#good wildlife capture

[fluffygif]

Icelandic puffin

#lovely #puffin #animals #wild #nature #aww #natgeo #good wildlife capture

[fatbirdpics]

Fat bird

#bird #birds #wildlife #birdphotography #nature #birdwatching #birds captures #bird brilliance #birblr #woodland #I am not actually good at bird ID :’O

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Unsurprisingly, a lot of the commentary I'm seeing about this has been of the "But--but--I would do the same thing because I don't want anything bad to happen to the deer!"

Look. I love wildlife, and I love getting to see deer, coyotes, and even the occasional black bear in my neighborhood. But they are here because there is good habitat nearby with lots of natural food sources, not because I deliberately put out food for them to eat. I respect them as wild animals with whom my relationship is very different compared to the domesticated animals I take care of every day. A deer is not a sheep or a horse; a coyote is not a dog.

People who do things like try to tame deer or, worse yet, try to raise a fawn or other young wildlife like pets are robbing those wild animals of their natural existences. We've already wrought our own preferences on the landscape to a severe degree, tearing the wildness out of it to create lawns and farms and subdivisions and strip malls. When we then dismiss the wildness of these animals and impress our own desire for connection on our terms on them, we are harming them.

I've already written elsewhere about the difference between "tame" and "domesticated". No matter how docile that deer seems, it is never going to be as (relatively) safe and tractable as a domesticated sheep or goat. It will always be more unpredictable, and more likely to lash out suddenly at a person due to fear, or hormones, or protection of young.

These animals need their wild instincts to be intact if they are going to survive without being dependent on us. They need those instincts in order to find mates and keep the gene pool stirred up. Their instincts keep them safe from danger, including humans. And their instincts never totally go away, no matter how much we may try to tame them otherwise.

This is why a good wildlife rehab is going to minimize handling of the wild animals they care for, especially those that are going to be able to be released back into the wild. The less comfortable these animals are with humans, the better their chances of surviving in the wild and having fulfilling, natural lives. Wildlife that retain their wariness of humans are less likely to end up falling prey to hunting, or being killed as nuisance animals when they get too aggressive in seeking food or otherwise coming into conflict with people.

The person who painted "pet" on a fully grown white-tailed buck and put a collar around his neck may have felt like they were doing that deer a kindness, but they have likely robbed him of the chance to just live a natural life as his own, independent being out in the woods and fields. He might be out there, sure, but perhaps he won't mate because he imprinted on humans. Or maybe he will end up shot by a hunter in spite of the precautions because he's just too friendly and those antlers are worth taking the shot.

There will always be something missing from this deer's life because of the arrogance of someone who thought they could own and keep and control a wild-born animal for their own enjoyment, instead of allowing him to come and go as he pleased. Honestly, it reminds me of King Haggard from Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn, whose response to seeing something beautiful was to capture it and keep it rather than simply enjoying and remembering that magical moment:

"I like to watch them. They fill me with joy. The first I felt it I thought I was going to die. I said to the Red Bull I must have them, all of them, all there are. For nothing makes me happy but their shining and their grace. So the Red Bull caught them. Each time I see the unicorns, my unicorns, it is like that morning in the woods and I am truly young, in spite of myself."

That's how I feel about people who are willing to drastically alter a wild animal's behavior for their own selfish benefit, even if they think they're being kind. I know I'm fighting a bit of an uphill battle in this, but I'm rather stubborn that way.

#deer #wildlife #wild animals #nature #animal welfare #animal cruelty #hunting #white tailed deer #zoology #animal behavior #ecology #environment #conservation #wildlife conservation #feeding wildlife #pets #animals #The Last Unicorn

[novlr]

What are some good ways to write about winter?

Winter. is a season of stark contrasts and sensory experiences. It provides the perfect canvas to paint vivid scenes that range from cosy romances to horror-filled stormy nights.

When writing about winter, it’s essential to capture the essence of its chill and the way it can transform the world. Here are some quick tips!

Sights

A blanket of pristine snow covering the landscape

Bare tree branches coated with frost

Delicate snowflakes drifting from the grey sky

Icicles hanging like crystal daggers from rooftops

Colourful clothes stark against the white of snow

Sunlight reflecting off the snow, creating a blinding glare

Animal tracks stamped into the powder

Frozen lakes and puddles

Man-made objects like snowmen and snow angels

Lights shining against dark backdrops

Sounds

Snow muffling and dampening the usual noises

Boots crunching on the frozen ground

People laughing and shouting as they play

Wind howling through barren branches

Ice cracking underfoot or on distant lakes

The silence of a snow-covered world

Shovels scraping against sidewalks

Snowballs hitting their targets with soft thuds

Branches creaking, laden with snow

The rustle of animals keeping warm in burrows

Smells

The fresh, clean scent of snow in the air

Wood smoke curling from chimneys

The earthy aroma of damp wool from coats and gloves

The sharp tang of frost and cold metal

Hot chocolate and marshmallows

Pine needles and the subtle scent of evergreen

Baking spices from holiday treats

The slight ozone smell before a snowstorm

Wet dog from snowball fights with furry friends

Leather and polish from well-worn boots

Activities

Building snow forts and castles

Ice skating on a frozen pond or rink

Snowshoeing through a silent forest

Curling up by the fire with a good book

Skiing and snowboarding down powdery slopes

Brisk walks to enjoy the winter air

Hiking up snowy mountains for panoramic views

Having snowball fights with friends or family

Feeding birds or wildlife braving the cold

Decorating the home with festive lights and ornaments

Character body language

Shivering and huddling for warmth

Rubbing hands together or blowing on them for heat

Shoulders hunched against the biting wind

Slipping and steadying oneself on icy patches

Squinting against the bright snow glare

Snuggling into oversized coats and scarves

Stamping feet to restore circulation

Clapping hands to keep the cold at bay

Arms wrapped around the torso for warmth

Quick, brisk movements to minimise exposure to the cold

Positive descriptions

The serene beauty of a snow-covered meadow at dawn

The invigorating feeling of cold air filling your lungs

The cosiness of a warm blanket on a frosty night

The joy of catching snowflakes on your tongue

The camaraderie of coming together to shovel snow

The nostalgia of winter holidays and traditions

The satisfaction of making the perfect snowball

The wonder of ice patterns on windows

The laughter and excitement of a snow day

The glistening of a frosted evergreen in the sun

Negative descriptions

The biting sting of the wind against exposed skin

The numbness of fingers and toes in the cold

The dreariness of shortened, grey days

The inconvenience of navigating slushy streets

The isolation of a blizzard keeping everyone indoors

The discomfort of wet socks and snow in your boots

The hazard of black ice on sidewalks and roads

The burden of heavy layers and winter gear

The dull ache of a cold that lingers

The gloom that can accompany the lack of sunlight

Helpful adjectives

Biting, chilly, frosty, glacial, icy

Crisp, brisk, sharp, piercing, raw

Fluffy, powdery, crunchy, slick, slippery

Dreary, overcast, bleak, sombre, grey

Cosy, snug, warm, toasty, plush

Twinkling, sparkling, shimmering, glistening

Silent, muffled, still, hushed, quiet

Fresh, clean, invigorating, brisk, bracing

Nostalgic, traditional, joyous, festive, celebratory

Isolating, inconvenient, burdensome, hazardous, gloomy

#writing tips #writing advice #writers #creative writing #writing #writing community #writers of tumblr #creative writers #writing inspiration #writeblr #writerblr #writing help #writing resources #writers block #writblr #writers corner #let's write #story inspiration #beat writers block #writing asks #tips for writers #help for writers #helping writers #writers on tumblr #writers and poets #writing blog #writer's block #writer #resources for writers #writing reference

[exhaslo]

Hello!! I love your writing, it's soooo good, and I wanted to know if I can make a request (if they are open), Miguel × shy Spider woman, in which she and he almost difficultly interact, since miguel is always talking loudly and stuck in his office while she is his polar opposite, and after I mission together they start enjoying each other presence

Okay, I think I can work with this. So like a Shy, but somewhat outgoing reader while Miguel is loud but an introvert haha. I think I have just the idea~

Warning:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were thousands of worlds in the multiverse. Each was unique in its own way, shape or form. Some felt more unfair than others. Your world was one of those that would be classified as unfair. Actually, it was just downright cruel.

