#stoats are so cute what the hell

[lowkey-yyy]

what animal would each bsd character be?

OH MY GOD YESSSSS

Stares at my extensive animal knowledge

Okok i'll give a domestic (or pet) animal and a fully wild one for each because goddamn i love this. I'll do only a few more main characters and maybe more if its requested,,

ADA:

Dazai, he is a cat, man is cat have you seen him? For wild animals though id say he would be a hyena, some of the most misrepresented animals, they are the cutest things and extremely deadly if they need to be. These guys hunt better than lions and are neither canine nor feline, they are genuinely some of the most fun and adorable little things ever along with being smart as hell and just gimme his energy (second runner up is a crow because they are mischievous little shits >:)) )

Kunikida is a dog,, not like a german shepherd though more like a rough collie, constantly herding everyone else. For the wild though he reminds me of a squirrel, very picky and fussy, he wants everything organized and done his own way! He is so picky and so are they, setting up nests and storing food hehe

Atsushi,, unpopular opinion not a cat but a chinchilla, very nervous and keeps to himself, but curious and fascinated when allowed to explore and try new things! For the wild definitely a cheetah, nervous and needing support but strong when needed to be!

Ranpo is definitely like a husky puppy, too smart for their own good and heavily food driven, loves praise and treats.... for the wild i'd say a bear, soft sweet to loved ones but mean to strangers, they are tolerant animals and again food driven!

Yosano gives me a hognose snake vibe, nippy but sweet and a little bit venomous, they warm up to you though. For the wild I would say specifically a polar bear, some of the most protective moms to ever exist and she definitely has that energy when it comes to the ADA, they are her family and she will maul you like a bear.

Fukuzawa gives specifically Maine Coon vibes, gentle giant cat who has one of the best personalities, for the wild I would say the wolf is perfect for him, a protective leader who gives his all for his family, wolves are devoted animals.

Kyouka is a hedgehog, shy and weary with a very quiet personality and excellent memory it just fits her so well, her wild counterpart would be an owl, a solitary bird who is immensely smart and quick thinking. They are also very quiet and can be considered intimidating at first but cute up close.

Kenji is a degu and thats that. Mans is a degu... in the wild,, a dolphin again i dont feel i need to elaborate on why lol

Tanizaki is a pygmy goat, needs companions to be happy and in general is friendly also tiny but tough!! For the wild side id say a lion , a pride animal who protects family no matter the cost

PM:

Chuuya is a chihuahua, tiny angry but fiercely loyal and protective of their families. On the wild end i'd say an eagle, strong willed, loud, competitive and powerful hehe,, but he'd be a small one

Akutagawa is like a mean ferret, he is mischievous and playful in his own way but also impulsive, mans got too much energy in him lol, on the wild end id say a stoat, somewhat independent animals who are fearless in attacking animals bigger than them and surprisingly good at surviving, he also looks like one .....im not wrong

Mori is a pig, too smart for his own good and gets into stuff, oddly sensitive and can be awfully mean,, on the wild counterpart.... a honey badger... i wont elaborate just look it up and you will understand....

I may change my mind on some of these but this is just like a rougher idea hehe

[xdominiklivakovicx]

Also I forgot to post an ice breaker so here it is;

Name ; Ashley | Ash | Ashie | Trashley

Age range ; 15-17

Nationality ; Croatian 🇭🇷 | Russian 🇷🇺

Pronouns ; She | Her ♀️

Hobbies ; Drawing | Writing | Animating

Interests ; Art | Football | Animation in general | Rock Music

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Since when did you start following football?

Since 2018 when the World Cup in Russia started

Favorite National Teams?

Croatia NT - because they achieved so much those past 5 years, yes I know they like to move games to penalties and play with our nerves, but I still feel like I am part of their family like other Croatia NT fans :)

Russia NT - because I simply like Russian people and I am half one, so I really fell in love with that team. They played so well during the WC in 2018 and during WC qualifiers. I was literally so miserable when I found out they will not be able to participate in Qatar

Serbia NT - idk I love them simply because they are our neighbours and I always love supporting my neighbours during EURO and WC

Who was your favorite player then and why?

(Wow wut a hard question I have asked myself) Livakovic obviously. I know he was being kept on a bench, but I always knew he would be a great goalkeeper, he is our number 1 and very important member of the National Team, yet I didn't post stuff about him at all because I didn't have Tumblr, I was a dumb kid lmfao- but yeah, I can talk about him 'till I die, so yeah I am moving to the next question before I go too far

Do you train football? If you don't, why?

Hell no I don't. First of all; I am very anti-social person (tho there is exclusion when it comes to going on matches I love rooting with other peeps), Second of all; I have very low self-esteem, Third of all; I wanted to be a goalkeeper, but I was always afraid to get goals bc people often get mad at me, fuck them

Favorite clubs?

Dinamo Zagreb - I've been following this club since 2018 after the end of WC in 2018 mainly because of Livi, I love that guy sm he is precious, but the love of this club has grown in 2021 because of its success in Europa League.

