#LOP OFF A LIMB INSTEAD

[americankimchi]

it's so hard to take star wars seriously nowadays because i'll watch someone get skewered by a lightsaber and then somehow walk it off with a bacta patch and a slap on the ass. like you're telling me a weapon that can carve furrows into foot-thick solid durasteel doors, dripping melted slag in its wake, when applied to the flesh of a sentient being leaves behind nothing more than superficial damage. like be so ffr. "it cauterizes the wound instantly" this is not a little cut. this is not minor burns. you were IMPALED BY A BEAM OF PLASMA. your ORGANS have been COOKED. your BLOOD has BOILED. your BONES were INCINERATED. what are you TALKING ABOUTTTTTT

[longelk]

kaycee has slowly been becoming a creacher but what's she gonna look like when she's 100% creacher/leshy/changeling/wildling/???

ough..

i dunno! i think i technically have already drawn her as 100% creature when shhe has grass growing all over her body. then its just a matter of attaching animal limbs to herself! if she lives hundreds of years she could possibly grow very large like Leshy.. but her having anything but a premature death seems unfitting to me. sorry girl but youre so sucks.

[yanderenightmare]

TW: nsfw, noncon/dubcon, omegaverse/hybrid au, size difference, pet-play, predator x prey, collaring, drugging

fem reader

Thinking about a human collector who decides he wants a new pet to add to his collection...

The air of the animal shelter is polluted by whimpers, howls, and growling as he parades past all sorts of rareties locked up in their cages – all for him to pick and choose from. 

The warden is telling him about the new swan hybrid they wrangled a week ago, wings like an angel with the grace of royalty, a true prize jewel of any collection. 

He thinks it sounds promising before strolling past you.

Placed in one of the smaller cages on the floor, seemingly tucked away so as not to catch anyone’s attention. 

You’re a sorry sight to behold – all starved and shaking – the collar around your throat too heavy for you to lift your head, having to look up at him through your lashes as he crouches down in front of you.

Your eyes are wide like two moons as he sticks a finger in through the bars.

It’s thick like a carrot, and for a moment, you seem like you’re about to scurry away into the very back of your cage – but instead, you inch closer, sniffing at the digit before suddenly snapping at him.

He backs away with a hiss, drawing the warden's attention – who rushes back and knocks his cain against the cage with a growl in his throat, “Stupid critter.” 

You’ve narrowed your eyes, nose wrinkled in anger – something akin to a snarl forming your lips. It’s a funny expression to see on such a normally docile breed.

“I’m really sorry, sir. Bunnies aren't usually aggressive, but we’ve had issues disciplining this one for weeks.” The warden rushes out the apologetic excuse, expecting to be sued.

But the collector only chuckles – a deep sound that makes your soft fur stiffen. “That’s fine.” 

He pulls a handkerchief from his back pocket, all movements calm and collected as he wipes the spill of blood trickling from the small bite mark you’d left on his finger.

“It’s only a nibble, after all.” 

You spit the bitter taste left in your tongue out on his shoes with another sneer.

If it angers him, it still doesn’t show through the lofty smile he wears. His leer is just as poised and heavy as he looks down at you.

“Does she talk?”

The warden had turned to lead him towards the more desirable and tamed section but halted at the question.

He had a puzzled look on his face before he answered, almost in a question himself, “We don’t know.”

The collector scoffed out another small laugh, then pulled out his phone. “How much?”

The warden seemed appalled then. “Sir, we have exotic pets more up to your standard in the back. Are you sure-”

“I want this one.”

The warden looked snuffed at his firm tone. But straightened himself out after a moment. All business as usual. “We can’t guarantee she’ll behave. It could be dangerous-”

But he’s cut off yet again, this time with another rumbling chuckle.

“That won’t be an issue.”

And those dark eyes with that deeply dominating look within them were the last thing you remember seeing before becoming a sleepy heap on the floor of your cage – drooling with a blank stare as you’re carried to the trunk and driven off with.

The tranquilizer makes you fall asleep, waking to heat swallowing you as you’re lowered into a bathtub.

“Let’s get you groomed first.” The same man murmurs in a coo. Petting your head with a heavy hand when seeing your weary eyes try blinking off the sleep – but still left too drowsy to thrash.

Instead, you can just moan as he washes you with a tender smile on his face – his big hands coarse against your creamy skin, rubbing your plush limbs with soap and oil.

“My pets have been an awful handful lately…”

He’s talking about something, but you only catch bits and pieces of the words being said. Something about ruts and scratched furniture – someone’s been pissing in the sofa, and all the pillows are ruined.

He messages the lops of your ears, then rinses them gently.

“But it’s my fault. I’ve been neglectful.”

He cups your tits next, lathering them with the warm milky water, circling your nipples with the gritty pads of his thumbs until they perk.  

Then he delves under the water to find your puffy cunt, letting the hot water rush the sensitivity, making it swell with heat as he splits the lips and pets your clit. 

You buck your hips, and he awes with a light chuckle, crooning down at you. “It's okay, little bunny.”

His carrot-sized finger teases your hole before sinking inside you, filling you in slow and tentative pumps. Sitting next to the tub, just as composed as before, while your cunt squeezes his knuckles.

He hums, watching your body fight the tranquilizer as you seize up and ripple with release.

He retracts his hand, patting them both on the fluffy towel placed next to him. A content smile on his face. “You’re gonna do perfect.”

After he’s finished drying you, he fixes a collar around your throat and carries you out to the others.

“Gather ‘round, pets.” He announces, placing you down on the soft carpeted floors beneath.

Your limbs are still heavy, too weak to stand just yet. But that all changes with the adrenaline kick.

“Come say hi to your new rut-puppet.”

The stench in the air coats your skin with sweat.

“She’s a fragile thing, though, so make sure to play nice.”

Your big eyes skitter around. 

On your left, there’s a wolf, fox, and hyena who all lick their teeth at the sight of you.

Next to them lies a bear that wakens from his slumber. He licks his snout with a huff.

