#bison migration

[delicatelysublimeforester]

The Rhythm of Seasons: Understanding Phenology through Weather and Traditional Knowledge

[herpsandbirds]

As someone who is not a birder, can I ask why people have such a negative reaction to brood parasite birds? I just looked it up, and while not ideal for the other species, it seems like a very cool evolutionary tactic!

Brood Parasitism

I will leave the psychology of people's responses to other people, but it is worth noting that Cowbird parents and chicks do not always eject the eggs or chicks of their hosts, like other brood parasites. So, I personally am not that disgusted or upset by them.

For a lot of ornithologists, this bird is troublesome for bird species or populations that are already facing problems (like habitat fragmentation and destruction).

After the decimation of north American Bison herds, the patterns of migration and egg laying/brood parasitism changed in ways that other species had to deal with.

Here's some more reading:

The Ecology of Avian Brood Parasitism | Learn Science at Scitable

Is It Okay to Remove Cowbird Eggs From Host Nests? | Audubon

Brown-headed Cowbird Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Brown-headed Cowbirds - NestWatch

The Ecology of Avian Brood Parasitism | Learn Science at Scitable

[serpentface]

Bulls of the three native wild cattle species- forest bison, buffalo, and aurochs. All three are referred to together as 'kuliganne' (wild oxen/cattle) and only aurochs have a specific name ('ganamit') in common Wardi vernacular, though some local dialects have individual names for each species.

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Forest bison are outright diminutive in size with lean builds, gracile legs, and small horns. They thrive best in densely wooded areas with easy access to water, and are found only rarely beyond the treeline. They feed primarily by browsing and do not compete intensely with the other two wild bovines (which are primarily grazers), allowing their ranges to heavily overlap in some areas.

These bison are the rarest and most limited in range of the native bovines (WITHIN the Imperial Wardi region- they have the widest Total range of the three) . These animals were native to the once vast northern forest, and are now confined to the two remaining major areas of intact woodland. The two populations have been separated for centuries and show minor physical differences, with the western Highland forest bison being slightly smaller with thicker coats, and the eastern Oakland forest bison having longer legs and darker coloration (whether they could be classed as separate subspecies would be a matter of debate).

Forest bison herds can grow fairly large when resources allow, and consist of cows, their young, and subadult males. Adult bulls hold individual territories (which frequently overlap with other males with little competition outside of the breeding season) and patrol the peripheries of their local herds to defend against predators. Herds form out of related females and their young, but do not always stay that way- when different groups meet, they will quite readily exchange members before splitting apart again. Their dominance hierarchies are formed based upon age, and are not strictly maintained by behavioral reinforcement.

They are powerful for their size, but they are accessible prey items for most large predators. Small predators like jackals can occasionally take down adults, and calves are sometimes known to be killed by opportunistic nechoi or even large eagles. Forest bison are swift runners and usually flee from attack, though will form protective circles around their calves when cornered.

Forest bison are interfertile with domestic cattle but do not readily breed with them; hybrids are virtually unknown. Kulustaig cattle of the Highlands show signs of trace bison ancestry, but this hybridization likely occurred prior to their ancestors being brought south across the sea rather than with the native forest bison.

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Buffalo are large, robust, and bulky animals. They are not notably tolerant to dehydration and their range is mostly clustered around large, permanent bodies of water. Wardi buffalo are most populous in savannah and floodplain habitat in the eastern parts of the region, and have largely been kept out of the west (and its highly agreeable, wetter habitats) by the better established aurochs (and the higher density of farmland and livestock). They rarely permanently occupy grassland, but some groups temporarily migrate into the plains during the rainy season.

They are highly social and can group into very large herds as resources allow. Cows and their young form the body of the herd, with bachelor herds existing on the peripheries. Sexually mature bulls generally tolerate each others' presence, and form dominance hierarchies based on size and age.

They are very powerful animals and difficult to kill, with their only regular hunters being lions, crocodiles, riverdrakes, and humans. King hyena (though the largest predator in the region) rarely attempt to tackle healthy adults, and instead pick off sick or injured individuals. Hyenas almost never take down adults, but can be threats to their calves. Buffalo behave aggressively towards sources of predation and will actively mob and attempt to kill lone predators and/or their young. They are extremely dangerous to humans, and may kill more people yearly than any other native fauna (rivaled only by crocodiles).

Buffalo are not interfertile with domestic cattle (and tend to behave aggressively towards them), though that doesn't prevent occasional claims of hybridization. They often compete heavily with livestock (in addition to being a severe danger to humans) and do not benefit from a specifically sacred status, and thus are sometimes methodically extirpated from key pasture and water sources.

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Aurochs are the most widespread of all native bovines, and can be found throughout the region. The Wardi aurochs is highly adaptable and can be found in a variety of environments, but is most notable for tolerating dry conditions- it can thrive in open grassland and even semi-desert scrub that is wholly inaccessible to buffalo. They also fare decently well at elevation and can be found in parts of the Highlands, though compete with livestock for limited pasture and are often driven off by herders.

They are the least social of the native bovines, with most bulls being entirely solitary outside of the breeding season and cows and their young living in small herds (usually consisting of 2-5 adults). Separate herds sometimes congregate in the cooler rainy season to mate and give birth.

Aurochs are VERY large and have few predators (similarly to buffalo, only humans, lions, riverdrakes, and crocodiles regularly kill them). However, their small group size opens more opportunities for the smaller or solo predators- sufficiently large groups of hyenas can take them down, king hyena are occasionally known to chance attacks on healthy adults, and their young are vulnerable to most predators. They can be highly aggressive when provoked, but do not engage in mobbing behaviors.

They are fully interfertile with domestic cattle (though this particular subspecies is likely not the ancestor that Wardi native cattle are domesticated from). Most do not go out of their way to mate with livestock, but some bulls are known (even locally infamous) for 'seducing' receptive cows within their territories. This crossbreeding is sometimes encouraged in hopes of improving cattle stock, though first generation hybrids can often be aggressive and difficult to manage. Some Wardi aurochs populations show distinct signs of hybridization, including the lyrate horns, dewlaps, and some markings of the native domestic cattle.

Aurochs have a near-ubiquitous venerated status among the Wardi, Wogan, and Cholemdinae peoples. They are considered sacred to the faith of the seven faced God and are valuable sacrifices; the Face of God Mitlamache (and God Itself during the act of creation) is usually represented by an aurochs. The word 'mitla' is the Wardi word for both a crescent moon and the horns of aurochs.

There are several variants of bullfighting practices in Imperial Wardi culture, and wild aurochs are used in some. This includes bull leaping, bull dancing (where a person taunts and dances with the bull while evading harm until the animal tires), and the Very dangerous bull wrestling (where a fighter tires the animal until it can be physically wrestled to the ground). Most bullfighting practices are non-fatal, but aurochs specifically are used in explicitly sacrificial fights, a very difficult rite in which the animal must be brought down with only a small blade.

Here's a map showing the (heavily approximated) ranges of the three species. Low opacity denotes low population density or species overlap. Areas of species overlap with bison may imply simultaneous occupation (as the bison does not intensely compete for resources with the other two), while aurochs/buffalo overlap usually does not (they compete directly and established populations rarely occur in the same places at the same times).

This map only indicates the population of the Wardi aurochs, Wardi buffalo, and forest bison (there are plenty of other species/subspecies in these genera outside of the marked area). The forest bison is the only one of the three to occur on both sides of the Blackmane mountains.

[sane-human]

I found something pretty cool , the ancestor of the Indio-Europeans speakers!

