#eastern mountain sports

[jifanjiang0710]

Closed Doors

yan secretary! zhongli x ceo! reader

Lantern Rite was fast approaching. From the glass windows that extended from the ledge at the bottom to the expanse of the ceiling, you could see that every corner and alley was alight with crimson silk and flowers, couplets and ribbons, lights flashing incessantly even in the mind’s eye. Your own office building had some, sporting of the festivities despite the heavy workload the staff have been burdened with recently.

A hand on your shoulder, a whisper of your name, by your ear.

“You have worked hard. Would you care to chat over dinner?”

“...I’m busy, tonight.”

Zhongli pulled back, gently, as if he had taken the rejection well. When has he ever, in this one-sided… situationship… thing?

“Then let me drive you home.”

“No, I’m fine.” You feel like throwing up, even though you had not eaten in many hours. The last time that occured…

No words. He is displeased, and it strikes a hot bolt of guilt through your veins. He did only mean the best for you, your trusted secretary.

“I mean, I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“I can assure you, my dear, it is no hassle at all. Do you not trust me to keep you safe, after all these years?”

You sigh. He speaks much like a doting grandfather. Your eyes trail to the two long red strips on the office door.

“ ‘Longevity like the highest West mountains, blossoming relationships akin to the depth of the Eastern sea.’ Isn’t the second part a bit out of place, Zhongli?”

The man in question leaned in, lowering his glasses and scrutinising the words on the couplet. “So it is.”

“Nothing more to say?” That was uncharacteristic of your secretary.

Zhongli coughed, as if to distract that. “I find the emphasis on interpersonal relations between persons agreeable. Is that not something you wish to have in your life, [Name]?”

“I… suppose?”

You knew he wrote it, and dare not remove it from the front doors of the company. You had to settle with unmatching couplets for the next month.

“Speaking of which, [Name]...” he said, tailing behind you at such a leisurely pace that you always had to stop several times for him to catch up. “The, ah, schedule for the company celebration on the second day of Lantern Rite has been updated. I have assigned your seating arrangement near-”

“Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. I won’t be around next month. I’m going back with my family to celebrate.”

…

“Zhongli?”

Why is he…disappointed? It is perfectly fine and common, for the overworked CEO to take time off to visit their loved ones for the holidays. Zhongli still feels an ache in his rustic heart as you said that.

You wouldn’t be spending Lantern Rite with him.

Last year, and the year before that, and the year before as well, you had; too busy slaving for the survival and growth of the company to take the journey home. He doesn’t know what to do with the chip at his feelings knowing you will not be around this year, even if it only consists of the two of you working late nights at the office, and him replacing your lukewarm cup of tea from time to time. By the time he replies you have arrived at your private office.

“... I see.”

After all he’s done for you, as well. Do you view him as nothing but a subordinate? 

Zhongli chided himself, shelving these thoughts for later. His younger self would succumb to petty, childish musings like these, and he would imagine he has matured.

He sees you falter, perhaps noticing the shift in mood. “Are you going anywhere for Lantern Rite?” you asked.

He smiles, not too broadly, making sure to keep his eyes still.

“Where has an old man like me to go, except for work?”

To the untrained eye, you seem unphased, but your secretary knows better. With a little observance, he can detect your uncomfortable twitches, fidgeting, wandering eyes. And, contrary to public belief, Zhongli can be very observant. How do you think he picks out the gem amongst stones? To him, you are that very diamond he so desires.

“Please, you are hardly half the age you act. You could… take a trip somewhere south, escape the cold…”

How intriguing. Before you can blink he towered over you, arm brushing against your shoulder. Zhongli looked you directly in the eyes, without a hint of warmth or the usual wise whimsy he conducts himself with.

“A most interesting suggestion. However I do not intend to go holidaying off by myself.”

You had no response to that, still recovering from the apparent change in attitude of your secretary.

“Not to mention, I would… how do I phrase this… find myself missing you terribly.”

For a moment, you think you see the amber in his eyes morph into a disgusting, bloody red. It could easily be passed off as reflection from the hanging lanterns.

He continues, when you don’t speak. “So, when you return to your, ah, loved ones, partake in the wonders of tradition and communal gathering… please think of me as well.”

A sweet statement turned sinister. Was this how he had gotten you to stay for the past year, and all the Lantern Rite’s before that?

Come to think of it, you don’t know why you were so busy back then either.

“After all, [Name]...”

He would do anything to keep you here, under his watchful eye and within his clutches.

“What is a poor old man to do, without you?”

He tried to play it off as a joke, a light-hearted statement made meant for mild amusement. You seemed to take it well, offering a hesitant chuckle. If you find this off-putting, he would hate for you to discover what he did to earn his position as your secretary. When he was young it would have been much more… how to put it? Physically forceful. 

The bloodlust from them has since faded. How would you feel seeing him slathered in crimson? Cringe in fear and revulsion, or praise him for his devotion?

He finds violence by his own hands unnecessary, now. He can do just as much and more with the influence he currently wields.

The manager who tried to seduce you, the owner of a rival company’s snark comments, all the scathing words of Internet users who think it so clever to be cruel to you behind a screen… one way or another, he has taken care of them as a good secretary would.

All that has paid off. Now he is your most trusted staff, the one who understood every quirk and minute action. No one had been through every high and low, seen you inside and out like he has.

He caresses you so gently, as if you were the most delicate petal or the most fragile diamond. As if all this was right and normal, for a secretary to do.

Who would suspect Zhongli the gentleman, collected, distinguished and composed of such depravity?

“Good morning, dear. Happy Lantern Rite.”

You trusted him, wholeheartedly.

But when you eventually wake up in his arms, in his bed, to the sound of firecrackers and joyful festive cheers, even after he promised the last time that it was a one-time mistake and would not happen again, you’re not quite sure you do, anymore.

#yandere x reader #yandere genshin impact #yandere genshin #yandere genshin x reader #tw yandere #leos works #yandere secretary #yandere zhongli #yandere zhongli x reader

[pleistocene-pride]

Rüppell's vulture also called Rüppell's griffon vulture, named after Eduard Rüppell, is a large bird of prey in the genus Gyps which is native throughout the sahel and eastern Africa including the countries of Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, The Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Here they tend to inhabit grasslands, mountains, and open woodland. Rüppell's vultures are diurnal and very social birds, roosting, nesting, and feeding in large flocks. They spend much of their time flying at great altitudes, using strong winds and thermals to efficiently soar they are known to regular cruise at upwards of 20,000ft (6,000m) above the ground with some known to go as high as 37,000ft (11,300m) making them the highest flying bird. These vultures locate food by sight only, and often follow herds of animals. Once they find a carcass they swoop down, land a little way off, then bound forward with wings spread and their long neck outstretched. Even amongst old world vultures, Rüppell's vultures are specialized feeders with a spiked tongue and strong beak they can strip flesh with ease, and feed upon pelts, hides, and even the bones themselves.  Reaching around 33 to 41in (85 -103cms) long, 14 – 20lbs in weight, with a 7.5-8.6ft (2.26 -2.6m) wingspan. They are one of the largest vultures in Africa, both sexes sport mottled brown or black feathering overall with a whitish-brown underbelly and thin, dirty-white fluff covering the head and neck. The base of the neck has a white collar, the eye is yellow or amber, the crop patch deep brown. The head does not have feathers. This species of vulture is considered to be monogamous, forming lifelong breeding pairs. They nest on cliffs in colonies up to a 1,000 strong. After courtship a pair will work together to build a nest using sticks, grass, and leaves that they have gathered or stolen from other nests, here the mother will lay 1 egg. Both parents share in incubation of their egg over a period of 55 days. Once the chick hatches, both parents will feed and tend to it for about 150 days when it fledges. Young remain dependent on their parents after fledging, not reaching independence until the next breeding season. Under ideal conditions a ruppells vulture may live up to 50 years.

#pleistocene #pleistocene pride #pliestocene pride #pliestocene #bird #dinosaur #vulture #ruppells vulture #africa #asia #europe #eurasia #flying #griffon #griffin #griffon vulture

[t34-mt]

sorry if you already answered this, but how do the specific colors for each species work when in different regions? are there any specific colors that are more common in one place than the other???

yes, each region has a group/ethnicity that sports colors that are exclusive to them, even feather type for the mane of maanul divers from one region to another. For kyhuines every group has the same feather types, BUT it is possible to have an individual with curly feather genes like a frillback pigeon. that said gene is a mutation so it's not common but it can be passed down

now im sincerely sorry I don't have a really clean good chart yet, ill use these shitty drawings I once made to explain the color to a friend. while they suck and are not good references to look at when it comes to anatomy you still understand color variation with them at least. I'll start with maanuls!

Western maanuls

while on the maanul drawings they don't have size dif, if this was done seriously the females would be bigger than males across every group. Western maanuls are ""the basic ones"" if you had to put it bluntly. id imagine that ancient maanuls before they diversified in colors probably looked a bit like a tone-down modern Western maanul.

the examples ill use for each groups are the most basic individuals you could ever think of. Because with dye and modification, an individual from one group could end up widely different from the base look. For example, Morang is a western maanul but she doesn't look like the example shown here, she cut down feathers for a straight-end look and she bleached herself to be a unified white. another we

Eastern maanuls

now with these guys, i do have a good render of them which you can see here, like western maanuls they got a mane with flexible feathers. the best irl example i can give for you to visualize that type of feathers would be to look at a Japanese roosters's tails. males have a greenish turquoise end some of their feathers. Which is a color exclusive to them. If i ever post an image of yarey'lu ( a male eastern maanul) and you see his yellow feather tips be aware that its not natural, and these are done with dyes. so would be the yellow marks around the eyes, these are also done by paint. another character that is an eastern maanul is ak'laam who doesn't look like the examples because she's melanistic.

