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sergeantsporks · 1 year

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Gilded Family

Rating: Teen and Up, Gen

Ch 29/?: Infection

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6 , Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 24, Ch 25, Ch 26, Ch 27, Ch 28

In which none of the previous golden guards or wittebro died, actually, they're all fine and living happily together as one big dysfunctional family

Ao3

“Sa-am,” Evelyn sang, sweeping into the lab. Phoenix followed in her wake, ducking behind her to stay out of Petro’s glare radius.

Sam set down a rat with a glyph attached to it that scampered away immediately. “Hello, Mother Dearest. What is it that you need?”

“I didn’t say that I needed something.”

“You get musical when you’re going to ask me for something. What is it?”

“Mm. Yes.” Evelyn nodded a couple of times. “Now that you mention it. I could use a transportation glyph, please and thank you. Also perhaps you could come with us so that we can get back, and because my magic is a wee bit depleted from the barrier?”

“Ah. Just give me a—” Sam reached down, patted the table where the rat had been, and cursed. “Never mind. Give me a now. May I ask where it is that we’re headed?”

Evelyn glanced at Petro. “Not in front of him.”

“Who am I going to tell, Mummy Beloved?” Petro sighed, tilting his chair back on its legs, “I am to be left alone, without a single soul to talk t—” His chair tilted back too far and he crashed backwards. “Hm.”

“Good,” Evelyn said sharply, “It’ll give you time alone to think about what you’ve done.”

She stalked back out, Sam scurrying behind her. Phoenix turned to go, but Petro cleared his throat. “Little bird, I’ve got a favor to ask. I know you don’t trust me, and you have no reason to, but this is very important to me, so please at least consider my request.”

Despite every warning bell ringing in his head, Phoenix stayed. “What?”

Petro’s face split into a grin. “Bring me back a souvenir?”

Phoenix sighed, and he picked up Petro’s chair, setting him upright and checking to make sure his bonds hadn’t been loosened in the fall. “You know, when I was in your memories, I heard someone singing a lullaby. I don’t know who they were, but do you think they’d be proud of who you are now?”

Petro’s eyebrows went down in an angry v, and all the spiteful humor on his face gave way to rage. He lunged forward against his bonds, snapping his teeth at Phoenix, who jumped backwards to dodge the attack.

“That’s none of your business,” he snarled, “You don’t know what you’re talking about, so just shut up!”

Phoenix backed out of the room, shutting the door on a growling, slavering Petro. He thought he’d seen the worst of Petro, but the hot hate in Petro’s eyes had been far deeper than before, even worse than when Petro had tried to kill him. Whoever could make Petro snap like that would have to wait, though. Evelyn and Sam were already outside, drawing in the dirt.

Before Phoenix could reach the door, Mole slid in front, crossing his arms. He held out a leaf to Phoenix, stained with green mud he must have found on the garden fence.

Phoenix hissed in. “It’s—I’m going to tell them Mole, I just…”

Mole shook his head, taking Phoenix’s arm and tugging him back further into the house.

Phoenix gingerly extracted himself from Mole’s grip. “I can’t. I can’t make them stop to deal with this, not when we’re so close. It’ll take too much time.”

Mole sighed, chewing on his lip and looking at the door, and Evelyn, and then back to Phoenix.

Phoenix crouched slightly so that he was on Mole’s eye level. “I’ll tell them when we get back. I’ll play it safe. No unnecessary risks. I promise.”

Mole threw his hands up in the air and stormed away, shutting his room door harder than necessary, but not hard enough for it to slam. Phoenix sighed.

I guess I’d be pretty mad at him if he was sick and wouldn’t tell anyone.

At least he could be sure that Mole wouldn’t tell anyone.

Phoenix joined the others outside just as Evelyn snatched the arm of a passing adult. “Marcus. I’m going out. You’re in charge of the barrier while I’m gone. It should just be a few hours, then I’ll take over again. If you think your magic is starting to fade, ask Aurelia to use hers.”

Marcus nodded, and the glow around the fence took on a different hue; still blue, but a more greenish blue than Evelyn’s magic.

Sam finished his glyph and dusted his hands off. “All set! Where is it we’re off to?”

“The head.”

Sam coughed. “The head. You mean where the Collector is? You mean that place that’s crawling with their spies? That place Phoenix barely got out of alive? That head?”

“That’s the one. I know it’s not exactly a vacation, but that’s where the last Grimwalker is, so that’s where we need to go.”

“Oh boy. Does Dad know?”

Evelyn glowered. “I don’t need your father’s permission.”

Sam held his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t say you did! It just seems like. Maybe. Perhaps. Going on a very dangerous rescue mission to a very dangerous place. Might be the sort of thing we discuss with the whole family? Instead of rushing off half-baked? At the very least, we should have Auric on standby?”

Evelyn paced back and forth. “We don’t have time for a lengthy family debate over the risks! Every second they spend up there is another second that the Collector might find them, or worse, kill them without realizing!”

“Okay, okay!” Sam hissed in. “Sorry, one last thing… no offense, Phoenix, but are you sure you’re up for this?”

Phoenix shoved his hands back in his pockets. “I’ll be fine. The situation’s not ideal, but it’s never going to be.”

“Sam,” Evelyn pleaded, “I’d do this on my own, but my magic is shot. Phoenix is the one who figured out where they are, so we need him there to guide us. We need to get in and out quickly, and only you can help us do that. Are you going to take us there?”

Sam’s mouth set in a firm line. “Well. I’ve already got the glyph drawn. Why not? All aboard that are coming aboard.”

Sam and Evelyn stepped into the circle, and Sam tapped the glyph. Golden light rushed around Phoenix, and when it faded, he faced a familiar archway, glowing eerily in the light cast by the Archive House hovering thousands of feet over them.

Phoenix’s heart pounded in his chest, and he gingerly touched the shattered remains of the portal door.

Are you there, Jason?

Are you still safe?

Evelyn opened her bag, passing out concealment stones. Phoenix saw potion bottles hidden deep in her bag, clinking gently together with her movement, but she quickly buckled the bag back up, hiding them from sight. Phoenix slipped the concealment stone over his head, and the magic drew lines around his joints. His clothes popped in the darkness, now more colorful and flowy, like a puppet’s.

“Where next, Phoenix?”

Phoenix peered out of the decimated lab, and immediately stepped back, head spinning. Outside, the ground gave way to a straight drop into unending darkness, the bridge long gone. “Down there.”

“Eugh.” Sam pulled out a notepad, drawing three new glyphs. “Feather-fall,” he explained, handing them out, “I don’t think taking the stairs is an option anymore.”

Evelyn immediately jumped over the edge of the precipice. Sam grabbed Phoenix’s arm. “Hey.”

“Hey?”

Sam nodded towards the edge. “Mom’s… not in the most logical headspace right now. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. Once we find wherever he kept us stored, I’m going to hang back and start the return glyph.” Sam glanced up at the sky. “Being this close to the archive house gives me the creeps. I want to get out of here as soon as possible.”

Phoenix shuffled closer to the edge of the drop, but didn’t jump. “You’re not hanging back to try and catch a puppet, are you?”

“Well, I wasn’t, but I’m thinking about it now.” Sam gave him a little push. “Just help me keep her safe. Go!”

Phoenix took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and jumped before he could think too hard about it. He clutched the feather-fall glyph close to his chest, opening his eyes and activating it just before hitting the ground. He staggered forward, and Evelyn gripped his forearms to keep him steady.

“Easy, Phoenix. You’re alright.”

Sam tapped down gently next to them, landing as gracefully as a fairy. He held a small light glyph in one hand, gently illuminating the skull around them. “Oog. I did not miss this place.” His voice echoed in the cavern, and he kicked at something glimmering on the ground. “He never cleaned up down here, did he?”

Phoenix recognized the object Sam had kicked, and his stomach churned. Golden masks littered the ground, some accompanied by bloodstained scraps of white fabric, others by a spaulder or a torn-up breastplate.

Evelyn’s hold on Phoenix tightened. “We were this close the whole time?!”

“What is this place?” Phoenix asked. He could guess, and something pressed at the corners of his mind, a sense of familiarity, but the others seemed much more familiar with it.

“Uncle Pip’s dumping ground,” Sam grumbled “He dropped a lot of us down here once he was done with us.”

“It was always the first place Caleb and I checked,” Evelyn whispered, picking up the mask Sam had kicked. “We’d try to catch you before you hit the bottom—like poor Alex did. Not everyone ended up here, but…” She turned the mask over in her hands. “This is where we found you, Phoenix.”

Memories of both being dragged across the bridge and dragging bodies himself warred for dominance in Phoenix’s mind—not that he’d ever thought about or remembered this place before today. The memory of Belos pushing his lifeless body over the edge was faint, barely more than a feeling of déjà vu overshadowed by the pain of his injuries, but watching himself fall, while clearer… didn’t even feel important or worth thinking about.

Which was almost worse.

Evelyn shook her head, tucking the mask into her bag. “If where he made you is really just a few feet away… that’s just twisted.”

“Not to mention ridiculous,” Sam added, “What did he think happened to the bodies when he came down here to get a new kid? Did he think Grimwalker bodies just disintegrate? Okay, wait, actually, if Dad rescued all of us, then he never had a corpse for long. He probably did think that. Fascinating, he had a completely warped understanding of decomposition because of us. I would love to pick apart his brain if he were still alive.”

“Yes, incredibly interesting,” Evelyn agreed impatiently, “Phoenix?”

Phoenix took a deep breath. Okay. Which way?

He started to walk, letting his feet pick the direction without any thought. He passed a few more masks, gleaming dully in the dim light from Sam’s light glyph. Finally, a cave yawned out at them from the darkness, and Phoenix stopped.

“There,” he whispered.

Evelyn’s hand found his in the darkness. “Let’s bring them home,” she whispered.

Sam drew more light glyphs, wafting them into the room. Phoenix stared at three vats filled to the brim with dirt, the fingers on his free hand twitching and clawing as if he were buried and needed to dig his way out. Tubes fed into the dirt, and Phoenix knew in the back of his head that they should be filled with glowing green liquid. But the whole room felt… lopsided, somehow, and whatever the tubes had been hooked to before, they now lay disconnected on the ground.

A small hand stuck out of one stone vat, and Phoenix pointed with a squeak. Evelyn pulled him to it, but neither of them made any move to dig it up.

“Are they still alive?” Phoenix gingerly reached out—the hand wouldn’t even be the length of his pinkie finger when stretched out.

