#fun skunk story

[mimikiplovesgaming]

Ink Demonth: Devour

TW: Blood and gore

I had so much fun drawing this one, I haven't drawn Swap Skunk in a good while. It felt good to draw the bastard again- now as an ink cannibal! What can he say- toon just tastes too good~ (and the occasional human)

Two more days of Ink Demonth....it still feels kinda unreal how fast it went XD

[clownmoodlet]

Whoa uhm hi!!! New friends when I just got back this is exciting!! Thank u all I might remake my lil about, old pals if u wanna call me bug still thts 100% okays w/ me btw

[neechees]

Which legendary Cryptids are appropriated from Indigenous Alaskan/American/Canadian/ cultures?

Honestly, most of them.

Wend!g0: appropriated from Algonquian cultures. The word itself (at least this version that I've censored) is Ojibwe & is an evil cannibal spirit

Sk*nwalkers: Navajo. Evil medicine men

Ravenmockers: Cherokee, called the Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï in the Native language

Deer Woman: various cultures, including Ojibwe, Cherokee, Seminole, Oceti Sakowin, Haudenosaunee, & more.

Bigfoot/Sasquatch/various other giant hairy humanoids: various cultures, especially the Pacific Northwest. My culture also has them, & they're called Mistapew in our language. The word & "cryptid" Sasquatch is a bastardization of the word (& spirit) se'sxa from a Salish language (might be Nlaka'pamuctsin).

Lake Eerie Monster/Ogopogo/various other lake monsters: based on Algonquian horned serpent spirit & other similar spirits. Ogopogo in particular was stolen from the Secwepemc spirit Naitaka & the Sylix spirit nx̌ax̌aitkʷ

Thunderbirds: frequently found in many cultures, but most popular in Pacific Northwest Coast cultures, as evident in their art. Also found in some Algonquian cultures, including mine, & my Cree name has this word in it. This one was just straight up stolen & had a "cryptid" label slapped onto it

Caddy/Cadborosaurus: found in various PNWC cultures, called the hiyitl'iik by the Manhousat people, t'chain-ko by the Sechelt, & numkse lee kwala by the Comox in Vancouver.

Skunk Ape: bastardization of the Seminole Esti Capcaki, fitting the same description.

Shunka Warak’in: based on the name, it sounds like it was stolen from Oceti Sakowin legends, since "Shunka" (šúŋka) means "dog", particularly in Lakota

Adlet: stolen from Inuit legends

Thetis Lake Monster/Canadian Lizard Man: very likely based on & stolen from Haida Gwaii legends

Michigan Dogman: might be a mixture of Odawa legends as well as overlap with wend!g0

Owyhee Mountain Dwarves: stolen from Shoshone and Bannock legends

Nain Rouge: bastardization mix between French folklore called the lutin, and Native legends local to the area

Wampus Cat/Wampus: appears in multiple cultures, including Cherokee.

La Llorona: this one may have been influenced by a "weeping woman" figure that is seen in a few central american cultures, like Cihuacōātl, who has a really similar story with her son Mixcoatl.

Piasa Bird: spirit from Mississippian culture, often depicted in murals and art, including at Cahokia

Pukwudgie: from Wampanoag legends, & is a Wampanoag word. I think similar spirits exist elsewhere

A cryptid is an animal or creature that may or may not biologically exist but has a lot of tall tales surrounding it, and so people into "cryptids" (specifically ones that are appropriated) will use Native legends to fuel their argument & use as "proof" that these "animals" exist/existed, rather than the other way around that these are actually Native spirits that White people got a hold of, decontextualized, bastardized, and then spread inaccurately as "cryptids" or simply "folklore", with the latter being correct. Or people who think that these are just fun stories think "here's a cryptid and oh hey here's a Native spirit fitting the exact same description and the area the cryptid originates from is in the traditional territory as the Native culture this Native spirit is from. It's just a coincidence." & don't think it's because of appropriation at all.

I'm very likely missing some so there's probably more, but I also wouldn't be surprised if multiple OTHER "cryptids" have their origins in Native spirits that we haven't investigated yet. I've also been seeing White people talk about "cryptids" and then just straight up listing Native spirits, even ones that aren't widely known and don't even have a history of being called "cryptids". Which is fucking racist.

Native spirits aren't cryptids.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Kids shouldn't have to be our heroes. Not in reality, and not on TV.

The recent news of Jennette McCurdy coming out as yet another child star abused by Hollywood made me want to say it outright: I don't want an Animorphs adaptation starring actual kids.

I want an animated series voiced by adults, or by kids who work <10 hours a week. I want a movie where babyfaced adults play pretend. I want a digital deaging of unionized talent who earn a living wage and want to be there. If nothing else, I want a movie made like the Narnia series: filmed on a yearlong string of Saturdays so that the child stars never missed a day of school, letting the voice cracks and zits happen as they would. I want a pretend version of my favorite pretend story to be made by people who have full sets of citizen rights, the skills necessary to negotiate their own contracts, and the ability both to enjoy the work they do and to walk away if necessary.

I just want to say it because in the past I've poked fun at AniTV for having a 27-year-old play a 14-year-old, and because I've loudly advocated for diverse casting that matches actors' identities to characters'. But I'm mocking the unconvincing 14-year-old in the same spirit I'm mocking the unconvincing skunk puppets and tiger stock footage. And I'm advocating for disabled parts to go to disabled actors, who are adults who can self-advocate. I'd rather my 14-year-olds were played by 27-year-olds than have any 14-year-olds ever star in TV shows, with all the scrutiny and body-shaming and missed education and exploitation that comes with doing that kind of job while also not legally allowed to own property or get a different job or renegotiate your own contracts.

Anyway. That's all.

[autisticlancemcclain]

fic rec friday 56

hello and welcome to fic rec friday! where, on friday, i rec five of my favourite fics.