Eastern males are the most colorful of all, they've also got iridescent feathers but so do eastern females which is also unique to them. The sea they live next to is a bright blue and within that sea, they have many coral barriers and "exotic" wildlife, even the flora around their region is bright and varied so, i had to make them fancy to go with their place.

Southern maanuls

now they've got their perks too, maanuls and kyhuines after being an ugly hatchlings they become what they call a fledging, which is a state where they're fully covered in a yellowish coat of feathers with brown stripes. Now every maanul and every kyhuine shed that coat at some point, so they lose the stripes except southern maanuls. Southern maanuls even as full adults still have some reminiscences of their stripes from when they were a fledgling.

The mane of easterns are quite particular too, they've got a mix of the two variants. a top layer with hard shafts that move for emoting or just to dance, and a bottom layer of soft shaft feathers. my only southern maanul character is nau'stikah

North-east maanuls

northeast are not that far in the north honestly on the map that population just sits on top of keezeh behind mountain ranges where the nice weather shifts into more temperate ones, like a normal winter you'd find in central Europe (i wish snow was still a thing here), their feather mane is usually quite short compared to other maanul groups and it is fully composed of hard shaft feathers that moves unintentionally with emotions or can be controlled at will.

They are quite dark due to the place they live at, which are cliffs that have been tinted black because of ancient volcanic activities. There arent many north east maanuls, they're the rarest of the 5 maanul groups. A character that is a north east maanul to mention would be qua'tuli

Central north maanuls

and for last with maanuls, central north maanuls which are "real northern" maanuls because they truly inhabit the real north compared to north east. Like north east their mane is fully made out of hard shaft feathers that can move, but unlike them their mane isn't short. you may have noticed but they're more covered too! ears are covered, most of the hand except palms, and the same for feet, except feet can actually be fully covered in feathers in some cold periods of the year.

Compared to other maanuls, central north go out in the land much more often to find food because during cold seasons they cannot always easily rely on the ocean. Their life is harsher than other groups so it sometimes reflects in folklore, like, for example, the way northern maanuls draw haanu (maanul's all mighty mother deity, a sort of Venus of willendorf equivalent) is lets say much scarier than the way other part of the world do it. i dont have any central north characters!

-

i should also mention that all maanuls have yellow eyes by default, mixing groups can create mutations tho, like orange, red or even brown (monmartre for example, western+central north it has red eyes cause mutation, and while it just looks like a western with neglected feathers it starts to look closer to a central north when it ages in late GA), other mutations can affect eye color too, ak'laam has black/brown eyes because of melanism, and an albino maanul would have red eyes.

kyhuines, commonly have yellow eyes too tho it is plausible but rare to have red, grey and brown eyes without being mixed. These traits can become hereditary too, same goes for maanuls with mutated eye colors they can also be passed down (example with monmartre's litter, but also that was done so its litter would stand out and be recognisable)

-

Now with kyhuines, there are only 4 groups/ethnicity compared to the 5 of maanuls, and theirs are quite close to one another so claims like "south, west, east, north" is a bit of a stretch but they still use it anyways for communication.

Southern kyhuines

the most common kyhuine are southern! now with kyhuines the color dimorphism is much more present compared to maanuls. Even talons in females if often darker, southern females can have dark brown talons to just the light pinkish that males have. gular skin is usually less bright too. Like eastern maanuls, i have a proper render of that group that you can see here. notable characters that are southern kyhuines would be satmuh, kapone, oto, and bantam. These 4 are all siblings so they can also be shortened to "southern litter" in literature

Western kyhuines

body wise, identical to southern. The difference is that they're much lighter. between males and females colorwise it's not that different most of the time. But they still got their quirk, their gular skin is a blue color. first contact maanuls mistaken western and southern to just be the same group variants but not, they are distinct ethnicity despite looking similar. i don't have any character that belongs to this group!

Salt desert kyhuines (or salt rock)

calling them north is a stretch, while on old kyhuine maps, they are situated up to other groups, on a world map they're just in the center of the mega continent like other kyhuines its just that they live in the salt desert. the talons of a female salt kyhuine can almost be black, to just greyish tones like the example, same goes for gular skin it can go from this tone to a full black one. Then the males sport these blue cool tones and also have iridescent feathers, irredescent feathers in kyhuines is only found in male salt desert individuals.

now the "wings) these drawings suck because while you get the base idea for colors its not good when it comes to accurate anatomy, the feather of salt male kyhuines are long, very long, almost like a Microraptor (on the drawing the leg feathers are not right, not large/wide enough). While they cant glide because they're too heavy and not made for that either way. it does help readjust a fall or jump, you'd usually see males flap their "arm wing" a little when jumping to something high. notable characters of that group are Ame, kaasim, and the egg twin sisters

Eastern kyhuines

So for eastern kyhuines, i do have a clean render of them but its also outdated when it comes to spine posture. While ill still link it because you get a better look at their face beware that the kyhuine don't stand like that anymore (as you can literally see here). You can go view it here.

They're the only kyhuine that can have green-ish tones (for males), their face is also different its more curved, their face have a more "chubby" look. by the way, a healthy kyhuine from any region will have fat cheeks, best example to look at ig, are these shibas with fat cheeks. Their "wings" and overall look is a usually smoother than other kyhuines, they also have shorter "ears"

My favorite kyhuines honestly, i love their face a lot it's shameful that i didn't make any eastern oc atm.

all done, if you've reached down there then thank you for reading/looking! means a lot to me

#maanul #kyhuine #ask #long ask #txt #worldbuilding #digital art #my art #2023 #altuyur #xenobiology #xenofiction #artists on tumblr #speculative zoology #alien

[just--space]

Introducing Comet Leonard : Here comes Comet Leonard. Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) was discovered as a faint smudge in January 2021 when it was out past Mars -- but its orbit will take the giant shedding ice-ball into the inner Solar System, passing near both Earth and Venus in December before it swoops around the Sun in early January 2022. Although comets are notoriously hard to predict, some estimations have Comet Leonard brightening to become visible to the unaided eye in December. Comet Leonard was captured just over a week ago already sporting a green-tinged coma and an extended dust tail. The featured picture was composed from 62 images taken through a moderate-sized telescope -- one set of exposures tracking the comet, while another set tracking the background stars. The exposures were taken from the dark skies above the Eastern Sierra Mountains, near June Lake in California, USA. Soon after passing near the Earth in mid-December, the comet will shift from northern to southern skies. via NASA

#NASA #space #astronomy

[a-world-with0ut-dr34ms]

Thinking Like That

From Control - Full Story in Progress on AO3!

Graves x Reader, hints of Ghost x Reader

Summary: Graves stops by to visit you before your night out with the team.

No Explicit Warnings

Tag: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Slow Burn, Flirting, Implied FWB, Sad Reader, Jealousy, Some Swearing, Hints of Possessiveness, Maybe unrequited feelings(?), Intimacy

Word Count: 3k

Part One | Two | Three | Four | Five Masterlist

A/N: The next couple chapters are about to take place in the course of one long night. I'm getting ready to begin sowing in the (melo)drama, I just need a little more set up! I wanted to flesh the reader out a little more too. I'll never vividly describe the reader visually, but for narrative purposes, the reader's kinda sad and lonely. It's a bit angsty, hopefully not cringy and bad!

...

Chapter Six - Thinking Like That

That data you pulled from Site Delta had no discernable ties to Black Bag, or anything involving the missing missiles. It was mostly a laundry list of names and places AQ had involved themselves with -- old conversations with high profile targets, locations for illegal arms dealing, and other hideouts spread across Eastern Europe. Nothing no one didn't already expect to find.

Once Laswell’s able to sift through the threats that matter and the ones that don't, you're sure both Shadow Company and 141 will be sent out again to handle it. With any luck, one of these names would get you closer to finding out where those missiles were taken, preferably before the others learn about them.

Regardless, your last mission was a job well done. You saw no better way to celebrate than going out drinking!

Graves picked the location -- some sports bar he randomly found on Google that wasn't too far away. All bars begin to feel the same when you've visited as many as you have before, so it matters not to you where you're drinking. The company was everything. If you all didn't go out now, none of you would any time soon. And as tired as you all were after today, you knew how important it was to enjoy the little moments of peace you could share with each other.

It's what you love most about your job.

By now the others had stopped back home (most likely at a barrack) to freshen up before heading back out. Your barrack room door opens with a resounding creek, as though this small room long awaited your return for ages. It invites you in with that mundane and stilted air, welcoming you home with a cold embrace.

You take an eye full of the rushed set up you’d put together in your room. Whenever Shadow Company had you on assignment, you were usually placed in spare barracks on base, such as now. Temporary living quarters. You traveled frequently when working, so you never brought too much with you. Only the essentials. That never stopped you from trying to make your space feel like a home though.

