#thought this beautiful Will Wood post needed to be documented on tumblr | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tilltheendwilliwrite · 3 years

Text

Cat Got Your Tongue

Chapter One

Master List / Series Master List

A/N: This series is set in the same world as Bare In The Woods (a one-shot were-bear Henry Cavill story). This series will be cross posted between Tumblr and AO3. As Tumblr has no way of preventing minors from reading the smutty bits (and there will be smutty bits) those chapters will only be available on AO3.

My archive work is available to Register Users Only. This means Yes, You Must Have An Account with Archive to read my work. If you'd like more information on how to acquire your Free archive account, please see this post. All you need is an email address to sign up. That's it. Just do it people.

Read on AO3 here!

Summary: The community of Salvation holds many secrets, not the least of which is the diversity of were-folk who call it home. Ember Porosha is one resident for who Salvation isn't just the town's name but her saving grace. After outrunning her past, she's resigned herself to playing surrogate to everyone else's children and never having her own. A mate was not in her future, and she was learning to live with that. Until he walked through the door of The Last Book and Brew.

Thomas Loki Hiddleston wasn't going to be in town long. Here for the naming of Henry and his wife's baby girl and presentation to the weres of Salvation, he planned only to stay a few days. A small town like this could never offer him the outlet he needed for his cat's dark desires, nor could he hide what he was for long. His nature would eventually need an outlet and Salvation held nothing for him. Or so he thought. One wiff of Ember's unique scent and he knew he'd found a long thought lost to him future.

But when she doesn't fall at his feet, and proves more stubborn than a mule, can he resit taking her in hand long enough to win her heart? Or will the bond between true mates not be enough to tame this wild hellcat.

Series warnings: Were-Creatures, Cats, Bears, Smut, Shameless Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Explicit Language, Dom/sub, Blood, Blood Kink, this one could (will) get kinky

***

When the sleek black car drove through town, Ember gave it only a passing glance. It was odd, sure, but anyone who drove a Jag was so far out of her league they were playing on a different ball diamond altogether. The car screamed money, something she cared little about.

Sure she needed it, everyone did, but Ember was content with what she had, and in this sleepy town cradled lovingly between the mountains, she didn't need much. She had her sweet yellow cottage, her bookstore, and a community of friends when she desired company. And now, with the snow falling thick on the ground, she would have another singular pleasure.

Ember's little snow leopard heart leapt at the thought of running through the high passes and sliding down the long slopes, her wide paws keeping her above the snowpack instead of sinking in while her thick coat kept out the cold. It had been too long since she'd last played in her were form, and was looking forward to going out to the ranger station in a few days to visit with Henry, his wife, and their little cub.

The sweet baby girl already had Henry wrapped firmly around her finger, and Ember couldn't help but laugh at the goofy smile that perpetually graced his face when he looked at his family.

If a pang of jealousy jabbed her heart, Ember didn't let it show. She'd resigned herself to a lonely life a long time ago.

The bell over the door of her little shop gave a merry jingle, and she placed the last of the new James Patterson novels on the shelf before dusting off her hands and stepping out from behind the bookshelves to smile at Lorraine, the town's most gossipy raven.

If she was fluttering into The Last Book and Brew, then Ember was about to hear an earful.

***

Tom swept into the charming inn and forced himself to smile at the woman behind the desk. He'd spent a miserable six hours on the road, driven through a blizzard, and killed his cellphone when he'd dropped it in an icy puddle two hours prior as he'd filled the car with petrol. But there was no alternate way to get to Salvation, buried deep in the mountains, except to drive.

And Salvation was where he needed to be.

His old friend, Henry, was celebrating the birth of his first cub, and Tom dropped everything to come and see the little darling Henry was blessed with. And to meet the woman who'd tamed the giant bear after all this time. Sadly, he'd been unable to attend their wedding, but he refused to miss the welcoming of a new were into the community, whether he belonged to the Salvation clan or not.

That didn't mean he wouldn't give Hen the gears for choosing to live in some backwater nowhere even if it was beautiful here.

Still, Tom preferred the city for its indulgences and entertainments. No, he couldn't fall on all fours and run through the concrete jungle he called home, but he'd long come to terms with his destiny. It wasn't as if there was a panther out there waiting to run under the moonlight with him.

He was going to be a lone cat, a bachelor. He'd resigned himself to it, for no matter what anyone said, no one - were or human - had ever submitted wholly to his dark desires and chosen to stay in his possession afterward. They were all far too soft for his liking, ending in no more than a one-and-done.

At least, he could stalk the clubs and play with those unaware of his darkest needs and wants in the city. Tom was not a Dom to be denied, and those who gave in to the allure of his pretty face soon learned all about the devil underneath his Gucci suit.

"Hello, darling," he purred to the desk clerk. "Thomas Loki Hiddleston, checking in. I believe I have a reservation."

She blushed to the roots of her hair, sputtered, and nodded. "Of-of course, sir. If-if you'll sign a few things and put your card on file, I can get you situated on your back- In your room!" she corrected, staring at her hands.

Tom couldn't hide his smile, but he swallowed his laughter. It was always the same. The sweet little birds flocked to him, but they had no idea a predator was stalking them.

He went through the incidentals, signed her documents, collected his key and listened intently when she told him about the room, breakfast, the restaurant, spa, and pool. His ears perked up at the last. He did enjoy a refreshing swim.

"And if you fancy something other than regular coffee or black tea, there is The Last Book and Brew just down the street. Ember makes the best scones and tea."

"Does she now?" he murmured, eyeing Irene - her name on a little plaque pinned to her chest - as she handed him back his credit card. "Perhaps I'll check in on it. A cuppa does sound delightful." The drive had been long, and tea might be just the pick-up he needed before calling round to Henry's.

He nodded to Irene and headed for the stairs instead of the elevator. Three floors were nothing for his long legs, the exertion minimal, as he hiked to the third floor and down to the end where he fit the old-fashioned key into the antique lock and pushed open the door.

Tom was pleasantly surprised to find a mixture of well-kept antiques and modern furnishings decorating the space. While the bed and mattress were new and covered with clean, white duvet and sheets, the dresser - upon which sat a television - was a heavy mahogany buffet with curved Queen Anne legs. The bathroom was a revolution of modern plumbing though a cast iron tub stood on clawed feet beside a glass shower big enough for two. Gilt framed mirrors hung above dual vanities into which water poured from brushed gold fixtures.

It was all very romantic with its old-world charm though the inn was showing its age. Wallpaper lifted at the edges, millwork was chipped and rubbed in places, and a few of the lovely old tiles on the floor in the bathroom were cracked. But with the likely age of the building, it wasn't so surprising. If the gorgeous stone building weren't at minimum a century, he would eat his scarf.

She could be an absolute beauty with effort and enough money. Yes, he would be comfortable here for a time. The Salvation Inn would suit him.

Tom made his way to the windows that looked out on Salvation's main street. The road was a mess of dirty snow, sanded and salted for ease of travel, but the thick white flakes floating down turned the quaint replica gas street lights into white-topped monuments of winter. Storefronts glowed with welcoming light, still running their Autumn displays, creeping toward American Thanksgiving. The commercialization of Christmas had yet to appear, giving everything a cheerful, colourful cast he found pleasing to his senses.

Cars moved without hurry, mimicking the people coming and going about their business. Everyone was bundled up, but no one seemed to mind the cold and the snow. To be expected, he supposed. They lived in the mountains where snow fell early and lasted late.

As his gaze traversed the lane, his attention landed on The Last Book and Brew and caused him to tilt his head, intrigued. Unlike the other traditional storefronts with their brick faces and colourful awnings, gold filigree writing on wooden signs, the little bookstore had a distinctly different feel to it.

The door, window frames, and brickwork that accented the front of the building were painted a shiny, deep black. There was no awning but three stunning lanterns hung above the windows on wrought iron arms, beautifully curved like the elegant lines of a woman's body. A sign in the same black iron hung perpendicular to the door. Shaped like a shield or some family crest, the words The Last Book and Brew glowed crimson outlined in gold, while a raven of the same black iron sat guard, casting judgement on all who entered. Red velvet mounded in the windows, lovingly cradling the displayed books like sacrificial offerings.

Someone knew what they were doing, for that was the sexiest storefront Tom had ever seen.

Utterly enchanted and desperate to see if the interior matched the exterior, he left his leather valise unpacked on the bed, pocketed his key, and headed for the door.

Irene looked up as he passed her, but Tom paid the clerk little mind. He was on a mission, a hunt now, needing to discover the answer to the mystery of just who this Ember of Last Book and Brew was that she could create with such aplomb a store so alluring.

There was no wind when he trotted down the inn's exterior stairs and out into the snowfall. Traffic was light, so he crossed mid-street, avoiding puddles and snowbanks in an attempt to keep the Italian leather of his shoes dry while large flakes of falling snow collected in his dark ginger locks. He reached the door and admired the ornate handle before opening the door into another world.

Tom stepped inside and stared in amazement. He'd never thought a bookstore could be moody, but this one certainly was. The floors were highly polished ebony wood that led into dark railings which spiralled past the sunken first-floor cafe up a short flight of stairs toward the bookstore beyond.

He admired the cobblestone floor in the cafe, again shiny with polish, sealed he suspected to make cleanup easier. Upon them sat a virtual Mad Hatter's Tea Party of chairs, all shapes and sizes separated by wrought iron tables topped with glass. And though the chairs were unique in shape, they matched for colour, upholstered as they were in the blood-red and black brocade that turned them into a sexy indulgence he prayed were as comfortable as they looked.

And hung above it all, like a lady's magnificent fascinator, was a chandelier worthy of the name. Clearly electric, it appeared to drip ropes of black jewels and crystals as long as his palm, lit by three dozen candles that flickered with faux flames. It was spectacular.

Beyond, the cafe counter, like a walnut dream, appeared to be a repurposed and rehabbed saloon bar where elegant scrollwork on a pristine chalkboard announced the daily specials. He could see the cakes and pastries in their glass case, and while his stomach rumbled to remind him of the last meal he'd eaten, Tom was too enthralled with the decadence of the store to allow himself to be led by his nose when a small sign at the foot of the stairs requested no food past that point.

Another small sign asked him to wipe his feet, which he did without thought, before heading up the short but wide curved stairwell to the second floor into the fantasy world of someone's most magnificent mind.

He felt guided by the hand of a fae as he wound his way through ebony bookcases over hardwood floors, beneath more hanging lanterns and delicate chandeliers. The soft white of all the lights allowed him to read titles and leaf through pages without feeling as if the overhead lights would eventually dry out his eyes or buzz their annoyance through his brain. Every so often, he came upon stands of lightly scented candles, or soaps, or lotions made with all-natural products and tingling with the lightest touch of were-magic, causing Tom to look at the store with deeper senses.

