on every test score. Wouldn't you know it, the Atreides conglomerate just won an enormous contract usually taken by the Harkonnen, and his family has moved in town.

Feyd goes to the club to shake the mood off and spots this weird dark academia style twink completely out of place there.

Then they chat, and Feyd gets rocked so hard in the club's toilet, he discovers himself several new kinks. He knows nothing about the guy who just dommed him into oblivion, just that they apparently go to the same uni.

Now picture his face when he rocks up to uni the next day looking for his new rival only for someone to point the 'Atreides guy' to him and it's last night's freak, in black corduroy and cable knit sweater, looking like his only experience with sex is from books, like butter doesn't melt in his mouth.

Anyway.

#spiced and I have been going a little bananas over the idea #it's stupid tasty #feyd being the normie out of the two is just #extremely funny #they definitely both stalk each other #but feyd's been too busy larking #Paul means business #Paul's mind games are out of his world #feydpaul #feyd rautha #harkonnen #paul atreides #modern au #dune 2 #dune 2 fanart

[demolitionrats]

they spotlighted the rainbow colorchanging lights on me

"woe! gay swag be upon ye!!!"

#dunes show shdjdk #lark speaks

[ariesmusingz]

૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა ╱ one syllable name masterlist ( below the cut is #181 one syllable first names. they are a mixture of feminine, masculine and neutral names, but please use as you see fit. please like / reblog if you found useful. )

air

anne

art

ash

ayn

banks

bay

bear

beck

bee

bell

ben

bess

birch

bird

blair

blaise

bliss

blue

blythe

bo

bram

branch

bree

britt

brock

brooke

brooks

cal

cale

carl

cash

cat

ceil

chance

charles

chris

clare

clay

cole

cort

cove

crew

cy

dale

dan

dane

dash

dax

day

dean

dove

drew

dune

elle

eve

faith

fay

fern

finn

firth

fox

frank

frost

gael

gage

grant

gray

greer

gus

gwen

hal

hank

hayes

hope

huck

hugh

jack

jade

james

jane

jay

jett

joan

joe

john

joy

jude

june

kai

kate

kay

kent

kerr

king

kit

knox

lake

land

lane

lark

lee

leith

lou

love

lux

luz

mac

mae

max

maeve

mark

maude

max

miles

nash

nate

neil

nell

north

nyx

oak

paige

paul

pax

pearl

penn

pierce

pike

poe

price

psalm

puck

quinn

ralph

ray

reed

reese

rex

rose

roy

ruth

sage

saint

sam

sean

seth

shane

shay

sim

sloane

snow

storm

tai

tate

tay

tess

thad

tom

true

truth

ty

vale

van

vaughn

vern

wade

walt

wes

west

whit

will

win

wolf

wren

wynn

yahn

zack

zane

zeke

zen

#name help #name ideas #name suggestions #masterlist: mine #masterlist #rp help #rp #rpt #rpc #rph #content: mine

[remi-flowerr]

Hiii! My name is Remi, (or Sammy)! I wanted to make this post to see if anyone would like to know anything about my little silly ocs! I'll start by listing them all off, I am by no means an artist who draws humans, so I have no refs. 🥲 Sorry.

But! What I can do, is describe them and what their stories are! And, I would love if people could send their questions through the inbox to me! ^^ Anyways, here's my silly little characters. :) ((Also, there are other characters to each stories not listed, that is because they are my friends ocs!))

This post is just listing the characters all out. <3

☆.｡.:*　.｡.:*☆☆.｡.:*　.｡.:*☆

Zombie apocalypse AU 1

💀 John: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Bisexual

16

🎀 Adalyn: (Current status: Dead)

She/her

8

✨ Claire: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Gay

20

⚠️ Cody: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Straight

22

🕯Hotch Hira: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Bisexual

45

💢 Felix: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Straight

17

💥 Maddie: (Current status: Alive)

She/her

Straight

16

☆.｡.:*　.｡.:*☆☆.｡.:*　.｡.:*☆

Zombie apocalypse AU 2

🩹 Owen Devoe: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Bisexual

21

🗡 Kaylan Dune: (Current status: Alive - Already died once)

He/him

Pansexual

23

🧾 Maeve Joy: (Current status: Alive)

He/him

Bisexual

20

🍂 Rue Quinn: (Current status: Alive)

He/they

Gay

21

🐉 Ebony Lark: (Current status: Alive)

He/they

Gay

23

☆.｡.:*　.｡.:*☆☆.｡.:*　.｡.:*☆

Medieval AU

👑 Brooks: (Currently: Second king of War Kingdom) -> As in, married to the king of the War Kingdom.

He/him

Gay

37

🎭 Lucian: (Currently: Court Jester)

FtM (he/him)

Pansexual

26

🍾 Azriel: (Currently: A witch?)

He/they

Bisexual

31

🎯 Dorian Demir: (Currently: Thief/Assassin)

He/him

22

💵 Haven: (Currently: Rich kid/Brat) <- Meant to be a brat in the story

He/him

Bisexual

15

Angel/Demon AU

^ I have no clue what else to name it?

🎟 Kyril: (Currently: Lost soul turned demon)

He/they

Pansexual

???

🪦 Andreas: (Currently: A reaper)

He/him

Unsure

???

🔒 Milo Peirce: (Currently: A weak demon)

He/him

Bisexual/ace

17

🗝 Kazamir Lunden: (Currently: A very powerful demon)

He/him

Still unsure (for now)

???

🍊 Clementine: (Currently: Angel)

She/her

???

1121

✉️ Ophelia: (Currently: Fallen angel)

He/him

Gay

???

Candy store AU

🍫 Tinsley Holloway: Candy man/Owns candy company (called: Holloway Chocolate)

He/him

Gay

24

🪶 Corvus Rosario: Helper for the candy company!

