#southern ostriche

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Renowned Rheas

A distant cousin to the ostrich and the emu, rheas or ñandus are a group of birds belonging to the genus Rhea, consisting of the common rhea ( Rhea americana) and the lesser rhea (Rhea pennata). Also included as either a subspecies or a seperate species is the puna rhea ( Rhea tarapacensis). This group is found in the southern half of South America, typically in open grasslands or sparse woodlands.

Like their flightless relatives, rheas are large, flightless birds characterised by a small head, long neck, and long legs. Adults of the common rhea species can reach up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall and 27 kg (60 lbs), while the smaller species only reach 1 m (39 in) and 29 kg (63 lbs). All members of the rhea group have dull grey or brown coloration. Males are typically larger than females, although both possess large clawed feet which are used for outrunning or out-kicking predators like cougars (Puma concolor) and pampas cats ((Leopardus colocolo), which often go after nests or chicks.

Rheas are largely herbivorous, and spend most of their days grazing. Their diets consist of grass, cacti, saltbrush, and the occasional small lizard or insect. Outside the breeding season they can be found in flocks of 10-100, with individuals taking turns watching for potential threats while the others graze. During the breeding season, from July to January, males fight each other with their sharp claws and beaks to gain dominance. The victor mates with up to 12 females, each of which produces a clutch of 20-40 eggs each season.

 Once the eggs are laid, the males provide all the care for the offspring. These eggs are laid once every 48 hours, and most are moved to a nest for protection. However, some eggs are left to rot, and the flies they attract serve as food for the brooding males and their chicks. Eggs take about 30 days to hatch, and the young are taken are of for an additional six months. Rhea fathers are extremely territorial, and will become aggressive even towards other females, all while guarding several broods of chicks. Once they reach independence at six months old, chicks join a group of young adults, though they don’t become sexually mature until they’re about two years old. In captivity individuals can live up to 13 years.

Conservation status: The greater rhea is considered Near Threatened by the IUCN, while the lesser rhea is classified as Least Concern. Their main threats are habitat destruction and increased hunting and nest poaching from humans.

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Photos

Dave Curtis via eBird

Konrad Wothe

Mehgan Murphy

#greater rhea #lesser rhea #Rheiformes #Rheidae #ñandús #South American ostriches #rheas #paleognaths #birds #grasslands #grassland birds #scrubland #scrubland birds #deciduous forests #deciduous forest birds #south america #southern south america #biology #zoology #animal facts

[stonesandswords]

Ostrichland, USA

Solvang, California

#did y’all know there’s an ostrich farm with ostriches and emus where you can FEED THEM? #i’m honestly petrified of birds; especially those big birds but it was so much fun #ostrichland usa #solvang #pismo beach #santa barbara county #san luis obispo #california #southern california #central coast #photography #my photos #click click

[coppercookie]

My favourite ratities

#ratite #ratities #flightless bird #american rhea #common ostrich #darwin's rhea #emu #great spotted kiwi #northern cassowary #puna rhea #somali ostirich #southern brown kiwi #southern cassowary #rhea #ostrich #kiwi #cassowary #favourites #favourite animals

[herpsandbirds]

Common Ostriches (Struthio camelus), (L) female and (R) male with chicks, family Struthionidae, Southern Africa

photograph by Elske van der Belden

#ostrich #rattite #struthio #struthionidae #ornithology #bird #animals #nature #africa

[mangekyuou]

★ the new intern portgas d. ace, my beloved.

cw: nsfw. f!reader. afab!reader. ace is from the south idk. takes place in the states for some reason again idk. i was just writing lmaoo. reader wears a skirt. not proofread. hear me out. MINORS DNI.

── intern!ace who has recently started his internship at your company you have only been at for almost a year. mentoring him is somehow pushed onto you despite any of your colleagues being here longer than you and having much more experience in mentoring. you’ve never done this before. you try your absolute damnedest to get out of it but no one seems interested in relieving you of the responsibility. so best of luck to you

── intern!ace who is unlike anything you’ve seen before. why would a rowdy man start an internship at an office where he’d just be behind his desk or in meetings all day?

── intern!ace who never went anywhere without that distractingly bright orange hat.

── intern!ace who has a southern drawl about him, you aren’t surprised to learn he comes from somewhere down south. he has a special way of speaking that you, born and raised up north, struggled with understanding his creative idioms.

── intern!ace who you could always hear before you could see whether it was his loud mouth or the loud clicking of those ostrich skin square toe boots he was so proud of covered by his long trousers. they were louder than your heels.

── intern!ace who has a load of questions and is at your office door every five minutes. you’ve even started to recognize him by his knock. he always greeted you with a wooden toothpick between his plump lips.

── intern!ace who is a very respectful man who cares a lot about honorifics. that’s how he was raised. you are his mentor, his senior. he can’t just call you by your name. what kind of man would he be? you have become, miss.

── intern!ace who is very friendly, very touchy, but sweet as candy. you chalked it up to southern hospitality that you have yet to experience. when you’re explaining something, he stands extra close, he’s almost touching you. when you’re coming in, he jogs in front of you to hold open the door. when you fix the problem he has, he compliments you. he always looks so amazed when in just a few clicks everything is fixed. you’re like his superhero.

── intern!ace who has made it a habit to eat with you. or wait to take his lunch until you’re done. you’re like his only friend in the office and he likes eating with you.

── intern!ace who gets onto you about forgetting your lunch and eating fast food all the time. a woman like you deserves a homecooked meal he’s made it a habit to bring you an extra lunch. he does it so much, he’s even got you your own lunchbox that’s your favorite color.

── intern!ace who doesn’t leave the office until you leave. he could be done for hours but he still wants to walk you to your car to make sure you get there safely. plus what if you get lonely being the only one in the office?

── intern!ace who worries that you overwork yourself only to never be recognized. he’s only been here a month and a half and he’s already noticed it. he is always ready to remind you that you’re too good for this job and that they don’t deserve you or your time.

── intern!ace who looks a little different. dressed in a tight white button-down that looked like he was going to pop out of any second. were his arms always that big? was his chest always that broad? what did he look like without the shirt on? was he hiding more freckles under there?

── intern!ace who isn’t a fool. he may have been born at night but it damn sure wasn’t last night. he sees how you’re eyeballing him, undressing him with your eyes. he’s flattered. he’s always thought you were a beauty too, pretty as a peach, hotter than a fire in july.

── intern!ace who once again doesn’t leave with everyone else, he stays to keep you company. though this time he is bold enough to stay with you in your office until you’re ready to go. he’s distracting you with his presence alone. how are you supposed to finish when he’s sitting there with the top buttons of his shirt undone because it’s a little warm in here? he sprawled out on the chair, his legs open and his hat resting over his face because he wanted to 'rest his eyes'. you never noticed how built he was…how nice and lonely his lap looked. maybe it was kinda warm in here.