You decorated each available flat surface in your room with tiny knick-knacks and various memorabilia, as purple fairy lights decorate the lining of your window. Your bed was still tightly made from before, your mountain of pillows resting against the bed frame. You used to be shy about others seeing your room, though now you cared little for their opinions. It's not like it was often that others saw your place to begin with.

You shed away the face you’d been wearing outside. It’s been so long you’ve almost forgotten what a lightening sensation it was to finally let go of that façade you’ve created.

Now in the safety of your own space -- for be it a hastily decorated, tiny, and dreary room -- you face the unfamiliar presence of yourself for the first time in what feels like days. You tear away from your extroverted layer and let your more reclusive self breathe again. No more games, no more having to be a step ahead. No more hiding behind your walls.

In here, there's only you.

You take in a deep breath and let out a heavy exhale, before a soft smile paints your lips. God, it feels good to be away. 

You let the faucet run in the bathroom, using two fingers to gauge the temperature, as you slowly space out into the foreground. The water grows warmer each passing second, weaving over you like fine silk. You watch it bounce against the white ceramic of the sink, swirling down into a drain. Your eyes register this, though your mind is as far off as the rushing water swirling through that tiny, black hole. 

Your exhausted eyes then drudge up to a stranger in the reflection before you.

You.

You fixate on the little things -- the bags you’ve begun to form from the inconsistent work hours, same going for the few pounds you’ve shed these past few weeks as well. That new, little scar above your left eyebrow was in good company with the other little ones you’ve accumulated from years of physical labor. Normally when your face rested into its natural state it didn’t look so… hollow.

Sometimes it was hard to recognize yourself in the mirror. It felt almost like an out of body experience, having your eyes meet this face you see. These eyes, these lips, your worn expression.

You’ve gotten so used to playing a character, that you sometimes forget what the rest of your life is outside of your role. This.

Being alone in a room.

But what was this? What was anything? What were you?

Who were you?

The usual intrusive thoughts plague your mind, as they have since you were of adolescence -- when will someone finally fall in love with you for a change? What are you going to do if this job doesn’t pan out? Who would you have to be tomorrow? 

You cup your hands in the sink and create a small pool of water in your palms, lightly splashing it over your face. 

It gets harder each day not falling into these negative headspaces. You could spend all night in your head, driving yourself insane, before a new thought passes by and suddenly it has become the new object of your attention. So goes the cycle, though really it no longer distracts from things like it used to.

You bring more water to your face, rubbing your hands against you, as you hold yourself for a moment. You attempt to pep yourself up for tonight, running by all the nice things that could happen later. There were a number of possibilities, in fact.

All would bring some long awaited levity.

You don’t hear the knocking on your door until you turn the sink off. You weren't expecting any visitors. You step back into your room after drying off your face, making your leisurely way over to the front entrance, as you pull the door open. It's almost pathetic how happy it made you to see the Commander standing on the other side.

Graves’ expression lit up the second he could see you, his face beaming with amusement. He’s dressed out of his uniform now, opting for a more casual jeans and button-down look. A mix of something comfy yet deliberately put together. From his fragrance, you see he’s managed to squeeze in a quick shower as well.

The man was certainly ready for a good night out. You haven’t even gotten out of your own uniform yet.

You rest daintily in the doorway, your smile inviting. “Commander,” you coo. “Visiting me for a change."

Graves licks his lips with a chuckle, as he tells you, "You're a hard woman to stay away from."

"I know," you tease. "I'm quite the catch."

"I'm glad you're aware," he says playfully. "Mind if I come in?"

“Is that wise?” you ask coolly. “Someone might see.”

“We’ll have a lot of explaining to do then."

There was something about how Graves used his words -- how natural he could be so sly and yet beguiling. You knew he liked to play with his vocabulary, even as he never hid behind it. He understood the craft of wordplay, and enjoyed doing so when it was presented. 

And oh how it had a way of pulling you in.

You don’t respond, merely smirking at your commander as you step aside, leaving the door open. He steps in, using his back to close the door behind himself. The whole time, you're laser focused on each other, devouring one another with your gaze.

The door hadn’t even clicked shut before he’d taken a few swift steps towards you; his entire being encompassing you. Though to your surprise, rather than come in for a kiss or something a little more straightforward, he extends his arms out, and wraps you into a warm embrace.

Graves arms envelop your small frame, your face pressing into the crook of his neck. His scent takes over your senses, and he holds you like a snug hoodie. A proper hug. Small gestures of affection were never really his style. It's not what you expected from him, so you can’t help but gasp a little.

"You did one hell of a job today baby," he said. "One hell of a job!"

So that's what this is about. Work.

"You say that like there was ever any doubt," you joke. 

"No," he pulls away from the hug, keeping his hands on your shoulders. He wanted to look at you when saying this. "There’s never a doubt in my mind when it comes to you, Y/N."

You'd beg to differ.

Graves only continues speaking, caught up in his own words to really notice anything.

"Our odds at fixing this just went up tenfold," he said. "If we stay on top of things, we'll be home free before you know it. Then we can be done with this bullshit, and get back to how things were."

One thing you've begun to notice about Graves is how often he speaks at you. It wasn't on purpose. He was a passionate man, when it was something he found worth putting the time into. Which in that case, Graves would move mountains if they were in his way. 

And it's not that what he's talking about is unimportant either. What goes on with your missions right now effects you just as much as it does him, and you feel no shame in admitting you care even more about it simply because it means a lot to your commander.

Him wanting to talk to you about it should feel flattering. And yet…

"Just a few more steps then," you say.

"Just a few more.”

And suddenly, it's as though all that optimism he'd built up over the last couple minutes got pushed away somewhere. Replaced by something more… biting. You’re reminded how close you still are to him, his hands resting on your arms.

"That was quite a show you put on back there with the Task Force."

"Oh?"

It's not every day he makes comments like that one.

"You shoulda seen 'em," he boasts. "You’ll have 'em wrapped around your finger in no time with that performance. You nearly had me convinced you were 141. You even had Ghost praising you; that's some serious dedication, Songbird."

"Killing with kindness is my specialty, right?" You tease.

He adjusts his hold on your arms as he looks off for a second, laughing under his breath. Indeed, you knew these past couple of hours must have given him  something  to think about. He's not this tight-lipped otherwise.

“I must admit,” he says. “Watching you out there made me…”

“Jealous?”

Graves raises an eyebrow and smirks. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“It might make me giggle,” you say. “Only a little.”

In one suave motion, his hand sneaks up to the left side of your face, taking hold of your head in his hand rather dominantly. He didn't think twice about it; it interrupts your train of thought, causing your breath to catch in your throat. That only amuses him, as his eyes look down at your lips hungrily.

When he came in close like this, it was difficult not to let the sheer dominance of his nature swallow you completely. Like a magnet, you were pulled in violently.

“Well," he said coolly. "I like it better when you’re with me.”

There’s a lot to unpack from that. In fact you’re almost unsure of what to say, let alone how to feel about it. A part of you felt like a schoolgirl being told their crush liked them back. It also felt rather possessive, for someone who seemed only interested in keeping things casual. 

And yet, there was this small part of you that wanted his words to mean something for once.

“I’m always with you, Phillip.”

He doesn’t reply to you; he avoids it. Thinking. He never has anything to say in these moments, and his silence only made you feel rather foolish for wanting to see more in this.

Graves’ eyes lift to the cut above your brow, lingering. His lips began to purse, and for a moment you think he might frown. He doesn’t, catching himself and relaxing his features into a more neutral expression.

He takes his hand and gently rubs his thumb over the closed wound, feeling all its rough ridges from where it's scabbed over. His palm grazes your cheek; they’re both warm and callus, shaped by years of constant use. You don’t flinch at his touch, keeping your eyes on him, trying to know what he might be thinking right now.

If this is how he treats girls he fucks, you wondered how he was with someone he actually wanted. These small gestures were what confused you so much about your commander; you’ve never met a man so OK with riding the middle of things like Graves liked to.

Perhaps it was a power play you should incorporate in your own works, because the control his gentle ways had over you were astounding.

But why come see you if he did not want you? Why bother with this? If it’s just to pass the time while you two are forced to work together, he should learn not to blur these lines so much. Instead of making a mess neither of you were ready to fix. 

“It doesn’t hurt,” you tell him.

“Good,” his hand falls from your face, resting it against your shoulder again. Though he continues to look at your wound, keeping up this nonchalant attitude he hid behind. “Seems I can’t trust Ghost to keep you safe after all.”

It may have been a joke, though the undertones in his voice suggested some truth in his words. You felt your previous team mate was owed some credit though.

"He saved me, actually," you say. “I’d be dead if he hadn’t been there.”

You could tell Graves hadn’t expected you to say that. He may have thought you’d agree with him and begin ripping a new one into the lieutenant. But that’s not how you felt about Ghost. Not after working with him. He seemed a good man, and one you didn’t want to see get burned by the drama you and Graves were unintentionally involving him into.

As closed off and unamused Ghost was, at least he didn’t hide that he was secretive.

You're sure it made no difference to your commander, regardless. There was never any controlling the way he'd feel about things.

