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sohannabarberaesque · 4 years

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Underwater America with Peter Potamus: Florida’s Space Coast

art by MaudeDraws (https://www.deviantart.com/maudedraws)

This story continues a Friday Fanfic series which debuted late last year, in which Peter Potamus and friends go on a cross-country tour of the nation’s most interesting diving sites in the hope of selling their adventures to television. This story takes place early in the summer of 1970.

I drove the bus out of Ocala at around six o’clock in the morning while everyone else inside was still sleeping off our latest refreshing adventure.

Early into the next leg of our cross-country tour, I pondered taking the winding country roads instead of the highway. I eventually decided on the highway, for the roads were generally less bumpy—thereby making the crew less irritable—and faster, even though we had lots of time to get to our next stop: Florida’s famous State Road A1A, featuring the longest stretches of beaches one could ever hope for.

About 90 minutes later, once everyone was awake, alert and begging for breakfast, we stopped at a diner in Ocoee, not far from Orlando, Walt Disney’s latest conquest. In fact, as we sat in two separate booths looking at menus, the conversation turned to the resort.

“What do you think he’s got there?” Breezly pondered.

“Do you think we could get up close and take pictures?” asked a slightly hyperactive Squiddly, shivering with delight.

“Yeah!” Magilla giddily exclaimed. “Maybe we could have a piece of history!”

“Please,” Mildew said in his usual sassy style. “I doubt they’d let anyone near a construction site. Plus, this is Disney we’re talking about, so they’d probably shoot you!”

“Indeed,” I added, dead serious. “I’m not going to waste valuable time going there. We’ve got Cape Canaveral coming up in a few hours.” The thought of me or any of the others possibly getting arrested for trespassing immediately came to mind. “Let me remind you all that even though we’re all having fun here, I’m spending my life savings to make this dream happen. You all have nothing to lose, but not me.”

Squiddly and Magilla clammed up immediately. I figured they knew what I was talking about: nobody else had any means of support. Hokey and his partner Ding-a-Ling only had their street smarts to get them out of jams. Lippy and Hardy were just struggling. While Magilla could simply go back to Peebles’ Pet Shop, it simply wasn’t a life. This was a ticket to a new life for them and I was not about to risk that for something stupid.

Breakfast, otherwise, was nothing special. The coffee was a little too strong for some of them, and some of the meals just weren’t up to par. Lippy, sitting opposite from me, wasn’t thrilled with the slightly-soggy pancakes, either. We still paid for the meal, though, and went on our way. At least Squiddly loved the bagels and lox.

To compensate for the lack of Disney in our lives, we made an unplanned stop at the Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area in Orange County. The area brings hunters, birdwatchers, campers, hikers, botanists, fishermen and wildlife enthusiasts together under one roof, and today all of the above were out enjoying themselves.

We took plenty of pictures of birds that morning, with bald eagles and kestrels hunting for their next meal, while herons and ibises, among others, hung out in the wetlands. We were also able to get on camera a group of wild turkeys congregating nearby, with Mildew and Hokey instantly regretting not bringing a shotgun—if only we had one.

“Monsters,” Loopy said with a smirk, although I am certain that, deep down, he would’ve wanted it.

The excursion turned out to be a good thing: the heavy showers came in a few miles after we got back onto Route 524. Better now than later.

“Oh, dear,” Hardy moaned. “That’s going to ruin our plans.”

“Aww, don’t sweat it, Hardy!” replied his optimistic friend, Lippy. “Better now than when we’re out on the boat, right?”

“If you say so,” the sour-flavored hyena moped. “I suppose it could have been worse. We could have been out in the water when—“

As if on cue, lightning struck a few hundred feet away from us, startling everyone but especially Hardy, who would’ve jumped into Lippy’s lap had the seat belt not prevented him from doing so—and yet, we all soldiered on past the rain and out of danger, and just in time.

The timing was perfect: the sun shone brightly on the Indian and Banana rivers, the first things one sees before entering State Road A1A from the north. Sandwiched between the two rivers is Merritt Island, home to the John F. Kennedy Space Center, known throughout the world for NASA’s Apollo space missions that eventually put man on the moon for the first time in history.

We stopped at the northernmost point of Florida’s Space Coast—the town of Cape Canaveral, where space tourism and beach tourism combine to provide an unforgettable experience. As we were on a mix of both pleasure and business, however, we immediately sought out a boat to rent for today’s underwater journey.

Once we secured one, we got to work loading our gear from the trailer into the boat. To avoid confusion and clutter, not only are the swim fins and masks hooked to the belt of the harness, our names are marked on the backs of the harnesses so we do not end up wearing someone else��s kit. We then started on our way, into the Atlantic Ocean.

As we continued on our way, we were able to get a glimpse of houses lined along the streets, not far from the Space Coast’s gorgeous beaches. These streets bear the names of past U.S. Presidents, the greats and not-so-greats among them: Washington Avenue. Adams. Jefferson. Eventually ending with Harding.

“Huh. Coulda sworn Van Buren would get his due,” Wally said before letting out his familiar, ear-pleasing laugh, noting the absence of his own street.

Further along the coast, the beaches were endless, although the places had different names. Cocoa Beach? Satellite Beach? Melbourne Beach, just a drive away from the city of Melbourne? It’s all good. You get to enjoy the feeling of sand between your toes.

I made certain to check my gear to ensure everything was operational. I took a breath from the regulator and found no problems. While everyone else was testing their tanks and regulators, I went into the cabin to plot out a course for ourselves using a nautical map.

Now, Cape Canaveral itself is not an ideal place for diving. Consulting the guidebook, I had two options: either explore a natural reef twenty miles out of Port Canaveral in an area called Pelican Flats, or explore the wrecked Dutch steamship Laertes, the Allied cargo vessel sunk by a German U-109 in May 1942. We couldn’t tackle both at once, as those two were a mile apart. As I looked further through the book to see if there were other reefs, it turned out there are plenty of other wrecks along the waters off A1A, some of them much, much older.

My mind was made up: we would be exploring a reef that day. …Or at least, I thought! Maybe some of the gang wanted a change of scene early. If there were other natural reefs along the coast, they were hard to come by. So, I told them we’d go to the reef.

After agreeing amongst ourselves on 90 feet for 40 minutes with a seven-minute decompression stop, we geared up for our journey into the depths in our familiar way: tanks secured to harnesses; harnesses worn and buckled securely; fins snugly worn; mask lenses spat-at-and-rinsed before donning; regulators being given a final check.

art by Kandlin

After a final safety briefing and the dropping of the anchor line, we were about to back-roll into the ocean when an Atlantic flyingfish flew up from the water and landed right on Breezly’s lap. We all had a terrific laugh over it, even after Breezly non-chalantly threw the fish back in the ocean, toward where the little fella had hoped to go.

“We could’ve had some lunch!” Lippy laughed. “Why’d you throw it back?”

“I didn’t want to punish him for one simple mistake!” Breezly replied with a warm smile to match his warm heart.

After that slight delay, we back-rolled into the water and slowly followed the anchor line down to the ocean floor, right next to where the reef was located.

Immediately the ten of us split up into several groups, giving us several times the opportunities for fun things to happen, though the feeling of water against one’s skin or fur is always a source of delight, regardless of the results of these dives.

One thing we noticed was that the reef was not a coral reef as some of us had hoped. Instead, we found plenty of short seagrass, an important source of nutrition for some of the aquatic life. The lack of coral gave me the first impression that the reef resembled a formation of mossy rocks and boulders one would perhaps find in the woods.

On the ocean floor nearby, Hardy swam close to what appeared to be a small, wide formation. It looked like it was a little smooth to the touch, unlike coral, so he brushed a few fingers along the length. The “formation” moved slightly, causing Hardy to jump back a little. The thing Hardy touched was a Florida sea cucumber, one of many such invertebrates found along Florida’s waters. To reassure Hardy, Lippy gently picked it up and showed its underside, with its many rows of tube feet, and the oral tentacles on the front side. Hardy nodded, having fully understood.

Meanwhile, Hokey and Wally, apparently not yet over their hunger pangs, scoped out a sizable group of lobsters congregating beneath a portion of the reef. With no net with which to catch them, and no way to bring them back, lest they carry it with them throughout the dive and even the decompression stop, they were at a loss. Even so, they were not about to be defeated.

Hokey beckoned for Loopy to swim over. Once Loopy joined the pair, Hokey pointed to the lobsters that were taking cover, then rubbed his belly to communicate everyone’s favorite language—food.

Loopy looked at Hokey quizzically, pointing up to the surface: did Hokey really intend to take his dinner up to the boat? When Hokey and Wally nodded in the affirmative, Loopy shook his head, not wanting anything to do with it.

