#I am not a potential home for a shelter dog. I want and need a healthy dog with no preexisting behavioral issues

[oscargender]

Idk unpopular opinion but. Buying a puppy from a responsible breeder who doesn’t allow any dog they’ve bred to end up in a shelter is a morally neutral act

[whumpshaped]

Chapter 2: Sil

Silence Masterlist

tw institutionalised/normalised pet whump, it/its used as a default for pets, past trauma, morally dubious caretaker, defiant/feral whumpee

Rayan sat on the ground a few feet away from the stray as it ate. He was lost in thought, quietly observing the visible injuries and weird bumps under its skin. Bones healed wrong, maybe.

The more he thought about this entire situation, the more he found himself absolutely furious with the pet’s previous owner. He had wanted a pet his entire life. He had grown up wanting one, seeing how happy and lively and perfect they were, knowing that if he was just a little more fortunate, worked just a little harder, get out of his one-bedroom dwelling and move into something a tiny bit more spacious, maybe the Pet Protection Agency would consider him as a potential adopter. He had always been so passionate about wanting to give poor, helpless things a better life, that was precisely why he was so obsessed with helping the stray cats and dogs around the area. His ultimate goal was to get one of the pets out of a shelter and give it a loving home, the best home he possibly could. 

And then there were people like this guy’s owner. He couldn’t fathom having the wealth and opportunity to adopt a pet and then treating it like utter garbage. He couldn’t fathom how the PPA could’ve given someone like that a licence in the first place. Wasn’t there an interview? Weren’t they supposed to check up on pets regularly? How did they miss this? 

His new acquaintance put down the cup gently, almost like it was handling expensive glass or something. Quite out of character for someone moving around so jerkily, and who had pretended not to care much for the soup in the first place.

"My name's Rayan. May I ask what your name is?" He kept his voice quiet, both so he could avoid startling it, and so others on the street wouldn't hear.

"Wouldn't we both like to know?" It choked out a dry laugh, devoid of any joy or amusement. "Owner called me mutt, or that thing. It. I'm not sure I ever had a name, Rayan." His name felt like an insult coming from the pet, as if he was in the wrong for simply having one when it didn't.

Rayan frowned. "Well, do you wanna have one? You could give me anything. Make something up. Go back and change it later if you come up with something better... surely, you don't want me to call you those things?"

"Why do you need to call me anything?" it snapped suddenly. "You're making it sound like you'll just stick around and humour me forever! Why don't you go on your way already?" 

"I- well..." Rayan rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, awkwardly, looking for words that wouldn't upset the other. He wasn't sure words like that existed. "I was hoping I'd find you here tomorrow, like... like always. Well, for the past week. And that I'd have a name to call you by when I came back."

The stray's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but it didn't lash out again. In fact, it didn't react at all, which was already better than the outburst a moment ago. Rayan counted it as a win.

"Think about it, okay?" he said with what he hoped was a friendly and pleasant smile. "I'll take this stuff back now. I'll bring you more tomorrow, if... you know, if you're still here. If I didn't annoy you into leaving and finding another place."

He slowly inched closer and grabbed the bowls and the plate with the cup on it, still without getting a single word in response. It was only when he turned to leave that he heard a quiet voice from behind him, so unlike the harsh tone he had just gotten used to.

"I've been calling myself Sil. In my head. I was always told to be silent, so I guess I just took it and ran with it."

Rayan stopped and glanced back at the stray, Sil, nodding his understanding without giving any indication that he noticed the faint blush on its face. "Sil it is, then."

"Will you really come back tomorrow?" it asked, prompting him to fully turn back around. "Am I really worth it, compared to a dog?"

"Hey." Rayan crouched down to be at eye-level with it. "I'll be back, as long as you want me to. You could even come home with me." Sil visibly recoiled at the idea, and he quickly added, "It's just an option. Just letting you know. All I'm saying is, I'll be back tomorrow. For sure."

"Okay," it said quietly, watching Rayan stand up again with those sharp eyes that seemed to catch even the smallest of movements. The eyes of someone that had been hurt by those movements.

"See you tomorrow, Sil."

~

taglist: @whumpsday @whump-queen @whump-blog @alexkolax @ha-ha-one @hidden-dreamland @looptheloup @batfacedliar-yetagain @oddsconvert

[tuppencetrinkets]

Hey guys! So I’m making this post as a two in one. One, it’s my birthday today so I’m using that as an add on to my request for some help. On the 2nd, my partner let the dogs into the back yard forgetting that he’d taken a trash can out the night before and had left the gate open and the dogs got out. 20+ hours of driving around and two days of dozens of posts on social media and dozens of phone calls to vets and shelters and trips out for potential matches, the last of the fur babies came home on his own last night so everyone is home and safe. We never let the dogs out unsupervised and this hasn’t been a problem in years (Pickles ran away a bunch when we first adopted her bc she had major anxiety and depression from her first home but it’s been years since she’s tried to bolt) however: after this we definitely decided we need to get them chipped. There’s a pet clinic on Monday nearby that we’re going to go to but it is $30 for shots and chips which I realize isn’t a LOT but we are a tight budget especially bc I have to pay for this uni class out of pocket so I thought I would put out a plea and see if anyone would be willing to donate some as a birthday gift / thanks for my resources! The total for the four dogs is $120 plus the gas and Kev will be missing a couple hours work to help out since the dogs are big and active and I am not sure I can handle all four on my own in a new location and with other dogs etc so anything anyone wants to chip in would be super appreciate! My PayPal is agrones115@gmail.com - thanks in advance if anyone donates!

Featuring pics of Ozze after he came barging home last night and Gizmo when we picked her up from the back yard she had been found in.

[elvhenfaer]

Dog Breeds of Thedas: on a personal note.

I apologize in advance for the ramble, but I had to live in the real world for a second.

For those following the Dog Breeds of Thedas series, I reiterate: I am using years of canine behavior study and hands on training to inspire these breed entries. Everything I write in them? I mean it. Unwanted behavior is the single deadliest threat to dogs. It is the number one reason that dogs are taken to shelters and are often not able to be adopted out to new families. Dog breeds exist precisely because we wanted what amounts to employees, each one for their own purpose. Do you know how many people I have met who got a dog “because it was cute/cool looking”? A gardener who loves her flowers and can’t stand that her terrier is digging in the garden bed, like it was bred to do. A frat boy who throws lots of parties and doesn’t want his guard dog growling at guests, like it was bred to do. A regular person who can’t figure out why their herding dog has hyperfixations, like it was bred to have. These are just a few examples.

So to all of my dog lovers out there, and anyone considering getting a dog, there is a Dog Breed Selector on https://www.selectadogbreed.com that will match you with your perfect breed. I promise you that you cannot research enough before you commit 7 to 17 years of your life caring for another living thing.

You may be asking yourself, why type all this now? Well, my next entry is based on the Caucasian Ovcharka and it makes me nervous to even admit that. They’re making their way into the United States and gaining popularity. They were literally made to guard livestock from wolves and bears. There is no tier of guard dog above this dog. It’s this and the Tibetan Mastiff. That’s it. Unless -bears- are a real and present threat in your life, -you don’t need one-. Plenty of other breeds will suffice if you want a companion who will protect you. In fact, whether or not you even own a dog, a simple ‘Beware of Dog’ sign will deter over 70% of home invasion crimes. I know they look badass, I know they’re huge and fluffy, and I know that there’s a chance American breeders aren’t even breeding for the same killer instincts that they are in Russia, but if you have no experience handling any type of guard dog this is not the dog for you. It will end with your dog being euthanized because it bit someone, and it will break your heart, and it will be your fault.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for a dog is to not get one.

There might be some of you who don’t like hearing that. Save your hate, I’ve already heard your arguments and they do not change the horrors I’ve seen, they do not change my firsthand experience with guarding breeds. I spent three solid years rehabilitating an aggressive dog that I adopted. It was not easy. People were bitten. Other dogs were bitten. And one woodchuck lost its life. I was beyond lucky that none of those attacks ended with any serious injuries (except for that woodchuck, RIP little dude). I was beyond lucky no one ever called Animal Control for their minor wounds. I had to be hyper vigilant to keep him out of trouble and anyone but me could not handle him, because he didn’t trust anyone else’s leadership. I did this so that he could live. Dangerous dogs get put down. ‘Potentially dangerous dogs’, in the eyes of the law, have allllll sorts of restrictions placed upon them. Dogs are wonderful, amazing, loving, intelligent, adorable, best friends to have. They are also predators. Whoever owned my dog before I got him should not have had a dog. My dog was an untrustworthy monster and an emotional mess for a very long time because of bad ownership, and if I brought him back to the shelter he would have been euthanized. Instead, I spent every single day for eight years being my dog’s guardian and I was laying on the floor with him when he breathed his last breath on this earth, an old man who went peacefully in his sleep. In his later years, people would often say they had never met a better dog. I would assure them it was because we did the work.

And I firmly believe that anyone who is not willing to do the same, anyone who would give up their dog because it barks, or jumps, or pees on the carpet, or because they have to move, shouldn’t have a dog. As a dog trainer let me say: most of those behavioral issues can be fixed. A dog offers unparalleled loyalty but if you cannot offer that same kind of dedication back to them, you don’t deserve it. That dedication should start before you even bring the dog home, when you’re considering if your personalities will match.

I’m willing to admit, I was eighteen and I only thought I was prepared for what I was getting myself into.