Man City - Kova plays in City and he is literally my 2nd fav football player, and one of my best friends roots for City so here we are 👌

Borussia Dortmund - Idk I just love them so much, their mascot is so cute, the club has gotten my hear for some reason 😭

Favorite pic in your gallery?

The one where I took a picture with Livi 💙

What are your favorite bands?

Nirvana

Sex Pistols

Let 3

Termiti

The Beatles

Led Zeppelin

Scorpions

Green Day

Metallica

Rammstein

Daleka Obala

Queen

Ramones

Black Sabbath

Weezer

SOCIALS:

Instagram

- WW2 drawings - x._.unteroffizier._.ashley._.x

- Normal art - punkish._.stoat._.studios

Discord

- TrASHLEY#3627

Artfight

- PunkishStoatStudios

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Idk what to tell about myself anymore, so enjoy this short af info about myself :}

And see ya in the next post lmfao

Also check out my art acc! -> @nikitatheweasel2

[sicksucculentz]

Littlest treehorn head cannon: Hunting

Yes, feral Zane does hunt. As cute and cuddly as he can be he has also killed things for sure.

He only kills something if he really needs to. These reasons can be self or herd protection, meals, and on the rare occasion he will kill something is it is showing signs of disease, this prevents the spread.

He's not a strong hunter, not at all, hell Wu and Lloyd are far better hunters than he is. He's not built for hunting, but he does score something here and there. He can only bring down small mammals or small reptiles like voles, snakes, lizards, rabbits, stoats, etc while Lloyd can bring down far larger game like deer, sheep, other predators.

Lloyd has claws and teeth to latch onto prey, Zane does not. Instead of latching onto the neck and killing like Lloyd does Zane runs his prey down, knocks it off balance, pins it down by the neck with his feet, and crushes the head or the windpipe. The whole process is slow and clumsy, but Zane kills quickly once he's got something pinned. Just like Lloyd Zane will not leave ANYTHING to suffer even if it attacked first.

When Zane lived in the treehorn herd he helped get the young treehorns ready for their first kill. He also helped provide for the sick and injured treehorns. Treehorns take care of their sick and injured, bringing them food and helping them get to water. Treehorns are shockingly intelligent creatures, functioning in the same way elephants do.

Zane also has an issue with focus. Any little noise can break his focus and the prey gets away when he starts looking around for threats.

Lloyd still has the urge to hunt and stalk. Lloyd eats what he catches so Zane will accompany him, learning new techniques he can use from Lloyd.

Zane very much could kill a human, but it would take far longer to do so than say something like a rabbit. He often doesn't have to kill something bigger than him. In the case of being under threat of something larger Zane just uses pain as a deterrent or intimidation.

Zane hunts in complete silence, much like an owl. He tries to make no noise and to get the element of surprise. He won't start the chase until the targets back is turned, from there he can get a head start sometimes even just completely running over the top of the target, trampling it before turning around for a finishing blow. Sometimes the prey doesn't even realize what's hit it if he plays his cards right.

He won't hunt birds. When asked it turns out the feather plucking, and small pointy bones are not worth the small amount of meat so treehorns don't even bother with birds or fish.

After a kill he's been known take a "stare down". This just means he's stopped to make sure the prey is dead, watching for any signs of breathing or movement.

He's been known to kill what appears to be diseased, but he will not eat it, he buries it. Even wild treehorns won't eat it and will steer clear of it. Eating diseased meat is no good, and burying it helps keep other wildlife from eating and becoming infected. Treehorns seem to understand the circle of life and how things like diseases work.

[swingbakuraryou]

(If your memes don't expire, saw these and was curious)

Rhino: Is your muse wanted for something? What item do they value most? What is the bounty on your muse's head? (If they have one.)

Hornet: How patient is your muse? Are they easily perturbed? What sets them off the easiest?

Antler: Does your muse hunt? What do they hunt if they do? How often do they go hunting? Are they for or against it? Where do they go hunting?

I'm also kinda curious if he hunts for meat, sport, pelts, money, tradition, etc - IF he hunts. Kinda surprised that wasn't on there.

RHINO

"You're only wanted if they're confident that you've committed a crime. The Chief sure ain't helping me, and I sure ain't helping him. After all these years, he's made it clear that he doesn't know how to do his job well. But there's a little promise for him, the second he starts doing his job, I'll give him a little treat. But he won't get the whole prize until he's done. Compared to the other heads in town, I'm worthless, but to him it'll feel like winning the grand prize at the races." HORNET Showgirl: Ryou? He's as patient as a saint! He'll wait for days even months for the right moment! I think for one run he waited almost 4 months before grabbing the goods, and it was so worth it! All of us girls were so thrilled when he brought us those silks! Also! Also! He's always sticking up for us! He's always trying to be a gent even with the worst customers. Band member: I don't know if its patience or silently fuming. All I can say is stay the hell away from him when he has a hammer or a knife in his hand. Aka if he's making props on one side of the stage, you're working on the other side. He won't flip on ya, but its the energy that radiates off of him. Server: Swing's our cute little song bird, but his patience or more so tolerance, is poison. That smile might as well be a bite that slowly burns through your veins and by the time you start feeling it, you're already a dead man walking.