Shiro's Skunk Hair Steals Lance's Boyfriend by @bleusarcellewrites

Lance nods, eyes scanning Keith’s face slowly, “I gotta ask, though, do you come here often?” Keith snorts, fondness for this dumbass making his heart to beat faster. “Charming as always, I see.” “I can show you ‘charming’.” Lance says, eyebrows wiggling in a suggestive manner and while the others groan behind them at the line, Keith just smiles. “But before that, I’m a man of honor and I gotta know: are you single?” Keith blinks at the question and suddenly he's laughing. [Or the one where Lance can't hold his alchohol and Keith gives up a Cuddle Night of his boyfriend to be flirted by said boyfriend just for his boyfriend to forget he was already his boyfriend. It's a mess but Keith wouldn't want it any other way.]

yall remember bleusarcelle...remember 2018.....crazy times. anyway. this fic is fun and sweet and dorky, nice to read when you want to forget how bad vld dropped the ball and ruined everything :))

2. Your Love Keeps Me Warm by crystalklances

Keith is giving him a look, contemplating, eyebrows drawn together. Noticing his gaze, Lance looks up, raising an eyebrow. “Are you cold?” Keith asks after a moment of a silent staring contest. “No,” Lance replies. “You should’ve said something.” “I just said I’m not—” But Keith doesn’t listen. Already, he’s shrugging out of his red varsity jacket, and he leans over to drape it around Lance’s shoulders. ---- Or, 4 times Keith is determined to prevent Lance from getting sick, and the time Lance catches a cold after all.

I MISS CRYSTALKLANCES EVERY DAY, BRO. no one got ridiculously soft modern au keith like he did. fuck. but at least most of his works are still on ao3. i like this one in particularly one because its soft and im a weenie but also because its a 4+1 which is my favourite genre of fic ever actually

3. what makes you beautiful by seventies

MMA fighter Keith Kogane is admitted to the hospital and gets KO'd by blue eyes that rival the seas and a crooked grin that knocks the air out of his lungs. It hasn't even been a minute in the ring. It's a world fucking record.

rare blue eyed lance appreciation moment from me (old bookmark lmfao). but jokes aside i do love this fic. i will always always always every day of my life love whipped on sight keith idc. its so so funny to me. its funnier when lance is like oh! this is my rival. we are going to be ENEMIES FUCK YEAH and keith is like oh my god if i dont marry him right now im literally going to die. also this fic has matt just fyi

4. Lance and Keith's guide for how to cure insomnia by crystalklances

Keith has always had trouble sleeping, but never told anyone. When they fall asleep together after a mission by chance, Lance finds out and offers to share his bed to help Keith fall asleep. However, sleeping together every night has unforeseen side-effects for both of them.

from the iconic INVENTOR of the smitten keith tag. soft klance, in canon. touch starved keith. sharing a bed to stop the nightmares. i bought my ticket on the first word of the summary like

5. love you so bad by seyama [EXPLICIT]

Keith and Lance sneak off from a party to go and fuck. That's it, that's the whole story.

this was bantery and silly and fun. and the little argument over who gets to be the little spoon....shockingly tender and so so them ive read this one a fewww times lol

that’s it for today!! i’ll see y’all back next friday for the next fic rec post!!!

[sunnyrosewritesstuff]

Ready to rec some awesome fics that I read this month!! Feel free to add on with some of your own Bagginshield recs. 😁

April 2024 Rec List

G Rated:

A Dwarven Beauty by bebel_bee (Complete, 4K, 1ch.)- You have to love cultural differences where it comes to the dwarven and hobbit concepts of beauty. Bilbo is getting a bunch of odd comments on his looks that he thinks are derogatory. This is such a fun, quick read with fun misunderstandings and a lovely getting together scene.

Green-Handed by lotus0kid (Complete, 41K, 20ch.)- This was a really fun magical hobbits fic. Under certain conditions, hobbits go "green-handed" which means they can grow anything through touch and that's how Bilbo finds himself one morning. The ending of this fic just gets me with how absolutely enamored Thorin is with Bilbo and his gift.

Ive found Frodo...and he found you? by Lucigoo89 (Complete, 2K, 1ch.)- I need to preface this by saying my house had an entire den of fifteen skunks living under it that we tried to relocate...I absolutely despise skunks. But I gave this a chance for Lucigoo and it was as predicted, completely adorable. Little skunk Frodo wanders off and when Bilbo goes after him, he finds him in a den of badgers, one of whom he knows rather intimately.

T Rated:

Burning Crowns by Morg47 (Complete, 9K, 2ch.)- I read the first chapter when this was just a one-shot craving more and the author didn't disappoint! Infamous thief Bilbo helps the rightful king of Erebor in his assassination attempt of Smaug. I love seeing a confident BAMF Bilbo, and apparently Thorin does too.

Frozen Heart by snowmissus (soul_of_blaze) (WIP, 14K, 5ch.)- This is such a unique AU with a compelling set up. Bilbo has been tasked by Yavanna to try to help Erebor out of its frozen state, and by extension its king. Very fairytale-esque with some great characterizations and interactions, I can't wait for more!

Imbalance by northerntrash (Complete, 10K, 1ch.)- This story genuinely shocked me! In this Hades/Persephone AU, it is Bilbo who is Lord of the Underworld and Thorin who is a plant life god. As cracky as that sounds, it actually legitimately works in this AU as Bilbo and Thorin rely on each other to make themselves better.

There and Not Back Again (or, The Saving of Erebor) by femmbingley (WIP, 178K, 52ch.)- There’s so much to say about this fic. Post-BOTFA dwarven politics where Bilbo has assumed the duties of the consort which makes things more difficult for Dain. I really love the characterizations and I just can’t get enough of this fic!

to feel you like a knife by queerofthedagger (Complete, 23K, 2ch.)- Thorin's POV absolutely shook me at the beginning as he describes seeing his three loved one laid up in cots. After Bilbo saves Thorin's life, he wakes up to find his memories prior to Laketown are gone. It was so well paced and absolutely delicious in angst with a happy ending.

M Rated:

Backs to the Wall by Conkers (WIP, 124K, 24ch.)- I held off on this fic for a long time, not because I was worried I wasn’t going to enjoy it, but because I knew how much it would have me foaming at the mouth. Missing the deadline, the Company splits up at Laketown with Thorin, Dwalin, Nori, and Bilbo remaining to earn some coin. I’m beside myself with the gentle, sweet moments of pre-Bagginshield that have me screaming.

E Rated:

The Burden of Choice by Fantasyinallforms (Complete, 56K, 12ch.)- I went absolutely feral over this fic! Bilbo and Thorin are arranged to marry each other, neither knowing who the other is, and they escape in the night and begin to travel together. There were just so many emotions throughout this fic, it was so well written!