Wally, however, had a plan, and he started to take off Loopy’s scarf, despite the wolf’s objections. Once Hokey got into the mess, Loopy had no chance. He then laid down one end of the scarf by the lobsters, waiting on one of them to take the bait. It didn’t take long, as one of them gripped the scarf.

Excitedly, Hokey pulled the scarf out, but the lobster, sensing what was happening, let go and rejoined the others.

Wally laid out the bait again, but before a lobster could hook onto it, Loopy, disgruntled, snatched the scarf away and swam far from them in order to put it back on. So much for lunch.

Meanwhile, our camera-octopus, Squiddly, located a gorgeous queen angelfish swimming alongside me. The somewhat fluorescent-looking colors on its body make it stand out from most of the other fish. Getting to experience seeing one up close is exciting enough, but when about a dozen more show up in the vicinity, you get worried about whether or not you actually loaded the film into the camera!

Some of the others were able to witness a loggerhead sea turtle swim by them. Mildew started off by following it, with Loopy instinctively joining his lupine companion. Soon, Lippy and Hardy were on the chase as well, though I do believe they just wanted to pet it. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t just get it over with and form a conga line.

I followed Magilla and Breezly when they decided to stray a little from the reef. We had reached a sandy area where the two of them went fish-watching, without any of the others getting in the way.

We were able to witness a group of African pompanos on their way to the reef. While the juveniles prefer to go where the ocean currents lead them, adults prefer the coastline, in depths of up to 100 meters.

Outside of that, we were unable to find many fish of interest, outside of a solitary cocoa damselfish that swam right between the polar bear’s and gorilla’s bodies. The two of them turned around in unison just as the fish passed them; perhaps those two should have signed up for synchronized swimming instead.

We were about to rejoin the group when we saw what appeared to be a large school of fish—at least from a distance. As they drew ever closer, however, we realized they weren’t fish, but a group of about three dozen manta rays swimming towards us and above us. We quickly turned around, kicking our legs as quickly as we could, swim fins waving up and down, so that we could alert the others. We were going to get a chance to swim along with the rays.

art by Enookie

Squiddly got in front of us so he could capture this epic scene. I positioned the other camera at a different angle, and we were on our way.

As we followed the group of rays, we were awestruck by the graceful movement of their pectoral fins. Taken individually, it’s a gorgeous sight, but to witness over thirty of them doing it was like viewing real-life natural art.

Mildew had the right idea when he swam the backstroke. The rays’ movements, combined with the limited light of the sun, made for the best viewing experience.

The mantas have a pair of horn-like cephalic fins on either side of their mouth. When the manta forages for food, these fins flatten in order to channel food into their mouths. At the surface they will feed on zooplankton such as shrimp and krill. At deeper depths such as these, they will feed on small or medium-sized fish.

As were were approaching a variety of fish, we had no choice but to let them be. Squiddly kept filming, yet kept a safe distance. As the rays fed on the sundry fish, I discovered, while editing this film for broadcast, that one of the rays may very have well feasted on that same cocoa damselfish Magilla and Breezly saw earlier. That’s the way life goes for an animal: one day you’re minding your own business, and the next day you’re gone. I would talk about life’s fleeting mortality, but that’s for some other show. It was time for us to ascend, anyway.

In deep dives, nitrogen starts to accumulate in the diver’s body. If a diver ascends like one usually would in a relatively shallow swimming pool, these nitrogen gases could turn into bubbles, thereby causing decompression sickness, which can be potentially fatal.

To help relieve the pressure, the diver’s ascent must be approximately thirty feet per minute. Depending on the details of the dive, a decompression stop may also be necessary fifteen feet from the surface. In this case, because of a 90-foot dive for 40 minutes, our wait was seven minutes. Even in dives at shorter depths, precautionary safety stops of three minutes may be required.

Because of the potential for danger, it is advised that dives are planned carefully. Use the most conservative figures when consulting dive tables. Know how much air you have, and do not plan lengthy dives if you don’t have the air to do a safety or decompression stop.

Squiddly Diddly, bless him, doesn’t have those disadvantages we mammals have. While we waited to ascend again, the good old octopus took the time to take one last tour of Pelican Flats, showcasing all its flora and fauna in its glory, however fleeting it may be. Who knows—maybe the fish Squiddly caught on camera could be the next to be swallowed up by a manta ray!

After the decompression stop, we made our final ascent to the boat, where we climbed out of the ocean, one at a time. Some of us laid back, gear still on, a little worn out from overstimulation.

“All those wasted years of trying to catch lambs,” Mildew chuckled. “Now this is living!”

“Who woulda thought? Swimming with manta rays!” Magilla said giddily, removing the gear one piece at a time and drying himself off.

“I think all of us needed that spark in our lives where we truly got to experience something special,” said I, stacking my fins and mask together as Squiddly climbed back onto the boat, the last to do so. “We’ve all forgotten how much of a thrill life could be. All we’ve been doing before is trying to survive.”

Lippy and Hardy, having known the feeling for years, nodded in agreement.

I slowly arose from the ledge and walked to the cabin. “All right. Let’s get this boat back, we get the gear back in, get our tanks refilled, and then finally we relax. I hear there are some good seafood places here.”

“How about a lobster?” Hokey said, smiling, eager for something exquisite.

“Me, too!” Wally added.

“Eh, we’ll see,” I said with a laugh, and the others were pretty much amused.

Once back on shore, we got the tanks refilled and all the gear loaded back onto the trailer. We bade farewell to Cape Canaveral and continued further south along A1A. Although Cape Canaveral isn’t a haven for divers, what we did see was good enough to warrant a visit, and the beaches are still very exquisite. If you would like to get to know NASA’s space program up-close and get wet and sandy—preferably not at the same time—set aside some time to visit the Space Coast.

Although we never got a chance to explore the Laertes shipwreck, a greater opportunity arose pre-dive when I learned of an early 18th-century Spanish ship, part of the doomed 1715 Treasure Fleet that transported goods and treasure from Spain’s territories back to the mainland. In our next episode, in which we travel to Florida’s Treasure Coast, we will explore one of those ships lost to a hurricane, the Urca de Lima, and perhaps come away with some treasure of our own.

#underwater america #scuba diving #peter potamus #fanfic #sohannabarberaesque #magilla gorilla #squiddly diddly #breezly bruin #hokey wolf #wally gator #lippy the lion #hardy har har #mildew wolf #loopy de loop #submission

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rubybrookefilmstudies · 2 years

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Beasts of the Southern Wild review by Roger Ebert

Cut off from the mainland, surrounded by rising waters, the Bathtub is a desolate wilderness of poverty where a small community struggles to survive. Hushpuppy considers it "the prettiest place on Earth." She is a fierce and unbreakable 6-year-old girl who lives here with her father, Wink, and other survivors who live so close to the earth that it might as well be part of them.

In the opening moments of "Beasts of the Southern Wild," I had no idea when or where we were. Only gradually did I understand that the Bathtub is offshore from New Orleans, isolated by levees, existing self-contained on its own terms. The distant profiles of drilling rigs and oil refineries might as well be mysterious prehistoric artifacts.

A fearsome storm is said to be on the way, but existence here is already post-apocalyptic, with the people cobbling together discarded items of civilization like the truck bed and oil drums that have been made into a boat. Their ramshackle houses perch uneasily on bits of high ground, and some are rebuilding them into arks that they hope will float through the flood.

Hushpuppy is on intimate terms with the natural world, with the pigs she feeds and the fish she captures with her bare hands; sometimes she believes animals speak to her in codes.

This is only an illustration of the way all small children think, translating the mysteries of an unfolding world into their own terms. But Hushpuppy lives in desolation, and her inner resources are miraculous. She is so focused, so sure, so defiant and brave, that she is like a new generation put forward in desperate times by the human race. She is played by a force of nature named Quvenzhané Wallis, who was 5 years old when the movie was cast, 7 when it was finished, and like many of the cast members had never acted before. She is so uniquely and particularly herself that I wonder if the movie would have been possible without her.

"Beasts" is a first feature by Benh Zeitlin, based on a screenplay and stage play by his collaborator, Lucy Alibar. They found post-Katrina locations in the ravaged bayous of Louisiana, and constructed on a small budget their convincing and meticulously detailed settlement. Everyone in the Bathtub knows one another, and in a sense, they're all the same age — which is Now. It is a daily struggle, helped for some by alcohol, and they recite their communal myths of liberated ice age creatures that will come foraging for them as the glaciers melt.

Hushpuppy and Wink are close, and her father does all he can to teach her survival skills. That doesn't stop him from giving her a whack alongside the head when she carelessly starts a fire. We understand how literally her mind deals with the world when she tries to hide from the fire inside a cardboard box — as if she will be safe if the flames can't see her. Wink tells his daughter that her mother "swam away" one day. Hushpuppy expects her to return and sometimes calls out to her with a piercing scream.