Jake the barman: That pisser has the worst temper in the whole god damn facility! Just a few months ago he trashed the entirety of the props store room! What set him off? Who the fuck knows. And if the wrong person so much walks through that door, forget the show and the music, the whole restaurant will turn into a battle ground. It only take one special person to mess with one of our staff and the idiot goes from lazy ass lap cat, to a spitting viper. And to answer your question, his old man sets him off the fastest. That man ain't allowed within 4 blocks of his place. He'll even letters from him is enough to send Swing into a mood that makes him look like he's ready to burn the entirety of downtown to the ground. He also doesn't fucking sleep, and he doesn't, he's worse.

ANTLER

"You wanna come, darlin'? We can go fishin'. I like trapping small game too. Mostly squirrels, rabbits, stoats, groundhogs, a few birds. What do I use them for? Meat's pretty good. Sometimes the fur and feathers can get a good price. The bones make good projects. Antlers are nice too, especially right after they fall off. Why? Getting out in the forest feels nice. Ain't no one around to yell at you or frame you, the only thing you're fighting is against nature and the animals around you. If I die out here....It's probably because of my own damn fault and I'm at peace with that possibility."

[nu-carniviva]

I had never seen a stoat or heard of that name so thank you for bringing to light what Topper could potentially be!! They are so cute ♡

I'll be totally honest with ya, I had no idea what a stoat was until way earlier this year when one of my friends explained to me what a stoat was after I sent a video of one and saying "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT I LOVE IT SO MUCH"

They're super cute but apparently they're aggressive predators. Overall they're not domesticated, but some people have domesticated stoats, and I like to think Quincy is one of those people :)

[leporidze]

Guys we were like, 600K viewers watching our favourite streamers trying to defend the flag™️ on r/place..... France didn't use any bots, only that one plug-in, shared by streamers, that allow you to know where to place the tiles exactly to make a collective pixel-art every five minutes. all streamers were on the same vocal call while livestreaming to make up a relay strategy that could only work with the help of their viewers and it was one hell of a giant collective shitstorm

take it from an insider: we used no bots. we just go crazy when it comes to our fav livestreamers and make up colossal amounts of money for charity each year thanks to streamers and their viewers. I ain't kidding anyone, we do have a really really REALLY BIG thing going out with livestreams. we just go apeshit about our fav streamers, and got a little bit too carried away when Spanish and American streamers united to try and put it down

[mosesmultifandommadness]

ok so the general consensus was MORE PO3 STUFF SO. here we go nsfw under cut <3

based on the "horny artist kink jars" by Mr.Sewers on twitter, these are what i think p03's opinions on kinks would be. will write a blurb for ones he has.

size difference: while he can't quite, y'know, change size, he can float/hover above you to give a sense of dominance. 7/10

petplay: since he spent a lot of time as a stoat, probably not as much. only if you're into it. 3/10

corruption: doesn't know much about it but is willing to learn. 4/10

cumplay: while he doesn't. cum. he still likes seeing the result of you cumming and is borderline morbidly interested in it the first few times it happens. 8/10

latex: ehh not really, only if he really liked your outfit. 2.5/10

monsters/aliens: only if you were one, doesn't go out of his way to be a monster fucker. 2/10

exhibitionism: hell yeah, likes the thought of the other bots in the factory hearing you moan for him, and even sometimes makes you dress up cute to come in to visit him. 9/10

villains: i mean he kind of is one, so i suppose a little bit? but not a kink for himself. 4/10

orgasm denial: goes hand in hand with the cumplay. he didn't mean to at first, but once he found the effects it had on you, he does it just about every time now. 9/10

wholesome: i mean, he does love you. he makes that known in softer moments. but during sex he's fairly focused on one thing. 6/10

sadomasochism: he is for sure a sadist. i mean, he chained you to a table. come on. 10/10

praise: he does enjoy praising you, and also receiving praise for his plays makes his ego inflate massively. 8/10

bimbo/himbo: while he is interested, he feels it could effect your gameplay. if you were interested, he would keep it to a minimum, and only to physicality. 6/10

authority figure: enjoys being seen as your boss at some times. 7.5/10

vore: cant eat and doesn't want to be eaten. 1/10 just for morbid curiosity

oral fixation: loves the thought of you kissing/licking parts of him, but can't do the same. will put things in your mouth. 7/10

science: is a scientist, admittedly for technology. enjoys building contraptions for you to test. 9/10

risky places: doesn't really like going out of his factory, but will try it in different places. 7.5/10

thiccness: definitely interested, especially if you are, but wouldn't make you uncomfortable with it. it's all with his love of the human body. specifically loves the curves of your butt going into your thighs, and the dips of your stomach. if you're thicc especially, he might even have you do things to watch your butt move. 10/10

shibari: struggles with the coordination to do so sadly, but loves researching, and giving you instructions to tie yourself up isn't out of the realm of possibility. 5/10

teratophilia: probably not, connecting back to his leshy experience. if you're a monster/creature though he's not 100% opposed. 3/10

muscle: loves the feeling of your body, whether you're muscular or not so much. not necessarily a kink. 2/10

foodplay: would partake if you wanted him to feed you, but much like shibari, doesn't quite have the coordination to do so without other machines. 3/10

