#despite it not looking very... crocodilian...

[0bir]

i am thinking about fish 24/7

[muffinsin]

Hi, I'm sort of new to your blog and I really love your writing. And since I'm going through a crocodilian phase, I was wondering if you could write one of the daughters with a, sort of half lycan reader but, instead of a wolf they're a crocodilian. And I'm pretty sure crocodilians are bigger and stronger than wolves, so maybe in their lycan form their just massive.

This is my first time requesting like, anything ever so I'm really sorry if I got anything wrong in my ask.

Hi! That’s a really cool ask! :) I’m happy I finally get to tend to it!🙌 Let’s get into it :)

Masterlists

Bela

She’s out hunting when she encounters you the first time

Originally hoping to go for a deer, she picks up your scent instead

And oh my..what a scent indeed

Nothing she has ever smelled before

She’s pulled in the moment she picks it off the air

Before you, she has never quite encountered crocodiles

Even the very few genetically modified ones found near the village are never quite within the castle grounds

This makes you the first to carry such a scent, at least to Bela

She rushes past trees and bushes, dodges branches and swarms past countless scurrying deers and squirrels, even a pack of Lycans is scared off by her presence

Being in a rush is certainly unusual for the collected eldest daughter of Alcina Dimitrescu

And yet…

There is just something about your scent. Something strange. Something new

In time, she finds you, a large creature hiding away a human form she is not yet aware of

You’re by a small pond, washing what seems to be a large paw. But despite your varcolac-like shape, you sport no fur

Instead, Bela spots…scales? Could that be?

Your skin looks hard and dark, scale-like

You look like nothing she has seen before, for even your scales look tougher and stronger, thicker and more resistant than those of any fish she has seen around the castle and village

What are you?

She nears herself slowly, her sickle at the ready

She doesn’t look for a confrontation, really, aware she is neither as fast as Daniela, nor as strong as Cassandra

Still, her mind already scans your body for weak points where her sickle and sharp nails could dig in

Briefly, she thinks, bringing you home would earn her a lot of praise from her family. But, you’re so rare

It would be a pity to eat you

Soon enough you take notice of her and turn to her

She spots the sharp teeth in your mouth immediately, white and pointed, sharp as small blades

She doesn’t doubt you could take your preys arms between them if you tried

Yet still, when you do attack, she finds you to be exciting prey

Of course, due to the warm weather you stand little chance, but your tough skin provides you cover still

At last, Bela finds the weak spot she’s had in mind, the little bit of softer skin at your stomach, and drives her clawed fingers in. Not enough to kill, merely enough to force you out of this fight

When you flee and she inevitably catches up to you, it takes no time for her to drag you back to the castle, despite your size

Inside, you’re shown off and pawed at, before ultimately being brought to Bela’s room

This marks the day you become hers, in a way

She feeds you and tends to your wounds. Silently, she’s thankful you seem to be a fast learner even for a creature and refrain from attacking the hand that feeds and tends to you

The real surprise, however, comes when she awakens one day to snarls and huffs

There’s no longer the mysterious creature in the large cage by her bed. In its place is you, a creature resembling a human

She’s…surprised, but even more so, she’s intrigued

Despite the time she wants to know everything all at once, taking a notebook and noting all she can get from you

You don’t mind all that much. Your imprisonment aside, this woman has been very kind to you

You’ve learned, it isn’t that bad in the castle, even back when you were kept in a cage by her bed

You were fed and warm, had access to water and even got to go out once Bela knew to control, or maybe even trust you

It was a comfortable, but exciting life even then

And the more time Bela spends with you, the more intrigued she becomes. Not only by your beast form, but by you

It’s long now that you’ve had to sleep in the cage

Instead, you’re presented a room near her own, though often she awakens to find you curled up by the foot of her bed or the middle of her room in your other form, lazily sleeping on the carpet

Both your rooms connect to one of the larger bath halls of Castle Dimitrescu, one fitted to your needs and sporting a forest-like look by now

You sometimes find Bela’s sisters lurking in there, but otherwise it is all yours to slumber in when being in your transformed state

She helps you find out more about yourself, exploring your body with you and giving you the opportunity to learn with her by your side

She’s incredibly intelligent, you find, something uncommon in the village and even the castle

You find she’s hungry to learn and enjoy the countless times she teaches you new things, too

You grow closer to Bela each day, too, and look forward to learning more from the interesting woman that rescued you from the dangerous life out by the forest

Cassandra

You aren’t entirely sure how you ended up at the castle cellars

Whether you were captured and sold off, whether you were an experiment going wrong that people had no use for, or whether you were truly unlucky enough to stumble into the wrong territory and get yourself captured

Of course, you know where you are, though. All know of the infamous Dimitrescu Family and what lies beneath the castle

And yet it still doesn’t explain how you got captured

And frankly, Cassandra doesn’t know either

But she notices you, of course

Being the sister that practically owns the dungeons, she knows all about the prisoners ending up there

Traitors, raiders, hunters, misbehaving maidens

You don’t seem familiar to her, though

And as she passes your cage the first time, she immediately notices the shimmer to your skin

Upon opening your cage, she finds herself feeling slightly surprised. You aren’t attacking her. Haven’t. Wouldn’t

You know a fight against her would not go well, you heard the stories of maidens and villagers alike

Was it her who imprisoned you? But, you sensed her surprise and suspicion

“You, pet. What are you?”, she demands, her sickle held just under your chin

You give her a shrug, able to offer her nothing but your name

This intrigues her more. A new prisoner, surprisingly none captured by her

When you suddenly groan and curl in on herself, she immediately swarms back

Were you not in so much pain, you might have commented how cute it looked, her surprised, wide eyes and her little jump that turned into a swarm of flies

Alas, you can only clutch your stomach and groan in pain, hunger gripping you like a vine

“Hungry”, you barely manage to choke out. Thankfully, the huntress underdstands

In less than a few minutes after swarming off she returns to you, a screaming, crying woman held tight by the collar off her rag-like clothing

You can’t bring yourself to feel mercy when she’s thrown into your cell, hunger turning and forcing your hand

Cassandra watches as your skin turns to more scales

Sharp teeth replace human ones, quietly, she thinks of taking one to make a necklace of it

Then though, you take her by surprise

When you bite down on the crying woman’s arm, you neither claw at her nor bite chunks out, as she would expect from lycans and moroaica

Instead, you turn, over and over, so fast she can barely keep up

The crying woman screams as her arm is popped out of its socket, then easily ripped off at the next turn of it

Never has Cassandra enjoyed seeing a kill more

She’s immediately intrigued by you, watching as you easily twist more of your meal off before picking things off with your hands

You sport no claws, you realize, unlike her and most infected. In fact, you almost look like- what was it? A crocodile?

She had seen pictures of those, made Bela and Mother tell her stories of them

Transformed, or perhaps only halfway so, you look strikingly similar

When entering your cell, she finds you still don’t try attacking her

She spends the rest of the day with you, poking at you and lifting your arms, checking your teeth and what not. You don’t mind. It gives you something to do

You become her research project fast

Cassandra ensured you’re fed well every day, and as you prove you’re capable of behaving and listening to each of her commands, she even takes you out the basements occasionally

You’re allowed to hunt with her, something you immediately have fun with

Cassandra is…

Stunning, is one word for it

She’s the most skilled huntress you have ever encountered, outdoing even the rumors of her skill and efficiency

She finds her prey fast, and once caught up with it, defeats it even faster

You are not one for chasing with her, yet occasionally you get to teach her a thing or two about the strategic plans you’re developing

With her you find your true transformed form, a crocodile-like creature the size of a varcolac

As such, you blend in perfectly at the ponds within the castle, and while Cassandra finds it incredibly boring to simply catch fish together, she indulges you

She usually watches from a tree, snickering when fish, snakes, sometimes even silly rabbits and squirrels come near you

Once, a deer did. Again, you twisted your body fast when biting down at its leg

That day Cassandra fell from her perching spot and right into the water, having leaned forward so much in her eagerness to watch

You dried her gently with the clothing you took off before transforming, dabbing soft clothing she provided you with against her cheeks