You can make "Beasts of the Southern Wild" into an allegory of anything you want. It is far too detailed and specific to fit easily into general terms. The Bathtub is this place in this time, and how can it "stand for" anything else? This film is a remarkable creation, imagining a self-reliant community without the safety nets of the industrialized world. Someday they will run out of gasoline for their outboard motors, and then they will do — well, whatever people did before they needed gasoline.

I met Dwight Henry, who plays Wink. He owns his own pastry shop, and the casting people had to visit him in the middle of the night because he bakes all night. He said he's not interested in an acting career. His life is centered on his wife and five children. They are his bedrock, and that is the conviction he brings to the role of Hushpuppy's daddy. This movie is a fantasy in many ways, but the authenticity and directness of the untrained actors make it effortlessly convincing.

Sometimes miraculous films come into being, made by people you've never heard of, starring unknown faces, blindsiding you with creative genius. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is one of the year's best films.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/beasts-of-the-southern-wild-2012

#1b #botsw

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doritopaw101 · 3 years

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Arc1, book 3: Chapter 5

Over the next dew days, the streams in Thunderclan territory dwindled until the only freshwater to be found was near the Riverclan border, on the far side of Sunningrocks. They've had disputes over it and a fight broken out earning Raveneye, Tulip-paw, and Shrikepaw a time in the medicine den.

"There's never been a greenleaf like this" White-eye grumbled "The forest is as dry as a kit's bedding"

Icefire was in hiding in the shade, he made the mistake of running out and got burned as a result. His fluffy fur didn't help, he felt heat overwhelm him and kept panting like a dog. Sunnypaw also didn't feel like going out and spent her time curled up with him. They talked about Cloudpaw and reached a resolve.

He groomed his daughter softly, pleased when she nudged closer to him.

The drought was forcing the Thunderclan cats to fetch water closer and closer to the place where Thymeroot had sheltered the Shadow cats. He and Cinderfreeze had been leading patrols away from the area as best as possible but they knew it couldn't go one forever. They somehow managed to drag Swiftpaw in their schemes. He bonded really well with Flyswat so there was no stopping him now.

The sunhigh patrol had just returned, and Frostbite was organizing a party to collect more water. He padded over, wanting to feel the water on his fur. Sunnypaw close behind him.

"Why should Starclan send such a drought now?" Smallear complained. Icefire could feel Smallear's glare on his pelt, it only seemed to add to the heat.

"Leave him alone" White-eye rasped "The Twolegs probably did this"

Icefire did his best to ignore them. He also did his best to ignore the dark thoughts that ran in his mind constantly.

"Icefire" Nettlemist called, he smelled like daisies and lavender "You joining us?"

"Yes, my pelt are on fire"

"Should we bring the elders?" Sunnypaw asked

"They'll need water just as much as us" Brindleface replied "Embereyes, can you and Nettlemist bring them along?"

"Sure, come on Nettle"

The journey to the river was quicker than Icefire thought it would be. As soon as he saw the water, he jumped it. He felt relived. He dived under, moving his legs like Silverstream taught him. Sunnypaw stayed at the shore, rolling in it and shaking her fur. She seemed more calm than ever which made his heart soar. He had asked Chestnutclaw if she told him anything about the accident but he just said she wouldn't talk about it, at least he seemed to care for her enough so he wasn't completely useless.

The water made it easier for his leg to move. He saw a fish, no a carp was what Whiteclaw had said. He lunged forward and bit into it which was a mistake because he swallowed water. He immediately went to the surface, not dropping the fish.

"Did...did you just fish?" Embereyes mewed

Icefire swam back to shore, he tossed the fish on the ground "Yep" he said it like it was the most normal thing in Thunderclan

"Great catch dad" Sunnypaw purred "You have to teach me sometime"

He felt being watched, he was right when he caught Stonefur's scent but he also caught the scent of Suneyes.

"Brindleface, you have to eat something" Icefire mewed, nudging a thrush to the white molly. Shrikepaw, Bearpaw, and Rosepaw were sitting close by, watching their surrogate parent with worry. The party had brought good water for the rest of the clan to enjoy but Brindleface barely took anything. Goldenflower brought his fish to Bluestar to which she told him Bluestar says her thanks and good catch.

"How can I eat when my son was taken Icefire!" They snapped. When she heard the horrid news, they had to be held down from running across Windclan and Shadowclan territory. They struck Seedspots over the eye in their rage.

"You have to keep your strength up, the water has been going down, we need as many warriors as possible in case of anything"

"Or what I'll turn to humans and be taken" they retorted

"Do you want to?" he countered "We don't need cats who'll flip back and forth"

"What's going on?" Nettlemist asked padding forward, his leg still patched up.

"I've been raised a clan cat, I'd never leave" Brindleface replied ignoring his question

"Maybe Cloudpaw should've had a choice before so this didn't happen" Rosepaw mewed

"Don't speak ill of your brother"

"Maybe he should've Brindleface, Cloudpaw rejected clan life the moment he took kittypet food" Icefire admitted

Brindleface narrowed their eyes "How can you say that? He's your son?"

Icefire felt his claws unsheathe "I warned him and he ignored it thinking he couldn't get hit"

"That's kind of cruel, Icefire" Nettlemist commented

"It's the true, Nettlemist" he said

"You sound like Dewflare did" Brindleface deadpanned

That hurt, it really did. To be compared to the shitbag that was his mother, it hurt alot.

He thrusted his muzzle in her face "Don't you dare compare me to that bitch"

"Don't act like her then" Brindleface stood and walked away, shoving past him. Shrikepaw went after her, while Rosepaw and Bearpaw tried to ignore what just happened.

Icefire took some deep breathes and tried to relax, Nettlemist laid his tail on his back. He'd just been cold and hot-tempered as his name sake and he'd been loving it. 'Maybe I'm getting too harsh' he thought, he then shook it off 'No Cloudpaw rejected the life he had when he decided to break the code' It made a good example for the other apprentices.

'We all break the code at some point, don't you on a regular basis' Icefire needed a distraction, something or someone to take his mind off Cloudpaw. He was taking Maplepaw for the moonstone later, along with a few others, so she was sleeping.

He looked around camp, most of his friends and lovers were out of camp. 'Substitutes work just as well' he smirked as his gaze landed on Birchstep and Fogtail.

"Hey Birchstep Fogtail, want to go hunting? Nettlemist you can join us"

"You're developing some bad habits Icefire" Thymeroot drawled, placing some marigold on the highest shelf.

"Why Thymeroot, what ever do you mean?" Icefire mewed, trying to look innocent. He let Snowkit and Mistlekit look over some comfrey and watermint, Milk-kit sound asleep against his chest. Waspkit and Hornetkit were being taken care of by Swiftpaw, Lynxpaw, and Sunnypaw.

He honestly tried not to let Mistlekit scare him but she just had to look like Brokenstar. It turned out Wallie had been one of Broken's kits, he just didn't really know.

"You mate with cats to avoid problems" Thymeroot whispered, so they kits wouldn't hear "What you did at the gathering traveled fast and I saw you returning to camp with Birchstep then you dragged Fogtail and Nettlemist in your mess"

Icefire rolled his eyes "Am I not allowed to have fun? Don't give me the `It's time to settle down talk`" He was having fun, he wasn't stopping anytime soon.

"You shouldn't do that if you'll avoid issues like they'll go away over night" she replied "You're not helping Brindleface's grief and I'm surprised you'd mess around with Sandstorm's father and a Riverclan warrior so openly"

"Never said I was here to help, that's for more kind-hearted cats and Sandstorm had a good laugh" he snorted "Have the Shadowclan cats left? I haven't scented them on you or Cinderfreeze since two days ago"

"They've left, I wanted to make sure they were well before they left"

"Did you tell them the herbs to use? We don't need them coming back, cats will notice soon"

"Of course I did" Thymeroot scoffed "I don't want their clan destroyed, no matter what"

Icefire hummed, licking Mistlekit's head softly earning a mew in response. Helped ease his nerves with the kit.

"Whitethroat wanted to speak to you tonight, he wants to talk"

Icefire lashed his tail "Of course, now he does"

"Don't be like that"

He huffed "I'll hear him out, can't promise I'll stay too long"

Silence wrapped the den for a few moments until the seer broke it.

"You're more their parent than Bluestar" Thymeroot commented "She doesn't even visit, you and Nettlemist do all the work"

"I just help when I can"

"Mistlekit has call you dad and Snowkit calls Nettlemist pa and you dad"

"She was shocked but I'm sure she and the others were more shocked when all the kits started calling me Papa Ice"

"You made Snowkit call Darkstripe Dirtstripe, scratch that you did that with all the kits" Thymeroot purred

"It was hilarious" The look on Darkstripe's face was priceless.