water sports: in the morbid curiosity way, he'd be down to try it, especially if you're interested. but doesn't like how unsanitary it is, and if he wasn't horny, it'd probably be a no. 2/10

weight gain: doesn't necessarily mind, but doesn't think it's particularly "hot" in concept. he enjoys your body no matter what. 3/10

uniforms: loves when you wear your trademark item, but he doesn't have a uniform or anything, so not really. 1/10

body worship: definitely loves the concept of worship. not 100% into body worship, more like you worshipping him as your benevolent leader. 8/10

giant dick: doesn't have one. wouldn't mind if you had one. 6/10

leather: same as latex, but would particularly like leather cuffs. 3/10

hypnosis: oh for SURE. he loves the thought of hypnotizing you into being borderline his slave, playing his game and serving him. 10/10

tentacles: doesn't have a way to indulge in this unless you have tentacles sadly. 1/10

pregnancy: can't get you pregnant but wouldn't dislike a pregnant body. doesn't think it's particularly kinky though. 2/10

bdsm: of course he's into this he chained you to a table. he's a kinky bastard and we all know it. 10/10

oviposition: has no way to partake in this but wouldn't be opposed to you partaking in some sort of faux-ovipositing.

rough sex: for sure, but can't go to hard since he does need to keep his systems cool. wishes he could go rougher. 10/10

free jar / my notes: he's a classically kinky bastard but isn't particularly into weird shit unless you bring it up to him. he's very much able to adapt and experiment. note, these are biased based on my own mental image of the bot. do with this what you will. xoxo

[heartmeadows]

I’ve been starving all day oops... When I woke up I literally just rolled a cig, made coffee and enjoyed them at the backyard. It’s my routine, just smoking and quite too often drinking coffee while slav squating and watching the woods ahead. It’s calming, although every damn time I smoke I just keep thinking about quitting. It is my goal this year and I know I am capable of it. The issues isn’t “withdrawal” because the physical withdrawal ain’t much in reality, I’ve done my research lmao. The real issue is that I, like so many others, have turned smoking into a thing that “relieves stress or anxiety”. It’s a moment of peace, of either not thinking or thinking. For me it’s all that and a way to be outside, if even for a moment. Since my agoraphobia has gotten worse and it’s better to social distance anyway cause I been doing that since my teens thanks to mental illness. But anyway, I’m distracting myself again from going upstairs and eating and... making another brew tbh. And smoking that goddamn cig. Ugh. But the best thing about my routine is that I get to see our backyard forest’s wildlife. So far I’ve seen deer, pheasants, squirrels, all kinds of birds, a fox, rabbits and a tiny baby stoat that was mostly white but had a few patches of brown. IT WAS SO CUTE Y’ALL! It jumped all of a sudden from what seemed to me to be out thin air and it got pretty close to me, it looked up at me and then it just disappeared somewhere under the snow! Anyway, it’s amazing to see animals I wouldn’t see otherwise tbh. It always feels magical and I feel blessed to witness it. ANYWAY I’m gonna stop now, I really need to eat. Listen, I obviously still don’t know what’s up with my head but I can go for hours starving and ignoring my body and basically everything completely while I’m in the zone... It’s not completely dissociation, I just get hyperfocused. I literally only hyperfocus or am completely unable to focus. There is no inbetween tbh. BUT NOW FUCKING HELL LENA STOP! OK thanks for reading if you did and hey, I’m gonna be an adult and feed this stupid vessel I didn’t choose. 

[treaddelicately]

Identity ask: 11, 18, and 29

11.  describe your ideal day

First of all, I really wish this said “date” so I could borrow my favorite joke from Miss Congeniality. Alas, it does not. My ideal day is probably just one without expectations? Sleeping in makes me feel unproductive and lazy, so I’d probably wake up at my normal time with my children still asleep. I could enjoy a cup of coffee by myself without a tiny human yelling in the background. An episode of a good tv show, some time to crochet, some quiet time to write where the inspiration hits juuuuuust right. I’m a simple creature. Oh, and any day where I get to fic plot with you or @dresupi is a damn good day.

18.  what’s your patronus?

So, way back when I took the Pottermore quiz because I’m a fucking nerd, I got a stoat as my patronus. I only remember this because I was severely disappointed at the time, but now I think they’re cute as hell. I love my stoat patronus. Apparently it means I get in trouble a lot but I’m resilient and a good friend, so make of that what you will.

29.  three songs that you connect with right now.

Tribulation by Matt Maeson 

“And I don’t ever think I can ever learn how to love you right, oh, and all the ways that you won’t bend are the only ways I live my life.”

Glitter and Crimson by All Time Low

“I wonder if you feel kinda like I feel, temporary.”

Longshot by Catfish and the Bottlemen

“Every once in a while the little things make me smile, as if one of our longshots paid off.” (this one is all @fineosaur‘s fault too, you beautiful bastard)

[sunquail]

999 daemon AU

I know most of the draw in daemon AU fanfics is people reading them to find out what the daemons are but I'm not very good at writing prose, and I've been trying to write a series of zero escape daemon AU oneshots for over a year now. and like discussing them here in a post will spoil any element of mystery if I ever do get around to writing that fic, but hey it's probably fine. I've put a lot of thought and stuff into them and I wanna share 'em!!!