Drool drips from the hang in their lips as they start panting. 

And they aren't the only ones.

On your right, there’s a panther and leopard whose eyes all blackout into nothing but a deep pool of darkness.

Their tails slowly meander behind them as they arise from their beds to stalk you.

You whimper, backing up until your back hits the legs of your new owner.

You lift your head to look up at him, only to see him smiling down at you.

“Don’t be shy now. The smell of fear only makes them wilder.”

part 2

[roguerogues]

options

a; try n look up the lore for soulweaving n possibly get spoilers

b; wait until ive caught up in df to make a proper soulweaver oc

c; jus fuckin do it anyway wiout lookin up anythin n if anyone says “thats not right” run away as fast as possible

[david-talks-sw]

The Night Troopers are only a threat because the studio forbids lopping off limbs Ahsoka, Ezra and Sabine obstinately refuse to use their lightsabers - weapons which in-universe can cut through almost anything - to mutilate these clearly undead soldiers, instead opting for mild slashes and stabs.

AKA, if the lightsaber hadn't been reduced to being a glowing baseball bat our heroes weren't acting like morons, these zombies wouldn't be a threat.

(And a "the magic made them more durable" argument doesn't hold because they were already not cutting any of these troopers to shreds when they were still alive.)

[pastel-omegas-blog]

HYBRID AU PART 2

MARRAV

Marrav/Other members of the Vermillion ducal family 

In this au they are not the imperial family, but are members of the Vermillion grand duchy which has two branches. 

Valero is branch is for the members of Duke Nicolas family and Valryon is for the members of Marrav's family m

They are lions. African lions to be exact. To be even more detailed their super Lions ( super Lions are a small group of lions that are stronger and more mean and buff than the average lion.

Marrav is tall. Standing at 6'11. Has a muscular somewhat lean body. He's naturally athletic and doesn't need to do a lot to exercise because of his good genes.

His formerly sharp silver eyes now have an even more piercing look in them making both prey and predator hybrids alike freeze in their spots whenever they lock eyes with him.

Instead of his hair being all silky and flowy it somehow puffs a bit behind him like a lions mane, but it's still well taken care off. A pair of lion ears twitch every once in a while on his head and his long tail sways boredly behind him.

Dominant alpha

Always has a haughty smirk on his thin lip so can always see his sharp canines peaking out.

He's fucking Hot and he knows it.

He's got it all. The money, the looks, the genes, the power.

He's known through out the academy as the        ' Black beast '.  

He got this nickname mostly because of his thick black hair, but his monsterous gives the name another meaning. 

Like Leon he is a member of the student council, but he focuses more on the training regiment of students who want to dedicate their time to swordsman ship. ( He mostly recruits predator hybrids because he's fucking bias and thinks all prey species are weak ).

He doesn't know like restraining his strength when sparing with others far weaker than him.  Has broken limbs/ badly injured others because of this.

Instead of people being wary of him because of this, their like 

" ✨UWU ✨ Big murder kitty is so hot💕 "

These insane people are members of his fanclub.

Oh yes. 

He has a fanclub.

They call themselves ' the black kitty brigade '

He's embarrassed by them, but their praises always inflate his ego.

Every single student knows that he's trying to court Leon, including the freshmen.

His fans are torn between trying to get his attention or push him together with the blue haired lop bunny hybrid.

Members of his fan club are the main cause of M/N's torment. Their angry and disgusted that the sheep hybrid has the honour of being their murder kitty's future mate.

He's constantly butting heads with the other love intrests and his cousin.

An absolute prick. He's more of a hassle to handle than his Emperor self.

Also much more vocal about how he hates his engagement to M/N.

Sometimes does nice things for the sheep just so his fanclub have a reason to bully him, or he's the one verbally abusing/ berating him in the hallway in front of hundreds of other students.

An absolute jackass over all.

ALVAR.

 His family is still a major part of the holy temple and still places a major role in choosing the Pope candidate, but in this Au his older sister is the pope while he goes to the academy to study.

He's a tiger. 

A Bengal tiger. ( Bengal tigers are still tigers, they just have white fur, that's why I used them for Alvar because they match his aesthetic )

Another very pretty big kitty.

And unlike a certain someone he's a very gentle predator hybrid.

He's a just bit taller than Marrav standing at 6'12, also has a muscular lean form as well. Pretty silky waist length milky white hair paired with milk white cat like eyes top it all off with small fuzzy striped ears and a gentle swaying striped tale

Dominant alpha.

Like Marrav had the money, looks and power but is more humble about it.

Is known as the ' Gentle guardian ' by the students.

Predator and prey alike usually flock to him because of his comforting aura and how willing he is to help people in need.

Very smart and it almost always the top of his year.

The goody two shoes religious boi of the academy. 

He's the head of the schools religious sector and is known for being knowledgeable on the words of the holy text. Is also the leader of the school choir.

Has a very pretty voice, it's deep so he sings bass.

His voice alone has gotten some very weak willed omegas off during mandatory service.

Is also a member of the student council.

His role later s mostly to act as a guidance counselor of sorts for students in need or struggling and help to put them on the right path.

Also has a fan club.

His fan club member are call themselves the     ' Gentle snowflakes '.

They always knock heads with the black kitty brigade. 

Like Marrav Alvar has a crush on a certain lop bunny and everyone knows.

His fan club members think he's the one who deserves the right to court the pretty omega since a gentle giant alpha would be perfect for a small prey omega.

They don't start fight because they don't want to soil the name of their giant soft kitty.

In this au since M/N doesn't have a 'demon' inside him Alvar actually gets along well with the sheep hybrid.

They both share similar tastes in books and he's the one M/N goes to to talk about how the bullying is taking a toll on him.

Sadly because of this relationship his own fanclub also have it out for the sheep and have tagged him as a ' ship wrecker '

Because he's so busy with a lot of things Alvar doesn't really have time to constantly check on the h/c fluffy omega make sure he's doing alright.

Overall a pretty meh person.