── intern!ace who hears you shuffle in your seat and hears you call out to him. he sits back up, taking his hat off of your face. you ask for his help, something you’ve never done before. he’s honored. he steps behind your desk to see the problem, to see exactly what you’re stuck on. it’s something simple, something you’ve helped him with before. why were you struggling now? maybe you wanted to test his knowledge, maybe you wanted to have him closer.

── intern!ace who stands behind your chair, reaching over the side of you to grab the mouse while his other strong hand rests on the back of your chair. you take on his warm, heavenly scent. it was intoxicating, you could hardly focus, and you hadn't heard a word he uttered.

── intern!ace who must come even closer, to actually finish your report so he can use the keyboard. he is particularly towering over you as he types so slowly. the tension in the room was so high. you cross your legs making your skirt ride up your thighs a little. with your eyes stuck on your monitor, you fail to watch him bite down on his lip.

── intern!ace who steps back to let you send your report to the boss before spinning your chair around to face him. there is one more work-related question he needs to ask you before you go home for the night.

── intern!ace who is a liar. it’s not work-related at all. he just wanted to be dramatic.

── “can i kiss you? i’ve been wanting to for a while now. it’s been killing me not to”

── intern!ace who barely lets the word yes fade into the air before he’s captured your lips on his in a passionate kiss. he kissed you like a desperate man, like a man who has waited god knows how long.

── intern!ace whose hands fiddle with your top, unbuttoning it just enough to reveal your bra and remove the tie you wore to work today.

── “i love me a businesswoman in a tie. you’re the boss here tonight, miss”

── intern!ace who wants you to take the reins, to take charge, to take what you want from him tonight. anything you wanted you could have.

── intern!ace who followed your every command with “yes ma’am” that sent shivers down your spine.

── intern!ace who finds his face place to be is in between your legs, with your tie tied tightly around his wrists behind his back. your fingers locked into his hair as you pushed him as far as he could go into your sopping wet cunt that has already drenched the lower half of his face.

── “like this, miss?”

── intern!ace with a praise kink. he loves hearing you tell him how good he’s treating you. looking up at you through hooded eyes as he waits for your praise. it sends chills down his spine and makes his cock twitch and leak in his pants.

── intern!ace who doesn’t know how you got even hotter with his hat on top of your head, your face contorted in pleasure, your shirt unbuttoned and your little skirt pulled up to your waist. it was a picture that was never going to leave his mind. from now on, you had to wear his hat more often.

── intern!ace who has an oral fixation. he’s attached his plump lips to your throbbing bundle of nerves yet again like a starved man with his eyes closed in delight. he moaned and hummed against you. he loved how your body trembled underneath his tongue as you came for him yet again. he lapped up all of your juices without fail like you were his favorite meal.

── intern!ace who whines when you pull him off your cunt.

── intern!ace who loves it when you take ownership over him. he’s your intern. he's your boy. he’s your baby, only yours and he’ll do whatever it takes to please you. he wants to hear you say it. he needs to hear you say it when he’s got you over your desk, balls deep into your pussy, fucking you like he’s in heat as you hold onto your tie that’s wrapped around his neck. say he’s your baby when he’s fucking this rough, this deep. say you own all of him, as his balls slap against your tight, creamy cunt.

── intern!ace who only cums after you because your pleasure is first. he only cums when you tell him to. he needs to kiss you when he does, emptying his load deep into your pussy, something he wasn’t supposed to do. he lets you pull on the tie one more time for good measure since he couldn’t behave.

── intern!ace whose oral fixation comes back to bite you in the ass when he’s already back on his knees to lap up all of his cum out of your sensitive cunt.

MANGEKYOU 2024 ── do not copy, repost, or translate my works onto this platform or any other !

#☆ — MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE. #my app started messing up while i was writing this….they don’t want yall to see this #CRAZY #being silenced for being ***** #one piece #one piece x reader #portgas d ace #ace x reader #portgas d ace x reader #ace oneshots #ace scenarios #ace imagines #ace headcanons #ace smut #one piece oneshots #one piece scenarios #one piece imagines #one piece headcanons #one piece smut

[five-flavor-soup]

This is technically in response/as an addition to a post on the supposed ‘double standard’ in the fandom between Zuko and Jet as Katara’s love interests, but it’s been so long since it was posted and I figured the OP would be entirely uninterested in my word vomit, especially after like one and half years—so, separate post. I added a link for those interested. There's a cut because this got quite long lmao.

In short, the post supposes the argument that though Jet would’ve made Katara kill people (something Zuko very much Did Not Do, no matter what you think about The Southern Raiders), he cleaned up his act after this. Zuko, on the other hand, did lots of Really Bad Things to Katara & Co. with far more frequency than Jet did and got redeemed after a multitude of episodes doing Various Things Moste Evile. To then slap Jet with The Toxic Ex-label and see Zuko as the ‘healthier’ and ‘better’ option creates a Double Standard(™) within the fandom, which is supposedly bad and not an arguably incorrect reading. 

But the differences in fandom perception between Jet and Zuko as Love Interests for Katara (one of which canonically, and the other potentially and apparently talked about in the writer’s room) are easily explained, as can the Supposed Double Standard—just by thinking about it from Katara’s viewpoint, or even the audience’s. Because, well, the worst things Jet ‘almost’ ended up doing didn’t happen because of outside interference only. 

That’s the important bit here. He 100% would’ve drowned an entire village just to get rid of a handful of Fire Nation soldiers, had Sokka not managed to evacuate everybody. He 100% would’ve grievously injured two people who, as far as Jet and everybody else were aware, were refugees who might not even be firebenders — considering nobody else saw Iroh heat up his tea, he could’ve been wrong — in an attempt to prove his own hunch. Had the guards not been there, had Zuko not been able to fight back with swords, Jet would’ve genuinely attempted to wound them for as much as a puff of smoke. And Jet consistently involves bystanders (innocent or not) in his desperate quest to harm and defeat the Fire Nation: the Gaang (and particularly Katara, through explicitly manipulative means) and the villagers in Jet; Zuko, Iroh, and the people in the teashop in City of Walls and Secrets. Additionally, we don’t see more violence from him because he’s not a main character like Zuko is—though it’s implied that Jet beats up villagers who are supposedly in cahoots with the Fire Nation often, only agreeing to turn over a new leaf when he, Smellerbee, and Longshot decide to move to Ba Sing Se. 

Zuko explicitly and frequently doesn’t harm people: that, or it isn’t important to the plot. He doesn’t burn down the village on Kyoshi, he literally only manages to lightly singe it. He threatens people with violence frequently but never actually goes in for the kill. I’d argue that the most explicitly violent thing he does in Book 1 is breaking Aang out of the Pouhai Stronghold—for his own ends obviously, but if it’s spelled like treason and sounds like treason, it’s probably treason. When he thinks of robbing the pregnant couple while he’s on the run, he stops himself of his own volition; when he considers using Appa to catch Aang (this was a point made against Zuko in the post), he’s unaware of what Appa’s been through prior to that point and sees him as no more than an animal used for travel, much like the ostrich horse he stole earlier in the season. 