(NOTE: I do daemoncasting based on analysis of the animal's behaviour and applying that to the person's behaviour rather than application of animal symbolism, since the former is more objective and the latter can vary throughout cultures and personal interpretations. but also if something works out aesthetically and symbolically who am I to question a gift horse you know?)

(ALSO this contains spoilers so uh heads up on that my dudes)

Ace - mountain chicken frog Name Unknown, golden monkey style. mountain chicken frogs are patient and competitive and persistent, which is pretty much required for an ambition like his. but being an amphibian, they're also kinda thin-skinned and sensitive, and considering how easy it is to rile Hongou up? dang. most importantly though...cute frog grandpa where it turns out the frog is a jerk. nice.

Snake - zonetailed hawk I noted him down being called Mørke, mostly because it's danish, like Niels Bohr, and I was like haha...light and dark...haha...and also, haha, snake eyes, hawk eyes...blind...hahaha... Mørke is the only settled daemon in the first nonary game, since he's the oldest kid there. also, male daemon, just because. I picked a zonetailed hawk because they're extremely well-suited to their lifestyle - they're efficient and adaptable and can handle a wide number of different environments and situations. they have a manipulative streak notable by the fact they often fly with turkey vultures to blend in with them, to look like them to prey on the ground. vultures don't concern living animals, so by the time the hawk gets close enough it's too late for them to run. that bitch will sneak in and fuck you up so fast. also? PROTECTIVE AS HELL. fuck you if you get near their nests.

Santa - ermine this one's a no brainer. stoats are the exact midpoint between predator and prey, which means they're cunning and resourceful, but also extremely defensive and vicious when they feel backed into a corner. they're hardy, when the going gets tough they can really stick it out. her name is Tachi, which goes with Aoi's name - tachiaoi is the full name for the kind of hollyhock in a lot of family emblems in Japan, iirc? then you switch it around, aoi-tachi is like...Aoi's squad. I'm pretty sure I read that 'tachi' is gay slang in Japan also. that's always a bonus. Tachi settles on the lifeboat while escaping the sinking gigantic.

Clover - longhaired chihuahua she HAS to have a cute but terrifying little dog. also kind of a no brainer. sweet, but shrill and defensive and bold. very very dependent on their people. kind of prissy. I named him Dandelion, but any kind of cute plant name would work, probably. dandelions are common weeds but they're hardy and fluffy!!!

Junpei - carrion crow here's a bird that's good at puzzle solving but also rolls around in the garbage! crows are great at working in teams and they're close-bonding with each other, such as when you finally see your childhood girlfriend again and are still crazy in love with her, but also when you really hit it off with a guy you've known for like two hours tops. her name is Meian, Mei for short. her name means light and darkness, and can be used in a phrase that means "to decide the outcome of a game", which is super cool? snow has the notes on Mei's name. but here's the important parts - mei can also mean puzzle, as well as mei sounding like may, the fifth month, and mei also rhyming with pei. IT'S IMPORTANT.

June - screech owl his name is Mu! the first character of murasaki, and on its own meaning "zero" or "nothingness". owls are just Neat, they're extremly efficient and well-evolved for what they do. they look cute, and they're again, close-bonding and affectionate with their partners, but they will absolutely just murder the fuck out of you. screech owls are resourceful planners - males spend a lot of time placing food in nest sites for females. Mu doesn't settle until after the second nonary game in true end, when Akane and Aoi are escaping by themselves - this is really late for a daemon to settle, but so long as Akane is in her schroedinger state, her daemon doesn't really settle either. during the second nonary game Mu takes the shape of a rabbit, to keep up the whole June persona facade.

Seven - marine otter I looked into a lot of dogs for Seven, mostly independent breeds like jindos and such, but something about them didn't really fit. most otters are too outgoing for Seven, but marine otters are more reserved while still retaining that confidence that they all have. I checked independent dog breeds, such as jindos and akitas, but otters have more of that Classic Seven Playfulness than the aggression independent dogs can have. Seven's a protector rather than an aggressor - otters are notoriously laid back. ocean otters are super thick skinned to keep 'em warm, and have great senses for finding food (or orphans in a boat). plus, otters are a lot stealthier than dogs, let's see you get a dog through a goddamn vent. she probably only goes by a codename, like Seven.

Lotus - secretary bird this is one of those daecasts where you take one look at an animal and go "yep, that's right". look at them. they're glossy and sexy and severe, they'll murder a snake if it so much LOOKS at them. Hazuki will THROW THE HELL DOWN for her people. you'll notice many of these daetypes are birds, and that's because a load of birds are monogamous and god FUCKING forbid anyone says Hazuki isn't loyal to her people - but nobody else. she's out for herself and only herself if you don't win her over. secs aren't the kinds of birds to waste time on something that isn't worth it. combine that with the viciousness a sec has and you got her. they're pretty calculating, knowing the perfect spot to stomp a snake on in order to kill it immediately. HE NEEDS...A FANCY NAME...I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE.

