#since they are still children

[clouvu]

Nothing in the world belongs to me But my love, mine, all mine

#genshin impact #arlecchino #peruere #clervie #ouhhhhhhhh im never gonna be able to emotionally recover from watching that animated short #ever since it came out a couple days ago just thinking of these two makes me feel like my heart is physically being ripped in half #i cant stop thinking about how Clervie was the only person in Arlecchino's life that she truly loved #like dont get me wrong Arlecchino loves her children in her own detached-fucked up way as much as any person with her amount of trauma can #but Clervie meant so much to her that even just her presence alone kept Arle's curse at bay #and it seems that no one other than Clervie herself has ever been able to break this unemotional/detached wall that Arle has put up #and maybe no one else ever will #DONT GET ME WRONG I still fw arle x other female harbingers like that shit is still peak #but oh my god the idea that arle never moved on after clervie's death and will never love anyone the way she loved her makes me want to SOB

[tavina-writes]

I started writing yet another tag essay in the notes of a different post where OP posited that the reason established relationships that are rock solid or functional are hard to write and find in fiction because there's missing tension due to the lack of will they won't they, and how one way to solve this in a story is to make the characters insane about each other. (The post is here.)

And don't get me wrong! I like when characters are a little or a lot unhinged about each other! and I also like relationships that self destruct, tragedies that end badly, and all that jazz I enjoy these things a lot! They're good things!

But I'm thinking about relationship tension again and how like, okay yes sometimes we want our characters confess they're in love with each other and get together and sail off into a soft epilogue, etc. This too is love!

But I think fundamentally to deny the fact that two (or more) people can love each other deeply, be totally committed to each other, and yet still have difficulties and life problems to tackle together is an underexplored facet of romance. The mundane of this is where the real romance lies on our day to day as people, and I find this so...rarely? tackled in fiction?

Maybe this is because I'm ace, but I feel that there's a distinct? vibe to these sorts of mature and enduring romances where like, the love is there, the commitment is there, but we still have moments we need to work for it because that's life and we work for it because we find each other worth it.

What is more romantic than compromise with someone you care for deeply? What is more romantic than tackling problems together and trying to come to an agreement and sometimes not being able to but still having done your best and accepted the outcome anyway?

What is a long lasting relationship that isn't about give and take and growing together or coming apart? Aren't those stories interesting? How could any long lasting relationship where people are deeply in love with each other be boring when like, to BE in a relationship with someone for ten, twenty, thirty, sixty years and come out the other side of that saying 'you're the one, you're still the one, you've always been the one' is one of the most wild and rare type of relationships to have?

What sort of sacrifice and compromise and work it takes to build that sort of relationship, isn't that interesting? To persist despite moments of doubt and periods of despair and all the work it takes in mundanity? all the trials a relationship like that has to survive and has survived, isn't that still tension? isn't that still interesting?

Maybe it's just me that I find this more interesting than "will they? won't they?" Either they will or they won't but when I'm reading a romance they mostly will! But do they have what it takes to stay there? And if they do isn't that one of the most interesting things in the world to look at?

Isn't that also love?

#writing #idk I just think maybe we should have more of these types of stories #I find mundanity interesting #maybe it's just because my parents met each other at 18 and 19 respectively #and have since moved across the world #had three children #multiple medical scares #and made so many sacrifices and their life stories are SO interesting #and yet they've come out the other side each day still being like #'you're the one and you've always been' #that makes me feel like these sorts of love stories are perhaps one of the wildest types of romances that we could ever have #and I'd love to see it more in fiction

[sysig]

“It could be that the loss of her children drove the Queen deeper into her darker desires...but, I don’t believe she was fighting against them that hard before that particular tragedy. No monster does.” (Patreon)

Bonus:

Hmm, wonder what he could cover those holes with :3c

#Doodles #Handplates #UT #Fellplates #UkaGaster's answers about Toriel really interest me :3c #As evidenced by the quote caption lol - but his other ones are very interesting too! Since it sounds like she's still around! #Poor classic Handplates!Gaster believed Tori dead for such a long time while she was at the Ruins #Meanwhile Fellplates!Gaster is just like ''? I saw the Queen last week she threw me into the pricker bushes? -.ò'' lol #But anyhow lol ♪ The implications that they're still in each other's vicinity really makes me curious about their relationship! #And how Toriel might react to knowing that someone - someone other than her - is having So Much Success on one of her sore spots #Not just of having children but of the constant reminders of Gaster's success where she has to live every day with a heavy heart for her own #Being cruel to him over it - well that's just par for the course isn't it ♪ #He mentions that she's much more of an emotional sadist - insulting him and then making it Very clear that she does Not approve of the holes #''They're ugly and you should feel ashamed for drawing so much attention to something so unsightly'' #I do think that her knowing that he's so intent on being kind and merciful and then twisting the knife on how much he's hurting her- #Making him feel guilty for daring to even attempt the betterment of all - for giving pieces of himself away and try to be a good person #''If anyone will break my spirit it will be her'' :) #Although that's all assuming that Toriel even knows about the brothers! :0 When I thought about it later it'd make more sense if she doesn't #It was still too good to not do something with the idea hehe - but imagine her betrayal if/when she found out tho she'd kill him on the spot #Gosh I haven't drawn Tori in foreeeeever I can't even remember the last time #Doing a/nother study on her would probably be fun haha she's rather plain how I draw her currently #I wonder if her Fellplates version would also wear reading glasses hehe #And the bonus :3c Where are the plates featured in Fellplates? Surely it's not just called that as a reference right ♪ Hehehe

[charlietheepicwriter7]

"You can't move him up a grade!" The social worker said, aghast. "I won't deny that Danny is brilliant, but look at his social skills. He needs proper socialization with people his age, not-"

"People on the same level as him?" Tim asked. He was glaring at the woman.

"High schoolers," she finished, giving Tim a look.

Dick's hands were folded as if in prayer, pressed against his mouth. "I understand you point, Mrs. Gonzalez, but this is my reasoning; there is not an eighth grade class in this country that can handle Danny. He curses. He drinks. He smokes. I love that kid and I'm doing the best I can, but he's a feral goblin child and you, or any teacher, can't control him."

She looked like she swallowed a raw egg, but Mrs. Gonzalez had been Danny's social worker since the paperwork went through, and was a long time friend of the police chief in Bludhaven. She'd been there for the Toast Incident; she knew how Danny was. "...Why don't we consider a homeschool program first? With after school and weekend activities."

Dick flashed a smile. "That's better."

#constantine jr au #dp x dc #dc x dp #deaged danny fenton #c: dick grayson #c: tim drake #original female character #someone commented that since danny is deaged he could skip grades #but in america you can't skip more than a certain number of grades at a time without people getting concerned #and more importantly #you want to put this brat around children? #even if he went to high school he's still be a problem child #not to mention he'd be bullied bc he's physically eight #tim's here bc he was the one who convinced danny to try school again #tim is also using danny to look better in the eyes of dick

[fluffs-n-stuffs]

Thinking about Terapagos' beef with Amethio tonight

#this has honest to god been stuck in my head since watching the ep SDKJFSKJDFNS #(in the event Amethio somehow becomes part of the Rising Volt Tacklers but Terapagos still wants to bite his arm off /lh /insane) #trying to figure out how to draw these two properly since I only doodled them last time hehe #I love they - my beloved children 🤲🥺💖💖💖💖💖 #definitely gotta draw Dot and Roy sometime as well 👀👀👀 #pokemon horizons #anipoke #pokeani #amethio #amethio pokemon #explorer amethio #liko #liko pokemon #trainer liko #terapagos #pokemon fanart #pokemon art #fluff draws !!!

[babulekbabayaga]

I did him (I have to redesign his face).

#hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel critical adam #he had so much character and angst potential for being the first man created and seeing all his descendants crawl to sin hopelessly #And being the one in charged to executing them #I wish that was explored while still mainting that harsh and jerk side of his personality #However instead of being crude he more witty and subtle #You know what i mean #Ugh #Love you the Adam in my headcanon #also gave him some wrinkles and mature features since well he is literally a dad who had his son murder his other son #made me think why did the show never ever mention his children?!??? #WHERES CAIN WHAT ARE CAINS FEELINGS ABOUT ALL THIS??? #hazbin hotel redesign #hazbin hotel adam

[thatskynews]

THATSKYNEWS' THEMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR - HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSAY TO THATSKYNEWS

Days of Bloom 🌸

Season of Passage 🌙

Season of Moments 📷

World Record Breaking AURORA Concert Encores 🏆

Days of Sunlight ☀️

Days of Style 😎

Season of Revival 💝

Days of Mischief 👻

Aviary's Fireworks Festival 🎆

Days of Feast ❄️

Season of Nine-Colored Deer 🦌

#sky cotl #sky children of the light #thatskynews #(Anniversary of ThatSkyNews was yesterday but I think it's still nice to add this here :)! -ymir) #(ty Anxy for keeping up our blog's theme throughout the year to match up with what was the current focused event at the moment -ymir) #(Happy 1 yr of ThatSkyNews everyone) #(was planning to post this when Days of Bloom is announced... so the cycle repeats in way - Anxy) #(But I'm excited to post this since I began collecting themes so here you go! -Anxy) #(Happy 1 yr of ThatSkyNews! Here's to more good news both in sky and irl - Anxy)

[snackugaki]

one orrrr

two?

#not a perfect return to posting art #but fuck if my pettiness isn't a great driving force #lol about what snack?? #some ole bullshit i saw on the whassit... insta or twitter #one of those two where “FaNs” go to pretend they got no fucking manners #oOoOh you're a this that whatever artist because look you draw like this one OoOoh #fuck outa here #literally I'm gonna post going through my whole goddamn style rolodex #also? #personal art style is not as big a deal as some of these new/young artists think it is #like maybe in commercial or children's book illustration #since they look for a specific vibe #and you're doing yourself an artistic disservice by focusing so much on “creating a personal style” #and this weird fucking self-imposed boundary of like appreciating how an artist renders this or that aspect of their drawing #because they think the plagiarism police are gonna SWAT them #like... it's pretty and you like it bcoz it speaks to you so #fucking just #try it out #try out that type of line weight #try out that color palette #try out that way of lighting a person or a scene #try it #listen everyone is out here being an aesthetic frankenstein's monster #the minute you try out xyz in your art it becomes “your style” because how you interpret it replicate it will be #influenced (altered you could say) by how you draw #unless your ass getting paid to draw on model or your art lead's style or you wanna get on a show/game so you're cobbling a quick portfolio #but that's not this #also lol next mutation still got fans #my childhood nostalgia says hello #tw eyestrain

[incorrectskywalkers]

more disaster lineage cal au incorrect quotes because i really want to write a fic about this but writer's block be damned so i'm doing this instead

~~~

Anakin: I lost Cal. Obi-Wan: How did you LOSE Cal?! Anakin: To be fair, he is very small.

~~~

Obi-Wan, watching Cal do something stupid: Anakin, you're officially only the second highest risk here. Anakin: Hell yeah! I'm gonna— Obi-Wan: Don't finish that sentence, you'll move back up.

~~~

Obi-Wan: Cal, please get that hideous thing out of the living room, would you? Cal, to Anakin: Obi-Wan wants you to get out of the house.

~~~

Anakin, to Cal: Okay, I get it. You've had a really hard time lately, you're stressed out, seven people died- Cal: Twelve, actually. Anakin: Not the point. Look, they're dead now and really whose fault is that? Cal: Yours. Anakin: That's right, no one's. Also don't tell Obi-Wan about this.

~~~

Anakin: What’s wrong? You look 10 seconds away from ripping someone’s throat out. Obi-Wan: Cal and Ahsoka were trying to invoke one of the minor gods again last night. I didn't get an ounce of sleep, thanks to their bloody chanting.