Aside from hunting together, you like helping her out in the dungeons

You don’t nearly have the knowledge she has, but find: you enjoy your company

As she does yours

You hope, one day, you may call her more than just the woman that has saved you. You think, maybe someday you will tell her she is the woman making you feel happy, safe, strong,

Loved

Daniela

You’re a member of the staff, specifically, one serving Daniela and all her needs

Being her private maiden and in charge of keeping her room clean, bathing her, tending to her needs and such allowed you to build quite a connection with her

And, to many maidens’ surprise, she does not lay a finger on you in a harmful way

Some days, you’d confidently describe the two of you as friends, or friendly at least

On other days, her flirty touches, her bottom on your thighs when she lets herself fall on your lap and her lips at the corner of yours when she leans in for a brief kiss to your cheek have you question what kind of relation you have to her

Nevermind what you are to her, though, Daniela is important to you. Has grown to be one of the most important people in your life even, maybe

With not many among the staff you’d call your friend, Daniela has become the person you care for most

She’s kind to you, though you understand her sometimes random mood swings

She’s caring towards you, and interested in you

Never does she harm you, and you trust she never will, should you not harm her in return. Something you swear you never will

And still, she is kept in the shadows about your…condition

You don’t know how to explain your crocodilian-like state to her, how to start, even. You’re just thankful you can retreat to your chambers or even hers whenever you feel you’re close to transforming even slightly

Not laying a finger on you, Daniela is none the wiser about your unusually thick skin and the scales on your skin, safely hidden underneath your long sleeves and gloves

This changes one day, though

With the begin of winter, Lycans let out to hunt end up at the castle

Tidying up the library, you immediately rush back to Daniela’s room, where you know you’ll find her

Only is she on the ground when you do, clutching her bleeding side and holding her sickle tightly in front of her with her right hand

The previously warm air is cold with the shattered window and in front of Daniela stands one of the intruding lycans

You act fast, pulling the creature back when it’s about to lunge at her again

She’s screaming, her golden eyes set on you. She’s sure she’s about to lose you, assuming you’re a mere human trifling with creatures you ought not even cross paths with

And still, when the sharp claws come in contact with your hip, you scream, but don’t fall

You push back against the creature, your fingers digging into its fur

Before you have time to overthink exposing yourself like this, you feel yourself transform a little

Your face mutates just a little, as your jaw rips open and your teeth become sharp as blades

Your big mouth stretches around the creature’s neck, and quickly, you twist, over and over again

Daniela watches in amazement and shock, as the lycan first twitches and yowls, then stills entirely on the floor, its head separated from the rest of its body

You lift your head as you transform back, your face and chest bloodied

Shakily, you move towards Daniela

“Come on, Milady, this place is far too cold for you”

From then on you only grow closer together

Daniela shares your secret with nobody, keeping it even from her family in fear you might be taken away to be studied

Instead, it’s a secret shared only between the two of you

Talked about in hushed voices and giggles in her room, underneath the blankets

When entirely alone, she sometimes asks for another demonstration. You’re happy to indulge her, glad to be able to be in your other form more often

After batting her eyes at her mother and pulling her famous puppy eyed and lip wobbling look, Daniela is granted to take you outside with her in summer

And it’s the best feeling in the world

You need not worry about villagers or hunters with Daniela so near. You know, you have her back, and she has yours

You’re allowed to swim in lakes and even try hunting with her

At other times, you feel as though on fire when you’re relaxing just underneath the water and spot Daniela’s barely-covered body just a little away from you

It seems, she likes to try her luck as it comes to catching fish. She doesn’t eat them, but finds it fun to watch them quickly scurry away from her hands when sticking them inside the water

You sometimes chase a flock of them in her direction only to hear her excited squeals and adorable giggles

Life is good. And Daniela makes it even better

[tyrantisterror]

What are some of your favorite tropes/conventions when it comes to creature/monster/kaiju design?

One of my favorite design details of the classic kaiju suits are what I like to call "Tsuburaya bumpies" - they're these big protrusions under the eyes of his kaiju that kind of mimic human cheeks despite often not being positioned where cheeks would be. It's actually a really important part of the character design because it's what allows an otherwise inarticulate head to convey several different expressions - depending on the angle of the head, those Tsuburaya bumpies can make the kaiju look happy, angry, even sad, and do a great job in making them appear to have more life and expression than they're actually capable of.

(The skeksis in The Dark Crystal have something similar, except instead of Tsuburaya bumpies they have these jutting eye socket crests that accomplish the same effect while also making them look more decrepit and decayed.)

I'm also extemely fond of disproportionately long arms and huge, creepy hands. Put some long arms and/or big grabby hands on a monster and I'm a happy boi.

Asymmetrical bodies are also a favorite of mine - it's such an easy way to make a design scream "monster" and can be so stylish if you pull it off right.

When making reptile monsters in particular, I love it when people adapt the curvy jawline of their real-life inspirations, like crocodilians and tyrannosaurs. When exaggerated, they can make for a very expressive monster that's still distinctly reptilian.

I also like it when monsters are given a variety of different scales/armor plates, especially when their distinctly shaped. Baragon's unique dorsal plats and Gwangi's neck scutes are two examples of this that I've imitated a lot in my own creature design.

And, like, there's obvious classics - fangs, big bat/dragon wings, backswept horns, etc., but this is a huge topic and I have a limited amount of time on this earth, so we're going to end this here.

[batmanfruitloops]

What's killer croc like in this au?

Typical to most canon comics, Walon was born with what was considered a strange appearance, clearly a meta-human. His mother was disgusted by his appearance and abused him, trying to scrub off his scales, or lock him outside in the rain. Walon's appearance also becomes more crocodilian over time, starting relatively human, but by the time he's an adult, he looks like a bipedal croc.

He was also bullied pretty severely and called a cannibal, despite never even attacking another person, let alone eat them.

He only had one friend, and in time, a real crocodile killed her, for which Walon was blamed. Who was going to believe him?

Despite all this, Walon has stayed a kind and quiet soul, taking pretty much any abuse he's given. He resides in Gotham's sewers, having run away from his countryside home after the death of his friend. While most people know that he's down there and avoid the "Killer Croc", some are curious about the rumors and have ventured down to see for themselves. In the instance where Walon cannot hide from them, he just lets them throw things at him or hit him with whatever else. Defending himself would only come off as violent.

On a bit of a lighter note, Walon does help those he can who come down to the sewers looking for refuge from whatever. And he shares what little he can find to eat.

Walon is also aware of Cleo, as she also takes up residence in the sewers. They don't cross paths very often though, as Cleo's rats let her know if he's too close. He'd like to let her know that he's friendly, but he knows he scares her too much, and it doesn't seem worth cornering her just to prove he's actually good.

I should clarify though; Cleo may avoid him because of the rumors, but more than that, she loves her rats, they're her family, and since Walon eats them sometimes, that's a bigger reason not to encounter him.

Hopefully this comes off clearly, especially since Walon is actually really hard for me to draw,

- Sarsee

[alphynix]

Today's #Spectember concepts come from three submitters: anonymous, Jonas Werpachowski, and Novaraptoria.

Despite having a convergent resemblance to penguins or gannetwhales, the humdertaker (Suchomergus pollinctor) is actually a distant descendant of modern hummingbirds.

Its ancestor was a hummingbird species similar to the tooth-billed hummingbird, with tooth-like pointed serrations along the edges of its beak – initially developed for fighting, but later co-opted for better catching insects. Some of these hummingbirds shifted their diet fully away from nectar and became aerial hunters more like their relatives the swifts, and one lineage that commonly fed on insects at the water's surface began also snatching up aquatic prey like tadpoles and small fish.

These birds became larger kingfisher-like divers with waterproof feathers, and eventually some became increasingly aquatic, spending most their time swimming at the surface of lakes and rivers like mergansers or loons. These forms rapidly became flightless, specializing for penguin-like wing-based swimming, but due to their front-heavy build and ancestrally small legs also became completely unable to stand or walk on land, instead restricted to an ungainly motion somewhere between a tobogganing penguin and stiff-spined galumphing seal.

Growing up to about 2m long (6'6"), the humdertaker is a semi-aquatic ambush predator occupying a similar ecological role to small crocodilians. With a heavily serrated beak able to hold onto slippery prey, it feeds mainly on fish, amphibians, and crustaceans, but will also opportunistically snatch other animals from the water's edge and scavenge on carrion – and like a giant aquatic version of a shrikes it often caches "larders" of surplus food on snags in the water.