Ninth man - I Dunno Dude He Has Like Twenty Minutes Of Screentime NOT a rodent, they're fighty bastards. maybe some kind of shitty bird that lives in his hair? that'd be cute. a lot of animals traditionally called cowardly are actually really resourceful and cool, so hmm. maybe something like an armadillo that just curls up when it's scared rather than fighting back? I dunno. I'm working on him. I'd love for him to be something that isn't a damn mammal or a bird, but for the only non-mammal/bird to get killed in the first half hour? that'd suck.

I GUESS I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD DO SOME ART AS WELL?? I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD DO SOMETHING ANYWAY. I'M TRYING TO WRITE I PROMISE!!! ANYWAY THERE'S MY THOUGHTS, MAYBE ART WHEN I’M LESS SUPER BUSY AND WRITES IF I CAN GET OFF MY BUTT. THANK U

[tobelongtheseries]

Red Under Moonlight

“To Belong” Writing Contest Entry Written by: Grace K.

Esther had no doubt that she would one day be killed. She thought about it not so often that it became a nagging fear, but still not too little that she became cocky in her work. In fact, the subject of death came into her thoughts just that day. She strolled a sparsely-populated avenue, littered with grand estates, under the goldening light of a setting sun, imagining not many other people think about themselves dying just as regularly. But she had reason to.

Raised by rogues who had met similar fates, the woman understood that her self-imposed reign over the underground would one day come to a bloody, forceful end. Likely occurring under the blade of a faceless guard, no less. Inevitably, her fortunes would be taken from her instantly, under the swipe of blade or claw…

It was an unhappy thought, but Esther made peace with that fact. It must have been almost a decade since she had solidified her life path. Self-employed in a job that was cross-country, tireless, and merciless, but not without its reward—the black market needed suppliers, after all. Thankfully, her piles of fur blankets were efficient in suppressing any conscience or morality that hadn’t yet been snuffed out. On that autumn evening, however, she didn’t have pelts on her mind. That night would be simple: a tiny, insignificant heist. Esther promised Olidammara it would be clean.

“I think after we’re done you should... go off and celebrate! Go and find a cute boy, buy him a drink, make him buy you one… mutually agree on having some fun, bring him home…” Esther hummed to the brown-furred stoat who laid on her shoulder. 

“What? No,” Oli protested. His tiny claws kept his balance by gripping into Esther’s fur shoulder wrap, someone long dead. “You’d steal ‘em away,” he accused.

“You find the most handsome ones out there, you can’t blame me if I want a bite!” 

“I don’t like it when you do that. I’m not gonna ever bring anyone over again,” he moaned, letting his tiny furred face fall. 

“But I’m hungry,” Esther whined, forcing a pout.

Had Oli been in his human form, his appearance might have turned heads. He had none of Esther’s vanity, scruffy and scarred. A thin slit from the corner of his mouth up to his ear made a permanent smile, still visible even as a stoat —hardly the grin of aristocracy. Unfortunately, inconspicuousness was the key to success for their plan, and a rogue that looked like a rogue would not make the cut. 

In the air blew a chill, and Esther pulled her shoulder wrap tighter—she gripped the long-furred pelt harder than she needed to, whether from nerves or excitement, it was impossible to tell. Distracting herself, Esther plucked Oli from the fur with a porcelain hand. Her other came over to stroke his head, light and soft. He wriggled, anxious to be put down.

“Stay close enough to hear me, tiny,” Esther cooed. Oli twitched at the nickname.

Still, he was eager. “I will, I will—’n if they even think of shifting, I’ll, uh, I’ll definitely be close enough, queenie, just close enough to run up their legs and bite their nu—”

“Ugh, shoo.” Esther let Oli go with a twist of her hand, the stoat falling ungracefully behind her. The woman didn’t do so much as look at him before he scurried away, giving neither him nor his task another thought.

Continuing the route, the targeted estate loomed near. Two guards, as expected—no job was done without research, after all. Between the guards, she knew the fair-haired was a cassowary, and the dark-haired a jaguar. Weighing the risks, she supposed her own form could maybe match up against a jaguar, being similar enough, but… they’d just have to be careful not to get to that point. Esther trusted herself.

Walking confidently closer and closer to the men, her smile gleamed. “Good evening,” she greeted cordially. They both wished a well eve, but as she neared, the fair-haired man—the cassowary—spoke up. 

“The comtesse Kamilla does not accept visitors after evening tea,” he recited. Esther merely scoffed. “I was only saying good evening passing-by, is that a crime?” She chided. “And, between you and me,” she began stepping closer, suggesting a privacy. “I do not think I’d ever be caught at her salons. I’ve heard she’s, erm, mad as a march hare. Literally.” She winked directly at the dark-haired man, and laughed. He laughed with her, heartily.

The other man frowned, shifting his weight, before clearing his throat: “Not a hare. Rabbit, long-haired, and quite… proud of it, actually…” He trailed off, ignored.

Having snared the jaguar-guard’s attention, Esther lept for the kill. Pretending that she would continue her gossip, she stepped forward once more, but made sure to jam the thin heel of one of her shoes in the nook of a paving stone. The shoes were bought cheap; the heels made of nothing supportive would break with any sort of pressure, and intentionally so.