BASIL

In this au he's not necessarily found starving by M/N on the streets, but his family is a poor barony who's indebted to M/N's family. Since he's an illegitimate child born from a prostitute his father took him in so they could send him off a servant as a way to pay of their debt. Despite this M/N still treated him like an equal instead of a servant and even managed to convince his parents to sponsor Basil's education in the academy.

Is more like a butler that's trained very well on self defense and is skilled with a sword.

Is a mixed breed.

His father is a red fox while his mother was a local dog breed that he isn't aware of. 

He got more of the fox genes so you can't tell he's mixed at all.

Has a lean body with a bit of muscle, stands at 6'0 pretty pink shoulder length hair that's tied in a ponytail. Pink furred fox ears and a soft fluffy fox tail that wags like a dog's tail when he's happy. Has a pretty face too.

Recessive alpha.

Isn't part of the school council, but is very popular among the student body.

Is considered a prodigy with the sword by students and teachers alike and has a lot of potential that can be unlocked.

He's received a lot of attention that his ego is almost as big as Marrav's.

Even though he's meant to be serving M/N he actively tries to avoid the sheep hybrid so his reputation doesn't get tarnished.

Even if the omega does manage to get a hold of him he likes to pretend he doesn't know him or give him the cold shoulder so it looks to others that he's annoyed by him.

Turns a blind eye to the bullying as well.

Doesn't have a fan club but the popularity he's gathered for himself make it look like he'll get one soon.

People know he's got a thing for Leon.

His normally lax tail starts wagging at the sight of the bunny.

People think it's cute that the normally stone faced fox becomes a cute kit at the sight of the pretty blue haired omega.

He's a shitty person that only cares about himself.

SHIVA

Mommy Shiva in the house! Nothing really changes other than she's not the empress, but one of her older siblings is rulling in her place.

Snake hybrid or for better words a Naga.

Like M/N who has more animal traits ( like the fluffy wool growing around his wrist to his hooved feet and fluffy wool legs ) Shiva is also like this with the lower part of her body being a snake tail decorated with gold and silver scales, these same scales are scattered on her arms , shouldersand the side of her face. Her already teal reptilian eyes have an even more animalistic shine behind them.

Drop dead handsome/ gorgeous.

If she's ' standing ' upright she's a little over 10 feet, but that draws attention towards her ( even though she likes how both students and teachers are intimidated by her )  so she tends to slouch a bit and let more of her tail slither around. 

She's still 8'1 when she does this.

Long silky caramel hair, her face and body is an absolute work of art. Hot and she owns it.

People are in awe of her looks and also terrified of her beauty.

Dominant alpha.

Other than her height and intimidating looks another thing the student body fear about her is her venom.

Oh I forget to mention.

Shiva's breed of snake is the african boomslang.

Poisonous little fuckers.

Though she hides her fangs well and has never actually threatened anyone with it.

Well except Marrav, but she doesn't see him as a person anyways so that doesn't count.

She's not a student since she's older, but at the same time she doesn't really teach. She's part of the school board as a foreign education councillor representing Pentigria. 

She watches over the students from her Empire to avoid any bad things toward her people.

Keeps to her self most of the time and is generally a mystery to the students.

Her and M/N relationship is one of mutual acquaintances.

They both find peace in each other's company and can be found talking together in the school cafe about trivial things.

She originally wanted to only get to know him just to spite Marrav but now she genuinely enjoys his company.

No one dares to speak ill of the sheep hybrid in her presence.

A student did once and nobody has seen them till now.

LOUIS

in this au he's still Alvar's illegitimate younger brother.

If you thought he had it bad in the original timeline well you thought wrong.

Cause it gets worse.

He's taken nothing from the Leoht family blood line. No milky white hair and eyes or earth dark skin. 

Blond hair, green eyes and pale as a ghost.

As if that isn't enough he's not even a tiger hybrid. 

I swear he's not even any thing in the cat species.

He's a horse.

A freaking horse.

He's breed of horse is a ' Thoroughbred '.

Recessive alpha.

One can only imagine the black lash and bullying he's experienced through out his life for this.

He's referred to as ' the curse '. People say that because they believe they believe the gods cursed him in the womb for being an illegitimate child , that's why he looks nothing like the rest of the family.

People originally thought his mother was playing tricks by saying that he even had Leoht blood. 

Magic proved that she was in fact telling the truth.

Is treated like an outcast by his peers who constantly remind him that he's a mistake.

He can be found huddled on his own in one of the schools abandoned green house all by himself.

Unlike his og self care who hides behind a facade by being vain, rude and condescending, this Louis is actually really sweet and nice. 

He and M/N are really close friends.

Hope you like this.

[unsoundedcomic]

oooooh i love the paladin's designs! the prosthetic the one in the back boasted is cool! reminds me of the catalog elka looked through for her and toma's friend after duane lopped his arm off. is prosthesis common in kasslyne? is it more common in certain regions compared to others?

Super common in Cresce, where First Materials are still relatively inexpensive. It's all prioritized towards veterans and public servants though. If you're a gardener and you lose your right hand in a tragic hedgeclipping accident, you're going to be lower on the limb list than, say, Captain Toma if he doesn't get that mangled arm of his tended to quickly.

But everyone prioritizes their resources differently. The longer-lived castes get them first in Alderode - after all, 300 years without a left leg will surely trouble a Copper more than a scant asymmetrical decade or so will trouble a Plat. And in Sharteshane, the highest and most well-connected bidder can score any pymaric accessory they like. Instead of little orphan Timmy getting that new left arm he's been praying for, Duke Hits-Hardest is fitted for a cutting edge First Diamond dick extension that belts out his favourite show tunes every time he's erect.

[pikkish]

Got any opinions on the enemy designs in Eldin Ring and/or soulsborn games in general?

I like the designs but I haven’t played any of the games yet, but I probably will eventually.