Zuko’s schtick throughout Book 1 and 2 is that he doesn’t want to think of the consequences of his actions. His plans are never fully complete. He doesn’t think of how he’s going to get a chained, notoriously slippery little eel of an Avatar to the Fire Nation, and he doesn’t think about what would happen to twelve-year-old Aang after they got there—which is horrible of him, but it also shows an odd, ignorant kind of innocence that you’d associate with a kid who’s got a hard time telling right from wrong. Like, I love Zuko dearly, adore him even, but kiddo doesn’t think ahead until the Book 2 finale and even that’s debatable. He’ll eventually start thinking ahead a little bit but for the most part, he doesn’t. Not saying that takes away responsibility, because it absolutely doesn’t, but it is telling of Zuko’s character: he’s an ‘act first, think later’-kind of guy, all ‘fuck around; find out; maybe success’. His sole goal throughout Book 1 and 2 is going home, without even thinking on how to get there beyond like, Avatar in my custody => back in Fire Nation with Avatar => dad loves me again. And he says that his only intention is to go home too, in Ep 2 of Book 1:

Aang: If I go with you, [He holds his staff in front of him as an offer, making sure Zuko understands that he does not wish to continue fighting.] will you promise to leave everyone alone? [The camera cuts to a side-view of the area, Zuko's men still surrounding him, spears poised. After a brief moment of hesitation, Zuko erects himself and nods in agreement. Aang is apprehended by Zuko's men, who take his staff . . . ] Zuko: [Boarding the ship up the walkway. Determined.] Head a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home.

(Added emphasis for my point)

Zuko is not the Big Bad. He’s not The Largest Threat. He never is. In Book 1 it’s Zhao, in Book 2 it’s Azula, and in Book 3 it’s Ozai. Zuko is a consistent threat, yes, but not a particularly large one no matter how good of a fighter he is. Because he’s presented to us as a disastrously hurt and traumatised little brat who we, the audience, are supposed to feel sorry for, and slowly grow fond of. Because we learn in The Storm that the notion of “caring for others is weak” has literally been branded into him. Because he keeps getting back up to fight, but consistently holds back. We are shown that he knows, on some level, that what he’s doing is wrong: the text suggests that Zuko is actively suppressing his morals. And by the time Zuko hires an assassin to ensure the Avatar is dead, we know that Zuko is incredibly unhappy with his choice(s) and is desperate to be safe; that he’s uncomfortable but wants to be comfortable; that he’s incorrect about the source of his fear while he’s back in the palace. The audience is shown this explicitly. 

By contrast, we’re shown that Jet is fully aware that those villagers will die. He’s fully aware that, if he manages to prove the two refugees are firebenders, they’ll be arrested and probably mutilated (if the hand-crushing is any indication). I love Jet and his character, but he’s supposed to be the example of poisoning yourself with your hatred, anger, and hurt. He’s revenge that goes too far, because he doesn’t allow himself closure. He knows the consequences and isn’t shown to care for them, as long as his goal is furthered.

And there is the small, but significant, difference between the two characters: Zuko initially just wants to capture the Avatar, is purposefully remaining unaware of what will happen when he does so, and is clearly shown to change, while Jet just wants to punish firebenders and is very aware of what will be necessary for him to do so, with a handful of lines of how he ‘stopped being like that’. And honestly, Jet is far more mature than Zuko is for quite some time, regarding the violence of war—basically as mature as Zuko eventually becomes at the tail-end of his redemption arc. But Zuko’s maturity is at that point healthier, because he doesn’t want to genuinely do harm. 

In regards to their separate relationships with Katara, there’s these fantastic points that @sokkastyles made in reply to the post:

The fact that Zuko actually did change and Katara actually forgave him makes ALL the difference. [ . . . ] The thing about Jet is how manipulative he was with Katara. He not only almost made her kill innocents, but he lied to her about the man he attacked having a knife when he was called out, so that Katara would see her as righteous. Someone who is willing to lie in order to make themselves seem good and someone who says they are going to change but then does the same things doesn’t have a good track record, and that’s a more troubling relationship dynamic than someone who acts as an upfront enemy but then sincerely changes.

And: 

I do think it makes sense to focus on manipulation being worse than being a cartoon villain when we're talking about personal relationships. I think many people can relate to having someone like Jet in their lives who seems nice but who lies and manipulates to justify their own bad behavior despite repeatedly claiming that they will change. Not that many people will experience being tied to a tree by someone who wants you to tell them where the Avatar is, and it is completely reasonable for people to be more forgivable of things Zuko did as a villain than things Jet did to Katara when he claimed to be a friend.

I actually don’t have anything to add to this, lol. It’s succinct and well-worded.

Lastly, in addition the relatability and the relationships being different (the manipulative, emotionally hurt, and self-proclaimed anti-hero versus the initially childish, explicitly confused and desperate cartoon villain, plus the girl they hurt horribly), there’s also the problem of Jet not being a main character. Jet is a relatively well-written side character, whilst Zuko is very quickly established as a main-ish character with his own POV (as the writers decided during the conceptualisation that he’d be joining Team Avatar eventually). Zuko’s troubling, self-destructive nature that has been forced upon him and his Tragic Childhood is shown in high definition. The audience is supposed to eventually be okay with Zuko and hopefully like him, slowly adding puzzle pieces to complete the picture of a horrific earlier youth and treatment by nearly everybody he knows except Iroh. Something like this isn’t necessary with Jet, not just because he was already incredibly likeable and understandable from his introduction and onwards, but also because he’s neither a villain nor a main character. 

There’s multiple reasons as to why Zuko is often seen as the ‘better’ option, just like there are multiple reasons why Jet and Zuko are compared so frequently—they’re both traumatised teenage boys who ‘rebel’ to get some semblance of control back, but we see Zuko change into a kid anyone would be a little bit proud and fond of and that doesn’t happen with Jet. Double standard or not, Zuko and Jet are different characters who the writers also treated very differently, on purpose. It makes sense to me that the audience would think Zutara is the ‘less bad’ or far better option. We know far more about Zuko than we know about Jet; and Jet’s redemption arc, if we can even call it that, halts permanently when Zuko’s is reaching the height it for him to go into a freefall, ultimately culminating in a genuine redemption. We, the audience, know this. So does Katara.