FtM (he/they)

Gay

23

^ (Basically the backbone of it, in a way) <- Corvus is my friend's oc! I added him here since he is the second most important character!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* If you would like to know anything about them please do ask!! I know this isn't the best, but it's a start. <3 ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

#oc stuff #oc #my ocs #original character #writing

[greekstar]

Warrior cat name Ideas Prefixes - A-Z A Acorn Adder Amber Ant Apple Arch Arrow Aspen Ash Asher Alder Amber B Badger Bark Beech Bellow Birch Berry Bird Black Blizzard Brave Breeze Bright Brown Bell Bug Beetle Bluebell Blue Bounce Brindle Brush Bush Buzzard Buzz Bee Bumble Bass Basil Bubble Brine Beaver Bison (I feel like this only goes good with ‘horn’ or Bisonpelt/fur.) Bat Bone Butterfly Burdock Broken Bramble Bracken Bay Brisk Blossom Briar Boil Branch Bud C Cloud Cloudy Crystal Cold Cricket Cliff Cardinal Crying Cougar Coyote Cobweb Chick Cow Cave Cheetah Carrot Coral Cactus Claw Cedar Cherry Cinder Clover Copper Creek Crooked Crouch Crow D Dew Dewy Duck Dusty Dust Dune Down Dagger Dodge Dolphin Daisy Doe Dapple Dappled Dark Dawn Dead Dove Drift Dusk E Eagle Ebony Echo Egg Eel Ember F Fallen Fallow Fawn Feather Fennel Fern Ferret Finch Fire Flame Fleet Flint Flower Flow Fly Fox Freckle Frog Frost Furze Fuzzy Foal Falling Fall G Gale Gust Golden Gold Goose Gorse Gorge Grass Gray Green Grass Goldfish Guppy Ghost H Hail Half Hare Hawk Hay Hoot Hazel Heather Heavy Hollow Holly Honey Honeycomb Hummingbird Horse Happy Hornet Hound Heron I Ice Ivy J Jagged Jay Joy Jaguar Jackdaw Jump Juniper K Kestrel Kink Koi L Lake Larch Leaf Lark Leopard Lichen Lightning Lily Lion Little Lizard Log Long Lost Loud Low Lynx M Maggot Mallow Maple Marsh Meadow Milk Minnow Mint Mist Misty Mole Moon Morning Moss Mossy Moth Mottle Mouse Mouth Mud Mumble Mink Muddy Moonlight Mountain Mushroom Monkey N Nettle Needle Nut Newt Night Nimble O Oak Oat Odd Olive One Otter Owl Orange Ocean Orca Opal P Pale Perch Pool Pike Peak Prickle Pounce Pine Petal Petal Pebble Pear Patch Pirate(kittypet or loner) Polar Peach Panda Pond Pigeon Plum Q Quail Quick R Rabbit Rain Ragged Rat Rattle Root Raspberry Reed Red Robin Rock Rose Rowan Rubble Running Rushing Rush Russet Rust Rye Raven Raccoon Rustle Rattlesnake Ravine Rapid S Sage Short Sheep Sedge Shrew Slate Slow Snail Sneeze Sorrel Soot Spider Spruce Sun Sunny Swallow Shallow Shade Sharp Scorch Sand Sandy Sky Silver Smoke Snake Soft Snow Sparrow Speckle Splash Spotted Squirrel Stalking Stalk Stalker Starling Stone Storm Stumpy Stump Sweet Swift Shred Sloe Shell Seed Shimmer Shimmering Skunk Spirit Squid Shy Sound Summer Sapphire Spiraling Spiral Shark Saturn T Tall Talon Tooth Timber Tiger Twig Tumble Thorn Thistle Thrush Tawny Tangle Ting Trout Torn Toad Tiny V Vine Vixen Void Vole W Wasp Weasel Web Weed Wet Whisker White Whale Wild Willow Wind Wolf Winter Wisteria Whisper Whispering Water Wave Waver Whisper Watermelon Whistle Wood Y Yellow

Yew

Yarrow- suggested

You guys DONT WANNA KNOW how LONG this took. I’m crying. And I might’ve missed some so feel free to send me messages in chat to request me editing it and putting it in some (not like messaging but the. Chat in this post lol.)

@cryptidclaw I also did this for our Au to help us with renaming.

I will get to suffixes soon I promise.

#Greekstar’s Suffixes/Prefixes #name ideas #Prefixes #suffixes #Just some name suggestions.

[grumpydragontea]

For a lark, the Dadbeast has put on Rebel Moon and I'm payng attention because I was both curious and hoping the reviews out so far were overblown. And I believe in informing myself on something before I speak. So far I can count over a dozen ideas, concepts or stories from other media, Star Wars, Seven Samurai/The Magnificent Seven, Dune, including a fucking URUK HAI from LotRs, visuals and moments from Harry Potter and HTTYD (the hyppogriff and the flight bit with the magic native guy who's ripped from John Carter from Mars), plasma swords from Cyberpunk2077, the ships from Great Ship Yamamoto! The 'empire's designs are literally copy pasted from Nazi's, Russian uniforms, Japanese Imperial banners and plasted into this mess. There's ways to steal from the stories that inspire you. Great artists and storytellers do it all the time, the trick is that they work on these elements until it's their own, their own expression of these ideas. This is not it. This is cinematic plagiarism.

I cannot wait for the video essays to come up cos I know someone is gonna go through this with a fine tooth comb and name every trope and inspiration.

And cos I know this has to be said: If you enjoyed this, I'm glad you did. I hope you enjoy part two.

#i dont know if i should tag this i am not up to fending of snyder fanbros #rebel moon really is bad #like so bad #cinematic plagiarism #if you enjoy this im glad you have a fun new thing to enjoy i really am #i hope the second half satisfies you

[ritzcrackee]

april tbr post yayy

rereads are marked by a ☆, new reads are marked by a ♡, and new acquisitions are bolded

physical tbr: 20

what moves the dead - t. kingfisher ♡

an education in malice - s. t. gibson ♡

juilet takes a breath - gabby rivera ♡

stories of people and civilization, greek ancient origins - lindsay powell, j. k. jackson ♡

rebel girls - elizabeth keenan ♡

the silent stars go by - dan abbet ♡

touched by an angel - johnathan morris ♡

dracula - bram stoker ♡

dune - frank herbert ♡

dune messiah - frank herbert ♡

frankenstein - mary shelley ♡

sense and sensibility - jane austen ♡

hippie - barry miles ♡

evernight - claudia gray ☆

stargazer - claudia gray ♡

the handmaids tale - margaret atwood ☆

the testaments - margaret atwood ♡

aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the

universe - benjamin alire sáenz ☆

would-be witch - kimberly frost ☆

the ballad of songbirds and snakes - suzanne collins ☆

digital tbr: 2

pandora's jar: women in the greek myths - natalie haynes ♡

wild is the witch - rachel griffin ♡

read: 7

a million kisses in your lifetime - monica murphy - dnf

i got like 80 pages in and then just,,, could not continue. no shade if u liked this book it was just solidly, solidly not my thing.

my monster valentine - various authors - 3/5

debated putting this on here for obvious reasons but i neeeeed to be accurate i guess. i only read about half of the stories in this collection and they were pretty hit or miss. it was free though so yk. vibes.

high spirits - camille gomera-tavarez - 2.5/5

this book was pretty alright! i don't have much to say about it (hence the middling rating) but i would reccomend it if you're looking for a fast read :D

the coldest touch - isabel sterling - 4/5

THIS WAS SO CUUUUTTTTTEEEEE!!! i liked the way the author portrayed the genuine hell that being stuck at 17 would be. please get me out of here i want a fully developed frontal lobe. AW and all of the characters were super likable. truly so adorable i was squealing the whole time.