Don't worry, you're not alone, Elden Ring is my first soulsborne game too lol

Generally speaking, my thoughts on the enemy design ranges from "oh wow thats cool!" to *chuckles nervously* to "THANKS! I HATE IT!"

Like, for example, you have the dragons! they have the common flaw of the wing membranes being poorly attached to the body, but otherwise they're very cool! they've got some very detailed feathers, and there are several different variants that have different models and spit different elements- and apparently there are some very cool boss dragons later that I haven't even gotten close to!

Or Starscourge Radahn, an absolute beast of a man who towers over you! he was a general and a demigod who fought the plague spread by his sister to a standstill- at least until said plague rotted out his mind to the point that he went mad to the point of cannibalizing both the enemy troops and his own men. His has actually been one of my favorite boss fights so far.

then there are some of the more uncomfortable enemies. Like your classic disembodied hand, except the hand's smallest finger is longer than you are tall, and also there are twelve fingers instead of five.

And Godrick the Grafted, guy with a bunch of extra limbs, not the worst thing I've seen, not even when he lops off his own arm mid-fight, rips the head off a dragon corpse, and slaps it on his chopped-arm to give himself a dragon head for a hand.

Or the. uh. erdtree burial watchdogs. They're, uhh. they're not great but they're like,, carved out of stone, statue constructs, so like, creepy gargoyle, not a huge fan but hey it makes sense.

then we have the Kindred of Rot and hey. hey buddy? like, is it not enough that you're already a giant hell shrimp?? do you really need the uh. the tiny human hands on the end of every one of those limbs? is that really necessary?

Or this one's called the abductor virgin?? and it hecking. the skirt opens and arms made of snakes come out to drag you into the skirt and trap you iron maiden style and deal a ton of damage to you and there's nothing you can do about it??

H. HEY FIRE CHARIOT?? I DON'T LIKE THAT

DON'T LIKE THAT.

DON'T LIKE THAT.

[tildeathiwillwrite]

Merry Whumpmas 2023 Day 27: Fighting

For more fighting-type whump, check out Day 6: No Where to Go, Day 9: Blood Loss, and Day 20: Stab Wound

TW: monsters, blood, injury, death

Hero panted heavily, swinging their sword in wide arcs to keep the monsters at bay. The creatures snarled, jumping out of the sword’s reach, but were not deterred. Hero retreated another step, another swing of their sword slicing through an outstretched limb. The injured monster cried out in pain and backed away, but its allies continued to advance.

They wouldn’t be able to keep this up for much longer. The monsters seemed to sense this, even as Hero managed to lop the head off a creature who got too cocky and tried to get inside their reach. Hero was far outnumbered. Every monster they killed, another would take its place.

Another monster lunged, and Hero slashed across its chest. It went down in a spray of blood. But the attack left Hero open, and they screamed as sharp claws dug into their shoulder and racked down their arm. 

They spun and drove their blade into the creature responsible, but the damage was done. Seeing all the blood running down their tattered shirt sleeve made Hero’s head spin, and they could barely move the limb without it sending spikes of pain through their nerves. Luckily, it wasn’t their sword arm.

This wasn't good.

This wasn't good at all.

The remaining monsters howled with glee and charged, teeth bared and claws outstretched. It took all of Hero’s concentration to keep them at bay, they had barely deflected one blow they were forced to block another. Each attack forced them to take another step backward. And another.

Hero’s back ran into something solid, impassable. They didn't need to waste precious seconds to look. They knew it was the sheer stone wall of a cliff face.

Nowhere to run.

They were trapped.

They were going to die here.

The grim thought shook Hero into action. They took a risk and darted forward, cleaving the nearest monster in two at the waist and ducking underneath another’s outstretched claw. Using their momentum, Hero rolled across the ground, painfully jarring their injured shoulder and nearly losing hold of their sword. They scrambled to their feet on the other side of the monsters, no longer trapped.

The monsters didn’t allow Hero time to celebrate or catch their breath. They would not lose their prize, not when it was so close. Hero was still outnumbered three to one, and their shoulder and arm throbbed with every movement. They backed away as the monsters advanced, eyes darting between the remaining three.

They’d faced worse odds before.

If they died here, they would go down fighting.

Hero made the first move again, charging forward and bringing their sword down in an overhead strike aimed at the first monster. It dodged out of the way, causing Hero to miss its head but instead hit it in the shoulder. The force of the blow was enough to hack the monster’s arm completely off.

It screamed in agony and rage, reaching for Hero, but they brought their sword back around and plunged it into the creature’s heart. Movement out of the corners of their eyes alerted Hero to the other two monsters, but as they jerked their blade out of the first, they knew they couldn’t avoid what was coming.

White hot agony burst into being on Hero’s right side as the second monster’s claws sliced through their flesh with ease. Hero cried out and stumbled back, dodging the third monster’s attack by accident, something they discovered as razor-sharp talons slashed the air centimeters from their face.

No time to dwell on the new injury. Warm liquid ran down Hero’s leg as they swung wildly at the second monster, chopping off its left leg completely. Hero swung the sword back and narrowly blocked the third monster’s attack, catching its claws with the blade. Throwing them off with a rough shove, Hero jumped forward, sword point plunging directly into its throat.

The creature snapped at them, and its claws dug into Hero’s already-injured arm as they collided, but the blow was fatal. Hero collapsed, the monster’s corpse underneath them.

Rolling off the monster, Hero rose to their feet, ready for another attack. It didn’t come. Hero grinned despite themself as their exhaustion and the extent of their injuries becoming jarringly clear.

It was very likely they would die here anyway, succumb to their injuries long before they found a healer. But Hero had beaten the odds and killed an entire party of monsters alone! It was a feat they could not let fall into obscurity. They turned and limped away from the dead and dying creatures. They vaguely recalled a signpost pointing to a village somewhere nearby.

The village would have to suffice whether or not it had a healer.

If Hero could survive long enough to get there.

[dogmomwrites]

Find the Words!

@houndsofcorduff is enabling my addiction to this game by tagging me to find the words collide, wings, eventually, stand, and fate. Thanks for the tag!