You were the Spiderwoman of your world. Life was going great for you until a strange new villain appeared. This new villain was actually your coworker working on a dangerous project that left you frozen in place for hundreds of years.

Yea, he was a villain in your eyes. By the time you were unfrozen, the world you knew was long gone. Humanity had gone extinct and there was barely anything left to salvage. You lived off the ruins of buildings and wildlife to survive.

It wasn't until Miguel appeared and brought you to the Spider Society that you started to live again. However, you were afraid to talk to anyone. You were scared to lose everything again, yet you wanted to experience their worlds.

You just wanted to live again.

Currently, you were walking around the Spider Society, trying to find something to do. Some of the other Spiders waved towards you before heading off to do their thing. You were hesitate to return the gesture, afraid to getting too close to anyone.

"Why did it take so long to capture the anomaly?!" Miguel nearly roared towards a group that just arrived.

You flinched at the sound of his voice and hid behind a pillar. Miguel was frightening to be around. His presence just felt too much for you, that and he was really loud. Despite your fear, you couldn't help but feel attracted to him.

"Just...go, all of you just go." Miguel sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

All of the Spidermen quickly fled, some making quiet jokes here and there. You were hesitant to approach. You just wanted to say hello to him and to thank him again for saving you.

"You don't have to hide," Miguel called out and faced your direction, "I know your there, (Y/N)."

"Sorry," You whispered, stepping out of your hiding place, "Um, thank you again for-"

"You don't have to keep thanking me. It's been a month."

"I know..." You rubbed your arm and watched him start to leave, "It was nice...talking to you..."

--------

There you were again, watching Miguel from a distance. You had been living at the Spider Society for over two months now and you still were having a hard time talking to anyone. Miguel especially. You two were polar opposites.

Miguel was the strong leader of this group, always stuck in his office working and always loud. While you were just another Spider, trying to explore the different worlds and quiet. You felt like it was an impossible task to talk to him if he weren't the one to do so.

"(Y/N), Miguel requests your assistance in an anomaly capture that landed in your world," Lyla appeared from your watch.

"Oh," The thought of your world shattered your heart, "O-Of course, I'll um...be right there."

"Good, he's waiting for you." Lyla said with a chirp before disappearing.

You froze up, feeling your heart race as you tried to build the courage to return to your lost world. That, and Miguel was personally joining you on this mission. You weren't sure if it was fear or excitement that made your heart race.

When you arrived, Miguel was waiting on top of a broken building. You hurried over, trembling as you stared at the world before you. The once beautiful NYC was now overrun by vicious plants.

"It's still hard to believe what happened here," Miguel said before glancing towards you, "I'm sorry for you loss."

"I-It's....It's okay," You whimpered, tears threatening the spill, "L-Let's go catch the anomaly before this world kills them."

"I'll give the direction, you lead us in the safest way there."

Miguel was actually pleasant to chat with. He kept distracting you from feeling depressed about your world. You ended up getting along with him, the two of you sharing stories about each other. Once you caught up to the anomaly, the two of you easily caught him.

"Well, I can't say this about everyone, but we make a good team," Miguel told you as he threw the anomaly in the portal.

"Thanks, I...had fun working with you," You admitted.

Miguel smiled under his mask as he let you walk before him. He kept a close eye on you as you returned to the Spider Society. He felt bad, but you needed the company. Perhaps, he did too. Miguel was going to try his best to get to know you better.

--------

True to his word, Miguel kept finding time to hang out with you. He always had you join him on a mission, then treated you to lunch afterwards. You were the only one who stayed in his world due to not having a world for you to go back too.

Miguel was almost afraid to admit it, but he had fallen for you. You were just perfect for him. All Miguel wanted to do was keep you safe in his arms. The best part was that he knew you liked him back. His heighten senses sure ratted you out.

Miguel was sitting across from you in his office, sharing lunch. You hummed happily, enjoying your silly Miguel burger,

"You okay, Miguel?" You asked. Miguel stole one of your fries,

"Yea, just admiring you."

"M-Miguel!" You gasped, covering your face, "Y-You can't just say something like that...so boldly." You whimpered. Miguel chuckled lowly,

"Says the one who ordered the burger with my face on it."

"M-Masked face!" You squeaked.

Miguel just hummed in response and finished his meal, leaving you alone to eat. You let out a soft whine, grabbing your burger and hesitantly eating it.

What did he have to do to keep you to stay with him forever? That watch you wore kept you here, but you still had to go back to your world to stabilize the balance every now and then. That and you were not allowed to deeply interreact with his world. It was like you were a prisoner.

A happy one. Despite all the trouble, you were still happy to be here, with him. Miguel just wanted to make your life a little better. Once you finished, Miguel noticed some crumbs on your face. It was cliché, but he approached you and wiped the food off with his thumb.

"Yum," He licked his fingers, watching you grow flustered, "So the burger is good."

"M-Miguel!"

-------

This was one of those rare moments where everyone was hesitant to approach Miguel, everyone but you. Apparently something went wrong in a mission and a cannon event was broken that destroyed that world.

Miguel was furious.

Entering his office, you quietly called out for Miguel. You wanted to be there for him. Hearing a low grumble, you glanced up at his platform and swung towards him.

"Miguel?" You whispered.

Miguel tensed at your voice. You saw it. Slowly reaching out, you placed your hand against his back. Miguel quickly turned around and engulfed you in his arms. You blushed as you were pressed into his chest.

"Mig-"

"Just let me stay like this," Miguel whispered, resting his head against yours. You closed your eyes, wrapping your arms around his back,

"Of course,"

Miguel held you in his embrace for a solid fifteen minutes. Once he had his full, he slowly released you and cupped your cheek. You rested your head against the palm of his hand, enjoying the warmth he gave off.

"(Y/N), I need you to know-" Miguel held your waist close to his, "I love you. I can't afford to lose you."

"M-Miguel," You squeaked, hiding your face against his chest, "I-Is it okay...for me to love you back?"

"I'll keep you protected, give you the life that was stolen from you," Miguel raised your chin, resting his head against yours, "If you'd let me."

"I'd love nothing more,"

The two of you smiled before sharing a passionate kiss. Miguel wrapped you in his arms again, not wanting to let you go. You giggled into the kiss, hugging Miguel happily,

"Shall I tell the others that you're safe to approach?"

"No, let's stay like this for a bit longer."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry it was so short! I hope you enjoyed!!!

#miguel o'hara #miguel o'hara x reader #miguel spiderverse #spiderman 2099 #miguel spiderman #miguel o’hara x reader #atsv miguel #across the spiderverse

[reasonsforhope]

The Kenya Wildlife Service celebrated the successful transfer of 21 eastern black rhinos to establish a new viable breeding population for the species that was on the brink of extinction decades ago.

In an 18-day exercise executed by highly trained capture and veterinary experts, the Loisaba Conservancy received the 21 rhinos from three different locations, becoming the 17th sanctuary in Kenya where the mammoth animals can roam and intermingle.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of the resettlement of rhinos to a landscape where they’ve been absent for 50 years,” said Tom Silvester, CEO of Loisaba Conservancy.

Kenya had 20,000 black rhinos in the 1970s before poachers decimated them for their horns. By the time the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) was established in 1989, rhino numbers had declined to below 400.

