#not anthropomorphizing in the slightest

[smiley-maize]

Maize's little brother, Riften, being a supermodel

[maddiem4]

Do you ever just think about media where you're expected to side with the human-aligned characters and not really question or overthink it... and suddenly burst out with some shit like "oh my God, Tron was a colonist sympathizer being pitted against a hamfisted metaphor for Communist states, wasn't he?"

[affectionatecorpse]

I'm once again getting overly philosophical over horror movies, so here's a study of the death angels from A Quiet Place as observed by a very enthusiastic animal loving veterinarian.

Every time people talk about death angels, it is, understandably, about how violent they are. These creatures are brutal and merciless, and will tear apart anything that makes too much noise. Hence the title of the movie.

Death angels are frankly terrifying, and show no empathy towards the creatures of the planet they invaded. No living thing is safe from them.

... so here's why they COULD be--

Look. Death angels are simply not suited for our planet. It's a noisy, chaotic place full of noisy, chaotic animals. From humans, to raccoons, to birds, to cats, nearly everything in our world is a potential trigger for a noise sensitive animal such as these.

But that's exactly what they are. Animals. And no one seems to remember that fact. People talk about them as though they themselves are sentient, anthropomorphic monsters, but the way these creatures act mimic many real life animals. Animals that don't belong here, but are trying to survive here. On a noisy planet covered in water, which they despise and cannot swim in.

Death angels are completely blind by nature, as seen in many other creatures such as cavefish, moles, and my personal favourite, the olm. Due to a lack of sight, they very clearly use echolocation in the film, to scan their surroundings and... well, not get dead. But echolocation is far from their only tool, as their ears are the strongest asset they have.

Their ears are INCREDIBLY sensitive. Just the slight ticking of an egg timer when heard from their perspective in the first film, is like a pounding drum in their ear. This is fine in a naturally quiet planet, but if a very subtle tick is that loud, then imagine the rest of the noise. Screaming. Explosions. Crashing. Little toy planes. Holy CRAP, that's gotta hurt.

Sounds that loud would definitely cause extreme hearing problems from pressure over time, and easily result in lifelong illnesses and disabilities such as deafness, infection, and so forth, if not stopped. It's going to be painful. It's literally bursting their ear drums inside their heads, and you can't explain to an animal why it hurts. You cannot rationalise with wildlife about treatment and self care. An injured and scared animal is always going to turn hostile, no matter how docile they may be normally. You can't explain to a lion with a knife in it's belly that you can stop the pain if it just doesn't attack you. You can't explain to a death angel that it needs to go somewhere more isolated instead of just destroying the source of the noise to shut it up.

Going to backtrack here a sec. Remember how I mentioned echolocation being another asset this creature has? Which means the slightest movement, the tiniest breath, can immediately allow you to be seen by it. With ears that good, too? It can see you from ages away. It knows you're there. Which means they DON'T attack for sport.

'Evil' is a concept rarely seen in nature. Yes, a lot of humans can be evil. And yes, many creatures can be too. Animals hunt for sport as well. Cats, for example! Although even then, I wouldn't describe it as evil. Calling the death angels evil implies they're attacking out of malicious intent, which just isn't true. In moments of panic, they'll destroy. But they are fully aware of humans around them.

Humans need to breathe, and can't stay perfectly still very easily. The death angels would be able to see our main cast at several points, even when they're being quiet. They don't attack whenever they locate a sign of life. For example, the scene in the basement. Being that close, whether the water was running or not, that alien absolutely would've heard Evelyn and the baby's sharp breaths. It didn't care. It was clicking at them almost curiously before it heard the bang of the silo, to which it ditched them to stop the sound.

This scene is a great example of why they don't kill for sport. Injured and young animals are especially easy prey for a creature built so strong and nimble. Evelyn is shown to be terrified of the mere presence of this thing, but it never actually does anything in the scene. It moves about. Ignores her movements in the flooding water. Investigates the baby. Clicks curiously at her while she backs away. It moves slowly and on all fours, when we know while aggressive, they will stand up on their hind legs (unless sprinting) and move very fast.

This implies it was in... well, not a submissive position, but a nonthreatening one. It wasn't baring it's teeth (as best it could), it had it's claws tucked up and unused, and was in no way in a primed-to-attack mentality. Until the silo made a loud bang. And even then, it could've quickly sliced up the two in the basement before running off, but it DIDN'T. It just left, without a moment of hesitation.

Let's also acknowledge the anatomy.

This is a carnivore. With sharp teeth for ripping apart prey, sharp claws for defence, and thick armour for protection from it's natural climate, as well as strong, long legs for running, this is absolutely a meat eater. The fact it's so well equipped makes me wonder if their natural prey is just as dangerous as them, which is why they have such tough skin. Or if they themselves have something above them in the food chain.

They seem to be pack animals, as usually others aren't far behind when one is about. Such as the trio by the Abbott house, the few at the docks, the ones by Emet's hideout, and even that group sliding down the building in the Day One clip I keep seeing as a gif. With their knack for running included, I wonder if they function like lions? Blending into their environment back home, clicking to hear prey, then the whole pack going on the chase when their target is vulnerable, in a way.

I got distracted. My point was, in a year, all the bodies from past victims vanished. All those people in the town who were swiped left and right just vanished from the town. They couldn't have decomposed in such short time, which means something moved them when it was safe. Something like a carnivore needing food after it felt comfortable in the silent aftermath. The argument that they do it for sport is one I see all the time, and it's just not true.

Everything needs to eat. Carnivores need to eat. Animals need to protect themselves from suspected danger. They never eat on screen because whenever they're on screen, they're surrounded by noise and are DISTRESSED. Have you ever had a sick pet? Most of the time, it won't eat when it's ill because it's too stressed, uncomfortable or in too much pain. When having their ear drums assaulted, a death angel isn't going to sit down with a cup of tea and a grilled cheese. Also, I won't add it because there's blood, but in the scene with the old man screaming in the woods, after it attacks, you can actually see it go back on all fours and sniff about the aftermath, like a hungry predator catching prey to eat. This was probably the first and currently only on screen proof of my claim.