My dog was homeless with me. My dog moved across state lines with me. My dog was more fucked up than any other dog I’ve ever met in person. But I stuck by him and five years later when a weird dude was following us through the woods on our daily walk, he saved my life.

The man, the myth, the legend:

My point here is: not every dog is for everyone. A dog is not a fashion accessory. No dog is friendly and perfectly behaved 100% of the time and they should not be romanticized that way, but you can make it easier on yourself by trying your hardest to get the right dog for you. Be honest with yourself with what you’re really looking for, some dogs are just meant to be companions.

My asks are always open if anyone has dog related questions, whether for real life or for their writing.

And if you have a dog, give them a big hug from me.

[butchshepherd]

(hey, no need to respond if u don't want to)

regarding the whole shelter thing etc, it sounds to me like they didn't have a lot of people interested in that dog (except for you at the start) and were keeping quiet on the whole reactivity thing just so the dog would be adopted, but as soon as someone more "professional/experienced" came along, they wanted to sound like they cared about the dog's best interest and stuff. idk, i might be wrong, probably am, but the way they handled this thing is fishy af.

i hope that you get another opportunity to get the dog that you're wishing for :)

maybe, i wouldn't call myself professional or experienced tho, just dedicated at most. this would've been me and my partner's first dog of our own, and a large shepherd dog at that so i understand turning us down on based on those things especially with reactivity mixed in.

i also do want to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they want to minimize the risk of the dog needing to be rehomed again if we couldn't handle her, but on the other hand that dog has been in a shelter for almost 2 years now (like you've said it seems either no other people have shown interest in adopting her, or that they got a similar experience as we did) and if she's truly reactive to other dogs that just sounds like a terribly stressful place to be, and i wouldn't be surprised if her behavior is at least in part caused by that environment (and potentially would improve outside of it, but that's not relevant now i guess).

wanting dogs to go to homes that can safely manage and care for them is good, but imo you have to wonder at what point does choosing to keep a dog in a shelter because of the risk of rehoming alone stops being the right thing to do. i dont know if we would've choosen to take her in or not while knowing about her reactivity but i sure would've appreciated being given a chance to decide on that or at least discuss it. and i think she should've gotten that chance as well.

and in the end i dont know if there's something fishy going on, if it was just an unfortunate communication mishap from well meaning people, or if there's a more serious issue going on, but either way it definitely wasn't pleasant and a lot of it could've been avoided easily. so its pretty frustrating but the best i can do is move on from it and learn what i can from the experience i guess.

[uniquevoidflowers]

A couple and their family

Time's POV

I have had a rough life, all sorts of traumatic events making my every decision difficult to make. I am so grateful I am no longer alone though. When I met Malon it was like she had given my grey, miserable world colour. Malon had been able to gently break through my tough barriers and stoic facade. She was and still is mending the wounds in my heart.

Now, we have been married for 8 years and I can recall what joyous day the wedding had been. From even before the wedding to the present, Malon and I have a had a lovely relationship, content with our current living situation. Of course there had been discussion of wanting children to expand their family, Malon especially loving that idea. But I wasn’t so sure I wanted that, after all, I’ve heard of the things that could potentially happen.

Some are positive and some are negative. Instead of disappointing my wife too much, I suggested getting a pet to get a feel for parenting. Malon agreed and shooed me away, since she was allergic to cats and therefore couldn’t enter the pet shop. I found myself driving to the nearest pet shelter, listening to country music and humming along. I then arrived at the pet shelter and swung open the door.

“Welcome to Hyrule’s Pet Shelter! How may I help you today?” A saleswoman greeted me, with a signature smile.

“I’m looking for a dog, perhaps one that really needs a home.” I answered, not bothering to return the smile.

“Of course! Any sort of behavioural things you wouldn’t want in a dog?” The saleswoman asked, maintaining her smile.

I thought for a moment before replying with, “I would prefer a dog that is potty trained. But other than that, I really don’t mind.”

I was confident Malon would say something similar. “Alright. I’ll take you to come meet our most recent puppy Wolfie. He was found wondering the streets and didn’t belong to anyone, or at least nobody rose to claim him. He isn’t particularly social and fought viciously against us but for some unknown reasons he is gentle with children. We haven’t been able to figure out what breed the puppy is, he actually more resembles a wolf pup but his behaviour is entirely different. Which is why everyone has taken to calling him Wolfie. He was surprisingly potty trained when we took him in, so we have a guess that he was abandoned. Poor thing.” The saleswoman explained, walking.

I followed her. My heart ached a little at the thought of abandoning a pet. My thoughts led to this Wolfie. If he was gentle with the young ones, perhaps there was a chance I could train him to be kind towards older people as well. I texted Malon, not entirely sure what to do.

Link: The woman here offered me a puppy named Wolfie, said he was found on the streets. He’s potty trained, aggressive but gentle to children. She doesn’t know the breed though.

Malon: Well, try meeting Wolfie first darling. According to what I’ve read, you must meet the dog first in order to know you’ve got the one you want.

Link: If you say so.

“We’re here. Hi, Wolfie.” The saleswoman waved.

I was greeted by a snarling puppy that looked exactly like a wolf. The puppy had dark, black fur with odd white markings imprinted on his snout. I noticed a shackle on his leg, that had the markings of the ancient Twili. Strange. Wolfie stopped snarling when he sniffed me, and relaxed. “Hello Wolfie.” I approached the puppy warily.

Wolfie barked happily and his tail wagged back and forth. “Looks like he’s drawn to you.” The saleswoman commented, grinning.

“Can I pet him?” I wondered gazing at the puppy’s cute eyes.

“I guess you can try.” The saleswoman shrugged.

I slowly reached my hand out to pet Wolfie but snatched my hand back once he started growling. “I’m not gonna hurt you. You’re okay.” I tried, hoping at least the soothing tone of my voice would allow some sort of touch.

Wolfie tilted his head as if to question what I had just said. “I’m not going to hurt you.” I repeated, firmly.

Wolfie relaxed a little and whined, glancing at the saleswoman. “That dog is strange. I’ll leave you two be.” The saleswoman smiled and left, seemingly oblivious to Wolfie’s turmoil.

The second that woman left, Wolfie completely calmed and nuzzled up against me. “Awwww, you’re a good boy aren’t ya?” I cooed.

I had to admit, this was pretty adorable. I reached out to try and pet Wolfie again and the dog allowed it. So I pulled out my phone while softly petting the puppy. I had feeling he was a keeper.

Link: Wolfie is drawn to me, and he’s adorable and quite intelligent. He was aggressive at first but as soon as the saleswomen left he was practically a new puppy.

Malon: Hm. I think you should get Wolfie then. By the way, I’ve set up the stuff for whatever dog you wind up choosing.

Link: My mind is made up, I am getting Wolfie. See you soon.

I carefully sat up and began to leave the room but Wolfie started whining and jumping up on me, begging me not to leave. “It’s okay, I’ll be back.” I reassured.

Wolfie must have some abandonment issues, I’d have to remember that for later. The puppy seemed to understand my words of reassurance and he sat down. “Greetings again, I would like to get Wolfie.” I approached the saleswoman once more.

“Wonderful. You’re fee is 135 rupees.” The saleswoman nodded.

I paid and then tried coax Wolfie into a carrier but my efforts were in vain. I scooped Wolfie up in my arms and I was prepared to be scratched or nibbled, but Wolfie just slumped in disappoint. Then eventually we drove back to the house where Malon awaited. “C’mon boy, come meet Malon.” I gestured for him to follow.

He did and I opened the door to see my wife there, gazing curiously at Wolfie. “Oh, my, Link! The puppy looks like a literal wolf!”

“I’m aware. Meet Wolfie, now is there anything this one can get into?” I searched the ground for any chewable things.

“I don’t think so. Why don’t you get him onto the couch?” Malon recommended.

“Are you sure?” I raised my eyebrow.

“Yes I’m sure. There’s a gate to the upstairs and the doors won’t budge.” Malon assured me.

So I scooped up Wolfie once more and set him on the couch, but the next thing that happened was shocking. Wolfie disappeared into thick black triangles, and when the black stuff was gone, a boy with the exact same markings appeared. “What in Hyrule City?!” Malon gasped.

“S-Sorry! Please don’t kick me out, I didn’t-I just wanted o-out of the shelter!” The boy panicked.

(There's more! Read the rest on AO3 ---> A couple and their family)

[kleo1504]

[18+ Story] The Mistress and the Beast (002)

Disclaimer:

18+ Story

May include sexual themes

Female-Dom

Minors do not interact

The story includes AI generated pics

It’s a complete fiction

This is an original story by me, please do not copy

Just for you to know, I cursed this story while writing it, if you do copy my work, karma and curse will get you 😜

And for AI - feel free to learn from and use my story, I know I can’t fight technological progress 😂

Previously...

The Mistress and the Beast

(Part 002)

Tessa spends the weekend the way she’s used to. She doesn’t even think about texting Nathan. If he wants to follow the dominant path as he did so far, he’s not interesting for her. And if he’s ready to explore his submissive side, it’s up to him to tell her first, to make that decision. Tessa has plenty to do - she does DIY on the house together with her brother, she devotes some time to training her dogs. They are rescues from a dog shelter, all of them went through hell and back before they got to Tessa. She gave them not only home, love and care, but also clear rules and discipline.

“You put them through a drill like this and they still look at you as if you were their goddess.” Tyler smirks after one of her training sessions as he watches her rewarding the dogs with affectionate rubbing.