“Well,” Graves says. “I’d’ve killed him if he came back without you.”

You scoff; what a drastic statement to make. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Graves really was jealous.

“Would it be that easy?” you poke at him. “Last I checked, he has a whole foot over you.”

"He does not," Graves chuckles. “Besides, it's not the size of the man that matters. Everyone knows skill and a will to win are an unmatched duo.”

“Is that what you tell yourself?”

“Among other things,” he retorts.

“Will I ever know?”

Graves takes hold of your hips, pulling you to him again.

“I’m an open book, darlin’.”

You laugh and cross your arms. “And I’m an actress.”

“I’d come watch you in a heartbeat.”

A single hand takes you by the throat -- his grasp is gentle, though firm enough so that you were aware of his sudden hold on you. You’re all but powerless when he brings his lips down to yours, all senses now absorbed by the man in front of you.

Despite everything, he kissed you sweetly, making sure that each one he left was long enough for the sensation of him to settle in. A reminder of his well-trained ways of intimacy.

His hand loosens on your neck now. He slowly curves it up to the side of your face, as you feel his fingers graze your ear, his thumb resting gently at the corner of your jawline. He slowly brings his thumb to your bottom lip, grazing it gently in between kisses. He tugs lightly, opening your mouth enough for him to deepen the kiss, before retaking hold of your face once his tongue found its way inside.

Unconsciously you reciprocate his warm gestures, resting your hands on either side of his neck and stepping up on your tiptoes to match him. He kisses you like he hadn't seen you for awhile, even though it’d only been maybe an hour since. Like a man on a mission, he keeps hold of you so that you could not slip from him. He feels you melt in his hands, and carries on with his work.

This was a fondness you’ve never gotten from Graves before, catching you off guard to the point of nearly making you weary. You rest your hand against his chest and pull away, smiling. You felt it was time you were the one to keep things straight for a change.

“We shouldn’t keep the others waiting” you giggle. “Unless you’re tryin’ to fuck right now.”

Graves straightens up. It almost seemed like he wasn’t sure what brought that on either. But never one to be caught off guard for too long (at least noticeably), he has a rebuttal.

“Right,” he says. “Can’t get too carried away. As much as I would love to show you how happy I am with your work today.”

“Buy a girl a drink first,” you tease.

“Yes ma’am.”

Graves steals another kiss from you -- a quick peck on the lips -- as he makes his way over to the exit. “Try and have some fun tonight,” he says. “You earned it.”

“Will do Commander,” you wave.

The door closes, and just like that, you’re back in an empty room. Only now it didn’t feel so refreshing to be here.

You could really use a drink right about now.

...Chapter Seven Here!

#phillip graves x reader #phillip graves #simon riley x reader #ghost x reader #ghost simon riley #simon ghost riley #call of duty modern warfare ii #call of duty #mw2022 #mwii #cod mwii #cod mw2 #modern warfare ii #modern warfare #graves x reader #Spotify #control

[moonshynecybin]

I know Vale had a lot of Spanish fans but after sepang 2015 did his following in Spain shrink likes Marc’s level of Italian fans probably dropped immensly but vale is like the king of the sport so I’m not sure if he would have lost as many Spanish fans as Marc did Italian ones. Also because he involved 2 Spanish riders would that impact the Spanish following and I’m not sure if the JL fans were fans of vale before sepang either.

Home to over a million people, Western North Carolina is a region in the United States culturally associated with the traditions of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This region has a proud history that defies common stereotypes seen in films and television, which often prey on the generational poverty, lack of access to education, and distinctive accents that have characterized the region in the past. Contrary to these depictions, people from Southern Appalachia have cultivated a warm, unique folk tradition that has generated myriad works, including unique cultural practices concerning food, music, and craft. Bluegrass/country music is probably the most famous of these practices, and some of the most celebrated songwriters on the planet are from Southern Appalachia, including Dolly Parton (born ten miles from Great Smoky Mountain National Park), Loretta Lynn, and Tyler Childers. picture sources.

Of course, the first people to live in Southern Appalachia were the Cherokee People, who still live in the area today. A federally recognized tribe, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee People are the descendants of the few who where able to avoid systematic removal of their ancestors by the US Government via the Trail of Tears. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the remaining members of the tribe consolidated their collective land holdings in WNC to create an entirely Tribally-governed reservation, which has over the years introduced several tribal initiatives to revive and maintain the Cherokee people's unique culture, practices, language, food, art, and folk tales. It cannot be overstated the influence the Cherokee have had (and continue to have) on the culture of the region. art source.

It should also be noted that this is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Western North Carolina is home to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as several National Forests that serve to protect a myriad of unique biomes and local wildlife. This area is one of two temperate rainforests in the United States, and experiences more rainfall in inches a year than Seattle. The name "Great Smoky Mountains" originates from the effect of the rainfall. Moisture hits the leaves of the abundant flora, and transpiration occurs, causing the plants to release evaporative clouds of mist, creating a "smoky" effect on the mountains. One of the most iconic wildflowers found in the area is trilium, which tends to bloom in the early spring in the shady patches of higher elevations. One of my personal favorites is called dutchman's pants! Which look like little lederhosen.

The area is home to many forms of wildlife, including deer, black bear, elk, river otter, possums, red wolves, turkey, and skunks. We are also known as the salamander capital of the world, and the National Park hosts over 30 unique species, including the hellbender! The largest type of salamander in the world.

Popular activities and attractions in the area include hiking, biking, whitewater rafting/kayaking, driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, visiting the Biltmore House (in Asheville, NC), and, speaking from personal experience, just kind of hanging out in various grocery store parking lots with your friends. Its a wonderful and beautiful place to live and I love it lots. all of this to say. i do not know SHIT about spanish perception of vale post-sepang. i suspect he was mostly fine.

#im not spanish or italian... i dont know if you can tell from the everything about me but im a little appalachian girl. how would eye knoww #like nationality was a HUGE part of it and lines were drawn but im not the authority on this. and vale never got death threats so. #i can tell you about salamanders! SORRY SMOOCH. #callie speaks #asks #sorry someone made fun of my accent the other day when i showed him how to properly pronouce a cherokee word. and im PMSing. #so you WILL learn about appalachia. #'callie why is there a french style chateau in WNC' dont worry about it

[diamondcrownacademy]

DCA Info Part 32: Meet Jinlong Esi 🐲

Jinlong Esi (ジンロン・エシ, Jinron Eeshi) is the dorm leader of Dragonstone. She comes from a race of dragons and desires to prove her worth.

History

Jinlong was born and raised in the Valley of Clouds, a city where other dragonkin live. Jinlong is the only girl in a family of four boys, she's unable to do much due to her homeland's traditions.

When Jinlong was a child, she was taught to fix damaged antiques and relics and she keeps the restored relics in a sealed vault.

Overtime, she secretly learned the art of metalsmith from an old dragon who lives in the tallest mountain of the valley and went through a lot of training to be strong and strategic.

Personality

Jinlong is described as a quiet young woman with an aura of coolness and mystery around her. She desires more than anything to prove herself and to prove that she can be just as strong as her brothers.

She only has a few close friends to talk to and even less to spar with because most of them are delicate and she doesn't want to seem like a brute person. Although she may seem composed on the outside, she has a dragon's temper. To calm herself down, she moves out of sight to meditate. It will work if no one bothers her or makes a loud noise.

She mostly keeps to herself because she has a bit of a culture shock at how different everything is at DCA.

Jinlong makes use of anything to solve a problem, sort of like a macgyver kind of problem solving. Even if it sounds ridiculous, if it works then it's not stupid.

Appearance

Jinlong is a young woman in her late teens. She has pale yellow skin, green reptilian like eyes, pointy elf ears, copper brown hair with a portion of it being gold, a pair of gold horns that resemble those commonly seen on eastern dragons and a green tail with the tip being gold and shaped like a flame.

2020 School Uniform

Jinlong wears a blue bolero top with the cuffs having red ribbon detailing shaped like flowers with a blue pearl in the center. Underneath the top is a scarlet red top with a sweetheart bodice, teal colored gem buttons. She also sports a scarlet red overskirt with a gold scale pattern and gold ruffle trim as well as black pants with the ends being red, divided by gold trim and having the same scale pattern as the overskirt. For footwear, Jinlong wears a pair of two toned flats with one side being a solid black and the other being red with the same golden scale patterning. The shoes also have tan soles, gold trim and gold ribbons.

Jinlong accessorizes with a bu yao with a red pin and strands, teal beads and gold detailing that makes it resemble a flower, as well as a pair of gold diamond earrings. Other accessories include a black collar with gold trim, a teal pearl necklace with a circular brooch, and a black belt with various gold ribbons.

2021 School Uniform

Jinlong was changed a bit. Her bolero top now covers her bust and has teal gem buttons, the black collar now resembles a high collar, the pants look simpler and have gold trim, and the shoes have solid colors and have gold trim and flats.

Some new additions include Jinlong's hair being slightly wavy, the bu yao is now red with a white flower that has mint green leaves and a maroon pearl, the earrings are now pearl earrings, red nails, a gold chain belt with red crochet detailing, a scarlet red floral qipao dress with gold trim and gold scales on her tail.

