#no blood was spilled here

[wickmitz]

I decided to start talking about Wick and Rocky's relationship because I like their dynamics too, I like seeing Wick scared of Rocky and Rocky being aggressive with him, which is unusual because Rocky is rarely aggressive with anyone, but of course Wick is an exception to rule

Also my mini opinion about their possible relationship, I think that if Rocky didn't have to fight for his place, then he and Wick could become friends, or at least tolerate each other a little, I also see some superficial similarities, their gentlemanly and romantic natures, and their common love for explosions (remembering the quarrymen chapter), but this is my assumption, I think that I don't understand the characters' personalities well, so I can be wrong in this assumption, something like that. So, what do you think about their relationship?

for starters, i cannot thank you enough for this ask! as i’ve said previously, i have many thoughts on these two, so it’s nice to finally be able to share some of them. although given the extent to which i think about them, i apologize in advance if this is sloppy and sort of everywhere … while i’ll try to structure things the best i can, i cannot promise i’ll succeed! but hopefully this is an enjoyable reply nonetheless.

one of my favorite things about rocky and wick’s relationship is absolutely how aggressive rocky is towards the aristocrat ; he is prone to glares and cruel jokes and borderline hissing whenever the man is within his line of sight, or can be brought to a wailing-fit over the mere mention of his name from miss m’s mouth. there is a childishness to it, but a very prominent threat as well in spite of rocky’s usual incompetence. so he goes out of his way to posture around wick, readily lying and adorning himself with the gangster drapes he so badly wants to wear, in the hopes that it intimidates … will even badmouth wick’s family and make fun of his name and rock related obsession to mitzi, and so on so forth! yet all of this is very reminiscent of schoolyard bullying rather than anything too severe, though we as the audience understand rather quickly that rocky would bash wick’s head in with a tire iron if he could. ( translation : if it wouldn’t earn the tears or hate of a certain beloved mitzi may ) and it’s all very intense despite the absence of actual violence! and i understand why many fans see this as unusual for rocky and believe that it’s only wick who makes him act so aggressively, but i’d argue it isn’t really wick at all that prompts such scary reactions from him … and that rocky is a deeply angry character who’s a.) been boiling quietly for a long, long time and b.) has turned wick into a punching bag of sorts for this inner world of resentment and hurt. basically, when he’s judging the well-to-do or poking fun, his eyes don’t look at wick and actually acknowledge him as sedgewick sable ; instead this is a being, something vague and metaphorical, who threatens to upseat rocky’s permanence in the lackadaisy and steal away his savior, and he’s had a hand in the violinist’s misfortune for a long time.

obviously, rocky doesn’t think wick robbed him of his family twice over and made him homeless, but he is channeling the fear and anguish of those events into his loathing for wick, if that makes sense? it’s easier that way -- to finally have an outlet for everything bleeding inside of you, to be able to bite and claw at something without feeling conflicted or having to take personal accountability for your own mistakes … which is something that i think rocky does struggle with to a degree. he is sort of a finger pointer! his pain has to be worth something, it has to be for someone else ; spending years homeless and losing his last bit of family was for freckle, and the scrambling of his literal brain was for mitzi, and that means he can’t ever be angry with them! well, except that he is, somewhat, but he buries it deep down instead of feeling it. with freckle there is a sense of strain between them -- an air of ‘you owe me’ from rocky to freckle as he uses freckle to appease miss m, and he constantly pokes fun at his cousin too. it’s lighter than his jabs at wick, but there’s a constant pestering, a reminder of how good freckle has it : how he’s got the mom and the house and the job and the girl most notably. i don’t think rocky is intending to come across as mean, and to his credit he hardly does! but it’s rather clear to me that some part of him, some hidden and deeply hurt part, is rather indignant about taking the fall for freckle all those years ago. which he can’t understand, because how could he? he made that choice, he decided to take accountability for something he didn’t do because he loves freckle and knows it’d be so easy to believe this family tragedy was roark’s fault ; the devilish child he was, all troublesome and too broken to properly fit anywhere. so there is a disconnect born here, where rocky can’t comprehend that he’d be angry at freckle, so instead these not so great feelings are placed elsewhere and silently boil over time. and with mitzi … i don’t think he’s angry at her per se, but there is a frustrated and desperate chorus of : why him and why not me, when i’m the one out here dying for you? which is certainly unpleasant. of course, rather than allowing those feelings to be more aimed at miss m, whom he feels unloved by, he ( again! ) represses these emotions and allows them to fester into his greatest fears and fantastical complexes. i think there is a lot of other miscellaneous anger he could have towards others too … perhaps some part of him is sore upon seeing ivy’s normal lifestyle, watching her go to university and knowing that’s been taken from him. or an ache felt when hearing stories from zib and the band and how they used to travel successfully, living as nomads, and rocky is all too reminded of his similar lifestyle and how he couldn’t make it work as effortlessly. people with immense trauma are more prone to irrational anger and jealousy, to viewing everything around them as unfair and believing it’s even more unjust that so many people get to live comfortably while they’ve suffered. a situation that gets more messy when you’re someone like rocky, a man who’s willingly made choices that have harmed himself and wants to continue on with his smiling, bumbling fool of an act. he does not want to be angry, does not want to see it within himself, i think, which leads to an accidental increase of it.