The corners and cardinal points of the space had crystal wards, he realized, and the soft pulse of benevolent magic left him at ease. Whoever this Ember was, she bid all who came to her sanctuary welcome.

Even more intrigued than before, Tom found his way toward the counter where voices spoke in hushed tones, intent on finding the owner and congratulating her on the sensual, slightly erotic nature of her store. It left him breathless in a way that was hard for him to come by, and yet even as it pulled at his dark, seductive nature, he knew a family could come into such a place and find it magical, like falling into the rabbit hole of a dark Alice fantasy.

"That's nice, Lorraine, but I don't think Henry would approve of you gossiping about his friend."

Tom stopped in his tracks. Warm brandy and velvet bled over his senses, stroking straight through him to the soul of his cat. The panther purred and preened, wanting the owner of that voice to pet him and whisper words of seduction in his ear.

"Poppycock! Some big-city fella isn't going to care if we mountain folk talk about him."

Ugh, raven. He'd know that grating tone anywhere.

"Besides, he's some fancy lawyer or something," the raven, Lorraine, continued. "I'm sure he's used to people talking about him."

"It is still impolite."

Tom shivered, eyes half-lidding. He had to roll his head, stretching his neck to keep from sprouting fur. What he wouldn't give for one night with the owner of that voice.

Never one to hide in the face of scrutiny, Tom glided out from behind the bookshelf and smiled at the two women. "Actually, I run hotels."

The raven eeped and jumped, spinning to face him. She was older than he'd suspected, her dark hair thoroughly saturated with grey though her eyes remained clear brown orbs. The other, oh, the other, he could not help but stare.

Her face was the kind that would make angels weep with sharp, classic features, high cheekbones and a pointed chin like a sweet little fox. Her big eyes widened in surprise, showing off the shocking green, so pale and light they were almost neon when the light caught them. The heavy fall of thick curls that slipped from her shoulder left his mouth dry with the desire to sink his fingers into the mass that started black at the root and faded into tones of silver and dark grey, hinting at patterns like small rosettes.

A sleek, lithe body lovingly caressed by a sweater of raspberry wool and leggings of black knit glided out from behind the cash desk, her steps silent in small silver ballet flats. "Mr. Hiddleston?"

"Indeed," he purred, accepting her hand when she offered it. He captured it between both of his rather than shaking it as presented and held it lightly. "Thomas Loki Hiddleston, at your service, love. My friends call me Tom."

"Ember Porosha. Welcome to Salvation and The Last Book and Brew." She tilted her head, causing all that lovely hair to slide to the opposite shoulder. "Henry speaks highly of you."

"Mm," he chuckled, adjusting his grip to lightly press his thumb into the palm of her hand as he brought her knuckles to his lips. "Brags, does he?"

"Terribly," she agreed with a smile.

Tom smirked and pressed his lips to her skin. He inhaled and went rigid. That scent, the sweet smell of pine and snow somehow laced with the delicate notes of summer dreams, drowned him, flooding his lungs until he was sure he would never be able to breathe again without breathing in Ember's delectable fragrance.

She tried to retrieve her hand. Tom growled, low and deep, more a purr than a reprimand, and opened eyes he knew would glow green with his cat.

"Well, hello, pet," he smiled. "It seems I was wrong." He wasn't destined to be alone after all.

Sharp claws latched into his hands. "I've no desire to start anything with you, true mate or not."

He dropped her hands and brought his to his mouth to catch the blood seeping from the minor wounds. "We will see about that."

She hissed at him.

Tom threw his head back and laughed before gliding into her personal space and threading his fingers into her hair. "Spit all you like, little kitten. I always get what I want."

"I think it's time you left, Mr. Hiddleston," Ember growled, her hand on his chest to keep him at bay.

"Tea first," he smirked. "I'm gagging for a cuppa. Haven't had a decent one all day!" He stroked the silvery strands before letting them fall through his fingers. "Is your coat just as soft, Kitten?"

She glared daggers at him. "Leave."

He chuckled but stepped back, practically able to see her tail flick in anger. "Until later then, Ember."

***

He turned on his heels and sauntered away, leaving her seething behind him. How dare he. How dare he! How dare he assume such liberties when they'd only just met. When it was clear he was only passing through and would leave nothing but devastation in his wake.

"How dare he!" she hissed and stormed toward the back of the store to her office to calm down, forgetting Lorraine was still there.

Ember didn't slam the door, knowing he was still in the store, and she'd be damned before she gave him that much power over her. She would not be brought to heel like some… some… Kitten!

She growled a low sound and clenched her fists, determined to get control of herself and that snow leopard rolling like a damn hussy inside her.

She'd smelt him the moment he'd stepped beyond the books—dark spice and leather, mandarin and rosewood, with notes of cinnamon and vanilla. Ember's mouth watered with the desire to taste his skin and see if he tasted as good as he smelled.

"No," she said firmly. Her cat scoffed. "He won't stay here. He's a big city panther, and we will never go back." She was determined to live alone, be alone because she was safer that way.

Salvation was, well, their salvation. When she was most desperate for a new start and a place to hide from her past, Salvation was there with open arms, and an established were community.

Her cat settled down with the reminder and left her alone to pick up the phone.

Ember dialed the number by heart and waited for them to answer. "Hey, Henry, it's Ember. About tonight. Something has come up… I'm… not going to make it."

Next Chapter

#cat got your tongue #hiddleston au #Thomas Loki Hiddleston #were creatures

129 notes · View notes

dansnaturepictures · 3 years

Photo

23/03/2021-Snake’s head frtillaries and more at Lakeside and home: Part 1 of 2 - 5 pictures in this photoset are different to the ones I tweeted tonight and they are the first, third, fourth, seventh and ninth in this photoset

This blog has most of the story of my day and 10 wildlife photos I took and then my next post shortly has 10 landscape and other pictures all exclusively to the Tumblr post from today as I took just over 40 pictures again so it was a way to post 15 exclusively on Twitter.

I took the second and third pictures in this photoset of a lovely flower and greenery in our front garden as I went out for my lunch time walk. It was nice to take in blossom and buds again as I walked into Lakeside at the north eastern kissing gate entrance and along into the area north of the steam railway station. My mission today for something I might be able to see at Lakeside on the walk was one I had had for a few days trying to see if the snake’s-head fritillary flowers that I was taken aback by the past two years were here. The past years as I learnt these flowers the first ones I saw was 24th March in 2019 and the second 29th March in 2020 so I knew the time was coming. Today I walked from the area north of the steam railway station into the fenced off nature reserve area (the one of the two you can walk through) where these flowers seem to be, the most notable group had lurked on a sort of slope in a wooded area here. I had originally planned to walk south of the fenced off area along the path north of the car parking area and use my binoculars to see if they were there and then walk over through the other gate to the south if so. I think they are further up the slope than I remembered, so I am glad I didn’t do this as I might not have seen them today.

In reality today once in the nature reserve fenced off area instead of going all the way round to the other side of the trees where this slope is I walked on a subtle path through the trees. As I walked in I was astonished and overcome with joy to see a group of snake’s-head fritillaries on the floor. Numbering probably well into the 20′s at least including some that had not quite yet developed/grown the bell shaped flower fully. I just loved taking in this beautiful sight, they really did adorn and add a splash of colour to the small patch of woods as I saw them do the last couple of years. They really are the most splendid and magnificent of sights. They’re what the festival of colour and life that is spring is all about, and I just loved seeing them and spending time to really take them in to the beautiful backdrop of a Great Tit calling and a Robin or Blackbird singing. I took the first, fourth, fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset with my macro lens of these really stunning flowers.

And I mention it was with my macro lens, the closeup lens so probably something quite obvious, for a couple of reasons. When I first ever noticed these in March 2019 a flower I had never seen before it was the day my original macro lens which I’d had for eight years and really got me into the macro side of photography and capturing insects especially mainly butterflies and then fungi and flowers started to go wrong and do something where it wouldn’t focus for ages for no apparent reason. I missed the chance to photograph a Small Tortoiseshell on blossom earlier on in a walk with both dogs back when we had Ruby two years ago tomorrow as my Mum and her husband were in Scotland. So I sort of worked out what was happening with my lens by seeing this flower and successfully trying for the picture. And then last year I took a photo of a white snake’s-head fritillary that I was really pleased with and it made my calendars its on one of my calendars beside me right now that I make out of my photos this month and that was the start of me being stunned by the quality and detail my new macro lens offered which I have said so often as this went on all year to a degree and this year so far too. So this is an important flower for this integral lens for me.

But the other story is with it cloudy when I left for my walk and me not knowing I would definitely see these I very nearly didn’t bring my macro as its the sunnier days I know I am likely to go for insect pictures or flowers and some others which I need the macro for. I was going to go just with my big lens as I quite often only bring the one lens on these brief lunch time walks. But the pockets on my tracksuit bottoms had both fallen through and were just massive holes so I needed a backpack for my phone and keys. So I brought my macro lens just in case because if I had a bag I may as well have another lens in it. So I was so glad I brought this as yes I’d have got a picture with my big lens I would not have resisted the urge but it would have then been a case of making sure I did have the macro in a future day to use the proper lens on them I may still take more these flowers this year as I showed with daffodils and the crocuses I found a few weeks ago I have taken pictures again and again of flowers, and I just feel I was glad I could get the right lens on and take the pictures at the same moment of getting that inspiring first taste of spotting these beautiful flowers. As it happened the sun came out as I was watching them, so I was very glad.

These flowers really did enchant the woods in a way a fly agaric mushroom does in the autumn, they just looked so beautiful and I could not take my eyes off of them. I have well documented my year of revelation of learning flowers a lot more helped by these times, I started the journey with this species a year previously even if I didn’t know what they were the first year and my interest in flowers is so different and way more detailed compared to when I photographed the snakes-head fritillary this time last year. And I have also always documented for a birds, butterflies, dragon/damselflies and mammals when I make additions to my list of favourites and B lists for two of them. I don’t have an official list of favourite flowers but its always been the star of summer the foxgloves as one of the first flowers I really knew and photographed. I love them very much and all they represent but I think its high time I start saying that the snake’s-head fritillary is a favourite of mine too. Nicely reaffirmed by this very exiting moment which I wanted to see soon today. But in honesty both this and the bee orchids I found at Lakeside later in the year in my first year of working from home (its been a year today, a post I shared from my Instagram earlier and tweets I did today marked my thoughts on the important and much needed day of reflection) have gone to my heart and have become favourites before today. I was so in aw of these flowers today and what a fantastic way to connect to nature.