“I am their goddess.” Tessa smirks. “Dogs are pack animals. They need a leader, someone to follow. Not only for the rules and drill but also for the care, love and safety. With me, they know what they are asked to do, they aren’t confused about my commands. And when they do well, they are rewarded. They’re having the time of their lives being taken care of and safe. Wouldn’t you fall for it?” Tessa asks cheekily.

“Haven’t I already? Look at us? I’m your younger brother, alright, but I’m still nearly 30. I live in this house we inherited with you and your dogs and I obey you most of the time exactly the same as the beasts do. Not that I would complain.” Tyler chuckles.

Tessa reaches to his hair and ruffles it playfully. “Good boy! It’s nearly dinner time.”

Tyler nods and without the need of being directly ordered he heads to the kitchen to cook for both of them.

Tessa arrives at her office in the FinCorp Bank on Monday only to open an email announcing the appointment of a new CFO for the branch. Tessa blinks slowly but the name and photo don’t change a bit. It’s Nathan Adams, her Friday night date. Tessa is the head of the People & Culture department (modern term for merged HR and PR departments) and Nathan is technically not her boss but he certainly is higher on the corporate ladder now. Tessa smiles cheekily for herself. It would be really spicy if he agreed to submit to her now. She never actually dommed any of her coworkers, not to mention someone professionally superior to her. On the other hand, this could be a potentially tricky situation and maybe it’s better Nathan hasn't texted ever since she left him in that hotel restaurant. Tessa starts her work day as usual, never thinking of him again.

Around noon, Tessa is leading an online conference call with other heads of People & Culture departments in other countries. She’s sitting alone in a glass walled conference room, face-timing her colleagues. She laughs at the last remark of Swiss colleague and ends the call wishing everyone a good rest of the day. Tessa switches the cam and mic off and closes her laptop. As she is getting ready to leave the conference room, Nathan walks in. He closes the door and shuts the blinds.

“I was waiting for you to be finished.” He mentions while he’s covering the glass walls with blinds.

“How considerate of you.” Tessa mentions. She has a feeling this will take a while so she sits back in the chair and waits for Nathan to do the same.

He decides to tower over her instead and Tessa has to bite her lips to stop herself from bursting into laughter. “The way you left last time…” He makes a pause and his eyes wander off her face and down Tessa’s neck. She’s a professional but from that angle, Nathan certainly has a good view at her cleavage.

“Do you want to talk about work?” Tessa asks calmly and takes a deep breath making her well equipped chest rise.

“Of course not!” Nathan says growling.

“Have you changed your mind about my proposition?”

“You mean me submitting to you? Look… That’s… This is ridiculous. Why can’t we just take it lightly and see how it develops naturally?”

Tessa reaches up, clearing non-existent crumb from his tie. “I’m sorry, Mr. Adams. I don’t negotiate here. It’s take it or leave it deal. Either you obey me or we have nothing to discuss. Now if you excuse me…”

“NO!” Nathan shouts but he quickly closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and calms down again. “Wait a minute, Tessa. Please. Look… This is not easy for me… I have never… been in such a situation before.”

“You have never given up your control? Never ever?” Tessa asks with a soft low voice.

“No, never. I always control the situation, people, myself… Everything. Your offer is… I’m just not sure I can do this.”

“You don’t have to. We can part as friends.”

“Yeah, I told myself the same thing like a million times during the weekend but it’s just not a consolation at all. I think… I think we could try your way… maybe?”

“Think? Maybe? I’m sorry but I have to insist on you being sure about it.”

Nathan starts striding around the conference room like a tiger in a cage. Tessa can see how much of a dilemma this is for him. He’s battling himself right now. He might be tempted to try but everything he was ever taught speaks against it. He was surely told that man should always be in charge. His entire life was hard work and hustles, chasing his ambitions, growing his ego. Tessa would giggle at his mental struggle but managed to keep her poker face.

Eventually he stops on spot and turns to Tessa, his fiery eyes locking with her calm stare. “As you wish. I’m up for this.”

“Are you sure?” Tessa asks and her voice drops even lower sounding nearly like the purring of a big cat.

Nathan gulps. “Yes, I’m sure. But… Can we take it slowly?”

“Certainly, Nathan. We can take it slowly.” Tessa gives him a taunting smile. She turns on the chair and stretches her leg in front of her. She’s wearing tight black pants, white shirt and black jacket. And most importantly, she’s wearing ankle high laced shoes today. The laces on her shoe she’s showing now are undone. “Tie my shoe.” Tessa commands him.

“What?” He blinks.

“On your knees and tie my shoe. I’m not going to repeat it.” Tessa announces calmly.

Nathan hesitates for a second. He looks around, making sure the blinds are in place. Then he kneels in front of Tessa. She presses the tip of her shoe against his crotch making him hiss. “Fuck, Tessa…!”

“Quiet!” She shuts him and moves her foot a bit to tease him.

Nathan moans and starts tying her laces up. When he’s done, Tessa leans forward to him and softly rubs his cheek. She tilts her head and presses her lips against his. “Stay motionless. I’m in charge here.” Tessa commands him when he tries to kiss her back and deeper. Nathan sighs but steadies. Tessa teases his lips. She grazes her teeth over his bottom lip, sucks it and bites it. Nathan moans but manages to stay still. Tessa drops her other hand lower and rubs his growing and hardening bulge.

As Nathan’s moans become more frequent, Tessa quits it and backs away from him. She stands up, leaving him panting and kneeling on the floor of the conference room. “Don’t contact me. I’ll tell you when and where we will meet again.” Speechless Nathan nods as she’s gathering her laptop and phone from the table. “And I only have this conference room reserved for only the next 2 minutes. You better sort yourself out before someone comes.” She smiles as she opens the door and walks out of the conference room. Tessa is happy with the outcome.

Tessa makes sure not to contact Nathan for the next two days, building his anticipation up.

Tessa: You’re going to address me as Mistress in private from now on. Nathan: Seriously? 🙄 Tessa: If you want to waste the time complaining and arguing with me, be my guest. Nathan: 😣 Tessa: Or you can accept your new position and enjoy it. 😈 Nathan: … Tessa: I’m tired of repeating myself, so one last time: You ARE going to address me as Mistress from now on. Nathan: Yes, Mistress. Tessa: Good boy! 💋 Nathan: 🤭 Nathan: Look, as much as I don’t want to sound disobedient, this is not the right time to play. I’m about to hit the stage in like 10 minutes. Tessa: I know, I have a seat in the front row. 👀 Nathan: Haha! Hoping for a great view? Tessa: Oh, I’m sure I’ll have the best view. 😈 Nathan: Wait… This little box with a note ‘Open discretely’ is from you? Tessa: You should use the restroom real quick and open it there. NOW! Nathan: Is - Is this what I think it is? Tessa: What do you think it is? Nathan: A butt plug, Tessa, is this a butt plug? Tessa: And a lube, yes. Use them. Now. And send me a pic as proof. Nathan: Tessa, the stage Tessa: DO IT NOW! Nathan: Yes, Mistress

There’s like a two minute pause in texts and then she sees a photo of Nathan’s bum with a pretty diamond peeking from between his butt cheeks.

Nathan: I have to hit the stage, can I pull it out now? Tessa: No, keep it there. Nathan: TESSA! Tessa: Mistress. Keep it there and I’ll come retrieve it myself later. Nathan: You can’t be serious! Tessa: KEEP it there, Nathan. Nathan: Yes, Mistress… Tessa: Oh! And Nathan? Tessa: Same as you, this butt plug is turned on and under my control. 😏 😈 Nathan: TESSA!!! NO! NO! Nathan: TESSA!? Nathan: Mistress! Please! Allow me to pull it out! Nathan: PLEASE! Nathan: FUCK!

With the last message the announcer calls Nathan Adams, the new CFO, to the stage. This is his bombastic way of introducing himself to all the employees and pitching his vision for the future of the bank. He’s here to give a speech, do an interactive presentation and answer questions from the audience. And Tessa makes sure he gets sweaty and radically turned on by the end of this showcase of the biggest beast in the biz.

Nathan stands behind the speaker’s table and thanks his lucky star this piece of furniture is here. He immediately sees the head of the People & Culture department, Tessa Morrel, his Mistress and probably a divine punishment sent onto his head for all his previous sins, dressed all neatly and strikingly professional. She’s sitting all well composed on her chair, her eyes looking at him and sparkling. The mere sight like this is enough to turn him on. Tessa elegantly swipes her phone screen, quickly checks it and touches a specific part of the screen. Nathan twitches as the butt plug starts to vibrate. His breath becomes heavier and he has to blink quickly and gulp several times before he’s able to start with his speech. For any oblivious member of the audience, he simply looks like being nervous from the crowd.

By the end of the session, Nathan is barely holding himself together. The butt plug has gone through several types and intensities of vibrations and drove him into numerous slips of tongue. Luckily the audience considered it amusing. Nathan on the other hand had to keep his clipboard with notes covering his growing erection whenever he dared to step out of the safety hideout of the speechtable.

Tessa: Go to the restrooms for disabled and breastfeeding mothers.

Nathan reads the message, excuses himself and quickly paces where he was instructed. As soon as he walks inside, Tessa closes and locks the door behind him.

“This isn’t right!” Nathan hisses as he’s shoved against the door and pinned to them by her.

“There are no disabled people, nor breastfeeding mothers today, nobody will need this restroom for now.” Tessa explains.

“That’s not what I meant,” Nathan sighs as Tessa swipes on he phone and the butt plug starts pulsating stronger than ever before.