Thymeroot chuckled and Icefire joined in.

Of course good moments have to always be ruined.

The scent of blood hit both cats like a blow to the head.

Thymeroot quickly rush out with Icefire not too far behind after resting the kits down.

Mousefur and Smokyclaw thundered into the clearing their fur matted with blood, and Smokyclaw was limping badly.

Icefire felt a sense of dread "What happened? Where's Birchstep, Miststrike, and Tulip-paw?"

"We don't know" Mousefur panted "We were attacked"

"What? Where? Who-"

Mousefur collapsed to the ground. Yellowfang began treating her wounds.

"Smoky?" at this point the two had been close enough for him to call the molly by her suffix

"We couldn't see" she whimpered, her amber eyes filled with panic "It was too close to the Thunderpath to tell"

Icefire nodded "Leopardstorm" the pointed tom was already hurrying from Bluestar's den "I need you to come, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Cherrycloud come too, Smokyclaw you can come if you're able" he gazed at Seedspots, Lynxpaw, and Littlebreeze "Stay here and guard the camp, Seedspots keep Bluestar responsive just in case" he charged out of camp with Leopardstorm at his side and Cherrycloud behind them. They all traveled up the ravine and raced into the forest.

"No this way" Smokyclaw called, she brushed past him, quickening her pace, veered toward Fourtrees. They all sped after her. Icefire recognized this trail, the trail the Shadowclan cats used after Bluestar sent them away. Smokyclaw skidded to a halt between two towering ash trees. The thunderpath droned in the distance, its foul stench drifting through the undergrowth. Ahead, Icefire saw Birchstep's lean brown tabby body laying on the ground, ominously still. He spotted Whitethroat bending over the unmoving warrior.

Whitethroat locked eyes with the patrol, he began backing away "He's dead!" he wailed

Icefire felt rage bubble in him but Sandstorm beat him to it. She let out a furious screech and flung herself at the black tom. Icefire followed her, out for blood. Whitethroat didn't fight back at all.

"First Redtail, then Pouncepaw, and now Birchstep!" Sandstorm hissed "I will shred you like I did Nutwhisker"

Whitethroat shoved Sandstorm away and ran for it. Icefire and Sandstorm were nipping at his tail. They were close to pouncing when they realized they were at the Thunderpath. Icefire pulled Sandstorm from crossing in rage.

He saved Sandstorm, but not Whitethroat.

A deafening roar sounded in his ears and a sickening crack was heard. He spotted Whitethroat laying limp on the road, he was barely moving. He rushed over, ignoring Sandstorm's snarl.

He gazed at the black tom, he was covered in claw marks but his leg was the worse. It was broken beyond repair, it looked worse than his and Cinderfreeze's injury combined. The leg seemed to be barley hanging on.

"Why did you kill him?" he spat, he slammed his paws on the black tom's chest "Why did you kill Birchstep?"

"T..ig..er" Whitethroat coughed, blood spurting from his mouth. His breathing was ragged and his black fur was covered in blood and dirt.

Icefire's blood went cold. Tiger-roar did this, not Whitethroat. He looked over his shoulder, Sandstorm was pinned by Jaggedtooth. He saw the black pelt of Nightshade slinking in the shadows.

"Hello, Splinter" Mudspots snarled swiping at his eyes "Jagged's too busy, I've been meaning to rip into your pelt once again"

"Fuck off" he blocked the blow then lunged forward

Mudspots was never the best fighter, he hid behind Jagged and Clay. It wasn't that hard to beat him, he tossed him like fresh-kill.

He wished it was over but of course it wasn't because when he looked up, he was face to face with Tiger-roar. The world was still for a moment. He thought it would be scary to see the tom again but he didn't feel that, anger was one but other than that it was nothing.

He lunged at him, digging his claw in his fur and biting into the back of his neck. That had taken Tiger-roar by surprise but he quickly recovered. "I trained you, you think you can take me"

"I did it before" Icefire sneered "I'll do it again"

Tiger-roar bit into his injured leg, he ignored the pain and kept his grip on the tabby's back. He could feel Tiger-roar's ribs, his exile wasn't kind to him but it didn't take his strength. He felt claws dig into his flank and drag him down. Icefire struck Tiger-roar's cheek as he was slammed on the hard ground. Tiger-roar placed on paw on hi throat and the other on his belly.

"You are certainly something Icefire"

Icefire didn't respond, he couldn't defeat Tiger-roar like this and he didn't put it past Nightshade or another one of the rouges to be around just in case.

"I always saw some potential in you, it hasn't changed"

"I'm not Darkstripe" he growled

"No but Thunderclan doesn't trust you abilities do they, how could they when they let a cat who can't control his eyesight and now has a limp be deputy to Thunderclan"

"How do you-"

"I have my ways, my dear apprentice"

"Of course you do" Icefire was already preparing for a strike but none came "You always have your ways, Tiger-roar"

Tiger-roar got off him "You are the white fire"

Icefire stared at him, he remembered that Tiger-roar knew of the prophecy.

"I know you want respect, I can help you with that my apprentice"

"I don't want it like you did" he growled "Ready to kill to get it"

"Says the cat who beat up his own son and lifts his tail every chance he gets" Tiger-roar sneered "Not exactly the best look"

Now he knew Darkstripe was sneaking out of camp. He had to make sure Willowpelt would be worried sick over her oldest kit.

Tiger-roar got off him "I'll be seeing you Icefire, my offer still stands and all your errors will be forgotten and forgiven"

Icefire laid there unmoving. He didn't know what to make of this.

Tiger-roar looked like he wanted to say more but Dustpelt lunged at him "Get out of here, or better yet stay still so I can kill you" he snarled

Everything moved so fast, the rouges started running into the shadows. He only moved when he felt Cherrycloud nudge his side "Are you hurt?"

"M..My flank hurts" he replied "Tiger-roar kept his claws extra sharp"

"My father's killer lives" Sandstorm snarled. Whitethroat was whimpering, both in pain and fear of Sandstorm's wrath.

Icefire quickly stood and Cherrycloud helped him stand "He didn't kill Birchstep, Tiger-roar did"

Sandstorm snapped her head "What?"

"He told me before Tiger-roar found me" He looked around "Where are the others?"

Duststorm sighed "Miststrike was unharmed for the most part, Tulip-paw is in critical condition they rushed her back to camp. Littlebreeze was killed by Nightshade in the rush and Me and Sandstorm stayed to find you."

"I saw Jaggedtooth holding you down"

Sandstorm smirked "Made him regret it" she looked down at Whitethroat "What about him?"

"We'll take him back then dump him back in his territory"

"Are you insane?" Dustpelt hissed

"Maybe, but I am deputy and I won't let an innocent cat die because of Tiger-roar"

"I'm surprised you kept your teeth, Yellowfang" Whitethroat croaked "I thought you were Thunder now"

"I am make no mistake but you can take a cat from the forest but you can't take the forest out of the cat"

Icefire felt his fur rise at those words. Did it mean he would be bound to the city?

"Will he live?"

Yellowfang didn't left her head "I'll have to cut the entire leg, I'm sorry Whitethroat"

"Just make it stop, I don't want to die" the black tom whimpered

"We should do it now before the infection spreads" Yellowfang finally left her head "Thymeroot, Raveneye come"

"Icefire?" Whitethroat mewed "I won't die right?"

"You trust Yellowfang and Thymeroot?"

"I trust them with my life"

Icefire stood "You'll pull through, I have to go, Littlebreeze and Birchstep's funeral is happening"

"Wait, Icefire"

Icefire stopped

"I'm sorry, really for everything" the black tom whimpered

"Just get well Whitethroat" he then padded out and made his way to the vigil.

The clan was circled around the clearing. Heads low and whispering. He saw Sandstorm, Mousefur, and Lightcloud buried in Birchstep's body. The tabby was laid on a nest filled with mint. He was freshly groomed and the wound that killed him was covered in cobwebs. Littlebreeze was in a similar condition, Patchpelt, Sleetpelt, Cherrycloud, and Hawkpaw close by.

"You coming closer?" Fogtail whispered

"Should I?"

"I think Sandstorm needs comfort right now"

He padded forward cautiously, not wanting to get clawed. "Sandstorm?"

The pale ginger molly looked up, tears in her eyes. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing softly "Why?"

Icefire could come up with an answer: Tiger-roar wanted to take them out one by one.

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coldflashwave-baby · 7 years

Photo

@disney-dctv-week

Mysterious Fathoms Below

It was all a mess.

If someone were to ask Iris, she’d say it happened because no one listened to her. If they were to ask Barry, he’d say it was meant to happen because ‘true love’.

Wally, however, would always stand by that it happened because of Captain Leonard Snart.