all of this is to reiterate that wick is a scapegoat for rocky and nothing more. it’s why he’s rather hypocritical whenever it concerns the man. for example, it was stated by tracy that he looks down upon wick for his excessive presence at the bar, yet he appears to enjoy hanging out with zib -- who drinks just as often! he makes fun of how all wick ever talks about is rocks, when he himself is prone to poetry rambles that people find irritating or boring, and etc etc. this is also just a human nature thing, to critique someone you heavily dislike and even going as far as to belittle things you love or do in your own day to day because you just hate them that bad! but given rocky’s willingness to befriend anyone, it more so reeks of a dehumanization element. wick is every obstacle in his way, every divine force that threatens to send him packing again, so he is equal parts unnerved by wick’s presence and angry about it. it is mostly a fear response we are seeing, an emotion that’s morphed into long held resentment and anger. so his actions are extremely defensive, with him trying to push wick far away and keep him and mitzi separate, like some sort of animal attempting to ward off a threat that’s come too close to their home. despite the loaded animosity there, this hate has hardly reached its peak … but it shall only grow more intense as things continue onward i’m afraid, since as it stands ( in the comic at least ) rocky is at an all time low … and is ten times more desperate. i’d honestly say wick has become so warped in his mind’s eye that he can only strive towards ‘winning’ over the other man, because that’s all he can see anymore. i think mitzi implying that wick willingly helped her out, the intense head injury, and rocky’s fragile emotional state is exactly what pushes him towards premeditated murder in look-see. i don’t know how people perceive that arc, but to me it’s very clear that rocky actively sought to see the deaths of wes and fish that night. going as far as to lament that he’d be, “very disappointed if ( he ) dreamed them,” and purposefully luring the marigold duo away to have freckle pick them off. while you could argue that this was a smart move, in a gangster sort of sense, there’s still no denying that rocky is oddly chipper about the whole thing and is now seeking death out ; whereas before his methods of vengeance were just, well, ruining people’s livelihood but ultimately leaving them alive. this isn’t to discredit the fact that rocky is going through something! he is in a very muddled and dark place, mentally and physically, but even tracy has said that the head injury hasn’t changed rocky’s personality -- it’s only brought things to the surface.

source : q&a with tracy .

which, yeah! makes sense! head trauma can cause a person to become a wreck emotionally ( think mood swings, irritability, etc ) but it doesn’t completely morph someone either. personality changes may occur, but it’s not like you’re being rewritten entirely, you know? and given tracy’s old statement, it’s clear that ‘personality changes’ aren’t a side effect he’s suffering from. something that adds to my beginning statement, which is that rocky is a deeply angry and troubled person, more so than fans give him any credit for.

however, to touch upon your mini opinion about these two, i actually wholeheartedly agree that rocky and wick could become friends if circumstances were different. they do in fact have many superficial similarities, but one of the more prominent things they deeply share is never really belonging in the groups they frequent. this is more overt with rocky’s character, yet wick faces it too in subtle ways. the well-to-do crowd, seen through the investors, find the gentleman to be lacking in about every place imaginable ; to them he is an obsessive freak who cares too deeply for meager rocks, something they constantly mock him for, while he’s also being noticeably set apart from the rest of them … he seems younger than the investors, more excitable, passionate, and a little less experienced, and doesn’t seem to care for money or reputation as much as them either. there is a constant rubbing between him and them, where what he enjoys is seen as wrong, such as his love for the lackadaisy and his choice in paramor, a grieving widow with extremely dangerous ties. we also know that wick doesn’t have many friends at all, with the only two he has being lacy and church ( church is listed as such on his character profile, in a sort of tongue-in-cheek way ), both of whom work for or with him. they are obliged to hang around, and while they care in varying ways, they are prone to judging him just as much. honestly, it’s not shocking that wick seeks refuge at his chosen speakeasy! but even there he is rather distant from everyone else. he doesn’t speak to zib ever in the comics, nor seems all too close with viktor, ivy, or horatio … it is merely mitzi he is close to, even if he knows of the other people who work there. and, once again, wick very obviously doesn’t fit in. he is not gangster material, could never be an atlas may replacement, much less someone who could get his paws dirty in such an active way. so he has his feet in two different worlds and doesn’t know how to fit into either of them, or which one he actually wants to fit into more. i think in many ways rocky could relate -- these are two very lonely people who wish to belong somewhere and be accepted by some group or another but go about it in all the wrong ways. wick, who is too hesitant to fully commit to what he wants and is worse off for it, and then rocky, who obsessively throws himself against what he wants until he breaks every bone in his body. they also have explosives to bond over, lol, and other miscellaneous things like their taste in women i suppose … but this potential bond adds to the tragedy of lackadaisy, where we see two people who on every level should get along but we’re burdened with the knowledge that it’s an impossibility anyway, because there’s no removing the circumstance of which they’re in.

