#there are several species of birds called swallows

[blackopals-world]

how does the rest of the cast treat harpy yuu? does harpy yuu gossip with the flamingoes of heartslabyul and the peacocks of pomefiore, does she attempt to unionize all of the birds in NRC to overthrow crowley?

To be frank, Harpy!Yuu is a bird of prey which makes anything smaller than them fair game. As in food.

Thankfully they won't eat flamingos due to their bright coloring or peacocks because they have too many feathers for their taste. They do like hanging out with crows though but can't communicate (this depends on Yuu's breed.) They can call the crows to attack Crowley on command.

There are several versions of Harpy!Yuu, one of which is the hen harpy. Think of them as a big fluffy chicken. Another is the raptor which is a predator like a falcon. There is a third known as lovebird harpy but I'm not getting into that one today.

The students react differently depending on the species of Yuu.

Heartslabyul

Raptor:

The Heartslabyul boys are rightfully afraid of Raptor Harpy!Yuu. Riddle especially doesn't like them due to them attempting to eat a hedgehog when they first met. The only reason they still come to Heartslabyul is that Ace and Deuce are entertaining to watch.

Hen

Hen Harpy!Yuu is better for them. They enjoy the garden and will bask in the sun during tea time. They are a bit of a mother hen to the boys and constantly try to keep them out of trouble. Riddle isn't a fan of having a wing shoved in his face when the Harpy decides it's nap time

Savanaclaw

Raptor:

They fit right in. Harpies are rare but there are one or two living in the dorm. Unfortunately, they aren't compatible species. Like owls and crows, they don't get along. That's why they spend time with Jack and Ruggie more than other harpies. It's about mutualism.

Jack was afraid of the harpy at first but they became good friends who enjoy racing together. Ruggie uses them for pranks and stealing food like a seagull. Leona will chase off the nosy bird whenever he's eating and when Yuu's eating he'll chase them off to eat their food. They are like a lion and a vulture. When he has to babysit Cheka he will sneak the cub under Yuu to convince them to watch him. I works but Leona has to fight to get his nephew back every time.

Hen:

A big cuddly bird like them has a lot a trouble from Ruggie who will startle them when their nesting just to get an egg. Ruggie is like a fox in a chicken coop. Every encounter ends up with him covered in feathers and scratches.

Jack is protective of the hen due to Ruggie constantly bullying the poor chicken. He worries a lot about them losing feathers and an instance of them breaking a blood feather led to panic then he had to pull it for them.

Leona likes using the hen's wings as down feather pillows. Their warm and soft which is enough for him. Whenever they try to escape Leona threatens to turn them into a real pillow by plucking their wings bald.

Octavinelle

Raptor:

Yuu loves flying over the waves but the lounge doesn't suit them. They like fish and enjoy catching food.

Azul makes use of the harpy as he can. They are good at fishing using a net, not that fish is in short supply. He had hoped the harpy could at least sing but they aren't a songbird and don't sing for free.

Jade enjoys studying the harpy. His favorite so far is seeing the harpy eat. They don't need to cook their food and he watched as they gutted a fish and swallowed it whole. It was horrifying. Jade was amazed and has since showed everyone. Yuu however had to stop due to it not being good to eat fish bones constantly.

Floyd enjoys using his raptor friend for when he gets into a fight. He once got bored and picked a fight but when he got punched the bird tackled them mid-flight.

Hen:

They are not a big fan of swimming outside of floating on the water. The lounge is at least safe, mostly.

Azul is not allowed near their wings without permission. He always wants to takes their best feathers for quills. Yuu let's him take a limited number due to their high quality.

Jade is an egg thief who tries to get his hands on one to cook. Yuu is willing to peck his glowing eye out if he doesn't just ask for an egg. But where is the fun in that?

Floyd loves a game of chicken chasing. Spook the hen into a frenzy and turn then into a tornado of flying feathers.

They don't always get along but the hen still stays around. It's not all bad. The food is good and when the boys aren't agitating it's nice.

Scarabia

Raptor:

Polly doesn't want a cracker, Polly wants fresh meat. The dorm too hot for them but the water helps keep them cool so they stick with Kalim

Kalim loves his birdy friend. The harpy is very patient with him and lets him do as he pleases. The raptor learned to tolerate the constant touching. Kalim will at least race with Yuu on his flying carpet so they don't get bored.

Jamil has boundaries at least. He takes advantage of the talents of the harpy to find lost objects. He pays in food so the harpy is always willing to help.

Hen:

Polly wants crackers, lots and lots of crackers!

Hen Yuu loves Kalim and doesn't mind the affection. Will willingly let him dye their feathers. Kalim at least asks for feathers so he can turn them into earrings and necklaces.

Jamil likes that Yuu likes to clean since they are more domestic than feral like their Raptor counterpart. Yuu also helps cook.

During the winter Hen wraps her wings around the boys to keep them warm with their fluffy feathers.

Pomefiore

Raptor:

Yuu only comes to steal nesting material from the peacocks and fabric scraps. At least initially.

Vil isn't a fan of the foul fowl that causes trouble. The bird enjoys ripping up his curtains to decorate their nest. He had to relent eventually when he made a deal for help with the nest if they stop. This ended with Vil being covered in dirt and twigs. He refuses to help again.

Rook started to hunt the Harpy like game fowl until Yuu took notice. They managed to strike a deal where they help each other hunt. Like a falcon and their handler Yuu tips Rook off to the locations of his prey. In exchange Yuu gets snacks.

Epel uses the harpy as an escape. When Vil is looking for him he grabs the bird by the talons and they fly off. They are partners in crime now and steal material together.

Hen:

Is a thief as well but doesn't steal. They collect discarded fabric and fallen feathers.

Vil took interest in the pretty bird and chose to help them. He found clothes that would suit the harpy since pants aren't easy to put on when you have bird talons. The harpy stuck to Greco-Roman-style robes but they were too plain for Vil. He found small gold chains and beads to decorate their wings.

Rook is sensible not to startle the hen. He likes watching and studying them through. He is kind enough to tend to their wings. Removing broken feathers(to collect), preening, and cleaning. In response, the hen likes to try to preen their human.

Epel is used to chickens but this is one big chicken. That being said he knows what those feathered furys do. He is wise to not cause trouble around them. He would never fight in front of Yuu.

Ignihyde

Raptor:

The harpy feels at home here. Perfect nesting spots and the language is familiar. People are very afraid of them as well.

Idia is scared of harpies. They are known in stories for earing people and everyone knows that. Sure he's never met a human-eating harpy and Yuu probably doesn't want to eat blue fire but he's sure he'll be eaten.

Ortho is curious about the harpy but the harpy doesn't notice him. They don't interact.

Hen:

The hen finds the technology of the dorm disarming. They don't care for sparks, fire or metal. Is to dark here. So they flew the coop.

Idia is less afraid but still won't be caught near the bird and Ortho does the same.

Diasomnia

Raptor:

The perfect place to rest. The gargoyles seem to agree. Feels right at home among the crows.

Lilia hadn't met another harpy in a while and enjoys talking to Yuu. They fly together after dark.

Sebek is constantly about to get a talon to the face. The harpy doesn't like his attitude and will attack.

Silver and Yuu don't talk often but Yuu will rest in a tree while Silver sleeps under the shade.

Malleus is Yuu's ally. Birds and lizards stick together. They actually share an interest in gargoyles unexpectedly due to Yuu nesting and high places so often.

Hen:

Yuu doesn't fit but still enjoys the dorm.

Lilia loves to tease the hen and gets hit with a wing flap when they get mad. Yuu does come by to cook sometimes with him.

Sebek doesn't know that chickens have a pecking order. When he speaks out of turn or yells he gets a wing smack or the hen will pin him down until he submits.

Silver is so calming that Yuu will sleep next to him while basking in the sun.

Malleus has good vibes. Yuu trusts him to tend to their feathers. When Yuu's mother visited to have them watch her egg Yuu trusted Malleus to help tend to a nest. Egg sitting doesn't come naturally to him since he would rather light a fire under it and bury it in the ground like a dragon.

#harpy!yuu #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #vil shoenheit x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #malleus x reader #riddle rosehearts x reader #leona x reader #floyd leech #jade leech x reader #ruggie x reader #lilia x reader #twst jack x reader #idia shroud x reader #ortho shroud #sebek zigvolt x reader #silver vanrouge #kalim x reader #jamil viper x reader #ace trapolla x yuu #deuce spade x reader

[welcome-to-green-hills]

Sonic Prime positivity headcanons?

Hello, my dear!❤️✨

Positivity headcanons… hmm! Okay, I’ve got some:

When Green Hill was restored—just a bit after Shadow took the prism and before the picnic on the beach—Sonic made sure to give each of his friends a very, very long hug. Especially Tails.

Shadow learns to accept hugs from Sonic and to not fight him. Sure, he still flops around like a noodle in Sonic’s arms, but he grows to like them.

Sonic has an irrational fear of the dentist. It’s usually a team effort to get him to go and stay with him. He’s much more willing to go if he gets either a lollipop at the end, or gets to dig around in the prize box for a small Cracker Jack toy.

Shadow and Sonic use the prism every once in a while to check in on everyone in different shatter spaces.