Although it has a much slower metabolism than its nectar-fueled flying ancestors, it has retained some of their other biological quirks. Tolerance for very low oxygen and the ability to enter a torpor-like resting state allow it to hold its breath underwater for much longer than many other air-breathing vertebrates, and to better conserve its energy during periods of food scarcity.

———

One offshoot lineage of small humdertakers began using their beaks and wings to excavate burrows into the riverbanks, and gradually specialized more and more for digging rather than swimming.

The humderminer (Iposkapteryx werpachowskii) is an especially mole-like form, a fully subterranean tunneler with reduced eyes and broad shovel-like 'flippers'. Only about 10cm long (4"), it primarily hunts worms and other small underground animals, and has retained somewhat iridescent plumage due to the structural benefits when moving through soil.

———

The humdingers are another offshoot from early humdertakers, specializing into even more aquatic lifestyles and eventually moving out from freshwater into the ocean.

Voragornis novaraptoriae here is one of the largest humdingers, about 5m long (16'4"). It's a fully wing-propelled swimmer with a highly streamlined body, and its still-relatively-small legs are adapted into rudders and stabilizers similar to the hind flippers of turtles.

It's an especially accomplished diver, able to reach depths of close to 2000m (~6600 ft), preying on soft-bodied deepwater cephalopods and fish. Lacking echolocation it mainly uses sight to hunt in the deep dark waters, looking for glimpses of bioluminescent prey.

Although humdingers are the equivalent of "whale-sized" compared to their much tinier hummingbird ancestors, they're currently limited from growing much larger due to their reproductive requirements – these almost-fully-aquatic birds do still need to be able to haul themselves out onto land once a year to molt and breed.

Much like penguins humdingers undergo a seasonal "catastrophic molt", replacing all their insulating feathers at once and being stuck on shore unable to swim for a few weeks at a time. This molting coincides with their nesting season, when females use their flippers to dig out a turtle-like nest on the shore – burying the clutches to incubate since their bulky bodies are too heavy to safely sit on them. They'll guard the nests until they've completed molting, but then abandon them, leaving the young to hatch superprecocial and fully independent a few more weeks later.

———

Nix Illustration | Tumblr | Twitter | Patreon

[kiame-sama]

Yandere Chase Young who decides that for some reason you're his mate? Btw, I love your work.

Mixed Signals- Yandere!Chase Young x Reader

Warnings; Display dance, reference taken from several different species, yandere behavior, exophilia, noncombatant reader, drake instincts are strong, yandere chase young, adult themes, NSFW, noncon, mating, breeding kink, female bodied reader,

When you had gone for a walk in a more wooded park, you had not been expecting the dilemma you now had to face.

Standing ahead of you, between you and freedom, was an impossible creature that terrified you to your very core. The razor sharp teeth lining the beast's muzzle and the wicked claws the beast flashed made your heart race in complete and utter horror. You had no way out, stuck with thick thorn bushes all around other than the way you had come and the exit that was blocked by the reptilian monster that now stared silently at you.

In truth, the beast was a walking nightmare that stood at about 4ft tall on all fours and more than doubled in height when standing on hind legs. As it alternated between the two forms of locomotion, you realized that no matter how the beast chose to pursue you, it would be faster and stronger than you. Rows of razor sharp teeth lined the elongated maw of the beast and black stripes broke up the deep green hide.

The odd red coloration on various parts of the beast seemed to flush an even deeper crimson, splines extended and teeth bared. Amber colored eyes watched you closely almost like it was judging your reactions as the beast stared in silent observation. Each movement was smooth and seemed rather natural to the beast that stared at you, where you watched the beast with uncertain eyes and unsteady legs.

A surprising snap of teeth made you jump slightly as the desire to run filled you, the only things stopping you being that beast and the daunting woods behind you. If you ran back, you would very easily get lost among the towering trees, unable to find your way back. Beyond the beast was home, and no doubt the creature would never let you pass.

The monster snapped it's jaws again as if demanding your attention, noticing the slow way the giant lizard bobbed its head up and down at you. Now the red color along the splines was burning crimson, that color quickly traveling down the throat of the beast as it softly made a chuffing sound. It almost seemed like the monster was trying to coax you to do something, though what that thing was, you didn't know.

The fold of skin between the jaw and neck flared out, expanding and flushing with deep red as the reptile chuffed. In some ways it reminded you of how male birds would puff themselves up to look good for prospective mates. You hadn't seen another one of these lizards, but it was always possible that the beast was posturing for another who you had not noticed yet.

After a moment of chuffing, the beast hissed loudly, making you cry out in fear and stumble back, tripping backwards over a tree root and onto your ass. Before you could scramble to your feet, the creature leaped on top of you, thick forelegs pressed razor claws into the dirt on either side of your head. You were left completely pinned beneath the hulking brute, seeing those amber eyes closely examine your body.

The creature lowered that muzzle full of razor sharp teeth down to your neck, gently prodding at your flesh as it snorted hot air onto your skin. Even with how badly you wanted to run, there was nothing you could do to squirm away from the beast, whimpering as it clacked those fangs together. Your whimper made the beast freeze, and sharply raise up to look at your expression, the creature's cheek pressed against your nose due to how closely the beast stared at you.

A slow secondary eyelid slid across the gleaming amber eyes, the gleaming flecks of gold seemed to sparkle. The smooth scales across the beast reminded you of the slender scales of a snake despite the crocodilian figure. Slow breaths fanned over your skin, almost like the beast was taking deep inhalations of your scent.

Again you heard that low chuff, the sound accompanied with a deep vibrating from within the beast, much like the low rumble of a cat purring. As that maw opened again and glinted white teeth in the light, you felt yourself becoming lightheaded, spinning away from consciousness.

~~~~~~~~

The frightening beast examined the now unconscious figure beneath it, keenly aware of what was typically a sign of submission. A deep chuff rumbled from the chest of the drake, purring so affectionately at the soft female that carried such an alluring scent. Each slow snort gave him more of that attractive scent and his reptilian brain was thrilling in joy.

It wasn't often that he found someone he truly adored the scent of. Usually most people had the scent of prey, not the scent of a mate, yet here this woman was. Some part of his brain that hadn't yet been taken over by the beast realized that falling unconscious was a fear response and the woman was terrified, not being submissive. However, the beast mind was stronger and it couldn't help but salivate in anticipation at the prospect of having found a suitable mate.

~~~~~~~~

There was an intense warmth above you, like someone laying their body across your own and trying to press as close to you as possible.

As you slowly returned to consciousness several things occurred to you. The first was the way you lay on your front, hips propped up on what felt like a pillow. The second was that a rather hot rod was sliding in and out of you at a brisk pace. Along with your second realization, you let out a startled and strangled cry that came out more as a whining moan.

Where you expected soreness or some other pain to come crashing down on you due to the unwelcome actions, only a burning pleasure registered to your mind. The sensation of movement in your violated hole paired uniquely well with the warmth of the beast that lay across your back. Each thrust seemed to send more pleasure into you and you could feel your walls restricting around the large length.

A deep growl rumbled out in response to your body clenching down on the hot length, the thrusting only becoming more wild and frantic. The beast was growling- or perhaps it was purring- as it panted moist warmth onto the back of your neck, long slimy tongue laving over your exposed neck and shoulders. You tried to get your bearings but it was difficult to do when you didn't know where you were and had a giant lizard pummeling your insides.

For a moment, the beast stopped thrusting, adjusting the way it lay over you to rest its chin on your shoulder. The large muzzle of the creature left visible fangs and shot fear down your spine as you realized just how close those fangs were to your face. Somewhere your mind begged you to struggle, but you didn't want to anger the creature that seemed to want to mate you instead of eating you.

As it began thrusting again, that pressure returned with a vengeance inside of you, building and climbing higher with each movement. You were panting and letting out loud whines, gasping for each breath as it was forced back out of you.

When you finally reached that climax that the monster had been pushing you towards, you let out a hoarse moan that only spurred the beast on. Your body twitching and writhing with every following thrust as tears collected in your eyes from the continued stimulation. The beast let out a frightening hiss much like the percussive rumble of an alligator as it stiffened above you.