though i like to believe that despite wick’s fear of rocky, he maintains a kindness towards him regardless. i think his worries about rocky are rather surface level … he doesn’t know the boy at all, really, and thus can’t make heads or tails of him, hence him believing the lie in balderdash. so when i’m feeling particularly self indulgent, i like imagining a world where they’re forced together and sort of ‘stuck’ together ; to which rocky finally breaks and exposes his wounds to wick, in every sense of the word, and wick finally gets him. the aggression, the possessiveness of mitzi … it is all fear and desperation and a profound sadness, things he’d sympathize with. if rocky was able to explain that he loathes wick because if he saves the lackadaisy then mitzi won’t need him anymore and that it’s not fair that wick gets to so easily fix things when rocky would give his soul for his home, for her, and how wick could render every sacrifice he’s already made for naught by smoothing things over with some greenbacks and he can’t lose this, he just can’t --! … which, well, wick is too kind of a man to be able to do anything except feel awful, even though it’s not his fault at all. here we have two people who could coexist! and they should, since rocky logically can’t do every speakeasy job ( band member, rumrunner, mitzi’s shadow, also the guy who gets the money for the hooch ) by himself, just like how wick can’t save the lackadaisy with only his cash and limited booze stash. it’d be a joint cooperation, a collaboration between them, both equally important in the grand scheme of crime’s every turning wheel … but rocky’s rage and fear won’t let him see that, and likely never will. still, in scenarios where everything ends up alright for the lackadaisy and the people involved in it ( which is not how canon will go, by the way ), i fancy wick and rocky getting better within their relationship. rocky will always be prickly and quick to upset around the other man sadly, but perhaps he could see wick in a softer kind of light. or at least understand vaguely enough that he isn’t out to get rocky, so to speak. and then maybe wick learns that pancakes soothe rocky’s ire and poorly makes them anytime he wishes to talk to the man, and other fun things like that! but you should have more confidence in your character analysis skills, because you were spot on ( at least in my eyes ) about them potentially getting along if things were different. it’s certainly a fun aspect to play around with, and is important to note when discussing their relationship so you can fully understand just how warped rocky’s perspective on things are. and how unstable and traumatized he is too, of course </3 sidenote, but i also hope that throughout everything i’ve said here, or anything i’ve said before on my blog, that my love for rocky and my own sympathy for him comes across well enough. while he’s deeply flawed and i have no qualms discussing said flaws in depth, i also don’t think of him as some insane freak who’s evil at his core or anything like that. honestly, i adore analyzing him so much as a character because of how far down his issues go! he’s very well written, i’ll say, as is wick and many of the other characters, but i digress.

once more, thank you for the ask! i’ll end this here because i fear if i don’t i’ll start going in circles, since their relationship is so vast and very important for rocky in a character sense. hopefully i shed some more light on it though! i love these two to bits and pieces and i wouldn’t be half as invested in lackadaisy if their dynamic wasn’t so monumental -- at least to me.

[dreaminghelaena]

[neriumdelusion]

Kevin has spent his entire life serving, whether it was his father, his god, or strexcorp, he has never been able to want for himself. Now we see him want, we’re seeing him force people to listen, getting people’s attention for himself, he’s not doing this because a corporation is using him as the company’s image, he’s doing this because he wants to, as he put it, tell his side of the story. He is doing this as a child. He didn’t come in guns blazing, he didn’t threaten anyone, he was holding a knife like a lifeline but according to Tamika was making no move to harm anyone, and we don’t know what happened next, but cutting the wires isn’t the same as slitting someone’s throat.

He’s here as a child, a supposed symbol of innocence, to tell his story. His anger and pain are violent but right now they are just sad, the loss of childhood to abuse and continuing to lose your sense of self and freedom to others for your entire life isn't shown as anything more or less than a child saying "all i want is to want something for myself". He wants to be heard, by the town that never saw him grow up, never saw him with his friends or old woman Josephine, never heard his early broadcasts (apart from Triptych), he’s begging to be heard in the town that has only ever seen him as evil incarnate, he’s going to the man who is outright terrified of him, asking him to not be scared even though he has reason to be. All of his lines are so simple, it is a childlike loss, it’s the quiet resolution to what has happened while still wanting different.

[causenessus]

he's so pretty

[orange-orchard-system]

Thinking about how people think retail work is "easy", the idea that "unskilled labor is a myth", and some discussion/discourse I've seen about workers preferring to do sex work over retail. And I think many people just don't realize that retail work has a physical danger to it – and no, not just from other people.

Exactly what people do in their jobs will vary depending on the business, but as for me? I work with sharp metal and plastic at high speeds. Heavy objects could be dropped directly onto my head if I'm not extremely careful, and even then, all it takes is a slip of the hand. Due to our refrigerators and freezers, I am jumping between temperatures several hundred times a day, which leaves my body suffering from the whiplash. I am thankful to have a manager that enforces breaks, but my job takes a toll on me even on the mildest of work days. I could get seriously hurt, and a lot is already being asked of me.

"Retail/fast food/etc. is unskilled labor –" okay but I am not selling expert labor to you, I am selling my well-being. I am being paid to do not just the things you don't or can't do, but to damage and risk my body and overall health in these specific ways so that your day might be a little better.

And honestly, I'd be fine with that, if I got some recognition for it (in both pay and general attitude). I am fine with a little risk and damage so long as it's for proper compensation – I don't view this work as demeaning by nature, and I take pride in my skill at doing it. It's just that I wished others around me cared more about this side of my job.

On a similar note, restaurant/fast food/etc. workers are not just being paid to make and bring out your food. They are being paid to risk oil burns, regular burns, scaldings, being stabbed or sliced, their hands being mangled by equipment, their fingers being crushed by machinery, any number of diseases that food can carry before it's prepared, and death if something goes wrong with the gas. All for your convenience.

It doesn't matter if it's unskilled, or if "anyone can do it". A good salary is one that takes into account what one is sacrificing and risking to complete this job. It takes into account the damage to one's body and the everyday dangers they are in. Salary is, as people know, payment for energy and time, but it is also a reimbursement for the expense of putting oneself in harm's way, and a person's salary should reflect that.

This isn't meant to shame customers. I think it'd be a little silly to shame people for taking on my services when I am well aware of the risks in them (although I acknowledge that gets complicated when people have to take these kinds of jobs regardless of the risks, due to desperately needing money). It's more of a perspective I don't see others talk about often. Even before factoring in shitty bosses, crappy work environments, and the like, these sorts of jobs have dangers and cause damages that should be acknowledged. And people should be properly compensated for taking them on.