Shadow and Sonic are very, very close after restoring the shatter-verse.😏

All of the palm trees have names, as well as a back storySonic and Amy get really offended if you don’t address them by their names (Their personal favorite is “Steve,” he lives by the beach and daydreams of being a chef).

None of them (except for Amy) knows how to cook. Sonic and Tails are notorious for setting fires in the kitchen and burning food.

Rebel and Renegade run for public office and win in a landslide. They’re marketing campaign consisted of eco-friendly reconstruction and more palm trees to plant.

Rusty and Black Rose sail across No Place in search of mystical gems and shiny gold rings. They’re also an old sea tale (that Catfish 100% “did not” make up) of them slaying a water monster that swallowed glowing rocks.

Prim and Thorn learn to mend their relationship and talk a bit more about their feelings. They bond over throwing spears and planting trees.

Gnarly is convinced that werehogs are real and sets traps for them all around the Bozcage Maze.

Nine reprogram the Alphas to have free will. They think and feel, but keep him company. Nine knows that it’s not the same, but he’s content with the company.

The Chaos Council are still drifting through the Void and spend more time arguing with each other than before.

Sonic has severe separation anxiety.

Big, New Yoke Big (would his name be “Smalls?” I’m calling him Smalls), Hangry, and Catfish like to take naps in high places. Whether it’s in trees, the ship’s sails, or on the roof, he likes to find a quiet place to nap.

Of all of the crew members on the Kracken that have a bounty on their head, Froggy has the biggest reward money. His crimes are too horrific to ignore.

Mangey makes a really good fruit salad.

Rouge knows everyone’s deepest and darkest secrets. She likes to playfully tease her friends about it once in a blue moon.

If Sonic and his friends go on walks in the forest, everyone needs to stop and let Amy talk to the birds. She loves the Flickies and can name every species.

Shadow guards the damned 4th chaos emerald (and the Paradox Prism) with his life.

#Sonic Prime #I miss you Sonic Prime 🫡🥺 #mystery anon #off topic

[total-convergence]

This is a sandwalker, common in the “african” deserts of AfroEuroAustralAsia. These animals belong to a diverse group often called “the Headless”, or “Bluebloods” because most of them look like they lack necks, which isn’t quite true. Their ancestors, the giant malaysian cockroach, ironicaly has a very flexible “neck” for an insect. Some call them “Bluebloods” because they have blue, copper based blood, and also a lot more efficient vascular system than their sixty million years old ancestor. The sandwalkers are rather primitive compared to the other headless, but evolved extremely rapidly like the rest of them.

The malaysian roaches were one of the first animals to re-colonize the islands in oceania devastated by human activity (it was also very common for them to raft since the ocean levels were quickly rising) and so they appeared in an environment with many unoccupied niches and no predators with the exception of birds, that later established populations on said islands too. A lot of the already big roaches grew even bigger because the bigger you are, the more you can eat and the harder it is for the birds to swallow you. Larger individuals would also have slightly different calls due to their body shape, and so they would more likely socialize and mate with similarly sized roaches, resulting in a very slow sympatric speciation contributing to the headless’ / bluebloods’ evolution. The manmade nanite activity has driven many species to extinction, but in case of these giant roaches, they speeded up their enlargement process, because the odds we on their side and the nanites caused several random mutations that contributed to the developement of active respiration and later complex vascular system. As the sea levels were decreasing, the islands of what was previously Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua new Guinea and the neighbouring countries, increased in numbers, size and diversity, and so did the headless. They later dispersed into what used to be Australia, where they also thrived. When Australia started colliding with Asia (ca. 50my after human extinction), the headless experienced a huge decline because of the competition from mainland animals, but a few of them have managed to spread far into the west into Africa, which by now was separated from Asia and Europe by tall mountains instead of the sea. And among these bluebloods are the sandwalkers.

Oh and about the organ on the male’s back? These are modified wings. Giant malaysian cockroach females lack wings completely, and so do the sandwalker females. Males use these “wings” to serenade for the females with chirps and buzzes. The hind wing became a stump, while the fore wing went harder and immobile, completely encircled the hind wing and fused with the carapace. Males create these sounds by stridulation, vibrating the hind wing while it is in contact with the grooved carapace. The immobile fore wing acts as a sound amplifier. Different headless species have different shapes of these structures, creating vastly different mating calls. The larger ones make sounds similar to a pitched-down chainsaw and can travel for houndreds of meters.

And here’s a bit more cartoonish one. Her name is Head and she belongs to a young Yuo Yowa (a species not introduced yet) merchant who travels around the desert and sells low quality salt for high prices.

#artists on tumblr #creature design #digital art #speculative evolution #worldbuilding #spec bio #spec evo #speculative fiction #oc art #small artist #art

[artechoceneexplorer]

Salmonids of Artechocene Antarctica:

While thawing, the glaciers of Antarctica created an abundance of meltwater streams that now feed countless kilometres of freshwater ecosystems. At first nothing more than insect larvae and some crustaceans called these new environments home, but eventually fish entered the equation and quickly dominated.

One group of these fish were salmonids coming from South American coasts, descendants of invasive species such as the brown trout. They weren't the first, but they were much better at filling a lot of niches than the native Nothotenioids, which lacked hemoglobin and swim bladders.

And so they almost outcompeted these to extinction, and diversified into several genera classified roughly in three distinct groups: Helaks, Helerrets, and Valhallaks.

Most of the Helaks species are amongst the largest predators of the continent, and the Golden Helaks (Gjollsalmo fulgens) is the largest of them all, measuring up to 2 meters (7ft) long and more than 100kg (250lb) in weight. They're apex predators, using their size to block scape routes for prey fish of any size and swallowing them whole, preventing them from scaping thanks to its huge backwards facing teeth. They're also known to eat crustaceans and even birds that venture too deep into the water. They live in every waterway across Antarctica, with the adults being confined to the deeper canals and lakes.

Helerrets are the most common salmonids that can be found in the rivers, lakes and wetlands of the continent. These medium sized predators mainly feed on the abundance of mollusks and other hard shelled invertebrates, as well as smaller vertebrates occasionally. This diet is enabled by their strong jaws, combined with blunt teeth that can crack open the shells of most freshwater invertebrates in their habitats. They're also the only Antarctic salmonids that retain the anadromous habits of its ancestors, living in freshwater but migrating to coastal waters to reproduce and release their young into the rich waters of the Southern Ocean.

The Bullheart Helerret (Slidrsalmo oatensis) in particular is native to the drainage basins that flow into Oates bay, where members of this species comes to spawn.

Valhallaks are a group of salmonids with remarkable sexual dimorphism compared to their close relatives. They are typically found in shallow rivers all across the continent, where they feed on invertebrates and vegetation.

Although not as common as Helerrets, they are abundant, specially in alpine streams and lakes during the end of the summer, where they come to spawn, away from predators so their eggs are protected by ice during the winter.

The Bearded Valhallaks (Valholsalmo auratops) specifically is endemic to the Vostok river drainage basin, which originates in Vostok Lake where they reproduce.

Range of the species featured:

#art #speculative biology #illustration #speculative evolution #speculative #fish #salmon #antarctica

[dougdimmadodo]

Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus)

Family: "Old-World" Monkey Family (Cercopithecidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered

Distinguished from other macaques by their thick grey or brown fur and extremely short tails (which measure only around 2-3cm/0.7-1.9 inches in length, and are easily missed,) Barbary Macaques are native to cool, mountainous regions of Morocco and Algeria, but are also present as an invasive species on the European island of Gibraltar (making this species the only non-human primate living wild in Europe.) Favouring cedar forest habitats, members of this species live in large mixed-sex troops led by a dominant female; females inherit their rank from their mothers (with the largest, strongest daughter of the dominant female becoming the troop’s leader following her mother’s passing) while males form a separate hierarchy with larger, older individuals at the top. Barbary Macaques breed between November and December and are noted to be highly promiscuous, with both sexes seeking out several mates in a single season (so much so that in small troops it is possible that every unrelated adult in the group will eventually mate with one another,) and when females give birth in the following spring every member of the group, including males and females that did not mate in the previous season, will contribute to carrying, feeding, teaching and protecting the young - male parental care is rare in other macaque species, but it has been suggested that, as male Barbary Macaques have no way of knowing which, if any, of the young born each year are theirs they become invested in the wellbeing of all of them (studies into interactions between males and infants suggests that they may even have “favourite children”, which they play with more often than other infants in the troop.) Like other macaques, Barbary Macaques are diurnal and spend much of the day foraging on the ground, feeding on nuts, fruits, roots, mushrooms, insects and small vertebrates such as frogs; when foraging they frantically stuff food into pouches in their cheeks to be swallowed later while at least one member of the troop remains on “sentry duty” surveying their surroundings and releasing a harsh alarm call at the first sign of predators (such as Golden Jackals or large birds-of-prey,) encouraging their troop-mates to take cover in the lower canopy of nearby trees.

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Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/43452-Macaca-sylvanus

#Barbary Macaque #barbary macaque #macaque #macaques #monkey #monkeys #zoology #biology #mammalogy #primatology #animal #animals #wildlife #African wildlife #European wildlife #mammal #mammals #primate #primates

[petnews2day]

Missing Woman Discovered In Belly Of Enormous Python Snake

New Post has been published on https://petnews2day.com/pet-news/small-pet-news/missing-woman-discovered-in-belly-of-enormous-python-snake/

Missing Woman Discovered In Belly Of Enormous Python Snake

A python snake in Indonesia killed a grandmother and swallowed her whole, according to authorities.