Tagging @bardic-tales, @blind-the-winds, @ashen-crest, and @did-i-do-this-write. Your words are content, amuse, flaw, strong, and radiant. If you can’t find one, you have to include a fun fact about your WIP, your writing process, or one of your characters!

Collide (taken from Castle)

Sometime during the fight, he’d strayed away from Marrick. He hadn’t realized that. A smaller, nimble wolvin leaped at him at the same time a large wolvin did. He reeled backwards, dropping into a crouch that he turned into a roll. The two wolvins collided, snarling at each other. The large one almost landed on him when they fell, despite that he’d moved. Scrambling up, he tried to run back towards Marrick, who was throwing another wolvin for Spirit—it was like a game for her.

Raavi panted and shot her a brief scowl, for how graceful she was when she tore them to pieces, lopping off heads and limbs left and right with her glowing blade. The snarling behind him paused for the briefest second, which he’d figured out meant they were gathering themselves to jump. He spun around and brought his sword point up, letting the large wolvin impale itself.

Wings (taken from Castle)

Aero flailed, desperate and helpless. The bird had him by his left leg and he kicked with his free leg, but that only proved to make it angry. Screeching, it beat him against the wall of the gorge, then pecked at him again as he swung haphazard in the air. It missed, instead hitting the wall and sending showers of tiny ice shards down on him.

“Would you stop that!” Aero shouted, flinching as the ice cut his face and arms.

The bird squawked.

Aero cussed at it, but that did him no good. He managed to grab its wing tip and twisted until it cracked, at the same time slamming his boot against its claws. The bird shrieked, releasing him. Aero screamed obscenities as he fell.

Tucking its wings with a frustrated warble, the bird dove after him. It snapped its sharp beak at him and he slapped it without meaning to. For a second, they both stared at each other in surprise, then the bird hissed and fluffed its crest out all around the top of its head.

Eventually (taken from Castle)

 “Dinnae say that, sah,” Nightwish said as the old soldier shook his head at himself. “Ye will get old as the sun afore ye lose any of ye sharpness.”

“I’m already old as the sun,” Houndstooth said in a wry tone. “And I feel like I’m already losing it. At this rate, I’ll be long dead before we get this wolvin mess sorted out.” Nightwish started to argue that, but he raised a hand, stopping him. The general gave him a sad sort of smile. “Everyone dies eventually, Captain.”

Stand (taken from unnamed WIP)

Riley awoke to Jimmy standing over him and thumping his knee against the side of his mattress. The room was still dark. There were no other noises in the house.

“What the fuck, Jimmy?”

“Your car’s in the shop, should only take a couple days to fix. There won’t be any paperwork for you to do.”

Riley waited, staring up at him, but he didn’t say anything else. Reaching out in the dark, he grabbed his phone and checked the time. “Jimmy. It’s four in the fucking morning. That better not have been the only reason you woke me up.”

“It was.”

Fate (taken from Castle)

A wasteland of ice surrounded him, oppressing him mercilessly with gelid winds and a thick veil of whipping snow. Far to his right, he could see a mountain range. Even from a distance, they rose tall and proud into the brumous sky.

Had she meant to send him here to this desolate, frozen wild? There was nothing around him at all, just the snow and ice. With a sigh, he resigned himself to his fate and began trudging through the snow that piled up around his knees, numbing his legs.

[confusedflareon]

In the spirit of disappointing those who no doubt followed me assuming this page was exclusively made to reblog cute Splatoon and Pokemon art, allow me to share the tale of Peter the Possum!

Context: Australia, brushtail possum, not feral American opossum!

So, my partner comments that it’s been a while since he trimmed back the trees from the roof, and a possum may have moved in above his room. We figured this was an easy task, and took to the extend-o-saws to trim the offending front tree. Access denied, good possum!

Alas, this possum figured since he’d already unpacked his pyjamas and arranged the insulation just so, he really might as well stay - so he simply climbed up the neighbour’s tree out the back, and entered over my room instead!

Never one to be put off, my partner lopped off the interloping limbs (of the access tree, not the possum) and we congratulated ourselves on a job well sorted.

So Peter the Possum shrugged his furry, undeterred shoulders and climbed up what we call the Owl Tree. The Owl Tree is just behind our screen room, and is so named for the pair of tawny frogmouth owls who call it home. (Look up a picture of them, they are amazing!)

Despite having to cling to precariously bendy branches and avoid two disgruntled tawnies, Peter nonetheless embodied the dauntless spirit of the explorers who first crossed these very mountains, and inelegantly scrambled his way over drain pipes and corrugated verandah roof to continue to access his cozy one-bedroom-one-bath.

So, we looked up what kinds of things deterred bastards, and we acted accordingly. After a week of swapping batteries in portable LED lights and thoroughly annoying my cat with frequent brushings to harvest fur for cat-balms (remember in Legends: Arceus how you make lil mixes of the noble lords’ favourite snacks in handy grenade sized baggies to lob at them? Think that, except instead of snacks it’s disgruntled black cat fur, and instead of quelling the frenzy, they shoo away pests with the fresh scent of Eau du Predator) - we thought we had won! Nothing had been heard above either bedroom!

Alas, celebration was too soon. Peter the Possum, ever determined to persevere in the face of all adversity, packed up his possum bags and moved - to the other end of the house. Free from cat-balms, annoying lights, and any way for us to access the space, Peter settled right on in to finally sink his teeth into his favourite hobby, which I assume is practicing hard for Dancing With The Stars. Also into the insulation and wooden beams above the lounge room.

Short of cycling through the season of Pokémon we were watching until we found one that Peter liked enough to simmer down, we were out of ideas. So we called in the experts!

Steve and Diane assured us that this sort of thing was common, and quickly set up a humane trap filled with delicious apples, and a motion-sensing camera, ready to receive Peter in the most dug-up part of the roof where we heard him most recently. They were confident that most of these cases were sorted inside of 24 hours - what possum could resist the all-you-can-gorge apple feast?