“I know. You wanted to go slow… Should I slow down?” Tessa nibbles on his chin.

“I swear I’ll cry if you stop now.” Nathan whispers, barely able to speak. “Please, Tessa…”

“Hmm?” She tilts head and backs away from him.

“Mistress! I can’t go any longer!” Nathan corrects himself quickly and reaches his hands to her.

Tessa grabs his wrists and pins them to the door above his head. “Keep them there.” She instructs him. “Don’t you dare move your hands.”

“Yes, Mistress!” He moans.

Tessa can see his erection bulging so prominently under his pants now that it’s a miracle the fabric hasn't been torn already. Her fingers and palms rub Nathan’s torso from his shoulders down south. Once she reaches the belt, she unbuckles it and undo his pants. Nathan moans loudly. “Try to keep quiet. People still pass by this door.” Tessa smiles and quickly pulls his pants down, his boxers following. Nathan releases a quiet sigh of relief as his fully ready and hard member is finally free from the confines of the clothes. “My my! Someone’s hiding a tree trunk under his pants.” Tessa giggles and she lightly brushes over his full length with her fingers.

“Ahhh… Mistress! Please…” Nathan whimpers and the arms he’s still holding up are trembling.

“You have followed my orders. You deserve a reward.” Tessa whispers in his ear, nibbling on his earlobe.

“Yes, Mistress! YES! Please!”

Tessa instructs him to sit on a counter where mothers usually change their babies’s diapers. Nathan does as instructed. He grabs the edge of the counter hard. “Remember not to move your hands.” Tessa reminds him. His erection is now nearly in front of her face. She only needs to bend a bit to lick the tip.

“Oh Mistress, I’m already so close…!” Nathan moans loudly.

Tessa opens her mouth as much as possible and takes him inside, her tongue lapping sloppily, covering his shaft with saliva. She can’t exactly take all of him but still she manages to suck him hard and quick, leading Nathan towards one of the most intense orgasms in his life. He shoots his essence with a throaty scream and Tessa swallows it all, milking him dry.

She backs away a bit. “On your feet.” She instructs him. Nathan is still trembling and his legs aren’t strong as usual but he obeys. Tessa pulls his face to hers and kisses him deeply and sensually. “You taste delicious, don’t you think?” She smiles at him.

“Yes, mistress.” Nathan sighs all breathless. “This was…”

“Turn around and bend.” Tessa interrupts him as she’s putting red lipstick on, gazing into the mirror over the sink. Nathan turns around and bends, his elbows on the diaper changing counter. Tessa strokes his butt gently, grabs the butt plug and pulls it out slowly, eliciting another moan from Nathan. Then she bends and kisses one of his butt cheeks, leaving a bright red kiss mark behind.

“Keep it. We might need it some other time.” Tessa gives Nathan the butt plug and heads to the door.

“Wait!” Nathan calls. “I just want to say… I mean… what you did… This…”

“I know what you want to say.” Tessa smiles kindly at him. She had her doubts about him at first but he’s improving pretty fast. “And you are welcome!” She grins at him cheekily.

Nathan cuts the distance between them and pulls her in for one more passionate kiss. “I wait for your next instructions, mistress.”

“It won’t take long this time.” Tessa picks his pants and boxers from the floor and hands them to him. “You should make yourself decent now.” She pecks his cheek, unlocks and sneaks out of the restrooms.

To be continued...

[0daytrick0]

Back home...

So, I'm officially back home in the Isa. Compared to Townsville the place is definitely an eyesore 😅. Just one big industrial town.

Anyway, it's definitely felt easier since I got back. Me and my partner have had to move back in with his parents due to the lease ending at our flat. But we can finally save money at least.

We were on the lookout for a house and came across this place with potential. Three bedrooms plus a study, a two bay shed with a little garden shed. The front and back yard are fenced off from each other. There is plenty of room for my partners cars. There is a nice front deck followed by a nice shaded, concrete area out back. The loungeroom is seperated from the dining room. And the dinning room is massive and leads into the kitchen. There is an inside laundry and a decent sized kitchen. The toilet is sperated from the bathroom. And finally lots of windows and wooden floors.

The place is really nice. Especially when you compare it to the flat we were living in prior. We didn't even have room for an inside laundry or dining room. And the kitchen was so small we could only cook basic meals. One of the rooms didn't have aircon and when we first moved in the loungeroom didn't even have a working aircon. The flat was more than enough for us when we first moved out. But when me and my partner started to grow and do our own things, we found it would be nice if we had seperate rooms to do so. He has a study for his YouTube and I have a study for my university studies. Then we have a guest bedroom for when mates stay over. And this is what this new place has!

Long story short, we got approved yesterday for the house. After a year of applying for countless houses, we finally have one to call our home.

I am so pumped to move in. I have a few weeks before we can as it needs a deeeeeeep clean. The person who lived there previously clearly didn't get his bond back...

The only sucky thing about the house thus far is the location. I mean it works in our favour to have cheap rent. But it's smack bang in what we would call the "bronks" of Mount Isa. But, in saying that, my partners parents already live in the bronks and as long as you have a good fence and a big dog, they won't touch you. The neighbourhood is too busy fighting each other than to break into a house next door. Plus you don't shit where you sleep as the saying goes.

The house is fairly private too. So I'm not too worried as we have fencing and lots of greenery to give us our privacy from the street.

I'm just super excited. For once something is correctly falling into place. And after all the drama in Townsville, it feels real nice to know I made the right decision and finally getting something we have wanted for ages.

The house itself needs a bit of fixing and maintenance. But my partner is all over that. And if we do it right, they will probably compensate us for what we do fix. Then we get to make the place how we want it.

I still have some things to do. So there is no rush to move in anyway. So it works in nicely.

To catch you up on the drama in Townsville. It was just not realistic to stay there anymore. Census sad was coming up. And that meant I had to make a decision to stay or drop out soon. As if I pull out before census date, I'm not in debt and owe the campus nothing. But if I stayed, I would be stuck there for at least the rest of the year. And I could not financially afford that.

Job hunting sucked. And I only managed to get two jobs out of the 30 resumes I handed out. Both jobs were corrupt and mean. I can deal with stress and pressure. But when menagement doesn't care about their own staff, that's when I draw the line.

I couldn't get youth alowence due to my parents income. As untill I'm officially 22, I'm considered a 'dependent' and it relies off my parents combined income. Which is alot...

I tried going to a youth centre for financial assistance but all they could really do is offer me a shelter to stay if I did become homeless.

Then the accident that occured with my partners sister and how she lost her leg. Then to have him trying to move out of the flat on his own with barely any assistance.

All of this background noise was just too much to focus on uni. I couldn't even afford to put food on the table as all of my friends and partners money was going straight to fuel and rent. As I couldn't go to job interviews without fuel. And I couldn't be presentable and study without a roof over my head. Food really was not a priority. Which is crazy to think about looking back at it now.

The university itself couldn't really help me. And all they could really do is offer me 10 free counseling sessions. Which doesn't fix my problems.

Sure I could of stayed. Could of worked at a shitty job. Could of starved and made do where I could. But honestly, it was realistic in the end. And that's how I had to look at it. In black and white.

The best thing to do was to drop out, and even as I am writing this a few weeks later, I do not regret my decision. I can still do university online. Still do a bachelor of psychological science online. But this time... There is no rush. No need for loads of savings. No pressure. I do it when I'm ready. And I don't have to worry about changing my whole lifestyle to suit it. As it's online and flexible.

While in Townsville, as short lived as it was, I got to do everything I wanted to. I finally got to experience the atmosphere of a university. Meet new people. Attend a lecture in real time. I got to bludge around in the campus and purchase food and a coffee and be 'that girl'. I got to experience what it would be like to live on my own away from my partner and just focus on me, myself and I. I got to move to a whole new city and live there by myself. I learnt my way around and got lost a few times but always managed to find my way back home. I got to experience a whole different lifestyle and live near an ocean. Eat fish and chips on the beach with a friend. As expensive and stressful as townsville was, I got to do everything I wanted to do in the first place and more. And in top of it all, now when I do online, I know that it's the better option and it will keep me focused. There will be no "oh, i wonder if it would be easier just to be in Townsville to do university?" As I know now, that it would not.

As of right now, all I have to do is relax. I have the textbooks from my psych classes to study this year. So I can get ahead for next. I can look for a job related to mental health while I'm here and work at bambinos while I wait. I can save money with my partner and purchase some nice things for our new home. All the while being with my partner. And I can stay with my friends and not have to ditch them to focus on me.

Overall I see this as a win and I'm am greatful I had the opportunity to have a supportive boyfriend to get me to Townsville and an amazing friend to help me pay to stay in Townsville. It's been tough. It's been tough. But I'm glad it's over and I can take it a little more easy. While still working towards my dreams.