By Vic Medina | Published 4 days ago

File this under “ways you never want to die:” according to a report by LiveScience, an Indonesian woman was killed after she was swallowed whole by a giant python. The woman’s body was found last week after an extensive search, making the tragedy one of several recent disturbing incidents involving slithery creatures. The killer python measured over 22 feet long, dwarfing the size of a giant python recently found in the state of Florida.

The woman, a 54-year-old grandmother named Jahrah, was reported missing on October 23 by her family, after she failed to return home in her village in the province of Jambi on the island of Sumatra, the sixth-largest island in the world and home to dense jungles and a wide variety of wildlife. Her husband led a search party in the surrounding area, but she was not found the first night, although searchers did discover her sandals and some articles of her clothing, leading to fears she encountered one of the region’s dangerous animals.

The following day, searchers spotted the giant python near the spot where the sandals and clothing were found. When they realized it had a large stomach bulge, residents from the local village chased it down and killed it. The python snake was brought back to the village, where it was split open and a body was found inside, and was identified as the missing woman.

S Harefa, the local police chief in Jambi, confirmed the woman was indeed the victim.

We should note here that video of the python being killed and split open is available on Twitter, however, because of its graphic nature, we did not include it here. It is available if you search for it, although we strongly suggest you do not, as it is stomach-churning.

A colorful python

Pythons are common in Indonesia, with a number of varieties calling the island home. That includes green tree pythons, amethystine pythons, Sumatran short-tailed pythons, and reticulated pythons (the longest snake species in the world). In 2018, another Indonesian woman died when a python ate her.

However, despite their size and imposing look, it is very rare for a python to eat or even kill a human. Even the large reticulated pythons tend to hunt prey much smaller than them, usually civets, birds, pigs or a monkey, if they can catch one. They tend to avoid humans, because our shoulders are incredibly difficult for them to swallow.

Pythons are also an invasive species, and have flourished in Florida when people let them go in the wild. Every year, the state holds a roundup, paying people who bring in pythons they find in the Everglades. This past year, over 200 Burmese pythons were caught, which only makes a small dent in the population.

While python snakes are often the apex snake predator, that isn’t always the case. Recently, a Miami zoo discovered that a Florida cottonmouth had escaped its enclosure and entered a python enclosure, which then proceeded to eat it whole.

Despite their size, python snakes are especially agile and will find their way into homes. An Australian family made that chilling discovery when a giant python was found in their bathroom, which they believe entered through a dryer vent.

#Small Pets News

[andy-clutterbuck]

9x02 | The Bridge

#here comes Papa Bear 🐻💖 #Rick Grimes #* #rg #S9 #💕 Fuzzy Daddy 💕 #FLUFFY REGAL SANTA TEDDY BEAR FACE #like a gracefully aging king #who doesn't need to but he's still out leading his troops into battle #check.....check.....yep this look still has me open like Motel 6 #bout to make like that time i played Life and had so many kids i had to get an extra car #i feel that exhale #like a lot #ya ever just want to rub someone's forearm #no just me? #ok #*that text post about blood adding seasoning or flavor or whatever* #me as that post #also his arm hair but i'm not gonna be that weird right now #there are several species of birds called swallows #they are all me #hello welcome to the tour #on your left you will see A MAN™ #excuse me sir please put your forearms away thank you #still want to rub his head like it's a crystal ball and i'm a cheap ass fortune teller at a county fair #and it's been almost 4 years #excuse me but The Nose™

[outofangband]

Flora and fauna of Gondolin, Tumladen and the Surrounding Mountains

Flora and fauna of Arda 

Disclaimer: I used both what we can extrapolate is likely indigenous to the region based on descriptions of the landscape and climate and weather as well as my own headcanons and inspirations and reference books on similar habitats as well as The Atlas of Middle Earth and The Flora of Middle Earth

I really love working on and researching these! and as always feel free to ask more, even if I’ve already done a place I’d always enjoy going into more detail of tacking a more specific kind of life there

Gondolin was a city and stronghold of the Noldorin prince (later king) Turgon. It was hidden in the middle of Beleriand. In the middle of the green valley of Tumladen in the Encircling Mountains there was a flat stone called Amon Gwareth. This was where Turgon and his followers built the city of Gondolin which was the longest lived stronghold of the Noldor in Beleriand. 

Note: by reading this you are agreeing by Oath to King Turgon not to reveal the following information to Morgoth or anyone associated with Morgoth including orcish, Ainur and human allies, and, Valar forbid it, any elves who have fallen into his thrall. To avoid the following information landing in the hands of the enemy, it is highly recommended you do not reveal it to kin or friend either.  (this is a joke, please feel free to reblog)

There are a few plants and animals directly associated with Gondolin in the text and though several of them are of Tolkien’s own invention, we do have information about the real life species that inspire them.  These include: -Elanor flower said to grow between the fifth and sixth gates of Gondolin. These flowers are starlike and golden yellow. It is believed that the closest approximation are several species in the family Anagallis.  -Evermind, Simbelmynë, Uilos  These are based on species in the anemone family or windflowers. These are also starlike but are white.  Elanor is associated with the sixth gate and is connected to gold and Laurelin whereas Evermind grows near the Fifth Gate, the gate of Silver and is connected to Telperion. 

As Tuor is offered wine near the second gate, it can be inferred that there are grape vines that produce fruit harvested for wines. (see my note about gardens) The city and its gates are surrounded by hawthorns, likely several different species.  As Gondolin contains countless gardens it would be nigh impossible to list every possible flower that grew here especially as many were likely brought from outside the region. So I will instead focus on a possible list of flowers that originally grew around Tumladen and the mountains. 

I would love to do another post on gardens and agriculture/horticultre of Gondolin if anyone is interested though! This could be especially fun because there are ornamental ponds and fountains that could have fish, reptiles and amphibians too. 

Flowers and herbaceous plants of Tumladen and the surrounding region may include globeflower, mountain rose, snow dock, fairy foxglove, white dryad, species of willowherb, sticklewort, columbine, thorny burr, meadow saffron, crosswort and more.  Silver fir, larch, and species of mountainous oak are also possible. 

Various species of white birds that are also associated with Ulmo are described as dwelling in and around the city. Gondolin and the surrounding areas were also home to the great eagles including Thorondor who was a friend to Turgon. It is likely that non magical eagles also roosted in the region including the golden eagle, tawny eagle, and bald eagle. 

We also have some information we can extrapolate from the names of the Twelve Houses, many of which are flora or fauna (tree, golden flower, mole, white wing, swallow). Obviously these are vague rather than specific species but it is possible to get some options based on other information. 

Swallows are the symbol of one of the Houses of the Gondolin lords. There are numerous species of swallow. Possibilities for Gondolin are the house martin and hill swallow. 

Likewise moles are a family rather than a single species. Moles in Gondolin were likely one or more of a number of European and Asian species. 

A selection of other birds of Gondolin and the surrounding region include snow geese, dusky and grasshopper warbler, flowerpeckers,  saker falcon, pallid and hen harrier, whistling duck, emerald, fruit and shy ground doves, eagle owl, fairywrens, a variety of thrushes and sparrows, and crows. I’ve always liked the idea of passenger pigeons in Gondolin too though these are likely brought by the elves rather than native to the region. 

I’ve also always had a headcanon of leopards living on the outskirts of the city and in the surrounding mountains.  Other mammals include white footed and (likely different colored subspecies of) red foxes, gray wolves, sables, polecats, and European and Asian badgers, reindeer, white breasted hedgehog, horseshoe and common long eared bats, mountain hares, hazel and forest dormouse, wood, field and spiny mice, and more. 

Note that many of these are found in the mountains and not in the city itself. 

Snake eyed lizards and numerous species of wall lizard can be found basking on various walls and stones in the city as well as in Tumladen and the surrounding region. The marginated tortoise is also a possibility as are whip snakes.  Tree frogs can be found within the gates and outside the city in ponds and streams, brook, golden striped and Alpine salamanders live. 

Lists of insects are incredibly difficult given the vast number of species but given the amount of gardens I imagine there are numerous pollinating species possibly including orange tip, nettle tree, meadow brown, fiery copper, chalk hill blue and green hairstreak butterflies, species of Ennominae moths, and honeybees at least. 

Also I now have a darker fic about Gondolin called Within These White Walls. It’s a much less pleasant take on Húrin and Huor’s stay

#Gondolin #The Silmarillion #Fall of Gondolin #tfog #Beleriand #musing and meta #can reblog

[hunters-of-the-wastes]

Functional Polymelia

Polymelia is a rare birth defect in which the affected individual has more than the usual number of limbs, usually five or more. In this congenital defect, the extra limb is most commonly abnormal in shape and size and may appear as a shrunken limb. The presence of extra limbs, higher than the normal number is technically termed as supernumerary limbs. 