By all means, not all animals are meant to be tamed. Jordan Peele's Nope said that best. Yet I can't help but wonder about the individual. Every animal is completely unique. Some will tolerate more than others. Due to their realistic nature and the similarities to actual animals, in specific circumstances, could they be befriended?

Anyway keep an eye out for A Quiet Place 4 where someone has a pet one that wears doggy ear protectors and accepts meat in exchange for pets-- /j

[000marie198]

Mobians can understand the language of flickies and critters and other non-anthropomorphic animals. It's been shown in canon multiple times.

Humans, on the other hand, do not know the language of ferals in the slightest.

Now then, watch this.

Taking a two second joke clip from Sonic 2 movie and the multiple interactions between Sonic & any other earth animal, I deduce that the same applies on Mobians in the SCU verse.

(It also explains how Sonic communicates with Ozzie and perfectly manages to convince him to play along with his silly games and everything. And I also believe he understood that turtle)

So the Wachowski brothers can speak to animals and it's both baffling to their parents and helpful when Maddie has a pet or animal come in which is too hurt or uncooperative and whatnot, and it allows the three brothers to involve woodland creatures into their shenanigans and pranks.

April 1st is a nightmare in the Wachowski household. And so is October 31st.

[cringe-yet-free]

my final (for now) OctoOC but keep in mind I can make new OCs at the slightest provocation >:) this was (once again lol) made with the templates by @kisskissfallindebt (im in your debt eternally for these templates they are actually the best thing that's ever happened it me)

This is Harlow the Harpy Eagle!! He's an astronomer :3 (side note, I made him before I realized harpy eagles appear in a&b so that messes up the weird in universe divide between anthropomorphic animals and non anthropomorphic ones but shhh whatever its fine)

[justjams2003]

The Desire to be Loved-7

Summary: Love is Desire's first creation. As Cupid she shoots her arrows of love and rips them from people's hearts too. Occasionally, shooting a soulmate arrow. What does she do when her first Soulmate arrow in 100 years is between Cupid and Dream?

Pairing: Dream of the Endless x OFC Love/Cupid/Venus (you know how these beings have millions of names) (Also technically it could be an x reader because love is sort of anthropomorphic but in this story a she)

Warnings: Manipulation, threats, crying, cliffhanger, unedited, kind of like enemies to lovers, soulmate au, cursing, gore, snake slander :(tell me if I miss any.

Word count: 2k+

Dividers by: @hyelita

Tags: @intothesoul @bridkesby @coffeebeforewater @i-voluntears @dreamingblueberries @idkamt @deniixlovezelda @lmg-stilinski24 @superbreadsoul @poemfreak306 @lexi-anastasia-astra-luna @fries11 @lost-inthe-v0idid

Masterlist

Part 6

The hall is somehow even quieter than when Morpheus was captured. Everyone is far too scared to interrupt the stare down between Dream and Love. Love doesn’t need to breathe and yet it feels like she is suffocating. This...might just be their first time seeing each other since Dream gifted her the realm. Each had been too busy with their duties.

But it’s not awkward or painful between them. For the first time in Lucine’s life, she sees her master reach out. His long slender arm escapes from under his starry robe. A stark white contrast against the darkness of the dreaming castle. A gentle big outreach for her to come closer.

There is a click as she steps forward, her body instinctively wanting to be closer to him. She know she should think more clearly about this, and yet, she doesn’t. Love’s smaller, tanner hand slides into his and with seconds Dream’s arms are around her. Cradling her close and an unknown sob shudders through her body.

Tiny hands grab onto the felt of his big black coat. The fabric absorbs the tears that gently roll down her cheeks. She shakes her head, her golden spun hair falling lose from her usual braid. “Don’t, don’t do that. Please, don’t do that again.” She begs, her body shaking and Dream places a kiss on the top of her head.

His large hand cradles her head and every time she begs for him to never mess with her mind again, he replies with a simple: “I won’t. I’m sorry.” Lucienne has never seen Dream be anything but stoic and angry. Discipline of his realm and his creation has only ever been the only thing he enacted.

But now...he’s cradling this little flower. The embodiment of love and joy and everything soft and cuddly. An emotional girl who feels everything and anything from the slightest blink and trip. Hushing her as she cries into his chest. Black against her pink. And the red thudding heart the two of them share.

When her cries slowly die down, she realises the position they’re in. And that the whole court is just sort of standing there...watching them as Dream comforts little Love. She steps back, looking up at him with these teary brown eyes that makes him want to burn the world down all of the sudden.

“I’m sorry, it’s just-” She realises how she must look. She wipes her tears off on the back of her hand. She flattens down the frizz of her hair. “-it was like with Desire. And-” Dream stops her with a gentle hand on her upper arm. Rubbing soft circles to remind her that her body is hers and she has control.

“I understand, Love. I acted before thinking of how it might affect you and I...I must earnestly apologize.” He speaks and again everyone is scared to breathe. That century must’ve really done him good, or perhaps it’s the ball of sunshine he now feels responsible for because he’s never apologized before...

Love lets her shoulders drop slightly, feeling the weight drop from her back. She sort of looks around from Dream to the librarian to the raven. She realises that she’d likely interrupted something. She swallows, “I’m sorry, um,” she gathers her thoughts, “you called me here...” She looks up at Dream, allowing him to finish the question on his own.

Dream seems to ignore the utter urgency that he was feeling before this. And he doesn’t allow for Love to slip from his arms either. He shows nonchalance to the rest of his people, but behind her back, he balls the fabric of her dress in his hands. Resting on her lower back, clenching the pink dress until his knuckles turn whiter that the pale he already is.

All from guilt, utter guilt. How could he not have thought this through? The seriousness of having to fix this great danger in the universe overcame all his mind and then hers. He hadn’t even realised he could climb in her mind like he can his other subjects. Dream can do that with the dreaming inhabitants because they are a part of him. That would mean that Love is a part of him...