My big lens was straight back on as I finally left the snake’s-head fritillaries behind to walk through the nature reserve to the lakes, as with the sun well and truly out just like last Thursday when I saw the butterfly I was guessing which I would see first out of it and the snakes-head fritillary flowers (the Peacock) I could hear a Ring-necked Parakeet. Then two flew two this time over and I just noticed one as it did last week fly into tall trees behind the railway station. This looked great, and I walked over to that area and saw them fly back out with their emerald glow looking dashing against the bright blue sky and in a fairly hazy light in the sunshine. They then flew over the nature reserve area towards our house really and called their eccentric high-pitched sound as they went and I went back that way just in case I could see them again but I couldn’t. But still fantastic to see them again today, just like last year where I saw them from my room once and then again and then possibly at Grantham Green another part of our town its turning into a little run of seeing them. And I have said before there are obviously differing opinions and positives and negatives of these non-native birds regular around London for years as I have enjoyed so much colonising here, but I certainly find it quite exciting and a nice thought to have them around regularly I am a fan of the birds and its been a lot more surreal seeing them waking around Lakeside then hearing them from my room and seeing them fly past the window last autumn interestingly. A brilliant time with these beautiful and special birds today.

As I walked round to the lakes I took the seventh, eighth and ninth pictures in this photoset of Greylag Geese and a returning Mute Swan still going well here and a lovely Magpie it was brilliant to get close to in the area between the lakes. At this area too I enjoyed hearing another Great Tit and also with it to be able to tell the calls apart nicely the similarly sounding Chiffchaff. As the first Chiffchaff I have heard at Lakeside this year its quite important, and its about time as well actually as they inspired me so much with their constant singing in those first few weeks of working from home and lockdown as nature really comforted and inspired me at that time a year ago. I look forward to hopefully enjoying them more this year. I liked seeing the violets and daffodils in the area between the lakes which I had noticed before. I took the tenth picture in this photoset of a Collared Dove in the aging afternoon’s sun a nice angle of light I tweeted on Dans_Pictures a picture of one and a Woodpigeon getting nicely shadowy on the roof visible from my room which I enjoy doing too. I shall do my next post with more photos from today shortly.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, Ring-necked Parakeet, Mallard, Tufted Ducks nicely again, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, lots of nice Feral Pigeons together, Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Blue Tits in the garden this morning which was nice, very nice views of a Long-tailed Tit for a second day running, Jackdaw, a nice few Magpies today and I heard Chiffchaff and Great Tit.

6 notes · View notes

rayveewrites · 3 years

Note

🖊 You can pick who! : D

Clue don’t give me this power-

Okay! Let’s talk about a character who’s been bouncing around in my head for a few weeks then. And her world- actually, probably mostly her world, because I have that a bit more fleshed out than her character.

Hoooo boy, this is a long one.

So in this world, there are three main races: Aenora, beings of air and light native to a chain of floating islands, Terrans, beings of earth and plantlife who live evolved for life on solid ground, and Arctar, beings of water and ice that are mostly aquatic. All three races have access to magic that I should probably make a proper system for.

Eventually the three races start to live together in multispecial cities usually located on solid ground, although there are some located both underwater and in the air. Interracial relationships eventually become normalized- two of the three named characters in this world are an Aenora-Terran couple (their names are Graceida and Kira, respectively. They’re lesbians). Different races can’t reproduce with each other- while Terran are mammals, Aenora are more closely related to birds despite producing live young, and Arctar seem to have evolved from fish.

This post is not about these people.

Eventually, the races start drilling for resources. Terran in particular have always been miners, but technology has meant they can dig deeper, faster, than ever before. Deep under the earth, they break into a series of massive caverns inside the planet’s crust, full of rare natural resources and strange, previously undocumented species.

There are plants down here- plants that live from the heat and light given off by magma that seems to fill the lower levels of the caverns. There’s little to no water down here- every living thing seems capable of surviving without it.

There are small, eight-legged lizards that crawl the rocky walls. There are metre-long snakes seemingly capable of gliding through the air. There are flightless bats, crawling the walls. There are eyeless fish that live their whole lives in magma pools. There’s a massive creature that can only be described as a worm, which crawls out of the deepest pits and devours anything that it can find before returning.

Among these strange creatures is a reptilian being that has only been documented in old myths and legends- humanoid beings that run on four legs as much as two, with hooked claws, lizardlike feet, batlike wings and whiplike tails ending in a blade shaped like an arrow. They’re covered from head to toe in thick scales that match their environment, have horns that curve from their heads in a multitude of lengths, and are capable of swimming in magma, climbing the rocky cavern walls, and flying through the vast spaces. They’re beings of fire and darkness, only known as strange, monstrous creatures used to scare small children: Umbraan.

Umbraan are possibly the biggest problems in the mining operation: they steal food, attack Terran, Aenora and Arctar alike, frequently damage or destroy valuable equipment, and just generally cause chaos.

They are quickly demonized by the corporations loosing money to them, and people are soon bought in to deal with them. These people are known to those on the surface as hunters, those in the caverns as exterminators, and to the Umbraan as the blood-hungry, the egg-breakers, or the light-bringers (not a compliment among beings of darkness). They have another dozen names for these people; it varies from region to region.

While the three races believe Umbraan to be no more intelligent than perhaps dolphins, they’re actually equal in intelligence to them! Their language sound like hissing, growling and snarling to most ears, their villages are hidden where they can’t be found unless you know it’s there, and they have no need for clothing or jewellery. It’s also worth noting that the caverns don’t have the same range of resources that the surface does- there’s no wood, no paper, no cloth; any tools are made of rock or bone. They dig with their own hooked claws, or by utilizing burrowing animals; they fly utilizing the natural air currents from the magma as much as by beating their wings. They eat meat almost exclusively, but don’t feel the need to farm; they’re careful to not let species numbers drop too low.

Their traditions are oral, and communicated mostly through song; not that hunters would know that. A chorus of Umbraan is something truly beautiful to listen to, and heard by few outsiders. They have no writing system; they don’t need it.

They attack the drilling teams for several reasons- they’re damaging the integrity of the caverns; they’re wreaking havoc with the delicate ecosystem; they’re killing Umbraan indiscriminately, even those who don’t engage; and some of the largest pockets of gold ore happen to be found in the walls of a nesting cavern. With nests. Full of eggs. Which happen to look like the rocks around them. And are now being destroyed.

Eventually, a team of researchers capture a live juvenile Umbraan. They take her to the surface to study, but underestimate the strength her hands and feet possess- Umbraan can cling to walls and ceilings for hours at a time, even sleeping that way without issue. She escapes into the city and, unable to find her way back to the caverns, develops nocturnal patterns and steals food either from dumpsters, or from people after luring them into dark alleyways but doing an imitation of an injured cat. She’s fast, able to scale walls in a blink, capable of flight, and quite intimidating to normal people.

Eventually she has a run-in with a Terran who realizes that she’s just stealing food, and starts, well, feeding her, much to the chagrin of her girlfriend. The Umbraan (who by the way, is named Zuri, thought I should mention that at some point) is initially wary, and suspicious of poison, but eventually realizes that the Terran, Kira, doesn’t wish her harm. This continues on for some weeks, until one day when Kira has a run-in with a group of rather... nasty people. Zuri isn’t quite sure of their plans, but she can recognise a call for help and an expression of distress. So, naturally, she steps in.

Although ‘steps’ might not be the right word- she perches on a lamp post, knocks out the light, and manipulates the shadows to make herself appear significantly larger than she actually is. Combine that with her animalistic-sounding native tongue and glowing red eyes, and the men naturally bolt. Zuri leaves once she makes sure they’re gone, and Kira is confronted with the fact that Umbraan are clearly far more intelligent than everyone seems to think.

She keeps feeding Zuri, who’s a bit less worried about being seen by Kira now (though only Kira), and eventually starts talking to her. Zuri, who’s quite sharp, eventually figures out that the strange noises are words, and from there it’s not long before she starts picking up the language the three races all speak.

Eventually, though, Zuri gets seen and reported, and while she escapes the hunters sent after her, it’s with several broken ribs. She goes to Kira (who is unaware that Zuri actually knows where she lives) and just about gives poor Graceida a heart attack before passing out on the floor.

Nursed back to health in secret, Zuri isn’t out of action for long- she heals pretty quickly. Kira convinces Graceida to let the Umbraan stay, and Zuri soon becomes semi-fluent in their language, although she tends to translate several terms literally from Umbraan(Graceida was deeply disturbed when she learned that hunters were referred to as blood-hungry; her brother is one of those people).

Zuri learns more about surface culture as well- while she never really understands clothing, she does learn to wear it. Writing is of far more interest to her- after she figures out literacy and the internet, she actually starts translating and transcribing traditional songs and stories of the Umbraan people, as well as her own story and basic information about their society and culture. The blog gets quite big (it’s a Tumblr blog because why not), and she’s always happy to answer asks that anyone might have. Kira helps, either with finding the right words or navigating the internet in general, and Graceida’s constantly stressed that her brother will drop by unannounced one day and see Zuri. Ignoring the fact that Zuri is quite capable of taking care of herself, thank you very much.

That’s about as far as I’ve gotten, and man this ran long. Anyway, that’s Zuri!

2 notes · View notes

therandombanjo · 5 years

Text

Songs From 2018 (one per artist)

Another mixed bag of stuff i either enjoyed a lot, thought was excellent or interesting (regardless of taste… sort of), emerging artists to maybe look out for, and generally music that for whatever reason connected with me in some way, including the odd earworm i just couldn’t shake. Hope you enjoy some of this too and find something new to be taken by. There’s a spotify playlist (below) for easier listening but for the music that wasn’t on there, i’ve posted links next to them so do check them out! Spotify:

(As ever…. as i don’t tumblr or blog or anything (besides this list), this won’t be seen by many (if any?) people so if you like it or think it’s of any worth in any way, please do share this along)

In Alphabetical order:

The 1975 - Love It If We Made It

700 Bliss - Ring The Alarm (Moor Mother & DJ Haram collab)

Advance Base - Your Dog (Owen Ashworth is a longtime favourite and always love what he puts out. Such a gifted lyricist and such an empathetic deliverer, just always cutting deep, just always sounding uniquely him. The records & artists he’s putting out on his Orindal footprint are really impressive too - Julie Byrne, Gia Margaret, Dear Nora - so do keep an eye out on those releases)

Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert - Quantum Theory Love Song

Alasdair Roberts w/ Amble Skuse & David McGuiness - a. The Fair Flower of Northumberland b. Johnny O’the Brine (One of my favourite records this year, a quietly inventive old folk beaut from one of my favourite singers on earth. Included two as a. exemplifies his singing that i love so much and b. better highlights the inventiveness of the record)

Alison Cotton - All Is Quiet At The Ancient Theatre

Amen Dunes - Miki Dora

Anderson .Paak - 6 Summers

Angelique Kidjo - Once In A Lifetime (From her complete re-imagining of the Talking Heads classic Remain In Light record, with all her Benin spirit infused)

Anna & Elizabeth - Mother In The Graveyard

Anna Calvi - As A Man

Aphex Twin - T69 Collapse

Aqueduct Ensemble - Cut Grass I

Arctic Monkeys - Four Out Of Five

Armand Hammer - Alternate Side Parking (Elucid & Billy Woods)