The moment his finger brushed the tiny fingers, they twitched and tightened, curling around his index finger. Evelyn gasped and immediately started to dig, shoveling away great handfuls of dirt. Phoenix joined her, his free hand digging around the grimwalker’s arm with practiced movements, as if he’d been doing this his whole life, even though some part of him said that he’d only ever watched, and another part of him whispered that he’d only ever dug from the opposite side.

A small face started to appear in the soil, chubby with baby fat and smeared with dirt. Evelyn seized a heavy white cloak hanging on a peg, wrapping the little grimwalker up. They weren’t quite an infant—if Phoenix had to guess, they were a year or two old.

Evelyn gently brushed dirt off of the sleeping grimwalker’s face. “Hey, little guy,” she said softly, “I know a bunch of people who are going to be so happy to meet you. And we’re going to take good care of you.” She gently kissed the top of the grimwalker’s head, then handed them to Phoenix. “Here—can you hold them for a moment? Mind their head, I think they’re big enough that it shouldn’t be too floppy but it’s been… a while.”

“Ack—” Phoenix held the baby like it might explode, cradling their head in one hand. “Um—Evelyn, I don’t know if I should—I’ve never held a—what if I drop—”

“You’ll be fine,” she said briskly, “You won’t hurt them.” She reached into her bag, pulling out potion bottles and holding them between her fingers. “Go wait outside with Sam.”

“Why? What are those? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to burn this miserable hole down to the ground so that no one can ever use it again,” Evelyn growled, “Go.”

Her magic gently pushed Phoenix out of the cave, and she threw the first potion, destroying one of the stone vats with an almighty boom and a crack of splitting stone.

“Yep,” Sam said in a resigned voice, “That’s what I was afraid of. Well! As long as she’s being safe about it! We’re far enough down that the Collector won’t notice. I think.”

The grimwalker in Phoenix’s arms squirmed, reaching up towards his face and batting at his nose. “Mrgh?” they gurgled.

“Ohhhhhhhhh boy—” Phoenix bounced the baby up and down the way he’d seen caretakers at the orphanage do. “Okay, go back to sleep, go back to—”

Another boom, and this time, the machine in the corner exploded, sending shards outwards. Phoenix’s arms started to ache, and although the flickering of the explosions made every rock and shadow seem strange and eerie, he could clearly see that the blackish green veins had reached his fingertips and were starting to web outwards, turning his nails black.

Crack

Phoenix shook his head back and forth as if that would dislodge the feeling of something slithering under his skin, making his arms itch and crawl and… bubble.

“Phoenix?” Sam asked, “Are you okay?”

“She needs to stop,” Phoenix whispered, “She needs to stop destroying it, she needs to—” He deposited the grimwalker baby in Sam’s arms before he could drop them, his arms trembling uncontrollably. The baby frowned, reaching towards Phoenix with little grabby hands.

“It took so long, she can’t…” Phoenix pressed his arms against his stomach, doubling over. “Stop it. Stop it, stop it—”

“Mooooooooooooom? We need to leave!” Sam yelled somewhere in the distance, “Something’s wrong with Phoenix—”

“Just a little bit more,” Evelyn called back, “I’m almost done—”

“Stop,” Phoenix rasped. His arms didn’t just itch anymore, they burned, shifting and tearing and breaking and reforming over and over and over.

“Mom!” Sam yelped, “Forget the cave! You’ve done enough! We need to go now!

Golden light rushed around Phoenix, and something inside of him whispered to take it, to consume it, to dig his claws (what claws, he’d never had claws) into the light and seize it for his own.

The light faded on its own, turning to red trees, and Phoenix’s legs wobbled.

Evelyn reached out to catch his arms, but yanked her hands away at the last second, her mouth dropping open in horror. Phoenix fell to his knees, too sluggish to break his fall with his hands, and crashed forward on his forearms. His arms showed no sign of flesh or skin, just oozing, pulsing mud that shifted and swirled, revealing white bone and covering it up just as quickly.

“What—is—happening—” Phoenix groaned.

Evelyn grabbed Sam’s collar, hauling him and the baby grimwalker backwards away from Phoenix and shoving him towards the house. “Get your father. Now.”

Sam scrambled away, calling for help. Evelyn approached Phoenix slowly, holding her hands up. “Hey—stick with me. When did it start getting worse?”

Phoenix touched his forehead to the ground as the mud ate at his upper arm, slinking towards his shoulders. “Hnnnngh—”

“Okay, okay, let me just—” Her hand touched his shoulder lightly, then flicked down to the mud. She immediately drew back with a yelp, shaking her hand, and eyed his arms with a mixture of horror, worry, and… disgust. “It’s like…”

“Belos,” Phoenix grated out. He pushed up to his feet, blinking back stars from his vision. “It’s like Belos, it’s—”

His curse

The attacks

Is that going to happen to me?!

“Phoenix—” Evelyn started, but Phoenix was already backing away from her.

“Stay back—I don’t want to hurt you.”

She faltered, her face heartbroken. But she didn’t chase him when he ran, stumbling through the forest. He had to get as far away from the house as he could before this lashed out—it had already hurt Evelyn, he couldn’t let it attack anyone else.

Phoenix’s arm brushed against a tree, and a jolt of pain rushed up his spine as a low branch pushed right through the mud, touching bone. He stumbled to the side with a howl, clutching his arms close to his chest.

A solitary raindrop dripped from the sky, tracing down his cheek.

Rain had never bothered Phoenix before. It had never scalded him the way it did normal witches. But now the boiling water hissed into his arms, dragging tracks in his arms and dripping muddy water from his fingertips.

And it burned.

Phoenix ran, this time looking for shelter from the rain, any shelter. He tripped, skidding down a sharp bank, and finally crawled under a fallen tree that created a small hollow. He curled into a ball, pressing his arms tightly against himself to keep them from exploding outwards. The mud had stopped trying to crawl further up his arms, leaving burns behind. It didn’t… settle, exactly. It just swirled more sluggishly, crawling and migrating around his lower arms.

Phoenix scooted further back into his hollow to stay away from the rain. At least Caleb and Evelyn couldn’t come looking for him in this weather—and he doubted they’d ask a grimwalker to find him when he looked like their worst nightmare.

“What am I supposed to do?” he whispered out loud. Every memory he had of Belos lashing out (and a few that he didn’t remember himself) with his curse played through his mind. He’d always consumed a palisman’s magic right after, but the thought made Phoenix sick to his stomach. He couldn’t do that. Not knowing how Hunter felt about his palisman, not knowing what loyal creatures they were.

What had he been expecting with this infection? That it would just make his arms ache? That his wounds would just keep spitting out cursed mud forever? That he could see some of Belos’ memories when it was convenient and not face any other consequences? Of course there was a price. There was always a price, always some exchange for any information or benefit when it came to Belos.

The rain slowed, but didn’t stop, still trickling down and making the air into a steamy fog. Phoenix’s stomach rumbled. Right. He hadn’t actually stopped to have breakfast this morning, and it was probably well past noon by now.

Had Belos ever eaten anything? Could he? Would Phoenix be able to stomach food now? Or would he be forced to eat a palisman or starve at some point?

A branch snapped, and Phoenix’s head snapped up, his ears twitching to locate the sound. He didn’t call out—anything that could be out in a rainstorm was bound to be a predator looking for its next meal.

Maybe it would be better for something to just eat me now before this gets worse and I hurt someone, he thought bleakly. Tears of exhaustion and pain blurred Phoenix’s vision, but he blinked them back, not letting them fall. I’m sorry, Darius. Jason. Hunter. I can’t…

“Phoenix?” Caleb’s voice called, “Phoooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeniiiiiiiiiiiiiiix! Are you out here?”

The ortet emerged from the steam, holding an umbrella over his head. Even with the barrier between him and the rain, tiny pockmark burns dotted his arms and face, and his clothing steamed. A pang of guilt tore at Phoenix—he’d come looking, even in the rain, and he’d gotten hurt.

“Go away,” Phoenix choked, “Just… go home.”

“Are you coming with me?”

Was he crazy?! “I can’t.”

Caleb shrugged. “Then I’m not going home either.”

He took another step closer, and Phoenix curled further into the hollow. “Stay back!”

Caleb halted in his tracks, holding his hands up as best he could while still gripping the umbrella. “Hey—it’s okay,” he shushed, edging closer, “I’m not gonna hurt you, it’s okay.”

“No—stay away—I don’t want to hurt you!”

“Then don’t,” Caleb said simply, taking another slow, steady step towards him.

Phoenix shook his head. How could he not understand?! He’d seen Belos, he’d fought Belos; why was he still coming closer, knowing what might happen?! “I don’t want to—but the curse, Belos’ attacks—”

“Oh,” Caleb sighed, “I see.” He reached the hollow, ducking inside and kneeling next to Phoenix. Phoenix’s heart thudded in his chest, and he pulled his arms even closer to himself, keeping them away from Caleb.

“You should run before… before…”

Caleb cupped Phoenix’s face in his hands, his thumb wiping away a streak of dirt. “Hey. Listen to me. Phillip didn’t hurt people because of the curse.” He shook his head. “Phillip hurt people because he wanted to. And Phoenix…” Caleb smiled gently, brushing Phoenix’s hair out of his face. “I’m not scared of you.”

A sob burst out of Phoenix’s throat, and he fell forward, burying his face in Caleb’s shoulder. Caleb wrapped his arms around Phoenix without hesitation, one hand cradling his head and the other resting on his back. Phoenix clutched him like a lifeline—his hands had turned to claws, so he stretched his fingers out flat to keep from tearing Caleb’s skin.

“I don’t—want to end up—like him—” he cried, tears still pouring from his eyes, “I don’t want to—” Every lie and trick, every harsh word, everything he’d done wrong in the last month pounded against his head, screaming that it was already too late, and this was just his body finally showing what he really was.

“You won’t,” Caleb said fiercely, “I won’t let that happen. I promise, you won’t turn into him. I promise, I promise, I promise.”

“It’s already started,” Phoenix stammered, “I’m sorry, I should have told you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have hidden it, but I’m seeing his memories, and—and getting upset over things he’d get upset over that I shouldn’t be getting upset over. And I lied to you and Evelyn about my arms, and I lied to the Collector to trick him into letting us go, and I lied to King to get him to come with me, and… and now my arms-!”

The mud started to move again, dripping away from him, and Phoenix hid his face in Caleb’s shoulder rather than see the white bone and the oozing, burning mud. He heaved in a shaky breath. You’re acting like a child, a voice in his head scolded, but Caleb felt warm and solid, and he didn’t want to let go.

“Okay. Okay.” Caleb rubbed a slow circle on his back. “Okay. Hey—hey, I don’t know why this is happening, or you’re seeing his memories. I don’t. But they don’t make you him, not any more than Hunter is Belos because he went into Belos’ mind and saw his memories.”