#atla meta #zutara meta #not tagging this j*t*ra bc its a bit negative and i do not want to infringe on anyone's tag lmao #but i will tag it #jetara critical #just to be safe #jet atla #prince zuko #katara #zutara #the thing about both these ships is that katara can be put down as making an active choice in the narrative #though it wants to punish her for it #she is Wrong. he is Bad Guy. here's Better Guy go have babies #regardless. i feel like post-redemption zuko would be easier for her to choose--because she saw the proof of his change

[comradekatara]

Re: Zuko sexism and fandom: I think that a LOT of people are just genuinely unwilling to actually view Zuko's bad behaviour as actually consequential. He gets "forgiven" by the Gaang and he has a big dramatic duel and then he rules the Fire Nation so it's fine actually. If it wasn't fine he wouldn't have been forgiven, like Jet! They use the lens of end-of-series Zuko, influenced by how the Gaang forgives him, to then retroactively handwave away his earlier behaviour and view it as if end of series Zuko is just misguidedly doing those things, rather than it being an actual expression of what he believes in and his morality at that point in time. Part of it is an abundance of sympathy and projection because he's the most explicit (and arguably only explicit, because other child abuse victims are never injured or attempted-murdered that we know of, and that's the bar for many viewers. Neither are any other than Zuko positioned piteously or as victims of Serious Injustice.) child abuse victim in the show and we see so MUCH of his internal struggle. For like a whole book. There's also a consistent trend of viewing the Fire Nation as Yes, Actually, being better than the other societies, they just shouldn't have tried to spread it via war, so yes Zuko is ✨indoctrinated✨ but in a feminist galaxy brained way not a bad fascist way. So the colonialism would've been fine if people had just agreed with how great the Fire Nation is! Pretty much the entirety of Zuko's bad behaviour is handwaved away as "he's a good guy who had a bad life! We forgive him for all of it, he's trying!" And to a lot of viewers, it's also "he's also hot and I've had a crush on him since I was like 14!". He's genuinely a huge asshole to pretty much everyone around him like, almost 24/7, for the majority of the show. And he has his reasons but he's still caused a lot of harm, and that we see? he's basically only revised his views on violent colonialism, making his Anger other people's problem, and some parts of racism. He only ever addresses what he's done to the Gaang and Uncle to. Does he buy Song another ostrich horse? Does he give Kyoshi reparations? Did he ever find out if that farming family with the kid Lee were harmed for harbouring a FIRE NATION PRINCE? What did he do to apologise to the Southern Water Tribe? Whatever he did to apologise to and thank Mai, if anything, I can guarantee it wasn't enough. That's just his personal stuff, never mind his policy choices as the New Fiery Dictator. It's so boring and frustrating how much people gloss over his jagged edges, because without those edges his narrative and how he fits into the world and story just collapses completely.

you’re so right about all of this. I think his final scene with mai is especially emblematic of how his resolution is framed as “and they all lived happily ever after” even though I remember perfectly well how he treated that poor girl so I’m just yelling at her to run away the whole scene. although I will say that stealing song’s ostrich horse was probably his most justifiable crime just bc if I was a disfigured burn victim and someone tried to touch my face without asking I’d also consider committing petty theft against them. ngl. he still does owe her a new ostrich horse though. and of course framing his ascension as some grand victory is thematically/telelogically appropriate, but I highly doubt he would be like. good at firelording. but that’s for another post. ppl really like smoothing out his edges and treating him as if he’s beyond reproach when everyone only finds him so compelling in the first place because his flaws are so obvious, so they assume he’s more “complex” than the other characters (and also more relatable, but that’s for another post too). it’s actually kind of funny if you think about it. “he’s the best because he’s so noticeably flawed and therefore so complex but also I love him so he doesn’t have any flaws actually and is probably a feminist socialist who loves eating pussy and listening to women.” and this is also lowkey how ppl talk about sokka too but at least sokka does actually do those things, zuko doesn’t even pretend to😭 anyway. i keep saying today that you guys couldn’t handle revolutionary girl utena, but you guys REALLY couldn’t handle revolutionary girl utena…

#which reminds me that I still need to finish that sokka/nanami essay #estra-die-ol #asks #also ofc zuko and mai are both gay. but that’s beside the point #zuko #hot takes #mai #song #sorry I know she meant well but I hate that girl!!!! #she has smug nurse energy 2 me #like no u can’t touch some guy u just met learn some fucking BOUNDARIESS #anyway. he was still wrong for stealing her mode of transportation lmfao

[libraryofmoths]

Moth of the Week

African Wild Silk Moth

Gonometa postica

The African wild silk moth is a part of the family Lasiocampidae. It was first described in 1855 by Francis Walker. It is also known as the Brandwurm in its larval stage in Afrikaans, Kweena in its pupal stage in Tshwana, and Molopo moth/mot in English and Afrikaans.

Description The female of this moth is much longer and larger than the male due to having to carry eggs. The male is about half the size of the female and much thinner.

The female has a light brown abdomen with a dark brown thorax and head. The female’s forewings are striped light brown, dark brown, and gray. The hindwings are a yellow-brown with a dark brown edge.

The male has a dark body and wings with a transparent portion of the hindwing.

Female Forewing Range: 35–42 mm (

Male Forewing Range: 21–25 mm (

Diet and Habitat Larva of this species eat Acacia erioloba, A. tortilis, A. melifera, Burkea africana, Brachystegia spp., and Prosopis glandulosa. The larva will feed from the same tree it’s entire life unless there are two many other caterpillars. When there is a large number of caterpillars, they may defoliate the whole tree and the larva must move in order to not starve.

This moth mainly inhabits savannas with many Acacia trees, especially in drier areas. These moths contribute to the Acacia environment by providing food to predators and nutrients to plants through feces. Cocoons are usually found on Acacia tees.

Mating Males detect females’ mating pheromones with their antennae. Males fly to the females because the females are weighed down by the eggs. The female contains about 200 eggs which are laid on the food plant after fertilization. Eggs hatch in about two weeks. Eggs are laid in clumps and the newly hatched caterpillars grow as a group and become more solitary with time.

Predators This moth is preyed on by parasitic wasps and flies. These insects lay their eggs on the caterpillar and feed off of its resources until the moth larva cocoons. The parasites live off the cocoon and grow to adulthood while killing the pupa. Specifically, these larva are subject to parasitism by Diptera and Hymenoptera, the most common parasitoids being Palexorista species from the Tachinidae and Goryphus species from the Ichneumonidae.[6]

To combat external predators and weather, the caterpillars build a tough cocoon. Caterpillars and their cocoons are also covered in stinging hairs to deter predators from touching them. Female cocoons are larger than male cocoons.

Fun Fact In Madagascar, wild silk has been harvested for centuries, and this knowledge has been introduced to southern Africa. The cocoons are harvested commercially in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and South Africa, and the species also occurs in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. They are difficult to harvest due to the cocoons being covered in calcium oxalate. Oxford University discovered and patented a method known as demineralizing using a warm solution of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) that soften the cocoons by dissolving the sericin. This lets the silk unravel without weakening it.