The Riven Crown by BeautifulFiction (Complete, 254K, 31ch.)- It was time for another read of this wonderful story. Bilbo stays in Erebor to see them through the winter only to find himself in a courtship with the king and a plot to see Thorin off the throne. This is just the ultimate Bilbo remains in Erebor fic and definitely worth the read if you haven't already.

Theft by Erinye (Complete, 124K, 40ch.)- Another epic that I had to reread this month. For his part in the alliance, Thorin demands Bilbo be returned to the mountain to be tried for his crimes in stealing the Arkenstone. Although the deaths of Fili and Kili break my heart in this fic, the rediscovery of Bilbo and Thorin's relationship through sex and comfort makes this a great read.

[astroprompts]

✧ —𝐁𝐎𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 [𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝟑]

“Darling, you're doing marvelously, I am so proud of you.”

“Just write a script for me, so I don't have to think for myself.”

“You better not have gotten your failure stink all over my important movie star clothes.”

“That is going to lead to some wackiness. You mark my words.”

“Hey, champ, I have a very important job for you.”

“Why does everything I love fall apart as soon as I touch it?”

“What legacy of ruin am I left with? What rewards have I reaped for the damage done?”

“You look different. Older. A lot older.”

“I'm not interested in being rebirthed. I'm still recovering from being birthed the first time.”

“I want to do things that connect with people, things that last.”

“If I'm going to sacrifice my journalistic integrity, it's because I'm having sex with a movie star.”

“How do you make something right when you've made it so wrong you can never go back?”

“Thanks a lot. Once again, you've been no help whatsoever.”

“What, you're just gonna stay at home and get drunk all day?”

“Let's get wrecked and get Shreked.”

“You're bright and you're funny and you're handsome and you're talented. But if you can't see that, then you're the biggest, dumbest piece of shit in the world.”

“If you get scared, look for me in the audience. I'll be there the whole time, laughing and cheering louder than anyone.”

“Thirty years I threw into this job, and it destroyed me from the inside out.”

“A lot of guys in your position wouldn't take gigs like this. They'd be afraid people would make fun of them.”

“If you care about what other people think, you're never gonna do anything.”

“Put the corpse on ice, I'm on my way.”

“I'm not avoiding you. I'm just making an effort to not be in a room alone with you because I am... Avoiding you.”

“You know, I think we're alike in a lot of ways. Sometimes that's great, but it also means we can bring out the worst in each other.”

“I just think maybe it's better, for both of us, if we keep things a little more professional.”

“It smells like a skunk skunked another skunk in here, then they smoked a joint. What happened?”

“Sometimes you need to take responsibility for your own happiness.”

“It takes a long time to realize how truly miserable you are, even longer to see it doesn't have to be that way.”

“I haven't seen you since high school. You look great!”

“My dumb best friend's getting married, so I'm here for the rehearsal dinner.”

“Boring regular people love it when movie stars show up and drink their alcohol.”

“This is not the time for one of your weird stories that go nowhere.”

“If you're lucky enough to find someone you can halfway tolerate, sink your nails in and don't let go, no matter what.”

“One day, you're gonna look around and you're going to realize that everybody loves you, but nobody likes you. And that is the loneliest feeling in the world.”

“I would seriously like to know what crawled up your butt, made a home for itself in your butt, started a family, lived a fruitful life, and then died up your butt.”

“When you do bad things, you have something you can point to when people eventually leave you. It's not you, you tell yourself, it's that bad thing you did.”

“Listen, I've been with guys like you before, and I know this thing works better if we keep a little distance.”

“It's so sad that when you see someone as they really are, it ruins them.”

“You're sweet. You shouldn't waste that on people who don't deserve it.”

“Are you sure this whole thing isn't just a semi-lucid fever dream from mixing the wrong pills?”

“It's so cruel to let people love you. All you're doing is promising you'll one day break their hearts.”

“We don't really have the kind of relationship where we talk about things.”

“Just because you have a shitty relationship with your family doesn't mean every other family has to have drama too.”

“Ugh! Why did I get my hopes up? Why do I keep letting you get my hopes up?”

“Do a girl a favor, don't break her heart by inches. Do it all at once. It'll save everyone some time.”

“Should we get dinner, or are you just thinking drinks?”

“Good luck finding another charming first-generation Italian immigrant with this kind of darling accent, who makes equally delightful malapropisms!”

“Is there a single woman you've worked with who you haven't tried to groggily thrust yourself into?”

“You're such a self-pitying masochist, I could say ten nice things and one mean thing, you would only hear the one mean thing.”

“Did you ever love me? At all?”

“You know that I don't do the whole love thing. Either you end up hurting someone or they hurt you. So, what's the point?”

“I do love you, by the way. I mean, as much as I'm capable of loving anyone.”

“I assure you the animated GIFs with which I describe this encounter shall be scathing!”

“You can't keep doing shitty things, and then feel bad about yourself like that makes it okay!”

“You are all the things that are wrong with you. It's not the alcohol, or the drugs, or any of the shitty things that happened to you in your career, or when you were a kid. It's you.”

“Your skin is so soft, it's like you murdered a baby and stole its skin. Your skin is murdered-baby soft.”

“Let's get higher than a stilt walker's dick!”

“If you have to listen to losers talk about their shitty sober lives, it's a lot more fun to be buzzed.”

“You're going to want to rush in there and do whatever you can to save them, but you have to stop yourself, because there are some people you can't save. 'Cause those people will thrash and struggle and try to take you down with them.”

“I always forget that there are more than just the six stars you can see in the Los Angeles sky.”

“In the great grand scheme of things, we're just tiny specks that will one day be forgotten.”

“The only thing that matters is right now, this moment. This one spectacular moment we are sharing together.”

“I'm poison. I come from poison. I have poison inside me, and I destroy everything I touch.”

“I have nothing to show for the life that I've lived, and I have nobody in my life who's better off for having known me.”

“What's your deal? I feel like you like me, but you don't like me, but you like me, and I don't know what that is.”

“Are you gay? You can tell me if you're gay, it's fine. This isn't the 1600s, or some places in the present.”

