#Five Meadows a Grazed Tooth

[toxictoxicities]

Fixed up Valleys face a little and also designed an Ancient for @distant-frontier-simp ! (Five Meadows, A Grazed Tooth)

I'm glad to design an Ancient for you boo~!

[jayteacups]

Florist/plant dad Levi headcanons

Pairing: Levi x GN!Reader

Rating: General

Genre & warnings: Fluff, SFW, no warnings <3 just tooth-rotting fluff <33

Word count: 0.8k

Notes: inspired by this post! i can’t stop thinking about this omg. hope you love florist!levi as much as i do!!

Levi as a florist and plant dad (I am actually swooning) - we all know he’s all grouchy and would much rather avoid social interaction because most people drive him up a wall, but there’s something captivating and earnestly gentle about him when he’s tending to his flowers

Hands gently carding through the flowers, the downwards quirk of his lips when he notices they’re looking a little wilted, he is the absolute epitome of beauty 

Has a very strict schedule of when to water his flowers or house plants, doesn’t dare miss it by even a second. He takes his responsibilities as a plant dad very seriously

Fusses over his house plants, picks up the dead leaves or petals almost immediately after they have fallen because god forbid there will be leaf litter in his house, it’s like he has a sixth sense for when a petal or leaf falls istg

In this universe, Hange’s a botanist or plant researcher, and they definitely talk Levi’s ear off about the plants he owns from a scientist’s perspective, whether it be plant physiology or the evolutionary relationships between two particular species of flower (as a biology student I can most certainly get behind this)

And when they talk about plants it’s the only time Levi doesn’t tell them to pipe down because deep down he is just as interested in a scientist’s perspective on plants

He prefers a very simplistic, monochromatic house decor I feel but the house plants he owns spice it up a bit and give it a cute homey touch <3

If you ask for a flower arrangement at his little flower shop, he’d make them look absolutely breathtaking

Not in a gaudy or in an over-the-top way, but there is a simplistic beauty to the arrangements that feels very personal

The flower shop itself is very cosy and warm, you enter it and feel instantly calmed and sheltered from the overwhelming bustling nature of the outside world

Amongst the beautiful colours and petals, you find a moment to yourself, to clear your mind, to breathe (unless you have hay fever like me; in which case you’re fighting for your life and sneezing every five seconds but let’s just pretend hay fever doesn’t exist for the sake of this headcanon ok?)

Imagine tucking one of his flowers behind his ear and telling him he looks pretty and him looking unimpressed at your antics (when actually he’s really freaking out on the inside)

You waver, face falling, before you move to take it out

He intercepts your wrist with his own hands, gruffly tells you it’s fine, and perhaps if you move a little closer you can see the faintest of pink washing over his pale cheeks because nobody’s called him pretty before

And he goes the rest of the day with that flower tucked behind his ear (and perhaps every customer swoons internally upon the sight but he is none the wiser)

You like to tease him that he’s so beautiful he already blends in very well with his flowers but with the flower tucked behind his ear he’s practically impossible to see (he spends the next week thinking of nothing but that compliment)

On the weekends, Levi takes you out on picnic dates in the meadow, points out a few of his favourite wildflowers

You try to make him a flower crown with said favourite wildflowers but it kind of falls apart because flower crowns are hard

And he just shakes his head, impossibly endeared, and shows you how to do it properly

He puts it on your head, fingers grazing over your temples as he withdraws his hands

And he just takes a moment to admire the sight of you, surrounded by pretty wildflowers, with the flower crown on your head making you look nothing short of regal, and he just needs a minute to recover because the picture just makes the air woosh out of his lungs :((

He also watches you very carefully, takes a note of what flowers in that meadow or in his shop that you seem particularly drawn to

And one day he makes a stunning bouquet with those flowers, and it is this bouquet that he presents to you with shaky hands, the small box in his pocket waiting patiently to be presented. 