“But the Collector. And King. The way I lied and tricked them…” Phoenix shuddered, his clawed hands clenching into fists and opening over and over. “I knew it was like him, I knew it was exactly something Belos would do. And I knew that the Collector had been tricked before. But I still… I still…”

“You were scared,” Caleb said gently, “You were facing something much more powerful than you, and the only way out was to use your head. Lying isn’t always the wrong thing to do, Phoenix. Sometimes you have to lie, to protect yourself and the people you love.”

“And how do you know Belos wasn’t just scared?” Phoenix challenged, “Maybe he thought he had to lie, too.”

Caleb heaved a deep sigh and slowly sat back on his heels, ending the hug. “Phillip was scared,” he admitted, “Phillip was scared of a lot of things. He was scared of dying. He was scared of losing me. But most of all, Phillip was scared of what he didn’t understand.”

“Then how?” Phoenix asked, his voice cracking, “If he lied because he was scared too, then how is it any different?”

Caleb went very still and stayed a little bit too quiet for just a little bit too long. Outside, the rain came to a stop, leaving just lingering wisps of steam. “I think,” Caleb said slowly, “that Phillip let his fear of what he didn’t understand turn into hatred.” He closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly like he was admitting something to himself. “I encouraged him to turn it into hatred.” Caleb opened his eyes again, his shoulders hunching just ever-so-slightly, as if he were scared Phoenix would be angry at him. “I thought it was the right thing at the time, but…” he sighed. “That’s besides the point. Fear can help keep us safe. But not everything we don’t understand is out to get us. And that is something Phillip never learned. Something he didn’t want to learn.”

Phoenix tucked his arms in close again. “I… don’t understand.”

“Phillip chose to hate the things he didn’t understand instead of trying to find out more about them. And he went out of his way to keep doing so and to keep lying, and he kept on hating the unknown so badly that when the time came… he ended up causing one of his worst fears to come to pass rather than letting go of the fear that turned into hate.”

Caleb twisted his hands around each other. “I can’t say for sure where the line lies,” he said finally, “But I think perhaps Phillip crossed it when he sought out the unknown in order to destroy it, rather than just protecting himself when something harmful came his way. And most of all, I think he crossed that line when he was given obvious signs that he was hurting innocent people, and doing the wrong thing, and he chose to ignore them and keep going instead of changing.”

“How do you know I’m not doing the same thing?”

“Phoenix, would you lie to… King? Yes, King. Would you lie to King again?”

Phoenix shook his head dully. Even without knowing how King had reacted when he’d found out—he should have told him the whole truth from the beginning. Let him make his own decisions.

“And the Collector—”

“They’re not what everyone thinks,” Phoenix said in a rush, “They’re just a kid who wanted friends, and I was so desperate to get home that I ruined any chance I had, but if I hadn’t lied to him and tried to run, if I’d tried something else, anything else, I think I could have—I could have—” he stopped, eying Caleb. The ortet wore a small, knowing smile on his face. “What? Why are you smiling like that?”

“You took time to understand the Collector,” Caleb said gently.

“He’s still terrifying. Even more now that they probably hate me.”

“But…?”

“But not bad,” Phoenix admitted, “I don’t want to hurt them. And I don’t think I have to lie to them—I shouldn’t lie to him.”

“There you go. Still think you’re just like Belos?”

Phoenix held up his dripping arms. “But if I do start to…what if I start to act like him, and I don’t even realize?”

“You have me. And you have Evelyn. And you have all your siblings.” Caleb gave him a crooked grin. “I think we’re kind of experts on what Belos acts like. If you’re really worried… just trust us. We’re not perfect. And we make mistakes. But we’ll help you the best we can.”

He stood up, offering Phoenix a hand. “They’re all worried about you. Let’s go home?”

Phoenix reached up to take his hand, but before he did, he heard a rustle and a snap, and the hiss of magic. A glowing net shot out of the bushes, slamming into Phoenix.

“Got it!” a voice cheered from the bush. Two familiar masks and white cloaks popped up, dirty and dented, but still undeniably coven scouts. “Urgh, what is that thing?! I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Phoenix tore at the net, his throat closing up and his breath seizing in his chest. “Get it off—get it off, get it—”

“Stay calm—” Caleb knelt down next to the net, flicking out a knife and sawing at the magical ropes. “I’ve got you, Phoenix, you’re going to be o—”

One of the scouts yanked Caleb back, throwing him to the side. “Back off! Our kill!”

Phoenix strained and kicked to get away, but the net held, and the more he struggled, the tighter the net got, digging into his skin. His arms started to shift again, the cursed mud sliding in and out of the holes in the net, bubbling and squirming to burst free.

Caleb surged to his feet, cannoning into one of the scouts and wrestling them away from Phoenix. “No!” he yelled, “He’s not—a monster! Leave—him—alone!”

“Get off!”

The scout drew a spell circle, and a flesh-eating plant tore out of the ground, snapping Caleb up in its jaws. The human yelled in pain, and a sound like a roar burst out of Phoenix’s throat. A surge of energy shot through his limbs, and he tore the net apart.

“Titan—”

“Watch out, there it—”

Without thinking, Phoenix threw one hand out, and the cursed mud responded, shooting forward and slamming into one scout’s chest, throwing him backwards into a tree. The other scout threw a fireball at him, and he raised his other arm to shield himself. The magic slammed into his arm, but it didn’t seem to burn, just sort of… splattered against the mud uselessly. Phoenix tossed the scout into the branches of another tree effortlessly, turning to face the plant.

The cursed mud stretched out so far that he could see most of his arm’s bones, and some of his fingers as well. Phoenix faltered, exhaustion sweeping up from the tips of his fingers and through his whole body, like the mud was sapping all the energy he had left.

Caleb cried out as the plant tightened its grip, and Phoenix’s vision blurred. He felt himself moving, felt trees rushing past him, felt something heavy in his arms, but it was all automatic, his feet stumbling along the way until familiar lights blinked at him. He heard a yell for someone to help, and something tugged at the weight in his arms—Caleb, he realized, someone was trying to pull Caleb away. A snarl rasped out of his throat, and he pulled Caleb closer. Shadowy people moved in his eyesight, their faces blurred and indistinct, but all of them keeping a wary distance. He felt big, and detached, like some clumsy beast that had stumbled into a domesticated town.

Something wrapped around his waist, something solid and warm. Phoenix started to pull away, but the thing just clung tighter. It didn’t make any move to take Caleb, or tug him anywhere, or knock him over, it just… held on.

Hugged, he realized, and some small part of Phoenix started to settle back down, enough that he saw and recognized the dirty, freckled face that pressed against him, eyes squeezed shut. He recognized the scar stretching from his left eyebrow to just under his right eye, and the calloused hands, rough from hours spent in the garden.

“Mole?” he whispered.

Evelyn hovered in front of them, her hands fluttering like she wasn’t quite sure whether or not it was safe to touch him. Finally, she stepped forward, sliding one arm around a half-conscious Caleb. Phoenix let her help him down, wrapping his arms around Mole instead.

Mole squeezed so tightly Phoenix’s bruised ribs ached, but he didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry,” Phoenix whispered, “I’m sorry, you were right. I should have asked for help.”

Mole sniffed and nodded, stepping back and holding one fist to his chest, rubbing it in a circle.

“He also says sorry,” Evelyn supplied, “For… being angry?” she guessed.

Mole nodded and hugged Phoenix again. Phoenix wrapped one half-melting arm around him, which quickly turned to one arm around his shoulders while Mole helped him into the house, Phoenix’s legs folding and stumbling like a newborn snake-horse’s. Cherry paced back and forth in the kitchen, but his attention was mostly taken up by the baby grimwalker in his arms, who kept trying to tug on his hair.

“They found you.” Cherry leaned against the table for balance, his distraction allowing the little grimwalker to grasp his flyaway hair strand firmly. “I thought—it got worse, and I didn’t say any—” He held the baby grimwalker tightly, as if they were the only thing keeping him tethered to the world. “But you’re—not okay. But you’re here—titan.”

“I’m sorry,” Phoenix croaked. Guilt bubbled up in his stomach again—Cherry had been in a bad enough state when he’d left. And Phoenix had added the stress of hiding how badly he was doing on top of that. “Cherry, I…”

Grimwalkers gathered in a murmuring circle around Phoenix, staring at his arms.

“Did he…” Meleager asked quietly, gesturing to Caleb.

“No,” Caleb protested weakly, “He—”

A loud retch split the air, and the crowd parted around one grimwalker with a blotchy scar marring their right cheek. Everything else about them was pale—their platinum blonde half-up hair, the magenta of their eyes that fell closer to light pink, and the color of their skin, so pale it was almost translucent. They held one hand to their mouth, staring at Phoenix’s arms.

“Ash—” Evelyn started, but they backed away, gagging again, then turned and ran.

“On it,” Matt promised, chasing after them.

At the edge of the circle, Sam glanced at Cherry, who’d started pacing again, at Evelyn, who was still supporting Caleb, and at Phoenix and Mole. His spine straightened, and he gave the grimwalker next to him a slight push.

“Okay!” he announced briskly, shooing grimwalkers out of the kitchen, “Quit gawking! Big whoop! You people are acting like you’ve never seen a guy’s arms drip off his bones before! Give them space! Go do your chores! Isn’t it time for a patrol? Get on it!”

The crowd slowly dispersed, still murmuring.

“They’ll get used to it, assuming you can’t get rid of it,” Sam announced, “We all will.” He gave Evelyn a pointed look at that, then flounced off, following the grimwalkers to the hallway.

Evelyn lugged Caleb towards the temporary medical center. Phoenix started to follow, but fell at his first step, every muscle completely drained of energy. Mole half-carried him to Cherry’s room, pushing him into bed.

“What about—” Phoenix started in a whisper, but Mole just shook his head with a sigh, throwing a blanket over him. He patted Phoenix’s shoulder, as if to say leave it to me, and went outside, closing the lights and the door behind him. Phoenix sighed, pulling his arms close to himself under the blanket.

If I go to sleep now, will I wake up? Or will it take over?

Despite the worry twisting in his stomach, Phoenix’s eyes started to droop shut, heavy with exhaustion.

Just… for a moment.

#toh #the owl house #toh fanfiction #my writing #gilded family au #golden guard oc #caleb wittebane #evelyn clawthorne #evelyn wittebane #caleb clawthorne

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talonslockau · 4 months

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Forest of Secrets - Chapter 23

Chapter 22 || Index || Chapter 24

The full moon was already beginning to rise above the trees when Fireheart padded into camp with the rest of the Riverclan border patrol, stifling a yawn as he did so. He had been keeping himself busy the past moon; taking care of the elders, volunteering for every patrol, even offering to fetch mouse bile for the more tick-ridden Clanmates. He wanted to prove to Bluestar that he was apologetic for the fight he’d had with Graystripe - and a far better warrior than the other tom would ever be.