Yamnaya Culture! "The speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language embarked on the Indo-European migrations, that gave rise to the Indo-European languages of today." They were a nomadic people around 3300 – 2600 BC, form them come a lot of other Indio-European coltures , from Greek to Italic ! Horse people yey! :D (X) Epic video on youtube about them (An other cool video after them, Catacomb Culture! ) "Horses were domesticated on the Pontic-Caspian steppe" (around around 2200 BC)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

THESE THINGS ARE SO WEIRD I LOVE THIS THINGS (Saiga antelope)

Anyways Centaurs! :D

I've decided to give more animal features to the personifications when they are nomadic/ancient , to show how closer they are to nature The saiga antelope is the Schytia, the steppe horse (Based it on Przewalski's horse) is the Catacomb Culture and the steppe bison is the Yamnaya Culture! (Like ghosts watching over in the steppe!)

[whencyclopedia]

Cheyenne

The Cheyenne are a North American Native nation, originally from the Great Lakes region, who migrated to modern-day Minnesota and then to areas in North Dakota and further southwest. They are associated with the Plains Indians culture and, after mastering the horse, became one of the most powerful nations of the American West.

Initially hunter-gatherers, the Cheyenne adopted agriculture and lived in permanent dwellings, raising crops that included wild rice. Some of the Cheyenne's defining characteristics are given by scholar Michael G. Johnson:

they lived in fixed villages, practiced agriculture, and made pottery, but lost these arts after being driven out onto the Plains to become nomadic bison hunters. They became one of the focal points of the Plains culture, characterized by tipi dwelling, development of age-graded male societies, geometrical art, and the development of the ceremonial world renewal complex, the Sun Dance. (118)

After their migration from the Great Lakes region, caused by the influx of other Native peoples into the area, they abandoned permanent settlements for a nomadic lifestyle, adopted the teepee (tipi) as housing, and followed the buffalo, which, like with other Plains Indians nations, was their primary food source. At first, they used dogs as pack animals to move their villages, but, after they mastered the horse in the 17th century, horses became their central mode of transportation as well as a status symbol of wealth and power.

They spoke (and still speak) the Cheyenne language which belongs to the Algonquian language group and allied themselves with the Arapaho, another Algonquian-speaking nation, in the early 19th century. The Cheyenne and Arapaho have continued their relationship up through the present day.

They hold to an animistic religious belief that all life is sacred, imbued with a spirit, and interconnected. Religious rituals include the Sun Dance, which is said to have been given to them by their great prophet Sweet Medicine, who also instituted formal government, societal structure, and the original four military societies that would become increasingly important in the wars of the 19th century fought against Euro-American expansion across their lands and the genocidal policies of the US government.

Conflicts with the US Army, the mass slaughter of the buffalo by white hunters to eliminate their food source, and the introduction of European diseases greatly reduced the number of Cheyenne throughout the 19th century, during which they were forced onto reservations as more of their land was taken by white settlers. Today the majority of the Northern Cheyenne live on the reservation in Montana while most of the Southern Cheyenne live on the reservations in Oklahoma.

Name & Nation

The name they are most commonly known by was given by the Sioux. Scholar Adele Nozedar comments:

The name Cheyenne was, for a while, believed to be derived from the French word for "dog" which is chien, since this people had a noted society of Dog Soldiers. However, the name is actually a Sioux word meaning "people of different speech." The Cheyenne name for themselves, Tsistsistas, means "beautiful people." (93)

The meaning of Tsistsistas has actually been translated in several ways, including "the people", "like-minded people", and "like-hearted people." They called their homelands Tsiihistano, meaning "home of the people," which, at the height of Cheyenne power, stretched from Montana to Texas and their economy depended on the great herds of bison, which they hunted across these lands seasonally.

The Cheyenne nation, originally of three groups, expanded to ten prior to the 19th century, including:

Heviqs-nipahis

Hevhaitanio

Masikota

Omisis

Sutaio

Wotapio

Oivimana

Hisiometanio

Ogtoguna

Honowa

These ten make up "the people" of the Cheyenne nation, who are represented by delegates to the governing body known as the Council of Forty-Four, but there are other bands who are also considered Cheyenne. Further, the nation is divided into the people known as Northern Cheyenne and Southern Cheyenne.

Continue reading...

[rabbitcruiser]

Chan Lake Territorial Park, NWT (No . 2)

The park is for day-use only, and has picnic tables, pit toilets and a kitchen shelter, designed to afford a sheltered place to light a small cooking fire. Pets are welcome on a leash. It is open during the summer from May 15 to September 15.

Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary is under twenty minutes from the park and bison can be encountered both on the highway and in the park itself. The lake is on the migration path of several birds: ducks, geese, loons, swans, and sandhill cranes may be seen.

Source: Wikipedia

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Are Cowbirds Invasive?

(Originally published on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/are-cowbirds-invasive/)

When discussing invasive species, we often think of species that evolved far away on other continents. Here in the United States, thousands of non-native species have been brought here since the dawn of colonization; while not all became established, a significant number have since become aggressively integrated into local habitats, much to the detriment of native species they displace or otherwise harm. But sometimes a species will simply encroach upon an ecosystem adjacent to its native home, and then spreads from there, having the same negative impact as other relatively new arrivals. Which begs the question: are birds on the move like barred owls (Strix varia) and cowbirds invasive?

I want to especially look at the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). Like the barred owl, these chunky songbirds have expanded their range in North America in recent decades due to the extensive damage we’ve done to habitats across the continent. Both were particularly affected by the destruction of the Great Plains. Settlers tore up the ancient grasslands with plows, suppressed fires that had kept forests from encroaching, and started a trend of afforestation–planting trees where they aren’t supposed to be–that continues today. In the latter half of the 19th century, the plains bison (Bison bison bison) was slaughtered almost to extinction to make money off the sale of their remains, and to disempower indigenous communities throughout the region who were reliant on this keystone species for their very existence.

The owls hopscotched across the growing number of tree plantations that dotted first settlements, then towns, then sprawling suburbs and cities, and thus were able to reach all the way to the west coast, where they have put serious competitive pressure on the northern spotted owl. The cowbirds, on the other hand, became refugees as all but the last few hundred bison disappeared from the landscape. They instead turned to domestic livestock like cattle for their survival.

(Read the rest under the cut.)

Same Habits, Different Hosts

Brown-headed cowbirds are unusual in that they evolved to migrate with the bison, rather than waiting for new herds to arrive. The birds feed on insects stirred up by the herd’s hooves, along with seeds of grasses and other plants along the way. Cowbirds perching on the backs of these enormous mammals would have been a common sight prior to the bison’s near-extermination, and today they may still be seen watching for prey from on top of cattle, horses and other domestic livestock.

Because cowbirds have spent thousands of years migrating with their bison hosts, they couldn’t afford to settle in one place for months at a time to raise a nest of chicks, particularly as spring and summer would be prime time for finding insects to eat. It might be weeks or even months before a herd would return to a given area, and without the help of the bison the cowbirds would have had a difficult time finding enough insects on their own, let alone for a hungry nest of babies.

So the cowbirds evolved a rather controversial strategy: brood parasitism. Instead of building their own nest, they find someone else’s and leave a few eggs there for the unwitting owners to raise. Some people anthropomorphize the cowbirds as being “bad”, “lazy”, “evil”, and so forth. And, of course, it’s easy to call cowbirds invasive, too, since they literally invade the nests of other animals.

But nature is amoral; there are no inherently good or evil animals. While we may project our distaste for the cowbirds’ practices onto their value as a species, brood parasitism is simply one of a plethora of strategies animals have evolved in order to pass their genes on to the next generation. If it gets the job done, then it is an evolutionary success. Like the mate cannibalism of some mantids and spiders or animal infanticide practiced by male lions, baboons, and dolphins, brood parasitism may be vicious by our standards, but it is a legitimate survival tactic in the sometimes-cutthroat world of nature.

Are Cowbirds Invasive?

We can certainly call cowbirds invasive when they hop into a nest they didn’t build just to drop off an egg. But are they invasive on a more widespread level? Arguably yes. Not all invasive species were physically transported by humans, but the impact is the same: they have a deleterious effect on one or more other species in their habitat. And unlike coyotes, which only spread to new horizons when their competitors were extirpated by human hunters, brown-headed cowbirds are not filling a niche that was previously taken by another species. they are, instead, an often-unwanted addition to local ecology.