It is an identical bouquet to this one that you hold as you walk down the aisle to him <33 

Bonus: cottagecore married life with Levi - living out a peaceful life in a cosy little place, his green thumb growing vegetables in the allotment, him showing you how to tend to the flowers in the garden, and you fall in love with him all over again watching him weave together a flower crown for you with both his and your favourite flowers <333 

© 2022 jayteacups

Masterlist

[lifelearningapps]

Moodzie Loves Rabbits

Moodzie loves rabbits, as they are small furry mammals with nice long ears and little fluffy tails but also strong and very fast legs. Moodzie would like to share some interesting facts about rabbits that surely will influence anyone reading to also have some love for rabbits. Firstly, Rabbits can have multiple litters or babies each year, and they are able to give birth to up to a total of 9 litters at the same time, when babies are born within the wild they only spend a little bit of time with their mother, as mother rabbits avoid spending time with them as they do not wish to draw attention from other predators, however when the babies grow up they all do continue to live together as a family. An unfortunate fact about rabbits is that far too often they are killed, and killed so for their fur, as bunnies endure terrible abuse in certain parts of the world, such as Angola’s fur farms, where are kept in small cages and killed once their fur is required. Rabbits similarly to humans however also get very grumpy, especially once you invade their space, as rabbits like humans really like certain spaces where they wish to eat and sleep especially, and they prefer to have lots of the space, thus if one invades the space they will certainly get quite grumpy. Studies also show another fact about rabbits, that usually around the hours of sunset and sunrise, rabbits tend to be at their most active and functional. Rabbits and bunnies similarly to humans also happen to get bored quite easily, as if you trap them or put them within a cage, where they cannot do anything, if you are keeping your bunnies within a cage which Moodzie would advise against, certainly make sure that it is a sizeable cage where they can roll around and do other things, and also maybe give them some toys or hay or something to play with to help ease their boredom. A tip by Moodzie to those who have pet rabbits would be to never put them outdoors, as not is there a chance that other predatory animals like cats, dogs, or others can come and harm the rabbit, but also many times the lawn or grass has certain chemicals that do not suit the rabbit and it can kill them. Moodzie also believes it is very important to be together with the rabbit or bunny if you take them outside, as other animals can easily hurt them, as rabbits happen to be prey animals and not predatorial at all, thus those are some fun facts about rabbits and why Moodzie loves them. Moodzie loves these adorable creatures. Below are facts about rabbits and what impacts them: Characteristics: Rabbits are small, furry mammals with long ears, with strong, large, hind legs and short, fluffy tails. They have two pairs of sharp, incisor, front teeth, one pair on the top and one pair on the bottom. Using their powerful hind legs, rabbits move by hopping. They have four, long webbed toes on their hind feet to keep them from spreading apart as they jump. They also have five toes each on their front paws. Rabbits vary in size and color, ranging in weight from 2 to 16 pounds (1 to 7 kilograms), depending on their breed. Pet rabbits that have been well taken care of and spayed early in life, have a life expectancy of 8 to 12 years. Behavior: Rabbits are highly intelligent, potentially loving and loyal creatures, who can become a most delightful companion. They are shy, ground-loving creatures, who feel really insecure and frightened when cuddled, held, restrained and bathed. Although some rabbits tolerate handling quite well, many do not like to be picked up and carried. Like wild rabbits, if house rabbits are mishandled, they will nip, kick and scratch to protect themselves. Rabbits use their legs to thump and express how they are feeling. Legs are escape vehicles to flee from predators, weapons to defend their territory from other rabbits, or to protect their ears from fleas. Rabbits need daily monitoring. Problems that are relatively minor in some species, differ from other rabbits. (e.g. a day or two of not eating may be threatening to a rabbit) Diet: Rabbits are herbivores that feed by grazing on grass and leafy weeds in the wild. They re-ingest their own droppings to further digest their food and extract sufficient nutrients. A house rabbit’s diet should be made up of good quality pellets, fresh grass hay, oat hay, water and fresh, dark leafy or root vegetables. They can also be fed a variety of fruits in moderation, such as: apples, melons, berries, pears, oranges, plums, pineapple, papaya and peaches. Hay is essential to a rabbit’s excellent health, by providing roughage that reduces the danger of hairballs and other blockages. Apple tree twigs also provide good roughage. Absolutely NO pasta, breakfast cereals, chocolate (poisonous!), cookies, crackers, bread, yogurt drops or other ‘human treats” should be fed to rabbits. Special Features: Rabbits are fastidious groomers and shed their hair every three months. They will constantly lick