It has to be true because their hearts beat in the same rhythm. Not yet one because she still carries the arrow with her. But they know, they know they’re meant to be. Their souls yearn for each other, no matter how their minds fight the reality of it all.

Lucienne forces herself to speak up. To step forward because it would seem her creator’s mind has faded to other matters. Much prettier matters than the horrifying gaping black hole that could possibly consume the dreaming, an ugly matter. “Cupid, why were you talking to Rose?” Big golden eyes, usually warm and caring now confused and frightened.

“I’m not there for her.” A sweet voice that makes Dream’s cold icy heart begin to defrost. “But you were with her?” Lucienne repeats. “Her friend, Lyta. She has a broken heart but refuses to let go... It can be quite the horrific site and if the arrow stays in her heart much longer, the effects could be drastic...” They all turn and look to each other, like they know something she doesn’t.

“What?” Lucienne sighs and Dream conjures up his sand, making up sights and sounds to explain the severity of the situation. “Rose Walker. Something called a dream vortex....”

She feels like a little girl who���s just been scolded. She can’t understand them, she can’t understand how they don’t see to even care about Rose, as a person. She’s just a girl looking for her brother. Why they’re so dead set on killing her, she can’t comprehend it. Rose has a whole life she’s meant to live. A pink or maybe red arrow waiting for her somewhere in the world. A heart tethered to hers, waiting to see her smile for the first time. And they just want to take that all away, no consideration for what Destiny has planned for her.

Cupid huffs, pouting like a little girl too. Her pouting lips resting against her knees that are pulled up against her chest. Her bare toes digging into the mud that oozes water, coming from the lake, when she does. She watches as the little fish go to take a nipple of her toes and then jump away when she wiggles them just a little. Then the ripples of water it creates across the pond. Bouncing from the walls of mud and reeds all the way under the little stone bridge allowing the teddies access over the pond.

They berated her too like a little girl. How dare she even consider that the life of one girl is as important as the whole dreaming and all its dreamers? She can’t even believe they’d ask such a thing. She loved all the mortals, with all her heart she loved them. Even when they curse and scream at her for the agony she has no choice in. Is she just a naive little girl? Should she keep her nose out of Dream’s important politics and stick to her fairies and teddies and hearts and arrows?

How can she not say anything? Accept it as is? Accept the death of a young woman, because, what? She might harm Dream? That girl won’t harm a fly, unless of course the flies that dare sit on her brother’s food. Can’t Morpheus understand that it isn’t hate that fuels her but love, love for her brother? Of course he can’t. He’s never loved anyone. If he did, she’d be the first one and maybe the only one to ever know. The fact that he seems so complacent and maybe even started this idea of killing the girl makes her utterly furious at him.

Furious...?

Has Love ever been angry before? She’d felt sad before, mourning the death of a love bond. Guilty, yes, when having to take the love from people. Scared when Desire taunted her so. Obedient when he’d command her. Empty when he’d take over her body. But not angry at him for it... Even when she had accidently taken that soul, she was not angry. She was scared, scared of herself, scared of what Desire might do, what might happen to her.

But angry, like this? No...

The hot sun’s rays are interrupted by a dark cloudy man who sits himself down right next to Love. Well...with a distance of course. A distance that makes both of their hearts tugg but neither of them would admit it. They can’t love each other, the arrow has not been planted. And they can’t like each other, they’re polar opposites. But they do, at least, Dream knew it was guilt that he felt when Cupid’s smile dropped learning about Rose. And a complete and utter sense of emergency to fix this.

At least, Dream thinks there shouldn’t be a universe where she isn’t smiling. Much less pouting and brooding in her garden, her flowery kingdom, like she does now. It’s a wrong doing for the universe for his little sunshine to be cloudy...His?...

“You look like a fairy. Like those the little girls dream of...” Cupid shrinks away from him and hides her wings when he makes the comment. “I’m not a fairy. That’s a fairy.” She looks at one of her creatures, tiny little fluttering wings and jumping from flower petal to dew drop. “Of course not.” He replies, hoping that agreeing with her might be at least a start to remedy the situation. But it isn’t and he realises that when she huffs and turns away, suddenly the moss growing on the tree is much more interesting than anything on the side he’s sitting.

His hand twitches as he stops himself from grabbing her face and forcing her to look at him. He has to be soft he keeps reminding himself. He can’t just take what he wants. But he himself isn’t ever sure what it is that he wants. Why suddenly seeing her in such distress make him... angry...? Who dares hurt such a sweet soft thing, love herself?

“Love-“ her head swivels for her eyes to snap at him and glare his soul straight out his body. “Leave.” She huffs, with this new sudden stubbornness he’s never heard before from her. “No.” He replies with the same zing. His stark eyes clash with hers. As if in a battle of wits to see who’s the most stubborn. Nothing but their breathing and the chirping life around them is to be heard. Besides, of course, the clashing swords of wills.

But she’s never been one to fight and even less so with someone who’s done so much for her. She stands up. No longer challenging his mirroring of her own stubbornness, she walks until she feels the wet, squishy mud of the lake in between her toes. “Dream...you have done much for me. Brought me peace and allowed me to bloom...” She walks until she can feel the warm lake water up to her fingertips.

“Showed me the power I did not know I held...” She walks until she can feel the slimy plants cling to her waist. “But know this-” She turns, her hair frizzy from the humidity of the lake. The sunlight hits her just right, making her look like a nymph that makes Morpheus’ heart beat just a bit faster than it had been. And her brown eyes look just about ready to devour him for the sin of even thinking about going against her will.

“-I will not put the well-being of the humans over a love that must still bloom.” And then she walks until the aqua swirls in her ears and stings her eyes. All only to make it seem that the tears rolling down her cheeks are only that- water. All only to convince her heart that their connection hasn’t pooled into a reservoir she saves for herself when the loneliness creeps up on her. That the flowers of love aren’t being watered. And that the branches of the heart hasn’t started to flourish for the first time since her creation.