Since then, Kenya’s eastern black rhinos have made a remarkable comeback and today there are an estimated 1,004 individuals.

Kenya is a stronghold of the eastern sub species of black rhino, hosting approximately 80 percent of the entire world’s surviving population.

“Surpassing the milestone of 1,000 rhinos within four decades is a significant accomplishment,” said Munira Bashir, Director of The Nature Conservancy in Kenya.

The reintroduction this month of these 21 animals this month is a great milestone in Kenya’s rhino recovery action plan, and was made possible by support from The Nature Conservancy, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, other partners—and the three reserves from where the 21 rhinos originated, Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Lewa Conservancy.

“In the recent past, one of the main causes of mortality of rhinos has been territorial fights due to limited space in sanctuaries which has also led to suppressed growth rates due,” explained Dr. Erustus Kanga, the Director General of Kenya Wildlife Service. “I am elated to be associated with this momentous effort to secure more space for this cornerstone species.”

Meanwhile, southern white rhinos continue to thrive in Kenya, having increased from 50 individuals that were imported from South Africa in the eighties and nineties to reach the current population of 971 individuals.

Kenya is also playing a critical role in efforts to save the northern white rhino from extinction, as it is host to the only remaining two females of the species left in the world. The international BioRescue project has developed thirty embryos awaiting implantation into surrogate females within the closely-related subspecies of southern white rhino.

“The return of black rhinos to Loisaba, 50 years after the last known individual here was killed by poachers in the 1970s, is a demonstration of how impactful partnerships between governments and conservation NGOs can be for restoring, managing, and protecting our natural world,” said Dr. Max Graham, CEO and Founder of Space for Giants, one of the project partners.

“And, of course, the return of black rhinos here gives all of us one of the most precious commodities of all: hope.”

-via Good News Network, February 25, 2024

#rhino #rhinoceros #conservation #hope posting #endangered species #wildlife #kenya #good news #hope #zoology #zoo animals #keystone species

[iwanthermidnightz]

“But this mostly perfect life can feel a lot like being a tiger in an wildlife enclosure. It’s pretty in there, but you can’t get out. It’s peculiar to me that after all these years, I still get so anxious when I see a group of people staring, amassed outside my house, pointing, camera phones up... they could never imagine how much that feels like being hunted. And no matter how big my house is, or how many albums I sell, I’m still going to be the rabbit. Because the hunters will always outnumber me. The spectators will stand by, shaking their heads, going “That poor girl.”

But the point is.. they’re still watching. Everyone loves to watch a good hunt.

I worry for my generation and the ones after that because they will never truly experience a moment without attempting to capture it and own it. I am of the generation where you see a beautiful flower growing up through the cracks in the sidewalk, and you pick it. You take it with you to show everyone you know. Whereas I think our ancestors might come upon a beautiful flower and stop and think ‘Wow. That is really beautiful.“

Nevermind that picking a flower kills it, the same way taking a picture of a moment can ruin it altogether. They needed to possess things. They need photographic proof that they were there. They need to then post that photo online so their friends can see it. So that they can spend all day checking the comments underneath. That level of possession worries me.”

—Taylor in her Lover Diary entries written August 14, 2013

#some of you forgot about this and it shows #stop hunting her #taylor swift #lover diaries

[thehmn]

Two misconceptions I keep seeing about cats and dogs:

Cats are the only animal that domesticated themselves.

The reason people say this is because it’s believed cats started approaching human villages when we became farmers and suddenly we had lots rodents for them to hunt. But it’s believed dogs approached humans too. It’s very unlikely that humans captured a wolf and tried to tame it and nothing good would come of stealing wolf pups because even if they got used to humans you’d still have a wild animal that could snap at any moment. It’s much more likely that wolves approached nomadic humans to eat our trash and less aggressive wolves could get closer and get better food and humans being humans probably started throwing food to them. And because both humans and wolves were nomadic they could follow us from settlement to settlement which is why it happened thousands of years before cats.

Cats are hardly domesticated and we haven’t fucked them up in any way.

Bit of a sad one. You know all those videos of house cats chasing away bears, foxes and other wildlife? Wild cats don’t behave like that unless they have no way out. That’s why a human can scare away a mountain lion. But we didn’t want cats who were afraid of us so we selected for brave cats who’d get close to us and that unfortunately means hundreds if not thousands of house cats get killed every day by wildlife. There’s a lot more videos of cats getting eaten than being victorious when confronting a fox but for obvious reasons they don’t go viral. The knowledge that foxes eat cats is so widespread in my country that it’s even a plot point in a children’s cartoon where the fox Rita is proud that her mom kills cats but later is confronted by ally cats out for revenge. So unfortunately we bred the fear out of cats and then let them roam the streets.

#humontalks #cats #dogs

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

⚡ - Charging Towards a More Electrifying Future

1. The Kissimmee River has been brought back to life—and wildlife is thriving

The Kissimmee River in Florida was straightened in the 1960s, causing a sharp decline in wildlife and ecological problems. But in the 1990s, a $1 billion restoration project was initiated to restore the river's natural state.

Today, nearly half of the river has been restored, wetlands have been reestablished and rehydrated, and wildlife has returned, including rare and threatened species. Already the biological impact of the project has become clear. As the wetlands have come back, so have the birds.

2. Plastic wrap made from seaweed withstands heat and is compostable

A cling film made from an invasive seaweed can withstand high temperatures yet is still easily compostable. The material could eventually become a sustainable choice for food packaging.

Scientists started with a brown seaweed called sargassum. Sargassum contains long, chain-like molecules similar to those that make up conventional plastic, which made it a good raw material. The researchers mixed it with some acids and salts to get a solution full of these molecules, then blended in chemicals that thickened it and made it more flexible and pliable.

3. An Eagle Who Adopted a Rock Becomes a Real Dad to Orphaned Eaglet

Murphy, a bald eagle that had been showing fatherly instincts, has been sharing an enclosure with an eaglet that survived a fall from a tree during a storm in Ste. Genevieve. Murphy, his rock gone by then, took his role as foster parent seriously. He soon began responding to the chick’s peeps, and protecting it.

And when, as a test, the keepers placed two plates of food in front of the birds — one containing food cut into pieces that the chick could eat by itself, and another with a whole fish that only Murphy could handle — the older bird tore up the fish and fed it to the eaglet.

4. World's largest battery maker announces major breakthrough in energy density

In one of the most significant battery breakthroughs in recent years, the world’s largest battery manufacturer CATL has announced a new “condensed” battery with 500 Wh/kg which it says will go into mass production this year.

“The launch of condensed batteries will usher in an era of universal electrification of sea, land and air transportation, open up more possibilities of the development of the industry, and promote the achieving of the global carbon neutrality goals at an earlier date,” the company said in a presentation at Auto Shanghai on Thursday.

This could be huge. Electric jets and cargo ships become very possible at this point.

5. Cat with '100% fatal' feline coronavirus saved by human Covid-19 medicine

A beloved household cat has made an “astonishing” recovery from a usually fatal illness, thanks to a drug made to treat Covid-19 in humans – and a quick-thinking vet.

Anya​, the 7-year-old birman cat, was suffering from feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a “100% fatal” viral infection caused by feline coronavirus. That was, until Auckland vet Dr Habin Choi​ intervened, giving Anya an antiviral used to treat Covid-19 called molnupiravir.

6. Kelp forests capture nearly 5 million tonnes of CO2 annually

Kelp forests provide an estimated value of $500 billion to the world and capture 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from seawater each year. Most of kelp’s economic benefits come from creating habitat for fish and by sequestering nitrogen and phosphorus.

7. Medical Marijuana Improved Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms in 87% of Patients

Medical cannabis (MC) has recently garnered interest as a potential treatment for neurologic diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). 87% of patients were noted to exhibit an improvement in any PD symptom after starting medical cannabis. Symptoms with the highest incidence of improvement included cramping/dystonia, pain, spasticity, lack of appetite, dyskinesia, and tremor.