im knocking a point off for the romance being a littttllllleeeee rushed and the character descriptions feeling off (it felt odd that both pov characters categorized every single person into a specific race? i think its good practice to make a characters race clear, but idk if that applies to a random teacher with no dialogue). to be so real though i loved this book enough that it didn't bother me too much.

beastly & bookish - catrina bell - 5/5

did i finish this book in one sitting? yes. did i stay up until 1am doing that? ...mind your business. honestly, im maybeee being a little bit generous giving this 5 stars but !! i really liked it!!! rom was soo mecore. i'm excited to read the rest of the books in this collection (even though they're all christmasy), and i can't wait for my physical copy to get here!!

holly's unjolly christmas - lark green - 2/5

this book was truly just fine. like, the definition of pretty alright. the tropes weren't my thing and the romance felt wildly rushed, but the writing style was easy to read and there were some funny bits. i also felt like the demon characters fell pretty flat? idk felt mid overall. (tbh the highlights of this book were when rom and noelle showed up. my babiesssss)

holidays ablaze - lucy limon - 3/5

v cute 👍 i love samite he's so autistic 💗

last months goal: finish dune

hmm ok. so i did not finish dune. i don't know why i thought i could. whatever possessed me to believe i could finish an 800 page sci-fi book in one month was truly of the devil herself. what the fuck. that was a blatant temptation towards hubris and I FELL FOR IT. anyways i hit 300 pages. everyone clap.

this months goal: finish a re-read

i have a lot of books i'd like to re-read but!!! i just never get around to it!!!! there r always newer shinier books that grab my attention!! i'd also like to carve away a more sizable chunk of my physical tbr this month because i have officially run out of space on my bookshelf TwT. everything is so so crammed in there, i truly cannot afford any more physical books. public library here i come!!

#monthly tbr #books #eurgh #meant to post this tomorrow but IM STUPID #bonk me on the head

[freetobeeyouandme]

thank you for the tag @oldfashionedmorphine this was fun!!

Top 9 Characters of 2023

Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things) - Will Byers (Stranger Things) - Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece) - Roronora Zoro (One Piece) - Special Agent Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks) - The Fool (Realm of the Elderlings Series) - Paul Atreides (Dune) - Hobie Brown (Spiderverse) - Naofumi Iwatani (Rising of the Shield Hero)

...the three types of guy are basically 1) bitches I wrote a lot of fanfic about, 2) anime man that stole my heart and 3) lil' (autistic) freak. Sometimes they overlap

tagging @lesbianjoannaharvelle @autisticandroids @teenagers-from-outer-space-1959 @willow-lark @buckleydiazes @legless-fish-on-rollerskates @queerxqueen and @apatheticlexicographer

#tag game #honorable mention my boy castiel who is always relevant but that's a lifestyle at this point #all of these are new this year (except byler but i wrote so much fanfic i cant not mention them) #can you tell i'm having a weeb phase 🙈

[issela-santina]

ah, Fallout

that Mission: Impossible where:

Henry Cavill's pornstache carried 40% of the movie on its back, 30% by Lorne Balfe and the entire music department, 5% by Tom Cruise making Top Gun jokes in a helicopter, 5% by Vanessa Kirby and her balisong, and 5% by Liang Yang aka the guy who played the fake John Lark

Luther Stickell cries over finally realizing he's too awesome for this franchise to take out

Benji Dunn can be shipped with four people at once and is the sweetie in all of them, while Henry Cavill admits to shipping himself with Simon Pegg

Benji Dunn talks about Ilsa Faust like he and Ethan Hunt are her adoptive parents but in truth Benji and Ilsa take turns being the mom friend

Benji Dunn also finally gets to masquerade, as Wolf Blitzer and then as the bitch who personally gave him PTSD

Solomon Lane and Benji Dunn have a lot of hard feelings for each other and then the plot tries to climax it with a hanging only to end with us left hanging regarding their dynamic

Alanna Mitsopolis was characterized as the daughter of Max from the first movie for callback points and then everything else about her is just her being badass on her own

Ilsa Faust realizes she looks like the Swedish version of Ethan Hunt's ex-wife Julia Meade who laughingly and unironically passes her the torch to be Ethan's designated girlfriend as the plot demands

August Walker becomes iconic for warming up his boxing arms with the rhythm of a gun cock

Erica Sloane is not sure whom to be a bitch to and so understandably decides to be a bitch to everyone

Alan Hunley—goodbye

Tom Cruise breaks his ankle and pulls off a high altitude low open jump with Henry Cavill a few weeks later

Tom Cruise has to chase Henry Cavill on foot just because it's arguably faster than having to repeat in London the traffic sins he had already done in Paris

Sean Harris likes to sing pop songs to mess with people who pop him out of the trunk

Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg play with lambs while Tom Cruise climbs a rope onto a flying helicopter

Rebecca Ferguson proves exactly why she was cast as a Bene Gesserit in Dune

Jeremy Renner did not come back because Chris McQuarrie tried to kill William Brandt just so the plot could have an inciting incident

Superman gets burned into Two Face

Shaun is almost literally dead, again

#mission impossible fallout

[crackinglamb]

WIP Wednesday

Tagged by @a11sha11fade, thank you lovely. 😘

Man, it's been a while. Let's tag @lilbittymonster, @ir0n-angel, @demarogue, @pikapeppa, @autodiscothings, @bogunicorn, @rosebud1773 and @wabart. No pressure!

Writing has been slow and remarkably unsteady of late, but I do have new words to share. I'm still working on OR&R, and recently finished a chapter that finally sets Lark and Co. on their merry way to the Western Approach. Things have gotten Complicated(tm) between her and Solas. Have a peek.

---

The sky seemed larger out in the desert. Cold and infinite and uncaring of the petty squabbles of mortals. It was a merciless torment during the sunlit hours of endless dunes and scrub grass and the fading memory of even crickets. Once the sun set, the temperature dropped like a stone off a high cliff. The stars glittered with the kind of keenness that could make one bleed and no fire in the world was enough to drive them back.

Lark left her lonely tent – a mark of both her position and the fact that she was the only woman in the group – and looked into the darkness of the night sky, wondering once again what it was like for the first dwarva to see it. What had they thought of stars? Were they a comfort, since the array of constellations was so similar to a cave ceiling flecked with quartz and lyrium? Or were they just another mystery, another sign that the surface was an alien world from the one below. She lit her pipe and tried not to think about it any further.