themselves to stay clean, but are prone to hairballs. They are immaculately clean and once they have matured and are spayed/neutered, they go to great lengths not to soil their living quarters and will readily use a litterbox. Rabbits can breed from a young age. Some species can breed from 4 to 5 months old. Their teeth are specifically adapted for gnawing and grow continuously throughout their lives. Some species of rabbits can reach speeds of 35 to 45 miles (55 to 70 kilometers) per hour. Rabbits can become bored and depressed from isolation. Habitat: Wild rabbits are found in underground burrows in many habitats around the world, such as meadows, deserts, woods, forests, grasslands and wetlands. As a result of their appetite and the rate at which they breed, rabbits can be a risk to agriculture. In some countries or locations, measures are in place to manage wild populations. In some locations, having rabbits as pets is illegal. In locations that allow rabbits as pets, it is recommended that house rabbits live indoors, because rabbits kept in hutches outdoors have a lower lifespan. Make sure to supervise rabbits when they are outside, as there are many risks to their health. Rabbits must be trained and the house must be bunny-proofed or they will chew electrical cords, books, rugs and furniture. Impacts: (a) Breeding and abandonment In many countries, there is an overpopulation of domestic rabbits. Millions of adorable rabbits are killed in animal shelters every year. Unwanted rabbits are often abandoned in fields, parks or on city streets to fend for themselves, where they suffer from starvation, sickness and are easy prey to other animals or traffic accidents. Many of these rabbits will be sold as snake food, or as a pet for a small child who will soon “outgrow” the rabbit. (b) Breeding and abandonment Rabbits are bred world wide for the following purposes: Rabbit fur: The fur is used to make coats, collard, ear muffs and cat toys. Meat: Millions of rabbits are being raised and slaughtered in factory-like conditions, with very little government oversight, for human consumption every year. Product testing:  There is no need to test cosmetics, tooth paste and household products on live animals, yet a large number of rabbits give their lives to such testing. Please consider avoiding products that have been tested on animals.  (c) Easter Each year, thousands of baby rabbits, chicks and ducks are purchased as Easter gifts, only to be abandoned or left at shelters in the days, weeks and months that follow Easter. Some photography studios and businesses around the world offer photo sessions using a rabbit as a prop. The little bunny ends up neglected, abandoned or as a prize for a raffle. Please join us this Easter in encouraging people to buy a “chocolate bunny” and “stuffed toy” rather than a “live” bunny. (d) Health Many factors can adversely affect the health and life-span of rabbits, such as extremes of weather, poisonous plants, bacteria, ingested hairballs and diseases spread by fleas, ticks, flies and mosquitos. Rabbits insist on being clean and tidy and will lick themselves like cats, and like cats, they can get hairballs, if they ingest too much hair. Unlike cats, rabbits cannot vomit. If hairballs are allowed to form, they can become gigantic masses of tangled hair and food. This will block the stomach exit, causing the rabbit to starve to death while his stomach appears to be very fat. (e) Hunting Wild rabbits and hares (and sometimes domestic rabbits, who have gone feral) are subject to being killed for sport. (i.e. hunting, greyhound training and hair coursing) Government efforts to control wildlife occur in some locations, when rabbits or hares have found themselves living on land to be developed, farmed or when they have moved onto already developed properties, such as retirement homes or golf courses. (f) Predators If house rabbits are left outside in rural and urban areas, there is risk of predators. Rabbits can die of heart attacks from the very approach of a predator – even if the rabbit is not attacked or bitten. Predators include; dogs, feral cats, raccoons, foxes and coyotes; and more rarely, owls, hawks, opossums and weasels. 10 interesting facts about rabbits RSPCA, Victoria, Animal, Adoption, Donate, Ambassador, rabbit, bunny, feeding, vaccination, crepuscular, grooming, desexed, bun, hare, #bunnylove, thumper, bunnies, snuggle, pet, little, small, animal lover, fluffy, animals, adorable, cuteness, furry, pet, plush, toy, new pet, easter You'll Be Checking Sweater Tags Once You Find Out What Angora Is Rabbits can have multiple litters each year, giving birth to up to nine babies, known as "kittens," each time. In the wild, they're born helpless in a shallow hole lined with grass and their mamma's fur. Mother rabbits in the wild spend only a few moments each day with their babies in order to avoid drawing attention to them from predators. 20 Fascinating Facts about Rabbits | Care2 Causes Rabbits are intelligent, social, very clean - and definitely not starter pets, as some people believe them to be. Just in time for Easter, here are some interesting facts that you may not know about these "hoppy" little creatures. 1. Rabbits are not the same species as hares, which, among other characteristics, are larger and less social. Thanks to the House Rabbit Society for providing the factual information. House Rabbit Society Buy a Bunny a Little Time