----

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog

#best news of last week

[callsignangel]

please don't leave me - lo'ak x metkayina! fem reader

warnings: imagery of death, angsty one sided pining word count: 976 (sorry besties it's short) a/n: hi friends. i was inspired by moana and then i made it sad lol. there's no use of y/n in this fic, and there are probably some inaccuracies because i’ve only seen the movie once so far haha. reblogs and feedback about my work is deeply appreciated!! <3 my requests are open as well!!

‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿︵

i know a girl from an island she stands apart from the crowd she loves the sea and her people she makes her whole family proud…

being the daughter of the village chief wasn’t easy. you were the precious secondborn child to ronal and tonowari, adored by your people and doted on by your parents… but you would never be tsireya.

she was responsible, selfless, compassionate and of course, beautiful. always did as she was told, stayed out of trouble, would fiercely defend her family if she needed to. never talked back, cared deeply for the wildlife, made sure she stayed inside the reef. she was the perfect golden child.

you on the other hand, were headstrong, curious, defiant. you were also willing to defend your family fiercely, but also those who were unable to defend themselves. ready to fight. ready for the next big adventure. trouble always seemed to find you, regardless of how hard you tried to stay out of it. there was so much more to life than just staying in the same village, doing the same things everyday for the rest of your life. so, you were often found outside of the reef with your ilu, your spear and your thoughts - much to your parents disdain. 

when the sullys came, you had tried to avoid being caught up in the excitement of guests, but of course you had been dragged to the front by your brothers. you greeted the family respectfully like you had been taught to, but your eyes lingered on a certain boy. he had 2 strands of hair hanging on the side of his face adorned with rainbow beads. his lips curled into a tiny smile as he gestured to you, but as tsireya walked out from the water he turned and his smile dropped, eyes widening. 

that’s when you knew he would never be truly yours. you could give him the sun, pandora’s moon, the stars, anything he could possibly want - but he would always be tsireya’s. he never hesitated to rush to her if she needed help, or if she wanted to go for a walk, he was with her as much as he could be. and it crushed you. you tried to hide those feelings, focusing on how when you were old enough you would travel beyond the reef and finally fulfill what you thought was your purpose. but if he ever asked, you would throw all of that away for him. you both had so much more in common, but that wasn’t enough.

when the skypeople attacked, both you and you sister fought valiantly at the sully’s side. they had done too much damage to your island for you to stand in the sidelines. they went after the tulkun, killing roa, your mother’s spirit sister and her calf, and killing liyanin, your spirit sister in the midst of their rampage. you rushed at lo’ak’s side to help him warn payakan, coming head to head with the skypeople. they had captured you, lo’ak, tsireya and tuk aboard their warship, handcuffing you to the side as bait for their father. you tried not to despise him for bringing his war to your home, or for favoring neteyam over his second son. he treated them like soldiers rather than children and lo’ak would never be as good at neteyam in his parents’ eyes, much like you would never be as perfect as tsireya to your parents. maybe it should’ve been neteyam you fell for, maybe it would’ve been easier on your heart. but eywa and her will had other plans.

as soon as you had been cut free you should have ran to save yourself, but lo’ak couldn’t leave his adoptive brother spider behind. like the warrior you are, you followed him and neteyam to help. tsireya and tuk had run to find safety beyond the battle, and here you were running head first back into it. being sneaky was never one of your strong suits like it was for the forest boys. grabbing one of the guns the dead skypeople had dropped, you shot anything and everything you could in every direction to help them jump into the water free from harm. dropping the gun and diving head first yourself, the water seemed to fill your lungs faster than it ever had before. 

you had been shot. shielding neteyam from the bullets flying your way, one of them had gone right through your chest, a little below your collarbone. gasping, flailing, coughing up blood as they pulled you onto an ilu towards a bout of rocks amongst the warship carnage. tsireya’s screams and cries filled the air, her hands covering your bullet wound in an attempt to prevent blood loss. 

“no, no, no!” lo’ak cried, one hand gripping yours and the other resting upon your face.

“stay with me, stay with me. you need to keep your eyes open, please.” you couldn’t help but softly smile. it was your lo’ak here with you as you lay dying. his family surrounded you, silent as they watched your rugged breathing slow.

“take care of her for me, okay?” tsireya gripped your other hand, and you gave it as strong of a squeeze as you could. you stared at the stars, the sounds of their pleading growing quieter as you crossed into eywa’s arms.

lo’ak cradled your lifeless body in his arms, sobbing, kissing your face like he wished he had done when you were still alive. he rocked back and forth has he tucked the stray wet hairs behind your ears and away from your face. 

“i love you, please don’t leave me,” he chanted. i love you. i love you. i love you. if only he had told you sooner.

‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿︵

i will carry you here in my heart you’ll remind me that come what may i know the way…

#lo'ak x reader #lo'ak sully #jake sully #avatar #avatar the way of water #neteyam #neteyam x reader #lo'ak imagine #neteyam imagine #avatar x reader #jake sully x reader #lo'ak fanfiction #neteyam fanfiction #neteyam sully #tsireya #tuktirey #kiri #neytiri #spider socorro #spider #avatar fanfiction #avatar imagine #jake sully imagine #imani’s works #reader insert

[great-and-small]

Finally captured my holy grail! This extraordinarily rare yellow cardinal lives in a natural area that is literally 5 minutes from my old apartment and it took me MONTHS to finally get a good look at him, like one week before I moved out. I was out searching for this handsome bastard nearly every weekend, driving myself mad trying to get a photo of him, until finally he deigned to flit down right in front of me and pose AND he let me excitedly call over some nearby kids to share in the moment before he flew off. Couldn’t stop smiling.

This one-in-a-million mutation (called xanthochromism) occurs when the male cardinal lacks an enzyme responsible for converting yellow pigments in their food into the typical red of their feathers. I am a bit obsessed with the genetics of color and pattern mutations in wildlife and finally seeing this little dude up close was worth the wait.

#birds #birblr #yellow cardinal #xanthochromism #biology #wildlife #zoology #nature #animals #cute #cardinals #mutations #science #cool #photography

[another-lost-mc]

Rubies in the Dark LUCIFER x gn!Reader 4.9k Words | NSFW | Medieval Fantasy AU | Dubious Behaviour Content Warnings: Dark Elvish Prince!Lucifer x Alchemist!Reader. Contains descriptions of monsters, magic and blood/gore/violence; minor injury; implied stalking, breaking and entering, invasion of privacy; dream magic, dream sex, mutual masturbation, implied somnophilia. (Also, shameless references to Warcraft lore because it inspired the worldbuilding for this story.) A/N: This is my fic for @bizarrebankai's 1k Follower Collab! 💙

It’s been nearly five years since you left your family’s small farm to create a new life in Hillsbrad Foothills. You didn’t have any weapons' training and you weren’t magically gifted. Some of your childhood friends were, and they were able to move away to pursue new adventures, leaving you behind. Your family expected you to accept your boring country life, but you knew you wanted more. Disappointment and heartbreak finally motivated you to pack your meager belongings and set off on your own adventure.

You might not be a warrior or mage, but your new freedom gave you the opportunity to explore and study your true passion for alchemy. Your small cottage is located in one of the villages near the Alterac Mountains. Most of the villagers are hunters, gatherers, or tradesmen.

You make a comfortable living trading your alchemy creations to the other villagers. The foothills are an abundant source of some of the most useful flowers and herbs for crafting utility potions and healing elixirs. You don’t like to let things go to waste; the discarded plants you can’t use are milled and turned into ink that you supply to the local constable and village leaders. 