Polymelia can be in the form of dipygus deformity, which is a severe congenital anomaly in which the body axis forks along the abdomen and the lower extremities such as the pelvis and legs become duplicated, giving rise to two pelvises and four legs. The type of polymelia depends on the position at which the accessory limb is attached to the body. Thus, polymelia can be classified as follows: 

Cephalomelia: Extra-limb attached to the head 

Pyromelia: Extra-limb attached to the pelvis 

Thoracomelia: Extra-limb attached to the thorax 

Notomelia: Extra-limb attached to the backbone 

Polymelia can be caused by one of several factors but the most common of which include Genetic Factors: These include defects in the chromosomes and transgenes. One or more genes may undergo a change, technically termed a mutation. Sometimes, a part of a gene may be missing. These changes can result in improper cell division and/or proliferation, leading to polymelia. In this genetic birth disorder, conjoined twins can sometimes be formed in which one of them undergoes degeneration while still in the womb, but its shrunken limbs may remain attached to the remaining fetus, thereby giving rise to polymelia. 

In the case of Mutation exposure to infectious agents, medications, and chemicals during pregnancy can influence the pattern of gene expression that can lead to polymelia. In the case of Functional Polymelia, a condition found throughout many mutated bird species in the world, it is caused by the introduction of the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) or similar mutagenic's. Why it is only birds that present with Functional Polymelia is unknown- but as with many various species, exposure to variant's of mutagenic chemical's or such have a tendency to affect different species in various ways. 

In the case of many bird species it affects them by giving them a extra pair of legs and while many creatures will present with some form of Polymelia, Birds are one of a very few species in which the limbs are actually functional, leading many to call it the Gryphon Gene, after the famous 4-legged bird beast from Greek Mythology. 

Functional Polymelia presents itself in a number of various birds species across the world. Most famous are various species of Owl (famously Barn and Snowy Owls), a majority of the Vulture family and smaller birds such as hawks, falcons, swifts, robins, swallows and finches as well as pigeon's.

Unlike the Raptorism mutation, Functional Polymelia does not seem to hinder a birds ability to fly, and in fact many seem to become better fliers with the additional limbs, thought to be due to the addition of larger chest and shoulder muscles.

#fallout 4 world building #fallout 4 #fallout fev #fallout #fallout au #fo4 #fallout world building

[carnegiemuseumnaturalhistory]

Spring Birds in Your Backyard

by Annie Lindsay

On spring mornings that I’m not banding birds, I like to sit on my back porch with my binoculars, watching for movement at the edge of the woods behind my house, keeping my ears tuned in to songs and short, usually high-pitched, chip and contact notes. On mornings following a night of heavy migration, small flocks of mixed species often move through the trees, feeding on insects as they refuel for the next stage of migration. These flocks often have warblers, thrushes, tanagers, grosbeaks, or sparrows foraging in their own niches: warblers tend to be in mid- to high-canopy, whereas thrushes stay low and sparrows are often on the ground.

Occasionally, I’ll stand outside in a quiet, dark spot just before dawn and listen for the soft, high-pitched flight calls of migrants settling into habitat after a night of flying. I’m an avid birder: I love to see both new and familiar birds, and watch the species that use my yard and favorite birding patches.

Baltimore Orioles arrive in southwest PA by mid-to late-April. Providing fresh orange halves on spikes can bring them to your feeders from spring through fall migration.

Last year, many people discovered birding. We spent much of the spring working from home, perhaps gazing out of our windows at our bird feeders or backyard plants, and for the first time noticed birds that we didn’t know existed or didn’t realize visited our yards. The opportunity to learn about the diversity of birds in our area and develop a passion for watching them was a bright spot (both literally and metaphorically!) in an otherwise difficult year. The seasons progressed, and now we once again eagerly anticipate the arrival of beautiful and colorful migratory songbirds. Let’s explore common spring backyard birds in southwest Pennsylvania and how to attract and find them!

Dark-eyed Juncos are a species we usually associate with winter in southwest PA. They start singing in March, then do an elevational migration up the nearby mountains.

Each year, as the temperature warms, migratory birds move through our area in search of their breeding grounds. Although arrival timing is a bit variable between years due to annual variation in weather patterns, there is a predictable progression of species, so we know what to expect next relative to what we’ve already seen. The first, and often most conspicuous, to arrive are Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, usually in late February. They are followed by “peenting” American Woodcocks in early March, Eastern Phoebes in mid-March, and kinglets peaking in late-March. Keep your eyes to the sky any time you’re outdoors during these early spring weeks to watch for migrating waterfowl and raptors.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks readily visit feeders with black oil sunflower seeds or safflower seeds usually in early- to mid-May before moving off into the forest to set up breeding territories.

By April, more songbirds, including vireos, swallows, early warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (a tiny bird with a wheezy song), House Wren, and the fan favorite, Gray Catbird make their way through our region, many remaining here to set up their breeding territories. In May, the migration floodgates open and some of the most brilliantly plumaged birds we’ve ever seen, like Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, and several warblers, may visit our yards and feeders, along with the less flashy, but equally beautiful, sparrows and thrushes.

Orioles readily come to feeders with orange halves, especially during migration, and seed-eating species like grosbeaks, buntings, and sparrows often visit feeders with sunflower or other seeds (or, in the case of many sparrows, clean up seeds on the ground under feeders!). Hummingbirds come to feeders with nectar (four parts water to one part white sugar, please avoid using food dyes or commercial nectar that has been dyed red). Most of these species are insectivorous, especially during spring migration, and are often observed picking things like caterpillars, midges, and spiders from foliage.

Yellow Warblers are often recognized by their signature “sweet sweet I’m so sweet!” song. You may see them flitting through small woody plants like dogwoods as they forage for caterpillars.

In addition to the migratory species that we see and hear in the spring, many birds that are year-round residents also frequent our yards. Black-capped and Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Wrens, five species of woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Pileated, and Northern Flicker, plus two more if we’re lucky – Red-headed Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker), and the colorful American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, and Eastern Bluebird mix with migratory birds. Most of these species visit bird feeders filled with sunflower or safflower seeds (chickadees, titmice, cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers), suet (woodpeckers, wrens), nyjer seed (finches), and mealworms (bluebirds, titmice, chickadees).

Gray-cheeked Thrushes are cryptic and secretive, but can be found skulking on the forest floor in mid- to late-May before they continue northward migration. They have a beautiful, flutey song and a distinctive call note.

One of the best ways to attract birds to your yard is planting native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and other plants. Native plants are hosts for a high diversity of insects, especially during their larval stages, and provide nutritious seeds and fruit, all of which are important food resources for birds. These plants are also valuable as cover for safety and nest sites. Although often overlooked, a source of clean, fresh water, as simple as a bird bath or as complex as a pond with a bubbler or waterfall, can make your yard especially attractive to birds. And one of the easiest and most popular ways to attract birds for close viewing is providing bird food in clean, safe feeders. I recommend visiting your local bird feeding specialty store.

You may see all of the birds mentioned in this blog in your yard, but this is a non-exhaustive list and you may even see something unexpected. Visiting a local birding hotspot with complex and diverse habitats is certainly worth the effort as well. Birding these spots several times throughout the season will reward you with an impressive list and will boost your knowledge of natural history. The combination of a good pair of binoculars and a field guide with identification tips, range maps, and text about habitat is one of the best ways to maximize your birding, whether at home or in the field.

Please visit CMNH’s blog page to find bird ID tips and field guide recommendations.

The Audubon Society put together a great guide to the best binoculars at various price ranges.

You can put your bird observation skills to good use (or further develop those skills) by participating this spring in a broad survey of local wildlife and plants called the City Nature Challenge. The observation portion of this event is April 30 – May 3.

Annie Lindsay is the Bird Banding Program Manager at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Powdermill Nature Reserve. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

#Carnegie Museum of Natural History #Powdermill Nature Reserve #Birding #Bird banding #Migration #Spring migration #Migratory birds

[theramseyloft]

I revere pigeons. Their care and history is my special interest and they occupy my mind almost all the time. The knowledge that someone is deliberately hurting and neglecting ones they've stolen from caring, safer environments and people that were concerned for their wellbeing has me crying. Imagine being so empty as a person, to go so far as to injure a pigeon for imaginary internet points and attention.

I have been trying to work up the energy to write a post about this for weeks.

Christmas eve of 2018, my business page was contacted by some one looking for birds. 

In January 2019, he let slip that he was a minor, and that his parents were adamantly opposed to him having birds.

Minors whose parents are not fully supportive of their choice of pet are a hard no in my screening process. He kept asking questions as if preparing to care for birds he expected me to sell or adopt to him, and every time, I would ask to speak to his legal guardian. He did everything he could, from telling me his mom would call me later, to eventually calling my personal phone in the middle of the night to try and coerce me into sneaking him birds under the cover of darkness. I got to the point where I would only answer his questions about available birds with "Have your legal guardian ask me." About this time, Palomacy's head, Elizabeth, came to me privately to warn me not to adopt to him. I know she thinks breeders will do anything for a sale, but my screening process for babies I have hatched is every bit as strict as my screening process for rescues. I told her I had no plans to. But confessed that I’d had a troubled history of using rescue as a coping mechanism for an abusive home situation when I was in college, and felt obligated to mentor him. I was also taken in by the charming 'enthusiastic teen who really wants to learn' facade that he's so artfully developed. So, when he used a different name to get into the Small Scale Rescue and House Pet/Therapy pigeon discord servers, and let slip who he was by accident, I was content to let him stay, hoping that the information we share would help him develop into a better care taker. But more and more red flags started popping up.