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[vixensheart]

Moonlight

“The moon is the reflection of your heart and moonlight is the twinkle of your love.” -Debasish Mridha

Terra groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Her head hurt, her eyes sore, and she was pretty sure all the names were starting to blur together.

Eluetherodactylidae; the rain frogs.

Brevicipitidae; the other rain frogs.

Dendrobatidae; the poison dart frogs.

Bufonidae; toads.

Alsodidae; the...the…

Terra sighed and reached into the pile of notecards and pulled one out, flipping it over and scanning the back. Ah. The spiny chested frogs. Of course.

She heaved another sigh and flopped onto her back, ignoring the scattered notecards around her. Terra had no idea what possessed her to take a college level biology course, in particularly one revolving around herps, but alas here she was. It didn’t help that the teacher, or professor, in this case, wanted them to memorize the different families of amphibians. Terra was certain she’d never use this information ever, but what was she to do? College credit was college credit, after all.

And getting biology out of the way would certainly make things easier in the long run.

That didn’t make this any easier now, however, and she decided that a break was long overdue. Terra rolled of her bed, scattering more notecards about, and slipped out of her room.

The hallway was dark, with only the soft glow beneath her foster parents’ door as indication of their presence. It was pretty late; a click glance at her phone showed the time to be past midnight. But aside from the strain of studying, Terra didn’t feel tired.

She plucked her keys from the rack on the wall and quietly stepped outside, making sure to  close the door gently behind her. The fresh salty air stung at her nostrils, and Terra smiled. She loved living by the sea. The air felt more energetic here.

Terra struck out down the sidewalk, enjoying the quiet bustle of the night. Despite the fact that it was midnight, cars whizzed past left and right, their bright headlights flashing briefly in Terra’s eyes. There were a few people out and about too; mostly clubbers or bar hoppers, though there were small pockets of sketchy strangers huddled near the dark alleyways. Terra simply held her head high, ignoring their wary stares.

She knew for a fact that she could take care of herself.

Her stomach rumbled, interrupting her thoughts. Terra shoved her hands in her pockets, checking for loose change, and she dodged across the street to a gas station. Once inside, she dove straight for the goldfish crackers.

Terra loved goldfish crackers. They were fun and tasty, an easy snack for a midnight wanderer. She snagged a bag of the rainbow colored ones, her favorites, and got into line. There was only one other person in front of her; a guy buying cigarettes and lottery tickets. Terra let her gaze wander as she waited, taking in all the bright and colorful packages of cancer displayed before her. Her gaze drifted down to the newspaper stand next to the desk, the bold headline jumping out at her.