As it happens, the answer to that question is: Peter could. And did. For the first night, the camera caught naught but the sound of scratching footsteps and mocking laughter.

On the second night, we saw him on the camera… He sauntered in, examined the trap, then turned to the camera, offered an expression of possum disdain, and proceeded to relieve himself to show just what he thought of such tactics.

Steve the possum man was most unimpressed.

So, they moved, tested and refreshed the trap, and set up a second on the roof outside, next to Peter’s assumed front door. More apples and a tasty banana next to a large sign reading “Free Possum Snacks”! And yet, despite scratching around all night… nothing. We honestly thought Peter was simply too smart for traps.

But then… at 5am. Snap-bang! Hoorah! The call of the fruit buffet was too great at least! How about *them* apples!!

At first, Peter assumed this was simply a misunderstanding. At around 6.30am, he ran out of fruit and finally determined that this was in fact, not a misunderstanding - these bars were not, in fact, for his protection, and he was in fact being detained without legal consult.

From that point on he made his displeasure known by re-enacting the entirety of Stomp! from inside his new cage - until, finally, he was carted away, swearing and threatening legal repercussions, around 9am by a smugly victorious Steve the possum man.

And so ends the saga of Peter the Possum - defiant until the end.

(Although since native animal protective legislation states that Peter must be released within a certain distance from his point of capture, he will very likely be back. However, he will return to find the entrances barred, all trees trimmed - and a bright and shiny new recycled-materials possum box installed in the big tree out the front for his comfortable use!)

[absinthehoney]

they bought the house down the road. deep in the crick, down in the ravine. it sits in this little valley of indented earth, now barren and lifeless. 

this little yellow house on display for highway rats scurrying this way and that. to school. to work. or back. the wrap around porch had a blanket of white latticework to shade the little old man inside from the choking California sun. there was a chain-link fence too, these lush dark vines of every kind threaded throughout the gaps in the metal. it was barely waist high, a sorry attempt at keeping anyone out since the gate was always kept open wide. it was mostly for the sake of the fat little tabby cats that wove their way in and out of his garden during the day. i’d spy their grey, tiger stripped bodies lounging about on the stone walkways or trotting after the little old man as he hobbled to prune his joy and pride.

the garden. god, the garden. the rose bushes had almost entirely taken over the yard, growing wild and out of control. they climbed up and over the walls of the home and wormed their thorny fingers beneath the roof tiles. the flowers bloomed in agony, pouring every last ounce of love they had for the man into their short spring time lives. 

“we adore you!” the red flowers, as big as my open palm said

“you’ve been so good to us,” the pink flowers crooned.

“we know you’ll get better soon. we know it, we know it,” the white flowers said in shaking whispers, as their petals had already began to fall. 

Peppermint had invaded the yard, springing up in every pot and darkened corner of the yard, but it too hid away dormant in the warmer months of the year. It would return in the winter with the slyness of an old, always welcome friend.

But the lavender, the beautiful tangled mass of lavender couldn’t seem to get enough of the heat. It reached its spires of purple buds up to the heavens. “look at me,” it said “look what I can do. i do it for you, for our home! i love you, i love you!”. only when sun grew hot enough to create a heat mirage on the highway would the buds burst open into a million tiny, indigo flowers. The woody, sweet, and spicy scent of the blooms would fills the air and drift over to the neighboring homes with the nighttime breeze. along with it I could heat the creaking of a porch rocking chair the padding of tiny paws on its old boards. 

the day it happened the grass went brown, from wild and green to a shriveled mass of brown overnight, they figured he’d been so sick that he must have forgotten to water. forgotten fertilizer. forgotten something because no matter what they tried; nothing could revive the earth. i knew better. 

the garden mourned for a year, bushes and planters slumped over with the weight of grief and overgrowth. ‘father’ i heard the ground whimper ‘father, father, father’ unsure of where it was the little old man had gone. it turned to a rainy winter and the tabby cats yowled at the back door to be let in most nights. they wanted to curl up by a woodstove that no longer burned, by the feet of their man who was no longer alive. i watched them turn skinny and feral with wild, untrusting eyes. their shiny coats became matted with burs and underbrush. their dinners came from blood and sinewy instead of the man’s old china plates. by the time anyone had thought to do anything about them, they were already too far gone. too wild. too untrusting of any hand resembling that which abandoned them. 

a family bought the little yellow house a while back. i know now just as i knew then that the land can hate just as it loves. i felt the flowers cry out in disgust as the overfilled station wagon trundled up the driveway. ‘not you, not you. you don’t belong. not you’. 

the roses were first to go. the father began amputating the limbs of the bushes that had wrapped themselves around the house. too unclean. unruly. he lopped them off one by one until the ancient giants had been cut down into knee high shrubs. they turned a sickly yellow, wilted, and petrified into a decaying black within the week. they had to be torn out by the roots and burned come fall.

the raised garden beds were neglected and shrived into dust while the family spread their empty boxes and plastic bubble wrap around the yard. the mother came our with a barrel of Round-Up and sprayed at the vines in the fence until they too choked to death and rotted away. the trash only piled up, turning from boxes to old tires and styrofoam blocks and sickly, bulging garbage bags. An ugly plastic children’s slide. disembodied Barbie arms. the lavender turned pale and anemic when an old, rusted up project car was parked in front of it, next to the abandoned pop-up camper van. the only sun it saw came from the splash of evening light, seconds before it disappears behind the mountains. so it no longer bloomed or spread its sweet summer scent. 

Eden has turned to a valley of barren ash and the Millers wonder why nothing will fucking grow from their earth. Wonder why they had to pay thousands for their fluorescent green lawn of AstroTurf. Wonder why no matter how many times they paint the home, how the white always peels away from the walls. Wonder why the animals circle the home like vultures, but never step foot on it. 

Shame about the christmas fire. 

Horrible

Dreadful. 

Hear the family had to move away, the flames burning so high and bright that nothing remained. 