- Wild African silk moth cocoons are also used as ankle rattles in southern Africa by San and Bantu tribes. They are filled with materials such as fine gravel, seeds, glass beads, broken sea shells, or pieces of ostrich eggshell.

- Furthermore, the cocoons have long been known to cause the death of cattle, antelope and other ruminants in the Kalahari. During drought periods, the cocoons are eaten, probably because they resemble acacia pods. The silk is indigestible and blocks the rumen of multiple-stomach animals, causing starvation.

- Finally, the protein found in this species’s slik contains many basic amino acids making it a potentially useful biomaterial in cell and tissue culture.

(Source: Wikipedia, SANBI)

#libraryofmoths #animals #bugs #facts #insects #moth #lepidoptera #mothoftheweek #African wild silk moth #Gonometa postica #Lasiocampidae #double post

[sokkastyles]

ATLA Live Action Ep 1 Thoughts:

When the writers meant they wanted it to be like game of thrones, clearly they meant "we want the battles to happen in complete darkness so nobody can see what is going on," and not, you know, the sex stuff.

Idk why this never occurred to me until now but ostrich horse is chocobo.

They are clearly going for a darker, more grittier feel here, but it clashes with the attempt to keep things true to the animated origin. Like, the earth kingdom OC looks straight out of some more realistic Adult fantasy show, whereas Sozin's character design makes him look like evil Santa.

So firebenders are able to do that to bodies, which I appreciate from a fanfic perspective and also confirms what people have been theorizing about the agni kai, that Ozai put his hand on his son's face. Not sure it was necessary to see it, though. The original does a good job of horrifying us with implied violence and the adults already get it, while showing it makes it less accessible to a younger audience. This is hardly a problem unique to this show, though.

Air nomads actually riding sky bison!

I like having more background with the air nomads and Aang's actor is great but front-loading the flashbacks doesn't work great for the pacing.

One thing I do really like is the emphasis on how the war damaged the harmony of the nations in more than just a spiritual way. No one has friends from other nations now. Zuko comes seeking "someone who does not belong" with the (false) promise that no one will get hurt if everyone keeps to themselves, keeps the status quo. The air nomads are a complete anomaly in a world of division. We are introduced to Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko, and all are isolated in their own way by the war at the beginning of the story.

Overall there is something just weird about the pacing. Characters keep pausing at vital moments of action to deliver exposition or meaningful monologues. It just feels off.

Zuko so desperate for "glory" that he accepts Sokka's proposal to fight one on one (nice foil to the final agni kai by the way). Then his surprise when Aang shows himself reveals that Zuko himself did not know whether he would really find the Avatar in this village he's suddenly shown up to terrorize. God, it just emphasizes how low Zuko is at this point. This is probably his first real high stakes fight and he might have killed Sokka over absolutely nothing out of a false sense that he had something to prove. It's just...sad.

The scene at the Southern Air Temple looked great and had me in tears. I actually saw some criticism of this to the effect of them "ruining Aang's arc" because he comes out of the Avatar state himself, but first of all, let's be real and admit that if mastering the Avatar State was Aang's arc, he never completed it. Second, just because he could bring himself out does not mean he can control it, and he's still letting his emotions control him which is a learning curve for handling that power, it's just that he was able to control his anger in that moment by remembering the people he loved. Which is not that different from how the scene plays out in the original, only he isn't using Katara as a crutch. Which is a good thing, actually. It's much more fitting and poignant that he thinks about Gyatso here.

I don't think there was any mention of Katara wanting to go north. She has a few lines about wanting to help more and Aang teaches her about balance so she can bend now, apparently, but where is her drive? It feels like they're attributing her accomplishments to Aang and that bothers me. Maybe it'll be mentioned in the next episode, since they haven't talked about Aang learning waterbending yet, either. But I do miss the Katara who was ready to banish herself from the village the moment she met Aang not just because it was the right thing to do, but because of her own desire for independence and autonomy.

Liked the scene between Aang and Iroh. It gives us a glimpse of an Iroh who is stuck as to what to do and so he just gives Aang the Zuko treatment by offering him tea. I'd be excited if this means we get to see more development for Iroh.

#atla live action #atla la thoughts #atla la ep1

[burst-of-iridescent]

Hi, what are some lesser known zutara fics you think deserve more attention?

to clarify, i'm not sure if some of these fully count as "lesser known" but i personally think they deserve more love:

always the bridesmaid by bluenebulae: modern au, oneshot. zuko is katara's blind date to sukka's wedding and it's cute as all hell <3

souvenirs we never lose by taliax: post-canon, multichapter. katara offers to heal zuko's scar again on a diplomatic mission in the northern water tribe. it's soft and wholesome and also there's fake dating which is always a win.

clothe me in seasons, dress me in snow by sadladybug: canon compliant, multichapter. be warned that this is heartbreak city. i cried like three times, but it's written so beautifully it's worth the pain.

following blue by boogum: canon divergent, multichapter. bluetara + zutara travelling together + a grouchy ostrich horse... what more could you want?

a warm embrace by ewinkie: canon divergent, multichapter. zuko and katara fall asleep together after the events of the southern raiders, and oops, now they can only sleep well when they're together... but that doesn't mean anything, right?

(the fluff is fluffing in this one. trust me.)

how (not) to care for katara by tiny_katara: canon divergent, multichapter. if you want zuko taking care of katara, delirious confessions, everyone knowing zk has feelings for each other but zk, and toph shenanigans... this is the fic for you <3

#zutara #zutara fanfiction #zutara fanfiction recommendations

[givemea-dam-break]

heart's fury - prologue

book one: hope "prologue"

in which a story begins.

pairing: zuko x (fem) reader

a/n: hey guys! first part of my big zuko x reader, which was originally post on ao3 here! this is a brain baby created by my return to the atla fandom (first time properly being in the fandom since i first watched this as a child rip) and a need to write something for it which woooo! big moment since i had been in the biggest writing slump i've ever had before i wrote this. i hope you all enjoy the first part, and the following chapters, because i have so enjoyed writing this and continue to enjoy it! love u all <3

warnings: none

words: 838 heart's fury masterlist

There was something so idyllic about the southern seas in the early morning. The way the sun’s fiery light reflected atop the soft blue waves; the smell of salt and cold air mixing together; the distinctly freezing southern air that, somehow, could not permeate (y/n)’s thick jacket. She felt strangely warm standing at the bow of the ship, staring at the towering icebergs that the ship easily slipped between. She wondered how anything could become so large, so imposing, but she supposed it was part of the southern charm. The last she had heard, the Southern Water Tribe had dwindled in numbers. Fire Nation soldiers imprisoned their waterbenders decades ago and, though they were accustomed to the cold, not every child could survive in such extreme conditions. No outsiders, including the Fire Nation, had set foot in Southern Water Tribe territory in years. (y/n) could only imagine how sparse their population was. But they were persistent, these Southerners, like the icebergs. They had not let the Fire Nation get the best of them. 