Desire had to have loved her at some point, right? This can’t possible be the first time she’s felt all...warm inside. But she had been so angry...? The agony humans feel when they are in love she remembers to be quite similar...

[mikeydraws]

AAA ASKING FOR PIGSY AS A DRAWING REQUEST!! /NF <333

I’m not the best yet with anthropomorphic animals, but I think I did good !!

Also can’t have a Pigsy without his husband, Tang

Close ups ‼️

Anyways I love them both very much and none of their interactions were in the slightest hetero/pos

Couple behaviour

[crusherthedoctor]

Why is it that out of all the things in '06 that the fandom chooses to NOT downplay, it's the claim that Elise kissing the anthropomorphic hedgehog who can talk is problematic because bestiality.

You're telling me that they'll forgive and retcon the many issues with this game and its story, but it won't budge in the slightest on a non-issue. Certified Sonic fandom moment.

[8thekat]

What made you decide to make your online persona, avatar or whatever it’s called a cat? Was there a reason, or is it just because cats are adorable? Just curious.

WELL to be honest it started with some friends I had that INSISTED I make a [cough cough] fursona [cough]

Now I don't consider myself a part of the furry community in the slightest and never had any "anthropomorphic" characters before - so when they asked I just came up with this goober on the fly. She actually USED to be a fully fledged black cat before I void-ified her 😂

Here's what she used to look like!

But I eventually simplified her design more and decided to start calling her a "Void Cat" :3 I knew I wanted to go with a cat because my irl name is actually "Kathleen" (Kat for short!) and I love black cats sooooo it only seemed fitting 😼

Plus making her more simple-looking fit more with her/my personality. Which is just being kind of a dumb little menace sometimes 😂

(plus it's a lot more fun to draw goofy expressions on her design now heheheh)

[shysquidthing]

Delyth/Alfred

Pre-Relationship

How did they first meet?

⮚ Now, it wasn't exactly a direct meeting but it was after Spelldrive practice when Delyth was on her way back to her dorm. Along the way, she had come across what looked to be a Orb Weaver spider scuttling its way across the sidewalk. Now, as a fellow Arachnid, Del has always been interested in and felt comfortable around spiders. She put her bag down and held her hand, and would smile when the spider shifted into her palm, watching as it walked around between her fingers, before crawling up her arm, and would seemingly settle in the pocket of her PE uniform. Albert seemingly happened to witness this happen. He had seen how land dwellers would react and respond to these spiders, so initially, he thought that she was just one of those strange ones that adored the more..... freakier side of nature, if that little sense of his didn't go off the moment he saw some sort of movement underneath that bandana

2.What was their first impression of each other?

⮚Delyth was a bit indifferent at first to be honest. Much like many of the other students within her dorm, social settings aren't exactly her strong suit, but she is a bit more sociable than most, which is why her dorm leader sends her out if anything needs to be sent out and Ortho isn't there to do it for whatever reason. She just saw him around from time to time,

⮚Albert, on the other hand, I believe has this sort of sixth sense for knowing when someone isn't a human, given that he isn't one either. Not to mention, seeing her crawl up a wall did not help in the slightest. So, he was honestly a bit intrigued. With her pointed ears, he knew she was at least a Fae, possibly. It didn't help that she had similar attributes as other members of her dorm at avoiding people

3. Did any of their friends or family want them to get together?

⮚ Delavan, Delyth's brother, never got the chance to meet Albert before his passing, but seeing the way that his twin's eyes would light up when she mentioned him a conversation had him rooting for them since day one. There were no parents to talk too about this sort of thing, as Delavan and Delyth, much like other arachnids are more solitary creatures. Once the egg sack hatches, these young spiderlings are on their own. Delavan and Delyth just so happened to stay together

⮚ Peyn is much like a younger brother figure to her. They surprisingly get along rather well together, not to mention, coding and club buddies. These guys just vibe really well, half fae and bug fae. Both are not commonly seen...or the most accepted, so, vibes. Does he think that she could do better? Yes. Is he going to do anything about it? No. If she is happy, then he supposes that he can be happy for her.

⮚ Reese swore up and down that if his brother wasn't going to make any kind of a move, then he was going to take matters into his own hands. The man was tired of seeing the glances across the room, fingers brushing when papers were passed, the oogling during flight class, and the way his twin kept the schedule of when Del was at Spelldrive. So, safe to say he was on board

4. Who felt romantic feelings first?

⮚ Delyth. It was the classic, who fell first, who fell harder, type of deal. She was in the middle of a new project when it hit her like a train full force and no stop. She blue screened for the next thirty minutes........

5. Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

⮚ Both, if we are being honest here. Delyth is a bug fae, an arachnid on top of that. She wasn't exactly the most desirable, even among her own kind. Not to mention, so many people are freaked at just the thought and sight of a natural, little, garden spider. To be faced with a 30 ft anthropomorphic Peacock Tarantula would send most into cardiac arrest then and there (seriously, make sure Jamil never knows or sees what she is) and Alfred? Well, catching any kind of feelings wasn't exactly on the list when he came onto land. It's a new and strange feeling that he's still trying to discover

GENERAL

Who initiated the relationship, and how did it go?

⮚ Reese very much likes to claim that it was him that gave that final nudge, man was tired of the tap dancing those two were doing. Quite literally tracked Delyth down in Ignihyde, pounded that door until she opened it, and in that rare moment of speech, all but begged her to just ask his brother out already, or whatever her kind did to initiate courtship, just.... something. He was losing his mind.......... turns out Albert was actually already there under the guise that he needed help with a potionology assignment.

2. Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

⮚ Yes! It was actually Delyth's idea. Somewhere secluded, but chosen that way for a reason. Far into the forests that surround the school, off the path, a few ruins reside there, an old fountain, a pond. Alfred knew at this point she was a bug fae of the arachnid class, but he had never seen her full form. This is where he saw it for the first time. In Del's own words, she wanted him to know what she really was before they went any further..... he asked if she could stay like that for the rest of this date-

3. What was their first kiss like?

⮚ A bit messy but in the sense that neither of them had kissed anyone before so it was slightly awkward at first. It happened after a win during a Spell drive game. Energy was high, everyone was celebrating, and it was one of those things that just... happened. Now, he managed to pull her away first away from the prying eyes of others before going for the kill....metaphorically speaking. Definitely hit each other's teeth at first, but it was perfect regardless.