~~~

Cal: Could you guys at least try to see this from my perspective? Ahsoka: *crouches down* Obi-Wan: *kneels down* Anakin: *sits on the floor* Cal: Cal: I hate all of you.

~~~

Anakin, driving and singing to the Little Einsteins theme song: We’re going on a trip- Cal: In our favorite piece of shit! Ahsoka: Doing 95! Obi-Wan: We’re going to kriffing die!

#together anakin. cal and ahsoka are like the unholy trinity of chaos #also to note in this au. cal is obi-wan's padawan and ahsoka is still anakin's #cal would be like. 9/10 when he becomes obi wan's padawan. since in fallen order he was 13 when order 66 happened #the jedi sending out literal children into war like 'yeah this is fine' #star wars #incorrect quotes #incorrect star wars quotes #star wars incorrect quotes #star wars au #disaster lineage cal #disaster lineage #anakin skywalker #obi wan kenobi #cal kestis #ahsoka tano #the clone wars #jedi fallen order #jedi survivor

[chibifox2002]

Oh yeah, I drew this yesterday while watching over the pup

Gold Choco belongs to @cosmicwhoreo

#it's not 100% in character since ink told me that goldielocks over here shouldn't be trusted around children #but it was still fun to draw 🤣 #que feral cat cookie scratching the shit outta goldie's hand due to their dream wiggin' them out #Golden Choco Cookie #Feral Cat Cookie #my character(s) #others ocs #my art #cookie run #Cookie Run oc

[martyrbat]

where's bruce wayne giving his kids hugs that are a little too tight and a second too long after they let go because who knows when or if you'll be able to ever hug them again

where's bruce wayne who goes to his kid's recitals and school events when he can because he wants them to be able to see their father's face in the crowd

where's bruce wayne who hangs up and says i love you or that he's proud of them or to be safe because it can be the last thing he's ever said to them. the last thing they ever hear from him.

where's bruce wayne who is a nervous, over involved wreck because he knows how cruel the world can be

where's bruce wayne sucking in a breath and shaking anytime the phone calls because it can be the one to deliver fatal news

where's bruce wayne who's eyes water up when he realizes how much his children grown

where's bruce wayne who makes sure all his kids know they can always return back to the manor. for a day, for a lifetime, there's always a room. that they'll always have a place to stay and it'll always be their home too

where's bruce wayne who checks on his kids before going to bed, who visits the empty rooms too just in case and out of habit

where's bruce wayne who bandages his children's scrapes and bruises when theyre 20 because they'll always be his babies

where's bruce wayne who supports his children and let's them know they never have to be alone

where's bruce wayne who had his parents and childhood so violently ripped away from him that now he gets to be what he always wanted - a father.

#he can still have trouble with affection and being two decades behind in therapy but #youre telling me a man who clung to their deaths this rawly isnt trying to be the father he would dream of having still? #its not the same as being a child and having a father of course but ? to be a father and have a child is the other side of that coin #above all else he should prioritize his little birdies i hate dc and comic bros that think hes emotionless #like man has been having a breakdown since 8. he took a vow to risk his life and try to help people in a doomed city purely because he #doesn't want anyone to ever hurt like how he has. to become what he has. to go through what he has. to be alone and as helpless as he was #he just wants to help people. and you're telling me this same man doesnt care about his children?? yea ok. #bruce wayne #good dad bruce wayne #batdad #posts from the crypt #batfam

[forevercloudnine]

Bruce’s expression in the third panel really truly captures the look of a child whose parent is known to be extremely sarcastic but also is entirely capable of the insane thing they just said, so you’re not sure whether they’re being genuine or not.

#alfred pennyworth #bruce wayne #still the batman's grave no. 3 #if it makes you feel better i'm only posting every third set of panels that i actually feel the urge to post #but i really couldn't resist alfred casting judgement on bruce for not being a cocaine addict #relying on modafinil to not sleep. like some kind of AMATEUR. #i love it when they're both freaks. they're so related <3 #i mean not really related. since as we all know alfred has less than no interest in his biological children #his influence is palpable. is my point

[art-by-milo-catz]