“I'm not gay. I mean, I don't think I am, but... I don't think I'm straight, either.”

[writingmaidenwarrior]

The Cards We Got Dealt Part 1 - Sin Eaters AU

This is for the OC Kiss Week Prompt "Darkness" and the first part of this little AU. No one needs to know anything about the original WIP. The only thing you need to know is up in the banner are left side Talindra and right side Wynthan, who are the POV characters.

Tagging @cljordan-imperium @jezifster

Minor warning for indirect mentions of sex. Really indirect. Warnings will be added ahead of each part where necessary.

When darkness comes, keep an eye on the light – whatever this is for you – no matter how far away it seem. Jan Berry

The gathering of the clans was always an event no one wanted to miss. All eleven clans came together to forge new alliances, find partners, and praise the gods to gain their favor for the coming years. The clan leaders with their families would always come, along with the young clan members who had no partner yet and a small number of warriors for the safety of the clan leader’s family.

His mother’s laments still on his mind Wynthan entered the gathering place. This was his first time as the leader of his clan after taking over three years ago. His older brother Gilmyrn threw an amused glance at him and even his cousin behind him snickered. Little did they know about his hopes for this gathering.

“I am glad you guys have fun already.”

“It is not our fault you look like you had a run in with a skunk,” Eshfyrr commented from aside after closing in.

“You know he is right. This isn’t that bad. You could also have lost during the fights and be free of this burden, you know?”

Gilmyrn’s tease wasn’t helpful at all. Even less because Melleis walked behind them with the partnerless women as guard and probably heard everything.

“You could have tried a bit more to win. The longer I am leader the more I think all four of you lost on purpose,” Wynthan playful accused his brother but got only a smirk in response.

“And miss mom bugging you to find a partner? No way.”

“You sort this out between the two of you,” Eshfyrr chuckled and vanished in the crowd of the unpartnered men.

“Traitor!”

“I like to stay alive!”

The whole clan laughed and giggled. It didn’t stop when they crossed the open space to reach the usually spot their clan would occupy during the gathering.

Curious eyes of the other clans followed them. Some were weighing in their chances with finding a partner, others curious about the new clan leader.

“By the gods, can’t they be a little less obvious,” Wynthan groaned.

“You mean like the woman over there?”

Gilmyrn nodded towards the camp of their former and usual ally the Sea Dweller Clan. Some spark of a memory ignited itself in Wynthan’s mind as he saw her. This round almost still childish face and those long brunette braids gave him a familiar feeling, but it couldn’t be her. Her horns were adorned with pearl beads and tiny gemstone pendants that gave her already wild gaze more depth, but also was a telltale sign she was either the clan leader or belonged to their family. If you wouldn’t look closer, it would appear she glanced over the place looking for someone and not analyzing Wynthan and his people.

He smirked and licked his lips. It was his plan anyway to reinstall the alliance with the Sea Dwellers since their trading was useful for both sides and maybe he could put his hopes a little higher.

“Find someone who sparked an interest?”

Melleis soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

“Maybe.”

Her gaze followed him, only for her to huff amused second later.

“Good luck, buddy.”

“Good luck?”

Abrupt he stopped walking and made the one behind him walk into him. Melleis just laughed and motioned to keep walking.

“You don’t know who she is?”

“I think, I remember her from the last gathering…”

“Yeah, you should. She was the one who broke your nose.”

Suddenly Wynthan remember it all and suppressed the laughter. The broken nose was only a small part of the story that happened during the fights in honor of the gods. Little did the others know the part that he and Talindra had shared the nights after this. The only thing that confused him was, he never heard about her being the daughter of the clan leader.

“What do we know about the Sea Dweller’s current situation?” Gilmyrn asked much to Wynthan’s relief.

One of the warriors came close and cleared his throat.

“They got a new leader almost two years ago. A woman named Talindra who won against every warrior of her clan.”

“The old leader had no children?”

“None of them wanted to take the role.”

The group reached their camp and started to clear it out from the debris nature left the last seven years and make themselves at home. The small cabins were mostly functional and only needed little mending here and there.

One by one the last three clans arrived as well as the day came to its end and the sun started to settle down. Satisfied with the camp everyone spread out in the cabins, leaving the biggest one for Wynthan, Gilmyrn, Melleis and Eshfyrr.

Still in thoughts Wynthan took the bedroom on the second floor knowing well the biggest one was on the first floor and Eshfyrr might cherish having one with easy access and left him the second bedroom on the first floor. With the knowledge of Talindra being the clan leader of the Sea Dwellers now, Wynthan didn’t plan to bring anyone up here.

He pushed down the annoyed groan. No one knew he hoped to find her again at the gathering, correcting his cowardice from those past years but surely didn’t expect this.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts.

“You alright?” Eshfyrr inquired with his brows furrowed.

“Yeah, just moaning the past.”

“You are too young for this, Nat. We are about to prepare some dinner…”

Eshfyrr pointed with his thumb behind him. His face held an unspoken invitation.

“I will be right there. Just give me a moment to unpack the adornments for tomorrow morning.”

“Sure, I tell the others.”

The happy grin on Eshfyrr’s face made Wynthan hope his cousin would finally find someone who could keep him happy like this after all the things Eshfyrr did for him those past three years to get used to being a leader.

If Wynthan would have been honest, he never wanted that position, but now he had it, he would make sure he would fill it the best he could.

Done from the journey, filled like a festival pig, and ready to call it a day, Wynthan went for some stroll along the periphery of the gathering place, down to the riverbed and have a moment of peace for himself. Happy he wouldn’t need to wear the horn adornment of the clan leaders until the next when the opening ceremony would take place, he relaxed with a content smile. Leaned against a small dent in the ground he closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the soft sounds of the river at his feet, the sounds of the animals around him either going to sleep or waking up for the night.

His solemn peace didn’t last long. Soft footsteps disturbed his serenity. Careful he listened but didn’t recognize the pattern as someone from his clan.

“This isn’t the best place to sleep.”

The laughter in her voice drew a smile on his face. He would recognize that voice everywhere even after seven years.

“Who says I am sleeping?” he threw back.

“You looked like that.”

With soft ruffles and the gentle chimes of her pendants, Talindra sat next to him and rested her head in his shoulder.

“You look beat,” he stated.