Teen Titans Save the Day!

After the fifteenth breakout this year, the Titans catch and lock up Plasmus once and for all!

Terra didn’t read any farther; instead, her focus remained on the perfect black and white picture plastered right beneath the headline. It was the infamous Teen Titans, of course, standing tired but proud in front of the snoozing gelatinous villain that had been giving Jump City ire for as long as she could remember. One face in particular held her attention, the ever familiar fang toothed grin making her heart twist in her chest.

Beast Boy.

“Um, miss?”

Terra jumped, blinking up at the cashier. He tilted his head, his brows furrowed in concern. “Are you ready?”

She nodded hastily, practically throwing the goldfish onto the counter.

“Three thirty-two.”

Terra didn’t bother counting the change; instead, she threw a five down and swiped the goldfish, scurrying out the door as fast as her feet could carry her. The chilly ocean breeze nipped at her nose and cheeks, but Terra hardly noticed. Instead, her mind was locked in a torrent of painful memories revolving around the Teen Titans and a certain green skinned member.

A crash jolted Terra back to the present. Her gaze darted about, finding nothing but a dark, empty street. She hugged her arms about herself, suppressing a shiver.

Terra drew to a stop. She stared at the ground, marveling at the moon’s shimmering reflection in a muddy puddle at her feet. It was faded, thanks to the light pollution obscuring the sky. But Terra remembered gazing up a brighter moon, once upon a time.

Cold seeped up into her skin, making her shiver. But Terra didn’t mind. The gentle touch of the stone beneath her knees was oddly comforting, and she settled onto the rocky outcrop with a contented sigh.

“The moon’s out tonight.”

Beast Boy’s voice startled her, and Terra jerked her head up to see the shapeshifter perched on a nearby boulder. An unbidden grin rose to her lips, and she giggled. “Yeah, it is.” She turned up to the sky, basking in the moonlight. Beast Boy leaped down, his shoes scuffing against the rocks as he padded to her side.

She risked a glance out of the corner or her eyes. His green skin glowed beneath the soft moonlight, making him look rather picturesque. Terra resisted the urge to reach out and touch him, for fear of disturbing the peace settled between them.

“I’ve always liked this spot,” he murmured. Terra turned to him then, her lips pursing in curiosity. She said nothing, letting the changeling continue.

“It’s nice to just...sit and enjoy the view, ya’ know?”

Terra nodded. “Yeah. I like coming here to unwind.” She stretched out then, juggling a pebble in the air with the wave of a finger. She felt warm inside as a wide grin stretched across Beast Boy’s features. Terra didn’t know what exactly about her powers he found so interesting; she played with rocks.

Big deal.

But Beast Boy never failed to be utterly entranced with anything she ever did with her curse, his eyes bright with curiosity and affection.

Tonight was no exception.

Terra launched the pebble into the water, listening to it plop as it broke through the surface. The ripples swelled from the source, quickly distorting the night sky’s reflection.

“I wonder what space is like.”

When she glanced back at him, he was staring up at the moon, a wistful expression softening his features. Terra hugged her knees to her chest, gently bopping her shoulder against his. “Big and full of stars,” she said with a laugh. A smile flickered across his lips but he said nothing, his gaze fixed firmly among the swirling galaxies above.

“Sometimes, I wanna try to fly up and up into the stars.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “To be free.”

It was a statement so simple, yet so...telling. Terra looked up, starlight shimmering in her eyes. It certainly was pretty up there. She imagined Beast Boy as a bird, finally able to use his wings to carry him away from the burdens gravity had imposed upon him. Then she tried to picture the same for herself, only drop her gaze.

She wasn’t much of a flier.