[ID: traditional sketch with two panels featuring characters from The Owl House. The first panel is of Hunter very excitedly reading a Warriors novel. In the second panel he, Flapjack, Gus, and Luz are tucked in bed, with Hunter infodumping about warrior cats lore while the others listen intently. Text reads, "So they reveal that it was actually Tigerclaw who killed Redtail, and Ravenpaw was innocent all along! He was just framed" "So cool!" /End ID.]

Sleepover! Luz lets Hunter borrow her books! Neurodivergent momence! That's it that's the post 😭

#artists on tumblr #traditional art #described #the owl house #toh #toh hunter #toh gus #toh luz #warrior cats #self indulgent fluff #(ofc ofc x3) #don't say nothin if the lore is innacurate i haven't read the books since 7th grade 😭 made this PURELY based on vibes ok ok #made this while doing a discord call & ended up spending 1.5 hours telling my friends abt wc lore and various cat deaths like a nerd akjsk #says a lot abt this series' death scenes when u can still remember shit from 5+ years ago fr they let children read that stuff?? blease #anyways yes this is projection art 💜 fellow neurodivergents enjoy

[thedrotter]

I FELT FUNNY!!! chosen 4 but it's a random picture i found of lucky star figurines...

#earthbound #earthbound fanart #earthbound ness #jeff andonuts #paula jones #paula polestar #just... #earthbound paula #earthbound poo #silly tag #its been a while since i drew them okay i still do not know how to draw children im sorry if they dont look their age💔 #my art

[faunandfloraas]

It is kinda funny seeing people talk about Seungmin lately because he definitely has gotten more bold and confident for sure. He's also just getting opportunities to be perceived as an individual on his own as well for the first time in a while but it's still jarring to see people be like Aw he was always such a quiet goodie two shoes little nerd and it's like...... he was the one to leave and seek out his own vocal coach and blatantly talk about it, which of course lead to I.N and Lee Know also doing the same, he was the one to go on bubble and tell off sasaengs who used to camp outside their old dorm for invading members privacy but also because it effected other residents and staff at the complex, something that i'm certain upper management wouldnt have been happy about, and he wasn't curt or nice about it either. like he's never actually been a wallflower, he's always had a pretty strong backbone and seems to stick to his principals, its not really new.

#even silly shit like bringing up drinking even tho staff has clearly told him not too #like yeah its silly but its still sticking to his guns of being like we arent actually children anymore thanks #the food thing too like in an old 2 kids room he said something about not being able to eat on his bday bc they were filming so evidently #there was a moment in time when he caved to the shitty diet obsession kpop had but ever since hes never really said anything like it again #instead hes telling everyone to eat well and reminding people to have dinner or lunch every other day #even the comment about growing his hair out but then being like lol the stylist probably wont like me saying that or whatever #and like the yeah im going to the gym but im not lifting. dont expect me to bulk up. im doing it for stamina<< that made me cackle #bc i did see people on twt being like but what if seungmin got buff tho omg hed be so hot 🥺 Well him bein buff isnt what this is about #so he went and made sure people were realistic. not everyone needs to be noticeably cut yk #idk maybe bc i watched most all the skz content all the way through #and now i go back and gif stuff i notice patterns more easily than if youve been here for longer and havent watched older stuff #for a while- maybe? idk its just funny but i also see takes a lot and have to stop myself from going No <3 #anyway this is my obligatory insane ksm tangent of the week. see you in 5 minutes. #🐶

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

Something rubbed against his leg beneath the table. Jon saw red eyes staring up at him. “Hungry again?” he asked. There was still half a honeyed chicken in the center of the table. Jon reached out to tear off a leg, then had a better idea. He knifed the bird whole and let the carcass slide to the floor between his legs. Ghost ripped into it in savage silence. His brothers and sisters had not been permitted to bring their wolves to the banquet, but there were more curs than Jon could count at this end of the hall, and no one had said a word about his pup. He told himself he was fortunate in that too. His eyes stung. Jon rubbed at them savagely, cursing the smoke. He swallowed another gulp of wine and watched his direwolf devour the chicken. Dogs moved between the tables, trailing after the serving girls. One of them, a black mongrel bitch with long yellow eyes, caught a scent of the chicken. She stopped and edged under the bench to get a share. Jon watched the confrontation. The bitch growled low in her throat and moved closer. Ghost looked up, silent, and fixed the dog with those hot red eyes. The bitch snapped an angry challenge. She was three times the size of the direwolf pup. Ghost did not move. He stood over his prize and opened his mouth, baring his fangs. The bitch tensed, barked again, then thought better of this fight. She turned and slunk away, with one last defiant snap to save her pride. Ghost went back to his meal. Jon grinned and reached under the table to ruffle the shaggy white fur. The direwolf looked up at him, nipped gently at his hand, then went back to eating.