One pigeon’s bare neck, claimed to have been a wonky molt, but inflamed and bristling with filoplumes (The avian equivalent of whiskers;thin hair like feathers that also fall out during that heavy a molt)

The same bird claimed to have eaten playdough and thrown it up, in a photo with a cage full of green, moldy poop. (Where did the bird get playdough? Why was it allowed to get far enough to swallow it?)

The same bird claimed to have coins and chunks of carrot pulled out of his crop (things a pigeon can’t physically swallow unaided)

In every progressive photo, the feathers are thinner and more bedraggled and the bird himself was losing weight.

That pigeon mysteriously vanished, only got him to get two more, and mention nonchallantly after the fact that “Oh, puff died last week.”

His new pet pigeons, who supposedly lived in their own room in his house, got out while he was moving a couch.

He got, and promptly lost two other rescue birds from the rescue I posted about late in the summer that was shut down by her city and urgently needed homes for their birds.

When told Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue was going to be warned about adopting to him, this is what he posted on my education server:

He had his eye on a bird of mine (Frito), talking him down like he was undesirable or unadoptable, and reasoning that I’d have a hard time finding a home for him because of his bad personality.

Frito washed from therapy training due to INTENSE dislike of his harness.

That, and that he had developed a strong independent streak and prefered the company of other birds to people were the first things I told Brysen when he asked after that specific bird.

In one channel of the server, he would be talking to me about how he didn’t mind Frito just being a pretty house bird and would be ok if he never warmed up to being handled...

While, in another, he would be posting harnesses, asking if they would work for Frito, and asking other residents how to make an independent bird get used to being handled.

When I called him on it, he came into my DMs with this mess:

(The turn around in tone in the 12 hours I was too angry to respond is almost funny..)

Remember that rescue from earlier?

These are screenshots of her conversation with him (used with permission) about the birds that were lost, sent to the person in charge of Palomacy, where he was an active member on their platform at the time, to warn that he was preying on rescues to get more birds:

This conversation clearly illustrates that he was using us and Palomacy only to adapt the way he preys on rescues.

There is a reason he preys on rescues. We are hopeful for people to improve. So he expects infinite chances from us. And he expects that a correctly worded apology will erase any consequences. He preys on pigeons because there are no laws in the US concerning their welfare. Despite being domestic animals (the pigeons brought by Europeans to North America had been domesticated for thousands of years, and there were no natives of the same species or even in the Columba genus to mix back with); Pigeons are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources, which governs wildlife, and legally classifies them as an invasive pest. The Department of Agriculture is the one that presides over domestic animals and investigates animal cruelty. They may only act for the welfare of pigeons under the specific circumstance of the pigeons in question being meat breeds bred for squab intended for human consumption via restaurants. In any other instance, killing a pigeon by any means, including torture, is legally equivalent to pest control. There are no legal consequences for it.

After I blocked and banned him, it came to light through several sources in personal contact with him that he maimed, killed, and discarded 25 birds that we know of, and he is still trying to get more.

Several people who denied him birds shared screen shots with us proving that they were also sexually harassed and threatened with sexual violence by him.

Several of the people who came to us told us that they had also tried to warn Palomacy, but their comments were immediately erased.

Brysen was allowed to continue to speak openly on their platform with no consequences, allowing him to truthfully say that he was being mentored by Palomacy to lull smaller rescues into a false sense of security and convince them to give him birds.

They had two articles on their website about what a wonderful young rescuer he was, only taken down after they tried to claim I had doxxed an innocent child, and it was pointed out to them that their public articles had his full current address, date and place of birth, and a photo of him in front of his house. I had beef enough with the organization before this that I will not go into on this post, but I am disgusted by the way Elizabeth silenced her own admins and community members from warning other rescues and individuals and tried to shut the rescue up who sent the above screen shots when she came forward about the birds he tricked her into bringing to Ga who were immediately killed. And then blamed her for their deaths. @tutu.pigeon brought me those screen shots the day after I banned him and one of my server mods took it upon themself to be a voice for his other victims by creating the Instagram @exposing_helluva_duv What ever respect I might have had for Palomacy is permanently destroyed.

You cannot call yourself a rescue if you cover for a serial abuser, actively prevent his victims from warning the rest of their community, and then blame those victims for having been taken advantage of.

The harm that that, combined with everything else I have beef with, has done so out weighs any good that I can no longer, in good conscience, attempt to put aside our differences and meet in the middle.

I’m not gonna waste the energy to start any shit, and I don’t think any one else should either. 

But I’m done trying to be any degree of supportive to them.

Gonna put my energy into encouraging more small shelters so there are better options.

[dragon-discourse]

Dragon Enemies

Panthers (and Cats)

In European Bestiaries, panthers were multicolored felines, their pets covered with white and black spots. Unusual, given that it's a cat, but it's said to be a gentle creature, with one notable exception. Dragons are said to be its enemies, and when the Panther is around the dragon will hide away in its den, while other beasts are drawn forth by the Panther's sweet smelling breath.

In an allegorical sense, the Panther is said to be symbolic of Christ, while the dragon represents the devil.

In Egyptian mythology, the cat is symbolic of Ra, and is shown fighting and slaying the Chaos Serpent Apep. Real cats are known to hunt and kill snakes, so this may be the source of this association.

Elephants

There is also an unusual animosity given between Elephants and Dragons. Dragons are said to hunt elephants, either with the intention of eating their calves or drinking their blood (dragons run hot, you see, so they need the cold blood of an elephant to cool off. Dragons kill elephants by constricting, sometimes hanging down from trees to form a noose. In some accounts these hunts are successful. In others, the elephant collapsing crushes and kills the dragon. When an elephant gives birth, she does to in the water, to protect her child from the dragon.

Burning the bones of an elephant is also said to drive away serpents.

Deer

According to bestiaries, Stags were the enemies of snakes and serpents. Stags would go out of their way to track snakes down, luring them from their holes by spitting down water and luring the snake out with their breath. If ill, the Stag would eat the snake, then go drink water to cleanse itself of the snake's poison.

Birds

Seen in mythology across the world is the animosity between birds and serpents. A potential explanation for this is that in nature birds will prey upon snakes, and as representations of the sky (birds) and earth/water (serpents), it would fit that they'd be seen as natural enemies.

In Hindu and Buddhist belief, the Garuda is the enemy of the Naga people. The mother of the Naga, Kadru, was the sister-wife of the mother of Garuda, Vintata. Kadru and the Naga enslaved Vintata and Garuda, so when the great bird received a boon from the gods, he asked that the Naga be his prey.

In the tales of Sinbad, the Roc is said to prey upon giant serpents of a diamond filled valley.

Thunderbirds in North American myth are the enemies of the Horned Serpents, with the birds preying on the serpents, and the serpents eating the birds' eggs. In some tales, the Thunderbirds predate the serpents to extinction. Interestingly enough, Thunderbirds are said to use a different species of serpent, the Haietlik, as a hunting weapon.

In Norse myth, the serpent Nidhogg and the unnamed eagle of Yggdrasil are often locked in argument and insult.

Storm Gods

Study world mythology, and you're going to notice a pattern. Storm and Sky gods fighting against vast serpents, often denizens or personifications of water. This motif was named the Chaoskampf (struggle against chaos), and can be seen across cultures, especially those descended from the Proto-Indo-Europeans.

In Greek mythology, Zeus battled and slew (or imprisoned) the earth dragon Typhon. Over in Japan, Susanoo killed the eight headed Yamata-no-Orochi. Marduk killed Tiamat, then fashioned the world from her corpse.

Like with birds, this conflict may be centered around symbolism. If dragons represent the untamed nature of the earth and sea, then the civilized god of the sky and, through lightning, fire being their foe seems obvious.

Weasels and Mongooses (and Water-Snakes?)

As I have said before, dragons are ultimately just fantastical snakes. So it would seen logical that the natural enemy of the snake would continue to be the natural enemy of the dragon.

In the real world, mongooses often prey upon snakes. This can be seen reflected in folklore, where the weasel (not actually related to mongooses, but similar enough in appearance where the ancient European would probably not know the difference) was said to be one of the few creatures capable of defeating the Basilisk.

In medieval bestiaries, creatures called the ichneumon and the hydrus were said to be the enemy of serpents and crocodiles. They would cover themselves in mud and allow themselves to be swallowed, at which point they would chew their way from the predator. But while the ichneumon seems to be a mongoose (it was also called the Pharaoh's Rat), and the hydrus seems to be the same sort of creature, both are considered serpents, and are often drawn in the same way their draconic victims are.

Plants

Various plants are said to ward against dragons and serpents.

In some variations of the myth of Saint George, he took refuge under an orange tree, which the dragon could not approach.

According to bestiaries, doves would take refuge in peridexion trees, the shadow of which dragons were said to fear and avoid.

Rue was said to be one of the few plants which could survive the deadly nature of the Basilisk.

According to Chinese belief, the dragon dislikes both the Wang plant as well as the Lien tree, though the exact identity of these plants are uncertain.

Then, in a twist where dragons are said to be the enemy of a tree, Norse Mythology has several dragons which are chewing the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil, and will one day kill it.