In exchange for your services, they provide you with clothing and food and other useful goods. Your life is lonely, but it’s comfortable. Time has healed old wounds and very rarely is your mind plagued with doubt and regret; you know you’re better off without your unsupportive family and the weak-willed ex-lover you left behind.

Today was surprisingly busy and you were in your alchemy lab all morning. The weather started to turn and you saw clouds rolling over the hills when you peeked out the window. You glance at your herb reserves hesitantly and wonder if you have enough time to gather some more before the storm comes.

One of the village’s recent hunts ended bloodier than usual–there weren't any deaths, but more hunters were seriously wounded than normal. You were more than eager to provide them with potions to accelerate their recovery, but most of your supplies have run out as a result.

The wildlife in the foothills has become exceedingly aggressive. There aren’t many visitors to these quiet lands. There are rumors circulating the village of suspicious travellers conducting experiments with local animals and plant life along the region’s uninhabited borders. They talk about rabid animals and foliage overrun with disease, but you’ve been fortunate not to come across anything like that yourself.

The foothills aren’t easily accessible and are used mainly as a thoroughfare to other regions. There’s only one main road travelers can use to bypass the mountains: the eastern road leads into the valleys and the sea beyond; or the western road that winds up through Silverpine Forest, a thick and dark place nestled along the mountain range.

You’ve heard stories about Silverpine Forest, too–or the Demon’s Forest, if suspicious townsfolk are to be believed. Some people say that monsters hunt along the road at night. If the legends are true, they capture weary travelers and unsuspecting hunters and drag them to their demise in the dark, never to be seen or heard from again. This land might be home to magical and wondrous things, but even you doubt that the stories are true.

Regardless of what you believe, you try to be cautious when you go out to collect herbs on your own. You attach a long knife to your belt before you slip on your cloak, although it is more useful for trimming leaves and brances than for protection.

You bite your lip and glance nervously at the sky. The clouds overhead threaten rainfall, but you think you have enough time to restock some of your depleted resources. You slip out of your little cottage and follow the stone path to the main road heading west.

Today’s harvest is productive and uneventful. These foothills are an excellent source of Briarthorn and Silverleaf, some of the most potent herbs you use regularly. You’ll be able to provide the local healers with more elixirs with extras to spare.

You don’t normally venture this close to the western border, but you naturally follow the most abundant patches of herbs and it led you there. You haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary, but you’re still eager to return to your cottage before it gets too late. 

You set along the path that will lead you home when a strange sound carries on the wind and catches your attention. It doesn’t sound human, but you recognize the whimpers and whines of a creature in pain. You take a hesitant step off the main road, and then another, until you’re walking slowly, carefully, through the grass towards the noise.

The unusual sounds lead you down a deep, sloping hill towards one of the region’s abandoned mines. You shiver from the sudden drop in temperature–something about the air in this area feels unsettling and desolate, and it sets your nerves on edge. The pained noises come from just inside the opening of one of the mining tunnels. You peek around the corner carefully, and you spot some sort of wounded animal.

At a first glance, you think it might be a type of bear, but it’s hard to tell without getting closer. It’s stuck in a tangled mess of thick, white webbing that pins it to the ground. The beast raises its head when your leather boot disturbs some loose stones, and its eyes–or is that two pairs of eyes?–blink at you. The beast is still whimpering in pain, but a low growl echoes around you now, too.

You hold up your hands and show the beast you mean it no harm. It sniffs the air curiously and the growling fades, which you interpret as a sign that it’s safe to approach. You kneel at the beast’s side and examine the webs trapping the poor animal in place. You stroke its furry back soothingly as you slowly cut away the thinner sections of webbing, but the thicker ropes along the beast’s back are too tough for your knife to hack through.

You’re so distracted by your task that a new sound startles you and makes your blood run cold; the beast starts to growl louder and more menacing than before. There’s a hissing noise approaching you from deep within the mine. The flurried sound of skittering limbs echo off the stone walls. Dozens of yellowish eyes seem to float in the darkness further down the tunnel from you and the beast.

It appears that the mines are home to a nest of overgrown spiders. The spiders are nothing like what you’ve seen before: they’re nearly as tall as you are and much wider. They have gnarly limbs and strange, pulsing growths jutting from their backs.

You have no weapons except for your knife, and it’s a poor substitute for a proper sword or axe–not that you could wield either of those successfully, even if you had one. The beast struggles to break free of its bindings next to you, but its limbs are still immobilized by the webs.

You don’t want to run and leave the beast to a bloody fate, but you don’t want to be devoured by the monsters approaching you either. You’re paralyzed by indecision and fear. You remember the stories of suspicious individuals creating abominations from nature in their wake. You didn’t want to believe the rumors were true; you didn’t think this is how you would die.

Something knocks into your back, and you yell in fright as you’re pushed aside. You’re afraid that a monster ambushed you from behind, but instead you see a tall figure wearing leather hunting gear underneath a long, dark cloak.

Whoever it is stops and examines the beast closely, and a male voice speaks to it in a strange language you don’t understand. He pats the beast’s heads–all three of them– before he approaches the swarm of spiders. He doesn’t hesitate to draw a long steel blade, and you stare in horror as he marches towards certain death.

“Hey, wait, don’t–!” you try to warn the stranger. You realize very quickly that your warning was not wanted or needed.

It’s not a battle so much as it is a slaughter. His movements are graceful but quick, and they’re difficult for you to follow. He darts a path through the monsters, his sharp weapon slicing through the air and cutting them down effortlessly. Frenzied, monstrous shrieks and hissing fill the air; the sound of flesh slicing and squelching blood makes you nauseous. The musty mine air grows heavy with the hint of copper. You clench your eyes shut and cover your ears.

Eventually, the sounds of carnage fade into nothingness, and all you can hear now is the wild thumping of your heartbeat. When you open your eyes, the hooded stranger is standing near the beast’s side once more. His sword drips black-red ichor from the slain spiders, and he wipes the blade clean. He cuts through the webbing so the beast can finally stand up properly. It reminds you of an enormous dog as it shakes its dark fur. Its heads each try to lick at the stranger’s face, and you hear a soft huff of amusement; it nearly makes you smile, despite everything you’ve just gone through.

The stranger finally seems to remember your presence and turns to face you. Most of his face is shrouded in darkness with his hood still up, but you know he’s staring at you. His attention feels weighted, almost suffocating. His aura is intense and you’ve seen for yourself he’s capable of ruthless bloodshed, but for some reason, you don’t feel afraid.

His head tilts questioningly. “Why?” his smooth voice asks quietly. “Why did you stop to help him?”

“I wanted to,” you reply honestly. You cringe when you realize how naive it sounds. You could’ve died, and you probably would have died, if not for the traveler’s excellent timing.

You don’t know what to say, and neither does he judging by his icy silence. Something catches your eye when you take a better look at his clothing. There’s a gash on his arm, and the thin material of his tunic is already soaked with blood from the wound. “You’re hurt,” you point out worriedly.

He looks at his arm like he didn’t even notice he was wounded, but he startles when you approach him without hesitation. “What do you think you’re–?” the stranger demands, but he only makes a half-hearted attempt to pull away from you.

You shake your head to silence his complaints and focus on his injury. You normally carry a small assortment of bandages in one of your pouches, pre-soaked with healing elixir, and you unwrap one and press it to his arm. You wrap it around the wound as gently as you can.

“I make these myself,” you explain to him quietly. You move the ripped fabric of his shirt aside, and your fingers brush against his bare skin. You hear a sharp intake of breath, and you pause tying the bandage in place. “Is it too tight?”

Even with his hood up, you can tell he’s shaking his head. “No, no–it’s fine."

When you’re satisfied with your work, you step back and give him some space. The man seems to be focused on his arm now, and the strange tension between you makes you nervous. Before you can think of anything else to say, rumbling thunder booms in the distance outside the mine and you look over your shoulder. The sky is even darker now, and only the barest hints of sunlight peek through the clouds.