[blessed-bruises]

I am not lana del rey unreleased femcel priscilla presley lily rose depp cinnamon girl core I am mentally ill and traumatized and reclaiming femininity as something positive for myself as a coping mechanism instead of being forced and literally raped into conforming !!!!!!!

[papasmistakeria]

Two religious horror media that centers around a small isolated place that was implied to be religiously devoted and that some people stay away from due to bad events that transpired. These media have several characters and themes in common; A cult, a troubled youth who was forcefully turned into a member of a cult, a gruff foreign protector who opposes the main character, a demonic being that "saved" the main character, an overtly religious and avid follower of a cult, and most importantly, the priest main character who tasks themselves with saving the life of a specific person by any means necessary. At some point, they lost sight of reality, perceiving grotesque figures as biblical creatures, and they've also lost the trust of their Parish. They also have an old companion that they try to desperately save from completely losing their sense of selves. The priests are also named John and are over 6'1

Oh and they've killed someone with their bare hands when they got lost in the sauce

[theanoninyourinbox]

New Longstar AU - A Journey and A New Land

Between Books

Brambleclaw asks for his suffix, claiming it as his way to claim power over his dishonorable Sire.  That night, he wakes in a familiar place – the clearing where Tiger”star” was killed, and Bloodclan run off.  Brambleclaw bows as his father, belly leaking red and black and thorny vines, approaches.  Tigerstar’s grin is all teeth and menace, and he congratulates his kit for keeping the Clan’s trust in him…but this is only the start of their plans.

In Riverclan, Feathertail and Stormfur make their way.  The siblings notice that the former loners Hawkpaw and Mothpaw bear a small resemblance to Tiger”star”, but agree that even IF they were somehow his kits, that the blood of their sire makes no difference on who they will be. 

In Shadowclan, Tawnypelt feels the weight of her sire’s sins around her neck.  With the help of Runningnose and Rowanclaw, she begins to heal.

In Windclan, Hopfoot announces his retirement, and Mudclaw is promoted to Deputy.  Hopfoot’s adopted son Crowpaw and niece Nightcloud prepare a nest especially for him.

In the Hope’s Rest Clowder, Darkstripe and Sasha have been noticing more signs of Twolegs around their Camp, and begin making plans to move the Clowder entirely.  A few cats express wishing to live in a forest.

In another place, an elderly cat named Skywatcher gathers Kittypets and Loners under his wings, hoping that others will come to take his burden and delight of a Clowder, and make them a Clan, before he passes away.

The Quest

In Thunderclan, the three kits of Longstar and Flamewish are being apprenticed.  Tactician Graystripe has deduced that Swiftpaw’s anxiety would lead to her being a terrible Hunter or Brawler, and suggests Nursery Guard, which she happily accepts, apprenticing to Goldenflower and Brackenfur.  Foxpaw wants to be a Warrior, and apprentices under Brightheart as her lead Mentor, with other cats there to help her learn other skills. Darkpaw asks to be mentored in the art of Healing, and apprentices under Fireheart and Cinderpelt.

Foxpaw is annoyed that Brambleclaw keeps interrupting her training sessions to give advice and tells him so to his face.  He sputters, and gives a non-apology, but does back off.  Brightheart thinks that he must be trying to be a better cat than his father, but Snowthorn just thinks he’s trying too hard.  Shrewpaw makes funny faces behind Brambleclaw’s back during the non-apology and makes Foxpaw laugh.

Swiftpaw and Foxpaw tell their parents that they can sometimes talk to each other in their minds, and Historian Mousefur assures the worried parents that twin births sometimes Do That – it might be a Star Blessing, but that’s not always the case.

Darkpaw beings trying to figure out how to heal minds, as his father sometimes freezes up around the smell or sounds of dogs, and some cats are terrified of thunderstorms and even a hint of smoke on the wind.  Fireheart asks Starclan for guidance on how to best help his nephew, and the Spirit of Goosefeather begins showing up with Yellowfang to build this new kind of healing.

Foxpaw begins having dreams about distant salty waters and a badger with starry eyes, with the sun drowning, and talks to Fireheart about it. He suggests it may be related to the sightings of Twolegs around the forest, and takes Foxpaw and Longstar to the Moonstone.  They have a collective vision of the Clan lands being torn up by yellow Monsters, and of the Hope’s Rest Clowder being chased out of their camp by Twolegs with long silver looped sticks, and Longstar immediately starts making plans.

He sends a warning with Graystripe to the Hope Clowder, and warnings to the other Clans.  Riverclan denies that anything like that could happen, Windclan starts making preparations, and Shadowclan admits that Twolegs have been marking some of their trees with orange markings.  Hope Clowder is already mid move to a new Twoleg Den, one with more Twoleg decorations on it, but agree to be prepared to evacuate if Twolegs are sighted.

After some time has passed, Yellowfang appears to the whole LongFlame family one night, and says that Foxpaw needs to go on a Quest for a new home, as the Twolegs are planning to turn their territories into more Twoleg Dens.  Flamewish makes Yellowfang promise to keep an eye on Foxpaw, and Yellowfang says that there are other cats from the Clans coming too.  Foxpaw says goodbye to her family, her mentors, and Shrewpaw, before leaving.  She meets Tawnypelt, Crowpaw, and Feathertail and Stormfur at the border, but is bothered greatly when Brambleclaw shows up, saying he’ll keep her safe.