Her eyes adjusted rapidly to the dark and she saw Solas sitting out on the dunes, his head tipped back as he too stargazed. Drawing the blanket of her bedroll around her shoulders, she set off to join him.

“Hello,” he said softly when she was within earshot.

She settled next to him in the sand and offered her pipe. He took it in his long fingers, so pale in the starlight as to have no color at all. The glow of the ember in the bowl lit his face for a moment, but it was too quick for her to know what he was thinking from his expression.

“Couldn't sleep?”

“The Fade is tumultuous here. My wanderings have been...unproductive.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It is not your doing, falon.”

“Still...”

He handed her back her pipe and didn't look at her, instead staring at the sky. “They have changed.”

“The stars?”

He nodded. “Once I knew all their names, and could guide myself by their positions. Now I am lost beneath them.”

“They are different for me too. Markham is so much further north. From here we can't even see Satina. It's strange.”

He finally looked away from the stars to her face. For a long time neither spoke. “New paths are hard to forge,” he said at last. “For all of us.”

“Indeed.” The pipe was spent and she tucked it away after emptying it of the last bits and ashes. “But that's not always a terrible thing.”

“No, perhaps not.”

“You should get some sleep, Pride.”

“As should you.”

Neither made a move to get up, and in fact, he lifted his arm so that she might lean closer to him and share his warmth. Seated together on the uneven and shifting sands, they were not so disparate in height. It did not take much for him to lean over and place a kiss against her temple, nor much for her to tip back her head at the feel of it to look into his eyes. They reflected the starlight like mirrors, and his lips curved in a small smile. The next move they made towards each other left their breath mingled before it was swallowed entirely between them.

She didn't know how long they sat there, exchanging the simple kiss. One turned to two, turned to many. They grew heated but never pressuring. Their lips were red and bitten before they drew away. And dawn was creeping upon them before they went back to their tents to get what little rest they could.

#tagged #wip wednesday #lark cadash #solas #of ruins and restoration

[oakthcrn]

PEOPLE I’D LIKE TO GET TO KNOW BETTER

Alias / name: Jackie Birthday: April 6th Zodiac sign: Aries Height: 5'6'' Hobbies: Reading, writing, gaming, and drawing Favourite colour: Green. Favourite book: The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo. Last film / show: Dune pt. 1, haven't gotten a chance to see pt. 2 Recent reads: Rule of Wolves, about to start Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Inspiration: Dreams, movies, books, music etc. story behind url: It's lark's last name except oakthorn was taken so I had to use a c instead of an o. fun fact about me: I'm an identical twin, and my twin is @dawnblazers.

tagged by: @sanguisarcana ty boo boo. tagging: EVERYONE!!!

#. out of fire ( out of character ) #about jackie

[soldier-requests]

Hello! I'm looking for some masculine name ideas for a Sniper-kin ; if you want to experiment with making it earth/forest/canine themed that'd be really swag

hello!! wasn’t too sure about how masc some of these names feel, but i hope you find something you like regardless!

there's not as much as i normally end up doing, but it's still quite the list so i put them under the cut 👍.

acacia

acacius

ace

ackley

acorn

affie

alaska

alfie

alpine

arbor

arc

archer

archie

arctic

aries

arthur

artus

ash

asher

ashford

ashton

aster

atlas

august

augustin(e)

augustus

avens

avery

bandit

baron

basil

bass

basset

bay

bear

beaumont

beck

beetle

ben

bengal

benji

benny

bentley

benton

berry

birch

birk

blackjack

blaze

blue

blume

bo, boe

bolt

bone

boomer

borage

border

boxer

bracker

bracket

bramble

briar

brick

brin

brock

bryce

bryn

buck

bud

bull

burr

bush

busher

bushie, bushy

butch

buzz

caelum, caylum

callum

cane, kane

canid

canine

canyon

cas

casey

caspian

cedar

cerberus

charcoal

charlie

cheddar

chen

chez

chow

cider

ciel

cinder

citrine

citron

citrus

clay

clement

cliff

cloud

coal

coast

cobalt

cobolt

cocoa

collie

colt

columbine

columbo

columbus

conan

cooper

copper

cove

coy

coyote

crane

crimson

crispin

crow

curry

cyan

cypress

dagwood

dak

dakota, dakoda

dale

dane

dante

darrah

darren

darrow

david

dawson

deacon

dean

declan

den

denis, denys

deniz

denver

derry

dhole

digger

dill

dingo

dipper

douglas

drake

duff(y)

duke

dulce

dune

dusk

dust

dustin

dusty

dutch

dutchen

east

eden

elvis

elwood

emerald

emerson

emery

everest

everett

evergreen

falcon

fallon

fang

farley

fennec

fennel

fergus

fews

fin, finn

finch

finley, finnley

fir

firth

fish

fisher

flax

flint

florence

florent

flynn

ford

forest

forester

frank

frankie

franklin

fraser, frazier, frasier, frazer

frost

gale(n)

gardner

gene

genesis

ginger

goldie

grain

grey, gray

grove(s)

hades

harvest

hawk(e)

hazel

heath

hercules

hive

holland

hound

hugo

hum

hummer

hunt

hunter

huntie, hunty

jack

jackal

jackie, jacky

jason

jasper

jay

jett

joey

jove

july

june

juniper

juno

jupiter

kai

kale

kestrel

kip

kippy, kippie

koa

koi

lake

lark

leo

loch

locust

lodge

lotis

lotus

lucky

lumen

lupin(e)

lupis

mace

magnus

mane(d)

mango

march

marley

marlow

marsh

marshal(l)

matchbox

maverick

max

meek

meer

merlin

mickey

mint(y)

mob(y)

moose

morgan

morris

moses

moss

mossy, mossie

nash

nasher

nicholas

noble

norman

north

nox

oak

oakie

odie

odin

oleander

olive(r)

olivier

ollie

oto

otter

otto

ottoman

packet(t)

pear

percival

percy

perry

perseus

picard

pickle

pine

pongo

prairie

prince

red, redd

reed, reid

ren

rhodes

rhody

ridge

rock(e)

rocky, rockie

roman

ronat

rook

root

rory

rover

rudy

rune

russel

salmon

samsun, samson

scruff

scruffy, scruffie

silver

silvester

skylark

smokey

sol

solei(l)

solomon

sorrel

south

spade

sparrow

spot

spruce

stag

sterling

stone

sun

sunray

talon

tawny

terran

terro

terry, terrie

theo

thistle

thor

thyme

titan

toms

trip

tunnel

turtle

velvet

vulp

vulpes

wade

wane

warbler

wax

waxer

weaver

wells

west

whistler

winston

wolf(e)

wood

woodrow

woodson

woody, woodie

york

zeus

#request accepted | ''Allons-y; Allonzo!'' #anonymous request #name suggestions | ''How would you feel about Who?'' #tf2kin #tf2 kin

[tourismguideqatar]

Qatar's Hidden Oasis: A Guide to the Desert's Secret Spots

When you think of Qatar, the first image that comes to mind might be its gleaming skyscrapers, bustling cities, and modern amenities. While these aspects undoubtedly define the nation's identity, Qatar also boasts a hidden treasure that often goes unnoticed—the captivating desert landscapes that conceal their own unique charm and allure. In this article, we'll take you on a journey through Qatar's hidden oasis, exploring the desert's secret spots that are waiting to be discovered.