[girlhorse]

hey! not trying to fight--i scanned ur blog & you are clearly in the same dogwalking/sitting/training business as myself, and your pitbull essay makes some valid points, and what that shelter doing is clearly fucked up--but i just wanted to point out a couple things: you put a heavy emphasis on "statistics" that can't be denied, and they straight up can be--many dog bites are mislabelled as pit bites. because people dont know dog breeds and assume the dog that bit them, since it was aggressive, was a pit. pit bites are also reported more often because they do bite-grab, so their bites often result in worse injuries, which is important to know about them, but does mean that those statistics dont actually show that they bite more, just that they bite worse, and therefore dont correlate with aggression as a trait the way they seem to. also (this is an aside) some studies have shown that dogs are actually often mislabelled as pit mixes at shelters, bc shelters look at any dog with a big boxy head and slap pit mix on them, so this issue works in both directions. another thing--i know you did say you werent that informed on it, so i cant hold it against you, but your paragraph about "people wanting guard dogs in the 80s" does perpetuate some racist myths, and i would suggest reading up on the connection between racism and pitbull stereotypes. but anyway as the owner of the worlds friendliest pitty boy, i will say that even though my dog adores every living creature thats ever crossed his path, i still wouldnt recommend a dog like him be owned by someone without proper dog experience, because he did take a lot of training and is extremely high energy and super strong, and many petowners are just looking for dogs that dont need so much time and attention, and thats okay.

i do appreciate your concern. I am aware that my post oversimplifies the nuance of the issue, and parts of the argument i made aren't quite as strong as others. I didn't speak on the antiblackness in particular about anti-pitbull rhetoric partially because I don't personally feel equipped to do so, but mostly because it felt beyond the scope of the point I was trying to make. I know that those antiblack stereotypes exist and that they are extremely harmful, and while I personally was not intending to reify the existing racism wrt the pit bull debate, i regret that i hadnt written a bit more about it in the post to make that point clearer.

i am also aware about the potential for error in bite statistics - as someone who was very involved with statistics in college i understand that numbers never tell the full picture, and that numbers can be manipulated for any agenda imaginable. I agree that there may be a handful of instances were breed is misidentified by the person reporting the bite, but the reality is that pitbulls are extremely common in the USA, and not particularly difficult to identify, either, so it would be a bit if a stretch IMO to insinuate that the numbers were so bad as to be completely compromised.

I also agree that most non-injury causing dog bites do not get reported, and agree that the reason pits are more often reported is because their bites tend to do more damage. Most people are not going to report air bites, or bites that cause nothing more than a bruise, or really any bite that doesn't need medical attention.

My point is not to slander pit bulls or to insinuate that they are more aggressive or more dangerous than any other breed. They're not even the breed with the strongest bite force! There are also dog breeds that were bred specifically to attack human invaders, and they are absolutely going to be much more aggressive and dangerous than any pit bull. those breeds, though, are extremely rare, and are usually not owned by anyone but fanciers or working dog owners. Pit bulls are everywhere in the south, on the other hand.

there is still a point to be made about the fact that there are so many pitbulls in inappropriate homes and so many that do end up hurting someone, or someone's pet, or getting hurt themselves, because of their breed-specific traits that their owners are woefully unprepared for.

[pinkeebwui]

15 questions for 15 tags ~

Tagged by @figthefruitfaeth, who is the only one to keep me in ask game content www (not that I can tag you without looking up my notifs rn…….)

1. Are you named after anyone?

One of my middle names is after my mom’s great-grandmother.

2. When was the last time you cried?

I don’t know specifically but probably early this month; the holidays were giving me a hard time and I was missing home a lot.

3. Do you have kids?

Who tf do you think I am?? the tumbkr population is aging but not that much!! And, in this economy??

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

My family runs on it, so yes.

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Now I’m being asked about it? Idk. Probably hair or maybe scent (especially perfume/cologne - I’m sensitive to scent and don’t like them).

6. What’s your eye color?

Depends on the light, usually like, pale blue.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings. Scary movies are too much for me, I find them unpleasant overall. And just because you have a happy ending doesn’t mean you don’t have tragedy and hardship before it, that’s what makes it worth finishing.

8. Any special talents?

I’m pretty good with animals and babies, apparently, but other than that idk. I can cross my eyes? Lol

9. Where were you born?

USA, the land of 20oz boba, real lemonade, and barbecue

10. What are you hobbies

I have a lot of them, but I haven’t been able to get to my creative ones much. I collect kpop stuff (Hinged), I draw sometimes, embroider, paint, etc. I read when I have time. I also like trying new desserts at the convenience store. And I’ve considered picking up calligraphy recently, I need to inquire about the classes though.

11. Do you have any pets

Not of my own; my family has like. A small zoo. Ten? Cats, dogs, and some budgies we ended up with because they were lost and unclaimed at the shelter and we have a little experience with birds. Oh, and am ancient, belligerent Pygmy goat.

12. Have you ever played/do you play any sports?

I swam competitively year-round when I was a kid for probably over ten years; not super talented or anything like my friends who’ve gone to trials, but because it was fun. I stopped mostly around late middle school, did a final two summer leagues, then quit for good. I also used to dance (11 years, 10 of them ballet) casually. And I had started a volleyball class right at the start of the pandemic then couldn’t finish it for obvious reasons. I’d love to pick up archery again, or kyuudo specifically.

13. How tall are you

5’7” or thereabouts, I get a different number every time a nurse who’s shorter than me measures 🤷🏼

14. Favorite subject in school

English and history, I always really enjoyed history as a kid and through high school, and then grew into my love of English later on as I grew into an interest in writing as well as reading. Monkey read, monkey do. I also really enjoyed art, particularly in high school. I took all the offered classes and then did an independent study and was kind of the one art teacher’s… mot favorite, but something close to it.

15. Dream job

I don’t know, frankly. Doing whatever I want and getting paid to do it? Like, whatever strikes my mood as I feel like it, be it writing, editing, something like library clerking and potentially programming, something creative with a more physically tangible product, teaching. The flexibility to live and also hop around. I used to think it was writing, but I don’t think I’d like writing anymore if it were my main source of income.

I’m not tagging 15 people but @willthewhompingwillow @polliniaa @taebaelee @infernalfae @something-wild-cat if you feel so inclined

[fangs-and-claws-feminism]

Introduction

Hello everyone! I know we’ve had a big influx of bots/infiltrators(? Haven’t seen them really… do anything, outside of make singular, long, overly-detailed posts) recently making long introductory posts, but bear with me, because this blog actually has a specific goal, so I feel it’s only natural to want to give a brief explanation! Feel no obligation to read all of this, but please do reblog for visibility!

As a decently-established part of radblr (on my main blog, I’ve been here since mid-late 2019, so going on 5 years now!) I’ve noticed that alongside the obvious primary focus of female liberation, anti-cosmetic and sex industry consciousness raising, and spreading of resources (it was thanks to radblr that I found the aid that made my abortion affordable!) for women and girls, there is also a good chunk of women on here who feel passionately about animals, with a particular emphasis on cats.

I, myself, am actually more of a dog person, believe it or not, but I love cats plenty (I have four of them!) and where I live, local feral cats are in much more need than dogs are. I already work in animal care and rescue as my day job, and I have rescued feral cats and kittens in the past as a hobby. I’m passionate about it, and I do what I can, but I have limited resources.

I’m TNR certified (trap, neuter, and return) and I work with a local vet clinic for the cats I TNR. It costs $25 per cat, and includes a spay or neuter, a mandatory eartip to indicate that the cat is fixed, and a rabies vaccine. My neighborhood has a SERIOUS stray issue. As in, strays in the hundreds, few of them fixed, and every spring and summer is a mess of feral kittens. For adult, undomesticated ferals, a TNR is all I can do, but for kittens that can be easily domesticated and given loving homes, it doesn’t seem right to TNR them and toss them back out on the street. Seeing dead kittens hit by cars, and adult strays with missing clumps of fur and visible spines and ribcages is a daily occurrence. I have an interest in working with local rescues and shelters to find homes for feral kittens and friendly, abandoned adult cats, and I also have an interest in finding local radfems (or radfems who don’t mind a trek or figuring out some sort of travel plan, lmao) who might be looking for a new addition to their families. 

I’ll post trapped kittens and cats, any important details about them, and whether they’ll be TNRed, or taken to a shelter (or, of course, if they spark interest, if they’ll be adopted by someone who shows interest through this blog, though who the adopter is will be kept confidential unless she chooses to state on her own blog that she is the one who adopted the cat) and I would like to use this blog to help raise funds to make TNR and temporary fostering while I figure out just where each cat is going and how I’ll get them there. Two of my cats were found outside in my neighborhood, one of them in my own yard (I spooked his mother while she was moving him, at about 4 weeks old, and she dropped the little guy) and as much as I would love to keep every kitty that comes my way, it just isn’t doable. 

Where the feminist activism aspect comes into play, is that I’d like to set up a donation splitting model. My current priority charity is Women on Web, but I’m very open to suggestions of other feminist charities, just send them my way! As time goes on, assuming that this functions well for raising funds and donations, I intend on having monthly charities, and potentially some fun ways for people to get involved without having to contribute financially. Much of this will be transferred to an FAQ tab, assuming I get interest, and any other questions that may arise will also be added, first in the form of reblogs, then also transferred to the FAQ. 

How the donation split will work, at least as of right now, is that whoever may be donating funds (as low as one cent, or as high as you please) may specify exactly how they want their donation to be allocated. For example, if somebody sends $5, they may say “I want $3 of this to go to Women on Web, and $2 to go to supplying cat food for trap bait and for foster cats”. Donations sent without specifications for how the sender wants them allocated will be split evenly between a women’s charity and whatever portion of cat rescue currently needs more resources (so, if flea meds are low, and no specification is given, the other half will go to buying more flea meds).

So far, I’ve designated six different categories for donations:

-TNR fund (each TNR is a $25 flat fee. This pays for a spay/neuter, a rabies vaccine, and an eartip, to show from a distance that the feral cat has already been fixed.)

-Live trap fund (live traps are expensive. Cats thrash around and damage them, people steal them for scrap metal or for their own use, and they sometimes just get old and dented.)