Terra reached over and draped her hand on his and gave it a squeeze. He surprised her by turning his hand over and entwining their fingers. Terra gasped slightly, staring at their hands in wide-eyed fascination. She could feel his burning gaze on her, and Terra looked up and found herself lost in a swirling meadow of green.

She didn’t know how it happened, but soon they were but a hairsbreadth apart, his hot breath on her lips. Terra was frozen, her heart hammering in her chest. Everything faded around her and the only thing she was aware of was Beast Boy. His nose grazed her cheek, and Terra’s eyes fluttered shut.

“Friend Beast Boy, friend Terra! You will join us for dinner, yes?”

Starfire’s shout spurred them apart, and Terra stared at her now empty hand.

“Yeah, we’ll be right up!” Beast Boy yelled. He scrambled to his feet, holding his hand out to her. The shapeshifter flashed her a smile, the only remains of their near kiss a faint blush dusted onto his cheeks. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

Terra reached up and took his hand, laughing as he dragged her back towards the tower door.

Something dripped into the puddle, obscuring the faded moon with its resulting ripples. Terra blinked, and she reached up to brush away the thin trail of tears flowing down her face. She shook her head and surged forward, leaving the puddle behind.

There was no going back anyway. Why reminisce about the past? She couldn’t go back. She’d burnt that bridge forever ago. And even if she did, what would she say? Sorry for breaking your heart?

Yeah, that would go over well.

“Watch out!”

Terra looked up to see a blur of black just before it collided with her. She hit the ground hard, the wind whooshing from her lungs as an elbow jabbed into her side. Cement scraped at her knees and cheek, and Terra gasped as she tried to shove the person off of her. The weight holding her down vanished, and she rolled onto her hands and knees.

“Hey, you okay?”

Terra peered upwards, her vision blurred with tears. “Y-yeah,” she wheezed. “Just give me a sec.”

Strong hands helped her to her feet, and Terra scrubbed at her eyes.

“Terra?”

She blinked, her savior coming into focus. A familiar pair of green eyes met her gaze, and Terra blanched. “B-Beast Boy?” She almost thought it was a dream. Yet there he was, standing before her in all his suited glory. He smiled at her, his fangs flashing in the night.

“Yeah. Uh, how are you?”

Terra smiled hesitantly, tucking her loose hair behind her ear. “Fine, fine.” She glanced over to the perpetrator, who was being apprehended by Starfire. “Who’s the guy?”

Beast Boy chuckled. “Just some dumb robber. You’d really think people knew better to commit crimes on patrol nights.”

Silence stretched between the two once again. Terra stared at her feet. There was a lot of things she wanted to say, but her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and she couldn’t find the strength to speak.

“Oh, uh, are you okay? We have a first aid kit…”

Terra wanted to laugh. She imagined him running around with a big box strapped on his back, filled with first aid equipment. She figured he meant back at their stakeout location or something of the likes, but the thought still amused her. Terra shook her head. “No, I’m okay.”

“Good.”

Silence. They both looked anywhere but each other, until Beast Boy finally shot her a small smile. “Well, it was nice seeing you.”

He turned to go, and Terra bit her lip.

“The moon’s out tonight.”

The words sprang from her lips, and Terra gulped. Beast Boy paused. He looked up, and Terra could faintly see a smile dancing on his lips. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it?” Beast Boy looked at her, an array of emotions dancing in his eyes.

“Thanks. For uh, helping me.” Terra cursed inwardly. Her mouth seemed to have taken a mind of its own, and it was determined to ruin her.

“Of course.”

“And I’m sorry.”

Beast Boy stared at her. Terra gulped, finding herself drowning in his gaze once again. She wanted to reach forward, to touch him. But it felt as though the earth itself had wrapped around her feet, keeping her in place. So she waited in agonizing silence, exposed under Beast Boy’s burning gaze.

Then he smiled, and the moon seemed to shine just a little bit brighter. 

So I usually don’t write for these two specifically, but I was feeling a little inspired. So have this thing. I dunno what it is, angst? Oh well. Enjoy. 