1. The Singing Sand Dunes of Mesaieed

Located just south of Doha, Mesaieed is home to an otherworldly wonder—the singing sand dunes. As you trek across these golden, rolling dunes, you'll hear a haunting melody produced by the shifting sands. This acoustic phenomenon is unlike anything you've ever experienced and is sure to leave you mesmerized.

2. The Zekreet Film City

If you're a movie enthusiast, Zekreet Film City is a must-visit destination. Nestled within the desert, this unique village was constructed as a film set for a Qatari TV series. Today, it stands as a captivating ghost town with its own brand of charm. Stroll through its abandoned streets, imagining the stories that were once brought to life here.

3. Desert Camping in Sealine

Sealine Beach, situated along the eastern coast of Qatar, is a popular spot for desert enthusiasts. It's an ideal place to experience the authentic desert lifestyle. You can set up camp amidst the dunes, enjoying breathtaking sunsets and starry nights, all while indulging in a traditional Qatari barbecue.

4. Khor Al Adaid (Inland Sea)

Often referred to as the "Inland Sea," Khor Al Adaid is a UNESCO recognized natural reserve and a true hidden gem of Qatar's desert. Accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles, this tidal inlet boasts stunning scenery with its towering dunes that appear to cascade into the sea. You can also spot local wildlife, such as the Arabian oryx, in this pristine environment.

5. Rock Formations of Bir Zekreet

For those who appreciate geological wonders, Bir Zekreet is a captivating area to explore. Here, you'll find unusual limestone rock formations, including the famous "Mushroom Rock," which resembles a giant mushroom sprouting from the desert floor. The unique shapes and textures of these rocks provide endless opportunities for photography and exploration.

6. Desert Villages and Heritage Sites

Qatar's desert is dotted with ancient villages and historical sites that offer a glimpse into the nation's rich heritage. Umm Salal Mohammed and Al Jumail are two such villages, where you can admire traditional mud-brick houses and learn about the Bedouin way of life.

7. Desert Adventure Sports

For the more adventurous traveler, Qatar's desert provides ample opportunities for thrilling experiences. You can try your hand at sandboarding down the dunes, take a dune bashing ride in a 4x4 vehicle, or even go dune biking. These activities allow you to appreciate the desert's beauty while getting your adrenaline pumping.

8. Desert Flora and Fauna

Contrary to what you might expect, Qatar's desert is teeming with life. Various plants, including the resilient desert rose and ghada cacti, thrive in the arid conditions. Birdwatchers will also be delighted to spot numerous avian species that call the desert home, such as larks and wheatears.

In conclusion, while Qatar may be renowned for its modernity, its desert holds a unique and enchanting allure. These hidden oases and secret spots offer a chance to escape the urban hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in the natural beauty and rich culture of this remarkable country. So, when you visit Qatar, make sure to set aside some time to explore the desert's secret gems and discover the serenity and wonder that lie beneath the sands.

[mycharacterdump]

To Those Who Bear Fangs

𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟏𝐒𝐓, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕

Maisie was uniquely aware of her unlikeness to that of most girls her age. However it wasn’t the deafness that provided a wedge between herself and others — rather the way she hid in closets when a thunderstorm barreled through; wrapped herself tightly in the heaviest blanket on the shelf so she could regulate each emotion that arrived slowly, like the tide wading in and out; her avoidance of prolonged eye contact (or any eye contact); the confusion that nestled in her gut when someone told a joke; her obsession with celestial bodies and, oddly enough, ferrets, which wormed its way into every conversation she held. All of these things and more contributed to making her a singularity among her peers. While she had the support of her triplet siblings, they couldn’t always be there for her, and as time wore on she distanced herself as a measure of consideration so they didn’t risk being as isolated as she felt everyday.

She thoroughly enjoyed her time spent by herself. She could focus on what truly mattered: like studying and re-reading the same three books over and over (always Dune, her mother’s old grimoire, or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a book wherein she could actually understand the jokes being told). Still, there were extended lulls in life that left her uncomfortable. She tried filling the empty gaps with more of the same, but it never cured the emptiness she felt in her chest every time she was excluded from something simply because it was assumed she’d dread even being asked. She was fourteen when she first realized she had been experiencing life on the other side of the glass, watching everyone else soak in the sunrays and enjoy the cool grass while she remained perched on the windowsill feeling a distinct otherness and an aching heart.

Her first foray into a social life was on the Halloween nearing her seventeenth year. It was widely celebrated on the island, garnering more time and attention to detail from the residents than Christmas. The diced up suburbs all had their own celebrations taking place, and depending on where you were located they ranged from something as quaint as a small gathering at a friend’s house to a parade held after a Trunk-Or-Treat event in the town square. Rather than pick one of the two, Maisie overheard her sister, Mim, mention a party being thrown at the Albrights’ residence in the Westside. She had planned on appearing as Velma from Scooby Doo alongside her best friend Lark, who was meant to be Daphne, spending two hours in their shared bathroom painting her face and suffocating herself in a garishly orange turtleneck before she announced she was ready to leave.

While Maisie didn’t have a costume, she quickly stitched together an outfit from her closet. After stealing a red corset from Mim’s side and pairing it with a long, flowing black skirt, she squeezed into the bathroom after her sister and used up their final fifteen minutes before they were meant to leave willing her fangs to protrude as she drew on intense eyeliner. She was only one fourth vampire, but she and all her siblings exclusively fed on blood as infants and they had developed sharpened canines upon losing their baby teeth that couldn’t quite sink as deep into one’s pulse as someone like her father’s — who were nearly half an inch larger than all of his children’s. She held up the others as she shuffled desperately through the kitchen cabinets for red food dye, miraculously finding an expired tube in the very back and hurriedly smearing it over her mouth before she scurried out of the house in the Chuck Taylors she didn’t think to bother changing. 