4. Were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

⮚ Yes, on both ends.

5. What’s their height difference? Age difference?

⮚ While both in human form, Albert is taller by roughly 7 inches, but if both were in their true forms, then Delyth is larger by several feet. As far as age, Albert is also older by several months.

6. What’s their relationship with each other’s families? Do they share a friend group?

⮚ Albert never got the opportunity to meet Delyth's brother before he passed away. He will admit that he will miss the chance of not getting to meet someone that Delyth spoke so highly of.

⮚ Reese and Delyth were a bit touch and go at first. Reese had never seen Albert act the way he did when it came to her but once he knew that Delyth's intentions were pure and she held no intent, they got along rather well. Not to mention, Delyth somehow always managed to find quite the scraps for when he was in a creative mood. Turns out, she has a lot of.... little..... friends that help gather things for her

7. Who takes the lead in social situations?

⮚ Albert. Look, Del has only just become comfortable at being in the same room as other people, and all those errand jobs were because she had no other choice.

8. Who gets jealous easier?

⮚ Delyth. Most fae are somewhat possessive of their partners and Delyth is no different from them. She knows that she has nothing to worry about but it's hard to ignore when it's literally just her DNA doing it's thing......

9. Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear?

⮚ Albert may be a freak, but Del is completely unhinged and will say the most downright, down bad, most horrendous things into that man's ear without prompt, warning, hesitation, or him knowing she was there to begin with

LOVE

Who said “I love you” first?

⮚ Alfred, but in the sense that he thought that Delyth was asleep at the time 😂. It was a long day, Spelldrive practice was rough, it was hot outside, potions class was a monster that day, and there was a surprise quiz in Trein's class. Alfred offered to take her back to her dorm room so she didn't fall asleep on the way (even knowing that she was predominately nocturnal, poor girl was just exhausted). He turned his back as she changed into her nightwear, did her usual routine, and all but crashed into her bed, burying herself under all of the blankets, and was completely still right after. He saw half of her head poking out, nuzzled in the blankets, and it just slipped out...... making her eyes open rather quickly. But the crinkle of her eyes, followed by the same three words certainly made him feel better about it

2. What are their primary love languages?

⮚ Alfred, Giving: Acts of Service, Receiving: Quality time

⮚ Delyth, Giving: Quality time and Words of Affirmation, Receiving: Quality time

3. Who uses cheesy pick-up lines?

⮚ Delyth. Alfred is convinced she looks many of them up in her free time given just how many she knows.... he's not exactly wrong. She had a little journal with them as well

4. How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

⮚ While out in public, the most there is would be him walking her to class, his hand resting on the small of her back. Once behind closed doors? It could range from him relaxing against her as she brushes her hands through his hair to her laying against his chest while she's watching one of her shows. He may not understand said shows but loves the way her eyes light up when explaining certain things

5. Who initiates kisses?

⮚ It's about half and half, but more so Alfred. It's not even lip kisses half the time. Forehead, hand, wrist. He loves kissing her wrists for some reason, especially when shes brushing fingers through his hair

6. Who’s the big and little spoon?

⮚ Delyth is little spoon most of the time. She just likes being held. It makes her feel safe (despite being a freaking 30 foot spider). It makes her feel all giddy inside. On the rare days that Alfred is the little spoon, it's usually after a rather harsh day, which could have been caused by a number of things. Most of the time, he retreats to her room and they just lay in her bed. At this point, he already has a couple changes of clothes there. It comes in handy for moments like this.

7. What are their favorite things to do together?

⮚ Working on their interests with one another. They will find a rather scenic spot. Alfred would be taking the best pictures and Delyth would paint the scenery..... lots of photos end up being of her as she works. Her concentrated face is one of the most adorable things to him

8. Who’s better at comforting the other?

⮚ Delyth mostly, but there are moments where Alfred will do what is needed. One of these cases would be when he discovered that Delyth's twin passed. He could only imagine what would happen if he lost Reese, so he could only imagine the pain that Delyth was in

9. Who’s more protective?

⮚ Albert, which is a bit surprising given that Delyth is a Fae and they are known to be rather protective of their mates. He knows the types that are at Night Raven, so he makes sure that some of these.... less than desirable characters are far away from Delyth,

10. Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

⮚ Delyth is more on the verbal affection side. She's been isolated and cast away a lot being an arachnid, which means lots of those times it was her being verbally put down. Hearing much more positive words does wonders in her mind and never fails to make her heart do flips

⮚ It's about split down the middle for Alfred but leaning more towards the verbal affection as well. There is a lot that he does and having that verbal affirmation from someone he genuinely loves makes him feel all warm inside.

11. What are some songs that apply to their relationship, in-universe or otherwise?

⮚ (Currently a WIP, will be here soon!!!)

12. What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

⮚ For Delyth: Dear, Pearl, Darling (def more old fashioned with it)

⮚ For Alfred: Al, Love, Beloved (last one took him some getting used too, makes his skin all tingly, in a good way that is)

13. Who remembers the little things?

⮚ Alfred. The moment that he realized that this wasn't just some passing fancy, or brief infatuation, he kept a very detailed journal about all the little things when it came to Delyth. Her favorite drink from each cafe, her favorite foods, her favorite color, the way she liked to style her hair, how she went about her morning and nightly routine, all the way down to the premiers of new episodes for her shows

DOMESTIC LIFE

If they get married, who proposes?

⮚ They do end up getting married. It's about 4 years after their NRC graduation when they were engaged and then another year before they married. The proposal was a bit funny, given they both had the same idea for it, and essentially proposed to each other. Reese thought it was hilarious

2, What’s the wedding like? Who attends?