Arp - Reading a Wave

audiobooks - Call of Duty Free

Barry Walker - Late Heavy Bombardment

Beach House - Dive

Ben Vince - What I Can See ft. Micachu

Big Red Machine - Forest Green (Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) & Aaron Dessner (The National) project. I’m likely never not gonna be into Justin’s work, he’s always stretching himself with virtually no regard to expectation and always finding interesting and new spaces)

Birds Of Passage - Another Thousand Eyes

Black Midi - bmbmbm (Heard about them non-stop all year, about being this incredible live band, and all teenagers, so been intrigued for quite some time. Virtually no online presence, remaining somewhat mysterious, and only a couple of pieces to go by, but curious to see what’s coming from them) https://soundcloud.com/speedywunderground/sw024-black-midi-bmbmbm

Blocks & Escher - One Touch

Blood Orange - Saint

Bodega - Name Escape

Bonny Doon - I Am Here (I Am Alive)

Bruce - Elo

Capitol K - Fennel Dance

Cat Power - Stay

Channel Tres - Controller

Chris Carter - Cernubicua

Christina Vantzou - Some Limited and Waning Memory

Christine & the Queens - 5 Dollars

Colter Wall - Wild Dogs

Cool Maritime - Mossage

Cornelia Murr - Man On My Mind

Courtney Marie Andrews - May Your Kindness Remain

Damien Jurado - The Last Great Washington State

Daniel Avery - Slow Fade

Daughters - Long Road, No Turns

David Thomas Broughton - Drifting Snow (An old, unreleased recording lying around, brought out as a seasonal single, and i think it’s beautiful. My favourite live performer, and i would encourage anyone who sees this to check him out both on record and if he's ever in a town near you.) https://davidthomasbroughton.bandcamp.com/track/drifting-snow-seasonal-single

The Dead Tongues - Pale November Dew

Dear Nora - Simulation Feels (12 years away, and back after renewed interest in their re-issued Mountain Rock LP last year courtesy of Owen Ashworth’s (Advance Base) Orindal Records)

Deux Trois - Roy

DJ Koze - Muddy Funster ft. Kurt Wagner (It’s probably fair that “Pick Up” is the best song on the record, but I’m a sucker for Kurt so liked this one a lot too)

Dolphin Midwives - Mirror

Doug Paisley - Drinking With a Friend

Drinks - Real Outside

Durand Jones & The Indications - Don’t You Know

Earl Sweatshirt - Nowhere2go

Earth Eater - Inclined

Emily Fairlight - Body Below

Empress Of - When I’m With Him

Eric Chenaux - Wild Moon (Most likely my favourite record from this year, if not any it feels right now. I’m fully begulied by it. Fair play to you if you recognize the sounds you hear as a guitar!)

Erin Rae - Bad Mind

Erland Cooper - Solan Goose

Ezra Furman - Suck The Blood From My Wound

Fatoumata Diawara - Kanou Dan Yen

Field Report - Every Time

Flasher - Who’s Got Time?

Frog Eyes - Pay For Hire

Fucked Up - a. Normal People or b. Came Down Wrong ft. Jennifer Castle & J Mascis

Gabe Gurnsey - Ultra Clear Sound

Georgia Anne Muldrow - Blam

Gia Margaret - Groceries (Wonderful debut on Orindal)

Glenn Jones - The Giant Who Ate Himself

Grouper - Driving

Hailu Mergia - Tizita

Haley Heynderickx - Oom Sha La La

Hatchie - Sure

Helena Hauff - Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg

Hen Ogledd - Etheldreda (The great Richard Dawson’s experimental group, connecting the ancient/medieval with the present in a way that definitely rewards with more listens)

Hermit & The Recluse - Sirens (New project from the rapper Ka, who continues to fascinate, with producer Animoss. This time the concept record combining his personal street stories with Greek mythology, with Orpheus vs The Sirens)

Hilary Woods - Kith

Homeboy Sandman & Edan - #NeverUseTheInternetAgain (Nice to hear Edan once again after so long, and especially with a favourite of mine in Homeboy Sandman)

Ian William Craig - Discovered In Flat

Idles - Danny Nedelko (Probably my favourite song of the year, and one of the most beautiful, impassioned & dearly needed statements of love & community we need right now. The video moved me to damned tears, it’s so beautiful)

The Innocence Mission - Green Bus

Institute of Landscape Architecture - Melting Landscapes (field recordings documenting Alpine glaciers and their changing landscape) https://landscapearchitecture.bandcamp.com/releases

James Blake - If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead

Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel

Jean Grae & Quelle Chris - Gold Purple Orange

Jeff Tweedy - I Know What It’s Like

Jennifer Castle - Tomorrow’s Mourning

Jenny Hval - Sleep

Jeremy Dutcher - Mehcinut

Jerry David DiCicca - Watermelon

Jessica Pratt - This Time Around (Massive fan of Jessica and this is without doubt one of my absolute favourite songs this year)

JFDR - My Work (String Version/Live)

John Prine - Summer’s End

Jon Hopkins - Emerald Rush

Joseph Shabason - Forest Run (From his 2nd record, Anne, a touching record on his mother’s Parkinson’s Disease featuring interviews with her over his ambient, sax-effected work)

JPEGMAFIA - 1539 N. Calvert

Julia Holter - I Shall Love 2

Julia Jacklin - Head Alone

Kacey Musgraves - Slow Burn (I was late to this record, but i may have listened to it more than any other come December-time.)

Kadhja Bonet - Delphine

Kamasi Washington - Fists of Fury

Kathryn Joseph - From When I Wake The Want Is

Kelsey Lu - Shades Of Blue

Khruangbin - Maria También

Kim Petras - Heart To Break (There’s actually a chance this is my favourite song of the year)

Kurt Vile - Bassackwards

Lambchop - The December-ish You

Landless - The Trees They Grow Tall

Laura Cannell & André Bosman - Golden Lanes At Dusk

Laurence Pike - Life Hacks

Leikeli47 - Girl Blunt

Let’s Eat Grandma - Falling Into Me

Lisa O’Neil - Factory Girl [trad]

Lizzo - Boys

Lonnie Holley - I Woke Up In A Fucked-Up America

Louis Cole - Real Life ft. Brad Mehldau

Low - Quorum

Lucinda Chua - Whatever It Takes (experimental cellist & composer who, as well as making expansive, looped soundscapes, also writes and sings in an equally spellbinding fashion)

Lucy Dacus - Night Shift

LUMP - May I Be The Light (Laura Marling & Tuung’s Mike Lindsay collab)

Maarja Nuut & Ruum - Kuud Kuulama

Maggie Rogers - Fallingwater

Makaya McCraven - Butterss’s

Malibu Ken - Acid King (Aesop Rock & Tobacco collab)

Marie Davidson - Work It

Marisa Anderson - Cloud Corner

Mary Lattimore - It Feels Like Floating

Maxine Funke - a. Boy On The Bow or b. One Step a. https://maxinefunke1.bandcamp.com/track/boy-on-the-bow b. https://maxinefunke1.bandcamp.com/track/one-step

Mich Cota - Kijà/Care (Two-spirit Canadian Algonquin artist who, after seeing her supporting Baby Dee at Cafe Oto very recently, had me excited for the bangers to come!)

Michael Nau - Funny Wind

Milo - Stet

Miss Red - Dagga

Mitski - Nobody

Moses Sumney - Rank and File

Moulay Ahmed El Hassani - Yak Ennas Mlklil Darou Labas

Mount Eerie - Tintin In Tibet

Mountain Man - Rang Tang Ring Toon (8 years since their last record, and so good to hear their harmonies once again. Ever as beautiful and transportive, but this time more wiser. It’s a really lovely record and such a needed balm)

Nap Eyes - Every Time The Feeling

Nathan Bowles - Now If You Remember (Didn’t know this was a cover, originally by Julie Tippetts, but it lodged itself in my head pretty good. Aquarium Drunkard rightly suggested an album or two back that, if Banjo Futurism is a thing then Nathan Bowles would likely be leading the pack. The remainder of this record definitely reflects that)

Nathan Salsburg - Impossible Air

The Necks - Body https://thenecksau.bandcamp.com/album/body

Neko Case - Hell-On

Nils Frahm - My Friend The Forest

Noname - Ace ft. Saba & Smino

Nostrum Grocers - ‘98 gewehr (Milo & Elucid collab)

Oliver Coates - A Church

The Orielles - Bobbi’s Second World

The Other Years - Red-Tailed Hawk

Ought - Desire

Our Native Daughters - Mama’s Cryin’ Long (New group project with Rhiannon Giddens, of Carolina Chocolate Drops, inspired by New World slave narratives and reclaiming/restoring black women’s stories)

Panda Bear - Dolphin

Parquet Courts - Wide Awake

Penelope Trappes - Burn On

Peter Broderick - Words Of Love (An unreleased Arthur Russell song Peter got to record after befriending friends and family of the great man. Part of a free album Peter released of Arthur Russell covers at Christmas featuring one other unreleased song. Do check it, it’s lovely)

Phosphorescent - Christmas Down Under (I could pick many from this record, but the sci-fi-like presence in the vocals gives it a strangeness and position i really loved)

Preoccupations - Espionage

Pusha T - Come Back Baby

Richard Swift - Broken Finger Blues (Such a dear and sad loss. I actually included this song a few years ago when Aquarium Drunkard featured it, so feel like i should select a different one from this most-recent record.... but dammit if it doesn’t highlight the very best of Swift’s talents).

Richmond Fontaine - Horses In Las Vegas https://richmondfontaine.bandcamp.com/track/horses-in-las-vegas

Robby Hecht & Caroline Spence - Over You

Rocheman - Parades I & II (Caught/discovered Rocheman supporting Jenny Hval earlier this year in a church, and was really into it so I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes from here)

Rosali - I Wanna Know

Rosalía - Pienso en Tu Mirá

Rosanne Cash - She Remembers Everything

Roy Montgomery - Outsider Love Ballad No. 1 ft. Katie Von Schleicher

Saba - Life

Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes - BOA

Sam Lee & Peter Wiegold - Rambling Boys

Sandro Perri - In Another Life

Sarah Davachi - Third Hour

Sarah Louise - Bowman’s Root

The Scorpios - Mashena

The Sea & Cake - Any Day

Seabuckthorn - Disentangled

Seán Mac Erlaine - Cotter’s Dream

Serpentwithfeet - Bless Ur Heart

Shad - Magic ft. Lido Pimienta

Shannon & The Clams - The Boy

Shit & Shine - You Were Very High

Sidi Touré - Djirbi Mardjie

Sidney Gish - I Eat Salads Now

Snail Mail - Heat Wave

SOB x RBE - Paid In Full

Soccer Mommy - Your Dog

Sons of Kemet - My Queen Is Harriet Tubman

Sophie Hunger - I Opened A Bar

Sophie Hutchings - Repose

Sorry GIrls - Waking Up

Sourakata Koita - Ha-Madi (I don’t usually include too many - if any - reissues, but i love kora music and this record, “en Hollande” (’84), was a great discovery this year)

Stella Donnelly - Boys Will Be Boys (I was sure i had this in last year’s list when it was a single, but appears not so including it now with the album release).