As her brother Max drove them in their shared Jeep across town, Maisie ignored the pangs in her ribs every time she exhaled, stretching the corset around her torso. She normally enjoyed that kind of compression, finding it gave her an anchor into the earth, but the texture of the food dye on her lips and her skirt flowing in the steady breeze left her feeling restless rather than confident. She cranked down the passenger side window, leaning her head out and allowing the wind to caress her flushed cheeks. She looked up at the stars above, glad that it wasn’t cloudy out for once, and recounted the tales of each one she could identify as they cruised along the streets of Deer Isle to the sound of a Kanye song that she felt the intense beat reverberating throughout the car, under her seat and beneath her feet. In the backseat, Mim and Lark were enthusiastically rapping along, while Max paid strict attention to the narrow backroads that linked the Northside and the Westside. 

They arrived at half past nine o’clock, which is typically when Maisie was beginning her nighttime routine — only consisting of showering, stealing some of Mim’s skincare products for herself, and reading in bed until she fell asleep around midnight. She stepped out of the Jeep and as her feet struck the earth, she could see the world spinning around her and reached out for Mim’s arm.

“Maisie?” Mim spoke up, her voice filtering through Maisie’s implant and catching her attention. “Are you okay?”

Maisie swallowed dryly and gave her what she thought was an enthusiastic smile, holding up two thumbs affirmatively. Her sister eyed her suspiciously before she led the way up to the front steps of the house. She watched as Mim was greeted at the door by Briar, who wasn’t the host of the party, but was always sweet enough to take up the responsibilities of one. She walked up each step one at a time and focused on leveling her breathing. Flinching when she closed in on the porch and her implant began translating the admixture of sounds flooding in from every direction, she instinctively switched it off. She greeted Briar and followed her siblings inside, ignoring how her younger brothers remained at the door so they could continue pestering the poor girl.

Like the kind boy he was, Max remained at Maisie’s side as they ventured through the first floor of the party. She was led along by his hand, which she eventually recoiled from whenever her palms began perspiring. It didn’t take long after that for her to lose him in the dense crowds, and as she felt the music reverberate her skeleton and the film of smoke infiltrate her lungs, the corset grew tighter and tighter around her core until it was like her ribs were cracking beneath the pressure. She could feel tears develop on her waterline, threatening her makeup, which she hurriedly blotted away as she went to find reprieve in a less populated corner of the house. 

She found herself in the kitchen. Only a few people lingered on the isle as they poured themselves drinks and ravaged through the fridge and pantry for drunk snacks. The gentle glow of a hanging light gave her a sense of direction as she moved toward the nook where a table was situated by the bay windows, sitting farthest away from everyone so that she could catch her breath. Before she could properly collect herself, a familiar face approached her and began speaking. Overwhelmed by everything occurring around her, Maisie found it difficult to read her lips, and instead switched her implant back on.

“— you deserve a drink, you look like a deer in the headlights.” Zelda laughed warmly as she offered Maisie a shot glass that looked like melted honey. Her eyebrows fixed together and she raised the glass to her nose, sniffing and scrunching her nose up at the pungent smell of cinnamon. “It’s Fireball. Baby food, really. You’ll like it. Relax some, Jensen!”

Maisie gave an awkward smile, pressing the glass against her lips and beginning to nurse the shot before Zelda grasped onto her wrist. “You’ve got to throw it back.” she said, eyebrows raised expectantly at the younger girl. “All at once.”

She squeezed her eyes shut as she obeyed the other, tossing the shot glass back and feeling the alcohol burn her lips, then tongue, and finally her throat which started warming up considerably after swallowing. She coughed into her elbow and tried to keep the imminent nausea at bay. That was horrible. How did Mim and Max drink that?

“Good girl,” Zelda praised her, clapping a hand on her shoulder. “You enjoy yourself, okay? You look hot, by the way. Tell me if there’s any boy I need to beat up to defend you.”

Maisie nodded along as Zelda waltzed out of the kitchen in a costume that she couldn’t quite pinpoint. She had worn a bleach blonde wig and a red spandex suit, a tail protruding from her tailbone. The devil? She did have an uncanny resemblance to the heirloom dolls that Maisie and Mim shared as children. Regardless, she likely looked much better than the thrown together costume Maisie had adorned. 

She sat at the table for another fifteen minutes before she could feel comfortable standing again, wading through the people that had started coming into the kitchen for more drinks and trying to find her way back to where her siblings had been left. It would be an uphill battle, she knew that much, as it was closing in on eleven and the party was beginning to swell with more life. Smoke swirled at her ankles, rendering her unable to see her own shoes, and there was the persistent scent of weed that circled in from outside. She worried it would stick to her t-shirt and hurried upstairs in an attempt to avoid it, finding herself more at peace as the vibrations under her feet faded away and people became scarcer to see. 

Before she could cower away in a bathroom, she felt someone grasp onto her elbow and she tore herself away with widened brown eyes. There was a boy, standing at what seemed to be an entire foot taller than her, with glazed over hazel eyes and a cheshire grin creased in her corner of his pink lips. He wasn’t terrible to observe, but Maisie didn’t have any intention on pursuing more than that. 

“Sorry, I’m looking for the bathroom,” she said, her volume elevated as she felt she needed to compensate for the loud music still blaring downstairs.

“I can show you,” he returned. Her chest tightened up and she eyed him warily. “It’s Wesley. Henderson. From homeroom?” He extended a hand, to which she stared at before reluctantly grasping onto it and shaking politely. “I never thought I’d see you in a place like this.”

Maisie wished she’d have kept her implant off. “Well, here I am.” she said, awkwardly curtseying, which made him laugh. Did she do it wrong? She smoothed out her skirt and waited for Wesley to calm down.

“Come on, bathroom’s this way,” Wesley nodded down the hallway, leading the way for them as he took ahold of her hand. She grimaced — debating pulling away before deciding she could brave through it. He greeted those they passed while she remained quiet, feeling flighty as her nerves buzzed underneath her skin and she heavily considered finding her own way to the bathroom. 

Alas, it wasn’t long until Wesley finally pulled them away from the strangers and invited her into one of the bathrooms. She stepped inside, moving so she could shut the door behind her before Wesley held a hand against it and grinned down at her, sliding in beside her smoothly. She could feel her heart sink into her stomach. She would never find a moment’s peace, would she? She yearned for Mim in that instance, knowing her sister was likely having the time of her life pining after her best friend while under the neon glow of the lights strung along the living room walls. 

Maisie awkwardly leaned back against the sink, her corset riding up without her realizing. All she could think about was how her entire body pulsed, wishing she could cower into herself and hide her head in her knees like a child. His eyes followed her every breath and she wanted to purge the sick feeling she had in her gut.

“You’re even quieter now than you are at school,” Wesley chuckled, reaching out to brush some chestnut curls out of her face. A reactive blush painted her features. He grinned. “Look at you, all red. Even cuter, too.”

“I’m not cute,” Maisie finally spoke up as she stared at him.