⮚ Definitely small. Delyth is not big on that many people and Alfred just wanted something simple. There was another crossing of traditions here, given that Alfred is a mer and Delyth is a Fae. Given that Delyth is rather fond of mer customs, it was more of a mer styled ceremony

3. How many kids do they have, if any? What are they like?

⮚ There are three. Twin boys and then a younger daughter about 3 years later. All three inherited their mothers eyes, as in, having eight of them, and are capable of moving between a mer form from their father and an arachnid form from their mother. Their arachnid form is a bit more grayed down from their fathers genetics. Their fathers genetics were a bit stronger as they took more attributes from him, such as his eye color and their hair, facial structure, and physical appearances in a human form. Their oldest son has a bit more of a sivery tone to his hair from his mother

4. Do they have any pets?

⮚ Not exactly. Just the random bugs that have a habit of showing up around the house..... but their daughter has shown up more than once with a stray animal she has found that she wanted to keep. It's at least two or three times a week this happens-

5. Who’s the stricter parent?

⮚ Delyth, but it could easily be just a Fae thing. She just wants to make sure her children are safe and cared for. She didn't have that growing up, so there are times where she's worried she's not doing enough as a mother

6. Who worries the most?

⮚ Again, Delyth. Most Arachnid species leave their young... well, when they're still young. But there was no way she could do that. She didn't want them to have the same upbringing she did. Alfred knows she worries, but knows how much she loves them

7. Who kills the bugs in the house?

⮚ No one. Delyth is a bug fae, after all. She just scoops them up and leads them outside. It took a little getting used to at the start of their relationship, but Alfred is used to it at this point

8. How do they celebrate holidays?

⮚ It's nothing to big and flashy. Just small things. Seeing lights for Christmas, decorating the home and such. Valentine's and White's day has never really been anything grand, more so happy just to have each other, mostly spent at home

9. Who’s more likely to convince the other to come back to sleep in the morning?

⮚ Delyth all the way. As a nocturnal creature, she hates waking up in the morning. That hasn't changed in the slightest from their NRC days. Most of the time, she is very much successful. After all, how can Alfred say no to that cute, tired face?

10. Who’s the better cook?

⮚ Alfred. Not to say that Delyth can't cook, his just tastes a lot better and it's something that he enjoys doing, especially when it comes to taking care of this new family of his

11. Who likes to dance?

⮚ Delyth mostly. Alfred has so many pictures of these moments. He's had to start scrap-booking them. He also has one for each kid. Let's say the photography really took off when the family started growing

A/N: Alfred does not belong to me and is one of the many oc's of @kokii-omii ! Make sure to go check them out!

[widget117]

Convincing you to play Child of Light

Child of Light (2014) is a 2-D RPG game following a young girl stranded on the lost continent of Lemuria.

It was developed by Ubisoft Montreal, directed by Patrick Plourde, produced by Jean-François Poirier, and features a breathtaking soundtrack composed by Cœur de Pirate. (Cœur is seriously so talented and I suggest checking out her other albums too)

Its protagonist, Aurora, is the daughter of a Duke. When her father remarries, her cup is suddenly poisoned. Instead of dying, Aurora wakes up having been transported to a fantasy world by the name of Lemuria.

Lemuria is inspired by Philip Scatler in 1864, who proposed the existence of a real-life continent just below India and left of Madagascar. This continent, of course, does not exist, but the theory was, at one point, seriously considered by the scientific community.

Aurora's sole objective is to somehow get home to her little castle in Austria, but it turns out she's the “chosen one” and must retrieve the Sun, Moon and Stars from Umbra the Queen of Night, who has stolen them and terrorized Lemuria in a fit of power.

The one who gives this prophecy to Aurora is the Lady of the Forest, a seer. She goes out of her way to grant Aurora the Stars, which gives her the ability to fly.

The game has a gorgeous soundtrack, charming cast of characters, captivating storyline & world building, and beautiful visuals. (A LOT OF IT IS HAND-DRAWN WATERCOLORS)

As Aurora ventures across Lemuria, trying to find her way home (she's taken a very “no thank you” attitude to the prophecy), she learns of new places and meets all kinds of quirky people.

The fantasy races are inspired by early fantasy like Tolkien, from what I can tell (with a little extra few). You have your elven inspired race (Aerostati), dwarves (Capilli), anthropomorphic/beastfolk (Populi), orcs (Kategida [not orc-ish in the slightest but the closest approximation]), and ocean-dwellers (Piscean). Another one which I lack the capability to name are animate, sentient rocks. They range pretty greatly in size and can be made of mountains or pebbles (Magna & Golem are examples, but Golem is only available as a DLC). Aurora even has a familiar by the name of Igniculus, who is a newborn firefly.

And the worldbuilding, though not too expansive, is totally adorable and I wish there was more to it. In-game, Aurora fights all kinds of creatures: elementals, ghosts and ghouls, creatures of night, creatures of the sky, the forest, the sea, the plains, etc.

The only content outside the game, as far as I know, is a book published by the game's writer, Jeffery Yohalem, titled: Child of Light: Reginald the Great. Aside from that, more books, a show and even a second game were all planned, but never gone through with.

As you may have noticed, the game has very heavy Latin influences linguistically, and actually does a lot with language as a whole.

The dialogue (both narration and character speech) maintains a rhyming scheme. It's actually not cringe at all and so majestic and regal. Even in another language, the translated dialogue STILL pulls off a rhyming scheme. One character in particular, Rubella (a jester Aerostati, yes "rubella" is the name of a disease please stop talking), off-puts any conversation she's involved in with her complete inability to rhyme (ironic, as she's a singer/poet, who would use her voice often in this world). Characters will go out of their way to correct her mis-rhyming, and seeing them grow tired and/or used to it is very funny.

The dialogue between character is so D&D coded and heart-warming, filled with personality and confessions and absolute banger lines like:

Igniculus: Aurora, what is love known by? | Aurora: When is hurts to say goodbye.

Igniculus: Aurora, what is a home? | Aurora: Somewhere you have truly grown.

Norah: Your charity inspires me. It was noble what you did, Aurora. | Aurora: I love you too, Norah.