Heat splashed into your abused channel, spurting with surprising force inside of you as it filled you up. Even when you felt as if you couldn't possibly become any more stuffed, more poured into you and distended your soft stomach. You felt the way the beast softened inside of you, your head falling limp to the bed with an exhausted sigh.

The beast wasn't done yet, though. As you struggled to get your breathing under control, the creature stiffened and began slowly rocking its hips again. You had little energy in you to try and fight or stop the creature as you lay limply beneath it.

~~~~~~~~

Returning to consciousness was difficult when all you wanted was more rest, but your body was crying out for hydration of some kind. Your throat felt dry and stuck together, compelling you to wake and search for a drink. The first thing you saw was a table next to the bed you lay on. It had a cup of what seemed to be water, so you quickly drank it down, grateful for the soothing feeling on your raw throat.

"I see you're finally awake."

A deep and smooth voice startled you, making you jolt and pull the blankets closer to you in an instinctual desire to cover yourself. Standing in what looked like a doorway was a man with deep ebony hair that shined the faintest green in the light. He was lean and muscled which added to his intimidating presence. The thing that made you pause was the color of the man's eyes, a shining bright amber that overtook where the whites of his eyes were supposed to be.

"Wh-who-? Where-?"

"You are in my home- my fortress- and I am the master of this place, Chase Young. Many call me a prince of darkness or a monster, but you may call me your mate."

"You-you're the creature..."

"Technically a Drake. I do apologize for the... State... You found me in. It appears my instincts got the better of me and recognized you as a potential mate."

"Please, please let me go-"

"No. I have already claimed and marked you, you're not going anywhere. Better you get used to the idea now, because I refuse to let you slip away. I have clothes prepared for you at the bedside, feel free to dress- or not, I do like the view- and join me for breakfast. You must be starved by now."

[witchofthesouls]

tfp idea, or in which the autobots find starscream with a hissy, squrimy beastformer sparklings (preferably a dromeosaurs of some kind), and get shock that starscream is actually very soft and good with babies.

(Okay, this is the initial scene where a few 'bots + Miko meets Starscream and his dinos. Do they agree with his methods? No. Is it effective and far less traumatizing than it could go? Definitely.

So the babies are babies to Cybertronians. Weird ones but still babies. But absolutely huge compared to humans. )

"Hey, guys, you're not going to believe what I found!"

______

Miko was perched upon Bulkhead’s shoulder, watching the epic battle between two metal mini-behemoths. A crocodilian and a raptor circled each other in the dirt. The raptor’s tail twitched, the long panels lining it and along its arms rippled and fanned in a strange amalgamation between feathers and scales. The crocodile rumbled in response, slower than its nimble opponent but far heavier as they were engaged in the ancient art of tug-of-war.

The oil drum between them groaned in protest, bending out of shape from the pressure.

"Scree!" Even across the empty field, the cry was absolutely ear-piercing as the reluctantly coaxed patient squirmed in Starscream’s grip and upon the makeshift medical station of a flattened boulder.

“Hush now. It’s a check-up. It won’t hurt.” It was hard to believe that not only Starscream went rogue, but somehow, someway became a daddy to dinos, but even as a witness, she never thought the Decepticon could have an almost gentle tone.

“Scree!”

“Must you hover us?” Ratchet was curt, hands trying to reach over.

“My hovering, as you put it, is the only thing keeping your servos whole and not a chew toy.” Starscream snapped. Despite the warnings of Decepticon lies, Miko absolutely believed him. That may be the shortest Cybertronian she’d seen, limbs rounded and armor far more simple than the others, even the horns were stubby upon the small helm with the longer set curving over a chubby face, but in the distance, Miko could spot the jutted and jagged fangs out of that mouth and the intense, slitted stare on Ratchet’s hands.

At that point, the barrel gave up and tore apart, bleeding chunks of Energon crystals, which the metal dinosaur babies, Miko had no other way to detail them, began to wolf down.

Ratchet immediately pressed his advantage when the dragon kid’s gaze turned away.

This, Miko firmly thought, was the coolest student exchange ever.

___________

Ratchet found the ports along the sparkling’s neck, digits jacking into them, and her struggles died as he used medical overrides to access everything.

If she didn’t like him before, then this cemented it.

“Sta-scree!” Her mouth was crowded by denta and it caused a lisp, but that word was definitely understandable as she utterly tried to reject Ratchet and dug deep into Starscream’s EM field, frightened and angry.

The other two sparklings heard the fear and immediately abandoned the treats, but partway through the charge, their energy flagged as they both dropped to the ground.

“Right on schedule,” Starscream commented.

“You drugged them!?” Ratchet hounded, even as he brought up the sparkling’s firewalls and anti-virals and scanned her entire systems, looking for damage from the insistent diet of raw crystals and ores. Surprisingly, nothing.

“I wasn’t going to let your troops bumble into my hideout, and you weren’t going let me into your base.” Starscream hissed back, wingspan flaring, even as his field twanged and curled over the distressed sparkling, trying to soothe her from the first medical check up- a real one, at least. “This was the compromise I could come up with at short notice. Tempest understands. The other two? Not so much. So they can have a full tank and a short nap or reinforced muzzles and inhibitor collars, and only one of those options is acceptable to me.”

As much as it galled him, the flyer was right. These three were unlike any sparklings Ratchet had treated: highly mobile in their alt-modes and capable of using their provided weaponry. It may not be transformative systems of blasters and swords, but Bulkhead could testify to the crocodile’s powerful bite force as it tried to wrestle the toy away and they’ve seen the raptor’s use of its large, deadly talon on its strange pede as it gouged trees, rockfaces, and steel.

The sparklings he was used to were far more dependent on caretakers and slow to develop their systems and frames.

Tempest sniffled between them, and their standoff was interrupted by the all-clear and completed updates he received. 

“With the limitations you had, she needed only minor updates and is fully functional.” It wasn’t an apology, but it was close enough and Starscream tensely nodded.

“Get ready to step away when you disengage.”

The moment he released her systems, Ratchet immediately backed up, just in time for that serrated denta to miss him. Tempest hissed and transformed back into her Predacon alt-mode, darting to Starscream’s side with her wingspan raised high and wide, pink optics blazing.

First visits were always the worst. Hopefully, the other two would stay asleep.

[rainbowlemonslices]

✮🛸intro🪐✮

we don’t use code names anymore because none of us gaf lmao. we have dsmp fictives so if you don’t like that then leave. also we swear. a lot

we’re a endo system who has been on tumblr for a little bit and are redoing certain aspects of our blog to be a bit more accurate! many of us are nonhuman in the headspace in one way or another (kin, holothere, etc). in addition to this, we’re all collectively a goop dog alien who also has parasites, or as we call them, “bugs”! we are physically goop, but are usually in a human form as it takes too much effort to intentionally shift so might as well stay in disguise. we are also able to rarely shift into other creatures, such as a jerboa, but we usually stay human or sometimes our true body. originally we were nervous about bringing up the whole physically nonhuman thing, but with the recent in holothere content, we decided to go ahead and show that part of ourselves to tumblr. also, we mostly use the color purple, despite the rainbow username so yeah.

dni/byi

filter tags

goopsona refenerce image

✮🛸basic info🪐✮

~ our name is goop (collective identity) or lemons (tumblr system name)!

~ collectively we currently use they/them (in a plural sense), it/its, and be/bim/bis/bimself!

~ we use the label holothere usually, but don’t rlly care much abt or mind labels

~ we’re probably neurodivergent so keep that in mind!

~ some of us are adults, while others are not (the body is a minor tho so don’t be weird and shit)

~ endo system (no syscourse, most of us hate discourse and all that stuff)

~ we’re still learning abt the whole parasitical bugs thing, and will add more abt that whenever we find stuff out

~ plz interact u you want, we like to try and meet new people even tho we’re bad at social stuff! (rbs, asks, comments are much appreciated!)

~ we mostly post nonhuman and alterhuman stuff, so except to see that kind of thing on this blog as we get better at writing (we struggle with writing so we’ll see how much improving actually happens lol)

~ the purple goopy alien dog designs is a more online sona version of what we look like, which was designed by a friend!

✮🛸headmates list🪐✮

codename+emoji (pronouns//non-human?//kin type//other)

~ tommy (moots and headmates can call me toms/tom)🌹(he/fae/she//existence related to tommyinnit in some way but we don’t know for sure the details//red panda and bird hybrid//polar bearkin//minor)

~ nick or nikki 🏵️(he/she//piplup and vampire//huskykin//age regressor?)*

~ yellow 🍋(alien//whalekin and monkeykin//dsmp ponk but doesn’t rlly like talking abt it)

~ phil 🍃(he/him//part crow//shockingly philza,idk where he’s been tho)

~ cyan (can also call pup) 🦋(kinda dogkin but it’s complicated, hawkkin, arctic foxkin, sockeye salmonkin//minor)

~ ranboo 🫐(he/him//some kind of creature//ranboo fictive but dunno where he’s been)

~ sodalite/soda 🌀(dragon//uses translations form other alters)

~ purple(d)/finn/cosmo (moots and headmates can call me purp)🪻(ey/em/eirs/emself and he/him//dsmp purpled fictive, don’t like me? fuck off then because i like me//alien, rabbit, and jerboa (complicated)//rabbitkin, duckkin, agoutikin, maybe something else but idk)

~ iris ☂️ (they/them//alien//polecat therian//minor//age regressor)

~ pink 🌸(he/him//pig//technoblade fictive but doesn’t rlly care if you call him that or not)

~ crimson 🧣(he/him//demon dog)

~ frost ❄️ (any pronouns, including neos//bug alien//questioning sea turtle kin)

~ taffy 🎀 (any//angel)*

~ lime 🍊(any of he/she/they/it//lion)

~ ube 🪁 (he/him, sometimes they, never she//eevee//luigi fictionkin(i think)//age regressor//i’m not the brightest or best at communicating sorry//trans in a kinda confusing way??? [complicated but i feel the need to specify as it is very important to me specifically])*

~ forest 🐊 (he/it, maybe other but dunno//crocodilian or gator thing//maybe agre?//it types like this a lot so be patient with it)*

~ littles 🌤️ (anonymous)

*very close to each other and often all active at the same time

[deathbypixelz]

Something that sank in for me recently and that I just really want to share:

So in evolution there's this term "derived". When a group of organisms is more derived that means it's made more changes to the basic plan than less derived groups have. It does not mean "more complex", it only means "more changed" or "more evolutionary steps away from the origin" if you prefer. A legless animal that evolved from a legged animal, like snakes did from lizards, is more derived than its legged ancestor despite appearing simpler. A lot of parasites, despite being very simple, are extremely derived by virtue of losing a lot of structures because they're using their host to achieve those same functions.

Anyway, the particular thing that sank in for me is that of the vertebrates, birds are the most derived group. They have made the most changes to the basic fishlike plan compared to any other group.

Said another way: compared to all other vertebrates, birds are the most alien. Forget deep sea fish. In the grand scheme of evolution those guys aren't very strange at all. Birds are the weirdest things with spines. They're creatures from an entirely different Earth, one so different their closest living relatives, crocodilians, look absolutely nothing like them. There is nothing else on Earth that even comes close to a bird. We're just desensitized to how fucked up they are because they're everywhere all the time.

I love birds so goddamn much.

[rmu-vincent]

Dear Mr. Edgeworth,

I recall from one of your previous postings that you are particularly fond of cats, and am interested in your opinions on other animals commonly kept for human companionship. What are your thoughts on dogs? Horses? Rodents? Birds and reptiles?

I would assume that last one would have interesting twofold connotations given your status as a law student, due to these creatures' association with the legal profession - the epithet of "legal eagle" on the positive side, and all the jokes about snakes and crocodilians' show of professional courtesy on the negative. As an enthusiast of all things reptile related, I feel it is a reputation undeserved by these misunderstood, scaly creatures... as well as those aspiring to take on careers in law, very important for society...

But I digress. Lastly, I would also take it that, for rather obvious reasons, you don't really like fish, the way they remind you of a certain someone...

Regards, Seraphine. Again, may you excel in your studies, and no slanderous jokes come your way.

Dear Ms Seraphine,

Thank you for the kind words and inspiring thoughts.

Despite, as you noted correctly, being fascinated by cats, I am not that fond of most domestic animals, and my liking for cats is simply an amusing exception. However, there are still some species that I could call charming and interesting in ways different from keeping them as pets.

The first animal that came to mind was a graceful black panther. Ever since I was a kid, I thought of panthers as majestic, powerful guardians, trustworthy leaders, and dangerous vigilantes. They might not represent justice in the traditional sense of court cases and hour-long debates, but if one crosses their road, they should be wary of seeing their eyes shine in the dark when the night falls.

On the other hand, I could never resist swift, elegant antelopes' beauty. As someone who has always strived for success and improvement, their efortless endurance and resilience resonated with me; antelopes are in a constant state of action, awareness, and searching for new paths, opportunities. For me, they are a symbol of motivation and energy.

As my final point, I would like to mention swans. Even though they are often depicted as an embodiment of love, from swan figurines being placed on wedding cakes to towel swans on hotel beds, these birds have always struck me as an exquisite representation of change. On another note, the concept of a swan song has captivated me ever since I learned what the expression meant. It is impossible to deny that I spent hours considering what my swan song could possibly be, and to tell the truth, I still think about it from time to time.

Unfortunately, I do not have a strong stance on reptiles. They are the most beautiful when admired from afar, and their quiet deadliness amazes me; snakes in particular have been painted as villains since the beginning of time, so despite me condemning the demonization of reptiles, I understand why people have those... preconcieved notions about them.

Keeping rodents and other smaller animals as pets does not make much sense to me. For me, it would be impossible to love something that is barely capable of communicating its needs. These fluff balls always seemed closer to decor than to actual companions.

As for fish, I would not say that a certain someone you mentioned has enough influence over me to make me actively dislike fish. Marine species look magnificent in acquariums when the interior is done right, and personally, I do not mind fish... served with a tasteful side dish, that is.

Best regards,

Vincent Edgeworth

[bakushinverse]

ゴジラ Legendary Godzilla | Gojira (Infant) [Prince of the Monsters]

"Is that, is that an infant Gojira?"

"Mosura found an egg in a deep cavern, the mother's skeleton curled around it. She gave the cold egg warmth and life and from it hatched the young King, ward of Yoroi Gojira. Yoroi Gojira says that the infant will be strong and fierce, even more so than he."