-Flea medicine and ringworm treatment fund (kittens being fostered by me, and adopted out by me will need to be treated for fleas, and ringworm has been all too common with the majority of my recent cat rehabs.)

-Cat food fund (for fosters, and for baiting the traps. And, naturally, because I’m not heartless, for ferals that are particularly in need. I don’t want to see cats die of starvation any more than anyone else.)

-Women’s charities (as of right now, this charity is Women on Web, an abortion aid fund that supplies medication abortion through the mail for women who may not be able to otherwise access it due to legal reasons, financial reasons, or social or familial stigma.)

-And of course, a tip jar, for me. Sorry to be greedy. I love what I do, I’m passionate about what I do, but I also need to eat, and so do my own pets. No funds will be allocated to this category unless otherwise specifically requested by the sender.

These categories are subject to change, I’ve never fundraised for myself when it comes to cat rescue before, so if you have experience, please share suggestions and comments freely! 

And, for those of you who can’t spare money, or who can, but also just want to have some fun, my inbox is also open (and very appreciative of!) name suggestions. Feminist themed names are especially fun, but any names are welcome, as are suggestions for any changes, ideas to implement, and general cat chat! I’m always welcoming to conversation, and for now, please keep an eye out for a post on my first rescue project! Expect some polls, plenty of editing to make this blog flow smoother, and some cat pics to come.

This blogger is Michigan based, near Flint, for anyone interested in working out adoptions.

[mrssoapmactavish]

hey jealousy

content warning: mature themes (it's cod, i'm not sure what else you'd expect at this point), mature language, brooding and emotionally sheltered ghost, really shitty british/scottish/aussie slang, ghost is kind of a... typical relationship believer, use of the word femme but in a demeaning and not sexy way. might continue this in a second part, but ghost and flukey do not get together in the end.

synopsis: ghost hears about flukey's partner. he's not as unbothered as the rest of the force about it, though. very loosely based off of the song 'boyfriend' by lou bega.

can be read as a continuation of "penny for your thoughts", or read as a standalone piece.

lost where i was going after basically falling into a work-related writer's block.

flukey is an oc.

that last mission was, well, a fluke, in lack of a better term. sure, their resident female sergeant was nearly killed on the roof of a thirty story skyscraper in a village of turkish insurgents trying to overthrow the current president, erdoğan, to start a "new, glorious era" for the country.

at least, that's in the opinion of the victim herself, who's currently limping from the on-base infirmary towards the barracks to start piling her things into a bag.

medical leave, she thinks to herself. a blessin', if there was actually a promise she'd be brought back.

price– ever the worried father figure for his rag-tag family of highly trained soldiers– had essentially demanded that she be sent home with time to heal, especially since he didn't want to have another family he had to travel to and deliver the terrible, terrible news with a folded uniform, dog tags, and a duffel bag of personal belongings.

soap and gaz had both been, quite honestly, jealous at first of the idea of a break. sure, the idea of a short leave was preferential to medical leave, especially considering the potential of no longer being needed by the 141.

ghost, however, had been the most shaken up about the whole ordeal, even if he was doing a damn good job of hiding it. he'd almost lost one of his most... 'unique' sergeants just because she decided to charge into and clear a building by herself.

hyper-indenpendence never did anyone any good, ghost reminds himself, completely missing the irony in that thought process.

she's actually been avoiding said superior like the plague; not out of fear of a lecture or being in trouble. nothing of the sort! in fact, rather, she's been trying to avoid a worried stare from the lieutenant that's nothing short of unnerving before she's simply told to 'be more careful'. plus, well, the man has a tendency to stalk around when one of his sergeants is hurt.

she can still remember soap's bitching about how ghost would, quite literally, follow him around everywhere on base after he was shot by graves in las almas. it was all "ah need space, lt" this, and "steamin jesus, am just takin' a piss!" that.

nothin' i would be wanting, she reminds herself as she continues to quietly creep her way towards the barracks. can barely handle him when he's not trying to keep me safe, can't imagine how fuckin' creepy it'd be when he's just.. watching over you, like a circling vulture.

this all grants her one big gift when she accomplishes her stealthy trek across the base; silence to pack her things. flukey's not one who tends to be excited for the prospect of leave, home is such a foreign concept when you've been on the field and travelling the world to save it so often. not to mentiion the change in routine takes nearly the entire leave to get used to.

not to mention to anyone but herself, either, but she can't quite sleep without her fellow soldiers around. even if she tends to bitch and moan about price's god awful dad snores, the sound of soap sleepwalking towards the mess hall each night with gaz in tow trying to lure him back to bed... it's familiar. brings her this faux semblance of normalcy, peace.

as she breaches the threshold of the public space into her private little sanctuary of the women's barracks, a deep sigh leaves her lips, the sound making her sound much more like a grizzled war vet than a relatively fresh recruit to a team of hyper-elite specialists.

just as she makes her way to her bunk, plopping her ass down to let out a sigh of relief and release– a metaphorical weight off her shoulders– three sets of footsteps are making their way towards the main door of the barracks, which causes her to sigh.

based off of the barely there sound from one, it's most definitely ghost as one part of this trio, then based off of the bounding thumps of nothing but unbridled confidence, soap is there too. by process of elimination, that leaves only the stupidest rookie alive, or gaz.

"flukey? y'in there, lass?" the familiar scottish drawl comes through the door, followed by a soft knock and a hushed utterance of something about privacy and assumptions from a much less accented voice. gaz it is.

"the fuck else w'd i be, dickwit? got a bum leg only good 'nough to shove up yer mum's arse," she barks back, this being enough of a response for the doorknob to twist, a soft pressure to be applied, before all three men pile inside.

soap's seeming much better than he had been when the squad had left him and gaz on base during the mission a few hours prior, gaz seeming rather sheepish about the intrusion of her space but also quite fascinated to note the differences between male and female accommodations, but ghost...

well, what else would he be, if he weren't staring?

"y'seem in a bonnie mood, i take it," the scot continues to taunt, not necessarily understanding the absolute grizzly bear that he's poking. not even poking, really; trying to shove a scope up the bears ass, dry, no prep. the other two men seem to gauge this, however, based on the fact that gaz gives him a light shove.

"figure 't this rate, i'd be better off workin' asses to elbows, pickin' up bullets from the battlefields," flukey responds with a grumble, anxiously rubbing her hand over the sore, bandaged wound on her thigh, with a bit too much pressure. "but i'll quit raggin' when my squeeze's here to take me 'ome."

now this catches the attention of each of the three men, to varying degrees; soap's got the look of a schoolboy who just found out his closest mate has a crush on the teacher, gaz seems far more like a cousin finding out his favorite uncle's lifestory, and ghost seems as observant yet fauxly unamused as always.

"you never mentioned anyone back home before," gaz prods, though he's got the bare minimum of respect to get her military-grade duffel bag handed over to her so she can lazily pack. "nothing special?"

"bet 'e's a real lady-killer if he got a catch like ye, hen," johnny immediately cuts in, cheesing like a finance major right before a bubble burst, and just like that flukey wishes she had just bitten her cheek and never acknowledged the men in the first place.

oh, how a bullet passin' through the temple would be absolute fucking heaven, she muses, instead i luck out, stuck with three kazoos.

"he's fine," she responds, voice too curt for what she had meant. "'m not tellin' ye much more than that, quit yer naggin, ya jag."

this is, quite simply, not enough to whet the appetites of the curious men. this is obvious when gaz looks at her with wide, hopeful eyes and a soft smile, as soap goes through the room and gets into all of her belongings, and ghost merely looms at the door, arms crossed yet his watchful eyes continue to stare.

with a sigh, she sets her head in her hands, refusing to look the men in the eyes. "he's nice. name's santino, met 'im stationed for training in italy."

and then, the questions fly. what's he look like, what does she mean by "nice", why wouldn't she just pay attention to the lessons.. and it's all too much for someone who simply wants to rest.

"christ, if i show you doofuses a picture, will you bugger off?" the redhead groans out, the two young, eager men nodding their heads quite easily as they approach quickly to get a glimpse of their fellow sergeant's personal life.

ghost, meanwhile, sticks close to the doorframe, leaned against it like some sort of shitty, inconveniently placed statue, blocking the door for anyone trying to enter or exit, yet he uses his slight height advantage over the other two men to glance over their shoulders, eyes narrowed to catch a glimpse of the man flukey's apparently dating.

she produces a small, folded polaroid from the pocket of her vest, taking the chance to remove the obstructive gear to take a natural, freeing breath, then handing it over to gaz to let the two men fight over who gets the first peek.

ultimately, the lieutenant silently decides it's his turn to finally engage in the conversation, stepping forward and snatching the picture from garrick's fingers, making soap huff a complaint while kyle himself is just surprised and a bit startled by his superior's silent movement.

the picture isn't much to gawk or gape at, ghost reckons. a shittily taken picture in some cheap aussie dive bar, lights low with bright grins on both faces. flukey's got her hair free– ghost had no idea she had curls, though the complaints over the low buns all the time suddenly made sense– in some shoddy, cheap dress that's mostly hidden because of the crossed-arm stature of photo, with slightly smeared lip gloss, soft eyes turned that feral red from the bright flash of the camera.

and just like that, he's realized he hasn't even glanced over at the man in the picture that was the reason he had been so impulsively eager to snatch the photograph from kyle's hand.

he's.. quite plain, if you ask simon. think of any generic italian man, and there he is. dark hair in a slightly overgrown quiff, eyes so dark they're nearly black, skin that oh so common cappuccino tone, a build so unremarkable you'd confuse him for a cardboard cut-out.