AND THE COMBAT

The combat is turn-based, in a really dynamic way that requires strategy and consideration (particularly on hard mode). And the combat music is BOMB (Cœur de Pirate <3)

And for the final boss(es) the women TURN INTO DRAGONS :DDDD

I wish there were more fics or fanarts or just posts in general about this game, because it is such a masterpiece that had so much potential (they are so found family coded where tf are their fics). I played in 2014 when it first came out (I was but a wee lass, then) and it totally stole my heart even as a baby. It's right up there with Rayman Legends and Valient Hearts in terms of underrated favorites (Two games that I also ABSOLUTELY recommend because they are fan-fuckin-tastic).

[liongoatsnake]

It has come up as of late, yet again, regarding the use of the term phantom limbs while referring to the experiences some alterhumans have where they feel traits on their bodies that are not physically there.  

While I could go into the long, long history of the term being used in the alterhuman communities going back into the 1990s, as this debate’s key sticking point is in regard to phantom limb being a medical term specific to the experiences of amputees or instead a general term that can be used for non-amputees as well, I’m going to strictly be pulling from academic sources below.   

To put it succinctly, the use of the term phantom limbs for alterhuman experiences has been recognized by multiple researchers and in other academic settings over the years. Ergo, no it isn’t a term specific to amputees that doesn't apply to alterhuman experiences. - Academic references below cut-

Examples:

The research done by a multidisciplinary team of researchers focusing on the study of the furry fandom called the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, uses the term phantom limb while referring the experiences of therians and otherkin. In their book, FurScience! A Summary of Five Years of Research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, which is a summary of five years of continuous research into the furry fandom, a section simply named “Phantom Limb,” touches on the topic of phantom limbs among furries, therians, and otherkin. [1] They go into the presence of “phantom limbs” among furries, therians, and otherkin again in their piece “Furries, Therians, and Otherkin, Oh My! What Do All Those Words Mean, Anyway?” which was part of the book, Furries Among Us 2: More Essays on Furries by Furries. Further, in 2019, the team published an academic article which shared their results where they used the previously mentioned Rubber Hand Illusion experiment on furries and therians. Once again, when bringing up the existence of experiences among therians and otherkin, the researchers use the term “phantom limbs.” [2] 

Devin Proctor’s 2019 dissertation, On Being Non-Human: Otherkin Identification and Virtual Space includes, along with dozens of mentions of the term throughout the work, a section on Phantom Shifting and in which he uses the term “phantom limbs.” [3]

For yet another example, the article, “An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Identity in the Therian Community” also goes into quite some detail regarding the experience of “phantom limbs” among therians. [4]

A final example includes Nat Bricker’s 2016 thesis, Life Stories of Therianthropes: An Analysis of Nonhuman Identity in a Narrative Identity Model. [5]

…

This is NOT an exhaustive list in the slightest, but I think I’ve made my point clear enough (and I have other things I need to do today other than keep searching through my archive...).

TL;DR - Researchers who have studied therians and otherkin ALSO use the term phantom limbs to describe our experiences. This isn’t appropriation or otherwise misuse of medical terminology. This is using a word for what it means.   Citations:

[1] Plante, Courtney N., Stephen Reysen, Sharon E. Roberts, & Kathleen C. Gerbasi. FurScience! A Summary of Five Years of Research from the International Anthropomorphic Research Project. Waterloo, Ontario: FurScience, 2016. https://furscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FurScience-Final-pdf-for-Website_2017_10_18.pdf, page 116.

[2] Kranjec, Alexander, Louis Lamanna, Erick Guzman, Courtney N. Plante, Stephen Reysen, Kathy Gerbasi, Sharon Roberts and Elizabeth Fein. “Illusory Body Perception and Experience in Furries.” CogSci (July 2019): Page 596-602.

[3] Proctor, Devin. On Being Non-Human: Otherkin Identification and Virtual Space. The George Washington University. May 2019. pages 172, 203-209, & 255.

[4] Grivell, Timothy, Helen Clegg & Elizabeth C. Roxburgh. “An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Identity in the Therian Community.” Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research. Volume 14, Number 2 (May 2014): pages 119-120, 124, 128-129.

[5] Bricker, Nat. Life Stories of Therianthropes: An Analysis of Nonhuman Identity in a Narrative Identity Model, Lake Forest College, April 2016, pages. 10, 14-15, 39-41, 60.

[storiesaremylife]

Cartoon Sims Introductions 5

Whoa a Part 2!

The other Duck family!

Show of Origin: Ducktales 2017

Ship: Donald and Daisy Duck

Members: Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, May McDuck, June McDuck, Damian Duck, Haven Duck, Scott Duck, Anthony Duck

Everyone's favorite anthropomorphic waterfowl! Donald is a proud adventurer, brother, nephew, uncle, and now husband and father of 6! Good thing he has plenty of practice wrangling chaotic family members!

Daisy is Donald's fashion-forward wife who doesn't let her crazy family slow down her dreams in the slightest.

May and June are clones of Webby, though they prefer to be called triplets. After Scrooge's death they were adopted by Donald and Daisy, but are now preparing to go off on their own into the world!

Damian, the first natural child and oldest of Donald and Daisy's kids, he can sometimes be bossy and take things too seriously.

Haven is only a few months younger than Damian and provides the calm and levity to balance her big brother out. She was adopted as an infant and loves her family more than anything.

Scott is the middle son and was born right after Scrooge's passing (hence his name). He feels a bit left out with his siblings, with Damian and Haven being so close and May, June, and Tony being so far apart in age.

Anthony, the baby. He's a little bit based on Junior from the old shorts, but only in vague thought form. I get the feeling he's going to take after his mom in his life choices.

[sable-dream]

This might sound really obvious but I am grasping you by the shoulders with my paws to tell you to PLEASE for the love of god reference actual animal behaviors instead of just fictional depictions or cultural understandings when you're searching for a theriotype.