“You look annoyed.”

“You wanna share?”

“Give me the moment to enjoy the fact you remember me.”

Wynthan put his arm around her shoulder, gently rubbed it with his thumb.

“Your new look took me a moment to recognize you.”

Her huff pushed warm air against his cooler skin.

“Yeah, I already regret it. And you?”

“Wonder if I got set up by my siblings. Why do you regret it? I never thought you would have such ambitions.”

With a deep sigh, Talindra curled into his side as the world around them slowly got covered by the mantle of darkness before the stars would shine their light. Right now, and here none of them looked like the leaders they are but more like your common gathering couple who stole themselves away for some time alone like they did at the last gathering.

“I couldn’t let one of the others ruin the clan.”

“That bad?”

“We had the option of scheming idiot who probably will cause a war within a gathering cycle as leader, battle hungry idiot who would cause conflicts just so he can fight, too stupid for own thoughts he would eventually follow the suggestions of one of the first two and my special favorite: only cares for his own pleasure and safety and would run the fields and the clans funds dry in no time. So, tell me how bad it is.”

He placed a kiss on her forehead, knowing she wouldn’t see his smile. Her content rumbling vibrated against his chest.

“Let me guess, now the elders are bugging you to find a partner to ensure heirs for the clan.”

Her laughter rippled through the silence of the night like a deep sounding bell.

“Your mother, too?”

“And my siblings have the fun of their lifetime with this.”

She casted a small fire orb and looked at him in this tentative and searching way Wynthan remembered well.

“The woman you came with isn’t your partner?”

“No, she is my brother’s.”

Glad about the support from the ground in his back he watched Talindra change her position and came to sit on his knees. With a small push she sent the fire orb above their head for just enough light to see each other faces.

He saw her gaze jump around and wondered if she searched for something or tried to decide. The answer came when she raised a hand to his head and aimed for his horn with a heavy breath.

Even if he would love to continue where they left off seven years ago, things changed too much since then, and he stopped her hand.

“You know it is not as easy as the last time.”

“We can make it easy,” she replied.

Her eyes dropped to his lips and her breath heavy and warm on his face, Wynthan wished she was right. Gods knew, they both needed to relief a lot of stress. Instead, he kissed her knuckles one by one and pulled her in a hug.

“Not until the gathering officially started. We are leaders now, and no free clan members as the last time. We need to be the good example. Tomorrow, my fire heart.”

“Tomorrow,” Talindra sighed content and sunk deeper into the embrace.

They knew it was only some stolen time, but they made it last as long as possible. Tomorrow the gathering would start, and it would mean five days of careful maneuvers around the other leaders.

Yes, they clearly will need those nights this time.

[bilesandthesourwolf]

THE SHOW WAS AMAZING!!

Shane and Ryan have got to be 2 of my favorite people! They came dancing down the stairs to get to the stage! Some highlights:

-The dancing! And then they got all stage and were all out of breath

-Everything was "fuck it, it's Vegas" and "fuck it, it's the last stop of the tour"

-They did a live spirit box session

-During the q & a, someone asked if the ghost in the G logo had a name. The boys were very impressed with the question and said no one has ever asked that. So, they came up with the name right then and there. His name is Gilbert!

-They told the story of how they almost died while filming the doll island episode.

-Shane is obsessed with the smell of skunk spray, lol!

-Ryan really wants to drop kick a gnome to see how far it would go!

-Shane wants to see Ryan take on the loch ness monster while Ryan wants to see Shane fight a gnome

-The amount of ghost shit in mouth jokes was so ridiculous!

-They locked Steven in the jails below the Viaduct Tavern and they said he was scared stiff after making fun of them so much lol!

-The boys want to do a Too Many Spirits and Ghost Files crossover

-Going through audience submitted evidence was fun and a real struggle for Shane lol!

- Both Sara and Mari were there and I saw both of them up close!

-My little sister saw Mari in the lobby and told her she was really pretty to which she replied that my sister was pretty too!

-My sis and I got little matching ghost tattoos!

I had a blast and I just love them so much!

[illarian-rambling]

Thanks for the tag @somethingclevermahogony and @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling!

OC Question Game

My questions:

How many languages do you speak?

What's an item you always keep on you?

How do you show affection? (Bonus: Are they open about this or do they keep it to themselves?)

Salty, spicy, or sweet?

What is your favorite game or sport?

What was the last thing you threw away?

I'll answer for the Mortal God crew only, so this post doesn't end up a mile long ;)

How many languages do you speak?

Astra: "Like, one n' a half. My Nabafyrian's a lil' rusty."

Mashal: "Two, I think? I guess I didn't know I could speak Skysheerian until I did it, so who knows what else is rattling around my runes? Speaking Llanaodan would be fun - it's such a pretty language."

Ivander: "Two, but my Kevete is questionable. I learned it from Ceyrel, and she has a tendency to think lying is funny."

What's an item you always keep on you?

Astra: "My ribbon coat never leaves my back. I'd be defenseless as a rose-scented skunk without it!"

Mashal: "I suppose my sketchbook. I like to keep it handy so I don't miss out on anything I'd really like to draw."

Ivander: "My illusion pin. This dashing smile isn't quite so... bright without it. Other than that, my cane. For, you know, obvious reasons."

How do you show affection? (Bonus: Are they open about this or do they keep it to themselves?)

Astra: "The best way to show a lovin' heart is with lovin' hands. I make all sorts a' crafts for my friends - just useful stuff, ya know? I also can't resist a nice warm, or cold, hug."

Mashal: "Showing affection? Well, I, uh, I always try to have a kind word at the ready. Everyone deserves to hear nice things about themself."

Ivander: "Affection is for people who can't afford anything better." (He shows affection through gift giving. Most of those gifts are stories, jokes, or rumors he thinks you'd like. He'd just never admit he feels affection for anyone in a situation anything short of deadly)

Salty, spicy, or sweet?

Astra: "Spicy! I love a good, hot chili."

Mashal: "I wish I had a sense of taste still... I miss sweets."

Ivander: "I guess I'll go with salty. So long as it keeps me alive, the food is doing its job."

What is your favorite game or sport?

Astra: "You ever seen a Jetj match? They play it way down 'long the Shuari isles. That shit's crazy. There's fellows beatin' each other with sticks. There's pit traps. Sometimes, they put a bear on the field. There's even a ball in there somewhere!"