~~~ In 1995 a young Serizawa first encountered the Titan Mosura and her twin fairies, the Shobijin, on Infant Island. While there he came across an infant Titanus Gojira, one with blueish-grey scales, a crocodilian-like body and a noble regal face. The twins explained that the young Godzilla had been found as an egg, his mother's skeleton curled around him after having died from starvation. Mothra took the egg and resurrected it, the small Godzilla curious and already very intelligent.

Although seemingly of a different species to the current Kaiju King, Yoroi Goji, they both share a common ancestor and the Yoroi Gojira adopted the young titan after some persuading from Mothra. other Kaiju, Anguirus, Mothra and Gamera often help look after him if Yoroi is off defending territory or hunting. Ishiro Serizawa was the first human to ever have contact with the infant and has since shared a deep bond with the young King despite YoroiGoji's apathy towards humans.

Monarch nicknamed the young Titan "Legendary" as he was born millions of years after his species went extinct.

Attributes:

Resilient

Strong will

Intelligent and clever

Regenerative healing

Communicates by activating the glow in his plates

Absorbs radiation like a little scaley sponge making irradiated areas safe and soil fertile.

Tries to do an atomic breath but it doesn't work half the time.

Adorable

Due to his infancy, Godzilla’s scales are soft and he is vulnerable

Personality:

Very inquisitive but not naive

Good at problem-solving, noted to be very clever and a fast learner

Bonded with Mothra, sees her as a motherly figure. This bond transcends to each Mothra generation.

Yoroi Gojira sees him as a successor, he is firm but fair with Legendary, teaching him and acting as a true guardian to him.

Met Serizawa, who was the first human he ever saw and formed a bond with.