You suddenly feel the tingling sensation of magic in the air. You turn around to ask the man if he lives nearby and what his name is, but he and his beast are gone. You scan the tunnel as far as your eye can see, but nothing else remains except for the plagued spider creatures the traveler killed to save you.

More thunder booms, louder and closer than before, and you rush from the mine. You see no sign of the man or his beast, but the storm brews on the horizon. You have no choice but to continue the journey home as quickly as you can and hope that they’re safe now too.

The villagers are on high alert after you inform them of the monstrous spiders you encountered near the western border of the region. You leave out the details of meeting the cloaked stranger and his three-headed beast.

Your thoughts drift to them often in the days that pass since that tense encounter. The traveler must be a gifted magic user if he was able to teleport them both away so easily. You feel the pang of envy when you think of your nonexistent magical skills, but you remind yourself that you’re an accomplished alchemist instead. You’ve honed your talents and found your own purpose in life; you don't need anything else.

Sometimes when you walk to town to buy supplies, or when you tend to the small garden of herbs near your cottage, you feel uneasy. You glance around nervously when the sensation of being watched makes your skin break out in goosebumps. You call out nervously and ask who’s there, but no one answers. The silence feels anticipatory somehow, and you wonder what it means.

The next morning you stumble tiredly from your room after a restless sleep. You think a warm cup of tea will help, but you freeze when you realize there’s a man in your house. His back is facing you while he looks over the alchemy texts and storybooks on your shelf. He turns to you properly when he hears your startled yelp of surprise. 

The man looks like no one you’ve ever seen before. Black hair streaked with grey falls over his intense ruby-coloured eyes. He wears a silver circlet adorned with black opals. His black regalia is perfectly tailored and looks expensive. The dark fabric is accented with gold and red threads that almost seem to glitter in the sunlight shining through your window. His cloak is lined with fur, and his black leather boots are shined to a high polish. He clears his throat and tugs on the cuff of his gloves, almost like he’s nervous. Whoever the stranger is, he looks regal and important and painstakingly out of place in your humble cottage.

You should be afraid that a stranger broke into your home and looked through your belongings while you were sleeping in the next room unaware. However, there’s something familiar about him that you can’t place at first. You suddenly think of a three-headed beast and the cloaked stranger that saved you both, his pale, sharp jawline peeking below the shadow of his hood–

You realize the man before you is the swordsman from the mine, and he nods his confirmation when you ask him if he's one and the same. Your gaze lingers on his intense red eyes and the pointed tips of his ears, and he explains that he lives deep in Silverpine Forest with the elves. He tells you that he’s the crown prince of his kind, and he’s here because he owes you a debt of gratitude.

He looks visibly irritated when you tell him repayment of any kind isn’t necessary. Shouldn’t you be repaying him since he saved your life? But there’s a pink flush blooming across his cheeks despite his offended expression, and all he says is that it’s complicated. Apparently, risking your life to save elvish royalty–or his pet–is a big deal.

You rub your arms nervously and ask what he means. You’re expecting him to offer some sort of compensation, like gold or rare goods, and you plan on refusing all of it. What you don’t expect is for him to ask permission to court you. His eyes are serious and they blaze angrily when you burst into laughter at his proclamation.

(He doesn’t tell you that his brothers noticed his increasingly distracted behaviour the days following your fateful encounter. He washed the bandage you gave him and kept it for sentimental reasons he can’t even articulate properly. He can’t look at Cerberus without remembering how close he came to losing his beloved companion, or how brave you were to try to save him yourself. He thinks of how kind you were when you tended to his wounded arm and how gently you touched him–no one's ever touched him like that before.

He thinks about the spies he sent to your cottage to learn more about you, and how he grew too eager and started watching over you himself. He thinks about your reputable alchemy skills and kind nature, and how respected you are in your small village. He thinks about your potential, and how he can offer you so much more, if you’ll give him the chance.)

In the awkward silence that follows, you realize he isn’t joking and he's waiting for your response. You don’t mean to offend him, and you apologize profusely, but he can’t seriously expect you to accept such a proposal so easily, right?

But you think about your quiet isolation with only fleeting acquaintances among the townspeople to keep you company. You think about the world beyond the foothills that you pretend doesn’t exist. You’re not sure how you’ve ended up in another isolated prison of your own making.

Were you craving a sense of adventure when you let a strange beast’s cries lead you astray from the safest path home? What could someone like an elvish prince offer someone like you?

The world, a treasonous voice whispers in your mind. Judging by the mischievous gleam in his eye, you’re not sure whether that voice was yours or his.

You explain to him as gently as you can that you can’t accept such a bold offer of courtship, but you would be happy to accept an offer of friendship instead.

He readily agrees with your counter-proposal, and you wonder what you’re missing that makes him look so pleased; he looked ready to attack you for wounding his pride only moments ago. He refuses your offer to stay longer and visit, but he assures you that you’ll see him again soon. You stop him before he leaves when you realize you don’t even know his name.

My name is Lucifer, he tells you warmly. There’s an unreadable smile teasing his lips, and he offers you a murmured farewell before he disappears in a ripple of magic.

You ignore the curious voice inside your mind that wonders how long he'll make you wait before he visits again.

It’s been nearly a week since Lucifer visited your cottage and turned your world upside down. You haven’t seen him since, but you’ve made a mental note to ask him what friendship means to elvishkind. It almost seems like he completely ignored your rejection of his offer to court you.

Each morning when you wake, you find some sort of gift in your sitting room: a vase of rare wildflowers, silver jewelry fashioned similarly to the circlet he wore, a new cloak lined with soft fur that looks suspiciously like his own.

You pick up today’s gift–a heavy, leatherbound book about plants and herbs with blank pages at the end for keeping notes. You recognize some of the drawings on the pages: those plants don’t grow in the foothills, but you know they grow in abundance within Silverpine Forest where Lucifer lives, that cheeky devil.

These tokens feel too intimate for the early stages of blooming friendship, but you suspect he knows that. Is he so arrogant that he thinks your affections can be won so easily despite your initial protests?

(Or does he know that despite your protests, you enjoy all his thoughtful gifts? He’s so considerate of your interests and passions. It’s difficult not to be flattered that someone as interesting and handsome as him would be determined to impress someone like you.) 

Your cottage starts to feel different as it fills with gifts the elvish prince brings you while you sleep. It’s almost like he leaves hints of his unique magic on purpose for you to find. You catch whiffs of the smoky-sweet fragrance he wears as you walk through the halls, and you can't help but think of him when you do.

Sometimes you still feel like you’re being watched, but the sensation feels friendlier somehow, rather than invasive and alarming. When you look out your window in the evenings and stare into the thicket behind your cottage, you can almost imagine the flash of blood-red eyes staring back at you.

You’ve been using the book Lucifer gave you as a type of journal. It’s become an intimate confession of your wonder and your fears and doubts. You write about regret and hope and opportunities for new beginnings. You think about friendship and the potential for more, and you wonder how it might feel to wake up in a bed warmed by someone that loves you. You haven’t wanted these sorts of things in a very long time. You’re not sure whether to thank or curse the elvish prince for filling your head with such desperately beautiful ideas.

The next morning, you wake up and find another gift: a glass jar filled with fragrant tea leaves. The unique blend smells earthy and herbal and slightly sweet. You hold the jar to your chest and glance at your journal on the writing desk. It’s open to the last page you wrote on, but you know you closed it before you went to bed last night. Realization dawns on you: Lucifer wanted you to know that he read it, and now he knows all your conflicted thoughts about him.

You boil water and make a cup of tea with the leaves he gave you. You step outside into the early morning sunlight and sip your drink thoughtfully. The familiar feeling of eyes on you returns, and you wonder why it doesn’t bother you nearly as much as it used to.