Wesley perked a brow at her, caught off guard by her intense stare. “You are. I’m looking at you right now. What are you supposed to be, anyway? A pirate?” he wondered, his fingers skating across her jawline. She could feel her mouth begin watering, her fangs protruding more then than when she was trying to force them out before leaving the house.

She shook her head at him. She really, really didn’t want to have to be reduced to what she feared was bubbling beneath the surface — she always considered herself more of a witch than a vampire, considering how much wix blood coursed through her veins and her ardent passion for the art of magick. She had collected not only her mother’s grimoire but others, which had weathered considerably worse with time, and even went as far as owning a faux wand that she could fidget with. It was gorgeous; crafted from rowan wood with detailed engravings at the handle, boasting a supple flexibility and a shiny finish. It had been the best Yule present she ever received and she—

“Macy?” Wesley said, his fingertips scorching the side of her neck.

Maisie blinked out of her thoughts and gave him a once over. “It’s Maisie,” she enunciated the ‘Z’ in the middle of her name, watching him adorn another insufferably sly grin. Overstimulated and irritated as a result, she parted her lips as she leaned in closer to him. He was extremely responsive to this, mirroring her until she ducked her head underneath his chin and sunk her fangs into his neck. She could hear the breath being driven from his lungs and it was oddly satisfying, clinging onto him until he managed to shove her away. She panted as she was forced back against the sink, fresh blood staining her lips more so than the food dye.

“You’re — you’re fucking crazy!” Wesley exclaimed as he held onto his neck that was dribbling blood. You should be lucky I’m not with my father, or else you’d be dead, she thought to herself, enjoying watching him scramble for a towel so he could stop the bloodflow.

The bathroom door came swinging open and, much to Maisie’s surprise, she recognized underneath some light makeup and a white dress with accenting wings, Zelda’s boyfriend.

“What are you doing in here?” Jules asked them with brows furrowed in concern.

Wesley began pushing past him. “She fucking — bit me!” he hissed loudly. “She’s fucking insane, man!” “Why did she bite you?” Jules immediately countered.

“We were just hanging out—”

“I wanted to be alone.” Maisie interrupted with a deadpan.

Jules stared at Wesley, not letting him pass by just yet. “You’ve got thirty seconds to get the fuck out of my girlfriend’s house before I let her loose on you.” he said through gritted teeth. Maisie had never seen the normally subdued young adult hold such a temper before. 

“Are you fucking serious?” Wesley asked, scoffing loudly as Jules held their stare until he eventually crumbled. “Fucking lame party anyway. You’re so screwed.” he said to Maisie venomously, shoving past by Jules and leaving his wings crooked as he hurried downstairs.

Once Wesley was out of sight, Jules looked over to Maisie. “Do you want to sit out back? There’s no one out there,” he offered gently. She swallowed and nodded, feeling a bit of relief that she’d finally run into someone that had her best interests at heart. They threaded through the crowds, Jules keeping a hand placed on the small of her back as he stopped when he saw Zelda and informed her of the situation. All Maisie could see was flames in the young spitfire’s eyes as she took off to presumably find Wesley or her sisters to make sure they remained unharmed as well.

The back porch was peaceful. There, Maisie felt comfortable enough alongside Jules to undo her corset, leaving her in her t-shirt and skirt as she gave a sigh and felt the pain gradually melt off her bones. She sat on the steps, letting the cool autumn air soothe her just as it had in the car ride over, her sneakers planted on the earth in front of her. She could still taste the metallic tinge of blood in her mouth, and as she reached up it was still slick on her mouth. Wincing, she wiped it away as much as she could with the hem of her shirt, glancing over to Jules occasionally as he let her take a breath.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. 

Jules nodded along. She hoped this wasn’t too insufferable for him — he was a wolf and she was a vampire, after all, albeit not as much as one as she could’ve been. “Of course. I don’t need anyone hurt at a party. How’d you get dragged here, anyway? Never pegged it as your scene.”

“Never pegged it as your scene.” she returned, which earned a chuckle out of him.

“It’s not. But I’m here for Zelly. She insisted on these costumes, too,” he held up the skirt of his dress. 

“The devil and an angel?” Maisie assumed, reaching up so she could poke at the halo fixed on the crown of his head.

Jules smiled at her. “That’s right. I insisted we switch roles, but she found this dress in my dad’s closet and wanted to see me in it. Kind of a sadist. Which is probably why she’s the devil between us.”

“... She gave me a drink earlier. Fireball,” Maisie told him. His mouth quirked up into a grin. “I think that’s what made me bite him.”

“I think you bit him because he’s an asshole,” Jules immediately denied. 

Maisie rubbed her hands together, wanting nothing more than to forget about the entire night and fall asleep in her own bed with a good book in her hands. Maybe that grimoire, so she could practice more defensive spells. “That too.” she agreed, her chin tilting up to see the sky. “... I can see Pegasus.”

“Sorry?” he hummed, cocking his head sideways at her curiously.

“The constellation,” she clarified as she kept her eyes fixed above them. “It — it was first catalogued by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The constellation was named after Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology. It’s known for the Great Square of Pegasus, and for some bright stars and deep sky objects, like Messier 15 and Stephan’s Quintet of galaxies… um, the Einstein Cross, too, that’s a gravitationally lensed quasar. And an unbarred spiral galaxy.” 

Jules was taken aback by the shift in conversation, but he coasted along with it much like he did whenever Zelda’s Uncle Cody began spouting what sounded like utter nonsense about his work. “Wow,” he said. “Sounds impressive.”

“Very impressive. Seventh biggest constellation in the sky.” she informed him. “Messier 15 has nine stars with actual confirmed planets. Can you imagine living out there?”

“Seems like a dream to me.” Jules laughed a little. “Did always felt a little alienated here.”

Maisie turned to face him, giving him a soft smile. “Me too.”

Jules rubbed her back comfortingly as the back door came creaking open and Mim and Max rushed out toward them, huddling around Maisie as they worried over her while Jules remained on the sidelines just to make sure the young woman didn’t become too overwhelmed. She let Mim help her up off the steps, leaning into Max’s welcoming arm.

“Thanks, Jules,” Mim said, holding tightly onto her sister. “We owe you one.”

“You don’t,” Jules denied with a shake of his head. “Just get yourselves home safe, alright?”

Mim nodded, her and her brother escorting Maisie off the porch while Zelda snuck by them with worry etched on her features. The wolf looked up to her boyfriend, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder.

“Is she okay?” Zelda asked. “Are you okay?”

“Everyone’s fine, Zelly,” Jules confirmed as he pressed a kiss against her temple. “I think I may call it a night, though. Do you mind?”