Though the camp was by now plunged into darkness, a quick scan of the perimeter revealed glowing eyes watching from the edges, waiting for Bluestar to appear on the rock. He hesitated, not sure which cat was which, until he heard a friendly mew from near the camp entrance. He turned with a purr, making out Peppermask’s speckled coat in the dim light as he sat down by her.

“Anything interesting happening on the Riverclan border?” She asked politely to the ruddy tom, even as she kept her eyes on the lichen covering the leader’s den.

“Not even a robin chirp. Between the cold and the snow, all the prey’s hiding, and not even Riverclan seems to want to patrol their borders. Can’t say I blame them.” Fireheart puffed out his fur, trying to keep as warm as he could. Camp was a little warmer, with the leaf covering keeping in more heat, but it was still a chilly leafbare. “I mean, what are we going to do? Go hunting on the ice?”

The tabby molly giggled at the thought. “Dustleap tried it last leafbare, back when he was an apprentice. Dad was so mad at him!” The thought of Quickflash made her pause for a moment, before she quickly shook the sorrow away. “I guess he fell through the ice, and Bluestar had to fish him out. He was in Spottedleaf’s den for a moon with the worst cough.”

“I’ll bet. Yellowfang said we were lucky to avoid getting sick from our dip in the river.” Fireheart mewed, flicking his ear at the memory. It had already been so cold during his dip in late leaffall - he couldn’t even imagine what it must have been like when the water was iced over.

There was rustling from the leader’s den, and every cat in camp watched as Bluestar strode out, Tigerclaw right on her tail. The Thunderclan leader quickly bounded up to the top of the Highrock, where the last rays of the setting sun made her fur sparkle and dazzle. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!” She called, even as cats were already crowding below her to see who would get to go to the Gathering.

She gazed proudly down upon her warriors for several heartbeats, her eyes flickering over each of them. “Even despite the snow and cold, Thunderclan survives thanks to each of your efforts. I could not be prouder of each of you.” Her words cut through the chill, and several warriors murmured excitedly to each other. “Alas, I cannot bring every warrior to the Gathering. But know that even those that remain behind tonight serve a valuable role in protecting the Clan from predators seeking an easy meal this frigid leafbare.”

Fireheart nodded along, even as his paws kneaded anxiously. He knew he was last on the list to go, given his fight with Graystripe earlier that moon, but tonight was more important than she knew. He and Peppermask would finally get to the bottom of what happened at Sunningrocks seasons ago - if he was allowed to go, of course. “Along with Tigerclaw, Yellowfang, Dewpaw, and any elders and queens that wish to make the journey, I will be bringing with me Dappleshine, Darkstripe, Longtail, Dustleap, Sandstorm, Peppermask, and Fireheart.”

His tail lashed excitedly as he heard his name called. Bluestar had recognized his efforts after all! He glanced smugly out at the crowd, his eyes quickly finding Graystripe. The large gray tom looked dismayed at the leader’s decision. Fireheart grimaced as he realized the only reason his former friend had been wanting to go was to see Silverstream again. Even now he kept his head in the sand, not realizing how close they were to avenging his father’s death.

“Graystripe and Mousefur will keep watch tonight. Whitestorm is in charge of camp while I am gone.” Bluestar continued, and Fireheart turned his attention back to her. “We leave at once. Clan dismissed.”

Those chosen to leave gathered around Bluestar and Tigerclaw as they crossed camp to the bramble tunnel, while those staying behind departed to different parts of camp - mostly the warriors’ den so they could keep warm. He noticed Graystripe crossing camp towards the foxhole prison with one last bitter look at the leaving patrol, but avoided meeting the other tom’s gaze.

The Gathering patrol left silently, not wasting their breath on talking as they began to traverse towards Fourtrees. His heart and mind were racing as they traversed the forest. He wasn’t sure what to expect from this Gathering, or what Graypool would say to them. Elders were a crabby and guarded group - even with Mistyskip’s urging, he wasn’t sure it would be enough to find out what they needed.

Still, he kept such thoughts to himself. Even if Peppermask was thinking the same, it felt as though it would be a bad omen to voice them out loud. Instead, he kept his gaze concentrated on the path ahead. It wasn’t long until the tree bridge crossing came into view, covered in untrodden snow.

“What do you think, Bluestar? Is it safe to cross?” Longtail asked, his paws kneading nervously in the snow as he stared at it.

The silver queen considered the log for a moment, before nimbly leaping on top of it. Fireheart held his breath, shocked to see the leader do such a dangerous feat, but she steadily crossed without issue. “The days have been cold enough to prevent the snow from melting into ice.” She called to the patrol on the other side. “The snow will hold for the night.”

One by one, each cat crossed the cold snowy bridge. Some cats struggled more than others, but it wasn’t long before it was Fireheart’s turn to cross. He threaded his way through the twisted, snow-covered roots to stand on the fallen tree, which by now was covered in pawprints from those that had crossed before him.

For a moment, he marveled at the beauty of the path in front of him. Even though each cat had a different stride, their pawsteps unique from their comrades, they all went the same direction. It felt as if it were a silent reminder that even though each cat walked their own path, they were all part of the same Clan, looking for the same things in life. And yet the pawprints would only last as long as the snow did; a transient, fleeting reminder, just like life itself so often seemed to be.

“Quit dallying!” Tigerclaw’s snarl forced him out of his thoughts, and he quickly began to cross. Bluestar had been right; the snow crunched under his paws, giving more support to his steps than the slick barkless wood would normally allow. It made the crossing easier than normal, a welcome change to how the snow normally impeded progress through the forest.

Peppermask followed quickly behind him, with Tigerclaw bringing up the rear. The massive deputy crashed down into the snow beside him, sending it flying everywhere - including into his fur. As he shook it off in disgust, the tabby ignored him and trotted over to where their leader was waiting. “That’s everyone.” He purred smugly, ignoring the young warrior sputtering behind him.

He glared after the tom’s flicking white tail tip, but followed him up the hill nonetheless. As the patrol fanned out along the bushes at the top of the hill, Fireheart took stock of the cats in the hollow below them. He could see the giant tabby frame of Crookedstar next to the sleek black and white coat of Tallstar. It seemed as though Nightstar and Shadowclan had yet to arrive.

He searched the Gathering for Mistyskip, wondering if she had remembered the arrangement they had made last moon. Then he spotted her silver pelt glittering in the moonlight, next to a group of Riverclan and Windclan elders near the Great Rock. One of them had to be Graypool, though it was hard to figure out who from where he was crouching. He glanced at Peppermask beside him, angling his ears towards the group. She caught his eye and nodded quickly before looking back down at the Gathering, apparently lost in her own thoughts.

He didn’t get the chance to speak as Bluestar stood up quickly and led them down into the hollow, her warriors racing down the slope behind her. Several cats looked up to see them coming, but the crowd didn’t bother to part for them as they arrived. The Thunderclan patrol quickly dispersed to greet old friends, leaving Peppermask and Fireheart alone as they began threading their way through the throng towards where Mistyskip was doubtlessly waiting.

The crowd thinned towards the base of the rock, as many cats preferred to mingle amongst the roots of the Great Oaks. Only elders preferred to gather at the base, where they were close enough to hear the leaders’ words without straining. Fireheart nodded politely to Halftail and Patchpelt as he passed them talking to a black-furred Windclan elder and tabby Riverclan tom, but kept his eyes focused on where Mistyskip was huddled with another group of elders.

Rosetail had beaten them to the group, where she was exchanging pleasantries with a queen from Windclan he recognized as Larksplash. However, his eyes were on Mistyskip and a gray elder sitting beside her. As they approached, the silver warrior’s blue gaze caught sight of them. She leaned down to the queen laying in the grass beside her. “Mother, you should stretch your legs before Shadowclan gets here.” He heard the younger molly mew softly. “You know Mosspatch warned you that sitting too long in the cold will make your joints lock up.”

“Bah!” The elder spat, even as she sat up. “Your sibling worries too much. I’ve survived leafbares since before you were even a twinkle in your father’s eye, and I know my body better than anyone. If I say I’m fine, then I’m fine.”

Mistyskip sighed and shook her head. “Just one lap around the hollow, Mom? For me?” She pleaded softly with the cranky gray queen.

Her mother snorted dismissively and turned to Larksplash beside her. “Kits are always so demanding, aren’t they? Thinking they know what’s best.”

The old tortoiseshell purred warmly at her Riverclan friend, whiskers twitching in amusement. “It doesn’t hurt to humor her, Graypool. Go on: I’ll keep your spot warm for you.”

The two elders touched noses briefly as the Riverclan queen stood, stretching each of her legs out with several audible cracks. “Alright, alright. But only one lap! I’m not full of boundless energy like you.” She growled, beginning to saunter towards the empty northern edge of the hollow.

Fireheart and Peppermask slowly followed, waiting for Mistyskip to signal for them to approach. It felt like an eternity waiting as they walked together behind her, but when the chatter of the hollow had at last died away to a dull roar she flicked her tail for them to join the two Riverclanners.

“Graypool?” The ginger Thunderclanner mewed softly as the two approached, trying to keep his tone light. “May we speak to you?”

The gray elder grunted and craned her head to see the two warriors padding towards her. Her green gaze was narrow as she inspected them. “What do you want?” The queen snarled, drawing her lips back to show her yellowed fangs. “Can’t you see I’m busy?”

He hesitated, taken aback by the elder’s aggression, but Mistyskip smoothly stepped between them. “These Thunderclanners are the ones I was telling you about, Mom. They have a few questions they want to ask you about- about Dad.”

Graypool’s eyes only narrowed further as she glared at her daughter, before tossing her head impatiently and sitting down. “Fine. But only a few! It’s too cold to be chattering like starlings all night.” She huffed angrily, keeping her eyes on the two Thunderclan warriors as they took a seat in front of her. Her daughter sat beside her, pressing into the elder to keep her warm.

“Of course. This won’t take long at all.” Peppermask mewed smoothly, keeping her ears perked forward warmly. “You knew Oakheart well, didn’t you?”

The elder glared at her with a look of pure disdain, her lip curled and eyes still narrow. “Did I know him well? I only raised his kits for him for fifteen seasons, gave his little minnowbrain advice he could manage, and kept him from getting into trouble at every opportunity. I suppose I didn’t really know him that well, no.”