Somewhat of a trickster, will harmlessly tease or toy with those close to him.

YoroiGoji's sense of balance has been imprinted upon the young prince.

~~~~~~~~~~~

ShinMonsterVerse Series FIRST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

~~~~~~~~~~

[hikayunas]

i don't know if i've ever really brought up the specific animals that i associate with each promised blood girl, so i'm going to put them all in one place, for ease of access

(under a readmore though, because this unexpectedly got out of hand. oops.)

yuna -- amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). generally the largest, bulkiest tiger, with very thick, sometimes messy-looking fur, which tends to be paler than other tigers'. yuna being an unusually small, scrawny amur tiger is a good fit for how she's also an unusually small and scrawny oni, and the shaggy, pale fur matches up with her long, ashy gray hair.

the amur tiger was also one of two tiger populations, along with the south china tiger, that inspired the boom of popularity of tigers and tiger imagery in japan, and were likely the inspirations behind tiger-dragon yin-yang taoist imagery, which is a direct inspiration for yuna herself and her relationship with juri.

hikaru -- shire horse. the largest breed of draft horse, and the largest breed of horse overall. traditionally used to haul carts and carriages around, and for other physically demanding labor, just as hikaru runs around practically as promised blood's workhorse.

they tend to be very easygoing; sometimes described as "eager-to-please", like a certain other horse. they're still very muscular, but not as bulked up as other breeds, like the ardennais or suffolk punch, and tend to look a bit more long and lanky while also being muscular and able to work plenty hard and do their jobs as needed.

ao -- banded sea krait (Laticauda colubrina). a species of venomous sea snake, which has markings and colors that are strikingly similar to ao herself, with its faded blue scales, black stripes, and white belly and face. the banded sea krait has particularly potent venom, though it doesn't tend to bite -- they're particularly docile, not tending to bite unless rather harshly provoked or threatened.

there's even an old wives' tale that the banded sea krait's mouth is too small to properly bite a person, despite their venom, which is easily matched up with ao's reluctance to properly kill another person, and how she's viewed as too "innocent", "pure", or "weak" to bloody her axe and sink her fangs in, even when provoked or pushed around, like the other promised blood girls have, could, and will.

juri -- stereotypical, fire-breathing western dragon. dragons aren't real, of course, but there are lots of different reptile species that i pull from for juri, for both behavior and appearance -- a variety of lizards and crocodilians, mostly. the red-eyed crocodile skink (Tribolonotus gracilis) and taylor's anole (Anolis taylori) in particular feel very "juri", but more in appearance than behavior.

lakehurst does have a prominent dewlap, which is seen in a lot of lizard species -- mainly anoles and iguanas, and is used in both for both threat and courtship displays, primarily by males.

the bat of monzenbashi -- flying fox (genus Pteropus). the largest species of bats, and because of their very canine faces, also the most charismatic. flying foxes are sometimes regarded as the bullies of the bat world; picking on other bats in their colonies and commonly attempting to snatch pieces of fruit from another bat's mouth or claws, to the point where some bats will hide their faces in their wings when they're eating to avoid other bats seeing that they even have fruit to steal at all. similarly, the bat would pick on the weaker girls in her gang, and steal their hard-earned grief seeds under the pretense that it was "payment" for everything that she'd done for them to keep them safe.

more generally, for monzenbashi as a whole -- despite picking on each other and stealing food and sometimes routinely starting fights, flying foxes are still very social and need to have each other around. even the bats who are picked on routinely will, if separated, eagerly want to rejoin the rest of their colony as soon as they can. weaker bats will be desperate to come back to the rest and to not be left alone, even if returning to the colony means that the stronger bats will still pick on them. to the girls in it, monzenbashi was hell, but it meant protection from the whatever the hell was going on with tora and ryuu, even if that "protection" was sometimes dubious and more trouble than it was worth.

ranka -- common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). another bat, to match with the bat of monzenbashi herself, but also because it just works so well. common vampire bats are an excruciatingly social species -- one of, if not the most social of all bat species, when bats are already so incredibly social on their own. vampire bats rely on their fellow colony members to survive and will die without them. they must eat every single evening, or else they die. if a bat cannot go out to eat, or simply can't get its own food that night, it must resort to begging other bats, who could go out that night, to feed it, so that it doesn't die on its own. not relying on another, more capable bat spells death in vampire bat colonies, just like how ranka would cling to another, stronger bat that would keep her alive, because who knows what would happen to her if she didn't.

sakuya -- greyhound. the fastest dog breed, and bred nowadays almost exclusively for racing on tracks. they're thin and lean, but also very muscular, with especially powerful -- but also especially lanky -- hind legs. sakuya's cropped hoodie, also, feels reminiscent of the short vests that greyhounds will wear when running for quick and easy identification.

[monty-glasses-roxy]

can u do the animalisms for Monty plz

Sure buuud!!

Take these with a hint of salt though, I've looked up alligator stuff but I'm not exactly an expert on them. Anyway

So the obvious first: Monty loves water. He's vibin' in the water at Gator Golf all the damn time he loves it. He can float like an alligator with his nose and eyes above the water and he can stay there forever if left to his own devices. Fun fact: He was the first animatronic to be introduced that was waterproof! (Yes, I have a timeline for all of this stuff in my notes it's very helpful) Anyway, ya boy can hiss and stay remarkably still for long periods of time (though this is somewhat offset with his Character programming) and can be very patient. Alligators are the only crocodilian to be maternal and protective, so that's exactly what Monty is. He's protective of younger kids and newer animatronics, doing his best to act like the cool mentor to the animatronics until they find their feet. In this way, he's pretty similar to Freddy, except he's uh... without the 'drop them like a stone and start over' thing with them. He's naturally more protective of the kids even as they get older, drifting off as they reach adulthood whereas Freddy is more focused on the younger ones. Save to say, his fans are of a much more diverse age range than many of the other animatronics.

Anyway, back to alligatorisms. Monty loves the warmth, despite not gaining any physical benefits like a biological alligator might. If there were heat lamps in the Plex, he'd love them, and is of the firm belief that the place should be kept at least three degrees higher at all times. He's a bit of a climber, though not as much as Chica. He likes to lounge around from on top of various parts of his attraction and people watch from up there. The walkways are honestly great for that, so Monty being Monty, refuses to get up there without awkwardly climbing his way up the Gator Golf decorations. In applicable situations, he's good for lying in wait for the right moment to strike, and in fights, he uses his tail quite often. He's not the most visually expressive, but with the traits of the Character part of his programming, he's not really unreadable either. Just less readable than say, Bonnie or Roxy. He can be very opportunistic, taking advantage of things thrown at him whenever possible and is a bit of a nuzzler, though he tends to stick to rubbing noses rather than Foxy's methods of nuzzling wherever he can reach.

The colder it is in the Plex, the less active he is. The Plex was closed for a whole winter once with very minimal heating because there was only one nightguard there ever and Monty spent the majority of it lying on the floor not feeling like moving ever again. He likes digging a bit, and finds making little dens out of random stuff he finds very fun since he can't exactly make a burrow in the Pizzaplex. He's pretty territorial, but is generally pretty chill otherwise. His anger certainly doesn't stem from here that's for damn sure. He's protective of his belongings and of his attraction and damaging anything of his will get you a roar and chase sequence he will not be happy. He's sensitive to high pitched noises and it's the only guaranteed way to get his attention, though he's not exactly sure why. (I do, but he doesn't lmao) He also just. Has a bit of a compulsion to carry rocks around in his mouth. Like a chew stim but he just sorta carries it instead of chewing on it. Guy just likes carrying random shit around with him.

Generally? The territorial thing is probably the only real issue that ever comes up, along with the 'typically docile' thing that clashes with the other half of his programming. Other than those two, he's not too terribly bothered by his alligator based programming at all, and he is probably the least aware of there being two separate personalities in him out of everyone. He gets by pretty well I'd say

Now, apparently, there's been several recent studies suggesting that alligators exibit more social behaviours than your average cocodilian, however, I can't find them so this is the best I got for now. If anyone knows where I can find information on that please let me know I would love to see it! But yeah, that's all I got for now. Enjoy!

[kariachi]

A pokemon starter description list, with links, to go with The Great Ben 10 Starter Polls series. Grouped by region.