She snorted loudly in response. “Absolutely not. Fuck this party. We can leave Aly in charge and head to the Squeeze In for some burgers. You good to drive? I’m a little fucked up.”

Jules smiled and wrapped an arm around her. “Always good.”

At the Jensen residence, Mim and Max carefully brought Maisie upstairs to their room without alerting their parents’ that they’d returned from the party. After double-checking that she was okay, Max was given the relief to leave for his own bedroom, only the two girls left. Without hesitation, Mim had her sister strip and ran a hot bath for her, dumping half a box of soothing minerals into the water and a pair of oversized pajamas on the marble counter. She waited, perched on the edge of her bed, having gotten undressed herself in the meantime, texting Lark an update whenever Maisie emerged from the bathroom.

Quickly, Mim tossed her phone aside and went to pull back the sun and moon duvet that decorated Maisie’s bed, inviting her sister to lay down. Once she was settled underneath the covers, Mim leaned over her and gave a sigh.

“What?” Maisie murmured.

“We should’ve stayed close with you,” Mim said, her words slurring together a bit. It had just occurred to Maisie that her sister was slightly drunk. “Max and me. I’m sorry, Mai Mai.”

Maisie lifted herself up onto her elbows, shaking her head at Mim. “Don’t apologize. I don’t need to be looked after.”

“You kind of do,” Her sister said as she reached behind her ear to take off her implant. “You bit a dude.”

And I’ve learned my lesson. No more parties. Maisie signed.

Mim chuckled softly and stood up from where she sat, tucking her sister in tightly. No more parties, she signed back. 

As her sister quickly fell asleep in the bed adjacent to hers, Maisie stared out the window that allowed her to see into the night sky. She gave a gentle sigh, already feeling the bruises forming on her middle. But she didn’t think too much about it — looking up at Pegasus and remembering the myth behind the constellation.

The most famous myth involving Pegasus was the one of Bellerophon, the hero who was sent by King Iobates of Lycia to defeat the Chimaera, a monster that breathed fire and was devastating the king’s land. Bellerophon found Pegasus and tamed him using a golden bridle given to him by the goddess Athena. Then he swooped down on the Chimaera from the sky and defeated the monster with his lance and arrows. After this and several other heroic deeds for King Iobates, Bellerophon let the successes get to his head. Riding Pegasus, he tried to fly to Olympus and join the gods. He didn’t succeed. He fell off the horse and back to Earth.

Pegasus did however make it to Olympus. There, Zeus used the horse to carry his thunder and lightning, and eventually placed him among the constellations.

Turning over, a single tear escaped her eyes before she shut them so she could finally fall into the embrace of sleep, knowing that it’d do no good to stay up any later than she already had. She hoped that somehow, she would be deserving of a place like that one day among the stars, rather than being immortalized as the monster she had become on earth.

#self-para #4k words

[whitepolaris]

The Place Where the Rocks Move

When you’re tired of sand dunes, dangerous abandoned mines, and yet another interpretive sign, there’s only one place left to go in Death Valley: Teh Place Where the Rocks Move. A few rough miles from the end of the paved road lies one of the most weird and beautiful locales in this most desolate of national parks, and it is complete with the rocks that “race” each other, leaving tracks of their otherworldly movement behind for passersby to marvel at. 

Most packaged tours and the blue-haired crowd step at the spectacular Ubehebe crater at the north end of the valley. Just before the start of the short loop that leads to the lip of this quarter-mile-deep hole, a track cuts off through the lava and recedes to the southwest. An unassuming sign posted at the intersection reads THE TRACETRACK-27. We’re talking racing rocks, and they’re twenty-seven slow miles away. About an hour of bad washboard gravel road rewards your vibrating eyeballs with the sight of a beige smear along the bottom of a huge valley. There is no camping allowed in the Racetrack Valley, so this is a day trip or a very dangerous drive out in the dark. 

Your highly developed aesthetic sense thrills at the simplicity of the scene. A sizable conglomeration of uplifted bedrock called the Grandstand juts up from the center of an ancient dry lake, which stretches to the base of the bare mountains that surround it. Step onto the dried mud and look at it closely. The floor of the valley is covered with countless fingers of tiny cracks, stretching to the horizon. You could follow one of these infinite clefts anywhere on the playa without stopping. Be thankful you’re not on psychedelics, or this would be sensory overload. 

It’s about a ten-minute walk from the first pullout area and ubiquitous Park Service information sign to the Grandstand. The blackish brown outcropping, about 100 by 500 feet, still resembles the island it once was. The demarcation between dry mud and hard rock is gradual, and rings the formation like a soft halo. Climb up the hundred feet or so to the top and have a look around. The dark, rough rock is stippled with a beautiful pattern of lighter reflective strips of some micalike compound. It’s positively hallucinatory. 

Don’t look for the traveling rocks here. This is just the prelude. 

The hearty might want to make the two- to three-mile walk to the southeast end of the racetrack to see the main attraction. Laziness (or heat-in the summer months) draws others back to the car and a short hop south to the next pullout sign. Walk almost due east for fifteen or twenty minutes across the lake bed until the floating, shimmering black dots on the horizon resolve into hundreds of very dark, scattered rocks. 

The mystery rock race apparently moves at glacial speeds, and no one has ever witnessed it actually happening, but the evidence is clear. Smeared depressions all end at a rock. Some of the tracks are hundreds of feet long. It’s as if some spectral hand decided to use the mud as a doodling pad. A few of the tracks are ramrod straight; others curve, zigzag, and even turn back on themselves. It’s creepy and exhilarating at the same time. Many of the rocks have even pushed up a lip of dried mud in front of them, which blows away the “rocks-move-by-wind-pushing-across-frozen-surface” idea. The nail in that coffin is the fact that only a few appear to have moved in the same direction. Selective winds? some are at the hell did these things from the nearest mountain. Perhaps they have been traveling for a millennia. 

In his excellent book The Rebirth of Pan, author Jim Brandon remarked that the mud flats are honeycombed below ground with abandoned mine tunnels and theorized that some kind of force is present in such places (there are at least three other “racetracks” on other dry lakes), and he delights in the apparently pointless lark of moving rocks when no one is looking. There are rumors that there have been attempts to photograph the rocks in time-lapse, but we could find no evidence of such a study. The rangers hadn’t heard of such a project. 

Some of the tracks stop in mid-slide, which suggests stupid human activity. Apparently, someone has moved a number of the rocks. Don’t spoil the fun for the next tourist. And, if the ranger catches you, there is a very heavy fine. Riding a bike on the dry lake is also a big no-no. No mechanized transportation is allowed in the designated wilderness. Rangers hide in the hills and appear out of nowhere to ticker scofflaws, so behave! 

#weird california #type read