Steven A. Clark - Feel This Way

Suuns - Make it Real

Swamp Dogg - Answer Me, My Love

Szun Waves - Constellation

Terje Isungset - Blue Horizon ft. Maria Skranes (all the music is played by intruments made of ice)

Theo Alexander - Matter of Balance

Tierra Whack - Black Nails or Hungry Hippo (A record of 15 one-minute tracks, full of ideas and all kinds of fun. Check out the “Whack World” short film for the record)

Tim Hecker - Keyed Out

Tinashe - Throw A Fit (Came across this song randomly via a Youtube video of dancer Jojo Gomez, and the attitude of it all just kind of thrilled me)

Tirzah - Gladly

Toby Hay - Bears Dance

Tom Demac & Real Lies - White Flowers

Tomberlin - Seventeen

Tracey Thorn - Queen

Tracyanne & Danny - It Can’t Be Love Unless It Hurts (I think, actually, that Jacqueline off the record would edge my choice here, but i needed a little more Tracyanne (Camera Obscura) in here to highlight the two of them)

Tropical Fuck Storm - You Let My Tyres Down (Aussie band made up of various Aussie bands, most recognizably Gareth Liddiard of The Drones, with an excellent debut record “A Laughing Death In Meatspace” that along with their name fits the music on this record. It’s acerbic, feral, sardonic, and plain great)

Ty Segall - Every 1′s A Winner (Just an absolute killer Hot Chocolate cover, of all things!)

Ursula K. Le Guin & Todd Barton - Heron Dance

Valee - Womp Womp ft. Jeremih

Valotihkuu - Walking Through Dew Drops On The Lawn

Vera Sola - Small Minds

Vince Staples - FUN!

Virginia Wing - The Second Shift

Witch Project - Manifest

Womans Hour - Don’t Speak (So great to hear them finally return)

Wooden Shjips - Red Line

Y La Bamba - Mujeres

Yo La Tengo - a. You Are Here and b. Ashes

Yoshinori Hayashi - Overflow

Zilla With Her Eyes Shut - Whatever It Is

#2018 #music #2018music #songs #year-end #yearend #endofyear #end of year #2018songs #bestsongs #diverse #eclectic #inclusive #list #songsof2018 #bestmusic #best

0 notes

dansnaturepictures · 3 years

Photo

31/07/2021-Brilliant day of butterflies, birds, flowers and more at Durlston: Part 1 of 2

We did another of our planned July further afield trips today, a second visit to Durlston this year after the usual April seabird and spring flower dominated one to try and see a Lulworth Skipper. On the way here it was great to take in many lovely sights such as lots of hemp agronomy, some fuchsia, the epic Corfe Castle which I took the first picture in this photoset of and a happy feeling Swanage nearby with many holidaymakers around. It was interesting to see that the distinct patches of in flower gorse on a hill I noticed driving in last time were dark green now.

At Durlston it did feel so nice coming twice in a year. In 2019 we had information from a kind person we met at Bentley Wood in the June that Lulworth Skippers could be seen here so we did the second visit after seeing hundreds of Wall Browns alongside birds and flowers in the April and I was so thrilled by how many Lulworth Skippers we saw that July a key moment in what is still probably my greatest year of butterflies if I had to chose seeing more species that year than in any other that I thought this should become an annual July jaunt a good time to see the Lulworth Skippers like Knepp is for Purple Emperors and other butterflies and Durlston would become a twice a year thing. But last year with us locked down in April we luckily managed to combine the summer and spring visit in our June week off of day trips once restrictions eased with the butterflies all coming out earlier last year.

Straight away today we walked along in the glorious meadows full of varied and rich flower life and beautiful grass. We saw some fantastic flowers walking through here including centaury which I learnt a few weeks ago at Lymington another coastal area, probably cat’s-ear which I took the fourth picture in this photoset of, corky-fruited water-dropwort which I took the eighth picture in this photoset of, red bartsia, bird’s-foot trefoil, white and broad-leaved clover, small scabious, knapweed, notably big bright pink bits of thistle woolly thistle, self-heal, agrimony, dock, honeysuckle, carrot, wild parsnip, ragwort, speedwell and late pyramidal orchid which was brilliant to see.

And hosted within the meadows were a wealth of butterflies. I did what was probably my first Big Butterfly Count outside of Hampshire since being here two years ago this week. Within the counting I saw one Red Admiral, eight Marbled Whites lovely to see these that are coming to their end at home a great few out of these one of my favourite butterflies here still, one Painted Lady, eleven Gatekeepers leading the way we saw their sweet orange glow and markings so much this afternoon, five Meadow Brown, one Speckled Wood, three Small White, two Six Spot Burnet moth, one Common Blue, one Small Copper and one Ringlet. This was a brilliant count, one of my highest yielding in the two of the three weeks of counting so far this year for me and one of my biggest variety of species. It felt so good to help document these here today and was just so rewarding to see so many. Seeing Small Copper and Painted Lady was great and left few of the Big Butterfly Count target species that I haven’t seen on a count yet this year. I hadn’t seen either for a little while as well so it was great to see as Common Blues continued to come back into my year after seeing them at Lakeside yesterday. It was ten years ago yesterday that I had the day I still remember so well instantly recognising it as a butterfly I’d seen in the book we have on a typical for us walk of 2011 at Godshill in the New Forest seeing my first ever Small Copper and feeling it was something so exotic probably my most exciting butterfkt of that year. I made this Tumblr around that time as the anniversary post I did earlier shows so it was very fitting to see Small Coppers again today. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of one.

And as we walked around here I was so excited that we saw our targets. Firstly my Mum called me over as I was lagging behind and she had two butterflies she thought were Wall Browns behind a fence. Being very much like Small Copper a butterfly I have identified and known a lot since we first got into butterflies I came and had a look and with one settled saw it was a Wall Brown. I was over the moon to see this special dry brown butterfly looking smashing. It was the big milestone in my butterfly year, something I had described as the promised land before in a butterfly year for me my 40th butterfly species I’ve seen this year. And this one felt special as it always does one of my favourite butterflies but also because after them being something I’d only seen in Pembrokeshire before since 2016 we have seen them every year on the Dorset and even Hampshire coast seeing them in Cornwall, Norfolk and Northumberland the past two years too and this year it was the longest wait we’d had to see one in a year since 2016. They’re never a guarantee in a year for us so this was a huge relief of a butterfly to get seen this year. And at this site which has excelled for them for us in the past we saw a very healthy handful of them dancing along walls and long grass this afternoon.

Moving on and our search for the Lulworth Skipper now stepped up, with the sun still out and it pretty warm with potential for further showers in the day we wanted to seize our chance in the meadows with the sun out which were swaying in the wind a bit too. Then all of a sudden coming through a gate into a field we spotted a little orange spec gliding through the grass. Our first skipper today, it looked small enough (compared to the familiar Small Skipper) for the Lulworth and when it settled it opened its wings revealing the gorgeous and distinctive lighter orange crescent on the wing of the female Lulworth Skipper!

We had seen this golden gem of a rare butterfly. I was so overjoyed to get precious moments with this monumental species in another fantastic year of butterflies for us trying for photos with my macro lens I managed the sixth picture in this photoset of it which shows it nicely really getting stuck into the flower. We saw a few more further on in the walk and coming back through the same area too. They were sensational to see it made me so happy. And it takes my butterfly year list up to very high places for me personally. Now 2021 is outright my fourth highest ever butterfly year list only one behind the amount I saw in 2018. And on this date in my previous years only in my highest ever butterfly year list 2019 had I seen more at this stage. I am so proud of this as I said butterfly species could have easily been missed this year in the changeable weather but we’ve persevered and these past few weeks it’s been brilliant to feel like putting the icing on the cake of another epic and characteristic butterfly year with the exciting high summer species and big moments with so many species and individuals about. As we did at another point of the walk we met some lovely people when looking at the Lulworth Skipper and had a great chat often a key part of the enjoyment of big days out in years like these.

Walking around Durlston a very special place for us today we took in the stunning views of the wonderful mixture of cliffs, sea and meadows seeing into Poole Harbour nicely too with some smashing dramatic sky scenes above the ocean and land too making for unique views for us here. I also took the second, third and seventh pictures in this photoset of beautiful views here today. What a beautiful place my favourite type of area this type of coast. We saw as we did on this trip in 2019 some pretty Roe Deers skulking around in the long grass we got some very special views of these lovely mammals today I tweeted a picture of these on Dans_Pictures tonight. We got smashing views of one of our star birds of this place especially three of the last four visits earlier this year going to Dancing Ledge too, last year’s and April 2019 the Whitethroat today a really rich looking warbler that after another great year for I made the most of having this migrant around. After any threat of showers were held off for a long time when out today making us pleased we came today there were some menacing clouds that didn’t materialize as we sat down giving Missy our dog a rest from the walking. I took the ninth picture in this photoset of the lovely light cloud I’ve enjoyed so much this year here.

At this point it became a top day of birds too with some Shags seen flying low over the sea water below the cliff as we took in splendid panoramic views with some nice sunlight over the water as we’ve seen well here before making it shine. There was another Wall Brown along a wall and top Stonechat views a bird I first ever saw at this reserve in 2007 and the Stonechat tried to catch the Wall Brown at one point which was interesting. Ravens dashed astonishingly right over our heads barking loudly as they went, amazing views of this crow so strong a coastal sight. We saw one later on too going over our head fantastically again. Swifts glided perfectly over too another migratory bird I made the most of today in a strong year for them. Sat here without a care in the world, with all we needed for that moment, we had achieved an in invigorating sense of peace and happiness. A special moment of reflection and delight on this one of my days of the year. We saw two great flowers sat on the ground here too, ironiclly as we were resting my second ever restharrow after some at Stockbridge Down last summer and some cut looking mother of thyme.

With so many photos (making most of the ones from today in these blogs exclusive to reduce the amount I tweeted tonight) and so much content the story of today comes in two parts, in my next post is the rest and the wildlife sightings summary for the whole trip. I hope you all had a nice and safe day.

3 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 4 years

Text

Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 4

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Return to Hosted Tales

Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels, Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria, Ch. 4

Mordenheim

(In Hosted Tales)

1458 words

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

===================================================

NEW TO THIS STORY? READ FROM PART 1 which is HERE

===================================================

Victor smiled as he finished up with his latest patient. Using a rag wrapped around one of his fore hooves, the other end gripped in his teeth the zebra polished the shining steel of the green earth pony’s prosthetic rear leg.