The Questers make their way through the Twoleg Territory, skirting past Hope Colony’s old home, and eventually meet an old tom named Purdy. He guides them the rest of the way, becoming the Quester’s Grandpa, and they are sad to see him go.  Crowpaw, Foxpaw, and Feathertail become close friends, with Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw bonding a little.  Tawnypelt notes that her brother is a little distant, but chalks it up to their separation. Stormfur thinks Foxpaw is cute, but she’s also not an adult so he shakes it off.  Crowpaw talks about how his parents found him – on the edge of the territory, sopping wet and terrified of unclear water.  Ashfoot spoke of seeing a ghostly cat running from him, and assumed that was his sire or queen.

(They will never know it was a cat named Pine, who once walked the world in Thunderclan.  He refused the gifts of Starclan for ages, and once he saved the innocent kit, he finally entered the fields he had abstained from.  For once, he did the right thing for a kit of his bloodline.)

They meet with the starry-eyed badger Midnight, who confirms that their home is to be destroyed, so they must Journey past the great mountain to find their new home.  As they leave, Midnight catches Brambleclaw by himself, and warns him that the path he walks leads only to a sudden sharp end.  He shakes her off and continues on his way.

The group goes up the great mountain, and are stopped by a patrol of cats wearing mud and berry paint in swirling patterns. They are escorted to the Coldstone Clowder camp inside of a cave, with a great waterfall, a wide floor, and great stone teeth hanging from the ceiling.  Feathertail shivers as she looks up, noting that they look so fragile.  One of the cats that escorted them in, Brook, states that they are the teeth of the Sky Cat, which protect them from evil.  The Questers meet with Stoneteller, both Leader and Seer, who advises them that he has Foreseen a silver cat stopping their Punishment - a Sharp Clawed Spirit that has tormented them for ages.  When Stormfur asks what their Clowder was being punished for, Stoneteller sighs, and tells them that the Clowder has forgotten their crimes, though they must have been great.  Foxpaw disagrees, this Spirit sounds like a Geist, and decides they must free the Clowder from their torments.

A plan is set – some freshkill is used to lure the massive Geist into part of the cavern, and then the Hunters, Stormfur, Brambleclaw, and Tawnypelt will leap on it and batter it.  Crowpaw, Foxpaw, and Feathertail will distract it, along with some of the faster Hunters and Scouts.  The plan starts perfectly – the great Geist comes into the cavern, its birch-bark pelt curling and jagged, its eyes dripping river weeds and mud.  Foxpaw streaks over its paws, dodging slime and tree sap, and the attackers jump on its back, peeling the bark back farther to release murky water.  This is what sends the plan reeling – Crowpaw sees the water and freezes.  The hunters are battered, and Brambleclaw curses Crowpaw for cowardice.  Feathertail sees a starry cat with silver fur, and sees what she has to do.

She runs for a craggy path, up to the stone teeth, and

She

   Leaps

      And

         F

           A

               L

                     L

                         S

                               Taking the largest stone tooth with her

It CRACKS into the Geist’s back, pinning it to the cave floor, sending sap and water and mud out in a wild wave, soaking Crowpaw and Foxpaw, who had leapt to Crowpaw’s defense.    The Geist scrabbles at the ground, and slowly whisps away like fog in a beam of sunlight, leaving only the clawmarks and the stone tooth, embedded in the floor as if it had grown there.  And atop it, Feathertail, silent and still.

Stormfur wails, rushing to the limp body of his sister, as Stoneteller and the other Coldstone Clowder cats gather incredulously.  Crowpaw leaps up to his friend, and screams. SHE’S STILL ALIVE!!!!!

Stormfur and Stoneteller carefully leverage the fallen cat to the softest nest the Clowder has, and Crowpaw lays at her head, apologizing over and over.  Stoneteller shoos him, and Crowpaw weeps against Foxpaw, who assures him that it wasn’t his fault, that any one of them could have freaked out.  Stoneteller declares that Feathertail will live, but he is unsure of what the damage to her back will do.  Brook comforts Stormfur, and Foxpaw makes Crowpaw laugh a little by joking about Brook making moves on Stormfur.

After a day, Feathertail wakes, but she can’t feel her hindquarters at all.  She stops Crowpaw from apologizing, and assures her friends that she will do her best to heal, but they have a job to do.  Stoneteller promises to take care of Feathertail like one of his own Clowder, and Brook swears to personally keep Feathertail cared for.  After a tearful goodbye, the five remaining Questers head down the mountain.  They break through a fog bank, and behold the vista below them.

A grand lake, surrounded by woodland and marshland and moorland and a winding river.  Birds fly past the group unafraid, and Crowpaw spies deer feeding in the distance.  A small Twoleg Den sits on one side, with a Barn and strange creatures dotting the Twoleg Territory there.  Near where the river meets the lake, another Twoleg Den sits, with a structure jutting out into the lake.  It gleams with the rising sun, and it’s as close to perfect as the Questers will ever find.

The group heads back to the Coldstone Clowder, and after transporting Feathertail to see the view, the five Clan cats head back the way they came.  Foxpaw tries to send Swiftpaw good vibes, but gets a strange feeling – like anxiety creeping up her tail and rooting in her spine.  Something is terribly wrong. And as they come into view of the Clan territories, and see the devastation that the Twolegs have wrought, and understand.

The Time Between

While the Quest was going on, the Twolegs had begun their attack on the territories.  All the Clans were under threat of starvation.  Windclan found themselves poisoned by prey.  Shrewpaw was nearly killed by a Monster – only saved by a shining Swiftspirit pulling him out of the way.  His leg was still broken, but he would live.  And worst of all, the Twolegs had set traps!  The Clans would have lost so many, save that Sandstorm led a rescue mission – at the cost of the Monster holding the prisoners stealing the brave molly away.