"e's too twink-ish," ghost grumbles out, handing the photo back to gaz who finally gets the chance to look at the picture, then having it immediately snatched again by johnny. "didn't take you as a beta-man type of woman."

something about this– something that, to any rational and properly socialized person, makes sense– aggravates flukey. what, exactly, remains a mystery. maybe it was how he assumed something of her.

both soap and gaz, though, seem to recognize the faux pas, and while they both seem worried for the well-being of their lieutenant after such a crass remark, johnny's muttering something to garrick that seems to have his attention instead.

"get stuffed, lieutenant," she barks, taking the picture back from the other two men and folding it back up. "never asked for your opinion on the blokes i fuck. not very like you to arse around either, so fuck off, y'old bag."

ghost, not quite understanding what would cause such a sudden outburst, furrows his brows under his mask and is prepared to shout back about insubordination and mention the absolute gall of this woman trying to shout at her superior. the nerve of this tiny little thing, the one he saved from certain doom, bleeding out in the middle of some warzone in turkey–

"ghost, mate, a word? let's give fluke some space," gaz speaks up, gently setting his hand on the lieutenant's shoulder, turning his attention away from the offended woman who would, quite honestly, fight him tooth and nail for her boyfriend's honor.

the lieutenant himself isn't quite sure of the idea of letting her get away with such an offence, but as soap is also elbowing him out of the room, he reasons it's for the best, and follows the two men out, brows still furrowed and stare as hard as ever.

after the door is closed, gaz is ready to lay into the man, even if he's built like a brickwall-sized fridge, solid muscle and nothing but technical expertise. he can't help it, he's used to his two little sisters always needing him to step between them to solve their conflicts.

gaz, always the mediator, no matter what situation he's in, where he is in the world, and whoever he's around.

"the fuck's with you, sir?" he asks simon, his face scrunched into a grimace. "you can't just go and disrespect your sergeant's partner like that, it's blatant disrespect, even if you're used to being mean," he reasons. and while ghost seems even offended that kyle would even dare to open his mouth, soap is nodding along, so he keeps his thoughts to himself.

"aye, lt, the fuck's in yer heid, y'eejit?" the scot asks, tone a bit more gruff than expected, but ghost is just left standing there, processing his own train of thoughts that brought him to this point.

"...never thought she'd be the dating type," ghost mumbles aloud, not really answering either man's question directly, but answering it in such a way that both of his sergeants are looking at him with this... side-eye glance at each other. sharing a wordless secret.

"and why's that?" gaz interjects before soap can try and brush it off there. ghost recognizes that look in the demolitionists' eyes, and it makes him feel a bit of gratitude, even for the thought of the attempt.

"..s'pposed she was more of a traditional type, not much of a femme-chaser." the lieutenant mutters, then shaking his head at the two of them. "i'm off. she can talk to me when she's ready." then, without another word, he leaves the two sergeants standing alone outside flukey's door.

"he needs–" "tae get laid? aye, nailed it righ' on the head, gaz."

[kittycatsco]

ENDORSED BREEDERS

ENDORSED BREEDERSPURRfect Match Objective is Below Reservation Depsit Form Terms-Conditions View PURRfect Questionnaire Endorsed Breeder Questionnaire To Qualify Endorsed Breeders Have A Unique Position At KittyCats.CO. You Stand Out as a Dedicated, Passionate and Serious Breeder With High Quality Cats and Kittens.   We Know You Want To Command A Price Worthy of The Quality You Have Spent Years Developing. The Homemade Cat Food, The Endless Litter Box Changes, The Dedicated Selection of Queens And Toms, The Match Making, And Then Comes..... The PURRents We Cherish And Build Lasting Relationships With. So Many People Think They Are Just Cats With A Breed Name, When In Reality, It's The Furthest Thing Away. At KittyCats.CO, We Are Dedicated To Becoming The Leader in Our Market For The Right Reasons. The Love And Passion of Placing Kittens And Cats With The PURRfect Match.     Clientelle? (Now, For Many of You Whom Already Have Outstanding Show Cats, Famous Cats, or Pedigreed Cats  With A Huge Following, This Does Not Apply To You.) But For The Vast Majority Of Breeders, The Following Does. Today, The Clients Seek To Text You And Receive All of The Information They Desire. . . Immediately, Pictures With All Of The Details, Right? And Then, Do You Ever Hear Back From Them? Hmmm. Is The Number Even A Real Number?  Let Me Call Them The "How Much Is It And Is It Still Available?" Group. This is the marketing issue that we are addressing.  Take back the power and make our potential purrents qualify. No, this will not happen overnight, but if a new standard is set, it will ripple throughout the internet and industry, and You, my friend will find Yourself And Your Cattery, AT THE TOP. Our PURRfect Match Questionnaire is designed with intentional questions that makes the potential PURRent think about what they are seeking. What do they want, a cute, adorable furrball BUT NOT ONE that has the personality of a trainwreck, destined to destroy every porcelain decoration in their home.   Rehoming happens because personality mismatches are a huge reality.  Sure, I might have made $2,500.00, but how is the long-term personality match, this is the match-making question that has become the reality of shelter overcrowding that is not being addressed.  So let's take a closer look at what we, as ethical breeders can do.                                                  Let's Role Play a Moment as The Breeder With The Potential PURRent   Yes, potential Purrent, she is an adorable little love bug with the most beautiful features in the pictures, but I see in your questionnaire that you want to be able to train her to walk on a leash and ride in cars. Is this correct?  Yes, answers the potential purrent.  We like to go on trips and we plan to walk her just like a dog. Well, I am not saying she isn't capable of it, but being with her from the start, she is the submissive hider type. She doesn't show the personality trait You're looking for, but if You'd consider the male, he's the outgoing one that really seems to fit more of your active outdoor lifestyle and seems like he'd be the one that would be confident walking on the leash. In fact, Would You Like me to start training him before You pick him up? People Make Choices Out Of Desire And Emotions - Not Always Common Sense So Moms and Dads, we all know our children have unique personalities, desires and dreams of their own, no matter what family business they may stand to inherit, they may still go another direction out of desire and emotion. I am a real life cattle rancher, and I will tell you the saying is true; You Can Lead a Horse To Water, But You Can't Make Him Drink. The phrase is a proverb that means you can provide someone with a nice opportunity, but you can't make them take it if they don't want to.   The Take-Away - We Bring Desire And Emotion To Them  They Want To Take The Drink of Water - They Just Need To Learn How To Drink    Refer back to the questionnaire and the personality types. I see here that the kitten you seek may be a social media type of personality.  Great! What kind of personality or unique features are you looking for?____________ (Let them answer the question). Well, I'd love a spotted white kitten with blue and green eyes that will ride on my bicycle with me. So looks and temperament are very important! Well, I don't have that but I do have _____.  (STOP IT) Trust me, if you don't have the kitten that fits the bill that they are seeking, (in this case a showpiece and an outgoing confident cat that will love being outside), don't continue. This is not ethical matchmaking.  They will break up out of frustration. If You do not have a cat that meets this criterion, move on. Perhaps refer him to another breeder with confident outgoing cats or that breed type, if You can. Yes, cats can be trained or made to function to some degree, and then they may pee all over your clothes basket when your not looking out of sheer inner rage and terror. Now, the PURRent has another issue to deal with and happiness is not one of the issues.   Know Your Kittens Purrsonality And Properly Place Them   So I have this kitten, he's called Wicked, he's a wild looking 24-toed polydactyl - Scottish Fold. He resmbles the looks like a python snake pattern. The example here is:  His Personality is athletic, outgoing, loving, and all around, OMG. Gorgeous and rare. His colors are so stunning with silver-blue and black stripes, marbles, and hazel eyes, he would blend right into the scenery of a movie set for King Kong, the newest version where all the creatures come to life and attack the crew) or the Jurassic park movie. The point is, his personality type is destined to be with a like personality type human.  This little guy will walk on a leash and is training to do this inside now.  He balances the perfect standing groundhog stance for 30 plus seconds, and is not the average type.  He deserves to have an outgoing lifestyle with an outgoing human family. The PURRfect Match Survey Pours The Glass of Water For You So Everyone Involved CAN Taste It And Savor It. Match Making - Just Like The Reality Show Without The Glitz and Fakiness. You have the first part of the match - Now we find the other half and put them together. We Wish To Bring Back The Love For Specific Breeds, High Quality Cats With Excellent health, And Help Reduce Shelters, Which All Comes Back To Securing The Right PURRents From The Start, By Matching PURRsonalities, Not Just Breed, But The Actual Temperaments Of The Kittens In The Litter That We Know Best. Our Position Is Correct Match Making For The Right Reasons. Read the full article

[restinthewest]

your dogs seem very happy please consider adopting instead of shopping, the dogs you love so much are going hungry, mistreated, and euthanized in the hundreds of thousands each year. cosmetics are worth nothing to the dog itself , only to its owner. wish you all the best.

I appreciate your concern. Adopting a dog in need of a home is indeed a nice thing to do. I was in shelter work for a while and my last two dogs were adopted.

Both of them died from (likely genetically inherited) health problems at 6 years old. One of them had severe behavioral problems which affected his quality of life. I am at a point in my experience of owning dogs where I would prefer to avoid having a dog die young from medical problems which could be prevented through careful breeding, and I am also wanting a dog who could potentially compete in sports.