Fireheart shifted uncomfortably beside his companion, suddenly wondering if they had been mistaken to believe they would get anything out of the queen. It was clear that while Mistyskip was willing to be friendly, she hadn’t gotten that from her mother. Still, Peppermask didn’t seem bothered by the hostility. “I understand. Can you ever really know a tomcat’s mind?” She purred, whiskers twitching at her own joke. “But you still might be able to help us. Before he died, one of our warriors reported that Oakheart said something strange to Redtail, our deputy.”

“I know who Redtail was. I’m not senile.” Graypool interrupted, her lips curling at the perceived slight. Still, her green eyes were sharper than ever as she observed the young Thunderclan warriors in front of her. “Well? Out with it, then!”

“Redtail attacked Stonestep, but Oakheart dragged him off.” Peppermask’s tail was flicking uncomfortably now, and he could tell she was struggling to maintain a positive front for the cantankerous queen. “When he did, he said to Redtail, ‘You of all cats know better than to attack him’, or something close to it. Do you know why he might have said that?”

The gray molly swiftly drew herself up, her ears flat as she glared at the two of them. Fireheart’s heart pounded in his chest. Had Peppermask said something wrong? He forced himself to meet her piercing emerald eyes, suddenly feeling like he had when he had first met Bluestar as a kittypet. What was she looking for out of them? Was this a test?

“Why do two Thunderclan warriors care so much about what Oakheart said?” Graypool asked them at last, her gaze flicking between the two of them. Fireheart glanced at the tabby molly beside him, unsure what to say. He felt like she would know if he was lying, but could he really tell her about Redtail’s murder?

“The battle with Riverclan wasn’t the only thing that happened at Sunningrocks.” Peppermask answered at last, choosing her words carefully. “There is a mystery in Thunderclan, one that we must solve for the future of our Clan. We believe Oakheart’s words hold the answer we need.”

The Riverclan queen hummed thoughtfully for a moment, pondering her words, before swinging her head towards Fireheart. “And you?” She questioned. “Why does a kittypet care what Oakheart said?”

That familiar anger at her taunting words rose up within him for a moment. He was sick of being judged for his origins, and part of him longed to take that out on her. Still, he swallowed it down, forcing himself not to anger their only way of discovering the truth. “Thunderclan is in danger.” He mewed slowly, tempering each word with careful thought. “I may have been born a kittypet, but the forest is my home. If we cannot learn the truth - the full truth, with no embellishments or lies - then I will lose the only place I have truly felt I belong. I cannot let that happen.”

She nodded slowly at his answer, and for a moment he thought he saw a spark of respect in her eyes. She turned her gaze to her daughter beside her. “And you? Do you trust these two Thunderclanners?”

Mistyskip tilted her head curiously at the silver queen’s words, but nodded slowly. “Peppermask might be Thunderclan, but she reminds me of myself when I was a young warrior. She’s certainly not badgerbrained like most of them.” Fireheart bristled slightly at the barbed compliment, but forced his fur to flatten as she turned her icy blue gaze towards him. “As for Fireheart, I know he seeks to do good for his Clan and his friends. He is not loyal to the Code, but to what’s right, like any good warrior should be.”

He blinked, taken aback by her description of him. Had she really gotten all that from him in the brief times they’d met? Still, he didn’t get the chance to ask as the Riverclan warrior turned to her mother once more. “And don’t forget, Bluestar asked both of these warriors to bring Windclan home. Tallstar himself praised them. I don’t believe they would ask us to endanger our Clan at the expense of their own.”

The elder grunted in acknowledgement as she scrutinized both of them for a moment longer. “Fine. Yes, I believe I know what Oakheart meant. You might even be right that the answer you seek is what you need to solve your little Thunderclan mystery.”

They all perked their ears at her words. “Really? Then what did he mean?” Fireheart asked eagerly.

Graypool grimaced and shook her head. “Not here. There’s too many ears that might overhear.” He blinked, glancing around, but their part of the hollow was empty. No one was paying attention to them. “At sunrise, I’ll be at Sunningrocks. It’ll be too cold for the rest of the Clan to be out there until the sun’s had a chance to heat the stones. If you really want to know, then you’ll meet me there.”

“Sunrise?” He echoed, heart twisting at the thought.

Peppermask glanced at him. “Is something wrong?” She asked him softly.

“I volunteered to go on the Riverclan dawn patrol. I won’t be able to be there.” He thought back to when the patrols had been assigned. “Not unless I can get Tinyfrost to cover for me again. He wasn’t assigned to either patrol.”

“I’m certain he’ll cover for you if he knows why. He wants justice as much as we do.” She turned back and gave a polite nod to the Riverclan elder. “We’ll meet you at Sunningrocks at sunrise.”

“Good.” The elder growled, rising to her paws and stretching again. “Now then, if that’s all, I have some old friends to talk to.”

Neither Thunderclanner protested as she began walking away, her daughter flanking her with a quick wave goodbye to the two other warriors. “That was interesting.” Fireheart mewed to his companion. “I wonder why she wouldn’t say it here?”

“I don’t know. It’s definitely strange.” She replied thoughtfully, her brow furrowed as she pondered it. “But if she doesn’t want anyone overhearing it, it must be important, and it could be the proof that we need to bring to Bluestar. I don’t think we have much of a choice if we want to convince her.”

“Right.” He sighed, disappointed that the answers had been so close, yet so far. “We should get back. The leaders will probably be calling us together soon.”

Peppermask didn’t protest, the two walking back together in tandem. In the time they’d been talking with Graypool, it seemed that Shadowclan had arrived; even in the frigid air, the thick marshy scent hit his nose as soon as he approached the growing crowd. Graypool was now talking to Poolcloud and a ginger elder he didn’t recognize: he gave them a polite nod as he passed, one that only Poolcloud returned.

As the two Thunderclanners rejoined the crowd, Fireheart found he couldn’t focus his mind on the conversations happening around him. What secret did Graypool know that she couldn’t risk being overheard by others, and how could it possibly be the answer to what had happened at Sunningrocks? Nothing that he thought of made sense, especially given that not even Mistyskip had seemed to know the answer. Elders were wise, thanks to the many seasons they had endured, but it was hard to imagine a scenario in which she would know what even her own kit didn’t.

“Cats of all Clans!” Fireheart forced himself to put it out of his mind, looking up to see Crookedstar standing on the rock. The large tabby tom’s tail was twitching, and his eyes were narrow as he glared down on the hollow beneath him. Fireheart was grateful his fur was already puffed; it was easier to hide the shiver that the angry leader sent down his spine. “It is time to begin. There is much to answer for tonight.”

The ginger warrior glanced uneasily at Peppermask next to him. What could Crookedstar be referring to? Even as he took a seat, he could see that all of the other leaders looked irritated. Had the leaders been arguing up on the Great Rock? But why? Aside from the lack of prey that accompanied leafbare, there was no reason for any arguments.

As he glanced around, he could see that the Riverclan warriors were tense, several flexing claws as they glared up at the Great Rock. He didn’t get the chance to wonder why before their leader began speaking. “Leafbare is the most difficult season for all the Clans. Prey hides in burrows, birds fly away for warmer skies, and even Riverclan must occasionally go without the bounty of the river while it is frozen over.” Disgruntled murmurs spread throughout the crowd. “It is truly a harsh season. But that does not grant any Clan the right to go seeking prey over their own borders!”

His words were met with yowls of agreement, mostly from Riverclan, but every Clan cat could agree with the sentiment. “Speak plainly, Crookedstar.” Bluestar spoke, her eyes narrow slits as she watched the tabby. “Surely you’re not accusing every Clan here of stealing your prey. We may have trouble finding prey within our borders, but that doesn’t mean-”

“Don’t play coy, Bluestar!” Crookedstar turned on her with a furious lash of his tail. “Every warrior in my Clan has seen the pawprints flagrantly crossing our borders! Your warriors traipse around in our territory, doing as they please!”

Fireheart’s breath caught in his throat at the accusation, and even Bluestar looked caught off-guard. “My warriors?” She growled, quickly regaining her composure. “I could say the same of yours! Our border patrols are constantly reporting back about Riverclan trespassing. Don’t you dare try to deflect suspicion from your actions by accusing my warriors of wrongdoing!”

The tabby’s brown ears pinned back against his head. “Don’t be so transparent, Bluestar. My warriors respect border markers, unlike yours! Do you really expect me to believe that all of Riverclan have treated themselves to your territory?”

Bluestar’s tail tip was twitching furiously as she glared at the enemy leader. “That is not what I said, and you and I both know it. If all of your warriors trespassed, that would be too easy to catch, wouldn’t it? So you only send the same cat, over and over, as though perhaps we’ll miss her scent in the leafbare cold.” She shook her head angrily. “Rest assured, Crookedstar, my warriors will not cross even a claw-length over the border, and we will catch the molly you’ve been sending if she doesn’t stop!”

A Riverclan molly was trespassing? Everything suddenly clarified for Fireheart, and he immediately began scanning the crowd. It wasn’t long until he spotted the swirling stripes of the warrior he was looking for - Silverstream, who was staring in horror up at her father. He knew she would only lead to trouble for Thunderclan! If only Graystripe were here to realize the damage his actions were causing, but he knew his former friend would stubbornly refuse to see the problem.

“And you expect me to believe that the eaten prey we’ve found covered in Thunderclan scent was pure coincidence?” Crookedstar growled, his claws glinting in the moonlight. “Do you truly take me for such a fool, Bluestar?”

He felt his lip curl angrily at the thought. Not only had Graystripe been running around with Silverstream, but he had also been sharing prey with her instead of going hungry in punishment! Fireheart’s stomach rumbled indignantly at the thought. Had the gray tom no respect for Bluestar or Thunderclan anymore?

Bluestar’s own fangs were bared as she looked furiously down on the crowd below. “I would never dare order my warriors to hunt across borders when all the Clans are suffering. If we need more territory, we must fight for it; that is the way of the warrior code.” Her blue eyes were glittering with fury as she searched the crowd, picking out each of the warriors she had brought. “Nor would I ever allow my warriors to eat when there is a chance our elders, queens, and kits could go hungry! I promise you now, Crookedstar, beneath Starclan’s sparkling skies; if you catch any of my warriors eating prey on your territory, you need only tell me their name. I will make sure that it never happens again.”

Fireheart shivered beneath her icy gaze. He could only imagine the fury with which she would handle such an offense. His punishment had been grueling, and she had gone comparatively light on him; he didn’t dare imagine what she would do to a cat that had broken the code and brought tension between the two Clans. Exile didn’t seem so unreasonable in those circumstances.