~~

Bulbasaur, the Seed pokemon! A loyal and nurturing grass/poison type toad capable of using vines to pull itself into trees. They can survive for days at a time without eating, thanks to the flower bulb that grows on it’s back. The final form is also grass/poison and is at it’s strongest in summer, when it can absorb the most sunlight.

Charmander, the Lizard pokemon! This reptilian fire-type exhibits pack behavior, looking out for each other. The flames on their tails can reveal their health and mood, with ill and tired Charmander’s flames burning weakly. Their final form is a fire/flying dual type capable of breathing fire at heats that may even melt rock.

Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle pokemon! This water-type swims at high speeds thanks to it’s rounded shell, which it retreats into for safety. In battle they shoot foamy water at their enemies with great accuracy. It’s final form, another water-type, gains powerful water cannons it can use to pierce through concrete and perform quick charges.

~~

Chikorita, the Leaf pokemon! A cute grass-type, this pokemon isn’t known for it’s battling. Rather it wafts a soothing scent from it’s prominent leaf, calming those around it, and even uses said leaf to gauge temperature, humidity, and find good sunny spots in which to relax. Their final form, a pure grass-type, is known for it’s soothing and docile nature, and it’s breath can revive dead plants.

Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse pokemon! Not very mouse-like, despite the species, this fire-type is known to be quite timid. Still, the fires on their backs burn powerfully, especially when they’re upset. It’s final evolution has two forms depending on the region- one pure fire-type known for the explosions and vast heat it generates when angered, the other a fire/ghost type with a graceful, gentle disposition.

Totodile, the Big Jaw pokemon! A playful crocodilian water-type that can be a little rough and tumble, even sometime biting it’s trainer in good fun. These bite are very powerful though, and can cause serious injuries. It’s final form, a pure water-type, is agile and fast, using it’s large jaws to intimidate enemies and catch prey.

~~

Treecko, the Wood Gecko pokemon! A lizardy grass-type with a calm, collected nature. Still, it's very territorial, attacking anyone who approaches the nests they build in tall trees. Also a grass-type, it's final form is capable to cutting down thick trees, but tends instead to tend lovingly the plants around it.

Torchic, the Chick pokemon! This fire-type pokemon is prone to fears of the dark, and will follow close to it's trainer on wavering steps when afraid. Their flame sack exudes enough heat to them pleasantly warm, making them very huggable. In their final form, a fire/fighting type, they become courageous martial artists with powerful legs.

Mudkip, the Mud Fish pokemon! A docile water-type capable of even pushing boulders around despite it's small size. Thanks to the fin on it's head, it can detect not just changes in air and water currents, but also bodies of water nearby. It's final form is a water/ground dual type with impressive physical strength, keen eyesight, and the ability to predict storms.

~~

Turtwig, the Tiny Leaf pokemon! This grass-type turtle maintains itself mostly through photosynthesis by the sprout that grows on it's head. It also consumes plenty of water, to keep it's sprout healthy, and it's shell hard and moist. In it's grass/ground final form it sometimes migrates in large groups, though is often so sedentary other pokemon build nests and live lives on it.

Chimchar, the Chimp pokemon! An agile little monkey of a fire-type. The flames on their rear seem like a tail, but in fact are powered by gasses produced in their stomachs. Their final form is a fire/fighting type possessing unrivaled agility and speed, and whose battle style is comparable to dance.

Piplup, the Penguin pokemon! This water-type tends to be quite proud, and may even refuse food from it's trainer. Still, it's a strong swimmer and diver, and can ever fly for short distances. It's final form is a water/steel type capable of slicing through ice floes with it's wings, though it prefers to avoid disputes.

~~

Snivy, the Grass Snake pokemon! A serpentine grass-type starter with a calm, loner temperament. This pokemon engages in photosynthesis and uses vines to make up for the small size of it's arms. It's final form, a pure grass type, has a regal, intimidating bearing and amplifies the power of the sun within itself.

Tepig, the Fire Pig pokemon! This little fire-type porker in known to be gluttonous and excitable. They're quite nimble, and like to dodge and confound their foes. Their final form is a tough and relentless, though affectionate, brawler, a fire/fighting dual type.

Oshawott, the Sea Otter pokemon! A cute little water-type that wields a clam-shell-like item as a weapon, using it to block opponents attacks and slash at them in return. It carefully maintains it’s shell, and can grow a new one if needed. It’s final evolution has two forms depending on the region- one an honorable samurai brand water-type and the other a dishonorable water-dark dual type.

~~

Chespin, the Spiny Nut pokemon. This mammalian grass-type tends to have an optimistic and curious nature. Their bark shell grows sturdier the more they eat, and the quills on their head, while normally soft, stiffen for battle. It's final form is a gentle and protective grass/fighting dual type that can take hits like a tank when it enters a defensive stance.

Fennekin, the Fox pokemon! A temperamental little fire-type that tries hard for it's trainer. They vent air hot enough to bake a cake from their ears, and enjoy chewing on twigs. Their final form is a fire/psychic type that carries a stick as if it's a wand, they light these sticks for battle, and use them to leave burn marks on the ground.

Froakie, the Bubble Frog pokemon! Seemingly carefree, it's actually a very vigilant water-type that behaves otherwise to throw off enemies. Light, strong, and fast, it attacks opponents with the springy bubbles in it's mane. Upon reaching it's final evolution into a water/dark type it becomes swift and graceful, capable to forming water weapons and using it's tongue to detect unseen foes.

~~

Rowlet, the Grass Quill pokemon! An orbular owl of a grass/flying dual type, they’re nocturnal and known to enjoy tight dark places, including their trainers’ bags and shirts. This pokemon fights with kicks and shark feather projectiles. It’s final evolution has two forms depending on the region- one a grass/ghost type known for it’s cautious nature and quick archery, the other a fierce grass/fighting type known for devastating kicks.

Litten, the Fire Cat pokemon! A fire-type feline with a solitary and slow trusting nature. This pokemon will scratch people who get too familiar too soon, and are known to use oils in their fur to cough up flaming furballs. Their final form is a fire/dark type heel, sometimes disobedient and overly aggressive, and worse in front of an enthusiastic crowd, but caring towards youngsters.

Popplio, the Sea Lion pokemon! A hardworking little water-type seal known for the bubbles it blows. Their bubbles can burst with great force, they often use them for acrobatics when on land, and are constantly experimenting with making them larger and larger. The final form, a water/fairy dual type, is a theatrical pokemon that uses bubbles and song to battle and will tease it's opponents.

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Grookey, the Chimp pokemon! A very curious grass-type pokemon prone to drumming out beats with the stick it carries. This stick gains special powers from being used, and it's rhythm has even been shown to make grass grow. It's final form is a kind, calm grass-type that is highly social and determines hierarchy by playing beats on a stump each carries with it.

Scorbunny, the Rabbit pokemon! A high energy fire-type, it loves to run. While it has a flame sac in it's chest, it's feet can become hot enough to start small fire, and it uses it's powerful legs to perform flaming kicks against opponents. In it's final fire-type form it performs feats of impressive footwork, which it utilizes to turn pebbles into blazing fireballs it kicks at it's opponents.

Sobble, the Water Lizard pokemon! A timid water-type, they're capable of changing their colors and patterns to hide when in water. Should they be threatened, they cry tears that sting the eyes of those around them, allowing them to escape. Upon reaching their water-type final form they are known to be chivalrous and highly intelligent, with many hidden capabilities.

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Sprigatito, the Grass Cat pokemon! These mammalian grass-types are typically quite attention-seeking, and will sulk if ignored. Their fur releases a calming fragrance, and they groom often to keep it moist. Their final form is a grass/dark dual type known for it's showy and jealous personality which uses slight-of-hand to plant flower bombs on foes.

Fuecoco, the Fire Croc pokemon! This fire-type reptile typically has a laid back nature. It enjoys eating to the point of dreaming about it, and uses it's scales to absorb ambient heat to turn into fire energy. A fire/ghost dual type accompanied by an avian spirit, it's final form is meddlesome but caring, with singing that soothes those around it.