[forbidden-creepypasta]

The Hunt

I woke up at 5 am to leave for my friend’s house on Monday morning. My friend, Richard, had invited me to go hunting with him at his cabin and 200 acres of land up in Montana for two weeks. Needless to say, both of us being avid hunters, the prospect was very inviting to me and I accepted without hesitation. Accompanied by Richard’s six faithful hunting dogs that he took with him on every hunting trip, we left out and arrived at his hunting lodge at around 10 am that day. We spent the rest of the day unpacking, putting the dogs in their large pen that he had taken weeks to build, scouting the area since it had not been hunted since last year, and putting up our stands and blinds. I picked a small meadow at the base of a large hill to place my blind, which is essentially a small, camouflaged tent. We then went to bed early, since we needed to be in the woods before daylight. Our alarm went off at 4:30 am, and we hurried to jerk our camo on and get our guns ready. It was 5:45 when I got to my blind, and the frosty morning was alive with the sounds of squirrels and birds all around. I had waited a little while when a young buck stepped out in the meadow. As I was waiting for him to stop and give me a shot he unexpectedly went very alert, raising his head up and giving a loud snort, looking back toward the edge of the woods to the right of where we came out. The strange way he acted caused me to hesitate a little out of curiosity, thinking maybe it was a larger deer, but as he calmed down and continued to feed I began to put the crosshairs on him. I had pulled the safety off and was just about to pull the trigger when he suddenly bolted with no warning towards the way he came. As I lowered the rifle I saw a glimpse of something dark going back into the woods, but knowing that there were wolves and bears around, I dismissed it as that and waited the rest of the morning out, but never saw anything else. Oddly, it seemed that after this event the usually continuous activity of the small animals around went nearly silent, leaving only the odd birdsong. We both met at the lodge and had a long lunch and a small nap, then went back out into the woods for the evening at around 3 pm. The woods were silent. Not a squirrel bark, not a bird song, nothing disturbing the leaves at all. Disappointed, I decided to leave before dark since it seemed like a waste of time to stay any longer. However, just as I was getting up, I heard something from behind the blind rush away in what sounded like a great hurry, but by the time I got the blind unzipped it was long gone, leaving only a faint smell, sort of like a wet dog and stale breath. Once again, I wrote this off as a curious wolf or coyote and, though it seemed odd for it to get that close without alerting me beforehand, I didn’t think too much of it. We both returned to the lodge empty-handed, Richard reporting the same eerie silence as me, and went to bed early, both of us exhausted and slightly frustrated. The dogs woke us up at 2 am, barking wildly like they were looking right at something. Though we both went out several times, neither of us saw anything, yet the dogs certainly seemed sure that something was there. They didn’t stop barking until about 4, and by that time we had to get up and get in the woods. Though we were a little annoyed from getting little sleep, we knew things like that happen sometimes and were eager to get back in the woods. At around 6 am, it started snowing heavily and so we both went back because of the lack of visibility, and at around noon the snow stopped, leaving about 4 inches of snow on the ground. Like the day before, we went back to our blinds at around 3. After a while a large buck stepped out, and I managed to get a good shot at him, and found it easy to track him up by following the blood and tracks in the snow. He had gone down a small ravine, and as I crossed it I came upon a sight that I would never forget. Lying across my deer was a creature like nothing I had seen before. Long, thin and lanky, the roughly man-sized creature was shaped vaguely like a wolf or a big cat, and was a black/slate gray color, with short bristles all over its body and longer quills going down its back, tapering down its long whip-like tail. Its head was sort of reptilian, lacking a pronounced forehead unlike most mammals, and the teeth were distinctly non-mammalian, all of which being a uniform, curved shape, similar to a shark’s tooth but longer. It had large, opaque eyes and short, finely pointed ears, and its limbs ended it five-fingered hand-paws, complete with long hooked claws. The thing was greedily tearing into my deer, giving no sign of noticing me though I had hardly made