The disfigured leader’s eyes were narrow as he glared at the other leader, scrutinizing her intentions. Finally he gave a curt nod. “I will do exactly that, Bluestar. You best remember that promise; it won’t be long before my warriors catch those thieves in the act.”

“Speaking of thieves.” Tallstar stepped forward, no longer content to keep quiet. He swung his angled head towards Nightstar. “I thought Shadowclan had promised to keep their filthy paws off Windclan territory, yet my warriors have found trail after trail leading into our heartland! Tell me, Nightstar; do you think Windclan was weakened by your predecessor’s actions? Do you think that you can drive us from our territory yet again?” He was bushed out, his skinny frame hidden within his black and white fur. “Because I assure you, Windclan would sooner die than be chased out by the likes of you!”

The black tom hissed furiously as he rose to his paws. “Shadowclan has no need for your windswept moors, Tallstar! Nor have we taken any of your boney rabbits. My Clan has found other sources of prey-”

“Yes, like Riverclan fish!” Crookedstar interjected, coming to stand beside the Windclan leader. “Did you think we wouldn’t notice the broken ice beneath the bridge? I suppose the northern winds must have chilled your paws enough that icy water is little match for your warriors.”

Now all the leaders had their claws extended, except for Bluestar sitting off to the side. “Really, Crookedstar? As though accusing Thunderclan wasn’t enough!” Nightstar cast a glance towards the silver queen, as though daring her to leap back into the argument. “It sounds to me as if you aren’t patrolling your borders, if even Thunderclan is so easily stealing prey from your territory. Perhaps you should focus on that instead of accusing innocent Clans of wrongdoing.”

“Why, you!” Crookedstar’s muscles rippled as he crouched down, his tail lashing furiously. Before he could leap at the other leader, however, Bluestar stepped between them.

“A sign from Starclan!” She called, and all cats directed their attention to the skies above. Sure enough, clouds were beginning to drift over the moon, darkening the land below. “Starclan has spoken; there is no more to be said at this Gathering.”

The tabby tom’s eyes flickered between the two, and for a moment Fireheart thought he would leap at Nightstar anyways. Then with a growl he turned and bounded off the rock, waving his tail for his Clan to follow him. The other leaders did the same, not pausing to say farewells to each other.

“That went well.” Peppermask hissed beside Fireheart, but he wasn’t paying attention to her. He stood up and threaded his way through the crowd, his eyes focused on his target - Silverstream, who was still staring up at the Great Rock with wide blue eyes.

“Silverstream.” He growled as he approached, catching her attention. He didn’t bother to hide his irritation with her, his lips curled as he approached. “What happened to not letting your love harm anything? Our Clans are at the brink of war thanks to you two!”

She winced a bit at his voice and glanced around to see if anyone was listening. Most were too focused on getting back to their own nests, except for Peppermask, who had followed him. “I had no idea my father was going to do that! He hasn’t mentioned anything to me!” She replied, her paws kneading the ground in worry.

“Why would he? You’ve been a warrior for a few seasons at best!” Fireheart snapped. Admittedly, he hadn’t known that Bluestar had been aware of any Riverclan trespassing, but it certainly made sense. Even he had caught scent of Silverstream a few times on patrol, now that he knew what to look for, but he’d pretended not to for Graystripe’s sake. “If you two keep crossing the border, you’re going to get caught! Why can’t you stop?”

“I-” Silverstream hesitated and looked away with a frown. Finally, she sighed and looked back up to the two Thunderclanners. “I get it, okay? I don’t want war with Thunderclan any more than you two do - and I certainly don’t want to be the cause.” She mewed as she glanced at the Great Rock. “From now on, I’ll only meet Graystripe here, on neutral ground. That way our Clans can’t accuse each other of trespassing. Alright?”

Peppermask growled lowly beside him. “Why can’t you just leave my brother alone? We have enough problems already without you adding to them!” She spat, her claws digging in and out of the snowy grass below her.

Silverstream looked pained by the aggression. “Because I love him.” She replied simply. “And he loves me. We were destined to be mates - even Starclan agrees!”

As badly as Fireheart wanted to retort, he just nudged Peppermask and flicked an ear towards where the Thunderclan patrol was gathering. “Come on. We don’t want Tigerclaw to get suspicious.”

“... Fine.” Peppermask growled, stalking away. Fireheart followed her slowly, taking one last glance at the Riverclan molly as she trotted away to her own Clan. At least they had gotten some concession out of her. Even though they would eventually get caught, at least they wouldn’t threaten to bring the Clans to the brink of war any more. Surely that was better than nothing?

He shook his head and focused on Peppermask and the other Thunderclanners ahead. That wasn’t his concern any longer. He had a real problem to deal with, more than two badgerbrained warriors that couldn’t see reason. It would only be a little while longer until they got answers - and then, at last, he would be able to avenge Redtail’s death.

#talonslock #warrior cats #the prophecies begin #fanfic #thunderclan #forest of secrets #talonslock story #fireheart #peppermask #tigerclaw #bluestar #mistyskip #graypool #crookedstar #tallstar #nightstar #longtail #graystripe

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lampmanliveblogs · 2 months

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Yesterday's Lie, Today's Truth, Tomorrow's Promise

Intermission #3

Fandom: The Owl House Rating: Teen Language: English Status: Ongoing Current Total Word Count: 41 635 Warnings: Canon Typical Violence

Relationships: Masha/Vee, Masha & Vee, Vee & Cabin 7, Vee & Camila (mentioned)

Relevant Characters: Vee, Masha, The Cabin 7 Crew, Jacob Hopkins, Blonde Cheerleader (aka Clara), original characters

Additional Tags: Mystery, Adventure, Confessions, Love, Romance, Friends to Lovers

Story Summary After Luz, Camila, and the others follows Belos back to the Demon Realm, Vee is walking back home when she is accosted by Jacob. She is saved by her old friends from summer camp, and it is then that she makes the decision: She is going to tell them the truth of who she is.

At the same time, a series of strange burglaries are puzzling the police. Something is happening in Gravesfield… and with everyone else gone, it’s up to Vee to figure out what. Easier said than done when she also has to deal with having fallen in love with her best friend.

This story has it all: action, suspense, monsters, explosions, and romance!

Notes: This intermission was pretty short, so I'm just gonna put the whole thing below the Keep Reading.

22:38 Agent Mare contacts Mission Control and asks to transfer several objects back to HQ. Permission is granted. Agent Material Girl is summoned to handle the transfer.

23:04 Agent Material Girl begins secure transfer of 66 objects back to HQ.

23:07 The objects arrive at HQ. Mission Control contacts the Director for guidance.

The following items were sent to HQ: •An initial report written by Agent Mare on paper. This report has since then been destroyed. See transcript below. For Agent Mare’s full report see Chapter 11, Page 3-5. •47 photographs taken by Agent Mare. See Chapter 12, Page 5-52 for copies of the photographs. •16 strands of hair from various individuals. For full analyses of biological samples see Chapter 13, Page 1-53. •1 leaf from an at the time unidentified plant. For full analyses of biological samples see Chapter 13, Page 1-53. •1 scale from an at the time unidentified creature. For full analyses of biological samples see Chapter 13, Page 1-53.

The following is a transcript of the entire initial report Agent Mare included:

[begin transcript] Confirmed presence of alien lifeforms. One unknown reptilian creature, four humanoids. Pointy ears, faries? [sic] Seemingly non-hostile. Location unknown. Encountered a living animate plant, wood magic? Requesting further orders. -Agent Mare

PS. Much easier and more interesting than what you usually have me do.

…maybe a bit too interesting [end transcript]

23:11 The Director arrives at Mission Control and begins examining the objects Agent Mare sent.

23:34 Agent Mare is transported back to HQ at the command of the Director. Secure transfer is handled by Agent Material Girl.

23:53 Agent Mare arrives at HQ. Upon return, Agent Mare begins to give an initial verbal report to the Director.

23:59 The Director orders the mission to be handed over to Agent Kent.

<—Previous Page | Next Page—> | [Chapter Index]

#the owl house #the owl house fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #vee noceda #toh vee #veesha #vee x masha

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1634archive · 1 year

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1634archive navigation

disclaimer: i’ve edited none of these pics beyond removing the gettyimages (or other stock site) watermark , and i don’t own them obviously. they’re as the photographers edited/posted them, and i’ve copied and pasted the legitimate captions from the site entries as a way to provide the context and allow you to go back and find the source image if you’re interested. i’ve also weeded out some pics that felt redundant or lower quality, but other than that, the entire 1.1k+ photos tagged with mitch marner and auston matthews from getty are posted on this blog, as well as a couple hundred from other sites like usa today and the canadian press. i will try to continue to update this as seasons go on as well. the tagging system is listed below! enjoy!!

first and foremost: for randomized fun, click this or the ‘random’ link in the bio to get your 1634 pic of the day

tagging system:

if you’re looking for a specific date, the posts are tagged as ‘mm.dd.yy’ (i.e. april 10, 2021 is tagged as ‘04.10.21’) (yes, the american way, it’s habit)

if you’re looking for a specific leafs player that isn’t auston or mitch, they’re tagged by just their last names (i.e. william nylander is tagged as ‘nylander’).

if you’re looking for a specific opponent, they’re tagged by just team name, not location (i.e. pittsburgh penguins are just tagged as ‘penguins’).

pro tip: if you’re wanting to search multiple tags on mobile or on the desktop blog, just put a comma between them in the search bar (i.e. if you want photos of 1634 with morgan rielly from the year 2019, search ‘rielly, 2019′)

years:

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

type:

arrival (fit pics/walk in)

handshake (hallway pre game)

warmups

anthem (post warmup pre game)

game (all in-game)

overhead

bench (anything near bench)

celly

practice

locker room

media

gloves

fans (any pic where fans are framed prominently)

my own personal favorite pics

events:

playoffs

16-17 centennial classic

all star game

2021 blue vs white intersquad game

any specialty/warmup/third jersey games

22-23 heritage classic

non-hockey events

most common photographers:

mark blinch (our lord and savior)

kevin sousa

claus andersen

andre ringuette

julian avram

andrew lahodynskyj

steve russell

list of less occurring/non-leaf photographers here.

some of the other most common leafs:

morgan rielly

william nylander

john tavares

michael bunting

justin holl

tj brodie

if there are any other specifics someone would like tagged, feel free to shoot me a message on this blog or my main. i’ll be revisiting and tweaking this blog lots in the future (potentially making it more than just a picture archive but we’ll see), and i’m not opposed to retagging for certain things that would be helpful to all the web-weavers and narrative tellers out there.

hope a single other soul gets some use out of this! ❣️❣️❣️

#nav #txt

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adventuressclubamericas · 4 months