In addition to tearing up the Great Plains and then planting trees there, we also cut down massive numbers of trees in historically forested areas across the continent, leaving patches of fields in which cattle and other livestock graze. This has led to the spread of the cowbird beyond its normal range in the prairies. Other bird species that evolved alongside the cowbirds have developed ways to respond to brood parasitism, from throwing cowbird eggs out of the nest, to building a new nest entirely.

A young cowbird sits in a sparrow’s nest. Note the sparrow egg in the lower left corner that has been pushed out of the nest.

But birds in the cowbird’s expanded territory aren’t always so savvy. That includes species that have seen declining numbers in recent decades due to habitat loss, lead and other toxins, and predation by another invasive species, the domestic cat (Felis catus). Since cowbirds and their chicks will both remove their hosts’ eggs from a parasitized nest, and cowbird chicks may toss their host’s young out or steal all their food, this means fewer numbers of the host species being successfully hatched and fledged. All of which means cowbirds are becoming a serious conservation concern.

That being said, we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss an entire species by calling all cowbirds invasive. Within their native range in the Great Plains, they are an important part of local ecology. And–unlike certain members of our own species–they are not intentionally cruel animals that want to see other living beings suffer. They are simply doing what their ancestors have done for thousands upon thousands of years, and unlike humans they have no capacity to consider the impact on their hosts.

One last note: if you are tempted to remove cowbird eggs from a nest, please don’t. First, it’s an activity best carried out by professionals who have a better sense of what nests should be attended to and when. Moreover, egg removal can not only cause the host birds to abandon their nest and their own eggs, but cowbirds are more likely to attack hosts who remove the offending eggs, and you could be setting the nesting pair up for retaliation from the cowbirds. And brown-headed cowbirds, like almost all native birds in the United States, are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it a federal offense to disturb or harm the birds themselves, as well as their eggs or nests. If you are in an area where cowbirds are considered to be invasive, and you are concerned about another species’ nests, contact your state wildlife department or the closest Audubon Society (some of these societies have changed their names in recent years, but fulfills the same roles as before.)

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[aestherians]

Can you believe there used to be several herds of bison in North America, each containing upward of 4 million bison? It's estimated that a herd could lose 20,000 individuals during a single river crossing, but that the herds were so massive the drownings wouldn't even put a dent in it. Bison used to cover the continent. The only herds that come close to this scale are the annual wildebeest migrations of East Africa

This is what the American prairie used to look like.

I can't even grasp what powers could drive humans to bring bison to the brink of extinction. It seems impossible that a population of 60 million could be brought down to 600, purely through hunting.

[vickysaurus-art]

350000 years ago, just beyond the western edge of the icy Schwarzwald, spring has come to the mammoth steppe. A raven flies over a group of steppe mammoths enjoying a cold bath in the Oos river, while a Megaloceros grazes on some choice plants growing on the riverbanks. With the harsh ice age winter in retreat for a few months, a flock of greylag geese migrates north, a buzzard hunts, and a small pack of wolves observe a herd of steppe bison and some roe deer.

[vixen525noms]

Pre-DCD: Barrett's Bison Hunt

Warnings: References to fatal vore, tasting, unwilling, overall Barrett being evil bastard before he met Hope.

Patience… as exciting as it was that the forest bison herd was passing through on migration, he didn’t want to rush the hunt. He would be eating good, so might as well target some real good ones. A couple of the young males… best to leave the cows to make more so there would be good hunting next season. Fortunately forest bison females were different enough from males to usually tell the difference. Occasionally would accidentally get a female with unusually large horns and thicker fur, but not common enough to worry about. 

He licked his lips. Best to get two or three of them. He could fill his jerky rack at home, and have a nice full belly. Meat to last… that was rare. His claws flexed, the ones on his toes gripping the ground so he would be ready to move with speed. 

He shot off in a burst of speed, the bison taking off in a panic to flee a predator. A flash of claws and the first target was down, collapsing on the ground. He could see the largest male of the herd in reach, but best to leave the big one to make more big ones. A quick change of direction and he slashed his claws to nail another. He could hear another syor hunting out here too… but he couldn’t let that distract him. The herds always brought several of his kind.

Barrett kept running, hoping to get a third. Should be within reach… getting a third was hard… usually ran out of energy before he could nail another. But he was a good hunter… he got a third more often than many syor… There, one stumbled. And one last slash of claws and it was dead. He paused, catching his breath a moment. He picked up the most recent kill, slitting its throat and drinking the blood. Waste nothing from the kill, and the blood needed to be drained to jerky it later.

Barrett turned, collecting his other two kills. When collecting the last he bit the head off, soon eating bites of the body. Such a large beast… he wouldn’t need to eat for a couple days. 

As he ate the last bite he paused, ears perked. He knew that sound… a bow. A human hunter was attempting to hunt the bison. Not unheard of… they used the sounds of syor hunting to keep themselves from being tracked when they could. But this one slipped up. Barrett licked his lips. He may be well fed… but a squirming, fighting little morsel would feel quite nice to finish off this feast. 

He sniffed the air, flicked up his sensory organs over his eyes. He couldn’t pursue while they were up, he would trip or run into a tree. But while those black tertiary eyelids covered each eye, he could see the special energy of animals… like humans.

There. A little human hunter. Thinking all syor were too distracted to see them. The black lids flicked out of sight and he crept closer. A short chase might be fun… why not startle the little morsel into trying to flee? So he crept around, checking the location occasionally as the hunter attempted to ger a bison. He crouched down close as he came up behind the hunter hiding in the brush. “Well well well, what a delectable morsel to end my bison hunt with.” He watched the human jump, startled, the arrow they had readied to draw hitting the ground before he turned to look behind him.

Barrett expected a scream, running for their life, bargaining or fleeing… humans had such a wide variety of interesting ways they tried to survive. But this little hunter’s reaction was… disappointing. 

The hunter dropped their bow and sighed, “Well fuck. Just get it over with.” No other reaction… just stood there, accepting they couldn’t escape. This… wasn’t fun. And the fact they made no attempt to escape or bargain.. may not give any pleasant wiggles. 

Maybe he could panic them enough to act differently. 

Barrett plucked up the human between two fingers, watching for any squirm or struggle… but nothing. Guess it would take more. So he licked the human. “Mmm,.. humans truly are quite the treat… but while your flavor is wonderful, the best part is how much you fight after being eaten. The desperation as acid eats away at your skin as you wade helplessly in the acid that will end your life. No quick bite on any human… it would end the fun too quickly.”

He slipped the human into his mouth, licking them over and moving them around… but still nothing. The human had no fight in them. With a belly full of bison, what was the point if he couldn’t get some good kicks and fight?

He spat the human into his hand roughly, “You… just lay there…” The human seemed confused at being spat out. “What’s the point in anything else? I have no poison or magic that could save me.”

Barrett grumbled under his breath. This human sucked. He started to walk away from the hunting grounds, debating on what to do with the human. It really wasn’t any fun, and he wasn’t hungry. He supposed he could sell the human to another syor, or maybe see if a syorian would pay to save the human… he didn’t need the money but was better than a catch going to waste. Might be best just to reshape some metal or rock into a cage and save it for when he was hungry again, even if the little morsel wouldn’t give any good squirms. But he had a lot of bison to hold him over. 

He paused after a couple minutes. He had chased humans in this area once before… more than one had escaped in a hollow under a tree. Not enough rock or metal for him to move that would force them out of that hiding spot, and it hadn’t been worth wasting energy to kill a hidden human when he needed energy to hunt. But he didn’t need energy to hunt today… today he could use this catch to make better hunting in the future.

“Hmm… Human, I have feasted well today. I don’t need to eat more. So we are going to come to an agreement. I am going to give you a task, and if you succeed, I will release you and leave. You will have no risk of dying to me today.”