Quaxly, the Duckling pokemon! Earnest and tidy, this water-type hates to get dirty. It's feathers secrete a gel that keeps water and grime off, and it's legs are very strong. Upon reaching it's final form it gains a cheerful and energetic nature, though it takes learning and practicing the dance moves it uses in battle very seriously.

[interestingfactsquotes]

Living Animals That Are Closely Related to Dinosaurs

The Mesozoic era, which includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, contains 186 million years of dinosaur evolution. Despite this era being about 251 to 66 million years ago and dinosaurs being long extinct, there are quite a few living animals that are closely related to dinosaurs. Many of these animals look very similar to their prehistoric ancestors and remind us of how much of a force dinosaurs truly were.

Chickens: A Close Relative of the T. rex

Many birds share a family tree with dinosaurs, such as the cassowary, but the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex still walks among us today as a chicken. In truth, many modern birds descended from the tyrant lizard, but chickens are one of the closest living relatives. Paleontologists long speculated this relation due to their anatomical similarities. However, due to the wonders of modern science, paleontologists were able to get their hands on molecular collagen from a T. rex femur. When compared to the molecular structure of other animals, ostriches and chickens came up as the closest match.

Crocodiles: The Modern-Day Dinosaur

The Cretaceous period was at the tail end of the Mesozoic era, and we can date the earliest crocodile back to this time. Paleontologists believe that the earliest crocodilian ancestor was the Deinosuchus, which looks like a massive version of the crocodiles we know today. The Deinosuchus had more of an alligator-like snout but was about 35 to 45 feet long and weighed over 33,000 pounds. To put it into perspective, the most enormous crocodile ever recorded was only 20 feet long and weighed 2,370 pounds.

Lizards: Tiny and Terrible

One of the most common misconceptions about dinosaurs is that they’re lizards—while they may look similar, they come from entirely different animal groups. However, there is a connection, and the word dinosaur translates to “terrible lizard.” The first lizard was a reptile named Megachirella Wachtleri which originated in the middle of the Triassic period. All lizards and dinosaurs belong to the class Reptilia, but they branched off into two entirely different groups. However, they share similar genetic traits, such as egg-laying and general appearance. However, if you look at today’s lizards and compare them to dinosaurs, the positioning of their legs is very different.

Sea Turtles: A Close Cousin

The earliest ancestor of the sea turtle is the Eunotosaurus, which came about during the Permian period—the beginning of the Paleozoic era right after the end of the Mesozoic era. While the Eunotosaurus is not technically a dinosaur, they share very similar relatives, and both fall into the clade Sauropsida. Interestingly, the Eunotosaurus didn’t have a shell, and the mystery of where the shell came from still remains. However, we know they’re related as they have the same lack of intercostal muscles and a similar set of broad ribs. Ultimately, this is just a very short list of the living animals that are closely related to dinosaurs, and there is so much more! Snakes, crabs, and sharks also share common ancestors, and with how much new information paleontologists are still finding out, who knows what interesting dino relatives we’ll find next! Read the full article

[alphynix]

Retro vs Modern #23: Spinosaurus aegyptiacus

Spinosaurid teeth were first found in the 1820s in England, but were misidentified as belonging to crocodilians. It wasn't until nearly a century later that Spinosaurus aegyptiacus was discovered and recognized as a dinosaur – and it would be another century after that before we really started to learn anything about it.

1910s

The first fossils of Spinosaurus were discovered in Egypt in the 1910s. With only a few fragments of its skeleton known it was an enigma right from the start, hinting at a large and very strange theropod dinosaur with crocodile-like teeth, an oddly-shaped lower jaw, and elongated neural spines on its vertebrae that seemed to be part of a huge sail.

A few possible extra fragments were found in the 1930s, but overall these few pieces were all that was known of Spinosaurus for a long time.

The fossils were kept in the Paleontological Museum in Munich, Germany,a building that was severely damaged during a bombing raid in World War II. Many important specimens were destroyed, including Spinosaurus, and only the published drawings and descriptions of the bones remained.

So for the next several decades Spinosaurus remained a very poorly-understood mystery. During this period it was generally depicted as a generic "carnosaur", often modeled on something like Megalosaurus, in the standard-for-the-time tripod pose and with a Dimetrodon-like sail on its back.

Interestingly a 1930s skeletal reconstruction shows Spinosaurus with an unusually long torso and fairly short legs, details that are surprisingly modern despite the retro posture.

1990s

In the 1980s some partial snout bones from Niger were recognized as having similarities with the jaw of Spinosaurus. Around the same time the fairly complete skeleton of Baryonyx was discovered, and along with further spinosaurid discoveries in the mid-to-late 1990s a decent idea of what Spinosaurus might have looked like began to emerge.

It was reconstructed with a long kinked crocodilian-like snout, a ridged bony crest in front of its eyes, an S-curved neck, and large thumb claws on its hands – an interpretation that was heavily popularized by Jurassic Park III in the early 2000s, bringing this enigmatic dinosaur to public attention and portraying it as a fearsome super-predator bigger than Tyrannosaurus.

2020s

Despite attempts to locate more complete Spinosaurus remains, only fragments continued to be found, and it remained a frustratingly poorly-known species even into the early 2010s.

Finally, in 2014, almost a full century after it was first described and named, Spinosaurus started to reveal its secrets with the announcement of the discovery of the most complete skeleton so far, discovered in the Kem Kem fossil beds in Morocco. Its body was still only partially represented, but it included skull fragments, part of a hand, a complete leg and pelvis, some sail spines, and several vertebrae from the neck, back, and tail.

And nobody was expecting what these pieces revealed.

It had a very long torso and proportionally short stumpy legs, and was reconstructed with a huge distinctive "M-shaped" sail on its back. Its feet had flat-bottomed claws and its "dewclaw" toe was enlarged into an extra weight-bearing digit – adaptations for spreading its weight over soft muddy ground, and suggesting its feet may also have been webbed. Initially it was also presented as possibly being quadrupedal, due to how far forward its center of mass seemed to be, reviving an odd idea from the late 20th century.

Along with its long crocodile-like head and conical teeth, this was interpreted as evidence it was a semiaquatic fish-eating swimming animal – potentially making it the first known semiaquatic non-avian dinosaur. Spinosaurids had been suggested to be specialized piscivores before, especially since Baryonyx had been found with fish scales in its stomach, but they were generally assumed to be more like modern grizzly bears, wading into water to hunt but not being habitual swimmers. Spinosaurus' weird croco-duck proportions, however, seemed like they might be much more suited to watery habitats than to the land.

Since Spinosaurus had become a popular dinosaur with the general public by that point, the discovery was big news – and a big controversy for a while. It was so bizarre that some paleontologists were skeptical of the radical new interpretation, wondering if the measurements of the skeleton were correct or if the short legs were even from the same individual or the same species as the rest of the bones.

After a while the new proportions were accepted as fairly accurate, and over the next few years attention turned to instead figuring out just how this animal worked and how aquatic it actually was. An earlier isotope analysis of its teeth supported a semiaquatic lifestyle similar to crocodiles and turtles, but a buoyancy study argued that it might not have been able to dive below the water suface and its sail made floating unstable – but also found that its center of mass was closer to its hips than previously calculated, suggesting it could walk bipedally after all.

Then in 2020 came another surprise: more of the tail of the new specimen had been found, and it was just as weird as the rest of Spinosaurus. Its tail was a huge vertically flattened paddle-like fin supported by long thin neural spines and chevrons, resembling a giant eel or newt more than a dinosaur and also giving some more weight to the idea that it was a swimmer.

Our modern view of Spinosaurus is still evolving, and likely to be full of even more surprises in the future as we discover more about this unique dinosaur. But we at least know it lived in what is now North Africa during the Late Cretaceous, about 99-93 million years ago, and whether it was a swimmer or wading generalist predator it was one of the largest known theropods to ever live, estimated to have reached around 16m long (~52ft).

While the "M-shaped" sail reconstruction has been popularized by the recent discoveries, the exact shape of this structure is still unknown. Like with other sailbacked animals it's also not clear what it was for, with ideas including temperature regulation, visual display, supporting a fatty hump, and a potential hydrodynamic adaptation.

EDIT: And while I was working on this entry (late March 2022) I missed that another study had just come out with more anatomical support for swimming Spinosaurus!

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