You dream of Lucifer for the first time that night. It feels like your consciousness is floating amongst soft clouds. You feel weightless and protected and cared for. You can’t see him–not at first, anyway–but you know he’s there with you. His familiar scent is so strong you can almost taste it, and you recognize the deep, teasing timber of his voice when his quiet chuckle echoes all around you. You know it’s not real, but it feels like strong arms cradle you in a warm embrace and it feels so wonderful.

Wakefulness disturbs the tranquility of the dream, and you see one last flicker of red eyes before you sit up in your bed, wide-awake and breathless. You rub your eyes and squint as the morning sunshine filters in the gap of your curtain and bathes your room in light. Something catches your attention from the corner of your eye, and you realize he left his next gift in your room this time: a deep-red rose fully in bloom and tied with a black ribbon, placed next to your pillow while you dreamt of him.

Whatever is happening between you and Lucifer continues to grow more intense as days pass. Every night when you sleep, he visits you in your dreams like he knows your resistance to him is crumbling. His dream-self doesn’t really speak to you, except for deep sighs that sound like your name when he holds you against his chest. Sometimes his fingers trail lightly up and down your arm, and you can feel his warm, damp breath fan against your nape as his nose brushes against your neck.

His presence fades away when you wake up with the morning sun, and your new gift from him waits somewhere nearby. The traces of his magic seem to linger and grow stronger each time he visits you in your room. It almost feels possessive, like he’s leaving his mark on you so you can’t possibly forget him. It’s a constant reminder of who he is and what he wants from you.

His gifts become more intimate over time, too–a box filled with rare candied nuts and creamy chocolates, a bottle of rare fruit wine, a delicately woven blanket for your bed. Today’s gift is the most extravagant yet: a black silk robe with gold and red embroidery. It’s similar in style to the royal regalia he wore when he came to your home for the first time. The underlying significance of that doesn’t escape your notice.

You set the robe aside while you dress in your normal attire and carry on with your work for the day. Time passes in a blur as you grind herbs to make potions, and you mill the discarded parts into pigment for ink. When you head to the village to deliver the finished goods, you feel his intense gaze on you from somewhere nearby; he must realize by now that the bashful smile you try to smother is meant for him.

A strange feeling of anticipation has been building inside you all day. You get ready for bed that evening and take off your clothes. It’s almost like you can’t stop yourself when you slip on the robe he gave you in place of your usual sleepwear. The significance of wearing this to bed, and only this, doesn’t escape you either.

You don’t normally think about your appearance or attractiveness, but wearing something that he made specially for you feels like a type of seduction. The robe feels so soft and sensual against your naked skin, and you realize this is what it feels like to be desirable. The robe is loose across your chest and near the gap between your legs when you lay down. The thin fabric leaves tantalizing strips of bare skin exposed in the cool night air.

When you fall asleep, you realize immediately that tonight’s dream is different. You’re laying flat on something soft, and someone’s body cages you beneath theirs. You recognize the red glint of his eyes as the shadows fade away from his face. He braces himself on one arm while the other tugs at the fastening keeping your robe closed.

Mine, he whispers. His hand pauses, waiting for permission. 

Yours, you whisper back.

Once he has your consent, the restraint he’s been clinging to finally gives way to his primal instincts. He leans forward and kisses you as your robe falls open completely and you’re finally bare to him. His hands and mouth claim every inch of your body for himself. He’s gentle and slow as he explores you. The crimson eyes you once feared are molten with greedy affection for you and you alone. He makes a trail of open-mouthed kisses and small, suckled bruises across your skin.

When he's reached the edge of his control, he surges back up your body and captures your lips in another heated kiss. He slides his hand between your legs and teases the edge of your arousal. He nips gently at your skin when you bare your throat to him, and he smiles wickedly at the first soft sigh that escapes you.

He groans when you explore his chest and glide along his tapered waist until you find the hardening length grinding against your hip. His cock is hard and heavy in your hand, and he growls deep in his chest as you begin to stroke him. His fingers are relentless and you move together, stroking each other in a hot, desperate haze that threatens to consume you both.

He whispers sweet praise into your ear when you fall apart beneath him, and he gasps and moans your name when he comes too. Your hands are both stained as his release mixes with your own. The inside of your thighs are wet and sticky, and your chest heaves while you catch your breath.

He maneuvers you so he’s laying behind you. He wraps an arm possessively around your waist. It may only be a dream, but you swear you’ve never felt so good. You feel relaxed and content and your eyes slip closed.

Stay, you whisper into the strange, ethereal silence of the dreamscape. He grows still behind you for a moment, but he brushes a kiss against your bare shoulder and you know what his answer is.

Something suddenly jolts you into wakefulness. It’s still early in the morning and the sun hasn’t risen yet. You feel so warm, but you realize it’s because of a heavy weight against your back. A strong, muscular arm is draped over your waist and nimble fingers trace abstract shapes on your belly. The familiar tingle of magic and the scent of honeyed smoke surrounds you. The evidence of his desire for you still clings to your thighs, sticky and not quite dry.

“Mine?” his sleep-roughened voice rumbles behind you as he tightens his hold on your waist.

You relax deeper into his arms and smile when he nuzzles against you. “Yours.”

#series: enchantment #obey me lucifer #obey me x reader #omswd x reader #obey me lucifer x reader #lucifer x reader #obey me smut #omswd smut #lucifer smut #obey me lucifer x mc #lucifer x mc #obey me lucifer x you #lucifer x you #obey me fanfic #omswd fanfic #x reader #obey me au #medieval fantasy au #someone dropped this 🚩 #gn!reader #Jules' 1k Collab!

[dailyadventureprompts]

Adventure: On the Chopping Block

Haste makes waste, the slow and merciless trod of industry makes something else entirely

For centuries the people of the Towerpine woods kept to the old rites and offerings which allowed them to make their living from the forest while staying on the good side of the local fey. That was before the margrave came and built his damnable mill, which takes and takes without first asking and stains the sky with its fumes. Now not only has the ancient pact with the fey been transgressed but the people of the Towerpine have lost their living, unable to compete with the mill and its labouring constructs, which produce in a day what it took the whole region a week to cut and carve.

Things are reaching a breaking point, and if the heroes don't act quickly there be no telling just how far the devastation will reach.

Adventure Hooks:

A good way to get the party into the Towerpine woods (especially if you're using this as an intro adventure) is to have them as caravan guards escorting much needed supplies to the frontier region. After fending off some wildlife that's grown increasingly erratic thanks to the mill's disruption of their habitat, they sit down in a village's public house for an overdue rest only to be approached by a gang of malcontents intent on going up the hill and doing something about the mill. These people are absolutely correct in their grievance, but their righteous and somewhat drunken attempt at sabotage is going to end badly when the constructs that work supply the mill activate and look to deal with them as intruders. The party can witness this disater first hand, ending up captured or escaping into the woods, alternatively they might hear about it the next morning, when the villagers beseech them to intervene and rescue the surviving saboteurs from where they're being held at the mill.

Garvan Vimley is the sort of odious little man who gives progress a bad name. Placed in charge of the mill's operation, Mr. Vimley and his Towerpine Lumber Company ( ironically shortened to TLC on their branding ) care only about squeezing more profits from the region regardless of how much harm occurs in the process. He might just be willing to release the captured vandals, if the party agrees to find one of his oh-so-expensive logging constructs that's vanished in the past week after being sent with a team of surveyors (who are also missing, but not as valuable) into one of the forest's more wild regions. As it turns out, the construct has been hijacked by a group of the local fey, who are now bickering between destroying the thing for good, playing with their new toy, or winding it up and send it rampaging back towards the mill. Negotiating with the fey will be difficult, especially because they hold a few of the surviving surveyors in thrall and are more than willing to use them as bargining chips.