School Statistics

Jinlong Esi is an 18 year old 3rd year student. She is classified as Student #16 and is in Class 3-B. She is a member of the Aviary Club and her best subject is Magic History. Her favorite school subject is Martial Arts because wants to be strong enough to challenge her older brothers. Her least favorite school subject is Party Hosting because she has terrible experiences with hosting parties and it brings back memories of bad experiences. She's good at the subject only because she can't afford to get bad grades but she dislikes it.

For her idol performances, Jinlong has a voice fit for singing traditional folk songs with a shifting tone. But she prefers to sing songs that tell a story rather than just expressing one's feelings.

For her choreography, Jinlong mixes modern dance with traditional Chinese dance sometimes. She has very strong movement almost as if she wields a sword.

Relationships

Family

Not much is known about Jinlong's relationship with her parents, what is known however is that her mother aids her in hiding her secret.

Her relationships with her brothers on the other hand, are rather complicated to say the least...

Ying would constantly remind her to know her place as a daughter of the household since he views going against tradition is equivalent to bringing shame to the family. He even went so far as to physically assault Ushi for raising his voice at him when he defended Jinlong. Thier relationship is so estranged that Jinlong is even comfortable badmouthing about Ying to close friends. She doesn't dare to voice her opinion to his face but she will smack talk him behind his back.

Ushi is more friendly towards Jinlong but is a bit of a coward when it comes to confronting Ying.

She's distrustful of Gou while Tuzi doesn't seem to have a relationship with her at all.

Out of all of her brothers, Hou is the only one she gets along with, he always seeks out to join his sister in her studies and their parents allow it since they see Jinlong providing assistance to a younger sibling.

Pet

Jinlong has a pet Komodo dragon named Rongyu. He likes to lounge around and makes weird noises that sometimes startles Jinlong.

Fellow Students

Jinlong is quite competitive with Evonie. She has little friends to spar with.

Night Raven College Students

Jinlong sympathizes with Leona due to also feeling trapped in the the shadow of their elder sibling.

Romance

Jinlong would want to be with someone who won't treat her like a stereotypical housewife and actually pay attention that she's doing this because she wants to prove herself.

Powers and Abilities

• Magic: Much like her fellow students, Jinlong can use magic.

• Swordplay: Much like her fellow dorm leader, Vidya, Jinlong is known to be a very skilled swordswoman.

• Agility: Jinlong does yoga in her spare time and in turn makes her flexible. Eastern dragons are known to be long and can move their bodies to make themselves look wiggly.

• Blacksmithery: Jinlong is said to be a master blacksmith.

• Fire Breath: Being a dragonkin, Jinlong is able to breathe fire and even uses it to forge and melt metals.

• Acrobatics: Jinlong is said to have a talent for acrobatics.

Unique Magic

Jinlong's unique magic is called "Gold Dragonfire" (最も純粋な金の竜の炎/ゴールド・ドラゴンファイア, Gōrudo Doragonfaia; lit. "The Purest Gold Dragon Flame"). She can breathe golden fire that will melt her targets but it won't burn the area.

Voice

According to her bio, Jinlong would be voiced by Ayako Kawasumi, who has voiced many iconic and famous characters throughout her career. Such as Akari Kamigishi from To Heart, Saber from Fate/stay night, and Elie from Rave Master just to name a few.

Trivia

• Her birthday is on July 27th, making her a Leo. She shares her birthday with Leona Kingscholar.

• She is 184 cm tall, making her the tallest of the dorm leaders.

• Her favorite food is tea of any kind while her least favorite food is porridge. Although Jinlong prefers heatable leftovers and takeout over actual food and cooked meals sometimes. She dislikes being looked down on and unorganized spaces.

• She enjoys Forging.

• Her preferred Styling Jewel Outfit Styles are Cultural, Cool and Gothic.

• For her casual attire, Jinlong would mostly wear asian style jackets with some chinese animal on the back. She will wear jeggings and shirts.

• She prefers dark colors.

• She is dubbed "Little Dragonfish" (ドラゴンフィッシュちゃん, Doragonfisshu-chan) by Floyd due to her dragon motifs.

• Jinlong is commonly referred to as "Jin" or by her surname, Esi.

• Jinlong likes to forge relics in her spare time.

• Jinlong’s Overblot would occur if she would have an argument with either her elder brother or father with the former having the tendency to scold Jinlong in regards to being a household daughter while the latter never tolerates the breaking of tradition and views the world outside of the Valley of Clouds as inferior.

• Jinlong would be a philosopher in the future.

• Jinlong loves moon cakes as a dessert.

• Jinlong would smell like something that smells like incense.

• Jinlong’s signature scent would be a combination of both incense and maybe the sun from training.

• Jinlong’s worst fear is having her hard work wasted for nothing which would prove that her father was right all along.

#jinlong esi #DCA info #meet the dorm leaders #diamond crown academy

[allieebobo]

WIP closet

This post is a collection of WIPs that I'm working on intermittently, on top of College Tennis: Origin Story and Merry Crisis, because I want to do everything. Gimme 40 hours in a day and I'd gladly take it. 

++++++

Kefir-house for Elves

Themes: Low fantasy (eastern-flavored) x Slice-of-life x Romance x Restaurant management x Small town life

Play as a grizzled, world-weary veteran soldier who has deserted the war (well, fled for your life is more accurate), who is now keeping a low profile in a small border-town nestled in the mountain range that divides two kingdoms at war.

Run an Kefir-house (a place to grab a kefir-drink and relax, chat, or talk revolution with other ne'er do goods) when the manager, Tarshid, runs off and leaves you with his only-child.

Meet colorful townies and regulars, survive as a human in contested ‘elven’ territory, and attempt to heal and forge a new life for yourself in the quiet town of Ōha.

Will the ghosts of your past catch up with you? Will you make enemies within the town when they discover that you’d fought in the war (as the enemy)? Will the Kefir-house survive—and can it become a safe haven for both humans and elves as the war drags on?

**Play a card game from the world here.**

Romantic options:

The boss's only-child. Big-hearted, with a generous laugh and a colorful personality to match, plus an unhealthy tendency to run off on their latest escapade/obsession and leave you to handle the kefir-house on your own (just like their father), you sometimes wonder how the establishment had survived until you arrived. Still, they're an absolute cooking / brewing whiz, and when they are around, sales double. They're half-human, half-elf, and their family has lived in the Ōha for generations now. All they want is for the war to be over, so that they can go back to their merry lifestyle. They hate soldiers with a burning passion. One reason why you hope they never find out what you once were.

The garrison captain. There's a small elven garrison present in the town, presumably to guard against a potential human invasion force North of the mountains. Still, you're not quite sure what a garrison of fifty men is supposed to do if such an invasion were to happen. You...unfortunately, have been part of such an invasion force yourself, more times than you'd care to remember. The captain is brusque, surly, often cold, though you've seen the hint of a fiery temper on some occasions. They might figure out you're a deserter, and a human one at that. Best keep encounters minimal - except they seem to have a penchant for coming over for a pint or two (skulking quietly in a corner) after a hard day.

The merchant. The elf moves your product and brings the ingredients/supplies you need every week...They're also a regular patron of the kefir-house, and always engage in a ridiculous amount of flirting in the process. Worldly, charismatic, and just a little bit dastardly/roguish, they do what they can to navigate (and flourish) in a world at war. Sometimes, you wonder if their lack of moral conviction will catch up them one day (it seems they have friends and enemies in every town). But as you get to know them a little better, you start to wonder if the merchant's devil-may-care amorality might simply be a front for something much deeper... 

Not ROs, obviously, but there will be a cat and a child-gremlin involved.

Status: Lore / world creation complete, prologue 25% complete

++++++

FIFA world cup 

Themes: Sport, Slice-of-life, Romance

Play as a relatively unknown footballer who has been called up to represent the US National Team at the World Cup for the first time. Is this the break-through you've been waiting for? 

Will you explode onto football's greatest stage, and make a name for yourself amongst the greats? 

Will you find a way to play alongside the ageing legend, who unfortunately plays the exact same position as you? Will sparks fly on the pitch (or off)? 

Or will you catch the eye of the kind, confident, ‘poster child’ of football, a brilliant, suave journalist, or your agent - with whom you share a fraught past?

Note: This is set in the same 'universe' as CT:OS, my main WIP, meaning that it uses the same main cast (Rayyan, Tobin, Sam, G), with slightly adapted backstories. Treat it as a kind of... interactive fanfic for CT:OS. 

Romantic options: 

The rival. Rayyan Afiq was a legend in their youth. Now that they've hit 30, they are just as fiery and intense as ever, and absolutely determined that they're still at their peak, even if everyone seems to be writing them off as a has-been already. It doesn't help that you've come in to give them one good kick to the grave - but does your success necessarily have to come at their expense? You might end up enemies, grudging friends, or ... if you play your cards right, perhaps something in the middle... 

The captain. Kind-hearted, charismatic, and sweet, Tobin Harris is currently the footballing world's golden boy/girl. But it seems they've battled every odd to get where they are, and there appears to be a lot more hidden under their easygoing, unflappable surface. They hold themselves up to an impossible standard, and sometimes, someone needs to tell them that they don't need to hold the weight of the entire world alone. 