“Now then,” he said, tossing the rag aside and picking up a small vial in his teeth, “In a few hours the anesthetic will start to wear off. It will feel like a dull ache at first but will gradually get worse. As SOON as you feel that ache I want you to take a teaspoon of this potion, then once every eight hours after that. I’m sorry if it throws off your sleeping schedule, but this is necessary to make sure that everything heals and melds together properly.”

Rosewater nodded and smiled, taking the vial and placing it in her saddlebags, “Thank you, Doctor! When that cart ran over my leg, I thought I would be in a mobility cart for the rest of my days.”

“Well, you’re not out of the woods just yet. There’s still a chance that your body might reject the implants or the nerve connections may not heal properly. However if you take your medicine at the prescribed times and come back for your scheduled checkups, the risk is minimal. In fact, you should be right as rain in just a few weeks time.” He walked around the mare, making sure that everything seemed to be properly finished as well as admiring his own work. “In the meantime, you can walk on it normally, but no running, jumping, or kicking until I give you the okay, alright? We don’t want to cause any more damage.”

The mare shook her head, her pink curls swaying from side to side. “No sir! I’ll take it nice and easy for now.”

Victor smiled again, draping a hoof over the back of the mare that he towered over. The red-maned zebra being the size of a Rom horse himself cast a bit of an imposing image, but his gentle words and actions had won over the smaller female. “Now, since you are the first to get this experimental treatment, there shall be no charge for the surgery, however, I will require a few bits payment for the medicine itself. I will send you my bill shortly, but I promise it will not be much.” He carefully helped the mare walk towards the door.

Rosewater opened the door slowly, the well oiled hinges not making even the slightest squeak as she stepped outside and took a deep breath of fresh air. The sun was sinking low in the sky. “Oh my, it’s later than I thought! Thank you, doctor but I need to hurry home before dark!”

Suddenly the heavy hoof of the zebra stamped down on the end of her tail, drawing her up short. “No running! Just move at a gentle canter and you should be back in Ponyville proper before you know it.” He lifted his hoof and smiled before waving. “Fair travels, miss Rosewater, and I will see you next week.”

As he trotted back inside, he put out an ornately carved wooden sign that said “RING BELL FOR SERVICE” in bright green lettering. The paint of the sign was designed to glow brightly when struck by moon or starlight as was the bell hanging by the front door. Heading into the workshop at the back of the clinic, he tossed a few hunks of wood and coal into the large incinerator and fired it up, using a chemical compound and a bit of flint. After the fire was burning brightly, he opened the door to his operating room. Carefully gathering up the bloodied sheets and disposable equipment, he tossed them into the incinerator. Closing the heavy iron door with a loud clank, he turned his attention to his surgical equipment. He pulled out a few bottles of powerful antibacterial potions and carefully mixed them into a vat of water. He then set his sharp, shining instruments inside to soak for a while. He heard the bell ring at the front door.

Tilting his head, he headed for the heavy wooden door. He'd never actually had a patient this late since the areas near the Everfree could be dangerous after dark, so it must be truly important. Opening the door, he was used to looking down to greet his patients, due to his towering, Rom-like height. He was quite surprised to actually find himself eye to eye with a beautiful midnight-blue mare.

“Oh! Your highness!” He remembered himself at last and bowed to the Princess of Dreams and Nightmares, “To what do I owe this wonderful surprise?”

The zebra found himself being ushered to one side by one of the Royal Guard. Commander Lightning Rays, a white pegasus with distinctive black wing tips used the tip of his spear to gesture for the doctor to step back to what he deemed a safe distance. As he glanced through the doorway he could see two more guards posted outside the doors before they swung closed behind his guests.

“Unfortunately, my reason for visiting is not pleasant. I have received a complaint from the Ponyville Medical Society that there was a doctor in the area practicing without proper authorization.” She frowned a bit, looking over the zebra’s shoulder, “May I come in?”

Victor nodded, smiling as he backed out of the way, “Of course, of course! Please, make yourself at home!”

Luna cast her gaze around the waiting and consultation area, seeing that everything was clean and brightly lit. It was cheerfully colored rather than being the normal stark white of the horsepital. Several comfortable chairs and couches lined the walls. There was a shelf full of various books. A small area off to the side seemed to be dedicated for foals to play while they waited. A large, heavy-looking wooden desk was central to the wall opposite the entrance. She rested a hoof on it’s shining, smooth surface, the reddish-brown wood so polished that she could see her reflection in the surface.

“Mahogany?” she asked, a bit surprised as the wood was quite hard to come bay so far to the north.

The zebra nodded, his chest puffing up a bit with pride, “I wanted to be sure that everything was the very best, for both myself and my patients.”

The mare looked thoughtful, walking over to the bookshelf, running a hoof over the many different tomes. There was everything from medical journals, to nonfiction historical books, children’s books, and even a complete set of Daring-Do novels lined the shelf. Victor watched as she inspected everything carefully before she headed towards the operating room door.

She pushed through into the operating chamber, finding the room to be a sparkling white. Her nose stung a bit from the strong chemical smell coming from the bucket of surgical tools, but that was to be expected. Her ears twitched a little at the low rumble of the incinerator against the far back wall. “I can see you keep everything meticulously clean. Not at all what I was told by Dr. Crossly.”

The good doctor looked a bit confused, “Dr. Crossly? I’m sorry, I’ve never met anypony by that name. In fact, I haven’t met any of the other local doctors. They seem to be avoiding me for some reason.”

The midnight mare rolled her eyes a bit, “I expected as much. It would seem that the Medical Society feels threatened by your business and are trying to use me for a method of bringing you grief. Tell me, the prosthetic on the young mare who just left, was that your work?”

“Yes, your highness. In fact, surgical amputation and prosthetics are something of a specialty of mine.”

“Do you have one of your prosthetics that I may look over? I am very curious about your work.”

Victor crouched down and pulled open a heavy drawer set in the base of the wall. Dark padding lined the inside of it and a small, foal-sized prosthetic leg was lying within. He lifted it out of the drawer and placed it upon the operating table, an odd amalgamation of wires dangling from the inside of the hip.

Luna picked it up with her magic, turning it over in the air, inspecting it with a jeweler’s gaze. Every tiny detail was visible to her, from the wires designed to interface with the nerve endings in a pony’s legs to the special pads and enchanted rods used to allow the natural magic of an earth pony to flow naturally. She tilted her head a bit before uttering, “Doctor, there is one thing I am curious about. Many prosthetics are designed to rely on a pony’s natural magic to power them, but I see no such thing in your design. While it is very impressive, I fail to see how it can even function.”

The zebra smiled a bit, reaching up to tap his hoof on a small square panel that the princess had assumed was part of the assembly. With one gentle press it sprung open, revealing an empty cavity lined with hundreds of tiny metal wires, looking much like brush of some kind. “This is where the power supply is inserted.”

He pulled the drawer out a bit further than it was before and produced what looked like a small suitcase of some sort. Opening it revealed a crushed velvet lining and several small quartz crystals nestled within. Each of the crystals glowed faintly with a differently colored aura. “A short while ago, I discovered an alchemical process to alter quartz crystals to allow them to hold either magical or electrical energy. The prosthetics are designed to use either.” Picking up a crystal with a faint green hue, he placed it in the open compartment where it slowly started to rotate, generating tiny sparks as it rubbed against the metal brushes. He snaped the door closed before picking up another crystal, this one glowing bright white.

“The crystal I put in the leg is charged with earth magic, while this one is charged with pure electricity from the last storm to pass through the area.” He smiled at the princess as he readied the white crystal. “Would you mind setting the prosthetic down on the table, please?

At the mention of pure electricity being harnessed from lightning, the guard perked up a little. He rubbed at his black goatee a bit as he too leaned in closer to see what was going on.

Very curious now, Princess Luna did as he asked and stepped around to the opposite side of the table to watch. Victor lowered the white crystal to each of the “nerve” wires in turn, causing the leg to twitch and spasm, the artificial “muscles” contracting just as a real leg would.

“I can connect these to the major nerves. I have even perfected it to the point that if too much is lost I can run artificial nerves straight to the spinal column, though the procedure can be dangerous.” He sighed a little as he set the crystal aside. “Sadly, my ultimate goal is to give the patient sensation in an artificial limb, but I fear that may be out of my reach.”

Luna actually seemed a bit stunned. This was an incredible accomplishment for anypony, and his ambition was amazing. This zebra sought to create a prosthetic leg that would be functionally identical to that of a real one, and he had gotten very, very close! She leaned down a bit closer, tilting her head as she noticed there were a few silvery wires that he had not touched with the crystal. “And, dear doctor, what are these connections for?”

The big zebra actually clopped his hooves together and smiled brightly, “Actually, that is the part I am most proud of.” He gestured to the delicate-seeming bundles of wire, the tiny connections little thicker than a single strand of his bright red mane. “These allow magic to flow freely through the artificial limb as if it were real, meaning that Earth Ponies still have their full connection to the Earth, and pegasi won’t stumble from having an artificial leg that falls through clouds!”

Luna’s guard took in everything, then gripped his spear a little more tightly. When their host had smiled, he had caught a glimpse of the zebra’s oddly sharp, interlocking teeth. Long and white, they reminded him of the mandibles of a shark or some other sleek predator that lurks in deep, dark places. He shook his head a little because his charge seemed oblivious to the possible danger of the situation, but he knew better than to chime in when she was so wrapped up in what she referred to as “talking shop” with another pony.

Lightning Ray’s ears perked up as he heard a commotion coming from the guards he left posted outside. As he pushed open the door he saw that they had their spears crossed, pushing back a rather pudgy-looking off-white unicorn. The intruder stamped his hoof and hissed at them through gritted teeth as he demanded entrance. His mane, almost the color of a smoker’s stained teeth flipped this way and that. He turned around and at first Lightning thought he was going to make the massive mistake of bucking at the royal guards, but instead he was trying to use his prodigious rump to shove his way through!

“AHEM!!” Lightning poked at the unicorn’s rump with a wing tip. He got a good close look at the intruder’s cutie mark. To most ponies, it would look like a red cross adorning a medical bag, fairly common for pony doctors and nurses. However, to his trained eye the cross was slightly askew, and it was a bank bag, not a medical bag that adorned his flank. “May I help you with something?”

The unicorn puffed himself up with pride, almost giving him the appearance of a bloated toad. “Yes, actually. I am Dr. Crossly, the representative of the Ponyville Medical Society who reported this fraud for operating without the proper permits. I came by here to make sure that he was shut down.”

Lightning tilted his head a little, then thought of Luna’s reaction to the work that Dr. Mordenheim was doing. Smiling a little, he gave the signal for the two guard ponies to let the unicorn pass. “Of course, Dr. Crossly, right this way.”