The human in his palm looked puzzled, but nodded, “If… that is how I can survive… then sure. I know your kind keep your word.”

Barrett sat down next to the hollow humans had previously used to hide from him, setting the human on his lap as he grabbed a branch and pulled out his knife. “There is a place here humans use to hide when I hunt them. You are going to position things I give you in there so it is harder for a human to get in there. You can leave a small, hidden gap for your own use so you may remain there until the other syor leave this area. If you just try to hide from me…” 

He held up his knife, “I’ll use this to sever you in half even if I can’t retrieve the body to eat.”

The human hunter considered and nodded… then even went so far as to bow, “That is more than fair, mighty syor.” Barrett smiled. Refreshing humility… the human may not give a good fight and squirms, but it knew its place well. “Interesting… You act different than many humans…”

Barrett started carving the sticks. It was a relaxing thing to do while he rested with a full belly, although he usually preferred shaping metal or rock. The human stayed still on his leg, making no attempt to flee. Eventually Barrett set the human near the hollow and started handing the carved branches. 

It was obvious that even if he carved the pieces down small, the human did struggle a bit with positioning them. Barrett did place the branches near to good positions, but to get them further back did require the human. Barrett cocked his head to watch.. and while the human did have to rest a few times, seemed to be keeping the deal. The makeshift barrier would at least delay humans getting out of reach. Not a perfect solution but far fewer humans would escape. 

“That will do human. You are getting far slower, and I don’t think you can do more easily. So I say our agreement is complete. You prepared it well enough to at least delay those who would use it as a hiding spot. You are released from the work, and may rest.” Barrett could hear the human’s sigh of relief, watching the tasty little thing make its way slowly through the branches blocking access to collapse and rest. Barrett licked his lips. At least he had gotten to savor the morsel’s flavor before all this.

Barrett stood. He didn’t much like releasing a human. He didn’t think he had ever intentionally released a human. But no point in eating one that wouldn’t give up a fun fight when he already had a belly full of bison. So he started to head home so he could put his bison meat up to jerky. Would be nice to rest after the hunt. Maybe he would find a better human to eat later. 

He glanced briefly at the mostly blocked off hollow. Maybe the human would be stupid enough to stay put a few days. If it was still here then, if it came out in the open then… he had no reason to release the human a second time. The agreement was already completed. He only said he wouldn’t kill the human this day… wasn’t much reason to give a human more than a brief promise of safety unless they were used to bait other humans. 

Yeah that was the only good reason to keep a human alive… bait for more tasty humans. He couldn’t imagine any other scenario he would want to keep one around.

Barrett smiled, continuing to walk. This was a good day. A very successful forest bison hunt, and he made sure humans couldn’t escape so easily in this area in the future. Now to get home, prepare the jerky racks, and get some sleep.

[scotianostra]

On June 6th 1891, Sir John MacDonald, the Scottish-born Canadian statesman, died.

John MacDonald was born in Glasgow, the son of a merchant who migrated to British North America in 1820. The family settled in the Kingston area of what is now Ontario, and Macdonald was educated in Kingston and Adolphustown. In 1830 he was articled to a prospering lawyer with connections that were to prove helpful to Macdonald, who rose rapidly in his profession.

MacDonald is considered to be the architect of the Confederation of Canada and served twice as the first Prime Minister of the unified Dominion, between 1867-73 and 1878-91.

Already an experienced local politician, he helped form the 1854 coalition with Upper Canadian reformers and French Canadians, creating the Liberal-Conservative Party. Within this coalition government, Macdonald was promoted to be attorney-general, and later acted as co-premier between 1856 and 1862. In 1864, MacDonald accepted that constitutional change was necessary for Canada, and spent that summer preparing proposals for a Confederation.

He was a leading delegate at all three Confederation conferences, and was knighted for his work towards union. The stamp you see in pic two was issued to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth in January 2015.

MacDonald undoubtedly laid the foundations of modern Canada, but he also personally set in motion all the most damaging elements of Canadian Indigenous policy.

It has been said that Macdonald basically had Indigenous people locked down so tightly that they became irrelevant after 1885. When Macdonald took office for the second time in 1878, the plains were in the grip of what is still one of the worst human disasters in Canadian history.

The sudden disappearance of the bison, caused largely by American overhunting, had robbed Plains First Nations of their primary source of food, clothing and shelter. Suddenly, all across the prairies were scenes reminiscent of the Irish Potato Famine only 30 years prior.

Around what is now Calgary, Blackfoot had been reduced to eating grass. White travellers described coming across landscapes of up to 1,000 Indigenous so starved that they had trouble walking.

Macdonald did not cause the famine. Nor did he draft the Indian Act or most of the West’s treaties, which had been created under the prior Liberal government but he did capitalise on prairies wracked with famine.

Macdonald’s Indian agents explicitly withheld food in order to drive bands onto reserve and out of the way of the railroad, another source tells us that his policy towards the native population was driven by submission and starvation.

We can't overlook things like this, and I personally try to give a two sided view when putting these posts together.

Under his, and other governments control the plains people's population fell by about a third.

After a failed rebellion MacDonald wrote....“The executions of the Indians … ought to convince the Red Man that the White Man governs,”

He was however a man of contraries, and in one way Macdonald was oddly more progressive on Indigenous policy than his contemporaries.

On the eve of the North-West Rebellion, he had proposed a measure that would extend voting rights to Canadian Indigenous — a measure that Canada wouldn’t actually adopt until 1960. He wrote “I hope to see some day the Indian race represented by one of themselves on the floor of the House of Commons,”.

In a particularly remarkable quote from 1880, Macdonald did something that would be quite familiar to the Canadians of 2018: He disparaged his forebears for the awful plight of Canada’s first peoples.

“We must remember that they are the original owners of the soil, of which they have been dispossessed by the covetousness or ambition of our ancestors,” he wrote in a letter proposing the creation of the Department of Indian Affairs.

“At all events, the Indians have been great sufferers by the discovery of America and the transfer to it of a large white population.” so he knew what he was doing and how it came about, again it shows how contrary he was.

Defenders of Macdonald contend that he was merely guilty of negligence. He was a man in his 60s heading up a shaky new country while simultaneously orchestrating one of history’s largest infrastructure projects. The fate of whole peoples was in the hands of a man who had no idea what the West even looked like, and had no time to care.

Macdonald won the 1891 Canadian General Election and started his sixth term as Prime Minister. However he then suffered a severe stroke, and died a week later on 6 June 1891. His state funeral was held on 9th June, and he is buried in Cataraqui Cemetery in Kingston, Ontario.

[m-e-n-z-e-p-t-h]

[{]¤| HAIL SATAN |¤[}] The Grand Ancestral Demon I Demon-Shah "Kabbullah-Ogobaala" I.Witchcraft (Voodoo)💀 Shivah; Shiva I.Voodoo-King [{O-go-baal-ah}] N.U.N.Z.E.P.T.H, The African-Warlord. . . (NŪN).

THE SAHARA-DESERT (Migration) I.Woodpecker/Evolution: [Medicinal/Shaman] R E D C R O W I.hindu-Indian; Surrogacy I.Humming-Bird "The-Orchids" (Bluejay/Infertility). An foremost, abiding the "Bison" II.Bison; The Bonfire-Teepee. [{DEMON}] STALLIONS I.Emergence "The-Fern/Death" (Moose-Horses). The "Blue-Jay" I.Death; Hummingbird (Lilac/Plants).

[(DEMONS)] Totem I.Totem-pole "II.Buck" (Elder) I.Moose-Elk/Mooses; The-Elks (Elk) I.Fawn-Bucks. . I.Crystal-Lake; land preservation/reservations property "Owner" (I.Ownership) Andrew M. Allen Drayton, the Native-Land Surveyor (Campsite/Boyscout). Thusly including other estates/multiple properties which are off the initial-site that were restored, purchased, and uninhabited as being seclusive "Abandoned Indian- Reservations" (Landfills).