The agent. Behind every great footballer, there is an agent pulling strings in their favour. Agents and footballers are often friends, but in your case, you share an even more colorful history - you had gone to school with Sam O'Connelly, and there might be one or two skeletons buried in the closet. Will you be able to maintain a purely pleasant, professional relationship - or is there something more to your easy rapport?

The journalist.  The very best journalists have the power to create—or destroy—careers with the flick of a pen. It's a pity the particular journalist who has been assigned to cover the World Cup for The New York Times seems to hate their job with a passion. Ambitious and brilliant, Genevieve/Guillaume has tracked a meteoric rise amongst the journalistic ranks, thanks to several incisive investigative exposés of the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, it seems they've ruffled too many feathers, and orders have come down above. They're being forced to lie-low, and their boss has decided that the sports column is the best way to do just that. Will you catch their (admittedly extremely disinterested) eye?

Status: Character set-up completed, prologue halfway done

Other notes

Updates will be sporadic for these (if at all), and demos/demo updates will be released exclusively for Ko‑fi supporters [Details], if they ever do get released. Mostly just wanted to keep these projects on the down-low, with zero obligation to actually finish them. I'm writing in twine for both, just to give myself some practice using twine.

And, of course, there's a cafe game and a film star game, but I won't get too carried away - those are in a much more prelim stage of writing/brainstorming.

#author #WIP collection #if #interactive fiction #twine #sports #world cup #football #soccer #romance #slice of life #low fantasy #eastern

[thehungergamesbreakdown]

Katniss, Oh Katniss.

Katniss Everdeen is such an iconic heroine. She sparked so many young girls to pick up archery as a sport. However, there are two different Katniss that exist - the book Katniss and the Movie Katniss. In this post, we will be talking about Book Katniss today.

Katniss is our narrator in the books. It is the first point of view, we get her thoughts and everything through her eyes. Katniss is an incredibly blunt narrator - she tells things exactly how she views them with her opinions mixed in. She definitely suffers from C-PTSD (Complex PTSD) from growing up in Panem.

Names are important in "The Hunger Games". Most of the characters have Roman names, like Plutarch and Cinna, and others have plants. Katniss reveals that she is named after the water plant Sagittaria, otherwise known as "Katniss" or "Arrowheads". The plants grow these potato-like tubers that are edible. Her father taught her that "As long as you can find yourself, you'll never starve" (Collins, 52). From what we get from her name, Katniss is a born survivor and has a connection with her main weapon - arrows.

Second, we can look at her at Katniss' appearance. This is established on page 8 as Katniss describes her friend, Gale. "He could be my brother. Straight black hair, olive skin, we even have the same gray eyes. But we're not related, at least not closely. Most of the families who work the mines remember one another this way." (Collins, 8). Katniss reveals in the same breath that her mother and Prim do not look like her with their light hair and blue eyes. This is because Katniss's mother is from the merchant class.

While there are no official maps of Panama, Katniss ensures we know exactly where District Twelve is. She said, "District 12 was in a place called Appalachia. Even hundreds of years ago, they mined coal here, which is why our miners have to dig so deep.” (Collins, pg 41). Appalachia is a region of the USA that is set in the Appalachian mountains, it makes up "423 counties across 13 states and spans 206,000 square miles" (Appalachian Regional Commission). Most people argue that District Twelve is either in West Virginia or eastern Kentucky on details about the weather and fauna and flora but Collins left the details muddled.

While this is complete headcanon ("ideas held by fans of series that are not explicitly supported by sanctioned text or other media" Merriam-Webster Dictionary), a lot of readers take the location of District 12 and Katniss's description to believe that she is indigenous or a part of the Melungeon people, a marginalized mixed-race Appalachian community. Regardless of whether you believe in this headcanon or not, Katniss's olive skin and grey eyes are an important distinction in her community that she is from the Seam, the poorest part of District 12.

Katniss in the first book is a rough and traumatized young girl. I feel like a lot of people focus on her bitterness at the world. Katniss doesn't trust anything at face value even if she's not in a stressful situation. She wants her family to be safe and well-fed, no matter what it costs her personally. Poaching is a high offense in District 12 after all and she has been going in the woods since she was 11 to feed her family. What most people forget about Katniss is that she is King. She loves her sister, Prim, more than life itself and she tries again and again to make sure she can have some semblance of a childhood then when she meets Rue in the arena, she cannot help but ally her - mostly because she reminds her of Prim.

"I can almost hear Haymitch groaning as I team up with this wispy child. But I want her. Because she's a survivor, and I trust her, and why not admit it? She reminds me of Prim." (Collins,

In later books, Katniss allows the circle of people she cares about to grow. In "Catching Fire", she comes across two women named Bonnie and Twill, on the run from District Eight to the supposed District Thirteen. Despite the fact it might get her in deep trouble because of the Capitol watching her, Katniss helps them.

"First I give them all the food in my pack, grain and dried beans mostly, but there's enough to hold them for a while if they're careful. Then I take Twill out in the woods and try to explain the basics of hunting. She's got a weapon that if necessary can convert solar energy into deadly rays of power, so that could last indefinitely. When she manages to kill her first squirrel, the poor thing is mostly a charred mess because it took a direct hit to the body. But I show her how to skin and clean it. With some practice, she'll figure it out. I cut a new crutch for Bonnie. Back at the house, I peel off an extra layer of socks for the girl, telling her to stuff them in the toes of her boots to walk, then wear them on her feet at night. Finally I teach them how to build a proper fire." (Collins, pg 68).

Katniss is a fascinating character to study because of her complexities. This is barely scratching the surface of her character. In the next post, I'll be examining the Movie Version of Katniss and how she differs from the Book Katniss. See you then.

#the hunger games #the hunger games breakdwon #katniss everdeen

[hebrewbyinbal]

Thought that Israel is a land of desert and camels? Think again! Mount Hermon, Israel's highest point, defies this stereotype with its stunning snowy landscapes and ski opportunities.

Located in the Golan Heights, near the borders of Syria and Lebanon, Mount Hermon is a unique winter wonderland in the Middle Eastern context.

Mount Hermon stands as a testament to Israel's diverse geography. It's a place where snowy slopes coexist with desert sands, offering a unique winter experience and serving as a reminder of the natural beauty and resilience of the land.

Standing at approximately 2,814 meters (9,232 feet), the summit of Mount Hermon straddles the borders of Syria and Lebanon, with its southern slopes in Israeli territory.

This area transforms into a bustling ski resort during the winter months, from December to April.

The mountain's snowfall, a celebrated event in Israel, provides the perfect conditions for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities (when we get enough snow that holds...).

Beyond recreation, Mount Hermon is ecologically significant. The melting snow feeds into the Jordan River, contributing to the region's water supply. This aspect underscores the mountain's role as an essential natural resource.

For Israelis, Mount Hermon is more than just a peak; it's a symbol of natural beauty and diversity. It offers a rare experience of snow and winter sports in a country largely characterized by warmer climates. Visiting Mount Hermon has become a beloved winter tradition for many, providing a glimpse into the varied landscapes that Israel offers.

#israel #golan heights #mount Hermon #mountain #mountains #mountain top #hebrew #jewish #learnhebrew #language #hebrew langblr #torah #geography #hebrew language #language learning #langblr #jumblr

[unironicallytes]

Have an excerpt of Dear Brother. During my edits of the old work, I decided to experiment with switching tenses depending on the pov, because one pov is being told through journal entries that are written like a memoir. This excerpt is from one of those entries.

Dear Brother,

I actually liked the season for once. It was mid-summer in Eastern Cyrodiil, and it wasn't like those awful Valenwood summers of my youth. In my home country, the air held more moisture than it had any business carrying around, lungs soaked with it like an old dishrag ready to be wrung out over your head. The Green loved it, obviously. Trees weren't burdened with the presence of sweat glands whereas I, a mere Bosmer, had loads of them. That clogging, choking heat was one thing I never missed about my birthplace when I went out hunting. I did, however, miss the more important things. I missed the familiar scratch of bark beneath bare feet and forest air swelling my lungs. I missed being closely rooted to the wilds through calluses and scrapes and blood, in places where life was raw and intimate and primal. Cyrodiilic culture resents the wilderness enough to keep it far beyond an arm’s length. The majority of my work saw me caged in walled towns or on paved roads, places where it was respectable to wear boots, places where you’d better place a few barriers between yourself and nature, lest polite society shun you for a feral tree beast. But outside of those walls, I could find some semblances of Y’ffre’s purer domain. Luck would have it that these intersections held just enough of the wild things I craved and none of the heat I hated. There, the crested jays sang and bickered, the wind tickled the leaves into shivers and soft laughter, and my prey rustled warily in foliage below.

I was perched on an oak's bough somewhere in the Valus Mountains while a red deer foraged below me. It was a buck, to be precise - young enough to be without a harem, but old enough to be sporting a decent pair of antlers. I already had an arrow nocked, which I skillfully drew back and aimed just as the beast's ears perked. There was the creak of my bow, the singing of my arrow, then a bellow of pain. My aim was a bit too high. Nothing to fret over though - as the buck began to limp away, I put it out of its misery with a second arrow delivered between its shoulder blades. It stumbled into the bushes and thrashed a few seconds more, then it was done. Not bad, all things considered. Could've been better, but not bad. Slinging my bow across my chest, I scurried down the tree trunk and inspected my kill.