I get it if you're looking for a specific kintype but it's a trap that I fell into to assume animal books, especially animal fantasy, portray any sort of representation for how real-life animals act.

Warrior Cats is not an accurate representation of irl feral cat behavior in the slightest, which is the biggest mistake I see people making. And also it's the mistake I made myself at first. I also did this to a lesser extent with the series 'Mouseheart' lol.

Any depiction from an animal's 'perspective' is going to be anthropomorphized in SOME way simply because it's being written by a human being.

Now this isn't to say you can't or shouldn't seek solace, comfort, or even kintypes in animal fantasy - it can be a great jumping off point for a lot of people.

What I'm saying here is that attempting to use an animal fantasy novel as an accurate measure of real animal behavior is going to be unreliable at best.

[helix-enterprises117]

Sonic Overdrive - Discussion 1: Mobius, General Lore & World-Building

Okay, for ANYBODY who doesn't know much about Sonic, you might be a bit confused but bear with me.

So, imagine a world where the events of World War II didn't end quite the way we know them. Instead of the Cold War playing out as it did in our timeline, the world was thrown into a chaotic period of geopolitical turmoil that led to something far more sinister—The Iron Dominion.

This is a global fascist regime born from the remnants of the Soviet Union and the Axis Powers, ruled with an iron fist by none other than Baron Robotnik. His goal? Absolute order.A world of cold, mechanical efficiency under his complete control, where organic life is seen as flawed and inefficient. Think of it as a dieselpunk dystopia where Robotnik's vision of progress means replacing freedom with relentless authoritarianism. But on the other side, you have GUN—The Guardian Units of Nations.

They were the Allied forces reimagined into a global counter-terrorism and defense organization, formed from the most powerful nations within NATO and The Allies. Their job? To keep the world from falling into the grip of Robotnik’s tyranny. They're the last bastion of hope for free nations and a symbol of resistance against totalitarianism.

Now, let's talk about Mobians. You know how nuclear fallout was a big deal post-WWII? Here, that fallout didn't just result in environmental disasters; it mutated Earth's wildlife, creating anthropomorphic animal-folk—Mobians. These guys are just as intelligent and capable as humans, and over time, they integrated into society, carving out their own place in this strange new world. Think of it as an alternate history where humans and Mobians coexist, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in conflict.

Mobius itself isn’t some distant alien planet; it’s actually Earth, rebranded in this new age of mutation and technology. Cities blend towering dieselpunk skyscrapers with neon-lit streets, mixing gritty industrial settings with slick, futuristic tech. Just imagine a world with smokestacks and flying cars, zeppelins patrolling the skies, and cybernetic enhancements being commonplace. GUN has access to advanced dieselpunk-era weaponry, and experimental energy tech, while Robotnik's forces specialize in towering mechanical war machines, roboticized soldiers, and mind-controlling cybernetics.

The tech war between the two is an ongoing arms race, and civilians are often caught in the middle of it. And speaking of civilians, society is a mixed bag. Some regions thrive under GUN's protection, flourishing in relative freedom with bustling trade and culture. Others, especially those under Robotnik’s rule, live under oppressive surveillance and draconian laws, where even the slightest dissent can result in forced cybernetic assimilation. It’s a world where people have to pick a side—freedom or control.

In the midst of all this are the Freedom Force. They're kind of the wild card in this conflict. They aren’t a formal military group like GUN; instead, they're a vigilante-milita of rebel superheroes, stepping in where governments fail, fighting crime, aiding those in need, and of course, taking the fight directly to Robotnik’s forces. They're the ones inspiring hope in people who are too afraid to resist, and they thrive in the shadows, using guerrilla tactics and high-speed hit-and-run operations.

Culturally, there’s this mix of 1910s-50s style in fashion and architecture, but modern and even futuristic. Mobians and humans alike dressed in trench coats and fedoras, walking past neon-lit jazz clubs, or tuning into propaganda radio broadcasts while underground resistance cells plan their next move. It's a world that's both familiar and wildly different.

From the smoke-filled industrial sprawl of Robotnik-controlled cities to the vibrant free hubs of places under GUN's protection, there's a wide range of locations. You have war-torn wastelands, hidden underground resistance hideouts, sprawling metropolises with looming propaganda billboards, and even lush natural reserves where some Mobians have chosen to live off the grid, far from human influence. Travel and transportation in this world are also unique. High-speed rail networks connect major cities, while massive zeppelins dominate the skies, serving as both luxurious travel hubs and heavily fortified warships.

[amingethia]

So! Corqafollain. Let's start from about as early as we can, with the starts of the Irkunaqi people!

(Fun fact, the Irkunaqi are not human, but rather an avian species! Most Irkunaqi look like anthropomorphic eagles, fit with talons and beaks and feathers!)

The Irkunaqi, while the largest ethnic group in southeastern Pagnaia and one of the most populous across the whole continent, are believed to have originated from some unknown island or continent far from Pagnaia, named Irkun (thus, the Irkunaqi). Many of the Irkunaqi peoples have mythology about them arriving to their homelands from tbe sea!

Now, Corqafollain is named after the Corqafoll people, who are of Irkun descent, but the Asaqa peninsula that Corqafollain sits on is inhabited by three other native peoples, the Makam, the Vosfa and the Muluj. The Makam and Vosfa are related peoples, known to be of the Asaqa ethnic group (though their native culture and languages have long since been assimilated into Corqafoll, with the Vosfa language barely surviving in scattered communities). The Muluj are mostly unknown, as history has not been kind to them, to say the least.

But! Today, the Makam and Vosfa are seen as equals to the Corqafoll (and are often treated as one and same with the Corqafoll). Oh, and fun fact again! The worldbuilding character I mentioned earlier, Penance, is vosfa! Actually descended from the ruling family of ancient Vosfaïno, kingdom of the vosfa.

I have been released from prison(work)!

I am not surprised in the slightest that the people here are bird people.

This reads a little bit like a researcher or a professor writing down their studies of ancient civilizations.

Also- equals! (Although I suspect bird-person racism still exists in your world because it’s inevitable let’s be honest)