Mashal: "Horse racing is incredible to watch between skilled opponents. The mastery, the training, the bond between rider and mount.... I won't say I've never bet money on a race before. I always win it back, though. I know my horses."

Ivander: "Elthuryah is such a peculiar game. It was brought to Unity by siren refugees a few years back and immediately gained immense popularity. I'm a trend-following sort of man, so I, of course, learned to play. I became quite good, in fact.

What was the last thing you threw away?

Astra: "Some fuckin' receipts I found in my coat pocket. They had to be at least a year old. There was some weird orange goo growin' on one, but that ain't nothin' too unusual. Orange is usually a positive color in the realm a' goo."

Mashal: "Scraps from dinner, maybe? I try to find a creek to dump them by so the raccoons have an easier night."

Ivander: "Old bandages. I go through the things rather fast."

Thanks for the tag, both of you! I'll tag @greenwytchbooks @roach-pizza @hunnislutt @pluttskutt @poethill @sergeantnarwhalwrites @amandacanwrite and anyone else who wants in :)

Your questions are:

What's your favorite season?

Unpopular opinion?

When was the last time you screamed at someone?

[shadowmaat]

No fun allowed

Internet drama and controversy can be fun to watch, but I also love silly things, feel good stories, and other harmless fun that gets shared on the internet.

I am, however, exhausted by the ever-increasing number of people who feel compelled to state that something-or-other is "obviously fake" or to otherwise question the validity/intentions of the poster.

Look. Kids. Sometimes, yes, it's important to clarify when something being shared is verifiably false. Especially if what's being shared contains dangerous misinformation that could cause harm to someone else.

Most of the time, though, it doesn't matter. And just because you personally believe something is fake doesn't mean you're right. Stop being an asshole just for the sake of trying to prove how much smarter and better you are than everyone else. Stop trying to discredit strangers on the internet who aren't hurting anyone and are very likely telling the truth. Stop assuming everything is fake. There's a time and a place for those kind of conversations and accusations. Learn how to tell the difference.

The most recent example I've seen is on a video of someone unrolling their knitting project only for it to roll off the end of the bed and startle a cat the maker didn't realize was there. Cute. Funny. No harm done.

Someone in the comments questioned why they were filming if they didn't know the cat was there. Condescending. Accusatory. Rude.

The person was clearly intending to show off all the work they'd accomplished on their knitting project. Very cool and stripey and either a scarf or possibly one side of a to-be-completed blanket. Or a bed for a boa constrictor, who knows? Point is, someone was trying to show off something they were proud of and then got a startled cat as a bonus.

Even if it had been a "set-up" though, so what? Is it hurting anyone? No. Does it change the context of what's seen in the video? No. There's no harm and no foul and no goddamn reason to be a petty suspicious jerk about it.

Another example would be any of Seanan McGuire's Tales of Animal Rehab and Chaos. Some of these do sound bizarre, like the alligator lizard in the leg story, but weird things DO happen (especially around Seanan) and accusing her of making stuff up for attention/clout is fucking rude. Sure, she's a storyteller, but some things she doesn't need to make up. Especially if she isn't getting paid for it. lol

Again, no one gets hurt by stories like that (ignoring the injuries sustained in the story itself) and it's also a good example of what NOT to do if you find an alligator lizard in your tent/sleeping bag. Important safety tip: don't try stabbing something anywhere near your own body.

People can, however, get hurt by constant accusations of lying. Seanan no longer shares those awesome stories because when she did it always resulted in a bunch of armchair fact-checkers calling her a liar and demanding "proof" that any of it happened.

When it comes to stuff like AITA or that Neighborhood thing or whatever, sure, some of those stories are made up. But again, who cares? Do you think you'll get points for calling out an obviously fake story about, I dunno, some dude replacing his gf's perfume for skunk spray because he's convinced she's cheating on him? No. No one cares. Other than maybe reassuring people that so-and-so isn't in any danger, you gain literally nothing by outing it as fake.

Sometimes those things are done for fun. And sometimes they're based on real examples of the kinds of things that have happened. And even when they're fake they can act as cautionary tales to help folks identify potentially dangerous behaviors. Maybe a guy hasn't actually replaced a wife's/girlfriend's perfume with skunk spray, but people of all identities have engaged in paranoid, possessive behavior and if you know what the warning signs look like you can take precautions. Same with tall tales from the workplace. Or involving neighbors. Or whatever. If it isn't hurting anyone and isn't spreading dangerous misinformation, maybe consider leaving it alone.

[oddityartz]

Got a fun little tfy pinup drawing of our freak here, courtesy of the wonderful Bounce!! You should comission her right now! she's offering an emergency commission drive and i can absolutely vouch for it being VERY worth the money. look at this aaaaaaaaaaa im gonna die!!!!!!!

[paragonrobits]

hurt a shadow leaves behind

"Something about that scrungly scarecrow man seems to have bothered you," the Vampire King observes, after Marceline finds her way back from the fight with her old enemy.

Marceline, the Star, shrugs. Bonnibel survived. They can play another day, and in a lot of ways that's all she cares about. Everything else, everyone else, is... transient. A passing nothing.

Even so, something about the day, a passing glimpse, is sticking in her head. She is not used to this. She is not used to thinking deeply or analyzing things that happen. Who cares if it does? If ever some part of her cared about what anyone else but her father and, once, the rest of the Tarot Court, had thought about her, it had wised up some time ago.

"What? That old dude with the gnarly skunk stripe in his hair? Psh. It's... whatever. They're all gone, right?"

The King stares thoughtfully at her for a while. His stare is inhuman, even by vampire standards; he has to remind himself not to stare fixedly, or to pretend to adopt the little traits that make him seem a bit more like the human stock the other vampires are shaped from. But he is not human; he was a beast, they say. The other vampires are far different from the humans they once were, but he was never human to begin with.

It's one reason he and the Star understand each other so well. She wasn't human either; not entirely. She was something out of nightmares. She wasn't sure what, exactly; the stories of her father were a distant childhood memory, and why bother thinking too much about it? Memories faded, and she had little reason to care. The last person who had known the secrets of summoning whatever her father was had died long ago, and taken the secrets with them. But she had been alone, a monster and an abomination, and the Vampire King had understood, in his way.