#Dragon Enemies #Dragon Enemy

[love-and-monsters]

Harpy Rescue

M monster X F reader, 7,143 words

You wash up on an island after a shipwreck. The harpy natives take you in and you find companionship with a certain healer who’s been caring for you. 

I stared blankly at the sky above me. I was lying back on a beach. The tide was coming in underneath me. The salt water stung at the raw scrapes on my back.

It was struggle to breathe. My lungs spasmed and heaved with every breath. All my energy went into keeping my lungs heaving.

It was ironic. The only person who survived the shipwreck was the one who would die anyway.

None of my limbs would move. I knew I wasn’t paralyzed, if only because that would have dulled sensation and I could feel every scrape and bruise over the surface of my body. I just couldn’t move under my own power.

 It took all my energy to keep breathing. It hurt just to breathe. My lungs stuttered over the air, threatening to stop altogether every time. Even with all my effort going into it, I still felt faintly dizzy from lack of air.

There were birds, enormous birds, circling overhead. Carrion birds, probably. They could see me lying on the beach and probably assumed they were getting a nice lunch.

The water was getting higher. It was a race, I thought morbidly. Would the water drown me before the birds managed to eat my entrails?

They were coming down more rapidly now. They were huge. Perhaps I would get lucky and they would fight one another for long enough that the waves would come in. I would take drowning over being torn apart hungry birds.

The tide was coming in faster. I could feel it lapping around my ears. A particularly strong wave made me sputter and I spent nearly a minute coughing and gasping. It was harder than ever to breathe. Perhaps drowning wouldn’t be substantially more pleasant than being eaten alive.

One of the birds plunged into a dive, spurring the others to follow. They drifted out of my sight and no matter how far I rolled my eyes back, I couldn’t see them. Great. I just had to wait in anticipation.

There was a crunching behind me, the sound of something approaching. Another wave struck me and I choked, coughing on the water. Black spots popped in front of my eyes and I felt my entire body heave, water trickling from my mouth.

A hand caught my shoulder. With a heave, I was dragged out of the shallow water and up onto the firmer beach. Tilting my head back, I managed to catch sight of my rescuers.

They hadn’t been birds, I realized. They had just looked like birds from a distance. My rescuers were a group of concerned-looking harpies.

If I had any sense of dramatic timing, I likely would have passed out then. It would have made the situation much less awkward, at least. But I remained stubbornly awake, staring up at the small throng of harpies.

Their heads and torsos were humanoid, but they seemed to have a combination between arms and wings. Their arms were feathered and there was a split at the wrists between hands and the final joint of the wing. Their legs were scaled and ended in large, heavy talons. All of them had deeply tanned skin and dark brown hair and feathers.

They spoke to one another for a moment, in a language I couldn’t understand. Then, the one that had dragged me up the beach bent over and hauled me into his arms.

The group headed off the beach and into the tropical jungle beyond. It was getting harder and harder to remain conscious. I faded in and out, struggling to keep my consciousness together. The blackouts grew longer and longer and the tightening pain in my chest was growing sharper. Breathing was almost painfully difficult.

Another bit of irony for me. I had been saved from drowning only for my condition to kill me right away.

The last thing I was aware of was the man carrying me speaking rapidly before I was deposited on solid ground with a jolt.

When I opened my eyes again, there was a ceiling above me. It was thatched, and there were several bundles of herbs hanging from the rafters. The pain of my body had eased, and though my chest burned, it had loosened significantly. After a few breaths, I had gained enough energy to sit up.

“Here.” Someone to my right pushed a bowl into my hands. It was full of a strong-smelling liquid that made my nose run and my sinuses clear almost instantly. “It’ll help with your breathing.”

The person next to me was the same man who had carried me off the beach. I hadn’t gotten the best look at him, but he had the same golden-brown feathers and his long, braided hair was done up in the same style. I dipped my head and took a few swallows from the bowl.

It burned worse than any whiskey I’d ever tried. I sputtered, eyes watering, but the tension in my chest did fade. The bands that had always restricted my breathing loosened ever so slightly and I gulped air gratefully.

The man outstretched his hands and took the bowl back. I sputtered a few more times before my breathing calmed. “What is that?”

“An old remedy for chest trouble. It’s steeped out of different herbs.” As he set the bowl on a nearby table, I realized something.

“You speak English?” I asked.

“Some. My aunt met with travelers many years ago. She taught me. Just in case.” He leaned back in his seat, stretching his legs out in front of him. Something behind him shifted and I noticed his tail, made of the same brown feathers as his wings. “You must have inhaled a lot of salt water. Your breathing was bad.” He tapped his chest demonstratively. “You were wheezing.”

“It does that anyway. But the almost drowning didn’t help.” I pushed yourself up in bed. “Where am I?”

“Healer’s house,” he said. “In Namori Village. You were brought here by the storm, yes?”

“Not on purpose,” I said. “I was sailing to Larmark. They have a good hospital there. I was going for an examination.” I rubbed at my chest. “I don’t suppose you have any ships heading in that direction?”

“We are not a sailing people,” the man said with an apologetic smile. I slouched back into the bed. I wasn’t as upset about it as I should have been. The treatment was supposed to find a way to cure my condition. Without it, I could be beset by a sudden bought of chest tightness that could kill me at any moment. It had nearly done so several times in my childhood. But I had lived my life with it so far. I was just back where I’d started.

“She’s up!” I looked up to see an older woman harpy leaning over me. “Thought I told you to call for me, boy.” The male harpy ducked his head, looking properly ashamed. “Took quite a beating from that storm. Lucky you made it to shore.” She flicked her wings. “We saw the ship go down last night. Didn’t expect anyone would survive. You’re lucky we noticed you.”

“There’s something wrong with her chest,” the male harpy said. “She wheezes.”

“Noticed that.” The woman looked me over. Her eyes were a piercing yellow. “Thought it was from the seawater. It’s usually like that?”

“Yes. Since I was a child. I had some sort of illness that damaged it. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’ve never allowed it to bother me.” I’m sure my voice would have been much more reassuring, but my chest contracted in a cough and I heaved a few times.

“Perhaps you should let it bother you more. Give her more of that infusion, Nor. And recheck her ribs, just to be safe.”

“Yes, Aunt Aerath,” Nor said. She turned on her heels and strode off. We were in a back room, I noticed, small and full of warm light. Nor turned back to me. “Sit up. Drink.” I sipped more of the brew he’d given me while he prodded at my ribs. It was a little ticklish and I had to work not to squirm.

“Your ribs are fine,” Nor said eventually. “But your chest is weak.”

“Well, nothing I didn’t already know.” I rolled over, ignoring the sharp pains that came to me. “Can I move around?”

Nor nodded and I got up. He hovered close by as I shuffled around. I’d been stripped down to my shift, which would have been embarrassing if both of them hadn’t been wearing something similar. They both seemed to be wearing something like togas, though Nor’s skirt was long enough to trail on the ground. Both their outfits were a deep navy blue.

There was a partially ajar door and I stepped through it, onto the forest floor outside. The trees were enormous, towering over everything. Up in the branches, harpies darted back and forth, flitting between the branches. I could see nest-like houses nestled in the crooks of the trees.

“We’re on the ground,” I said. Nor nodded.

“Healers live on the ground. In case flightless ones come to us,” he explained.

 “Ah. That’s sensible.” I stared up, looking into the trees with some interest. At least if I was going to be staying there for a while, it was a beautiful, fascinating place.

Nor took me back inside and fed me a chunk of meat along with a few fruits. I needed to heat the meat over the fire for a little longer- apparently harpies liked their meat fairly rare. Aerath returned after that and forced a few more herbal brews down my throat, which she said would help with the pain.

“I expect I’ll be here for a while,” I said as I handed one of her cups back to her. My mouth tasted like I’d licked the underside of a stone. The brews were unpleasant at best, though I could already feel a numbness creeping into my injuries.

“Humans come by only rarely,” Aerath said. “And there isn’t much of a pattern. Our species is not water faring and we can’t fly to the next mainland. Ocean flight is not easy.”

“Which is a taciturn way of saying I am stuck here.”

“No more than us,” Nor said.

“Be kind. She has lost her home,” Aerath said sternly. I shrugged, leaning back in bed.

“It’s not as awful as you may think. I was sailing to a hospital, you see. It was likely I would spend the rest of my life there, which, even with all that care, may not have been very long.” I shrugged. “At least this place is better for the soul.”

Nor turned his head and spoke to his aunt rapidly in his own language. She frowned, but responded in the same way. I ignored the pair of them and moved back to bed. Despite not having been awake for very long, I was already exhausted. My chest stuttered as I tried to lie flat on my back and I paused for a moment, wheezing.

Nor darted over and adjusted my pillow behind me. “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.” Nor nodded, then slipped out of the room. Aerath lingered for a moment, looking at me.

“We’ll be upstairs if you require us. If you can’t walk, knock heavy things over until we come for you.” With that, she exited the room. The door closed behind her and I slumped back into the pillow, eyes closing.

I slept fitfully, especially after the pain medication wore off. By the time Nor brought breakfast, I was already up and walking around. There were several journals with detailed drawings of plants in them. I couldn’t read the writing, but I could see what the plants were and I spent some time matching them to the herbs hanging around the room.

“Quite an interesting journal,” I told Nor as he sat down to eat with me. “Did your aunt write it?”