“What are you doing out at this time?” a voice asked from behind. “It is far too cold and early.”

“Catching some peace,” she said simply. “My gut is telling me that today is going to be different.”

A hand came to rest on the railing beside her, old and weathered and gentle, but still admirably strong. Connected to the hand was, well, perhaps the only Fire Nation nobility she had been able to tolerate in years. 

General Iroh, now retired, had a kind face and a soft smile that she was sure would alone keep her warm if she had not been wearing her jacket. The crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, the wrinkles in his forehead, and the deepness of his smile lines did not age him but, rather, did the opposite. He reminded her of a mischievous - yet remarkably wise - child; one that could not be trusted alone with a basket of sweet treats. He shivered in his red robes, but he kept a firm grip on the icy metal railing.

“And why do you say that?”

(y/n) turned her gaze back on the icy path ahead of them. She had always trusted her intuition, knowing that it was a better weapon than her knives or even her bending, but she often couldn’t explain the reasons why she felt things. Maybe it stemmed from her childhood, some sixth sense she had developed by guessing what her mother would make for breakfast or which way her father would take her on his ostrich-horse to get to the Royal Palace in the mornings. Perhaps it was some semblance of a spiritual connection - one of Iroh’s stories that had taken root and given her a strong mind.

She wasn’t sure what her answer to his question should be.

“Just a feeling,” she said. She always said.

It seemed to be enough to appease Iroh. “We are nearing the south pole. I fear that my nephew will be let down once more.”

It was a justified concern. The reason they both stood on this ship, thousands of miles away from home, was a fruitless hunt, bred from punishment, shame, and a terrible lust for honour and, ever a self-centred royal, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation was determined to get what he wanted.

The Avatar.

Two and a half years the three, and a handful of Fire Nation soldiers, had been hunting the living legend down. It was a futile search - Fire Lord Ozai was aware of this when he had banished his son - but Prince Zuko was adamant. He had ordered them around the world in search of a man who had not been seen in a hundred years, and thrown a princely fit every time they did not find him. 

Iroh was right to worry. Prince Zuko’s sole ambition was to find the Avatar and restore his honour, taking back his rightful place as heir to the title of Fire Lord, but it made one wonder what would happen if he were to accept that the Avatar was unreachable.

Not that he would ever accept it.

“This isn’t the right path for him,” Iroh murmured. Despite there being nobody else on deck, he kept his voice low, leaning closer. “Capturing the Avatar is not the correct decision.”

He cast her a meaningful look, something in the wise, dark eyes sparkling as he turned and walked away, likely to make himself a cup of tea.

(y/n) breathed a sigh, watching the misty breath hover in front of her before dissipating. This was not the first time Iroh had hinted at the secret she kept close to her chest, clutched in iron fingers. If anyone else were to know, she would likely be dead by now. But Iroh shared her cause.

If they ever found the Avatar, wherever they were, she would fight tooth and nail to ensure Prince Zuko could never take them back to the Fire Nation.

<-masterlist chapter one ->

#givemea-dam-break #zuko x reader #prince zuko x reader #atla x reader #avatar the last airbender x reader #prince zuko #zuko #atla zuko #zuko fanfiction #atla zuko fanfiction #atla fanfiction #avatar the last airbender fanfiction #avatar the last airbender #x reader #fanfiction

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

the fact that there are still only ten and until a few weeks ago only eight is... something. anyways...

#planet zoo #birds #dinosaurs #polls #games

[manessha545]

Wildlife, Torres del Paine National Park, Chili: Torres del Paine National Park is home to more than a hundred species of birds, including condors, ostriches, flamingos, ibises, black-necked swans, eagles, finches and magellanic onions. There are also 25 species of mammals, some of which are visible up close, such as guanacos and foxes, and others which are endangered and visible only in certain areas, such as the huemul (southern Andean deer) and the puma.

#Wildlife #Torres del Paine National Park #Chili

[thebluemallet]

My Immediate Thoughts on the Latest Avatar: The Last Airbender Trailer

THE SHIP DESIGN FOR THE FIRE NAVY SHIPS! THAT MAST!

This must be the North Pole and leading up to the Siege of the North.

Appa soaring through the skies.

Yeah, they're really going to go and show us the attacks on the Air Temples. On the one hand, I'm excited about the new material. On the other hand, I feel like I shouldn't be excited about witnessing a genocide even if it's fiction.

IS THAT FIRE LORD SOZIN? OR IS THAT JUST A RANDOM FIRE NATION GENERAL?? I THINK IT'S SOZIN??

Aang breaking out from the iceberg seems a lot more violent than the cartoon but it also looks awesome! And if I were Sokka and Katara, I'd be scared shitless seeing that.

I think that's Monk Gyatso voice in the beginning? And he specifically says that the Fire Nation is embarking on a dark path instead of the super vague "storm clouds are gathering" like in the original cartoon. So Aang goes into that iceberg with more knowledge in this adaptation than in the cartoon.

Daniel Dae Kim looks great as Fire Lord Ozai!

Azula with a bow and arrow? Guess she's expanding her skill set.

Blink and you'll miss it, but that is JET that Katara, Sokka, and Aang are talking to before there's a big ass explosion behind them.

WE'VE GOT THE MOTHER EFFIN OSTRICH HORSES, BABY!

IT'S ZUKO COMING TO RESCUE UNCLE IROH WHEN HE GETS CAPTURED BY EARTH KINGDOM SOLDIERS!

Aang, Katara, and Sokka checking out the ruins of one of the Air Temples. Southern Air Temple, maybe, probably?

Water Tribe! Don't know if it's Northern or Southern but it could be the aftermath of Zuko coming to the Southern tribe to find Aang.

Katara coming in with her belief that Aang can save the world.

I'm in love with every shot of Appa flying!

THE AIR SCOOTER!

AND HE CRASHES INTO A STATUE LIKE HE DOES IN THE ORIGINAL OPENING CREDITS!!!!

There you go! You whiny little complainers finally got your sarcastic Sokka. And he definitely has more emotional range than the Sokka in the other project that shall not be named so I approve!

THAT'S ZUKO'S TINY LITTLE WARSHIP CRUISING AROUND THE SOUTH POLE LOOKING FOR THE AVATAR!!!

UNCLE!

That's not Zuko pinning up that picture of Aang. Maybe it's Zhao?

I fucking love the masks on the Fire Nation soldiers!!!!!!!

Zuko, you moody, angsty, traumatized teenager! I love you!

(This better get renewed so we can get awkward Zuko. I want to hear him say, "That's rough, buddy." I want to know how many takes they ruined when they eventualy film that scene.)

ZUKO AND IROH TEAM UP AGAINST THOSE EARTH KINGDOM SOLDIERS!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you know guys, maybe we should hear out what the fire nation has to say?