(Across the boundaries of the cosmos, Prismo considers this. He reflects on two meetings; in one, the Vampire King finds her, and makes a monster of her. Darkness and despair result.

And in the other, it is Simon Petrikov that finds her. One of the last humans of the pre-war days, and even then a mutated and mentally broken shell of the man he once was. Perhaps even then just a barely functional memory of the man he had been, holding himself together through habit more than anything else, pulling himself together more and more as he knows her. And together, they find some kind of normalcy. Two monsters, two lingering remnants of the pre-warw people, finding a humanity together.

It was funny, the way things worked out.)

Now the Star shrugs again. It's too insistent, too casually dismissive of the idea that the experience had bothered her. "I didn't even really talk to him. I didn't even get to really talk to that cute bruiser girl hanging around with him." She smiles, briefly. "I wanted to see if I could get her to be a vampire. Something about her says she'd be fun to bring in."

"The position of the Tower does remain open," the King rumbles, thinking it over.

The Star sighs. "Well, no one knows what happened to them. They all just sorta vanished. Lame!"

The King rumbles again, as if murmuring to himself. "And you're sure that gentleman in the suit didn't speak to you? He seems to have had some kind of an effect on you."

The Star pauses, just a bit too long. "No. Never even really talked to him. No big deal. Just another bloodbag." It's a little too quick, a little too defensive, to be totally genuine.

The King raises one eyebrow. He knows his daughter.

She squirms underneath the weight of that look, her gaze turning sideways. In many ways, she hadn't changed much from the child she had once been, and she had never really gotten much of a hang on standing her ground especially when caught in a lie.

The King's gaze remains calm. He waits for her to explain herself.

The Star knew little of the nature of the multiverse; she had little ability to learn about it, and less reason to care.

And so, she did not know that destiny and experiences can cast a shadow upon the multiverse. Feelings that grow powerful enough, that are strong enough in the heart, echo throughout every incarnation.

She did not know why she had seen that man, and the look of horror in his face as if the sight of her had wounded him, and she didn't understand why, even just for a moment, it had cut her deeply.

She did not feel memories of another life; a life traveling with a man struggling to maintain himself against the lure of power, letting himself fall bit by bit to keep her safe and deny the monster she was convinced she had to be. She certainly didn't see the memories of her life because of the woman she became from that man's influence; of becoming a heroine and idol beloved by all and feared by none, of finding love in the form of someone just as singular and monstrous as herself, of seeing hope and a future in the form of a human with pale golden hair and the hat of an animal, accompanied by a talking beast with impossible powers.

She did not see that, or feel that, or remember anything.

Nevertheless, she still hurt.

She didn't know why. She didn't know why losing her chance to turn the terrified but brave human woman into a vampire like herself felt like having to say goodbye to someone she had forgotten until it was too late.

And she didn't know why seeing that old man, white in his hair and a thousand years of grief in his eyes, looking at her with contempt and horror made her want to curl her claws into her sides and just rip and scream and cry cry cry, howl until her throat bled-

The words came to her. I'm losing myself, and I think you're going to lose me too.

She could never lose the Vampire King. She didn't understand why these words hurt so much, or why it felt that if she didn't stay close to him he would suddenly up and vanish.

Over the next few weeks, the feeling faded. The sense of... not quite unreality fades. She remains herself, and that is no victory at all.

All the same, for those weeks, she cannot abide ice at all. She doesn't know why, nor does she know why the sight of the crown upon her father's head makes her feel sick.

[dawsio]

Had a fun little idea I had inspired by some characters I like. It would have been a drabble since it's so short but it went over the word count lol! Inspired by art by Jollyjack of his character, Chloe Sinclaire, a voluptuous, playful, and successful skunk lady with her assistant, Maxine. Specifically this image: https://www.deviantart.com/jollyjack/art/Chloe-2023-09-24-984415061

Had an idea for more stories, if you're interested!

“Why are the elevators here so… cramped?”

“Hmmm… no one has ever complained until now.”

Maxine was currently face first into the exposed voluptuous of the powerful yet dainty Ms. Chloe Sinclaire, the very head of Sinclaire Global, the leading company in scientific discoveries. With all the power in the world that brings, you'd think she'd act a bit more reserved, but continues to wear her short skirts and leave the top few buttons of her blouse unbuttoned. She always said it “helped morale”, but Maxine just found it distracting, especially since that was all she could see.

The elevator car shifted and whirred. The Sinclaire building was only a few stories tall but the ride felt forever, and the shaking of the cabin kept Ms. Sinclaire's assets wobbling and lively, keeping Maxine distracted. Not to mention the layers of dust in the cabin… It's not that Maxine has allergies. It's that her nose was rather sensitive to all irritants, including dust. Her petite little snout crinkled and wiggled at the scent of the dust. Her sniffles seemed to mix with another's, but who else had the sniffles? The only ones here were Maxine and…

“sniff... oh my… seems the cleaning crew hasn't… ciihhh… cleaned the ehhh… elevators yet…”

Chloe's iconic bust jiggles with every hitch. The remaining buttons on her blouse seemed to be holding on for dear life. Maxine tried her best to fight off that pesky tickle, but Chloe's sensual hitching kept her from being able to hold back.

“Hiihhh… hiiiiccTTHEW! HAITCCH!”

Two wet sneezes right into Chloe's cleavage. A soft squeal escaped Chloe's mouth before letting loose her own sneezes.

“Hwaahh~? HaaaAATTCHEEWWW! HAAAAHHH… SSHHHHHIEEWWW!”

Chloe's smooth and voluptuous bosoms bounced teasingly in Maxine's face, glistening with Maxine's spittle. Maxine couldn't help but blush not just out of embarrassment, but the slightest tinge of arousal.

“Tehehehe! Bless you, dear! Looks like we're both sensitive to dust, aren't we?”

Before Maxine could respond, the elevator comes to a complete stop and opens up to Chloe's luxurious office. Without batting an eye, Chloe struts out of the elevator, her bushy tail swaying with her hips.

“Now then, contact the cleaners and have them give the elevator a good dusting, and check in on the lab to see if my “special project” is coming together! Oh, and Maxine…”

“Y-yes, Ms. Sinclaire?”