He hadn’t meant to climb up on the side of the pirate ship and watch the crew dance and celebrate…whatever it was they were celebrating. He’d gotten curious, and his foster brother, Barry, had been right beside him the entire time. Iris had hung back in the water. As adventurous as she was, she never condoned Wally breaking the rules he wanted to break. Of course, he always wanted to break the biggest one—going to the world above to watch the humans.

Something about humans entranced him. He dreamed of having two legs, of standing and walking around. His siblings were the only ones who knew about Wally’s obsession. If their father knew…Wally didn’t even want to consider the consequences.

But there the two of them sat, peeking through at the humans dancing and skipping to the music. Barry, though he didn’t share Wally’s fascination, still enjoyed watching with him, staring in wonder at the pirates. Then, Wally saw him.

He could tell immediately that the man was someone important—the crew all looked at him the same way the merpeople looked at his father, with respect for their leader. The man wasn’t dressed overtly grand, however, instead wearing some black, floppy top on his torso and tight, black ‘pants’, as he’d heard them called, over his legs. He wasn’t dancing with the others, but he nodded along with the music and grinned at his crew joyfully.

His grin…something told Wally it was a rare treasure in itself. He felt something flip in his stomach. His heart picked up. The conflicting urges to dive back in the water and crawl onto the deck until he was face-to-face with the man warred inside of him.

One of the crewmen, a burly, scarred man who seemed almost as important as the first man, pulled out a poster of the man.

WANTED FOR PIRATING-CAPTAIN LEONARD SNART

Leonard Snart…Len, his mind supplied. He smiled. It suited him.

They all laughed as the other man struck a small piece of wood and a flame—an actual flame—appeared on the end, ready to burn the paper.

Then, there was a crash of thunder, and the ship shook. A hurricane had overcome the boat.

“Joe must have figured out we snuck out!” Barry joked, his mirth disappearing when the ship lurched, nearly throwing them off.

“Wally! Barry!” He heard Iris shouting, but the waves had already carried her too far away for him to hear anything else. Lightning hit the mast, and Wally cursed when the entire top of ship burst into flames.

Thinking quicker than him, Barry grabbed Wally’s arm and dove into the water with him. From there, the two watched the destruction of the ship.

A rowboat lowered, filled with men, but Wally couldn’t see Len or the man with the poster on it. The flames spread, and, after a moment, he saw a figure appear, carrying another figure on his back.

Len carrying the other man, his mind supplied. Without much of an option, Len threw the unconscious man into the water, diving in after him almost immediately.

Wally couldn’t sit by anymore. He swam for the two men. There was an echoing splash behind him, and he knew Barry coming, too. His eyes widened when he caught sight of the two men. Len was now unconscious, too, piece of wreckage from his ship floating near a bloody mark on his forehead.

The other man was sinking fast, and Barry sped over to pull him up. “I’ll get him to the others, you get the captain!” He called behind him. Wally hadn’t even waited to hear the words—he was already heading for Len. The second his arms wrapped around him, though, something terrifying happened.

The ship exploded.

Wally and Len were thrown backwards, far from Barry and the lifeboat. So, Wally did the only thing he could do—he swam to the surface, brought Len up for air, and searched for land.

0000000

Dawn was coming when he finally pulled Len onto the beach. He thought, for a moment, that maybe he’d been too late. Maybe Len had died from his injury, or drowned before he’d made it to the surface.

But then, the pirate captain’s chest started moving, and he blew out a breath. He’d made it. Len was alive. At that moment, he knew he needed to leave. Len would be waking up, and he couldn’t know a merman saved him. But, when he was asleep, Len’s face was so relaxed and delicate, like one of the dolls he’d added to his collection. Fragile, but beautiful.

Before he could stop himself, he ran a hand down Len’s cheek, wondering how different things would’ve been if he’d been born human instead.

“Wally!”

He glanced over his shoulder to see both Barry and Iris waiting in the surf for him, Barry with a dazed, dumb-struck smile on his face and Iris with a worried, scolding purse on hers. He heard a groan, and he quickly turned back to Len, who brought his hand up slowly to rest on the one Wally still had on his cheek. When the pirate captain’s eyes started to flicker open, Wally considered, for a second, sticking around. But a whistle from Iris threw his resolve, and he reluctantly tore himself away and dove back in the water to join his siblings.

Len stayed with him, though. In the following days, all Wally could think about was his grin, his stormy-blue eyes, the softness of his face as he relaxed. It didn’t help when Barry brought him a present he found in the wreckage—the remains of the poster of Len. It was burned around the edges, and the ink was smudged, but Len’s face was still clear on it. It was the best present Barry ever got him.

Captain Leonard Snart…

He swam gleefully around his grotto picturing life with a pirate captain. Having adventures, collecting treasures, breaking rules.

He imagined having legs. Meeting Len again, only this time, standing in front of him, being able to introduce himself instead of swimming away. Len offering to take him away on his pirate ship, still close to the sea and his loved ones, but free to be who he was.

He didn’t even hear his father come in until it was too late—he’d seen the paper and put two-and-two together.

Barry and Iris lingered in the doorway of the grotto. They watched as the king destroyed Wally’s collection—Barry fearfully, Iris guiltily.

When the poster in his hands burned, Wally shattered. “I hate you.” He growled at his father, who flinched, but still swam proudly away. Iris and Barry came in to comfort him, but Wally didn’t want to see them. He knew it was probably an accident, telling their father, but what was taken couldn’t be replaced. He couldn’t even look at them.

Maybe, if he hadn’t pushed them away, he would’ve known better than to follow the eels to Valentina, the Sea Witch. Maybe if, when Iris and Barry saw them and decided to follow, he hadn’t snapped at Iris, telling her to ‘tattle, it’s what you’re good at’, one of them would’ve went to Joe, and he could’ve stopped Wally.

But, he did.

And, they didn’t.

And, finally, Wally had everything he’d ever wanted—legs, and a chance to find love. All he needed to do was find Leonard Snart, get him to fall in love with him, and kiss him in three days.

Oh, and he’d given up his voice for the chance, but what’s reward without some risk?

0000000

Iris and Barry pulled him towards the docks of Central, a pirate kingdom where they were sure Len must have gone after his ship sunk. Barry had been able to steal some clothes—well, an old sail—off the deck of a fishing boat and, with Iris help, they tied it around Wally, covering his new parts.

“Hey!”

Iris and Barry dove into the water at the shout, and Wally was amazed when he saw Len running up, looking between Wally and the fishing boat.

“That’s my sai—” But when Len’s eyes fell on Wally’s face, he froze, a grin growing on his lips. “It’s you. You’re the one who saved me.”

Wally nodded eagerly.

“What’s your name?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but then remembered—sea witch. Voice gone until kiss. Right. He motioned to his throat, and an understanding passed over Len’s face. “You’re mute.”

Wally deflated and gave a small nod, but Len quickly shook his head. “No, no, there’s nothing wrong with that, sweetheart. There’s nothing wrong with being blind, deaf, mute, whatever. It’s something special about you.”

His cheeks warmed. If only he knew… He tried to step towards Len, but he still wasn’t used to his legs. He nearly fell right off the dock, but an arm around his waist stopped him.

“Whoa, there.” He helped Wally steady himself. “You must have gone through some shit, kid. Why don’t I take you back to my place, give you some food and clothes, and you can mime me all about it?”

That treasured grin pulled at Len’s mouth, and Wally’s stomach did a flip. He let Len lead him away from the docks and towards the city, awestruck and amazed by everything he passed.

0000000

So, Len was actually the pirate king, not just some random pirate captain. He lived in a fortress on the sea with his sister, Lisa, and his crew, all of whom watched Wally conspiratorially as Len asked Lisa to take him to one of the empty rooms and find him some clothes.

The fortress was huge—bigger than his father’s palace! Lisa took him into a lavish room, where Wally immediately ran and jumped on the soft, silky bed.

She gave a laugh. “I can see why my brother likes you so much. You’re adorable.” She walked over to the closet and pulled out a ‘pants’ and tunic and threw them on the bed beside him. She turned her back as he pulled off the sail and struggled with the pants, trying to figure out how they went on his new legs. Lisa eventually showed him mercy and helped him into them.

Luckily, he knew about shirts. “So, you’re mute?” Lisa asked, smoothing out the fabric of his shirt.

Wally nodded.

“Do you have any family?”

He nodded again.

“And where are they?”

He pointed out the window towards the ocean. Lisa frowned. “They’re across the ocean?”

Not knowing how else to explain, Wally nodded.

“Why did you leave them? Were they horrible to you?”

Wally shook his head, trying to figure out a way to mime to her. He pointed back to the ocean. They. Shook his head. Didn’t. Pointed to his head. Understand. Then, finally, he touched his chest. Me.

He hoped Lisa understood. After a second or two, she nodded. “You’re an outcast, like the rest of us. A rebel. A rogue.”