Nope, sorry, I was distracted by the abs. They should have had him silhouetted because I'm pretty sure this is the AGNI KAI WHERE HE BURNS HIS KID'S FACE!

Avatar "I don't want the responsibility!" Aang.

It's giving "Because I never wanted to be" and "I'm just one kid" energy.

THE FACT THAT I WILL NEVER GET TO CUDDLE APPA IN REAL LIFE IS A CRIME!

Sokka coming in and reminding Aang that he's not alone in this.

Reminds me of early on in the show when he says "Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you."

Momo's excellent comedic timing, there.

IT'S JUN! AND NYLA! IT LOOKS SO FREAKING GOOD!

HOLY FUCKING SHIT! IF THAT'S HEI BAI, THEN I'M GOING TO SHIT MYSELF WHEN THEY SHOW KOH!

Oh, Zuko isn't showing up to Kyoshi this time, it's ZHAO!

SOKKA AND SUKI LOOKING AMAZING FIGHTING TOGETHER!

THAT'S TEO AND AANG FLYING AROUND! THAT'S TEO AND AAANG!

I guess one of the big changes from the cartoon is that we'll see Teo and his dad in Omashu instead of the Northern Air Temple because that's DEFINITELY Omashu they're flying around.

AANG! YOU'RE SO PINT-SIZED COMPARED TO SOKKA AND KATARA! AND THE RUNNING HUG! I CAN'T HANDLE THE RUNNING HUGS! THEY'RE MY KRYPTONITE!

BLUE SPIRT! WE'RE GETTING THE BLUE SPIRIT AND AANG FIGHTING TOGETHER!

Aang ready to kick some Fire Nation butt.

I wonder if that's part of the Siege of the North? It looks like Sokka flies him in on Appa and Aang drops in.

I think the next shot is the South Pole when Zuko attacks trying to find Aang?

Aang pulling out the Matrix moves when Sokka lets his boomerang fly!

KING BUMI! They were really accurate with the costumes here.

KATARA FIGHTING OFF ZUKO AT THE NORTH POLE!!!!

Jet looking like a badass and fighting off some fire benders.

I know I've guessed this several times, but THAT WAS DEFINITELY AANG AND ZUKO AT THE SOUTH POLE!

I like we see the glow slowly going over the tattoos as Aang goes into the Avatar state instead of it just going straight to glowing.

AND THE CHANTING! I LOVE THIS MUSIC SO MUCH!!!

I think Aang's last transition to the Avatar State is definitely him at the Southern Air Temple when he finally has to face what happened to the Air Nomads, but I could be wrong.

Anyway. February 22 isn't that far away and there are not enough words to describe how excited I am for this.

#avatar the last airbender #atla #aang #katara #sokka #prin #uncle iroh #fire lord ozai #azula #admiral zhao #suki #kyoshi warriors #appa #momo #king bumi

[lovra974]

Another Barbarian Bakugo... [part 1?]

Not exactly a reverse because Bakugo is a Barbarian too. Barbarian Bakugo x Dragonrider reader. Dragonshifter Kirishima. Enjoy !

The Bakugo clan is a powerful one. It rules over most clans and tribes in the East. They are known for their firmness. The queen and king, Mitsuki and Masaru are respected and feared by others tribes. Their army is the biggest in the East. Mitsuki wrath is something bard wrote about and sang to keep other from bothering.

They strived thanks to the numerous pillages the Prince Katsuki Bakugo do. He's knowed to be one of the best warrior on the continent. His friends group was a scary bunch of warriors. They were vicious, skilled in their discipline, they respected their leader and in exchange he didn't hesitate to put his life in their hands.

The Bakugo clan worked with a strict moral code and hierarchy. You respect the veterans, you don't kill the children, what's not yours can be taken, if taken then it's yours.

However, the clan feared their golden age came to an end. In the North, the King Enji Todoroki was restless. He linked his bloodline to witches captured in the West, giving his people godslike abilities.

The battles were nightmarish. Katsuki lost half of his soldiers and almost die twice. The war was expensive in golds and people.

The Queen Mitsuki have to find a solution. Bowing to Enji was out of the equation. She rather kill all her family than submit to this arrogant ostrich.

She glared at the map where the Phoenix of the Todoroki family stood proudly in the North. It was slowly nibbling at the East territory.

Her advisors were throwing hypothesis on how to force the North King to commit an error. All ideas were shut by the Prince Bakugo while he was getting healed by a servant.

"The ostrich is too fucking smart to confront us directly! They have boats! He's gonna circle us by the sea and trapped us like idiotic bunnies!"

"We don't have boat, no tribe as ever rode the sea in our history." lamented an advisor.

"Then I'll be the first!" Snarled Bakugo.

"Don't say things like that, it makes you look even stupider." Glared his mother.

While the Prince kept shouting he could defeat Enji, the Queen looked at the river Jaham. It begun in their territory and descended straight South. She blinked.

"I need someone to take a message to the L/N Realm."

"Your friendship with them was a long time ago my Queen, they may not respond to your call..."

"They will. For I have a proposition they can't say no."

The L/N Realm, what a mysterious country. The South was a dense tropical forest. The high mountains made the traveling hard. The forest was dangerous even for the one who know their way. The rains were heavy and brutal, storms shook the ground like drums.

Some says this land was mystic. Witches whispered that rocks and earth had their own voice. Some says nobody lived there or that the land was a graveyard for past civilisations. The wise just smiled, conscious of the secret kept by the land and the people.

Mitsuki waited. She waited a response to her message with apprehension. Nobody but her husband knew what deal she made with the Southerns. The Prince didn't care, he was busy repelling the attacks from the North.

And one morning, a watcher run to the Queen telling that a group was riding from the South toward them.

Arrived to the Bakugo's Capital five people on horses' back. One of them was you, Y/N L/N futur sovereign of the L/N Realm. In front of the throne, you bowed respectfully.

"Royals Bakugo, I came from the Mishae plains, far in the South. The Royals of my country received your missive, we are here to help your people to fight the King of the North. We remember our common past and we will fight with you until there is no more ash for the Phoenix to come back."

Mitsuki smiled, pleased. She glanced at Masaru, expressing just a second all the relief she felt.

Katsuki, on her left, eyed the men around L/N. Tan skin, battle scars, tribal tattoos that make him remember old tales he heard when he was young. But one of them was different from the others.

He was tall like a coloss, all in muscles, red hair and pointy teeth. He standed behind you, eyes far away, like he was perceiving things from somewhere else.

"We are honored for your arrival, Heir L/N. Can I know how much warriors are we waiting?"

"You won't be needing more than us five, your Hightness."

Everybody was waiting for the fall of the pun but only silence was met. Mitsuki's eyelid jump, tensing her youthful face.

"How that? "

"My people possessed forces that can easily compete with Todoroki's magic."

"What forces?"

You didn't respond straight away.