Jon I, AGOT

It's interesting that GRRM would dedicate several paragraphs to a seemingly unimportant exchange between a boy, his wolf, and an unfriendly third party. But there's just something about this passage that has continued to nag at me for years since I first read it because, considering how heavy handed GRRM was with the foreshadowing in AGOT, this feels important.

Jon is sitting at table full of squires - aka would be knights. We don't really know who they are or what families they belong to, but it's safe to assume that they come from a certain level of privilege; this is considering the fact that it cannot be financially easy to be a squire. And these boys already have a slew of tales detailing all their previous knightly exploits regarding "battle and bedding and the hunt" which suggests that they have some capital. So you have boys who will soon be men. And they will, presumably, become men of some power.

These lads eat their fill of the chicken until only half remains, which Jon then gives to Ghost. The direwolf's name is not so important here but what he represents is. Throughout the series, we're told that Ghost is reminiscent of the weirwood trees (because of his red eyes and white fur). He's stated to be of and from the Old Gods and since he's a personification of the weirwoods, he might as well be one of them. It's almost as if Jon is presenting whatever is left on the table to the Old Gods (Ghost). He lets them devour his offerings while he silently watches. And the motif of watching is so interesting here because it's kind of like Jon takes on a stewardship role - to watch over land/people/etc. He oversees Ghost eating the chicken, so he's overseeing whatever has been given to the Old Gods. This is not new imagery to his arc. As a brother of the Night's Watch and eventually its leader, we have several instances where he leads people to adopting the Old Gods in some fashion. In ADWD, several recruits swear their vows to the Old Gods while he watches on as their Lord Commander. The Old Gods are also primarily of the North and we're told that Jon has more of the north in him than his brothers; interesting that this also includes Bran. So perhaps whatever is being offered to the Old Gods relates to the North.

We must also note that Jon initially thinks to give only a small portion, a leg, before pivoting and providing the entire thing. It feels to me a bit like the process of carving up a kingdom or something similar. The lords (represented by the squires) take what they want and leave aside what they don't; or perhaps they have eaten to their fill and can take no more. Then when his time comes, Jon first considers a small piece of land/group of people before eventually absorbing all of whatever is left behind. The concept of carving up a kingdom rings harder considering that we have several callbacks to the ideals of kingship in this chapter. Robert, Jaime, Tyrion, and even Mance though we don't know it yet, all play into this. And then there's the aspect of Jon letting the chicken slip between his legs which evokes birth/fatherhood, a very curious choice when GRRM could've just had Jon place the chicken on the floor. So land/people are carved up and Jon then uses whatever is left to birth his own type of kingdom. And this kingdom is one for the Old Gods.

This also touches on something that has been quite prevalent throughout Jon's arc. It's the concept of accepting the "others" or "those left over" who live apart from the accepted social norms. Arya (a tomboy), Sam (a gender non-confirming boy), the Night's Watch (criminals, extra sons, and men who have no future left or place to go), and even the wildlings are all examples of this. And Jon takes on a leadership/paternal role to every single one of them. He looks after them as a leader would/should. Sometimes, in the case of Arya and the wildlings, he's equated to a king. He's a steward/shepherd/king. There's messianic undertones to this:

Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).