The unicron looked like he’d swallowed a lemon when he heard laughter coming from the next room. A deep, bass rumble of a laugh and a higher, beautiful tone, almost like tinkling chimes. He burst into the next room, Commander Lightning rays in tow and stamped his hoof on the white tiles.

“What is the meaning of this? This.. this les... er.. zebra. Has been operating a clinic without authorization!”

Luna nodded to the unicorn, and sadly to Dr. Mordenheim. “This is true, and a fine of five hundred golden bits must be paid.” Dr. Crossly was practically rubbing his hooves with glee at this remark.

“However, I have now thoroughly inspected your facilities and seen examples of your work first hoof. You have my approval to keep operating your emergency clinic right here on the edge of the Everfree for as long as you are able. Please stop by town hall tomorrow evening. Your paperwork should be properly registered by then.”

Crossly’s jaw nearly hit the floor at this announcement, but he quickly recovered. His shocked face soon became a smirk. “Actually, to operate a clinic here in Ponyville, he will need to be voted into and become a dues-paying member of the Ponyville Medical Society. We all have to do our part to protect not just the good ponies of this town, but one another as professionals, after all.”

It was Victor himself who got a bit of a smug grin now. “Actually, that was what we were discussing when you so rudely barged in. It seems that my own clinic is actually outside of Ponyville and therefore falls directly under royal jurisdiction.” He slowly stepped towards the unicorn and lowered his head to Crossly’s level. He smiled a little wider on one side of his mouth, out of sight of the princess and her guard. His long, sharp teeth were revealed to the unicorn causing the pudgy pony to pale prodigiously beneath his fur.

“I suggest you leave immediately before I ask our dear princess to have you removed for trespassing, or better yet I take care of it myself.”

Dr. Crossly, who had already been slowly backing up as the towering zebra advanced, nodded and turned tail, his hooves scrabbling on the slick tiles as he scooted back through the door and out into the night.

Victor cleared his throat a bit as he stood upright once more, using a hoof to straighten out his slightly rumpled lab coat. “Alright then. Thank you, your highness, for the proper documentation to operate my business. I truly was unaware of the rules at the time, but I shall gladly pay the fine that is due tomorrow when I visit town hall.” He smiled a bit more pleasantly at both Princess Luna and Commander Lightning Rays. “Perhaps we could meet somewhere this weekend and discuss matters further over tea?”

Eyes twinkling with humor, Princess Luna smiled back at Victor, her own lips spread just enough to show a set of fangs even larger than his. “Your dismissal of Doctor Crossly was delightful, Victor! I would be delighted to meet you for tea, after my Night Court adjourns.”

A bemused Victor watched his royal guest and her guard take wing. Muttering to himself, “She really does not miss much, does she?” he shut the door.

<==Previous Next==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Return to Hosted Tales

#Dr. Mordenheim’s Travels Book 1: De Writer’s Equestria #Chap 4 #Hosted Tales #De Writer's AU #Written by @mordenheim

5 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 4 years

Text

DARING DO and the ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 13 of 21

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Daring Do

and the Adventure of the X'ibian Vase!

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

And

Carmen Pondiego

Cover Art by

Doctor Dimension

52630 words

Writing begun 08/26/15

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images provided that I receive a copy of each image for my archive.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Relaxing on a chaise lounge beside the delightful pool that used to be the bath of an Emperor, Carmen adjusted her dark glasses against the glare of the sun on the letter. She was wearing only a skimpy bikini of bright red and her trademark hat.

The floating island of VILE’s headquarters was presently in the tropics and that suited her perfectly.

She skimmed through the Chineighese characters with utter familiarity. Her brother in law, Marehem, was having the time of his life, bedeviling the ROT expedition. She was chucking at the recent double disaster with the railroad cars and flipping ROT’s truck. (He insisted on using the character of poison toadstool for them).

Done with the letter, she handed it to Blendin, who was visiting. He was chuckling himself as his mother hit the pool. Her hat and glasses sat on the lounge. She was a red and khaki torpedo swimming underwater to the other end of the pool.

She shot back, underwater again, the whole length of the pool and surfaced like a one horned porpoise. “What do you think, Blendin?”

“I think that Adora would be furious if she knew but she really has no grounds to be. She did ask Eris to see what she could do to mess up ROT’s expedition. It was Eris’ idea to send Uncle M!

“After all, he has had so much fun with the Empire over the ages. Simply amazing how much chaos VILE’S temporal transport device can cause in the right hooves and his are as wrong as they can get!” They both shared a giggle.

Baron Von Nighthoof leaned down and took Carmen’s arm, lifting her effortlessly from the pool. He was smiling warmly at her. He hugged her closely and stepped back a single pace.

He offered her a flat case of the darkest wood, inlaid with his cutie mark. Carmen took the case and opened it. Her gasp of sheer pleasure was almost more reward than the Baron expected.

He nodded, “The copy of Pharow Underrock’s Golden necklace. It is ready to grace the only neck on this whole world that can outshine its beauty.” He reached forward and lifted the golden wonder out of its case and set it around Carmen’s neck, pulling her close as he fastened it.

She snuggled up to him and whispered, “You are not only evil, you are wicked! And I love it!”

~~ ~~ ~~

Jeremy was riding in the carry saddle of Sehang Shu while they discussed his knowledge of Ethnological Geography. After several hours, she said thoughtfully, “You actually do know more than your prior testing revealed, Jeremy. I do wonder why you did so poorly when it came to the tests.”

Glumly, Jeremy stared out at the bleak landscape about them and replied, “It sounds like an excuse. Blame my family. They are old Equestrian Military Service and proud of it. When I tried to study around them, they always interrupted it. Celestia forbid that I complain about it, either.”

“Did they not finance your education at the Royal University?”

“No, Sehang, they did not. I was entirely dependent on grants and scholarships. I have earned my way through my schooling.”

“I see, Jeremy. I have earned my way also. It is sad that such a family could not see fit to support so worthy a goal as education.

“Surely, though, with you at the University and they in Service or on the Family Estates, they had little opportunity to disrupt your studies?”

Jeremy snorted bitterly. “I wish it was true, Sehang. They had a nice townhouse in Canterlot, too. They made such a career of “visiting” the U to noisily interrupt my studies that, at the end, Princess Luna, as the Chancellor of the U had to forbid them entry to the property of the University at all.

“My uncle, Colonel Broadhoof, spoke out against her interference in a family matter. The Princess pointed out that it went beyond family, when they upset the other students’ studies.

“He called her a pustulent creature of nightmare, to her face.”

Sehang Shu commented, “That sounds as unwise as telling the Emperor to shove one up his ass!”

Jeremy smiled a little at the humor and went on, “The suddenly Sargent Broadhoof found that out! He was broken, forbidden any Canterlot Mustering and given a month of nightmares as punishment.”

“Bad dreams for a month is a severe punishment?”

Jeremy sucked his lips as he thought of a way to explain. “Let me put it this way. Somewhat over two thousand years ago, the Nightmare Wars got named that BECAUSE of Princess Luna’s use of nightmares as a weapon. Almost 20% of the unicorns attacking the Fortress of Nightmare committed suicide within five days of coming to the battle front.”

Very softly, Sehang Shu said, “I see. And she has had over two thousand years since to perfect that craft. Did he survive?”

Soberly, Jeremy replied, “Yes. Sort of. They released him from the Asylum about six months ago. He is still under treatment. The family blames me. They say that it would not have happened, if I had not chosen the University over a military career.”

Sehang Shu nodded sadly. “Some other herds view us in a similar manner. I am sorry, Jeremy.

“I have a question though. With a military background, how did you miss Qushi Han Le’s sharpshooters at the dock in Singapone?”

Grimly, Jeremy replied, “That was my fault. I was thinking of everything wrongly, and so did not even look for them. I have only realized today from talking to you, that I had any problem. Equestrian Superiority was an unquestioned value in my family. I did not even realize that it had soaked into me since my foalhood. I may still lapse but ask your forgiveness now. I will do my best to sort this mess out.”

Sehang Shu nodded thoughtfully. “The most important part of education, Jeremy, is not the learning of facts, as important as that is. It is the admission of ignorance and error accompanied by the effort to remedy them.

“That is what Ethnological Geography is all about. Our ignorance and erroneous knowledge of past civilization and the effort to remedy it is the whole foundation of the discipline.”

They revised their discussion of the subjects to be tackled in the colloquium. Jeremy found the conversation fascinating.

He actually regretted it when it was time to dismount for making dinner. After stretching out the kinks in his legs from the saddle, Jeremy wandered over to the cook stove.

He was mildly surprised when Soree made room for him. “How can I help, Soree?

“Measure the water into that pot to the third line, please.”

Measuring in the water, Jeremy commented, “It seems unfair for us to eat and none of the herd to have any.”

Sang He’s voice replied, “In the desert, we need only drink once in seven days. That will be a large drink, but it will do. We need only eat once in ten days, though we can eat or drink any time that the opportunity presents itself.

“Our ancestors were made for mountain and desert lands.”

“It still seems unfair! I presume that you do know what you are doing, after all, this is your home!”

He was surprised by the chuckle from the herd.

Dinner preparations were interrupted by the bellow of a musket and a cry from Sehang Shu!

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Tyranny was fuming. “They had no business seizing our truck! Wasn’t it bad enough that their recklessness had already cost us one truck and most of the load?”

Overthrow, speaking from behind the wheel of the truck that they were in snapped, “That was your fault, Tyranny! So was getting into that train wreck! You disobeyed clearly posted signs about staying off the slope while the crossing was in use.”

Robber, sitting in the back of the cab put in, “How come, in the name of Discord, did you not read the traffic law pamphlets that I gave you? It was the Lock Keeper finding that out that you got your permit without taking their knowledge test that cost us the truck! Their rules are very clear and blunt. They seize vehicles that are used in deliberate violation of their driving rules.”

Tyranny glared out the window of the truck at the passing rice paddies and neatly laid out farms. His teeth ground. The worst of it was that they were both right.

All that he could do was growl under his breath about injustice, so he did. He sourly commented, “At least we have now got past the last two canals and what? Four railroad crossings without any further problems.”

Robber consulted their map. “See those bluffs up ahead? We will be going through an area of mountains. When we clear them, it will only be about twenty kilometers to Cantrot. We will have two rail crossings and one canal between us and the city.”

Ignoring Robber’s comments, Tyranny snarled, “That so-called Antiquarian, Daring Do, set us up! I have found out that she did not even take a single truck on her expedition! The expedition proposal that she gave us, before she quit on us, is why we came this way!”

Overthrow said dryly, “So, you finally figured that out? It took you long enough. I knew that she took us to the cleaners on the proposal as soon as I saw them go on upriver, without even transshipping.”

He suddenly applied the brakes hard, jolting them all. They were stopped only a few meters from a water buffalo on the road.

The two trucks behind them, driven by experienced Chineighese drivers, stopped without incident. Tyranny was reaching for the horn button when Overthrow knocked his hoof away.