The Hope Clowder had better luck at least – their new home was safe, as their old camp had been destroyed by Monsters as well, but at least they had a place to stay! 

Preparations were made to move.  Seers chipped pieces of the Moonstone away, to bring with them to their new home.  Herbalists gathered their plants into carriable containers.  Queens and Kings worked with Crafters to make kit-carriers.  Hunters and Trackers took down every prey they found, and butchered the meat into transportable parcels.

And then the Questers returned.

The Journey

Foxpaw fell into her family’s embrace, crying with joy.  Goldenflower held Brambleclaw, who reassured her he was FINE MA.  Stormfur informed Leopardstar of Feathertail’s injury, and was welcomed back by Hawkfrost and Mothwing.  Tawnypelt rushed into Rowanclaw, holding him like he was a treasure.  Crowpaw ran into camp calling for his parents, and was swept up in their embrace, Nightcloud and her mate Gorseflicker dancing around them as Tallstar watched.  Foxpaw was named Foxflight for her swift return, and she congratulated Swiftpool on her calm name.  And Crowpaw requested he be named for the bravest cat he knew, and became Crowfeather.

Within three days, the dens were dismantled, the histories gathered, and every cat accounted for. But some of the Elders were too tired and weak, and Mudfur is recovering from an illness.  As the Clans walked through the Twoleg Territory, a group of Hope Clowder cats stopped them – their leaders wanted to talk to the Leaders of the Clans before they left. 

The Leaders, and the Elders so they could rest, were led to Darkstripe and Sasha, and Longstar asked what they wanted.  Sasha explains that some of their more spiritually sided cats have had visions of a distant Clan of cats that need help – do they know anything about this?  As she speaks, stars fall through a crack in the wall, and Willowpelt emerges.  She greets the tearful Darkstripe, and confirms that the records are missing something – there once were five Clans. 

The fifth, Skyclan were banished after the Leaders decided the fifth Tree at what became Fourtrees meant that Skyclan needed to leave.  They were forced to split, some joining the Coldstone Clowder, others became Kittypets or Loners, and some joined the remaining Clans. The Leaders then forbid the Historians from ever speaking of Skyclan, leading to everyone forgetting them  This was terribly wrong of the past Leaders, and now some of their descendants needed aid.  Mudfur raises his head – I can do this.  Frostfur agrees, followed by Loudbelly, and a Windclan Elder named Hollowback, then a Shadowclan Elder named Yewtail.  Their Leaders confer, and agree as well, so long as the Hope Colony cats going along understand they’ll have to care for these treasured Elders.  The Colony cats are brought in, and fervently agree, one tom named Macguyver vows to see them to Skyclan if it’s the last thing he does.  The Elders say goodbye to the Clans, and the mass of cats departs.

As the Clan cats go up the mountain, an apprentice named Smokepaw almost falls off of a cliff, but is saved by Russetfur.  This sets off a chain reaction that leads the Clans to become closer.  Queens and Kings huddle together, their kits becoming friends.  Apprentices chatter with each other, sharing tongues and stories. Historians compare notes, and Crafters compare techniques.  Hunters and Trackers share notes and bring down prey together.  Swiftpool finds herself becoming enamored with Crowfeather, and Crowfeather begins getting a crush on Swiftpool.  Foxflight is not blind and needles them cheerfully, with the help of Shrewleg.  Notably, Onewhisker keeps close to a slowly wilting Tallstar, and seems to be brown-nosing, at least according to Nightcloud.  He only leaves the elderly Leader’s side to talk with Brambleclaw.

When the Clans reach the Coldstone Clowder, they shelter for a night in the cavern, Graystripe being reunited with Feathertail.  She gets teary at Crowfeather’s name, and she and Stormfur decide to stay behind in the Coldstone Clowder, feeling more at home there.

The Clans marvel at the sight of the New Territory, but some cats wonder if Starclan came with them.  These doubts are erased when every Senior Seer AND Healer get similar visions of past Seers or Healers, assuring them Starclan reaches as far as Silverpelt.  As the cats bed down for the night, Barkface summons the Leaders to meet with Tallstar.  When they enter the bush where Tallstar lies, it becomes very apparent what is happening. 

Tallstar is dying, for the last time.

Mudclaw and Onewhisker stay at the entrance, Onewhisker shooting glares at the Deputy.  Tallstar weakly asks Leopardstar, Longstar, and Blackstar to help his chosen Deputy guide his clan, and as he passes, names…Mudclaw.  Onewhisker storms off, and Mudclaw lowers his head, mourning.

As this is happening, Hawkfrost and Mothwing meet with Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt, having deduced that the four share the same sire.  As they’re talking, Foxflight and Crowfeather trot over to say hello.

And the Riverclan siblings freeze.

Foxflight asks if they sat on slugs, and Mothwing shakily says that she’s seeing a Spirit, Hawkfrost’s wavering voice rising.  It’s our brother.  Tadpole.  We lost him when he…drowned… Crowfeather tilts his head.  I’m not named Tadpole, but…you look familiar…and tells his story.  Mothwing tears up – it’s you – oh Tadpole you’re ALIVE!!!  Hawkfrost is blubbering, beaming hopefully. Crowfeather, shaking a little, smiles weakly – I think I remember you, oh Moth, oh Hawk!  The three tumble into a teary embrace, with Foxflight and Tawnypelt cheering.  Brambleclaw looks…angry, that the attention is off of him, but hides it quickly. Of COURSE he would be excited about another sibling, he’s just shocked!