With a slight twist and tug of the foot, a snap broke their conversation, and the woman ‘fell’ onto the dark-haired guard. She gasped in horror, and so did he, but his reflexes proved themselves. Esther found herself in the thick arms of the comtesse’s gate guard.

She looked shocked, hopping on one foot, grasping at the guard for balance. She soon settled in an awkward hold, his hands around her waist.

“I can’t believe… what happened? I’m so sorry!” 

The cassowary man looked down at her heels. “Your shoe—”

“I didn’t mean to trip, I’m sorry,” she stuttered, trying to balance herself and failing.

“Ma’am, no need to worry… womenswear, it’s all impractical.” He helped her balance against him, moving his hands to her shoulders, on her wrap. “You’re lucky I caught you.”

“Ah…” she bit her lip, smiling. “Are you ever,” Esther said quietly, looking up at the guard with a flutter of lashes. There was an ample moment where they only stared, faces close. 

Realizing his actions, he looked away, down to his hands. “I, hm… and, who is this?” The guard asked, low and almost heady, running his palms over Esther’s fur-covered skin.

“Oh—my grandmama,” Esther said, equally low. “Wolverine. It matched her temper. But she was… so dear.” It was easy to lie about its origins. The world was far too trusting.

“Precious,” the jaguar-morph commented idly, notably keeping his hands firm on her. 

Esther would have liked to gag. Instead, she sighed, giving a feeble attempt to lift herself from him. She looked down at her shoes, dejected. “She’d would be ashamed of me for this. I don’t know what to do—I can’t just shift in these clothes… but my stockings…” 

“Shh. Hey, no need for that. I won’t let you walk barefoot.”

“You don’t suppose you could spare a… poor maid’s shoes?” She suggested. “I was thinking I might carry you home myself, huh?” The guard propositioned. Esther giggled despite her disgust, fawning over him like a pure adolescent. The other man coughed in his fist, turning away. This gained the attention of Esther’s guard, who whipped his head around, glaring at his coworker.

“What the hell are you still doing here?” He barked. “Go get her shoes!” With a squawk that would have fit his feathered form, the other guard rushed to the gate. He opened them enough to let himself through… more than enough room for a weasel.

Oli had stuck low and close, gagging at his boss’s flirting. But it was his time to shine. His noodly stoat body slinked forward and low as he followed the guard, rushing to find women’s shoes. The guard led him inside, through the servant’s halls, and as usual, nobody noticed the tiny animal. It wasn’t hard for Oli to find his mark: the servants’ back passage. 

There was no telling how long it took his partner to reach the other side of that door. He recognized her auditory signal, and he maneuvered to open the locked door. It was a deep, smothering black outside. Esther wore a cloak; she seemed to materialize from the inky night as she stepped into the faint light of the servant’s hall.

She looked around, inspecting her surroundings. “All the maids and hall boys are..?” 

“Busy with dinner,” Oli nodded. It seemed that they were on-time.

Reconciling, Oli scurried up the length of her cloak up to her shoulder, hiding in her black hair as she rushed down the hall. The peasant’s shoes she now wore were silent as she rushed down the empty corridors, searching for one particular door, the one that their insider told her about in great detail—and then, they found it: at the very end of the winding halls, iron-wrought. The seal to a noblesse who couldn’t keep her mouth shut about her worth. 

Being small had its perks, such as improved maneuverability for picking locks. Esther lifted Oli to the lock, letting him do his thing. It was a skill twice-perfected, now easily accomplished, letting the thieves slip in. A treasury, fitted with riches, shelves weighted with their value. Both Esther and Oli felt their cheeks burning with ecstatic grins.

Esther put down her tote, which had another bag stuffed inside—of which they’d carry their weights in gold—and then undid her cloak, throwing it over Oli’s tiny form. Immediately, the lump under the fabric grew taller than even her. The man who stood in the animal’s place fumbled with his coverings. Oli turned and looked down at Esther, grinning a scarred smile. “Who’s tiny now, huh?” He teased. “Time to make haste, yeah?”

Wordlessly, Esther reached up and mussed Oli’s scruff of brown and white hair. With no time to waste, they got to business. Shelves were emptied, filling their rucksacks; the Lady of the estate would learn there was an expensive penance for unbridled pride.

Not long after, the rogue found herself inspecting a faceted ruby... when they heard it.  Footsteps outside the door. In the hallway. The feeling of fire enveloped Esther’s lungs before she remembered to breathe. Whether the servant entered or not, the plan was tarnished; they hadn’t stuck to their appropriate time slot, and now they had to rely on stealth.

Esther’s partner stared at the door. “It’s only one. Let me handle it,” Oli sniffed, wiping a hand across his nose. Trained in shadows, he stepped silently like encroaching darkness, bleeding out the door to snuff out the servant’s lights. He looked even more out of place as a human, patches of his skin and hair white, born without spats of colour as if an artist forgot to fill them in before presenting his painting to the public. That distinction, along with his mouth’s scar, would certainly be a tip-off for any man or maid that he was not one of the comtesse’s. 