He smiled. He liked the sound of that.

“Well, darling, I think you’ll fit right in here.” She held out her hand for him to take. “Now, let’s get you down to dinner, where you can knock the socks off my darling brother. Lord knows he can use some excitement in his life that doesn’t involve dying.”

If he’d known how, Wally would’ve skipped all the way to dinner.

0000000

The first day passed, and the second came with Len offering to show Wally around the town. Iris and Barry kept up with them as best they could, swimming alongside the roads when they were near water and even swimming close by when Len decided to take him out on one of his boats, just the two of them.

With some subtle coaxing from a hidden Barry and some whispers from Iris, a romantic atmosphere fell over them. Wally knew all it was going to take was one kiss—just one to break the spell. He could see that Len wanted it, too. All he had to do was…

He leaned forward slowly. Len followed.

But, before their lips could meet, the boat tilted sharply, throwing them both in the water. He could’ve kissed him then, but the moment had been ruined, and all Len was focused on was getting himself and Wally back to the castle.

So ended the second day.

0000000

He was woken up on the third day by the sound of a seashell hitting the window. When he pulled himself out of bed and practically crawled over, Barry was in the water underneath the window, a huge grin on his face.

“Wally, you did it!” he exclaimed. “I overheard Mick—that’s Len’s second, the larger, nice looking one—talking to one of the deckhands about Len getting married at sea today!”

Wally lit up with joy. Married? He and Len getting married? Sure, he’d never considered that serious of a commitment, but, now that he knew what was happening, he was so happy, his stomach was doing backflips.

He didn’t even bother dressing out of his nightclothes. He ran out of his room and down the stairs, only to freeze when he saw Len standing with a beautiful woman. Lisa was in front of them, looking her over with distaste.

“Lenny, are you sure about this?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “This seems really…sudden…and I thought that our guest…”

“I’m marrying Vanessa,” Len said sternly, his face blank of any emotion. “The ceremony will be on my ship at sundown.”

Just as suddenly as his heart had leapt with joy, it shattered at Len’s words. He’d thought…

But, no. Wally was just a stupid kid who believed a human could love a merperson. Nothing more.

Once dusk came, he watched the ship cast off with tears in his eyes. He was going to lose his love and his freedom on the same day. Iris floated in the water beside the dock, sadness in her eyes. He knew she’d wanted him to succeed.

He reached down to his sister, who took his hand.

The sun began to set.

“Wait, Wally!” He and Iris jumped when Barry came swimming as fast as he could up to the dock. “Len…he’s under a spell! Vanessa is actually Valentina disguised as a human! She’s trying to sabotage your chance!”

Wally looked out at the water. The ship was too far for him to swim out to in time without a tail, but maybe…maybe with the help of his siblings, he could get there in time.

0000000

Wally sat on quietly on a rock near the shore, watching Len on the beach, still unconscious from their fight with Valentina.

He loved him, and Len loved him back. But it was too late—his legs were gone, replaced by the tail that he’d been happily rid of. He sighed.

And, oh, I love you so. If only you could know…

A light glowed behind him. His tail started to itch. When he glanced behind him, his father, Iris, and Barry were all smiling back at him, the king’s trident in the water.

He stared down at his tail, eyes wide and excited, as it split back into his legs.

When Len woke up, his jaw dropped. Wally came out of the water, dressed in a silver tunic and black pants, and practically ran right to him.

Len jumped to his feet and, once Wally was in reaching distance, wrapped his arms around his waist to pull him into a kiss.

(They were married the next day and lived happily ever after-- though Joe had to pull Barry away from the ship’s first mate, who sent him a wink from the side of the ship. One kid being married to a human was enough, thank you.)

#kidcold #dctv disney week #the little mermaid au #the flash #wally west #leonard snart

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kathydsalters31 · 4 years

Text

Exactly how to Get Your Dog Used to Water

Isn’t it funny exactly how you can’t obtain some dogs out of the water, yet others put on the brakes when they see the tiniest pool? I have experience with both and also today I’ll let you understand how to get your pet made use of to water. I’ll likewise point out a couple of suggestions for a successful pet bathroom at home.

I’m Barbara as well as I write on a regular basis for That Mutt. I’m a blogger, raw feeder and also pet pedestrian as well as preserve the blog K9sOverCoffee.com.

My late Boxer mix Missy liked the water. She was just among those canines that was birthed a water rat! She swam in the ocean, in lakes, pools, as well as loved “assaulting” the water that appeared of lawn sprinklers.

Her brother Buzz that came from the precise very same litter as her wound up taking pleasure in the water too, but he needed a little convincing and his favored plaything to go in with him.

My current puppy Wally, a Feist mix, didn’t desire anything to do with water in any way when I first adopted him. When I took him to the ocean, he was the type that had actually stroll around a puddle as well as put on the brakes. Currently he’s very slowly finding out that m a y b e water is not that poor after all, although I doubt that he’ll ever be as fanatic concerning water as Missy was.

Wally could not obtain

far from the ocean quick sufficient Why some pets don’t such as the water For starters, allow’s look at why some pets do not like being in the water. There are a few possibilities, as well as the most

typical ones are the following: Fear of the unknown. Dogs do not immediately recognize what water is, so if they’re not effectively mingled to it as young puppies, they may approach it very carefully. This is particularly true if the water is deep and also they can’t see all-time low or if the water is loud like waves or a river running.Not a water reproduce. Some dogs have a love for water in their genetics and also some don’t! Those who do are usually hunting pets that are bred to recover waterfowl like Retrievers( Golden, Labrador, Chesapeake Bay), Spanish Water pet dogs, Portuguese Water canines, Irish Water spaniels, and so on. Trauma. Less likely, but perhaps the dog mistakenly

fell under a pool as well as couldn’t come back out on his very own. Or possibly he obtained assaulted by another canine at the dog coastline. Remember” terrible”experiences to a canine can likewise seem very light to us. Possibly ocean waves terrified the pet dog as a young puppy, for example.Did you recognize? Dogs use their tails to steer and also balance themselves in the water, so dogs with docked tails havea much more challenging time swimming than those whose tail is undamaged.< img src="https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/My-oceangoing-Lab.jpg "alt course ="wp-image-21279 lazy "data-sizes="(max-width: 652px

)100vw, 652px”srcset =”https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/My-oceangoing-Lab.jpg 652w, https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/My-oceangoing-Lab-510×325.jpg 510w, https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/My-oceangoing-Lab-300×190.jpg 300w”> That Mutt Ace loved all

kinds of open water! Benefits of being in the water for canines It’s a downer that some pets do not enjoy the water, since they can benefit a great deal from remaining in it:

Water maintains them trendy in the summer season warm. One of the most evident benefit is that water is extremely rejuvenating on warm summer days. Sometimes, it’s the only means dogs can stay somewhat comfy outside.

It’s a reduced influence workout. That makes it great for pups whose joints are still establishing, as well as also for older pets that suffer from arthritis.Makes for an excellent exercise. Swimming as well as playing in the water is a wonderful means of working out as well as staying fit. The best water sport for pets is dock diving!Water has healing high qualities. Many pet recovery centers utilize underwater treadmills to assist canines reclaim their flexibility after they had surgery. It can likewise help relieve joint inflammation. Present your pet slowly to the idea of water You decide to go about it, patience is key when you work on obtaining your reluctantpet made use of to water

. Prior to you ask him to dip any paws into it, invest some time with him near it. The suggestion is to get him made use of to the idea of water. Start by going with strolls on the coastline, around a regional lake or a fountain. Do this without getting as well close to the water source itself. Additionally, play bring, yank, or whatever video game your pet likes when you’re close to a body of water. You can also

feed him alongside water if that works for you. Lindsay as well as Remy Idea: If he’s scared of the noise of the water fountain or the sea, you can reveal him to lakes and also rivers initially since they’re not as loud. If you wish to be aggressive concerning desensitizing him, attempt playing some ocean or water fountain appears in your home while giving him high value treats or a preferred (squeaky) toy. It’ll instruct him that good, enjoyable things are happening when he listens to the noise. You can discover a selection of those sounds on YouTube.

When you’ve been close to the water with your pet dog a couple of times and also he’s not placing on the brakes or acting terrified, take it up a notch.

Walk closer to the sea, lake, pool, fountain or river and allow your puppy smell it.

Don’t put any stress on your chain to make it as hassle-free an experience as feasible. Commend your pet dog for being such a great young boy or excellent girl!

.?.!! Wally walking beside a small fish pond in an art park I tried this method with Wally and also we’ve made truly great progression. I kept walking him around lakesand fish ponds, as well as

he’s now lastly comfy adequate to stand and also stroll in lakes. What’s really aided him is the consistent exposure to water over the course of several months. That along with seeing ducks and geese swimming in the water, along with various other pet dogs that hang around in the water worked for Wally. Nonetheless, I still haven’t been able to persuade him to swim. That might take a few even more months, however it’s ALRIGHT. I’m not in a thrill.