He shook his head. “She is…” He struggled with the word for a moment. “Practical? A… practice? She remembers by senses, not words. But I need reminders.”

“You’re quite good at drawing,” I said. “I kept similar journals, though they sank with the ship.” He looked at me with clear surprise. “I had little else to do. I could rarely go out, so I spent much time in the gardens, drawing and remarking upon the plants. These remind me of my own journals.”

“When I am collecting herbs, I enjoy drawing them. Seeing nature. It is soothing.” He seemed to grow more excited, then composed himself. “I could show you garden, if you’d like?”

“I would,” I said. He grinned, then hopped to his taloned feet as his aunt entered the room.

I did not end up seeing the garden that day, principally because I spent much of it in bed. Nor stopped by every now and then, sometimes with food, more often with a new bundle of plants to tie up and hang from the ceiling. He seemed to go into a sort of trance when he was sorting the herbs, a sort of peaceful state.

It took a few days before I was approved to walk into town. “Don’t stress yourself too much. You’re still recovering,” Aerath said.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Nor said. He fluttered his wings at his aunt, shooing her away. “We’ll be fine.”

Being without wings earned me a great deal of stares. I was viewed with some general suspicion, as far as I could tell. I was allowed to stay because there seemed to be a consensus that throwing me into the wilderness would absolutely kill me, and they had decided not to be that cruel. Not wanting me to die, however, did not necessarily mean that I was accepted by the community. Having Nor with me seemed to help, at least somewhat. He was at least well respected, and being in his presence absorbed you into his aura of decency.

The village seemed to have been built into the enormous trees of the forest. Several houses had been formed out of several trees carefully grown together through cultivation, and the living pavilion, formed out of ten trees carefully coaxed into growing around each other, was the great centerpiece of the town.

Getting to see the town as a group also drew your eye to the cultural similarities between them. A majority of adults had short hair, while children seemed to exclusively have long hair. There didn’t seem to be a clear age delineation between them. Based on appearances, Nor was older than a few of those with short hair, though no one under a certain age had their hair cut.

“Is there a reason for the hair styling?” I asked. “You wear your hair long, but most adults seem to keep theirs short.”

“Oh,” Nor said, with a tiny, dismissive flick of his feathers. “They are… erm. I am not certain of the word. Paired?”

“Married,” I guessed, and Nor’s expression brightened.

“Yes. Married. Part of the ceremony includes cutting hair. Most couples keep their hair short, to show they are with someone. Long hair can be difficult to fly with. To keep your hair short means you have someone who makes it easy to fly.” He frowned for a moment. “It is a pun in my language. It does not work as well in yours.”

“I think I get it,” I said. “But your aunt is unmarried and her hair is short.”

“She is…” There was a long pause. Nor seemed to be struggling to think of the proper words. “Bound to work? Committed to healing? Something along those lines, I believe. She is joined to her job as one is bound to a lover.”

I frowned. “Healers are like nuns, then?”

Nor frowned too. “Like… nones? Healers are not nothing.”

“No, like nuns. It’s spelled differently.” Nor looked entirely blank. I suspected he couldn’t write English. “Nuns are people who take vows not to marry so they can become closer to God, as I understand it. Healers do something similar.”

Nor still seemed confused. “Not all healers. Only Aunt Aerath.” He reached up and touched the long braid that was coiled on the back of his head. “I have… not decided.”

“Well, you’ve got time.” We were quite close to the healing house again, but I paused and leaned against a tree. My chest was squeezing again and I needed a break. “I never planned on marrying, really.”

“Why not?” Nor asked.

“I didn’t expect to live terribly long,” I said frankly. “I have spent much of my life expecting to die from a sudden attack. And then my parents suggested that I go to a hospital for treatment, and it’s rare to marry once you end up in those sort of places.” I smoothed my new robes idly. “I never expected to have a husband  who would be okay with his wife dropping dead at any moment.”

Nor fluttered his wings. “You are not going to die,” he said. 

“It’s all right. I’m content with it. I have been this way all my life. I value every moment now. It’s nothing new to me.” Nor still looked discomfited, so I patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Truly, I’m fine. We should head back now.”

Nor plied me with the strange, spicy concoction for my chest when we returned home. I drank the lot of it, at his insistence. It did seem to help. There was something about the warmth of it that relaxed my lungs and brought air in easier.

As my recovery finalized, I began to look for ways to serve my new community. It was not something terribly easy. I could not fly, or truly do any sort of intense physical activity, which limited my options. Sewing and weaving, actions that had often been suggested to me, held no more interest for me in the village than they had in my own home. Trying to manipulate tiny threads that tangled at the slightest glance was infuriating, and my frustration often ended in chest-heaving coughing fits. I tried to go back to writing my journals, examining nature and writing about it, but there seemed to be little actual use for it.

Eventually, I began tagging along with Nor when he went to collect herbs in the forest. He’d been going out more and more often, looking for new plants and writing furiously in his notebooks. I could read them more easily now, having spent a few weeks immersed in a crash course of his language.

“Just make sure you watch out for snakes,” Nor said as we trekked through the thick foliage.

“Look out for what?” I said. I was at the awkward stage of learning a language where I knew most common words, but words that were used infrequently were still lost.

“Snakes? Er. <Snakes!>” Nor said in English.

“Snakes,” I repeated. “Are there a lot of them?” I looked cautiously at the ground.

“No. Not a lot. But there are some venomous ones that bite if you step on them.” Unsettled, I lifted up the hem of my robe, peering cautiously at the leaf litter. The clothes harpies wore were not well-designed for people without tails or wings. I had needed to do some rudimentary tailoring to fix it into something I could walk around in. Shoes had been another problem entirely, mostly because harpies had tough, scaled feet and wore no shoes. I had eventually just decided to layer several thick fabrics together and essentially tied them to my feet. They were neither comfortable nor easy to wear, but they were practical and had stopped your soles from being shredded.

We made our way slowly through the woods. I ended up holding onto Nor’s arm wing for much of it. Never having worked out for long periods of time had left me fairly uncoordinated and leaning on Nor made it much easier for me to move about.

“Look. Norell,” he said, picking up a bunch of sharp-smelling, pink flowered herbs from the ground. “My namesake.”

“What are they used for?” I asked.

“Chest conditions, actually. They’re a big part of the infusion I’ve been giving you.” Nor had been giving me a regular doses of that infusion. Taking some in the morning seemed to loosen my chest for the rest of the day. “I’ve been trying to make a stronger infusion, so we’ll need a lot of it.”

“Are you predicting a spike in chest conditions?” I asked. Winter was on its way, and apparently, due to their large, powerful lungs, harpies were quite susceptible to issues like pneumonia and bronchitis. But that seemed to be counterbalanced by the fact that winter was mild on the island, more of a tepidly cool wet season than a proper snowy winter.

Nor shifted on the ground. His wings twitched a little. It was hard to tell, thanks to his deeply brown skin, but I thought I could see a hint of red creeping into his cheeks. “It’s for you, actually.”

I lifted my brows. “For me?”

“It’s been helping you recently,” Nor said, a little defensively. “I thought that a stronger infusion would help even more.” He frowned critically at the plants. “I want to get it as concentrated as possible. But there’s not enough in the gardens right now, so I need more.” He straightened up, tucking a bundle of plants away into his bag. “Also, infusions will keep a little better than the herbs themselves, so I can keep them for longer. You’ll need some when the growing season ends.”

“You’ll need some for others as well,” I said. “Keep some in reserve.”

“If you need it, you need it,” Nor said. “I’d rather give herbs to someone who definitely needs them than reserve some in case someone else might need them.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to fully heal someone who can be fully healed than to keep giving supplements to someone who will always be sick?” I said. Nor’s feathers bristled, shifting in agitation.

“All people deserve healing. Whether or not their condition is curable. I want you to be well.” His tone was so severe that I could do nothing but stare at him. After a moment, he seemed to realize what he’d said and he broke eye contact, staring at the ground. “We should, ah. Head back.”

He started trekking through the woods rapidly. Harpies were notably better at balance on uneven terrain, thanks to their long, gripping talons. I struggled to keep up with him.

We were getting quite close to the village when I felt the unfortunately familiar seizing sensation in my chest. I stopped dead, enormously regretting my walking speed that had left me a little breathless. It was growing harder by the moment to inhale.

Nor paused, realized I was no longer with him, and hurried back to my side. “Are you okay?” he asked. One of his hands moved along my back, kneading my tightening muscles. “Breathe. Breathe!” If I had the air for it, I would have informed him I was trying, and was well aware that I needed to be breathing. Unfortunately, all my energy was going into not allowing my body to suffocate me.

Nor abruptly decided that simply telling me to breathe was ineffective and changed tact. “Hold on!” This turned out to be quite literal because he seized me around the waist and hefted me against his chest.

It was impossible for a harpy to fly while carrying something, because their arms and wings were one and the same, but I could have been fooled considering how fast Nor was moving. He plunged through the forest as fast as the wind. I would have been more impressed if I wasn’t struggling to breathe at the moment. As it was, I was aware that we were moving at quite a speed.

Nor was back in the healing house within minutes. I was unceremoniously dumped on the bed and Nor darted off, rummaging through a cabinet with a noise of wood rattling and glass clinking.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he said. He knelt next to me, turning my head toward him. “You just need to drink this. Okay?”