Future Adventures:

Regardless of what the party decides to do Vimley intends to use this latest attempt at sabotage as a means of convincing his noble patron to institute draconian measures, pettitioning the crown to enclose the commonly held Towerpine woods and thus making it illegal for anyone save the TLC to harvest wood in the region, which would not only force the locals out of business but force them to buy even their kindling from the profitmongering Vimley or else be branded thieves. This scheme is subtle, and if one of the now sympathetic surveyors doesn't tip them off it's going to require the party to do some independant snooping to even notice what's going on. Once things are in motion the report of the sabotage has to be intercepted before it reaches the Margrave, potentially in a daring chase through the forest. Even then it's only but even that's going to be only a temporary fix, they'll need to make a petition at the Margrave's court with evidence of Vimley's mismanagement, or perhaps even oust the Margrave himself before he gets the crown involved.

It's more than corruption and greed at work in the Towerpines, as the forest's ancient guardians are making their displeasure known in all manner of ways. Rampaging beasts, dangerous pranks, nightmares, and bad omens all beset the people at the edge of the forest. Even this is not enough for Illyurn, the youngest of a circle of dryads who have long held court in the shadow of the ancient pines. The elders of the circle are convinced that their mortal neighbours will heed their warnings, return to the old ways, but Illyurn has fewer memories of good will to hold her back, and her anger burns ever hotter. Fire sears away the rot and ushers in the new growth after all, and as the days pass and Illyurn more and more embodies this destructive aspect of nature the more her incendiary words will catch in the mind of her fellow fey and those most discontent of the villagers, transforming them into a blazing mob that will rage and rage and rage until the landscape is rendered into ash.

When the party intercede and end up having to put Illyurn down, she will choke out one final smoke-bitter curse: A doom for the party, for the mill, it's maker, and it's masters, may all they hold precious end in embers.

Art 1

Art 2

#press start #forest #low level #fey #artifice #steampunk

[mewmeiw]

Now for some info/lore ab mermaids in the au!! ‼️😁😁

Mermaids have several different capabilities and forms of hypnotisis, but let’s talk about what moon can do :}

He can do that standard type of hypnosis where he jsut gotta make eye contact w/ u wether from afar or up close and boom 💥💥 ur in a trance! He can use this on animals as well, and has many uses for it! He prefers to use it to hunt too.

He can also has siren song! Singing will put you in a trance, but it doesn’t rlly work underwater…

WHCIH IS WHYYYY HE CAN DANCE AS WELL! A silent song of ripples as he twists his body in the water will allure and bring anything to him, he can use this to hunt, for fun, or for a few other things..

Mermaids are known to exist, but there are only a few very low quality pictures of them.. the only people who saw mermaids rarely lived to tell the tale 👀

Mermaids also have magic that can manipulate water, weather, temperatures, or even the day and night cycle! Rlly depends on the mermaid. Moon can alter the day and night cycle, day to night in seconds! When strange occurrences happen, it’s just common knowledge that it’s a mermaid messin round.

There are several different types of mermaids, but only 1 of each type can alter something significant that the normal cycle of life depends on. For example, sun and moon, the celestial mers, affect the day and night cycle ofcccc. If one is out of the ocean for too long things can get messed up :C

When weather, day, anything significant like that is out of wack the people know smthn goin on with one of those mermaids, and despite mermaids eating/unaliving people… they are very much needed. Of course there are good and bad mermaids who do and don’t eat people, but you know.. anyways! There are companies that seek to capture the significant mermaids and others who seek to protect those significant mers! Those significant mers r typically good :)) The companies rarely ever need to protect those significant mers, unless they are captured as children, which doesn’t happen much but normal mer children r captured more regularly, still rare but it happens. The people of the company protect mers, but they also must protect themselves. It’s most common for mers to use the eyesight hypnosis, it’s never been heard of them using song or dance yet.. tho the song part is suspected! Anyways, the people in the company wear special goggles where you can’t see the person’s eyes and they are mostly shielded from the hypnosis- though they are strictly forbidden from making eye contact just in case. Also- the company also protects general sea wildlife! They go out and feed sharks, no one ever goes alone. Not even during their leisurely time where they are going out to swim sea creatures just for fun! But what happens when someone is whisked away by a mermaid right in front of their coworkers or friends..?

Anyways! Moon obv has a lot of physical strength, he’s quite fast too. Since he can’t talk underwater, mermaids can do a cool thing where they speak to you telepathically! He can’t read your mind, but Moon can sense emotions :))

Moons general personality in the fic is gonna be kinda typical, very mischievous and playful, teasing and scaring people. He also seems to enjoy playing with his food 👀… He doesn’t like unaliving prey without using some sort of hypnosis, it’s just more exhilarating or fun that way.

More talk on y/n and sun in the future! 😁😁

The fic will be moon-centered.

Here’s another doodle!

#fnaf moon #fnaf sun #moondrop #sundrop #fnaf security breach #dca fandom #dca mermaid au #fnaf daycare attendant #fnaf dca #mer dca #dca mer au #dca moon #mer sun #moon x reader #mer moon #dca sun #dca au #dca x reader #dcau #watch out he might whisk you away!!

[lance-thunder-reporting-live]

Good morning Amity Park, I'm your ghostly weatherman, Lance Thunder. Today's Thursday, November 23, and there’s a 10% chance of rain. Highs are in the low forties and lows are in the low thirties.

I apologize for my recent absence, I was in a Fenton Thermos.

An anthropomorphic ghostly turkey was spotted earlier this morning running around and screaming loudly before disappearing, reappearing in another area, and doing the same thing again. He has not yet been caught.

A confused deer has made its way onto 32nd street near Main Street. It has already caused two car accidents, so be extremely careful driving anywhere near the area. A panicked animal is a dangerous animal. Wildlife officials are currently working on capturing this animal to treat its injuries and release it back into the woods.

The Fentons will likely be driving today.

Have a happy thanksgiving if you celebrate it.

#danny phantom #lance thunder #unreality #daily report #11/23/06

[rebeccathenaturalist]

For those unaware, Burmese pythons have been a seriously destructive invasive species in the Florida Everglades for the past three decades thanks to a hurricane destroying a breeding facility. Other than the occasional big, old alligator, nothing eats them--but they eat everything. In some places, mammal species have been reduced to a tiny percentage of their former numbers--or have been extirpated entirely.

Because these snakes are so good at hiding, and they often populate the more remote areas of the Everglades, it's incredibly difficult to track them or determine how many of them are hiding there, though their impact is certainly obvious. Even people who spend time hunting the pythons only bring back a tiny fraction of the population; over 17,000 have been killed since 2000, and yet numbers are robust enough that native species have been eaten nearly to complete extermination. Both amateur and professional hunters are allowed to hunt Burmese pythons year-round anywhere on private land and in many public lands as well.

It was totally by accident that researchers came across a way to find these elusive animals. Opossums that had been fitted with radio collars for a separate study became victims of pythons, and the transmitters showed exactly where the snakes went after feeding. While some very large snakes were able to pass the collars when defecating, others retained them in their digestive systems. And as it turns out, the opossums were the perfect size for large female pythons mature enough to lay plenty of eggs. Every female removed from the ecosystem meant that many fewer being born in the future, putting at least a small dent in the population of invasive pythons.

Now there are plans to fit opossums and other mammals with simple tracking collars that are more likely to stay in a python's system even after digestion. Quicker response will mean more of them can be captured and euthanized. While it's not going to be the solution that gets rid of all of the Burmese pythons in Florida, every tool we have in controlling their numbers is a step forward.

#pythons #Burmese pythons #snakes #herps #invasive species #Everglades #Florida Everglades #Florida #nature #wildlife #animals #animal death #cw animal death #ecology #environment #conservation #hunting