The next morning, as Windclan mourns Tallstar, many wonder how Mudclaw will gain his nine lives, with no Moonstone.  Darkpaw wonders as well, but is distracted by a tortie molly with a starry pelt.  He grabs Sorreltail, and they follow the cat until she leads them to a pool of clear, shining water.  With familiar shining stones at the bottom.  Darkpaw and Sorreltail race back to the group excitedly, and when the Healers come to the pool, they collectively agree that this will be their new Moonstone.  The Moonpool.  Darkpaw is given his Healer’s name on the spot by Cinderpelt – Darkmoon.

Settling In and Blood Spilt

The Clans settle into their new camps, and it’s busy for quite a while.  Camp Guards working with Crafters to weave new Dens, Herbalists and Healers planting their medicines and locating more, and Trackers and Hunters finding and tracking the lives of the new prey groups.  Foxflight finds herself bothered by Brambleclaw, finding solace in her pseudo-uncle Ashfur and his mate Flyshadow, and her best friend Shrewleg.  Eventually, they are forced to work together to drive off some Rogues that were harassing the border patrols of Thunderclan and Shadowclan.  Blackstar is furious that Longstar stepped in, but comically backtracks when Flamewish steps up. She had recently helped dive out a badger, and is Not Amused by Blackstar’s nonsense. We help each other, Moronstar!

Unfortunately, Onewhisker leads a revolt against Mudstar, claiming that Tallstar named HIM Deputy on his deathbed, and that Mudstar is a False Star.  This accusation brings Shadowclan supporters, and a fight breaks out, with Riverclan and Thunderclan supporting Mudstar.  As Onewhisker yowls angrily against Mudstar, a tree falls upon him, and he is crushed.  His body is retrieved, and the tree becomes the bridge to the new Gathering Place.  (Brambleclaw seethes, as his ally falls.  But he still has the Foxflight plan)

After some time, a Barn Cat named Daisy meets a patrol exploring the edge of the Twoleg Den.  She asks if they protect kits, which Cloudtail affirms.  She brings her three kits, Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit, to Thunderclan, saying that the Twolegs took her last litter, and she refuses to lose another to them.  Longstar welcomes her, and asks if she wishes to have a Clan name.  She passes, stating that she was named to honor her mother, and joins Thunderclan.  Cloudtail is attentive to her, which bothers Brightheart.  Thankfully, she communicates with her mate, and the three cats come to a romantic agreement.  The kits are delighted to have three parents!

Swiftpool and Crowfeather begin having a secret relationship, though not quite as secret as they think.  Hopfoot and Ashfoot exchange glances when their son looks so cheery, and Snowthorn pawspeaks jokes to Darkmoon about Swiftpool being obvious as a snowfall in Greenleaf.  Eventually, they decide to run away together, thinking that their Clans would never let them be together.  But that night they are stopped by Midnight, who tells them that her kin are attacking Thunderclan Camp.  The pair split up, Crowfeather running to Windclan for backup, and Swiftpool rushing for home.

She enters camp to pandemonium.  There are at least a half-dozen badgers, and she leaps at the one atop of Sootfur, saving his life.  As she helps drive them off, she hears Darkmoon scream in anguish, then sees him pin a badger with a bloody face.  Behind him, in front of the Healer’s Den, is a downed Cinderpelt.  Suddenly, a Windclan Battle Patrol bursts into camp, finishing off the badgers.  Swiftpool mourns the Healer alongside Darkmoon, Fireheart, and Flamewish, as Longstar confers with Mudstar.  Eventually, she and Crowfeather are called to meet with their leaders, and they confess their affair, waiting for their punishments.

But instead, Flamewish whoops delightedly, Mudstar sighs and mutters about idiots not talking to their Leaders, and Longstar pats them gently, you are not subtle kits.  Right there, Windclan and Thunderclan create a cross-clan relationship rule – so long as the Clans are at peace with each other, cats may be in relationships.  The moon remains bright and clear, and Swiftpool and Crowfeather have official permission to date.  The rule is added to the code at large, though Leopardstar seems somewhat iffy about it.  But if the Stars approve, then who is she to deny them?

After some time, Brambleclaw keeps trying to flirt with Foxflight, even though she’s mates with Shrewleg.  Eventually Fireheart steps in, and gives Brambleclaw a talk about consent, and taking NO for an answer. This is interrupted by Cloudtail rushing into camp with an injured Berrykit, who snuck out and got his tail stuck in a Twoleg snare.  He loses the tail, but lives, and is scolded for leaving camp by himself.  Brambleclaw gets an idea.

He meets every so often with Hawkfrost on the border, the pair complaining and training together.  Hawkfrost admits to once having a dream of Tiger”star” calling him, but denied it after seeing a moth float by. It reminded him of the one time that he tried to fake a sign to make Mothpaw a Healer, but there was already a moth’s wing at the Healer’s Den.  The pair both wish to be Deputies, and plan to become Leaders together.

On the evening of their last meeting, Hawkfrost feels a sense of unease.  As he approaches the meeting place, he hears a commotion, and finds Longstar trapped by a Twoleg snare on his neck, Brambleclaw standing over him.  Hawkfrost is horrified as Brambleclaw speaks, help me kill him, and Whitestorm when he makes me Deputy, and I’ll help you kill your opposition.  We will rule TOGETHER!

And Hawkfrost?

Says NO!