There was a silent agreement between them. Esther trusted his skills in stealth. She didn’t care what happened to the servant, she only wanted to escape. Biting her tongue with bated breath, the woman waited for Oli’s return. And then, it was over. Their plan was over—Esther knew, by the way the servant screamed. A woman’s cry emanated from the halls… there shouldn’t have been a noise at all. 

Following that, Esther’s first instinct was to strip. She had begun removing herself of her dress and tights as Oli burst in, carrying the unconscious body of an unsuspecting maid. 

“You fucking idiot,” she hissed.

“What do you want me to do?” Oli gawked. “I’m naked, I didn’t bring anything for this! This was supposed to be a simple get-in, get-out!” He dumped the maid on the ground.

“Get my fur. Carry the bags,” Esther ordered, as she peeled off the last of her clothes.

“Maybe if someone didn’t spend all of her time dicking around with guards…” “I said carry the bags!” 

The moment Esther’s dress hit the floor, she was already transforming. Earlier that evening she compared herself to the guard, the jaguar, but she knew that in reality, he could never compare. What stood in Esther’s place was a creature of power and beauty—a large cat of dusty white with charcoal spots, hardly a commonality. She was large, powerful, and focused: she was not letting her prize slip through her fingers, or paws, so easily. The snow leopard ran.

She moved ahead of Oli, still human, who put all his energy in carrying their loot and Esther’s precious pelt. As she turned the corner, a force ran into her. A blunt kick to her ribs made her stumble, hurting to the core. The cat growled up at the servant who ran into her, a man who tripped into the wall from their collision. He looked down at with horror.

Olidammara ran past at that moment, headed towards the exit. The servant man was about to call out to him, but he was interrupted by Esther pouncing, crashing him to the ground. Her claws dug into the man’s shoulders; she used all her weight to force her paws back and slam his head back into the ground, rendering him unconscious. Tearing her claws from him, she left running, a trail of bloody prints coursing through the halls. 

The servants they found all fled or made feeble attempts to fight, none gaining traction. They were almost in the clear, reaching the exit. Ideally, they’d only have to run off into the night and then they’d enjoy the new additions to their stockpiles... Instead, a deep, guttural growl came from the shadows. They both knew the moment they heard it—and Oli took off in a sprint. 

Like a spring-powered weapon, a flash of yellow and black leapt through the air towards the man. The jaguar guard had transformed, large and mighty. Too distracted by Oli, the jaguar did not see Esther until it was too late. The leopard plowed into his side, raking her claws on contact. They had been thrown onto the ground, the jaguar twisted with his attacker. He struggled for dominance; though slightly stronger, she was more agile, weaving as he swiped. Esther dove for his head and shoulders, trying to bite and take hold. The jaguar went for powerful swipes with massive claws. Every time one of them hit and slashed, they’d yowl and hiss, the night filling with the snarls of a battle.

The two threw themselves at each other, leaping. They collided with claws and fangs bared. The guard teared at her shoulder blades as she dug her claws into his flesh, attempting to tear. Both of them were at each other’s throats in a lethal dance to mutilate and sever. They were stood on two legs, seeing who would throw the other down first.  Esther was not as heavy or powerful as he, but she knew for a fact she was smarter. As his weight began to overpower, she sacrificed her position to bring up one of her hind legs, her paw connecting with his underbelly, slashing down as deep as she could. The leopard fell backward, almost pinned, but he screeched in pain and let go of Esther just enough for her to roll on top of him and, with all of her animalistic power, strike.

Olidammara had stayed in the woods long enough. They had a meeting place, but his anxiety took ahold of him, and he went back to check on her safety. If necessary, he’d join whatever battle she found herself in. Luckily, he didn’t have to. A figure drenched in pale moonlight came into the woods: a large, white cat with bloodied wounds. Oli gaped—in her maw she dragged the jaguar with her. He was unmoving, his neck trapped in the unbreachable clamp of her powerful jaws. Even with her limp and stagger, she was a proud beast. Even after transforming, naked and cold with raw rivers of red coursing over her pale skin, she felt indomitable.

“Shit, queenie, look at you,” Oli muttered, fretting. He threw the cloak over her form. She smiled, thankful, but lopsided from a bloody nose and a busted lip. “Look at you! You’re butt-naked,” she snickered. Her laughter was weak from exhaustion and pain, but it was laughter nonetheless. Oli grimaced. “Quite mature for someone who just killed a man ‘tween her teeth.”

“Uh-uh. Unconscious.” She prodded Oli in the chest. “I wouldn’t kill him. After all, I don’t think I have the energy to peel the sorry hide off his pathetic corpse.” she practically fell on him, her head crashing on his shoulder and staying there. Oli grimaced deeply. “Lord. For a second I thought you had some humanity tucked away in there. Don’t scare me like that ever again, ‘kay?” Bringing an arm around the woman to help hold her up, they escaped through the forest, losing naught a piece of gold.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m never going to stop being a murderess, sweet pea,” she told him. “This is me forever, you’ll never get rid of me—I’m going to die doing what I love.” In this, Esther had no doubt.