I am sure that I will adopt again in the future. I will probably buy dogs from a breeder again in the future. Dogs dying in shelters is not my fault.

[alexaloraetheris]

Vodka Values

Or: how to find out your mother doesn't care about your values. Or respect you.

So, here’s how it went.

A little after the war started, my mother and I bought a bottle of mid-shelf quality vodka at an auction. It went for a pittance, all things Russian now fallen out of grace. Having never tried genuine Russian vodka, I urged her to take it.

“I want to see what all the fuss is about. Maybe we’ll open it in a toast when the war ends,” I said and stowed it away on the bottom shelf with the other bottles of good liquor. I knew my mother didn’t think much of my alcohol collection, and turned a deaf ear when I tried to explain, but I thought it was safe.

A few months later, one of the dogs at a shelter my mother has been sponsoring got adopted, and the owner of the shelter, my mother’s friend, came over to visit. Of course, that meant our house had to be spick and span, and we had to clean and we had to be terribly embarrassed that a house two women live in would have any kind of mess in it.

Boomer sensibilities, but fine, I rolled my eyes but I got a broom and a duster and went to work.

And my mother is looking for something to give as a token gift of celebration. Traditionally, that’s wine. We don’t have wine, so she went for my bottles of liquor.

I dropped the broom and fucking protested. No, those are mine! I know I put them in the pantry, but those are very much mine.

“This is a special occasion!” My mother protested, trying to take a bottle of high quality mead I had managed to nab at a festival for half the price, “I need to give her some token of celebration!”

“These are not tokens!” I took the bottle from her to defend it. She went for the Palinka my friend had gifted me. I took it too, because that was something my friend had brought from Hungary for me. Then the Carribean Rum I had been saving for a very specific celebration happening soon.

“I need to give her a gift, and since we don’t have wine, this will do!” she took the Russian vodka, and since my hands were now full, I couldn’t defend it.

“No! Mother, you can’t just give it away!” I tried to protest, “If you want to celebrate, fine, we can open it now and make a toast with it, but you’re not giving away something I want to try and am probably not going to get it anytime soon again!”

“Don’t act like such an alcoholic,” she patronised and put the vodka in a fancy bag.

“Why not give her that champagne we have? It’s way more appropriate!”

“That’s for your sister’s Confirmation, don’t be selfish. It’s just a token, she needs to be given something.”

“Does she even like vodka?” I all but screeched.

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter, it’s just something to give as a gift.”

“Fine, then give her that bag of Colombian coffee you got, that’s an appropriate gift.”

“No, that’s for us to try.”

At the time I couldn’t even articulate why I was so hurt and angry, and I didn’t get a chance. Mother’s friend arrived, they sat down to chat, she accepted the bag with my vodka without looking at it, and went home.

And so went my vodka. As a token gift. The fact that I had wanted to bring it to my friends and see if the reputation was deserved did not matter. The fact that we wanted to try the ‘run an okay vodka through a Brita filter twice and you will have a good vodka’ trick was scoffed at. I was told that that my protests were ridiculous, to shut up and stop before I become a drunk. Any potential or value I had placed on that bottle was dismissed.

To me, that vodka had actual value. To my mother, it was worth a token. The fact that it was mine, I wanted it, I valued it... Wasn’t even worth a token.

And what hurts more than even that realization was the fact that I wasn’t even that surprised. I had long ago stopped telling my mother things about myself, because I already knew that the things I value are only worth anything if she thinks they are worth anything. If she doesn’t... Then I don’t get to have them.

Perhaps a belated realization, but damn if putting it in words doesn’t hurt.

All of my bottles are now well hidden at my dad’s place.

[uniquevoidflowers]

A Couple And Their Family

Time’s POV

I have had a rough life, all sorts of traumatic events making my every decision difficult to make. I am so grateful I am no longer alone though. When I met Malon it was like she had given my grey, miserable world colour. Malon had been able to gently break through my tough barriers and stoic facade. She was and still is mending the wounds in my heart.

Now, we have been married for 8 years and I can recall what joyous day the wedding had been. From even before the wedding to the present, Malon and I have a had a lovely relationship, content with our current living situation. Of course there had been discussion of wanting children to expand their family, Malon especially loving that idea. But I wasn’t so sure I wanted that, after all, I’ve heard of the things that could potentially happen.

Some are positive and some are negative. Instead of disappointing my wife too much, I suggested getting a pet to get a feel for parenting. Malon agreed and shooed me away, since she was allergic to cats and therefore couldn’t enter the pet shop. I found myself driving to the nearest pet shelter, listening to country music and humming along. I then arrived at the pet shelter and swung open the door.

“Welcome to Hyrule’s Pet Shelter! How may I help you today?” A saleswoman greeted me, with a signature smile.

“I’m looking for a dog, perhaps one that really needs a home.” I answered, not bothering to return the smile.

“Of course! Any sort of behavioural things you wouldn’t want in a dog?” The saleswoman asked, maintaining her smile.

I thought for a moment before replying with, “I would prefer a dog that is potty trained. But other than that, I really don’t mind.”

I was confident Malon would say something similar. “Alright. I’ll take you to come meet our most recent puppy Wolfie. He was found wondering the streets and didn’t belong to anyone, or at least nobody rose to claim him. He isn’t particularly social and fought viciously against us but for some unknown reasons he is gentle with children. We haven’t been able to figure out what breed the puppy is, he actually more resembles a wolf pup but his behaviour is entirely different. Which is why everyone has taken to calling him Wolfie. He was surprisingly potty trained when we took him in, so we have a guess that he was abandoned. Poor thing.” The saleswoman explained, walking.

I followed her. My heart ached a little at the thought of abandoning a pet. My thoughts led to this Wolfie. If he was gentle with the young ones, perhaps there was a chance I could train him to be kind towards older people as well. I texted Malon, not entirely sure what to do.

Link: The woman here offered me a puppy named Wolfie, said he was found on the streets. He’s potty trained, aggressive but gentle to children. She doesn’t know the breed though.

Malon: Well, try meeting Wolfie first darling. According to what I’ve read, you must meet the dog first in order to know you’ve got the one you want.

Link: If you say so.

“We’re here. Hi, Wolfie.” The saleswoman waved.

I was greeted by a snarling puppy that looked exactly like a wolf. The puppy had dark, black fur with odd white markings imprinted on his snout. I noticed a shackle on his leg, that had the markings of the ancient Twili. Strange. Wolfie stopped snarling when he sniffed me, and relaxed. “Hello Wolfie.” I approached the puppy warily.

Wolfie barked happily and his tail wagged back and forth. “Looks like he’s drawn to you.” The saleswoman commented, grinning.

“Can I pet him?” I wondered gazing at the puppy’s cute eyes.

“I guess you can try.” The saleswoman shrugged.

I slowly reached my hand out to pet Wolfie but snatched my hand back once he started growling. “I’m not gonna hurt you. You’re okay.” I tried, hoping at least the soothing tone of my voice would allow some sort of touch.

Wolfie tilted his head as if to question what I had just said. “I’m not going to hurt you.” I repeated, firmly.

Wolfie relaxed a little and whined, glancing at the saleswoman. “That dog is strange. I’ll leave you two be.” The saleswoman smiled and left, seemingly oblivious to Wolfie’s turmoil.

The second that woman left, Wolfie completely calmed and nuzzled up against me. “Awwww, you’re a good boy aren’t ya?” I cooed.

I had to admit, this was pretty adorable. I reached out to try and pet Wolfie again and the dog allowed it. So I pulled out my phone while softly petting the puppy. I had feeling he was a keeper.

Link: Wolfie is drawn to me, and he’s adorable and quite intelligent. He was aggressive at first but as soon as the saleswomen left he was practically a new puppy.

Malon: Hm. I think you should get Wolfie then. By the way, I’ve set up the stuff for whatever dog you wind up choosing.

Link: My mind is made up, I am getting Wolfie. See you soon.

I carefully sat up and began to leave the room but Wolfie started whining and jumping up on me, begging me not to leave. “It’s okay, I’ll be back.” I reassured.

Wolfie must have some abandonment issues, I’d have to remember that for later. The puppy seemed to understand my words of reassurance and he sat down. “Greetings again, I would like to get Wolfie.” I approached the saleswoman once more.

“Wonderful. You’re fee is 135 rupees.” The saleswoman nodded.

I paid and then tried coax Wolfie into a carrier but my efforts were in vain. I scooped Wolfie up in my arms and I was prepared to be scratched or nibbled, but Wolfie just slumped in disappoint. Then eventually we drove back to the house where Malon awaited. “C’mon boy, come meet Malon.” I gestured for him to follow.

He did and I opened the door to see my wife there, gazing curiously at Wolfie. “Oh, my, Link! The puppy looks like a literal wolf!”

“I’m aware. Meet Wolfie, now is there anything this one can get into?” I searched the ground for any chewable things.

“I don’t think so. Why don’t you get him onto the couch?” Malon recommended.

“Are you sure?” I raised my eyebrow.

“Yes I’m sure. There’s a gate to the upstairs and the doors won’t budge.” Malon assured me.

So I scooped up Wolfie once more and set him on the couch, but the next thing that happened was shocking. Wolfie disappeared into thick black triangles, and when the black stuff was gone, a boy with the exact same markings appeared. “What in Hyrule City?!” Malon gasped.

“S-Sorry! Please don’t kick me out, I didn’t-I just wanted o-out of the shelter!” The boy panicked.

(There’s more! Read the rest on AO3 —> A couple and their family)