The pair clash, with Hakfrost getting knocked around by the Miretrees-trained Brambleclaw, eventually being thrown next to Longstar.  He sees the snare-thorn, and as Brambleclaw leaps at him, grabs the snare-thorn in his mouth

                                                                               And

                                                                                        Stabs

Brambleclaw falls on Hawkfrost, and the Riverclan tom shoves his half-brother off, the snare-thorn lodged deeply in the Traitor’s throat.  He frees Longstar, who coughs weakly, and thanks Hawkfrost for helping him.  Blood spills into the lake. Hawkfrost vows to never become Leader – he will support his clan, but the shine of Leadership has been forever tainted by hot blood and shocked amber eyes.

(Brambleclaw wakes, coughing up blood and black ooze.  His father sneers, what a failure…but we will try again)

And Swiftpool realizes she’s pregnant.

(Crowfeather denies that he fainted, it was a Manly Swoon. Foxflight disagrees heartily)

[age-of-moonknight]

“Khonshu: Strikefile,” Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu (Vol. 1/2024), #0.

Writer: Jed MacKay; Penciler and Inker: Alessandro Cappuccio; Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg; Letterer: Cory Petit

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

Your blood loving yassified howdy made me remember that there's a family of moths that are quite literally titled "vampire moths" that like to drink blood [and fruit juice!]

ok i had to look those guys up and! wow! what the fuck! nature took one of its Best things (moths) and combined them with one of its Worst (mosquitos). they're so cute and yet i'm reflexively Afraid!

[steeplescollapsed]

its a strange thing to know yourself.

to understand what's happening in your head,

to recognise the patterns you're retracing again,

and know that you will do nothing about it.

to know that you'll still follow the same path each time.

like red riding hood, walking her way to the wolf

in the same way every time you hear the story.

like its all pre-planned, all written down,

and i'm just re-reading the script.

here we go, down the path into the forest,

watching the world get darker,

never changing the direction my feet take me,

always heading to granny's house.

and i know i'll escape, because i always do.

the wolf always gets split down the middle,

and i always crawl out of his belly,

and my cloak will stay stained red with his blood

for the next time i decide to go walking in the forest.

28th April 2024, by me

[honey-tea-and-poetry]

i know this is goodbye

for now-

however, i know one day we'll be together

over the wild blue yonder-

so please- suck the marrow out of life's bones

and fly with the eagles-

spread the memory of me

out to sea

be a free wanderer

a lone traveler-

i wish for you to love and love and love-

holding tight your faith and your home

you deserve the best this world has to offer-

because you are so amazingly wonderfully,

ALIVE-

so take life by the hand and run for your dreams

and when death comes to take you,

look into its eyes,

take it by the hand and fall asleep to the laughter from the other room

[jamieedlund]

Miscellaneous

-with this hand, I weave our bond.

Hi! So some of you asked me what my thought was on this season and you're going to have to wait because I have 3 short comics planned out that will explain (some of) my frustrations as well as anger with the mishandling and horrible characterizations of both Callum and Aaravos so...stay tuned for that (ง •_•)ง.

In the meantime, thank you all so so much for the overwhelmingly amazing supports that has exploded my notifications this week. I can't express my gratitude enough and so sorry for being slow with my replies.

I hope you enjoy this somewhat peaceful illustration before I dive into the disaster that is season 4.

Chaotic process vid ❤

If you've paid really close attention to my art, I'm sure you've noticed by now that I've always had a fascination with Aaravos and flowers ~ specifically lotuses. For this piece in particular I laid down all of my colors beneath the sketch, that's why you see all the colors are just there from the beginning ˋ( ° ▽、° ) also because I stopped recording near the end because my potato laptop was going to die on me.

[awetistic-things]

saying “israel has the right to defend itself” is crazy considering israel were the ones who stole palestinian land in the first place and have been continuously committing genocide against the palestinian people for almost a century

and sign the fucking petition please 🙏🏼

[wrathbites]

i wanna see what you can do with #12 candles pls

Send me a number and I'll write a micro story using the word or phrase

They bury Bruce Wayne in broad daylight, sun shining and cameras flashing, the city's favourite spectacle denied his privacy even in death.

They bury their Bruce (father, son, partner, friend) under the cover of darkness, the quiet affair he'd have preferred. Free of his armour and mantle, the responsibility carried on his shoulders now passed to his children, shared between them.

And it's their choice to carry his legacy, never the burden he feared it would become, braced on all sides by the friends and allies made along the way.

Alfred steps out from under the span of Diana's umbrella, no candle in hand to shield from the rain. Just as before, so many years ago, but Bruce isn't in his arms this time, silent and shaking with his loss, no. He's silent and still in his coffin, an impossible thing Alfred never expected to see.

There are no speeches here, no people to please, not a single reputation to uphold, and so he allows himself a moment of weakness at last, waiting for a request that'll never come, for a voice he will never hear again.

"Goodnight, my boy. Rest well."

One by one the candles go out, each extinguished with a puff of breath, a murmured goodbye, the first step in many of an endless grief.

~

And all at once they flare to life on a scream that cracks earth and sky the following night, when there are none around to witness.

Ancient in power and terrifying in fury, Gotham calls her favourite son, her Batman, home.

[soysaucevictim]

sometimes you shine sometimes you fall

Oh hell, I just feel like doing one of those onion-peel build-up things for the first part of that ”La Pieta” diptych I made for the iZ!AU.

This is the least spoilery of the two parts to do this with (it’s like a Chapter 1 spoiler, the second part is a Resolution spoiler... sooo, yeah.)