But see I stopped by the remains of little yellow house the other day to see a scruffy feline rolling around in the ash. And in the charred remains of the porch, I saw it: a thin sprig of peppermint worming its way out of the soil. ‘i’m home old friend. i’m home, I’m home.’

[rivalriotrenegade]

The Monsters Hunter.

“Holy shit, holy shit! I am going to die! Like actually die.” Chase mutteres to himself as he runs through the dense swamp. He could hear the shrieks of the drowned behind him as they quickly closed the gap between them. 

It was supposed to be an easy hunt. Just a snaggletooth. Nothing a monster hunter like him couldn’t handle. But instead of the snaggletooth he was expecting, it was a group of drowned and he had been caught as people say “with his pants down.” Only he had been caught with his pants down quite literally. Admittedly it wasn’t his finest moment as a hunter. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately he didn’t  have much time to dwell on that as he’s being chased by said undead horde of drowned.

Chase fumbles with his bow and arrows. He curses himself for attaching his sword to the belt of his pants. The same pants that now happened to be somewhere far behind him.

In his panic he misses the tree root jutting from the ground. It’s a classic horror movie cliché as his foot catches the root sending him tumbling to the ground, arrows flying everywhere. 

Before he even has time to think one of the monsters is soaring through the air claws out and aimed at him. 

He lets out a scream and coveres his head as the monster's claws came crashing down. He waits one… two…three… and… He isn’t dead? Slowly his scream tapers off as he peeks out from between his fingers to see his wife standing over him with a scowl on her face. Chase lets out a nervous cough, “Oh uh hey Tammi, funny seeing you here?” He says, giving her an awkward smile. 

She scoffs. “It amazes me how you’ve managed to survive for so long. Truly, a mystery.” 

Chase shrugs. “What can I say? I’m just too pretty to die.” She snorts. “You looked ridiculous by the way, running through the swamp in nothing but a shirt and heart print boxers.” 

“You saw that?” 

“Yup.”

“So, just to get this straight, it wasn’t a turn on?” 

“Nope.”

Chase gasps and opens his mouth to say something but before he could a blood curdling scream cuts him off. Tammi looks down at him, sword in hand. “Stay here. I’ll deal with this.” 

Chase watched in amazement as she took down drowned after drowned. She always looked so graceful cutting down her enemies, or well she would, that is if you took away the manic smile she wore while doing so… and the psychotic laughter… and the fact that she had no problem dropping her sword to tear them apart limb from limb with her claws… Okay so he’d admit she wasn’t the most graceful of fighters, instead preferring sheer brutality over style, but Chase supposed it was all just a part of her charm. 

He watched in lovesick awe as she lopped off the last of the drowned’s heads with her sword, before sheathing it. He sighed dreamily. “You know what’s hot? Consent.” He snaps his fingers into a finger gun, pointing it at her. “And I am giving you mine.” He says seductively. Tammi stares at him blankly for a moment before her face slowly starts to turn red. “Don’t say such things!” She snaps, turning away from him. 

“Oh but I mean it!” He tells her as he gets up from the ground. Tammi glares at him, her face flushed. “Careful, what would you do if I actually took you up on your offer?” She huffs. “Baby, take me up on it or not, I am all yours.” This only causes her face to grow even warmer. “I should cut your tongue from your mouth. That would shut you up.” 

“You can shut me up another way, preferably with your tongue.” 

 “You’re the worst!” She growls. Chase hums. “And yet you still married me.” He says cheekily, proudly pointing to his wedding band. 

Chase is suprised as Tammi suddenly stomps towards him, a murderous look in her eyes. She grabs him by the wrist, yanking him towards her, then pulls him up into her arms bridal style. “Wha-What are you doing!” Chase squawks as she begins to carry him. Tammi chuckles darkly as she smirks down at him, her unusually sharp canines glinting in the light. “Taking you up on your offer.”

[dualcastimpact]

WoL Question of the Day #101

Does your WoL canonically keep retainers? How do they treat them? Are their retainers characters in their own right, and if so, what role do they play? Are they like butlers, co-adventurers, coworkers, or something else? May 7, 2022

Raginmar's two retainers are former subordinates from his resistance days: Valeriece, a warrior who now works as a miner, and Astoreille, a lancer who now works as a botanist. They are vitriolic best buddies who constantly compete to see who does their job better.

Astoreille is never afraid to sass her ex-captain (but is quick to backtrack when he promises retribution), has a terrible sense of direction and is not averse to lopping a few limbs off with her hatchet to get her way. Valeriece has a strange fondness for stuffed Bom Bokos and tends to absent-mindedly bring them back during his ventures instead of more useful items. Also not averse to caving a few skulls in with his sledgehammer to get the job done.

[swtcblog]

5 Mistakes to Avoid in Tree Cutting Services

Sometimes, you need to remove trees from your property. This could be because of storm damage, disease, or if you want to make space for other landscaping ideas.

However, incorrectly cutting down trees can damage your home or yard and be dangerous if large falling branches aren’t controlled. That’s why you should understand common mistakes people make with DIY tree trimmingbefore grabbing a chainsaw.

Avoiding these errors ensures proper tree felling technique safety and minimises negative impacts on the surrounding landscape. This guide from the professionals at SWTC will cover the top 5 mistakes to avoid with tree-cutting services. Knowing what not to do makes your next removal much simpler.

Not Securing the Area

Before any cutting begins, properly preparing the area is crucial but often forgotten. This prep work entails roping off the space beneath the tree’s canopy to avoid damage when branches fall. Any items or furniture are cleared away, especially vehicles that could be smashed by large falling debris. Hazards like power lines must be noted and extra caution is taken around them.

Don’t neglect thoroughly assessing what’s around and underneath the tree first. Rushing into cutting without securing the space leads to accidental property damage and dangerous situations if falling limbs go uncontrolled. SWTC’s tree services Sydney teams always secure work areas first for safety.

Improper Undercutting

Making the correct notches and cuts to fall the tree in the intended direction requires knowledge and skill.