The first arrow had broken during the animal's escape attempt, which was a shame, considering I’d only brought three arrows. Full quivers hindered my movement and rattled too much for my liking, but then such problems as these arose. Oh well. The arrowhead could still be salvageable, so I drew my hunting knife to dig out its remains.

At that moment, something else stumbled through the bushes.

Much like the deer before me, my ears perked. My head shot up to see a Nord hunter clumsily picking his way towards me. He was clothed in furs and leathers, and he sported a beard that would put any northerner to shame.

“Hail, hunter!” he greeted me.

“... … Hello,” I replied, dumbfounded. He had caught me off-guard.

#my writing #Dear Brother #tes fanfic #tes oblivion #the elder scrolls #fanfiction #excerpts #bosmer #tes oc #uhhh i guess thats enough tags lol

[pleistocene-pride]

Tanna japonensis better known as the evening cicada, kanakana or higurashi is a species of cicada insect in the genus Tanna which can be found throughout eastern Asia but is particularly abundant in Taiwan and the islands of Japan. Here they inhabit plains, meadows, mountainous regions and in particular cypress, cedar, and hardwood forests. Both adults and larvae feed upon tree sap and other plant liquids. Adult females reach around .8 to 1 inch (21 to 25mm) in length while males reach 1.1 to 1.5 inches (28 to 38mm) in length, sporting a longer and thicker abdomen to the female. In addition, the intra-abdominal cavity of the male is more developed, giving it a more resonant call. The body is coloured reddish-brown with green around the compound eye and in the centre and back of the thorax; mountain dwelling specimens tend to be darker. In addition to the two prominent compound eyes, they have three small eyes on the forehead and two pairs of large wings. T. japonensis don't undergo complete metamorphosis. Their young hatch directly from eggs, and spend most of their lives growing through a series of molts underground, feeding on plant roots. The nymphs have strong front legs for digging. When they emerge, they ecdyse for the final time, producing wings, becoming fully grown and ready to mate typically in late summer and all throughout autumn. An evening cicada may live up to 13 years, however will only spend one season as an adult.

#pleistocene pride #pleistocene #pliestocene pride #pliestocene #cenozoic #stone age #ice age #tanna japonensis #kanakana #higurashi #evening cicada #cicada #bug #bugs #insect

[chroniclingworlds]

Colossimorphs

The Colossimorphs are a spectacular example of convergent evolution, resembling the Titanipods despite having no relation to them. Although no Colossimorphs achieve the spectacular height of Titanipods, they are the longest land animals on Varin. Unlike the Titanipods who have three sets of walking legs, the Colossimorphs have four. They also sport much larger shells than Titanipods, which are made lighter with a series of air sacs.

Mountain Phantoms:

Pictured: the leopard phantom, the largest species of Phantom, lives in the far northeast corner of Faon.

Living in alpine forests of eastern Faon are the smallest Colossimorphs. Strictly solitary and highly territorial, they spend their days patrolling their forests and chasing off rivals. Their mane of bristle-fur is believed to keep them warm in their mountainous home. They feed on a combination of tough alpine plants and more tender leaves on lowland trees.

Forest Drakes:

Pictured: the golden drake, a large species found in the Central Lakes region, weighs up to 20 tons.

These medium-sized Colossimorphs live in the lowland forests of Faon, feeding on the succulent tops of trees and undergrowth. They follow paths etched into the woods by previous generations, allowing them to navigate the forests with ease despite their size. Although they spend most of their time alone, at certain times of the year groups of forest drakes will gather together to socialize, breed, and lay eggs.

Behemoths:

Pictured: the Emperor Behemoth, the largest species on Faon, weighing 70 tons, is native to the fertile lands of the Interior Crater

The largest animals on Faon and the longest land animal on Varin, these massive creatures live in the open woodlands of the southwest, feeding on the tops of trees which other animals can’t reach. It is believed they grew so large due to competition from other savanna animals who specialized in eating grasses and low-lying plants. They will also migrate deeper into the forests during the dry season, potentially bringing them into competition with the smaller Forest Drakes. Like the other species of Colossimorphs, they are solitary, but do not display the intense territorial behavior of the Mountain Phantoms.

#planet varin #speculative biology

[thewayhavenchronicle]

The Agency - Declassified Files

CLASSIFICATION: Supernatural SPECIES: Dragon (Imugi) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Korea THREAT LEVEL: Moderate

Expand to continue reading.

ABOUT:

Though the word 'dragon' is a broad classification pertaining to several different species of Supernatural peoples, the Dragon (Imugi) originates from the Korean Peninsula. Having fallen through a portal from the Echo World some time in prehistoric East Asia, this species of supernatural is somewhat reclusive. Known to inhabit secluded locations in the mountains of Korea, spreading into China and Siberia, these Supernaturals quickly ascended to deity status amongst the young civilizations of Asia. Shapeshifters by nature, these Supernaturals are extraordinarily long-lived, with some estimated to be several thousand Earth-years old. These Supernaturals often prefer to inhabit a human form when interacting with the world around them. However, some that have retreated from the world are thought to have permanently shifted into their serpentine, draconic form.

APPEARANCE -> HUMAN FORM

In Korean mythos, dragons are depicted in one of four color schemes: red, blue, green, or gold. These color schemes mimic the color schemes of the different draconic bloodlines found worldwide, with each coloring tying the dragon to an element of nature which they have magical control over. Red -> Red dragons in human form will often have dark red hair and fiery orange, yellow, or red eyes. Red dragons are tied to the element of fire, and work well with other Supernaturals with fire-based Magic. In mythology, red dragons were symbols of war, and sometimes associated with the rising sun, particularly in Japanese mythos. Blue -> Blue dragons are often seen with black hair, though some may sport dark blue, turquoise, or even shades of blue-green hair along with blue eyes that come in a variety of shades. Blue dragons are tied to the element of water, and have aquatic abilities such as the ability to breathe underwater and control water telekinetically. In mythology, these dragons were associated with bodies of water, from rivers to the sea. Green -> Green dragons are generally seen with green hair in many different shades, though the most common seem to be a sort of blue-green or an evergreen shade. Their eyes will range from bright, vibrant jade to green that is so dark it is almost black. Green dragons are tied to the element of earth, and have been known to exhibit healing abilities, as well as control over rock and/or plant life. Some dragons of this classification also seem to be able to poison or knock out humans similar to the effect of a vampire's pheromones. Green dragons were often associated with the mountains of the Korean Peninsula. Gold -> Gold dragons are the rarest of the four, tied to the element of air. They often have very light colored hair, ranging from whites to blondes to grey. Their eyes are usually white, grey, yellow, or in some cases, a pink-ish hue which resembles the color of the sky at sunrise. These dragons were associated with the sky, the wind, and storms, as well as good luck and good omens. Their magic involves controlling the wind, and they are known to be particularly fast and agile. All dragons have slitted pupils like cats and sharp teeth when in human form, as well as large ears that come to a point at the uppermost tip. Their facial characteristics are always similar to that of humans in Eastern Asia unless they are half-blooded or less with human blood not of East Asian descent. All dragons can conceal these traits with magic, but many choose not to when in the company of other Supernaturals. Some dragons are observed to have facial markings similar to tattoos, and for some, these markings continue over the entire body. There are a few instances as well of dragons who have recently shifted into their dragon form to have scales that linger across their brow and cheekbones.

APPEARANCE -> DRAGON FORM

The Dragon (Imugi) subspecies of Dragon appear as large, serpentine reptiles very similar to the Chinese and Japanese subspecies of Dragon. However, distinctions can be made by counting the number of toes a dragon has -> the Imugi subspecies has four toes on each foot, while other subspecies often only have three. Imugi are also known to have great horns atop their heads in the shape of antlers, something that notably the Chinese subspecies tend to lack. The size of a dragon's nonhuman form can vary, ranging from 8 to 10 feet in length to upwards of over 60 feet, though those larger than 15 feet are rare and often extremely old.

#the wayhaven chronicles #twc #twc lore #I.... INVENTED A SPECIES OF SUPERNATURAL HAHA

[justforbooks]

When Ry Cooder famously made his debut appearance at Glastonbury, playing on the Pyramid stage on a damp day in June 1990, he chose not to be backed by a band but by a second guitarist who came on sporting bright red trousers, and hair and sideburns that were very long, even by rock music standards. The duo perched on stools, surrounded by a dozen guitars, mandolins or bouzoukis, and proceeded to prove that they were both virtuoso players who could sound as thrilling as any amplified band as they switched from the atmospheric Paris, Texas to songs made famous by Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly or Jerry Lee Lewis.

Cooder’s companion, David Lindley, who has died aged 78, was a musicians’ musician. He may never have been as well known as those he played with, but he was one of the most sought-after session players in the US. Best known for his collaborations with Cooder and Jackson Browne, he also recorded with an astonishing list of musicians that included Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Iggy Pop, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, John Prine, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Ben Harper, Rickie Lee Jones and Bruce Springsteen. They wanted to work with Lindley not just because he was a great musician who could play almost any stringed instrument, from guitar and fiddle to slide guitar and mandolin through to oud and bouzouki, but because he knew how to interpret the mood of a song, adding texture and emotion without ever dominating.