♾NUBIAN CREED: SATANIST: THE DARK GOD OF VOODOO. . . .

[mymiraclebox]

https://www.tumblr.com/mymiraclebox/748145629715382272/which-deltas-came-from-the-concept-of-death?source=share

How about the other alphas? Also, do the elementals and timekeepers not come from the alphas?

Elementals come from Neutral Energy, which is the leftover energy from when the Alpha kwamis first divided. So yes they come from Alphas, but not from a certain one in particular. Timekeepers also come from Neutral Energy, but they are descended from a former Elemental, Eeterna, the kwami of Time, who divided to become the Timekeepers.

---

Deltas from Life: -Duune the Camel of Perspective -Milli the Chameleon of Emotion -Remmi the Coyote of Despair -Fawwna the Deer of Wilderness -Tuskk the Elephant of Memories -Jellos the Jellyfish of Hatred -Valoree the Lion of Courage -Duux the Moth of Hope -Currio the Narwhal of Wonder -Ecco the Parrot of Language -Duusu the Peacock of Psyche -Daizzi the Pig of Love -Anjjel the Quail of Mercy -Orikko the Rooster of Vitality -Daante the Seahorse of Fear -Poppy the Shark of Joy -Yuume the Sheep of Dreams -Scuut the Tortoise of Knowledge -Teer the Vulture of Sorrow

Deltas from Death: -Fangg the Bat of Fatigue -Verr the Gorilla of Sacrifice -Allces the Moose of Evocation -Glaace the Polar Bear of Endurance

Deltas from Creation: -Sannar the Axolotl of Restoration -Chaapa the Beaver of Innovation -Nooroo the Butterfly of Generosity -Purr the Cheetah of Agility -Reef the Coral of Sensitivity -Snapp the Crab of Adaptation -Florra the Elk of Growth -Ziggy the Goat of Imagination -Baash the Mouflon of Strength -Mullo the Mouse of Abundance -Ziibi the Otter of Transformation -Aynna the Scarab of Reflection -Flairr the Secretarybird of Passion

Deltas from Destruction: -Karrma the Goose of Justice -Vexx the Komodo Dragon of Corrosion -Stompp the Ox of Determination -Habuu the Rattlesnake of Beauty -Roaar the Tiger of Force -Sotaa the Wolverine of Conflict

Deltas from Order: -Harmonee the Ant of Cooperation -Pollen the Bee of Subjection -Maggi the Binturong of Magnetism -Yanna the Bison of Victory -Llucie the Crocodile of Clarity -Elle the Gecko of Equality -Izzy the Isopod of Instinct -Niisha the Jackal of Connections -Donna the Llama of Attention -Attlantis the Octopus of Choice -Fleet the Ostrich of Guidance -Ommen the Raven of Probability -Verriti the Scorpion of Truth -Prrince the Swan of Loyalty -Wayzz the Turtle of Protection -Divvi the Zebra of Duality

Deltas from Chaos: -Blannca the Blackbuck of Inversion -Clikk the Dolphin of Sound -Liiri the Eagle of Freedom -Trixx the Fox of Deception -Parra the Giraffe of Confusion -Xuppu the Monkey of Derision

Deltas from Space: -Barkk the Dog of Detection -Sorren the Falcon of Observation -Spikke the Hedgehog of Precision -Taamus the Hippopotamus of Density -Kaalki the Horse of Migration -Floss the Ibex of Friction -Kicc the Kangaroo of Avarice -Vollee the Locust of Invasion -Jiicho the Okapi of Dimension -Lynn the Pangolin of Boundary -Mannta the Ray of Immersion -Kaanda the Rhinoceros of Augmentation -Finn the Salmon of Navigation -Tinni the Squirrel of Diminution -Twwist the Stoat of Elasticity -Drill the Woodpecker of Expansion

Deltas from Void: -Dess the Cougar of Apathy -Olivv the Dove of Peace -Ravenna the Hyena of Scarcity -Belaa the Jaguar of Imperception -Tyyto the Owl of Secrets -Selkee the Seal of Elusion -Frijj the Snow Leopard of Silence -Acce the Thylacine of Isolation

[restingwithineywa]

Vampire AU | The Great Hunt

The sound of thunder churned through the forest. Echoing far and wide yet the sky was clear of rain but instead, filled with the groups if Ikran Makto. The ground filled with Pa’li riders and the stampede of running Sturmbeest that ran through the river beds, herded somewhat by the clear space left ahead of the creatures and followed by the Na’vi in the other directions.

A few had been dropped already by quick and efficient shots, others struggling to hit their target.

Jake, fully decked out in his attire, dreads pulled back from his heavily painted face and Bob weaved through the other fliers. Tracking a bull that looked big, a few ground hunters throwing spears but not hitting the soft spots in their hide to pierce. One unfortunate Pa’li rider got decked off by a more determined Sturmbeest not willing to go down without a fight but the two got up quickly to avoid a trample and dove out of the way.

He could sense Neytiri through Bob, watching a little but focused on her own shot as her bow was ready. Tsu’tey seemed to descend down from the sky ahead, his movement’s fluid and he took his shot, aiming down before the beast fell, rolling over and falling still.

Jake itched to strike, but he was aware of the moving treelines so he flew ahead to the left side and aimed back. His heart was steady and Bob’s focus ahead kept him from worry; they had plenty of time before they had to worry.

Then, he let the arrow loose after a second to line it up to the beast’s chest, where they breathed. It struck and it fell, rolling over too in its momentum but Jake felt an overwhelming sense of victory.

“Hell yeah!”

Neytiri’s laugh seemed to echo. “Hell yeah!”

Jake turned, grinning her way before letting out a repetitive low O cheer, waving his bow.

He soon saw Ming on the back of a Pa’li with Na’vi rider, strapped on with a type of harness to ensure the rough turns wouldn’t send her off, but he knew she had a rip-cord to bail if her Pa’li got struck. She made a failed shot on her bow once but managed a strike to its softer underbelly as they rode ahead that struck it down alive, a second Pa’li rider was the killing shot but he knew what that still meant to her.

N’deh seen made his kill, but not with his bow. Jake followed as the warrior leant, his sling ready and his prey soon picked out before he swooped down, and with a sharp rotation and a whistling sound, the Sturmbeest went down, leaving N’deh laughing in joy. “<It worked!>”

Jake grinned, pulling up beside him. “<You’ve got amazing technique with that.>”

N’deh just grinned, looking far happier than he had seen before and honestly, deserved.

-

When the migration had surpassed the boundary, marking the end of the great hunt and the next task was less fun in the retrieval of their hunts but with the Pa’li, and preparations, it wasn’t too long to get the line going in their return to Hometree. Twenty-five were killed so it was a bountiful hunt which meant they were going to be busy. With the hundreds of hands, he hoped they’d be done before nightfall.

Jake landed back just ahead of the first Pa’li, startling excited children and let them follow him as he headed to help.

Aside from the few who were in the hunt itself, almost all the humans were at Hometree, people who had Dreamwalkers were in them to aid more efficiently. A few Ikran riders had delivered a few of the injured back so Mo’at and a few other healers were soon occupied with cuts, scrapes and a few broken bones. Fortunately, no loss of Na’vi life in the hunt which had pleased Eytukan. Accidents did happen, more so when there was a risk of trampling in a stamp of the Na’vi equivalent of bison.

Humans didn’t quite have the strength to do the main butchering, but they helped ferry about the parts separated from the meat, or do smaller butchering on other parts. Occasionally, he saw a few masks look a little bloody with what looked like either spatter or finger marks.

Jake helped with the bones, moving from one station to the other with newly separated pieces, the bones piled up quickly but Jake was amazed with how the bones were handed with quick and fast efficiently. Since most of the clan was dedicated to the processing, the area was far more filled with vats and waterproof containers to help hold the elements stripped from the bones. It was like the inside of Hometree’s roots was in four sectors; Bones, Meat, Hide and preservation.