If you're familiar with Judeo-Christian tradition, you'll know that Jesus is often personified as one who spent the majority his time among the outcasts. The idea is that he came to save them too and that anew kingdom (or new earth depending on your translation) would spring up after the end of the world where he would forever rule as king; which presents the idea of a final king after the earthly ones are done away with. Now GRRM isn't so heavy handed with Christian allusions as other authors out there, but he does have a Catholic background and Jon is so overtly a Jesus figure. And in Revelation, Jesus is king and god at the very end....

One last thing: the mention of the mongrel who challenges Jon has always been rather interesting but confusing to me. A mongrel doesn't really relate to one specific type of dog. But it's interesting that Jon notes several roaming about where he is. They follow the serving girls who carry the food to be offered. Mongrels are used to describe antagonist/villainous groups in ASOIAF. Sometimes, they're used to describe slavers in Essos. But what's interesting is that most of the time, they're used to describe Euron's Ironborn especially in Victorian's POV. So I don't think the mongrel who challenges Ghost is a supernatural threat of death (i.e., the Others) but rather a human one. They represent those who are called to the scene once the lords have finished playing their games. It almost feels like a feast for (carrion) crows....

But it doesn't really matter because this mongrel isn't much of a challenge for Ghost. Though the mongrel is much larger, the direwolf is able to fend her off very effortlessly. Given that "mongrel" is used to describe Ironborn raiders, could this exchange between Ghost and the mongrel point to reavers or sea raiders who rise and fail challenge Jon kingdom? There is a historical King Jon Stark who did this....

When sea raiders landed in the east, Jon drove them out and built a castle, the Wolf's Den, at the mouth of the White Knife, so as to be able to defend the mouth of the river.[1][2] His son, Rickard, followed him on the throne and annexed the Neck to the north.

ref.

So this might shed some light not only on Jon's already published arc, but also on what we can expect in the future. We have some foreshadowing through Jon's ADWD dream that he will not only rise with the dawn (thereby live through the Long Night), but will be in a position to lead people (wildings in that chapter) to a new peace after a hard fought war. Also remember that the wildlings, rather enthusiastically, swear oaths to him as if swearing oaths to their king. In this instance, the supernatural (a dream of the war for the dawn) is followed by the natural/human. So perhaps this particular passage (and Jon's dream) can be used to predict that Jon comes out on top, and quite effortlessly too, as a leader. And he becomes a leader who rules by association with the Old Gods; or rules a kingdom for them.

To end, I think it's of note that this passage immediately precedes Jon's conversation with Benjen where he voices his desire to go out on his own - the hero's call to action. This is the adventure that's going to kickstart his growth as a man, warrior and most importantly, a leader. So it looks like before we even began, GRRM telegraphed how it would all end in just three short paragraphs.

#jon snow #asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #ghost the direwolf #some random extra thoughts: #the aspect of fatherhood is closely tied to kingship as kings are often regarded to be the fathers of their nations #so we might see a parallel where jon-like dany-doesn't have children of his own physical body #but rather rules a kingdom as its symbolic father #think of how odin-a mythical parallel for jon-is called the all father because he is father to all men/lands #also it's interesting to me how kingship is a theme but it's almost like the actual theme is that of kings coming of going #but jon remaining and prevailing above all #we have robert who is a disappointing/bad king and his rule doesn't last very long and neither will his dynasty #jaime looks like a king and even if grrm didn't go through with his original ideas he was never meant to rule for long #in the new story jaime is symbolic of rhaegar a would be king whose time comes and goes leaving jon to pick up the pieces #then tyrion who stands “as tall as a king” but not quite! he still is not as tall as jon and tyrion also says in a later chapter #that soon he'll be even shorter than ghost + tyrion wasn't hand for long #mance who is hidden also has his time as king but it's very short lived and jon later absorbs his kingdom to make his own #so we have the wolf devouring the “left behinds” in a way but the interesting thing is this happens in reverse doesn't it #might Jon's new kingdom not only be made of remnants of the nw and wildlings but also have those left behind from the rest of the 7k? #it's possible since jojen tells us that once night comes all cloaks become black 🙂 #so yeah this is all just more jon endgame king of winter/a new north propaganda lmaoooo