His own musical taste was far more varied than the rock or singer-songwriter styles of the stars for whom he acted as sideman. When leading his own band, El Rayo-X, he was able to branch out and demonstrate his sense of humour as he explored blues, funk and reggae. Like Cooder, he was fascinated by musical styles from around the world, and some of his most original recordings were with musicians from Madagascar, Hawaii, Norway and Jordan.

Born in San Marino, Los Angeles, he was the son of Margaret (nee Wells) and Jack Lindley, a lawyer and music fan. He grew up listening to his father’s eclectic record collection, which included music from the Middle East and Asia, and he learned to play his father’s ukulele, then the banjo. While at La Salle high school in Pasadena he formed a bluegrass band, the Mad Mountain Ramblers, and then the Dry City Scat Band, which played around the Los Angeles folk clubs and at Disneyland. He was still a teenager when he first won the annual Topanga Canyon banjo and fiddle contest, but was asked to stop competing after he had won it five times.

Lindley’s reputation was growing fast, and in 1967 he landed his first major session, playing on Cohen’s debut, Songs of Leonard Cohen. By then he had formed his first electric band, Kaleidoscope, along with Chris Darrow, with whom he had played in the Scat Band. They released their first, wildly experimental album, Side Trips, in 1967, mixing Middle Eastern music with rock, cajun, country and bluegrass, but, though they were praised by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, their unique brand of “psychedelic folk” didn’t sell records. They broke up in 1970, after recording four albums, and Lindley moved to England to work with the singer-guitarist Terry Reid, who had famously turned down Led Zeppelin.

Moving back to the US, Lindley teamed up with Browne, with whom he spent the rest of the 1970s, touring and recording as a key member of his band, playing acoustic and electric guitar, slide guitar and fiddle. He perfectly complemented many of Browne’s best-loved songs, playing lap steel on Running on Empty and fiddle on Before the Deluge. Browne called him “my hero”, and other musicians asked him to play on their records when Browne did not require his services. His recordings during that period included three albums for Ronstadt, including her first No 1 album, the exquisite Heart Like a Wheel (1974), two with Rod Stewart, including his bestselling Atlantic Crossing (1975), along with albums with Crosby & Nash, Taylor, Warren Zevon and Parton.

He first recorded with Cooder on Jazz (1978) and Bop Till You Drop (1979), after which the duo began performing live together, touring in Australia and Japan. A 1979 live radio recording from Osaka was released on CD in 2021. On their tour in 1995 they were joined onstage by Cooder’s son, Joachim, and Lindley’s folksinger daughter, Rosanne, and released the album Cooder/Lindley Family Live at the Vienna Opera House.

After leaving Browne’s band in 1980, Lindley moved from sideman to band leader with El Rayo-X, which he called “more or less a party band”, and in which he matched his own songs along with a bravely varied assortment of old favourites. The band’s self-titled debut set in 1981 included a glorious, furious treatment of KC Douglas’s Mercury Blues, while Win This Record, released the following year, included the Toots and the Maytals song Premature. Mr Dave (1985) included his own reggae composition Alien Invasion, and the band’s final album Very Greasy (1988) continued to demonstrate his fascination with the Caribbean. Produced by Ronstadt, it included Ronstadt adding harmony vocals on Lord Kitchener’s calypso classic Gimme da Ting (on which Lindley played guitar and kora) and a reggae reworking of Zevon’s Werewolves of London.

While running the band, he still managed time to visit London to play alongside Richard Thompson and Rory Gallagher, and revive his love of flamenco with Juan Martin, at a Guitarists Night concert in March 1984. And he continued his session work, including albums for Browne, and for Emmylou Harris, Ronstadt and Parton on Trio (1987). In 1990 he worked with Dylan on Under the Red Sky.

Still keen to expand his musical range, he travelled to Madagascar with the guitarist Henry Kaiser to record the musicians and unique instruments of the vast island off the east coast of Africa. The aim was to present local stars to an international audience, but Lindley and Kaiser joined in several of the sessions. The resulting albums, A World Out of Time, Vols 1 and 2 (1992-93), included Lindley playing slide guitar with the traditional band Tarika Sammy and joining guitarist Rossy on a reworking of I Fought the Law, the Crickets song popularised by the Clash.

Moving on to Hawaii, this time in the company of Cooder, he recorded with the Pahinui Bros (1992) on a set that included a Hawaiian reggae treatment of John Lennon’s Jealous Guy. Further musical travels included recordings in Norway with Kaiser for The Sweet Sunny North (1994). In 1994-95 he also recorded with the Jordanian oud player Hani Naser, and between 2000 and 2004 with the reggae percussionist Wally Ingram. Their third album together, Twango Bango III (2003) included When a Guy Gets Boobs, a comment on the American diet. “I have always liked songwriters like Warren Zevon who could write something goofy and also really serious,” he explained.

In 2006 he was reunited with Browne for a short Spanish tour on which they were backed by a flamenco percussionist. Love Is Strange, a live album recorded on that tour, was released in 2010, when Browne and Lindley toured Europe and the US, and played at Glastonbury, with a set that included Running On Empty and Mercury Blues. In the same year Lindley also worked with Bruce Springsteen on The Promise. His own final solo album, Big Twang, was released in 2007.

Lindley had a wild stage image, thanks to his colourful clothes and long hair, but he never favoured a rock’n’roll lifestyle, and would often retreat to his hotel room to rehearse after a show. He hated being disturbed in the morning by hotel workers, and would imitate a dog, scratching at the door and barking, to keep them away.

He lived in Claremont, California, in a house filled with musical instruments, and was married to Joan Darrow, the sister of his Kaleidoscope colleague Chris Darrow. He is survived by Joan and Rosanne.

🔔 David Lindley, musician, born 21 March 1944; died 3 March 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

#JUST FOR BOOKS #David Lindley #in memoriam

[space-writes]

OC interview tag

tagged this time by @ahordeofwasps, thank you! (also you can check out my previous interviews with Sorrow, Vren, and Lucian)

This time it’s Aliyne’s turn. She doesn’t like talking about herself any more than Vren does, but that’s tough luck because it’s my brain she’s living in rent free. I’m going to answer this as she is at the start of the books - let’s go!

Are you named after anyone?

Not that I know of. Then again, I never really got much of a chance to ask.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Are you going to make me be honest about this? Ugh, fine — a few days ago, when I had to choose, again, between a roof and a meal. Chose the meal, obviously, and I’ve got some work now, which provides a roof, so that’s neat for the next few weeks anyway.

3. Do you have kids?

Gods no.

4. Do you use sarcasm?

No, that would be such a childish thing to do, people never take you seriously if you use sarcasm.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

What they’re carrying. Weapons, coin pouch, clothing, stuff like that. How guarded they about it all. How aware they are of their belongings. Most people, turns out, don’t pay nearly enough attention.

Look, I’m trying to notice things like how nice their hair is or whatever instead, but it’s just. Instinct. Alright?

6. What's your eye color?

Dark brown.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

I don’t necessarily agree with fun and happy endings, but they’re nice. Least the fictional characters get to have a good time.

8. Any special talents?

…picking pockets. Also climbing things, and getting away from people.

9. Where were you born?

Maziz Province, in Jamarda. That’s out in eastern Mohaade, near the Border Mountains of the Wilds.

10. What are your hobbies?

Um. Knife throwing, I guess? Does climbing count as a hobby? I like getting up someplace high, so I can see everything.

11. Have you any pets?

Nah, I haven’t really been in a place to look after anything other than myself. I used to feed the stray cats in Zhirasea sometimes, but Vren kept telling me not to bother because a) they can hunt for themselves if they’re so hungry, and b) I’m cat enough, apparently. But he’s an ass, so one day I’m going to get a cat just to spite him.

Not that he even remembers I’m alive.

…holy shit I’m going to name it after him. That would piss him off so bad. Hah! Get cat-named, idiot. Serves you right.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

No official sports, but we played at chase and catch in Jamarda, and in Zhirasea. Running over the roofs, climbing on people’s balconies, stuff like that. Nearly broke my leg once—got my foot stuck in a stupid railing when I jumped.

You’ve never seen Vren move so fast. Mother hen. I would’ve been fine.

13. How tall are you?

Five foot four, and look, it makes me harder to hit, okay? It makes people underestimate you when you’re the same height as the average fourteen year old, and it makes it easier to get in places you aren’t supposed to be.

14. Favorite subject in school?

Ughhh, leaving. You’d think growing up in a literal crime family means you don’t have to do boring shit like sit in a room and learn how numbers work, but no. I mean, it’s useful, and I guess I should be glad they taught me, because not everyone gets to learn but also. Counter-argument. School is boring as fuck.

15. Dream job?

Wealthy businesswoman. The kind who has a fleet of caravans—or a ship, even—and I just get to sit in my huge house and sign papers and threaten people who try to cross me, and the money just rolls on in.

No-pressure tagging @hallwriteblr @annachronisms @ivorygarcia and @saltwaterbells (and anyone else who wants to do it, feel free to tag me!)

#valloroth blogging #writeblr #tag games #oc interview #c: aliyne #love my grumpy girl so much #she's a snarky little shit #which. to be expected given that Vren was her closest family for years #also great timing for me to do this having just finished aliyne's intro post ^_^