The last was mostly where herbs, salt and other powers were used to cure the meat, a necessity en mass like this. Some areas had smoking fires where meat was put there straight away, some were and wrapped in some sort of marinades. Some were left in honey pots to cure.

Bones didn’t need immediate attention, unlike the flesh and organs, the hides were easily handled by the leather workers and Jake found himself sitting in a group of humans, Na’vi and listening to music being played outside as they cleaned the bones further of meat and ligaments.

He recognised the music playing on Kung’s tablet, EPIC, not by the Album but by the story of Odysseus entwined with the song. He couldn’t deny, that some of it was really good for its age, catchy too. One particular song, Hold Them Down, he was a little caught up in before Kung abruptly changed it before the last chapter of the song and a new album was opened entirely.

“I forgot how dark the song went. Not the place for it.” Kung said, looking at his questioning gaze, quickly picking up her knife to continue with the delicate work on the rib bone.

“I never took you for a fan of the Trojan wars or Greek literature.”

Kung shrugged a little. “Just because I was trained for war since I was a teen, I had my interests. My parents birthed me in Greece on tour before returning to South Korea with me when I was two months old.”

Jake hummed, surprised by the news. “Would never have guessed.”

Kung actually snorted a little. “My father got the snip to make sure no more accidental babies happened.” She seemed amused. “I wasn’t expected.”

“No shit.” Jake laughed.

They continued on and he soon moved on to a large leg bone that two warriors hurried along to them and set it onto a mat. So he grabbed his kit, and fresh water and began to restart the cleaning before Tsyra seemed to appear with a smile and help him, their hands going at the same speed.

“<You’re working very well. My mother is very pleased with it.>” She noted. “<Have you considered what you’ll be making when allowed to choose a bone?>”

Jake let out a long sound. “<I’m not too sure. I’d have to know the bone to get an idea.>” Which was the struggle, too many possibilities when the bone itself was abstract. “<I’ve considered a headpiece of sorts but the skull of a talioang… I don’t feel is the right one for it.>”

“<Why not?>” She asked, countering with genuine curiosity. “<We widely revere the talioang for the gifts they provide.>”

Jake hummed but honestly, most of it he didn’t want was the horn on its forehead to make him look like some sort of freaky-ass unicorn. “<It’s… size is something that simply will not work well>” He decided to answer with because it was a far more justified response. “<Far too big. It’s better suited as supportive bones or decorative pieces.>”

Tsyra considered the reason and then nodded softly. “<With this piece… you could make tools that would aid you, or create gifts for those you cherish. It’s… typically expected in times like this to make something for yourself to show your talent as a boneshaper.>”

Jake considered her words but how she said it… there was significant weight to what this was. His churned his mind onto the implications before he looked to her sharply. “< Tsyra, is this a form of rite of passage?>”

Tsyra’s lip twitched. “<Yes. Much like a hunter claiming an Ikran, you’ve proven yourself a hunter, this is much the same thing. You’ve earned a title and a place among the boneshapers and to be seen as an adult whose voice matters in their speciality.>”

The latter of that, Jake was sure was altered enough for an outsider, not accepted as one of the clan, but it was a higher level of acceptance than just being an accepted hunter. He’d take that.

“<Who else will claim a bone?>”

“<There are three other students. We’ll talk more of it after the celebrations but until then, there is much to do.>”

Tsyra was right, there where little time to process heavy conversation but light talk and jokes and Jake listened to the boneshaper’s song as they cleaned and set bones off to dry, or some into vats to start another cleaning process. He hummed with them, dodging a few humans while at it.

Soon, the sky got darker, the gifts were processed, and the celebrations arose from groups before dusk.

Meat from the hunt was provided by the cooks, some honey-tenderised meat was shared as was the Kava for avatars and Dreamwalkers, and Moonshine was shared with fruit juices across the humans. Jake was able to get the ceramic cup out of Bree’s hand when she stole her mother’s cup despite the little human’s complaints but he downed it instead.

“No underage drinking,” He said, handing the empty cup back, regretting how it went down and mixing the alcohol. Fuck, that was strong. “You’re brains not fully developed till you’re older.”

“Your avatar is seventeen!” gesturing to his body.

“But I’m twenty-three.”

“Not in this body, you hypocrite.” Bree glared and stormed off.

Jake didn’t follow her, nor did he think too much as his eyes washed about the festival. Bodies around the fire, flowing and dancing with the music. Ashely too was dressed up, not just like a Na’vi but with streamers to represent Ikran, her movements in sync with the others enough to show she had been taught the dance. There was no mistake that a few eyes were on her too, probably few had forgotten she was an avatar with the alcohol in their system and how she looked. Neytiri was with her, so Jake’s eyes slid naturally to her as she danced, her face alight with joy.

“<Love you, my wonderful wife…and my little babies…>”

Jake’s head tore away from the scene to see Kim sitting with a bowl of juice, sober with a plate of cooked meat, Pandoran veg and her drunk husband with his head in her lap, arms around her and his cheek against the bump. Kim didn’t look mad, just happy to eat in the festivities. Though she did once grab some meat to shove in Jerome’s mouth to muffle and feed him every so often…which worked.

Kim noticed his look. “<Don’t worry about it.>” She called. “<He’s a lightweight.>”

Jake laughed a little and moved on, his eyes returning to Neytiri.

Jake eventually got pulled into a story with N’deh who was telling them all about his kill, the use of his sling that had felled a talioang just as well as an arrow. By no mistake, Jake realised some of these students were from Morgan’s lessons, listening with vivid excitement.

Ming was also with her own circle of listeners, drinking with her rider buddy and clearly enjoying the attention and how the situation worked with her being a sky person.

“Congratulations,” Jake had offered in passing, genuinely pleased for her. Ming just grinned happily and said her thanks.

He found himself seated close to a group of warriors, intent on drinking each other under the table while they talked about how they took their talioang down. Tsu’tey seated there too, watching.

Their eyes met.

Jake swallowed but he saw something ignite in the man’s eyes. A challenge.

“Jakesully.” He said, sitting up straighter. “<Come.>”

Jake moved closer, watching as a new bowl of Kava was brought towards the group. Tsu’tey took the first, then Jake took the second as the group around whooped and Oooed for them to drink.

Kava was strong, but not as intense as Moonshine as it went down.

One after another, Jake’s head felt alive as more cups were filled and returned and one drunk warrior ended the competition when he toppled over and split the kava bowl across the dirt and moss. A minor uproar but people were too drunk and swayed by the festivities to be too annoyed, most breaking away to find new drinks or talking partners.

Jake just grinned, watching them leave yet, Tsu’tey surprisingly didn’t leave either. The quiet between them simply watching was… not as tense as Jake expected either. His tail swished with the music. A part of him wanted to talk, to broker another talk to the warrior because he felt something was unsaid… but Jake didn’t know what to say or to start with.

Humans were drunk as well, but not hammered as a few Na’vi, most likely due to the limits of Moonshine. Bree was in a better mood, with a bunch of Na’vi Kids and telling them something, but what he had no idea. The girl was too occupied to see her mother lead one of the miners away with a clear intent of their nightly plans. Eywa speed to them, he supposed.

Conner was wheeled by Morgan who looked barely sober enough to drive him and Jake watched as the kid was wheeled towards Kim and Jerome, but Conner’s eyes were to the dancers, clear envy in his face.

“<I hope the other will finally get his new leg constructed.>” Jake mused to Tsu’tey, his mind feeling a little clearer a topic easy to mention. “<I think he’s healed enough.>”

Tsu’tey didn’t say anything to that, just grunted.

Jake’s eyes followed other faces now. Zeke was singing, a little dramatically but on brand for his typical loudness. Nadine and Jahan but they didn’t look to be close to starting up an argument. Nadine must have been drinking to be measured. They were grouped with a few humans, a few Na’vi too who looked invested in what story was being told.