Slowly presenting Wally to the concept of water Signs that your pet dog is not enjoying around/in water are: If you see these signs in your puppy, you’re too near the water: A put tail Stiff body stance Drinking Too much panting

Refusing to relocate towards the water Increase the distance in between

the water as well as your canine

and also be a little more person.

Bear in mind, it takes some pets much longer to get utilized to water than it does others. Make use of the right incentive for your pet dog Remy is encouraged by a challenge! It’s all regarding making the actual call with it an enjoyable experience when you’ve successfully slipped closer to the water. Undoubtedly every pet dog has their very own idea of what’s enjoyable as well as what isn’t, so this method will certainly vary from dog to pet. That’s why it’s crucial to make use of the ideal incentive for

your pup. This can be: Food or deals with. Toss some in the water as well as have your dog bob for them.Toys. Buoyant playthings like bumpers or frisbees stay afloat as well as are the best plaything to go after in the water.Yourself. Use this to your advantage and also go in initially if your canine trust funds you as well as follows you anywhere. A

specialist. Many family pet health spas and/or resorts have indoor dog pools with trained team who’ll educate your canine exactly how to

swim in their pools. One more pet dog that likes to swim. Canines tend to replicate other dogs, so if among

his friends likes to swim, establish a doggy playdate by the water. Ducks or water birds if he’s right into chasing them.

If your dog suches as a good chase, his hunting impulses may just defeat his reluctance of entering water.

My previous pet dog Buzz learned exactly how to swim at a falls on a walking on a lengthy chain. His was watching his sister Missy have a blast and swim, yet still wasn’t too certain about it himself. Considering that he was currently standing in the water as well as it covered his belly, he obtained a mild push from behind and also voilà– Buzz was swimming! I likewise tossed his sphere in to sweeten the deal even better, which was that. Ever since then, Buzz ranand swam after any kind of toy I would certainly toss into the water. Cooling off with Buzz in a river on a hike Missy(left)as well as Buzz(appropriate)at an indoor dog pool Water safety ideas for your canine Once your dog is comfortable in the water, it’s crucial to maintain him risk-free while

he’s in it too, specifically if he’s not the best swimmer

. Devices I warmly recommend are life vests that include a deal with as well as added lengthy pet chains. If necessary, the life vest maintains your dog afloat and also the deal with makes it a lot less complicated for you to raise your dog in as well as out of the water. This can really be available in handy when you’re on a boat with your dog . Extra long dog leashesgive your dog

a lot of flexibility to have fun in the water, however they leave you in control of exactly how much as well as where your canine can enter the water. Be conscious of where you let your canine swim as well as drink. There are plants as well as animals that can be frustrating at best and also dangerous at worst. One of the most unsafe ones are blue environment-friendly algae in addition to water serpents and also alligators.

It’s a great rule of thumb not to let your canine consume alcohol out of stationary, non-flowing bodies of water as well as to avoid those with eco-friendly surface areas that appear like pea soup or environment-friendly paint. That’s blue environment-friendly algae. Make certain to provide your pet dog fresh, bottledwater

that you bring along on your swimming journeys. Some pet dogs like to consume alcohol directly out of the container, however it’s most convenient to pour some into a retractable water dish. I such as the ones from Mighty

Paw. Kayak training with my pup Kayaking is a fun activity

that doesn’t necessarily entail contact with water. That’s unless your kayak begins to leak of course, or your dog decides to jump into the water after all. Yet in all seriousness, I began getting Wally used to our kayak since it doesn’t require him to spend whenever in the water if he truly doesn’t feel like it. For now, I’ve presented him to the kayak on dry land in the house. In our garage, to

be extra exact since that’s where we keep it. Wally gave it some good smells as well as consumed some treats that I strategically positioned on and also into it. He’s a fool for food and deals with, so I always utilize this technique in my favor to get him utilized to new things. Introducing Wally to the Kayak I then mosted likely to sit in the kayak and invited him to follow me. He had no arguments as well as jumped right in. That was very easy! I’ll duplicate this workout a number of times prior to taking Wally and also the Kayak

out on the lake as well as will report back with an upgrade on exactly how points went! Tips for doggie bath time OK, currently allow’s talk a little about

splashy time at home! Your puppy may extremely well need a bath after he went swimming. Right here are my tips for obtaining your pet used to your bathtub: That Mutt Ace tolerated baths, great young boy! Present the bathtub without water initially. Utilize it as a hiding place during a video game of hide as well as look for, or place some treats or a preferred plaything into it.Bathe him after a long stroll or walking when he’s tired. He’ll be a lot less most likely to set up a fight.Use treats during bathroom time. They’re a great incentive, however select high value deals with instead of dull cookies. Rub some peanut butter on the shower walls. It’s an excellent

diversion and a motivatorto “endure “bath time.Ask a member of the family or close friend for help. They can hold your puppy while you lather him up or vice versa.Some dogs are

beyond persistent, so if your canine fits into that category and also keeps putting up a fight come bath time, schedule a professional dog bathroom with a pet dog groomer. This is additionally a hassle-free choice when your dog’s had a number of muddy fun at the dog park!< img src ="https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ThatMutt.com-How-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water.jpg "alt=" How to get your canine

utilized to water” course= “wp-image-45131 lazy”width=”463″height =”695 “data-sizes=”( max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px”srcset=

“https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ThatMutt.com-How-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water.jpg 600w, https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ThatMutt.com-How-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water-200×300.jpg 200w” > Barbara Rivers creates frequently

for That Mutt. She is a blog writer, raw feeder and also pet dog walker and maintains the blog K9s Over Coffee. Relevant short articles: Does your dog like to swim? My pet is obsessed with alcohol consumption excessive water source http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/how-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water/

from Lucky Dog Solutions https://luckydogsolutions.blogspot.com/2020/09/exactly-how-to-get-your-dog-used-to.html

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barryswamsleyaz · 4 years

Text

Exactly how to Get Your Dog Used to Water

I’m Barbara as well as I write on a regular basis for That Mutt. I’m a blogger, raw feeder and also pet pedestrian as well as preserve the blog K9sOverCoffee.com.

Her brother Buzz that came from the precise very same litter as her wound up taking pleasure in the water too, but he needed a little convincing and his favored plaything to go in with him.

Wally could not obtain

fell under a pool as well as couldn’t come back out on his very own. Or possibly he obtained assaulted by another canine at the dog coastline. Remember” terrible”experiences to a canine can likewise seem very light to us. Possibly ocean waves terrified the pet dog as a young puppy, for example.Did you recognize? Dogs use their tails to steer and also balance themselves in the water, so dogs with docked tails havea much more challenging time swimming than those whose tail is undamaged.< img src=“https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/My-oceangoing-Lab.jpg "alt course ="wp-image-21279 lazy "data-sizes=”(max-width: 652px

kinds of open water! Benefits of being in the water for canines It’s a downer that some pets do not enjoy the water, since they can benefit a great deal from remaining in it:

When you’ve been close to the water with your pet dog a couple of times and also he’s not placing on the brakes or acting terrified, take it up a notch.

Walk closer to the sea, lake, pool, fountain or river and allow your puppy smell it.

Don’t put any stress on your chain to make it as hassle-free an experience as feasible. Commend your pet dog for being such a great young boy or excellent girl!

.?.!! Wally walking beside a small fish pond in an art park I tried this method with Wally and also we’ve made truly great progression. I kept walking him around lakesand fish ponds, as well as

Refusing to relocate towards the water Increase the distance in between

the water as well as your canine

and also be a little more person.

specialist. Many family pet health spas and/or resorts have indoor dog pools with trained team who’ll educate your canine exactly how to

swim in their pools. One more pet dog that likes to swim. Canines tend to replicate other dogs, so if among

his friends likes to swim, establish a doggy playdate by the water. Ducks or water birds if he’s right into chasing them.

If your dog suches as a good chase, his hunting impulses may just defeat his reluctance of entering water.

he’s in it too, specifically if he’s not the best swimmer

Paw. Kayak training with my pup Kayaking is a fun activity

out on the lake as well as will report back with an upgrade on exactly how points went! Tips for doggie bath time OK, currently allow’s talk a little about

diversion and a motivatorto “endure “bath time.Ask a member of the family or close friend for help. They can hold your puppy while you lather him up or vice versa.Some dogs are

beyond persistent, so if your canine fits into that category and also keeps putting up a fight come bath time, schedule a professional dog bathroom with a pet dog groomer. This is additionally a hassle-free choice when your dog’s had a number of muddy fun at the dog park!< img src =“https://www.thatmutt.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ThatMutt.com-How-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water.jpg "alt=” How to get your canine

utilized to water” course= “wp-image-45131 lazy”width=”463″height =”695 “data-sizes=”( max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px”srcset=

from Lucky Dog Solutions http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/how-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water/ from Lucky Dog Solutions https://luckydogsolutions.tumblr.com/post/628889379685957632

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luckydogsolutions · 4 years

Text

Exactly how to Get Your Dog Used to Water

I’m Barbara as well as I write on a regular basis for That Mutt. I’m a blogger, raw feeder and also pet pedestrian as well as preserve the blog K9sOverCoffee.com.