Improper undercutting techniques can cause the tree to fall unexpectedly in the wrong direction, breaking nearby items or structures.

Cutting at an incorrect angle or leaving too narrow of a hinge can also lead to losing control of the falling tree.

Instead, follow best practices by consulting a professional arborist like those at SWTC. Their tree lopping Sydney and removal technicians know the precise undercutting methods to safely fell trees of all sizes.

Leaving Partially Cut Trees

After felling the tree, the job isn't done until the branches and trunk are properly sectioned. Amateurs often partially cut through branches or the main stem but leave dangerous hanging debris in the air. These partly cut limbs or tops can then unexpectedly fall later, damaging property or potentially injuring someone.

Always completely follow through by cutting any partially freed sections fully free for safety. SWTC's arborists Sydney crews will remove all debris, never leaving loose hanging sections that could detach unexpectedly later. They also offer branch chipping and tree mulching services to tidy up afterwards.

Not Cutting Close Enough to the Trunk

For tree health, the proper technique requires cutting branches flush to the trunk or parent limb without leaving stubs. Cutting too far out from the trunk leaves branch stubs that protrude. These ugly stubs won’t heal correctly and allow decay to take hold. Over time they become weak points and potential hazards.

For a clean structure, always prune back to the branch collar area near the trunk or nearest supporting branch without leaving remnants. SWTC's tree pruning teams are trained in the latest techniques to remove limbs fully for optimal tree health. They’ll never cut too far out or leave hazardous branch stubs sticking out.

Leaving High Stumps

Felling trees often leave unattractive stumps sticking several feet up from the ground.

Avoid leaving tall stumps by having your tree removal company cut them as close to the ground as possible. SWTC’s skilled tree services can lower trees, leaving almost no remaining stump above ground.

For existing stumps, their stump grinding service can chew them away down below ground level efficiently. Let them handle the hard work.

Conclusion

Learning how to cut down and dispose of trees properly helps prevent accidents, damage to property, waste of resources, and other problems. Mistakes can still happen, but avoiding these common errors will reduce negative impacts and help us stay within the budget for projects.

For complex Tree Cutting Services, SWTC offers the equipment, manpower, and expertise to fell trees perfectly every time. From tree lopping to their stump grinding service, SWTC is there when you need help.

[northshoretreevd]

9 Tree Care Terms You Should Know

It's no secret that trees are essential for a healthy and balanced environment. They provide us with oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and help maintain clean air quality. Shrubs also have an undeniably calming effect on the landscape; they can reduce noise pollution, make our cities more beautiful, and add to the overall aesthetic of our neighbourhoods. Tree lopping Sydney is important to ensure their health and longevity so that we can continue to enjoy all the benefits they so generously provide us with.

When it comes to tree care, there are several important terms you should know. Maintaining the shrubs in your garden involves a range of services including pruning, trimming and felling, so a good understanding of the terms associated with these services is essential for making informed decisions and ensuring your trees stay healthy and looking their best.

When you work with an arborist, these are the garden maintenance terms you need to be familiar with. 

Pruning

Pruning is the process of removing dead, diseased or damaged branches from a tree or shrub. It also involves trimming overhanging branches that may be structurally unsound or hazardous. Pruning helps to increase light penetration, improve air circulation within the canopy and promote healthy growth. 

Trimming

Trimming is similar to pruning but instead focuses on shaping the overall look of trees by removing selected portions without compromising their health or safety. This technique can be used to create desired shapes for aesthetics or for setting boundaries around safety hazards such as power lines. 

Felling

Felling is the process of cutting down a whole tree from its base using chainsaws. This service is often required when a tree has become dangerous due to disease or damage caused by unfavourable weather conditions. Felling should only be undertaken by experienced professionals who use specialized equipment and techniques for safety reasons. 

Thinning

Thinning refers to selective pruning that removes dense parts of the crown to reduce weight stress on weak limbs, improve airflow through the canopy and reduce shading from overcrowded branches. Thinning also helps balance out nutrient concentration within the soil by decreasing competition between plants for resources such as water and minerals. 

Lacing

Lacing is another type of selective pruning that eliminates secondary shoots that would otherwise reduce light penetration into inner parts of the canopy where new shoots may not have sufficient space to develop properly. Lacing also promotes healthier foliage development along with a better-looking shape overall when done correctly. 

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction involves reducing the size of a tree’s crown (the foliage-bearing part) while preserving its natural shape as much as possible by selectively removing its lateral branches at predetermined points along their length rather than cutting them off in an arbitrary manner which could ruin its natural form if not done properly by an expert tree lopper. 

Crown Raising

Crown raising is another important arborist term that describes increasing clearance from buildings or other objects directly beneath it via selective pruning so that more sunlight can reach landscaping below it, plus providing accessibility for people walking near it without danger posed by overhanging branches being able to fall on them unexpectedly due to wind gusts, among other things. Raising can also open up views that were previously obstructed by dense foliage overhead.

Stump Grinding/Removal

Stump grinding/removal refers to grinding down old tree stumps into small pieces with special tools after they’ve been cut down using chainsaws or axes to make way for new plantings/landscaping options or just generally clear up any leftover unsightly remnants left behind afterwards (especially useful if they pose potential trip hazards). It’s important when undertaking this service that all residual pieces are removed completely so no sharp edges remain that could potentially cause injury.

Deadwood Removal

Deadwood removal refers to the removal of dead branches from trees due to their excessive weight, lack of foliage coverage (bareness) & potential hazard risk posed by falling debris if left unchecked due to heavy winds etc. It’s important however before attempting any DIY deadwood removal project, you get advice from a professional arborist.

Tree Pollarding

Tree pollarding is where sections at the top part of your tree are removed usually at uniform intervals throughout each year in order to keep them under control & prevent future growth particularly when they become large enough that maintenance becomes difficult/dangerous otherwise (e.g power lines etc.) This method preserves longevity & aesthetics whilst keeping them manageable.