Tsu’tey twitched a little, looking like he wanted to say something before he frowned and withheld. So Jake rose to his feet, glad to be stable and wandered over, aware of Tsu’tey shadowing him until he got to the group.

“No one drunk out their minds yet?” he teased.

Someone blew a raspberry at him.

“What story are you telling?” Jake asked, “Sounds fun?”

“Elements of our childhood.” Jahan said, a little nervously, “I got to the story of us digging.”

“Which time was that? When we were four when Abuela thought we were digging our own graves or when we tried to dig to Australia?” Nadine asked.

Jake’s head turned sharply. “What the fuck was the first one?” That was a new one for him.

“Oh,” Nadine stared then laughed. “It’s a funny story.”

“You dug your own grave?” Tsu’tey asked, confused but… more curious. “Why?”

Jahan eagerly took the chance to talk. “When we were four, we had just started to live with our Abuela—Grandmother. We… weren’t easy and nor taught at the time how to look after our living spaces. Things got messy. So, Abuela, frustrated with us, then threatened us to either clean our rooms or we’d be sleeping outside and then she left to have a smoke. So… in all our young brilliance deducted it would be easier to simply sleep outside.”

Jake sniggered a little but didn’t interrupt.

“I mean, our logic was sound.” Nadine carried on, “But I had been looking at survival pictures so… I figured that we should dig a hole to sleep in, we could create a tent out of leaves and sticks for insulation and so, we started to dig. Now, Abuela liked to take long smoke breaks and since she didn’t hear anything smashing or attempted murder, she concluded we were cleaning our room… until she went back inside an hour later to see no cleaning done and so… went outside to see us with two open, shitty pits, mine mostly dug but I was lying in it to measure and Jahan was standing above with the shovel and dirt and, not have any context of our plan, she freaked the hell out…”

“Yeah, I remember her Chancla,” Jahan said, her hand coming to the back of her head, fondly.

A few people laughed.

“She kept Jahan away from Spades for two months after that and moved her into her room from our shared one to keep an eye on her until we explained we weren’t trying to kill each other.” Nadine said, “We got a little in trouble with the landlord about it and she had to pay the repairs to the garden.”

“Any other funny stories of their youth?” Kendra asked, pulling her mask off for a sip of her drink.

Stories were soon traded, laughter spread and even Tsu’tey relaxed enough to join in a little. It made Jake happy to see the young warrior open up around the humans. He was by no mistake distant but it seemed like a good step now for even him to start the bridges to form.

Jake’s attention pulled as Neytiri’s fingers brushed his shoulder but wordlessly followed towards the fire to dance. He didn’t notice how Tsu’tey disappeared with a scowl, accepting the next cup of kava and grinning, the music in his ears. His feet toon ached, his mouth parched and the music began to wind down. Jake was given water to drink, stumbling a little with a laugh, even as Neytiri had a grip on his hand and pulling him away from the masses still about, even as the numbers thinned.

He didn’t fight her… even when he settled down in a quiet space, not risking the hammocks and passed out…

-

In the West, the foreign group moved swiftly through the forest, their drone ahead giving them a view of the hidden human home underneath the trees and the sight that it was dark and low-powered; night had fallen. It gave them a scan of a few sleeping bodies outside.

Risks.

Risks that were easy to deal with anticipated precautions. The avatar directed the drone onwards. Going towards the sleeping bodies, revealing a group of Na’vi asleep in hammocks but it was easy to see it’d wake one of them up. With a click of a button, the drone dropped a canister and within ten seconds of quiet hissing, a fog covered the area, smothering the fire and sedating the group in their sleep.

“Outsiders down. We have ten minutes before it wears off.” The avatar said, summoning the drone back and lead on the other two swiftly. Inside, it would new another matter but a second canister, they handed off to another who crawled up to the air systems and let it go, sucking in and spreading through the inside.

They might find it odd or they might be suspicious but they weren’t here to steal… strictly speaking. The humans out here, they couldn’t care less about but the one they needed. The purpose of their presence here.

Listening out, there were the final sounds of the night owls being pulled under. Only movement from one and it wasn’t unexpected either.

So the lead avatar took the lead with two others into the airlock, letting the changeover happen before they were greeted with the open view of the interior.  She sniffed carefully, her ears listening but her eyes were drawn to a familiar Dhampyr waiting and immune to the effects, his eyes narrow.

“What in the hell are you doing here, Thana?” Ryan Jax demanded, hostile but knew their scents to not be seen any anything less than superior here.

She had only met him once on Earth but she knew he recognised her in this body too; her scent was almost the same. He knew he had little chance when outnumbered and outmatched. The avatar, Thana moved forwards before she brought up a hologram of a contract and profile, letting him see the importance of this demand and who they were here for. Three years later than planned but now they were here, it was time to follow up. "Where?"

Ryan’s jaw tightened then nodded reluctantly. “She’s hidden in the walls. Grievously injured. She won’t survive long-term outside it.”

Thana’s lips pursed tightly but they were prepared. They had the means to move her without compromising her health further.

“Show us.”

Ryan nodded, his steps fast as he led them towards a far section of the base and moved a desk before removing a single wall panel to reveal a… constructed, practically duct-taped together cryopod with clear functions as a link bed. Old technology and this was painful to look at. She could hazard guesses that the link was ongoing, but with some connection to the avatar that was no doubt outside so… they needed to either take the avatar too or leave the avatar for now and have the human with a mobile crown for the link while they cared for her in the safety of their laboratory.

It would buy them time to avoid people searching for them… and the human and potentially ruin their plans with the woman. They couldn’t waste the opportunity now nor risk it more than necessary.

Inside the messy mixture of a cold link bed was their prize.

Known currently as Alma Cortez. Shot, from the looks of it and severely injured. She’d need to be put through the healing chamber first to survive before they could think of removing the false personality. Tabitha needed to wake up and get her body back into shape. To be strong before her heart became still in the name of new beginnings. They couldn't remove Alma after the transformation. 

“Farid, look through this link bed tech and get it open without damage.” She snapped her fingers, “Steph, bring out our own cryo pod for the road and the link crown so she retains the link while we travel.” The two nodded and Thana took the time to pull out a scanner to process Cortez in her current position and state and uploaded it into a micro projector. The woman’s avatar would stay.

Farid managed to open the bed, sounding an alarm which wasn’t a concern. Cold air filled the room and Cortez didn’t stir, not yet even as the first crown was pulled from her head and the second one put on, nicer, cleaner and far more effective. Thana lifted the human woman from the bed into the travel pod, letting Steph seal it up. The travel cryopod had been for if Cortez had been too difficult to take quietly. Easier that way. Seemed important now.

With the old crown, she stuck into the back bedding gel but with the micro projector, she was able to power it through that, and the hologram of Alma Cortez, lying innocently in the link bed remained as they closed it up. The alarm stopped and the system images changed to something normal.

No one would ever know.

“I’ve set a program to repeat data so no one will see anything,” Farid said, closing up a panel on the main monitors. “It’s a very open system.”

“Time to go,” Thana said, dismissing him and picking up the travel pod under her arm, keeping it flat. They shouldn’t overstay their welcome. “Someone get the canister from the outside group and restart the fire.”

Ryan watched them, conflicted. “Are you going to hurt her?” his eyes to the pod.

“No” Thana said, “By orders of the clans and the orders you’ve read, you’re forbidden to mention our visit until after the eventual discovery. Any other dhampyrs that are living here that wonder, just literate a higher order was given. Nothing more.” Given they weren't here like Ryan, it had to be assumed they were hunting. 

Ryan nodded, his eyes down. “Of course.”

Thana just nodded and left without another word outside, the air was far nicer and Steph returned with the canister before they made their way to the open space, the transport trooper uncloaking as its door opened…

“We got her?” Another avatar asked, his yellow eyes lingering on the pod.

“We got her,” Thana confirmed, smiling now, relieved that their future was far more stable. The clans would be pleased.