“Have the caterers for my lunch add extra spice to my lunch today, specifically pepper...”

[handsofred]

Feels.

(Read on Ao3)

He stands watching from the back door as the pack move around the yard in the dying light of the day. The left-over scents of cooked meat and the drying wet of towels hung over chair backs mingles with that scent that clings to the air as a summer’s day starts to draw to an end. They are at Lydia’s Lake house, spending time together and having fun as he watches each member individually for a moment before his eyes flicker back to the brightest flame of them all. Stiles.

His head is thrown back, mouth open wide in laughter. He is the only one who hasn’t entered the lake today and he feels pride in knowing the reasons behind it. Feels the curl of warmth in his chest that holds the trust that the human member of the pack has for him. The others don’t seem to notice at all, having been enjoying themselves in the sun and with the food that Stiles had kept a steady progress of supplying.

But he noticed, he had spent time with each of them all. But his favourite part of the day was the time he spent stood beside Stiles at the grill. He had listened as he spoke his college courses that he was doing online, having not wanted to leave Beacon Hills. He had listened to the stories Stiles told him from his job at the library, of the things that they had found in the returns bin that week. He felt content. And now as his pack settled in around the fire pit that someone had lit at some point, he watches as the fire warms Stiles’ cheeks as he spoke with Isaac. He feels like he has finally settled in to his role as Alpha, felt like he had finally earned the title that had been held so respectfully in his family.  They had all had ups and downs, had fights with each other and left before returning once again. Even he had left for a while before he skunked back to town with his tail between his legs and an apology on his lips when Stiles cornered him. 

Beacon Hills had been his start, New York his middle. But it all came back to Beacon for the present as Stiles lifted his head and smiled towards him, his eyes glowing almost beta gold in the reflection of the flames. He knows that Stiles won’t take the bite unless it meant life or death, had been plenty of close calls, but secretly he liked that he was human in a pack full of wolves and other supernatural creatures. He brought them all back to humanity again when their wild sides got a little too overactive. He was the glue that held the pack together even without others noticing. Stiles was the one who sat there and listened to you when you were feeling home sick, who would call you and send you care packages that contained home baked goods and scents of pack. He was the one who people went to when they needed advice or if they just wanted a hug.

Now, standing there and watching Stiles as he watched him, Derek felt complete and at ease. They were in a time of peace but they all knew that it could change in a moment. But for the moment as he watches Stiles stand from his seat and clap Isaac on the shoulder brotherly as he rounds him and pads slowly towards him in the doorway, he knows that the human would fight just as fiercely as any of the wolves would and he would do anything and everything in his own power to protect the heart of the pack. 

As Stiles comes to a stop inches from him, Derek can smell the fire on him, the s’mores that they had eaten an hour earlier on his breath. He could scent the breeze and the sun from his skin, could feel the sun kiss warmth as he reaches out to brush a knuckle against his jaw.

He sees the last rays of the summer’s day fade from Stiles’ eyes, being replaced slowly star by star as they fill the sky and he feels…

‘’There might be moments  You think you’re wrong But let me tell you something You’ve found where you belong.’’     - Sooner or later by Jennifer Owens.

[blueberryshelves]

_______________________________________________

Book Review

Title:  How to Fake Date a Vampire Author: Linsey Hall

Series: Charming Cove, book #2

No. of Pages: 342

ISBN: 9781648820335

Synopsis:

Faking it with a vampire duke should be easy, right?

I’ve got one chance to prove to my coven that I’m worth my wand. But to do it, I'm going to have to make a deal with a vampire duke. I get to use his gorgeous estate in Cornwall to host the Beltane Ball--and in exchange, I'll pretend to be his girlfriend. But it's all a show for his grandmother.

The rules of our fake relationship are simple: No flirting. No emotion. No sex. Easy, right? Except I can't seem to ignore the allure of the infuriating and devastatingly sexy vampire. Falling for a duke isn’t an option, though. I would lose the anonymity that protects me and my coven, and that would ruin my life--and the lives of the other witches in my coven.

So yeah, totally easy. How to Fake-Date a Vampire is a fun, frothy romantic comedy full of laughter, love, and magical hijinks. It’s the second in a series of stand alone romances set in the seaside village of Charming Cove. The books do not need to be read in order.

_______________________________________________

What did I think of the book?

How to Fake-Date a Vampire by Linsey Hall My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 of 5 stars I’m really not a fan of vampire books, but this one thoroughly surprised me. Out of all three of the current books in the Charming Cove series, this one had the best written romance, pacing, and twists in the story. I’m still riding the reader’s high as I write this up, it hits all the emotions I was hoping for from a romance novel, but I really wish there wasn’t so much wealth-bashing in the book because there were so many great things about the story, but that element got tiresome really quick. At times, it did get a little irritating with the MC Emma being as judgy as she was, along with the constant back and forth of the “real/not real” situation of hers and Alaric’s relationship. But their romance flowed the best out of all the books in the series so far, and felt like there was a properly established connection between the two of them before things grew more intense and intimate. This made the conflict have that much better of an impact in the story, so much so that it tugged the heartstrings pretty hard when that part happened. The love making scene was also the nicest in this book compared to the others as well, not overly graphic, and not cut short or rushed. It was quite a beautiful scene. Now, as a disclaimer, I don’t think hardcore vampire fans would like this book. The way the vampires are depicted is basically humans who occasionally spike their drinks with blood. But that works for me. Favorite character/s: Obviously Penelope the skunk familiar, because who wouldn’t love a fashion conscious skunk with an appetite and the ability to scare away unwanted people? I really love the familiars in this series. Alaric’s family, because reading their scenes gave me a lot of warm and wholesome feelings throughout the book. What drew me to the book? Quite frankly, my bias of vampire books had me not particularly drawn to this one despite the beautiful cover design that this series has. But I gave it a chance since I had enjoyed the other two books in the series, and am glad I did. Stars: 4/5, because aside from the rough dialogue, slightly rushed ending, and my personal feelings about the book’s themes, I really liked this one a lot. I would enjoy reading it again in the future. View all my reviews

See my reviews for: The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic, Charming Cove book #1! & Romance Rules for Werewolves, Charming Cove book #3!