a quiet approach, having to walk through the snow. I stood in shocked paralysis for a few seconds before bringing my gun to my shoulder and taking aim, yet when I pushed the safety off, the slight click instantly alerted it and it immediately charged for me like a bolt of lightning. Hurriedly, I took a shot and the bullet grazed by its shoulder, sending it running through the snow at an awkward, loping gait. I was so unnerved that I didn’t even take the time to get what was left of my deer; I just quickly started making my way back to the cabin, barely controlling my urge to sprint as fast as I could. I had just reached the trail to the lodge when something hit me like a train, plowing me into the ground and pinning me there. Screaming, I turned and saw the creature on top of me, tearing at the many layers of cloth and denim covering my chest and neck. Even in though I was overwhelmed in terror, I noticed that the thing smelled very strongly of rotten fish and foul, stale breath, mixed with wet dog. I tried reaching for my knife, yet I had barely drawn it before the animal pinned my arm down and fastened its teeth into it, shaking violently. I drove my knees into its belly over and over, but it just slung me by my arm against a tree, and back onto the ground, nearly knocking me unconscious from the pain. I managed one more scream before I felt the cloth rip from my chest like a wet napkin, and the creature’s claws were just digging into my skin when I heard dogs baying, and the creature froze. The behavior from this fearsome monster could be described as nothing short of terrified at the approach of the pack of frothing hounds. It bowed up, stepping back slowly and snarling, bearing its wicked, blood-coated teeth. The first and fastest dog charged in, and had to leap back to avoid a swipe from its clawed hand, yet by that time the other five had arrived and they drove it away from me with a volley of howls and snaps. The dogs had backed it up against a large tree, and it finally turned to fight. However the dogs were experienced in this sort of confrontation as Richard had used them several times to hunt black bears and wild pigs, and when it tried to get ahold of one dog, the others tore into its flanks and legs, forcing it to stop its pursuit and defend itself again and again. And when it tried to climb the tree or run away, they wouldn’t let it get far before they dragged it down again, exhausting it in the brutally effective fashion of dogs. Eventually they were all at an impasse; baying hounds staying just out of reach of the animal’s claws and teeth, and exhausted, malformed monster trying desperately to defend itself from the snapping jaws of the hounds. Though battered, I managed to drag myself into a sitting position and pulling my gun from by back, I aimed and fired, hitting the thing in the breast and causing it to bolt a little ways before the dogs dragged it back down, where it lay still. I then evidently passed out because Richard found me unconscious a little while later, bloody and half frozen to death from my ripped clothing. He then somehow managed to lead all the dogs back from the beast, all the while carrying me to the lodge on his back. I woke up when he got me back, and he explained that when he heard the shot, he had gotten the dogs so that they would track my deer, but they had refused to stay with him, and tore away towards where I was. He then left the dogs there with me while he went back on his atv to see if he could get the creature back so that we could maybe find out what it was. That was about a day ago and Richard has been gone since. I have plenty of food for the dogs and I for now but these six dogs eat a lot. The food that we brought for them is outside, but frankly I'm too weak to go outside in the freezing weather to get it, and I'm too petrified to even try. For the past few hours the dogs have progressively become more agitated, pacing and occasionally staring at the door and giving low growls, the hair on their backs standing on end. But for the past 20 minutes it's escalated to where they're barking wildly, scratching and chewing at the door to get out. Richard took both guns with him for some reason. My injuries are keeping me from being able to do more than half-crawl along the floor, and I can't even get on the bed anymore. I just heard a solid thud against the door, loud enough to be heard above the cacophony of the baying hounds. The sound of the dogs is deafening now, and I've managed to get a hold of my knife, which I'm clutching white-knuckled, backed against a corner of the wall. The dogs have gnawed open a hole in the bottom of the door, and I just got a very strong smell of rotten fish.

Credit to: legendteller