-

Jake groaned, regretting every present in his mind but having fully anticipated the moment which he had been trying to put off since he woke up this morning. A shower, a large breakfast, cleaning his wheelchair before he had forced himself to the link bed. There was no getting out of it

Boy, the weight of the hangover was crushing. His mouth was dryer than hot sand, his head pulsated with each throb of his heart and his ears were so sensitive. All he wanted to do was curl up and listen to the void because that was quiet.

“<Jakesully>”

“<...no…>” He groaned, his hands already covering his ears.

Something tugged on his tswin, his eyes opening to the far too-bright world and Mo’at crouching beside him. She didn’t look very pitiful, but she had a deep wooden pitcher and a small pod of something.

“<You will need fluids. Drink off of this and this.>” She said, “<It will help restore balance to your body.>”

“<Anything for pain?>”

“<No but you’ll be functional within the hour.>”

Jake grumbled a little. “<Why not? You know, Doctors have an oath to do no harm…>”

Mo’at chuckled a little. “<I am a Tsahìk, not a doctor. I do little harm where possible but I can inflict as much pain as I need to without needing to do harm. The people with injuries they must stretch and use are often in pain to lessen it.>”

“<Pretty sure they have meds,” Jake grumbled again but opened up the pod of medicine first and downed it, grunting at the bitter, gritty texture and trying not to think what was in it before he began to glug heavily from the pitcher of water… which tasted it had something added to it that made it taste a little herbal. Electrolytes of sorts? Jake hoped so.

Thankfully, it cleared his head enough to look around bleary-eyed and squinting, allowing Mo’at to take the pitcher to refill. Kung was back and handing out food packs with the cooks and smirking at people’s morning regrets. Jake flipped her the bird when she got to him and snorted.

“Don’t think I don’t see the hickies.” Jake said, receiving the leaf wrap which revealed to be steamed veg, scrambled eggs and tender meat strips with a light seasoning.

“At least out of the both of us, I got laid,” Kung said, smirking still.

Jake had no argument to that and just started to stuff his mouth, suddenly realising how delicious the food truly was and how empty his stomach was.

His head did start to feel better after food and rest before he started to get up, stepping over people, almost treading on a tail and managed to get himself another drink of water. Yep, today was going to be quiet.

He licked his lips, but humans were soon about, some with headaches and hung over, some chirpy and fortunate to be active and about, though tired looking.

He could see Elena ahead bargaining with a cook about some of the marinating meats, asking for a bigger portion to return to the camp with. The cook didn’t look to be putting up a fight about it and there was little reason to since there was so much meat still.

“You like your meat?” Jake remarked.

Elena’s head turned sharply before she gestured down to her thin frame, much better than her other ISV crew conked out across Hometree, but clearly still not fit enough. “I need the protein.”

Jake managed a chuckle. “That’s fair. How’s your new setup going? I was surprised when Ruby said you left without much warning.”

“Very well, actually. Bree’s bright and I need stuff to do. Not to mention Kung’s helping me with rebuilding muscles.” Elena said, looking happier to discuss that. “I don’t like…too many people.”

“Well, if you need anything, let me know. I can help.”

“Thanks, Jake.” Elena nodded but sounded more guarded for some reason like she didn't believe him.

It took hours before everyone was awake. Eytukan made his appearance to Jake, looking tired and like he too didn’t have a little too much to affect him but today was going to remain a slow and tired day regardless of where they went.

“So,” Jake addressed the group. “Eytukan says that when people are sober or recovered enough, they’ll start sending us back who don’t or aren’t able to take their typical rides. I have an Ikran. I can do a single trip but not the energy for a second run from Hometree.”

“I can help run rides,” Kim spoke up. “Jerome’s taking a Pa’li straight back with Conner and Morgan. N’deh… is somewhere so I can’t know what his plan is.”

Ashely agreed to take Kendra and Harper on her Ikran, and Zane agreed to take a Pa’li alongside Ruby with a mixture of groups since they all had their avatars to do so. The Kungs and Elena opted to wait for one of the Hometree folks as well as the miners who were in much greater numbers. Some would go to the Tech Yard in preparation for returning to the Valley.

Jake ended up taking Nadine with him, who was limping on a dead leg and a power-draining arm and back at camp, she went straight inside to reset up. Jake offered Bob a treat before he found N’deh conked out asleep in Jake’s hammock instead of his own. Had he left the celebration last night? Jake frowned, confused but he didn’t disturb the Na’vi. He drew a good amount of water, some food and herbs to seep and set that close by for when the man woke. N’deh’s face was soft, smiling, eyes shifting under the lids which indicated he was deep asleep. A good sleep.

Jake shut the curtain and set his avatar down on a blanket instead, not for too long but he’d let the avatar recover more. Plenty to do in camp after all.

-

The baby was asleep… or quietly resting in the water. Finally. The stress of the morning crying had been nearly overwhelming but the sight was… calming. Around the baby’s neck was a soft, inflatable support and the water supported the baby’s weight. Not too far away because the risk was always there. Instead, he was set up beside on her father’s bar stool, papers, books and a laptop in front of her.

It soothed him at the sight. So small with little limbs curled in, eyes closed, tufts of damp auburn hair sticking up and simply relaxed. It was distracting him from the laptop open, drawings and sketches of energy nutrient transfers between plants and trees.

His hand reached forward, dipping into the warm water and touching the baby’s foot. Immediately, the baby’s face screwed up with preparations to make her displeasure known.

“I’m not taking you out, Ridley.” His voice said, trying to sound soothing. The little foot was so small and soft but it didn’t convince the babe before he let go and the baby calmed immediately but he continued to watch.

N’deh breathed deeper, smiling softly at the memory in his sleep.

Masterlist

[kit69lupin]

Tipi in the reeds, red flags flap from the tips of the poles. Blue Wyoming sky stretches above. Tipi's are the traditional dwelling of some native peoples of the great plains, being strong enough for large snow pack and big enough for a fire in the center. They were also easy enough to dissemble and pack to follow the migration of bison and other game animals. Tipi being a Lakota and Dakota word.

[rabbitcruiser]

Banff National Park, AB (No. 12)

Since the 19th century, humans have impacted Banff's environment through introduction of non-native species, controls on other species, and development in the Bow Valley, among other human activities. Bison once lived in the valleys of Banff and were hunted by indigenous people, but the last bison were killed off in 1850s. In 2017 a small herd of sixteen plains bison were reintroduced into an eastern section of the park. Elk are not indigenous to Banff, and were introduced in 1917 with 57 elk brought in from Yellowstone National Park. The introduction of elk to Banff, combined with controls on coyote and wolves by Parks Canada beginning in the 1930s, has caused imbalance of the ecosystem. Other species that have been displaced from the Bow Valley include grizzly bears, cougars, lynx, wolverine, otter, and moose. Beginning in 1985, gray wolves were recolonizing areas in the Bow Valley. However, the wolf population has struggled, with 32 wolf deaths along the Trans-Canada Highway between 1987 and 2000, leaving only 31 wolves in the area.

The population of bull trout and other native species of fish in Banff's lakes has also dwindled, with the introduction of non-native species including brook trout, and rainbow trout. Lake trout, westslope cutthroat trout, and chiselmouth are rare native species, while chinook salmon, white sturgeon, Pacific lamprey, and Banff longnose dace are likely extirpated locally. The Banff longnose dace, once only found in Banff, is now an extinct species.

The Trans-Canada Highway, passing through Banff, has been problematic, posing hazards for wildlife due to vehicle traffic and as an impediment to wildlife migration. Grizzly bears are among the species impacted by the highway, which together with other developments in Banff, has caused fragmentation of the landscape. Grizzly bears prefer the montane habitat, which has been most impacted by development. Wildlife crossings, including a series of underpasses, and six wildlife overpasses, have been constructed at a number of points along the Trans-Canada Highway to help alleviate this problem.

Source: Wikipedia