Her brother Buzz that came from the precise very same litter as her wound up taking pleasure in the water too, but he needed a little convincing and his favored plaything to go in with him.

Wally could not obtain

kinds of open water! Benefits of being in the water for canines It’s a downer that some pets do not enjoy the water, since they can benefit a great deal from remaining in it:

When you’ve been close to the water with your pet dog a couple of times and also he’s not placing on the brakes or acting terrified, take it up a notch.

Walk closer to the sea, lake, pool, fountain or river and allow your puppy smell it.

Don’t put any stress on your chain to make it as hassle-free an experience as feasible. Commend your pet dog for being such a great young boy or excellent girl!

.?.!! Wally walking beside a small fish pond in an art park I tried this method with Wally and also we’ve made truly great progression. I kept walking him around lakesand fish ponds, as well as

Refusing to relocate towards the water Increase the distance in between

the water as well as your canine

and also be a little more person.

specialist. Many family pet health spas and/or resorts have indoor dog pools with trained team who’ll educate your canine exactly how to

swim in their pools. One more pet dog that likes to swim. Canines tend to replicate other dogs, so if among

his friends likes to swim, establish a doggy playdate by the water. Ducks or water birds if he’s right into chasing them.

If your dog suches as a good chase, his hunting impulses may just defeat his reluctance of entering water.

he’s in it too, specifically if he’s not the best swimmer

Paw. Kayak training with my pup Kayaking is a fun activity

out on the lake as well as will report back with an upgrade on exactly how points went! Tips for doggie bath time OK, currently allow’s talk a little about

diversion and a motivatorto “endure “bath time.Ask a member of the family or close friend for help. They can hold your puppy while you lather him up or vice versa.Some dogs are

utilized to water” course= “wp-image-45131 lazy”width=”463″height =”695 “data-sizes=”( max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px”srcset=

from Lucky Dog Solutions http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/how-to-get-your-dog-used-to-water/

0 notes

sohannabarberaesque · 5 years

Text

“Underwater America with Peter Potamus” (episode 1: Prologue and La Jolla)

Herewith is the transcript of the first episode of a hypothetical documentary series entitled Underwater America with Peter Potamus, featuring the title character in a series of SCUBA diving adventures across the United States with a few close friends, so to speak.

*************

PETER POTAMUS, sitting on the front porch of his beach house sipping on some iced tea: Hello there ... the name’s Peter Potamus, master of wanderlust and sometime SCUBA diver. You might say wanderlust is in my blood, something I inherited from my father, Perry Potamus. And it’s this spirit of wanderlust as is inspiring this latest set of adventures, where I lead a group of close buddies in a series of SCUBA diving adventures from California to Maine. (And will likely meet a few others along the way.) In case you wonder who these buddies are, they will graciously introduce themselves:

[Whence we find the members of the company identifying themselves by name as their faces come on screen, to wit: Wally Gator, Loopy De Loop, Magilla Gorilla, Hokey Wolf, Lippy the Lion, Hardy Har-Har, Breezly Bruin and Mildew T. Wolf.]

PETER POTAMUS, resuming: Assisting me in these endeavours is no less than Squiddly Diddly, who you might call the Head Cameraman and Bottle-Washer, among other titles (or what pass for them.)

SQUIDDLY DIDDLY: And may I just say that I am rather delighted to be part of the Underwater America company of divers! After all, since Bubbleland began seriously going downhill, you might say I’ve been at a loss for seriously keeping going, but when Peter Potamus offered me this cameraman position, you could say that I am rather stoked already!! (Uh, that’s how we beach folk refer to getting seriously enthused!)

PETER POTAMUS: You may not find much of the Hippo Hurricane Holler on our journey, but suffice it to say that we plan to discover the joy of SCUBA as we cross our way across America....

You might say it all started on a lazy late winter’s afternoon at my beach house somewhere in Southern California, things starting to segue into springtime ... and I came up with the idea of this little diving company perhaps diving our way across fresh and salt waters from California to Maine. Which, before too long, saw our company hold a few informal discussions and practice dives, with yours truly as a sort of instructor ...

[What follows could be called “outtakes” from some of the more informal coaching sessions in the diving experience, including technique in fitting the harness, biting into the regulator, checking the air tanks and even cleaning the dive masks with the “spit-and-rinse” technique. Not to mention fitting everything in proper sequence, fins going on last.]

You couldn’t help but sense how enthused, bemused even, as my buddy Snagglepuss would parse it, this company became about diving ... and just how fun it could get over time.

WALLY GATOR, aside and off-camera: For an alligator like yours truly, the very idea of discovering SCUBA amounted to something new. At least it’s a change from that brackish and shallow pond I had in the zoo under Mr. Twiddle, don’t you know ...

HARDY HAR-HAR, again off-camera: I think it’s a good thing this Peter Potamus is teaching me to be rather patient underwater. Besides, wearing SCUBA gear when you do, it’s important to be rather patient!

[Some scenes from practice dives throughout]

PETER POTAMUS: But what really started our whole travelling SCUBA party [pronouncing it in the quasi-sophisticated “par-tay”, mainly for laughs] was a rather lazy Saturday afternoon in the Underwater Gardens off La Jolla, California, which is just north of San Diego. In fact, La Jolla saw some of America’s first experiences in freediving ...

[Plenty of bombastically overeeaching aerial footage of the cove at La Jolla, eventually leading to the dive boat chartered for this dive ... and an eventual group shot of the party getting prepped up for the dive, with Peter P. reminding everybody that in SCUBA, one enters the water backwards, making sure to grasp mask and regulator firmly with one hand while diving in. Followed by the dive into the waters, Peter starting the exercise ... and the scene shifting underwater.]

(Thanks to shoxxe.deviantart.com for the preceding)

PETER POTAMUS, as the divers get organised and get underway: You try not to get TOO stunned at such beauty as is La Jolla underwater ... in fact, our dive boat was anchored in close proximity to two particularly famous near-shore dive spots: The Kelp Forest and the Sea Caves. Given the rather legendary size of such kelp, and how dense it can get, you really have to paddle through such strands to avoid getting entangled ... which was almost the case with a certain Wally Gator there [footage showing Wally Gator in the dilemma of giant sea kelp close to his ankle, but managing to come loose when some sea lions bit off a piece of the kelp] until the sea lions came along ... and speaking of sea lions, who are fond of swimming these waters [witness displays of especially Peter Potamus, Breezly Bruin and Loopy De Loop nuzzling at sea lion pups as much as adults], who couldn’t resist the experience? I admit there’s something of a sense euphoric in the whole ...

[We can find the party being guided towards some underwater caverns in the general vicinity, with at least two of the party shining flashlights into the crevasses and discovering some native lobster and fish]

And it just seemed a little strange to have these same sea lions guiding us to some underwater caverns close to shore ... however, given that we’re just a party bunch of divers, you don’t want to take the experience too seriously, except to throw some light just inside the portal and see how far it can go....

[We can see Mildew Wolf being approached by a maturish sea lion as wants to cuddle him so in a somewhat comical way]

For Mildew Wolf “himself,” it just seems the La Jolla sea lions can’t quite resist his otherwise mangy charms...

MILDEW WOLF, off camera: As pretty much seems to be my case having to swear off lamb al fresco--thanks to a certain Bow-Wow Buttinski as shall remain nameless for the moment!

PETER POTAMUS: You have to admit that La Jolla underwater carries with it a certain sort of charm impressing practically anybody diving into its waters--and who more so than Lippy the Lion, [we can see Lippy nuzzling the nose of a sea lion pup as swam up close], who couldn’t resist a sea lion’s company for some reason or another!

[Meanwhile, back on the boat, as the crew take off their gear and kit ...]

La Jolla may be wonderful in its own right ... but next week, join us and some local feline dive cuties on no less than the legendary Catalina Island off Southern California for an interesting dive experience at a legendary dive spot in and of itself....

#fanfic friday #hanna barbera #tv documentary #scuba diving #peter potamus #transcript #scuba party #scuba experience #la jolla #wally gator #hokey wolf #loopy de loop #mildew wolf #magilla gorilla #squiddly diddly #lippy the lion #hardy har har #breezly bruin #dive la jolla

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