"You'll need to wait the next battle to watch."

"Is it magic?"

Murmurs broke in the room. Panic whispers or disdain shoots.

You grimaced. A growled was emitted from somewhere shutting everybody in the room.

Before anybody could ask about the animal sound you responded. "We don't really like this word, for us magic is a force extorior that a human called. What I talk about is something from the inside of us. But I guess you can call it some form of magic."

The Queen tapped her fingers on the armrest of her throne, her face was stern.

"I don't really trust... magic, whatever form yours take. If your part of the deal is not kept I won't kept mine."

Your gaze slowly turned to the Prince. Your eyes roamed on his form making him tense.

"Of course" you said turning back to the Queen.

"You are guests to my court." She declared with a strong voice. "Your quarters will be ready for you and your men."

A week passed until Todoroki's naval force strike. Until then, you took your time to visit the capital. It was surreal how much goods this country had.

Your land was less prosperous, difficult to grow vegetables in the mountains with the capricious weather. But you knew riches are not only counted in golds. Your people where better artisans, they had to when they built the same house for the nth time.

Through your inspection you were more and more sure you took the right decision.

"What's that?" asked Kirishima.

"Orange, you wanna try it?"

You paid the fruit and gave it to your best friend. His sharp teeth pierced the fruit and let the juice pour on his shin. He growled of content from the taste like a child, making you laugh.

"Why is the food so good here? I promise Y/N, I'm not sure I will want to leave after."

"If everything goes to plan, we won't be gone for long. And you will be able to fill your big belly until it explodes."

He offered you a grin, all fangs out. You kept walking along the street.

"For how much time do we need pretend we don't know he is following us?" Asked Kirishima again.

It was Katsuki Bakugo who was following you. You had said that five men could defeat Enji while so much of his men perished. It was insulting, he was furious about it. When he demended explanations from his parents he was shooed out. WHO THE LIVING HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE??? Fooling him like that. You couldn't be better than him.

For your week there he observed you. You were either strolling the city or eating your heart out. The coloss, he learned was named Kirishima Eijiro, always followed you. You didn't look that strong. He sure could defeat you.

That's what he intended one afternoon, while you were in the gardens, he challenged you.

You gazed at him again, roaming your eyes on every crook of his body. He didn't know if you were admiring him or looking for his weak spots, were he was already injured.

You smiled, pleased apparently by his demand. "You are exactly like they told me, I accept your challenge."

He threw you a sword and begin to attack. The match went on for an hour. It ended with him on the ground, both swords on his throat. He blinked, world shattered before his eyes.

He rejected your hand when you gave him yours to stand. He stomped to the castle, wounded in his ego.

It was the first time you destroyed his world and how he thought it worked.

The second time was when Enji attacks. Mitsuki called you on the sea borders, thirty ships gliding toward the capital.

"I'll take care of it." you said, firmely.

You walked to the beach below, Kirishima following you. You watched the man you saw as your brother sinking in the sea.

Everybody waited with shaking heart, for you to do something. You did not.

It was the red head, who disappeared and left for a gigantic red scaled dragon. You climb on his back and flew towards the boats. You and the dragon burned down the fleet in a few minutes. Blood, flames and corpses decorated the sea. Screams slowly died.

You landed and Kirishima reappeared. Bakugo was shaking. His body sweating profusely. You stopped in front to them and decided to destroy his world again, for the third time.

"I guess our deal still stand, your Highness."

"It does Heir L/N. We will begin the wedding preparations, as promised."

"What? A wedding?" repeated Katsuki. "Why are we preparing a wedding?"

To this, you smiled darkly.

"Our wedding, dear bethroted."

You grounded your eyes in his, paralyzing his body. Him? Getting fucking married? To you?

"I'll be back in a month. And when I do, I'll put the Phoenix's crown on your head."

Kirishima laughed in the back. Katsuki felt too much. He felt trapped. He felt scarred. He felt stupid. You were covered in ashes, smiling knowing he couldn't say no.

At the beginning, he thought you were a opportunist liar. But you were very thoughtful, you calculated everything in that little head of yours, you had plans. And you were not a liar, because you were fucking determined to put this damn crown on his head like you promised.

He felt something else, burning down, but he rather drown himself than acknowledge it.

Part 2?

#bakugou x reader #bnha bakugo katsuki #bakugou angst #katsuki bakugo x reader #barbarian bakugo x reader #barbarian bakugou

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to the Debutante Ball

In recent years due to the rise of Bridgerton, the concept of a debutant has piqued a lot of your interests. I've been answering a lot of questions about debuts so I've decided to compile everything into one guide for you all (y'all deserve a guide because I've not made many in ages cause I've been absolutely swamped. I'm going to try do more).

What exactly is a debut?

A debut is the entrance of a member of the nobility, the gentry or the wealthy into the society of the day. They are being formally introduced to their peers and their future social groups. This milestone marks them coming of age and being able to finally take part in society as adults. Both boys and girls make their debut in society. But we will be focusing on the girls for today.

How to Debut in Polite Society

Like many traditions, there are strict guidelines one must follow. Most debutants are at least 16, ranging to 16-20. They must be a member of nobility, gentry or a part of an influential family in order to participate.

In European tradition, the debutant is introduced to the Royal family by a female relative, who has already been presented at court. They are formally introduced to the court and society, making their bows or curtsys. Once this ritual has been observed, every debutant will hold a ball at their own home to celebrate their coming out. Every debutant will host a ball and attend other debutants' balls over the weeks of the Season. They would also attend different events throughout the Season in order to meet their peers and make connections. The tradition of the debutant ball has become a rarity in recent years though some still practise it.

In 19th Century America, one debut's by holding a ball to mark one's entrance into society. Peers, influential figures and other affluential people would be invited to witness the debutant make their entrance. In more recent years, a debut is made through International Debutante Ball. A debutante must be recommended by an established member of society or a member of the committee (usually a female relative) similar to the European tradition. However, in American tradition the debutants are escorted by her father rather than a female relative and once she's presented, she is escorted by a younger male escort. The American debutant does not get away without her curtsy however, she must perform the gesture known as the St. James Bow to attendees or in Southern tradition, the "Texas Dip".

What to wear to a Debut

Everything, even down to what you're wearing, is set out in tradition. When debuting at a European Court, the traditional choice is a white court dress (though soft pinks and shades of white are permitted). The dress was short sleeved and had to have a train. The debutante wore long white gloves, a veil in her hair with three white ostrich feathers and jewels. Before the debutant has been introduced, she would hold her train over her arm and then let it fall when she has been presented. American debutants have a more complex colour scheme since they can participate in the ball for up to three years first time debutants wear wear white, post-debutantes black and on the third year they wear red.

I also really recommend watching Downton Abbey 4x09 because of how accurately it depicts the debutante's journey from before ceremony, the actual ceremony and post-ceremony.

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