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Flat Phryne's journey to Miss Fisher Con in New Orleans continues! This month, she's in Salem, OR! First stop, Phryne went to the A.C. Gilbert House to see where the famous erector set was invented. It's a children's museum now. While there wasn’t any polonium in sight, Phryne was able to see the Gilbert Children's chemistry sets that once came standard with uranium. Later found her visiting the Eco-Earth Globe along the Salem waterfront to chart her next world adventure. The globe is a collective art project between professional artists and 125 students from high schools all over the city. Originally a 26-foot-diameter steel acid storage ball, it was converted into an art installation as part of the downtown revitalization and is made up of over 86,000 individual tiles. Phryne's next stop was the state capital building to "enjoy the view" of the golden statue at the top. Phryne's always enjoyed a strong, interesting man; despite the scaffolding, her enjoyment of the 22-foot talk, "Brawny Woodsman," as he's called, did not disappoint. The hollow statute is made of bronze and coated in 23-karat gold leafing. With that level of polish and an axe at hand, he's just the kind of 'old friend' Phryne seems to attract. Then it was off to the historic Thomas and Kay Woolen Mill to see if she could find some skeins of yarn for Dot (and most likely stumble upon another factory murder). Now known as the Willamette Heritage Center, it teaches about the mill's strong ties to the world-famous Pendleton Wool Company, life as a laborer in the Willamette Valley, and preserves the classic fiber crafts established historically. Finally, she finished her adventure by visiting the Historic Elsinore Theatre (named for the castle setting in Hamlet). Built in 1926, the theatre was a popular location for silent films, live plays, vaudeville, and many other performances. The interior is styled after a Gothic castle and features painted murals of scenes from Shakespeare's play. Phryne hoped she'd be treated to another private recitation by Jack — perhaps something a bit more romantic than Hamlet. Where will Flat Phryne turn up next? Stay tuned…

#miss fisher's murder mysteries #mfmm #miss fisher con #missfishercon #the adventuresses’ club of the americas #phryne fisher #missfishercon2024 #new orleans #nola #big easy #crescent city #salem #salem oregon #oregon

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inkribbon796 · 1 year

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Egotober 2023 Day 7: The Little Things

Summary: Ethan wants to be a hero, he wants it more than anything else in the world. And Silver is terrified when he won’t take no for an answer.

Prompt: Leaf/Leaves

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Ever since Ethan was little he could remember the heroes. They had a team in his own home city. When he was five his mom moved him and his brother into Egoton.

He saw Silver flying around and even doing aerial tricks. And as a young gymnast, Ethan thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

It was all he wanted, and now literally the only thing standing in his way was Silver himself. Someone who seemed to believe that Ethan should do anything but be a hero. And literally everyone in the Coalition seemed to be making Syndrome jokes, and that was only making Ethan want it even more.

Dark even seemed to be under the impression that not only was Ethan working with Silver, but was his kid or at least a younger brother. And anyone who saw Ethan, at least in costume, was to chase him out of the area. Or if Dark was in the area to bring the “child hero” to him.

On one particular slow Saturday, Ethan was wandering around town, trying to find things to do. He was crunching any leaves he could see on the ground, some gave what he was looking for, others were disappointed. He was minding his own business, trying to keep an eye out for Dark’s enforcers, when Silver flew in.

“Fuck off,” Ethan said, trying to sound bigger and tougher than he felt.

“Let’s talk,” Silver said. He was holding out a baggie. “Your mom mentioned you were allergic to peanuts, before you ask. It’s safe.”

That disarmed Ethan a bit, so he took the bag as Silver touched down on the ground.

“Talk about what?” Ethan asked, looking at the sandwich inside. It looked like a normal burger.

Silver canted his head to the side. “Somewhere a bit more private, we’re too close to Barnum Park.”

“Park’s a great place to talk,” Ethan said, pointing his thumb in that direction.

“Yeah, just not that park. C’mon, I’ll explain once we get to 5th Street Plaza.” Silver began leading the way, actually walking.

“Can’t you fly?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, but you can’t, and I could use the exercise,” Silver said and started walking.

Debating for a second, Ethan watched him go before following Silver down five blocks until they got to the plaza. The changing leaves following the whole walk.

Silver asked how school was going and when they got to the plaza Ethan had eaten half of his sandwich and it had yet to cause an allergic reaction.

Besides a free sandwich was a free sandwich.

Instead of sitting down on some random bench, Silver directed Ethan up three flights of stairs to a roof. On the top of the roof was a couple air conditioning units and two benches that were side by side and overlooking the plaza.

“Sometimes we come up here to talk and get a break during patrols.” Silver brushed off some leaves and sat down on one of the benches.

“Okay,” Ethan said and took a seat, sitting around some of the leaves as he eat the rest of his sandwich. “Nice view.”

“It is,” Silver agreed. “Barnum Park is owned by Dark, he’s got spies all over the place in there.”

“Oh,” Ethan said.

Silver nodded. “Yeah, anyways, Bing, Jackie, and I have been talking and you’re in if you want to be.”

“Yeah,” Silver said, a slight sigh in his voice. “Bing and Henrik got apprentices behind my back and it’s not fair that they got in and you don’t. Even if all three of you should get kicked.”

“When did that happen?” Ethan asked, excitement bubbling up inside of him.

“One of them happened a couple of days ago, and the Septics have been sitting on theirs for a couple weeks. They're both seventeen."

“This is awesome!” Ethan shouted.

Silver held up a finger. “Wait a minute, we’ve gotta set some ground rules, first.”

“Sure, whatever.” Ethan could help but grin.

“No, not whatever, you break the rules, you’re either off the team or suspended.”

Ethan sat back down, unable to stop his legs from bouncing.

“First, you don’t tell a soul. Your parents will know, but that’s it. I don’t care if you think you can trust your best friend with your life, they can’t know. Your grandparents, siblings, cousins, they can’t know. For any reason. You keep pretending like the only thing you want to do is be a superhero and I keep saying no. But don’t overdo it.”

“Okay.”

Silver stood up and pointed to his spot on the bench. “Sit here, it’s got a better view. Jackie always takes it first.”

Ethan quickly took the spot and Silver moved to the spot on the bench where Ethan had been.

“First thing’s first,” Silver said. “You picked a hero name yet?”

“Blank or Crank,” Ethan smiled at him.

“You picked one yet?” Silver asked.

“Blank,” Ethan said, “cause invisible.”

“How does it work?” Silver asked. “You use it often?”

“Sometimes,” Ethan said, which sounded like a lie and Mark wished that Ethan could see his face. “Anyways, I just concentrate and I turn completely invisible. It used to just be me, and my clothes wouldn’t go, but now I can do it with anything I’m wearing or holding.”

Silver leaned forward. “Really, anything you’re holding?”

“Well, the more things I hold the more I have to concentrate,” Ethan said. “Heavy stuff takes a while. And if someone taps me I tend to come out of it real easy.”

“Neat power, how long have you had it?” Silver asked.

“Maybe a year,” Ethan said. “I don’t know when it first started, and it took a while to figure out how to control it.”

“You’ll learn more, after we talk to your folks, you’ll be working directly under me, and we’ll make sure you know how to use those powers better. Just make sure you’re not stealing anything or peeking in the girl’s restroom okay?”

“Hey, I only have stolen one candy bar, I’ll have you know,” Ethan said.

“At least you’re honest,” Silver said, laughing a little. “We’ll get you a better outfit too. Can’t have you running around in sweatpants. And you’ll get to meet the other two apprentices: Logic and Stripes.”

“Awesome,” Ethan looked out over the plaza with a huge smile.

He was finally getting everything he wanted and he was so excited he could hardly stand it.

#Egotober 2023 #Superhero AU #Masks and Maladies #Ethan Nestor #Silver Shepherd #discussions of superheroing #Silver desperately trying not to get a teenager killed

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riverdrifter · 1 year

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Fisherman's Log: 8/21/2023

Uhh, hi! You probably don't know this, but I've been working on a long retrospective of Pikmin 4 as I play through the game. That was intended to be my first post on this blog. However, I quickly realized something: writing my thoughts about a game without exhaustively journaling my experience while playing it is excruciating. I grew up playing games for an audience, be it my mom watching me play some obscure Wii game, or me liveposting my playthrough of said game to whomever I was talking to on the Warrior Cats forums at the time. So, to remedy this, I'm going to be posting more hands-on "stream of consciousness"-type logs while I'm playing something. And what better to start with than a game I play very regularly: Creatures of the Deep.

A friend put me onto this quirky little game, knowing my propensity for fish and other aquatic creatures. It's been a fun little way to relax throughout my day, while also engaging my completionist hubris. I will confess: the reason I was iffy on posting journal entries alongside retrospectives is because I was feeling a bit of sunk cost fallacy. After all, if I've already completed a good bit of the game, why start now? But I'm nipping that in the bud. So! I'm going to catalogue my progress up until this point, then get into my daily session.

🗺️ Location Progress

Legend ⦾ Common ◈ Rare ✧ Epic ☆ Legendary

Please note that any inconsistent capitalization or spelling is just me noting things down exactly as the games have them written.