“Stop trying to interfere! Tyranny, sounding the horn at domestic livestock is illegal. All that we can do is wait for it to move or try to ease around it. The law pamphlet suggests waiting in the case of water buffalo.”

He snarled, “Why should we wait? We can drive around it!”

Outside, over a tonne and a half of highly irritated domestic water buffalo was pawing the roadway and lowering its head to charging position. A peasant in plain cotton robes and flat conical hat was toiling up the road embankment toward the beast that was easily three times taller than he was. He had a long wooden switch to herd the loose animal away.

He barked some command at the buffalo. It turned its head and regarded its master briefly. Tyranny chose that moment to lean out the side window and make shooing gestures at it. The distraction caused the enormous brute to snap its head about and focus entirely on the truck! It charged.

The impact shoved the truck back and sideways almost a meter! It was accompanied by the shattering of glass night driving lamps and the crunch of metal. The buffalo backed off, shaking its head.

The peasant’s switch got its attention and it started to walk sedately away, guided by taps of the long wand. Tyranny, seeing it waking away, yelled, “Shoo! Get out of our way!”

The transition from walking away to charging was almost instantaneous! The huge heavy horns and thick skull of the enormous animal slammed into the right hand door of the truck. It was almost perfectly centered, smashing and folding the door inward hard enough to bounce the dazed Tyranny almost entirely off his seat!

The very upset peasant used his switch and fanning motions of his hat to steer the water buffalo away, successfully, this time! Robber shuddered as he saw the peasant’s orange mane and blue fur for the first time.

The steering still worked properly. Overthrow got the truck back on course and they were cautiously back underway.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

<==Previous Next==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

#DARING DO AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE X'IBIAN VASE #Part 13 of 21 #MLP Fan Fiction #Written by De Writer and Carmen Pondiego

8 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 5 years

Text

With explicit permission, I am importing the entire Dr. Mordenhiem’s Travels, Book 1, De Writer’s Equestria, Chapter 1

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Return to Hosted Tales

DR. MORDENHEIM’S TRAVELS, BOOK 1:De Writer’s Equestria,Ch. 1

@Mordenheim

1918 words

Used with author's permission

Tumblr exemption: Blog holding users of Tumblr.com may reblog and post this work provided that the entire title and copyright block remains intact with all links included and is displayed at the head of the work.

Fan art, Fan Fiction, cosplay or other fan activity is actively encouraged.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

The tall, slender zebra staggered his way through the tangled undergrowth of the Everfree forest. Dead branches tangled in his mane, tugging his head back and even clawing at his eyepatch as he trudged onward, pausing occasionally to make sure he still had his saddlebags. He had been wandering for what seemed like days as the paths constantly shifted and changed direction as he traveled. Once in a while he would follow a seemingly straight path and end up passing the same tree several times. Other times he would take a sharply curving route that seemed to circle back on itself, only to end up in an entirely different location.

It was still mostly dark when he finally pulled himself free from the brambles and stumbled into a small clearing. The broken and crumbling remains of an old castle stood before him, however this particular castle was somewhat odd. From the rubble he could see that various different types and colors of stone were used to construct its walls and towers. Each tower also seemed to once have a different type of roof. A rounded spire on one, a flat top where he spied the rotting remains of an open wooden trap door. Prodding at the walls with a hoof, the remaining stone seemed solid and sturdy. Perhaps this would be a place he could fix up to stay for a while.

Around the front there was a short path that lead to a small building. It had perhaps been a guard house or a small barracks at one time. A few old, broken benches sat inside as well as various shelves and racks along the walls, all covered in dust and cobwebs. However, through the front he saw the most welcoming sight of all. No more than ten feet from the front door was an actual cobblestone road and the faint pink light of the rising sun on the horizon. He had finally found his way out of this forsaken forest.

He had followed the road to the east for a short way before he stopped, confused. He could see the outskirts of Ponyville up ahead, yet that town had ever only had a simple dirt road between it and the Everfree. When had they built such a fine road, he wondered to himself. As well as pondering just how long he actually had been lost in the wood. He was well aware that time passed strangely in the Everfree, and space itself seemed warped and broken.

Making sure his saddlebags were still secure and doing his best to get the worst of the burrs out of his fur he trotted into Ponyville proper. As he looked around he could see that quite a few things had changed while he had been lost. The buildings seemed different, more colorful and sturdier in build. The roads were solid and well-maintained and the trees and grasses trimmed and cared for. All of this, however, was quickly wiped from his mind as the scent of delicious cooking wafted past his nose, causing his empty stomach to clench painfully and give a low growl.

Trotting along the street, following his nose he soon came upon a smallish building with a sign out front sitting across from a well maintained park. “Caramel Treat’s Sweets” was a lovely little restaurant and certainly the source of the delicious aromas. He paused outside of the door for a moment. It was not yet full dawn and most eateries that he knew of only operated from dawn to dusk, or from lunch hour until late.

He was starting to draw a few stares from early risers as he waited until full dawn. He rolled his eye as several ponies opened their door to set about their of business, laid their eyes on him, and immediately slammed their doors, peeking through window shades. He rubbed at his eyepatch as he sighed, he was well used to this reaction by now. He only hoped that his patronage would be accepted at this little restaurant or who knows how long he would have to wait to eat. He might even have to brave the pink whirlwind that inhabits Sugarcube Corner. He shuddered at the thought.

He need not have worried, though. Just a few moments later the door opened wide and a young caramel colored mare with a blonde mane stepped into view. She started to speak but quickly changed her tune a bit when she spied a zebra the size of a Rom horse on her doorstep! “What a beautiful.. Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t know we had a customer already!”

Victor was pleasantly stunned by the warm response! He smiled, careful not to show his sharp teeth as he lowered himself into a graceful bow, “Good mornin’ to ye. I was just wondering if you were open yet for the day. I’ve been traveling a long distance and would like to rest my weary bones for a bit and purchase a meal.”

Caramel’s ear twitched a bit. The zebra’s voice was deep and rich, but that certainly was not a Zebrican accent. She smiled and nodded, trotting back into the restaurant, “Of course, of course, please, come right in!”

The huge zebra smiled and entered the restaurant, ducking his head as he entered more out of habit than anything. The inside was well-lit and high-ceilinged with several tables, chairs, a small bar, even pillows to sit on here and there. He trotted over to the bar so he would be a bit away from the windows and pulled over a soft pillow to rest upon. His old joints creaked as he lowered himself, grateful that he finally got a chance to relax.

Caramel trotted over with a glass of ice water and a menu. Setting the glass down, she placed the menu in his hooves. She sniffed at the air, seeming to be sniffing at her own cooking when an odd look crossed her face. She blinked once, then smiled knowingly at her huge guest, “Just let me know when you’re ready to order. I should be able to hear you just fine.” She leaned in with a soft whisper and mentioned, “If you need any items towards the back of the menu, just let me know, I’ll need to move you in case of other guests, but we will gladly help you here.”

Victor was a bit taken aback by the strange look, but the gentle smile afterwards seemed to reassure him. He blinked a bit, curious about what she meant by items towards the back, but he decided he would check the entire thing anyway. He had just about decided on a dish called clovertop scramble with vegetable fries and something called Rom black tea when he flipped to the back of the menu. His eyebrows raised as he saw the page filled with meat options. Fried or baked fish, roasted chicken, even bacon! He had to lift a napkin to his mouth to hide, and soak up the drool. Shaking his head, he looked up from the menu, wondering how she could have known.

Making up his mind, he decided it might be best to take it easy on his system after having not eaten for so long. He called out to her and placed his order. A clovertop scramble, a bit of dry toast instead of the fried vegetables, and a cup of Rom black tea sounded perfect. In mere minutes, she had brought out the delicious-smelling food and placed it before him. He thanked her and slowly tucked into his meal.

Every bite was wonderful. A slight bit of black pepper and a tang of salt gave the scramble an incredible flavor, every fluffy bite seeming to melt in his mouth. The toast, in spite of being dry as he requested, was crisp and flavorful, a perfect pairing to the scramble. The tea was unlike anything he had tasted before. Spicy and floral with a soft bit of warmth underlying everything. In spite of trying to take his time, it was mere moments before he was using the last corner of toast to wipe his plate clean.

He smiled contentedly, remarking how wonderful everything was as Caramel Treat trotted back over to the bar. He paid his fee and tipped a single golden bit. Caramel looked at the coins a little oddly as she hadn’t seen any quite like these before. They were real, the right weight and metals, but the imprints were odd to her. The copper coin had an image of a phoenix in repose, the silver a long, slender dragon or sea serpent curling around the edge, while the golden coin was the most interesting. Both front and back bore an intricate Celtic knot design around the edge. The front bore an image of two hooves grasping a heart topped by a crown while the rear bore the motto “Friendship, Loyalty, Love” struck into the soft metal.

He tilted his head to the side as he watched her studying the coins, “Is something wrong? Did I need to do some sort of money exchange before paying?”

Caramel shook her head, “No, there’s no problem. I’ve just never seen coins like this before.”

Victor nodded, “Ah, that explains it. They’re from my home country, Shireland. I’ve picked up other coins in my travels, but the majority of them are still from home. I have a question for you, though.”

She nodded as she got her explanation for the odd coins, but then it was her turn to be curious about his questions. He leaned in close, still smiling but this time feeling comfortable enough to let his oddly sharp, interlocking teeth show a bit as he whispered, “How could you tell I might be interested in the items in the back of your menu?”

She grinned in return, pointing a hoof up to a sign above the bar, central in the restaurant for every creature to see. On it were depicted the images of two large wolves with the text “If you have any problem with any customer of ours for any reason, be it race, kind, species, belief or any other reason at all, PLEASE LEAVE. We bite, HARD!”. She winked and said, “I think that’s a pretty good likeness of myself and Fangrin.”

Victor’s jaw almost hit the bar! To find not just one, but two creatures similar to himself was amazing! He smiled even more pleasantly and reached out to gently take her hoof, bowing his head once more. “Thank you so much for your hospitality. I will be sure to stop back very often, indeed. In the meantime, however. It’s been a very long time since I’ve visited ponyville and it seems a lot has changed over the years. Do you know of anyplace nearby where I might be able to get cleaned up and make myself a bit more presentable?”

Caramel smiled and nodded, shaking his hoof in return. “Sure, the Ponyville Day Spa is right down the road in the town square! Just tell Lotus Blossom and Aloe Vera that Caramel sent you and they’ll fix you right up and even give you a nice discount!”

Smiling brightly, he thanked the mare once more for her wonderful meal and her company before trotting out of the door. His spirits lifted, he held his head up high as he made his way towards the town square! Perhaps Ponyville had changed for the better after all!

NEXT==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Return to Hosted Tales

#@mordenheim #MLP #Hosted Tales #ask-de-writer AU

10 notes · View notes