🏝️ Paradise Island 🏝️

41% | Discoveries: 36/37

🐟 Fish - 12/12 ⦾ Bluefish - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Blue Trevally - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Bonefish - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Clownfish - ★★☆☆☆ ◈ Green Humphead Parrotfish - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Largetooth Flounder - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Longtail Tuna - ★★☆☆☆ ✧ Pacific Footballfish - ★☆☆☆☆ ✧ Pelagic Stingray - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Snubnose Pompano - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Spot-fin Porcupinefish - ★★★☆☆ ◈ White Tuna - ★☆☆☆☆

🦐 Creatures - 5/5 ⦾ Flower Tube Sea Anemone - ★★★☆☆ ◈ Mimic Octopus - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Peacock Mantis Shrimp - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Red Starfish - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Sand Striker - ★★☆☆☆

🗑️ Trash - 19/19 • Can • Can Fish • Chest With A Skull • Chips • Empty Bottle • Flip Flops • Gear • Kelp Leaf • Key With A Skull • Mask • Message In A Bottle • Old Phone • Pinacolada Drink • Plastic Bag • Plastic Bottle • Rubber Duck • Sea Weed • Straw Hat • Wilson Ball

🏕️ Great Lakes 🏕️

41% | Discoveries: 62/63

🐟 Fish - 23/24 ⦾ Alewife - ★★★☆☆ ✧ American Eel - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Bloater - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Brook Trout - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Brown Trout - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Channel Catfish - ★★★☆☆ ◈ Chinook Salmon - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Coho Salmon - ★★★☆☆ ◈ Flathead Catfish - ★★☆☆☆ ✧ Goldfish - ★☆☆☆☆ ✧ Lake Sturgeon - UNCAUGHT ◈ Lake Trout - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Largemouth Bass - ★☆☆☆☆ ✧ Longnose Gar - ★☆☆☆☆ ◈ Muskie - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Pink Salmon - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Redear Sunfish - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Round Whitefish - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Sea Lamprey - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Smallmouth Bass - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Walleye - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ White Bass - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ White Crappie - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Yellow Perch - ★★★☆☆

🦐 Creatures - 9/9 ⦾ Beaver - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Bullfrog - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Chinese Mystery Snail - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Common Musk Turtle - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ North American River Otter - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Quagga Mussels - ★★★☆☆ ◈ Queen Snake - ★★☆☆☆

🗑️ Trash - 29/29 • Al'Capone Hat • Arrow • Baseball Hat • Beaver Hat • Beverage can • Boom Floppy Disc • Can Soup • Chip Bag • Cobra Sunglasses • Colorful Headdress • Concrete Shoe • Fish Can • Glass Bottle with XXX Sign • Green floppy disc • Grey Casette • Hot Dog • Meat Can • Mouse Glove • Old Branch • Old Tire • Pipe • Plastic Bottle • Toxic Barrel • Treasure chest • Vegetable Can • Video Cassette • Vinyl Record • Wilted leaf

🌅 Costa Rica 🌅

27% | Discoveries: 41/62

I've elected to not list the undiscovered entries in Costa Rica and any future locations, as I prefer to go into newer areas as blindly as possible. For the Great Lakes, I already know the one fish I don't have is that damn sturgeon. I'd rather leave the rest up to mystery though.

🐟 Fish - 16/22 ⦾ Barracuda - ★★★☆☆ ◈ Blue Marlin - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Broomtail Grouper - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Cubera Snapper - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Dorado - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Jack Crevalle - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Pompano - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Roosterfish - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Sierra Mackerel - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Snook - ★★☆☆☆ ◈ Striped Marlin - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Tarpon - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Tripletail - ★★★☆☆ ⦾ Wahoo - ★☆☆☆☆ ✧ Whitetip Shark - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Yellowfin Tuna - ★★☆☆☆

🦐 Creatures - 7/9 ◈ American Crocodile - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Brown Sea Cucumber - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Nudibranch - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Olive Ridley Sea Turtle - ★☆☆☆☆ ⦾ Pacific Land Crab - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Pink Jellyfish - ★★☆☆☆ ⦾ Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake - ★★☆☆☆

🗑️ Trash - 18/30 • Anchor • Bicycle Frame • Bikini Top • Bottle Santa Maria • Broken coral • Chip Bag • Coconut • Costa Rican Vase • Fish Can • Flipper • Oil Barrel • Orange Cassette • Palm Leaf • Scuba Diver Mask • Surfboard • Volcanic Rock • Watermelon Vinyl Record • White Bottle

🏅 Achievements Board

Fish Catcher ★★☆☆☆ 156/500

Explorer of Sea Creatures ★★☆☆☆ 21/40

Recycling Master ★★☆☆☆ 390/500

Trash Catcher ★★☆☆☆ 66/100

Days in the Game ★☆☆☆☆ 23/50

Master Reeler ★★☆☆☆ 7/50 My fucking white whale.

Monster Hunter ★☆☆☆☆ 1/10

Monster Collector ★☆☆☆☆ 1/2

Tournament Lover ☆☆☆☆☆ 0/5 Please don't make me use social functions I am just a humble fisherman

🎣 Fish Tank

I may very well make a spreadsheet for this in the future like some sort of deranged lunatic, but for now I just want to play the damn game so have some pictures.

I'm not sure what else to note. That I haven't bought any character customization yet? That all my stats are 1 except for Luck, which is 2? God forbid, my lure stats?? I don't know, but I'm done cataloguing! Now let's get into what you came here for!!

🗒️ Gameplay Log

📋 Info Board - 4 reel in a row Reward: +2 gems - Catch 5 x Brook Trout Reward: +500 coins - Catch 3 x American Eel Reward: +3 gems

Those gems are so, so valuable, so you know I'll be gunning for those. Although it does mean that I have to remember to play at night if I want to do that eel task. Those are kind of a pain in the ass... I should probably spend some time grinding garbage so that I can get Temporary Luck for eel time.

Well, first thing's first: off to Paradise Island to collect wood and see who our quest NPC is! As it turns out, Sir Joseph Bellywise is waiting for us, with a request for 3 Largetooth Flounder. That should hopefully synergize well with my consecutive reeling task.

I end up getting both tasks done without too much trouble, although I did break my reel chain and I don't want to talk about it. I handed in my three shittiest flounders for a nice 407 gold. I spend the rest of my visit hanging out in the Garbage Patch so that I can take home a full inventory and work towards that Temporary Luck. Once home, I quickly deposit two wood in the next section of the fish tank; that's where I'm focusing my efforts right now, as I've not found myself filling up the item storage yet. But with that, it's Great Lakes time!

Our daily NPC for this area is Mike "Lock" Smith, who just tells me to go fuck myself and that he's looking for someone more experienced. I'm level 7, what the hell do you want from me?! I also encounter some stress early on in the form of Sea Lampreys; the game doesn't recognize this, but I the player know that they're an invasive species, so morally I will not throw them back in to save bag space. Which means I may have to spend more gold going back to free up some slots.

...Or my rod could break and make us have to go back anyway. Neat. I'll plan ahead and go for the cheaper Garbage Grabber Rod; it shouldn't impede my catching too much, and I want to be able to hit a 50 cleanup streak by nightfall. The rest of the Brook Trout search is a cakewalk, but I swear the longer I know my reel streak is, the more scarcely I breathe during the hooking sequence. This is in spite of me purposefully not checking the number because I know it'll psych me out.

While I'm trying to catch one more thing to bring home, I wonder about the internal formula the game must use to calculate rod wear. I know for a fact different rods have different strengths, and I imagine that fish weight must factor in somehow, because some fish will be too strong and will pull the line out of range and break free. Does player strength get taken into account? I see people on the Discord saying that they still lose fish even at 8 or so strength. I don't know. Food for thought.

With the Brook Trout task now complete, I'm able to deposit a two-star into the fish tank, as well as adding some more wood onto the Alaska pile. Seeing as how I've not unlocked that area yet, building that section of the fish tank is not a priority. But I do need something to do with all that wood.

Since our final daily task is locked to nighttime, and I'm writing this at 3:15 pm, that means our last stop for now is Costa Rica! I'll be honest, this map is so huge, I don't even end up finding all the daily wood half the time, and I don't exactly bother. It's just sooo much effort to comb through all that water... based on the size progression so far, I can only imagine Alaska will be downright nightmarish.

I immediately eat my words and find two wood floating right next to each other.

While it's a nice bonus for sure, this still leaves me in the dark on who and where our Daily Slut Encounter is. I eventually give up and bring home some dudes for the tank: a Tarpon, a Jack Crevalle, and a Pompano, all sadly one star. The Tarpon has just the most delightfully smug little face swimming around in there.

I returned to Costa Rica to try and find some new trash, and only on my last bag slot did I snag something new: the Ship Bell from Santa Maria. It's only on the way back that I finally find the NPC. It's Sir Joseph Bellywise again, this time wanting 110 lbs of fish for a party tomorrow. I can do that! After I go drop off this trash run. Self-reminder: he is west of the Spanish Shipwreck. Trash payouts barely make up for the price of coming back, but I need it.

Aand it turns out the task's payout was barely worth the trip anyway! 95 coins for 110 pounds of fish? That is straight up daylight robbery. Anyway, after brutally murdering my reel streak, I don't feel like playing anymore, so I'll resume this entry tonight when it's eel time. I place a one-star Broomtail Grouper face-down and end my turn.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Touching base again past midnight, and holy shit, I was actually able to do it! While I was waiting for my T gel to dry, not only did I snag 3 American Eels and claim the gem prize, but I also caught the Lake Sturgeon (2 stars, straight to the fish tank) and got 5 more gems from Aneta Angler for completing the area! I also slapped a 2-star American Eel and a 1-star Flathead Catfish into the fish tank for good measure. With time left on my Temporary Luck, I set out for the Great Depths of Costa Rica.

And I sure reaped the benefits! I brought home a 2-star Barracuda, a 2-star Wahoo to replace the one in my fish tank, a 2-star Nurse Shark, a 1-star Hammerhead Shark, and a 1-star Whitetip Shark. In other news, I need to do wrist stretches now. I also got myself a new creature discovery in the Red-Ringed Clinging Crab; all in all, this netted me another Aneta Angler prize, with her giving me 5 Rare Bait for my efforts. The payout for this trip wasn't spectacular, but it'll be worth it in the future.

... And dear God, to ride out the last of my Temporary Luck, I hit the middle north of Paradise Island, as that's where other anglers on the Discord had been reporting Shredder sightings for tonight. And whaddya know! I actually caught the fucker first try! This got me two stars in the Monster Collector achievement, and I can finally go talk to Cap'n Slappy and finish out the main area quest. I also level up, getting 2,800 coins in all between that and the quest reward. ...Tapping the level-up turns out to be a major mistake, as I was planning on going to sleep, but now I have an hour of temporary luck. e.e I spend my singular stat point on Strength, boosting it to 2; I've been searching for a lot of large targets, and every time a fish breaks free, I lose a bit of my awake time for the day.

Well, I'm not one to waste Temporary Luck now that I'm journaling my grind, so back to Costa Rica it is. I can't tell if this is just copium on my part, but I swear there is an immediate, noticeable difference in how easy it is to control the reel bar when battling a fish that engages the minigame now that I've leveled up my Strength. Either that or I'm getting better at the game, which is also true, but I swear that bar is just steadier. Honestly, I was considering getting a Monster Rod, but I've been doing so well with just the Carbon Rod that it feels unnecessary at this point.

I'm glad to announce that I got even more new discoveries before bed: the Pacific Sailfish (2 stars) and the Bull Shark (also 2 stars). I was trying for the Black Marlin for a bit, but with a sliver of Temporary Luck left, I decided to call it quits because I was getting too eepy. Still, I'd say that was a relentlessly productive day of fishing.

This was really fun to journal! The verb tenses are all over the place, and punctuation is real funky; this certainly isn't editor's portfolio material. But I think it's something I'd like to do more often! I like writing more than I give myself credit for. Hopefully the next post will be much shorter!

#river plays #video games #creatures of the deep #infinite dreams #mobile #long post #100%#journal

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