I tried to inhale enough to speak and it stuck in my chest, sparking a coughing fit. Nor looked panicked and thrust the little bottle he was holding into my mouth. I sputtered, but some of the liquid spilled down my throat. There was a mild tingling and my chest loosened.

With my breathing abruptly eased, I could keep taking small sips from the bottle. The tightness loosened with every swallow. Nor slumped next to the bed, wings sagging with relief. I put down the bottle, still coughing, but breathing easier.

“Are you okay?” Nor asked. I nodded.

“You can move quick,” I said. My voice was raspy and a little strangled. I swallowed, trying to fully clear my throat.

“I was worried,” he said. “You should try carrying a bottle of this with you from now on.” He walked over to the cabinet and fetched a small bottle full of the infusion. “If you’re going to be going out more often, you’ll want something to prevent more attacks.”

I took the bottle. “That’s a good idea.” I set it down onto the table next to the bed. “Are you inviting me on more herb gathering missions, then?”

A slightly shy smile crept up Nor’s face. “If you’d like to come. You’ve been pretty good at spotting plants. And you’ve been pretty good in the gardens lately.”

“I was never really able to do a lot of gardening before,” I said. “So, I tended to overfocus on the little minute details, like soil quality and the amount of water you give the plants.”

“You’ve improved the garden a lot,” Nor said. “Oh, which reminds me. Hold on.”

He stood up and trotted over to the cabinet again. After looking through it for a few moments, he pulled out a small notebook and walked back over. “Here,” he said, presenting it to me. It looked like the notebooks he used for his own notes, a smooth black cover and soft, slightly off-white pages. “I haven’t taken many notes on the gardening aspects of herbs. I just… haven’t been very good at it. But I thought you could start taking notes on how you care for the plants. It might be useful.”

I took the notebook from his hands. Our fingers brushed as I did so. His skin was warm and calloused, the sort of skin that only came around after long, hard work. The notebook was heavy in my hands, strangely dense for such a small item. “Thank you,” I said. “I would love to do that.”

Nor stood, shifting on his talons. “Good. Um. You should probably get some rest. I’ll be back in a bit.” He hurried out of the room. I watched him go until his tail had completely vanished around the doorway.

Working in the garden only brought me closer to Nor. We spent time together every day, either going out to gather herbs or helping him with the garden. He was enthusiastic to learn and good company even when we weren’t talking about plants.

His ease with me spread to the rest of the village. By the time winter was over, I had been completely accepted as a part of the community. To them, I was not as much an outsider human as a strange, wingless harpy. Even Aerath trusted me enough to allow me to learn how to make herbal remedies, while Nor took on more of her duties, like diagnosing illnesses and dressing wounds.

During early spring, when the rains began to ease, a change set in around the village. There was a new current of excitement, the younger adults spending more time showing off and engaging in stunts. Even Nor, who had been fairly even tempered in the time I’d known him, seemed to get caught up in the excitement.

It was during my usual work in the garden that I noticed the changes were not confined to emotional. There was a physical change too. Nor’s tail feathers, usually a deep golden-brown, had taken on a rusty color. The color only brightened over the next week, going from a dull, sort of reddish orange to a bright crimson. The colors showed up on the male population of the rest of the village as well, to varying degrees. Some, especially the younger males, never got past a reddish orange, while others got to the same brilliant crimson hue as Nor’s.

While it garnered some sort of notice and people seemed pleased about it, no one was talking about what it actually meant. It clearly meant something, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on why it was so important.

Eventually, after some time of trying to figure out what it meant on my own, I broke down and decided to ask Nor. “Your tail changed color,” I said as we headed back into the house from the garden.

“You noticed,” Nor said. His tone was utterly unreadable.

“Well, it’s a bit hard to miss. It’s a very bright color.” Nor’s unreadable expression shifted into one of clear embarrassment. “Is it something I shouldn’t mention? It seems to signal something, but I wasn’t sure what it was-”

“No, no. I mean, I guess I should have expected you to ask about it. You’re not a harpy, so you never would have been told.” He set the herbs he’d collected down on the table and turned to me, giving me his full attention. “It’s almost spring, which means that we’re approaching our mating season.”

I felt sort of stupid for not hitting upon that idea earlier. Of course. The red was to attract a mate. Was commenting on it some kind of social faux pas? As I tried to come up with that to say next, Nor continued. “We’ll have a mating ceremony soon, with the other local villages. It’s a big event, so everyone’s getting rather excited about it.”

“A… mating ceremony?” I repeated. How carnal were we talking? Was I going to have to make myself scarce for… how long did the mating ceremony last, anyway?

“It’s not as bad as you’re thinking,” Nor added hurriedly. “It’s more of a competition? Or a show, really. It lasts about a week, and the first six days are more of a festival than anything. Lots of feasting, games, shows. It’s more about getting to know the other villages and the people from them. It’s quite fun. The festival ends with the mating ceremony. It used to be a more literal interpretation of that, a long time ago. But now it’s really more of a show. Men fly around and show off, but it’s less to attract a mate and more to show off to someone you already have an attraction to. Or to get someone to ask you out, sometimes. It’s more for the fun of it and the tradition.”

“It sounds interesting,” I said.

“It should start in a couple of weeks. That’s the peak of the season,” Nor said. “I can show you around a bit, if you’d like.”

“Sure. If you’re not going to be too busy trying to find a soulmate,” I said, nudging him playfully in the side. He shrugged, glancing away.

“I’ve never actually participated all that much in it,” he said. “I’ve been kind of focused on my studies with my aunt. I spent most of my time at the last few festivals working with the other healers.”

“You should get out more, then. I can help your aunt out, if you want. Then you can go off and see the sights.”

“I already told you I’d show you around,” Nor protested. “And it’ll be your first festival.”

“Look, at least get a little time to yourself,” I said. “I can help out, you know.”

“We’ll see,” Nor said, which was as close to agreeing as I thought he was going to get.

The weeks passed slowly, with excitement ramping up as the festival got closer. I could almost feel the tension buzzing in the air, getting ready to overflow. By the time it had arrived, I was almost swept up in the rising excitement.

The fairground for the festival was a large clearing in the center of the island. It had an impressive view of the sky, and the ground was almost entirely covered in tents and attractions. Nor and I were toward the edge of the grounds, in a sort of makeshift medical tent. “We probably won’t be called on for a little bit,” he said once we’d finished setting everything up. “I can show you around.”

“Sure,” I agreed. Nor trotted off, and I followed after, looking around the festival with interest.

Most of it seemed like the sort of festivals I’d seen once or twice when I’d been young. Ever since my chest troubles had set in fully, I’d rarely gone far from my house. It looked mostly like a very fancy market. People showed off their most interesting wares, their most brightly colored or intricately designed trinkets. There were several people slightly younger than Nor picking up things that I assumed were for potential sweethearts. There were also several games, most of them for children, but a few clearly styled for adults. The food was the usual hearty fare that I’d seen at other festivals, enormously delicious and decadent.

“And this all lasts a whole week?” I asked as we made our way back to the healer’s tent. We had gotten sidetracked a few times- there were several musical performances and talent shows, and even a few classes that I’d been interested in taking.

“Well, the first and last days are the biggest ones. But yes, the whole week. For the most part.”

“Then you can take a day or two off and enjoy all this, can’t you?” I said. Nor hesitated for a moment. “I can handle things at the tent. Why don’t you take tomorrow off? It’ll be good for you to get a break.”

Nor hesitated. “I’ll have to ask my aunt.”

“I’ll make sure she says yes,” I said. “You deserve it. Especially after having to take care of me for so long.”

Nor shrugged and mumbled something about it not being a big deal. I laughed clapping him on the shoulder.

“Just take some time off. Okay?”

He agreed, finally, and we returned to the tent. There were a few injuries, of course, mostly young people trying to show off for their potential lovers, but nothing we were overwhelmed with. It took only a bit of persuading for Aerath to give Nor the next day off.

Nor went out only after making sure I kept my infusion on me. “Just be careful,” he said.

“I’m always careful,” I told him. “Now, go. And stop worrying so much.” He made a face, but left for the rest of the fairgrounds, leaving me with Aerath and the other healers.

I only spotted him a few times during the day. He seemed to have attracted a small group of friends by noon. It seemed he could get along well with others, as long as he managed to get out. Well, I reflected, he was a sweetheart. It wasn’t hard to believe that he was able to get along with others.

I’d been breathing relatively easy for so long that I hadn’t really been expecting another attack. So, when the bout of tightness came on with no warning, I was so shocked I couldn’t think of what to do for several panicked moments.

My wheezing attracted Aerath’s attention. She grabbed my shoulder and shoved me down onto a cot. I fumbled for the infusion, and Aerath helped me unstopper it and press it to my lips.

The infusion helped, but my chest still felt tight. I could draw in air, but it wasn’t enough. Black spots started to pop in front of my vision. My chest screamed with pain. I was dying. That thought sat clear and calm in my brain, rising above all the panic like foam over a tide. I’d known it was going to happen. I’d hoped it would take longer. But at least… at least the last few months of my life had been nice. My mind drifted to Nor. Hopefully he wouldn’t blame himself. He didn’t deserve that. He’d been wonderful.

Nor’s face was suddenly over mine. I blinked up at him. Ha. A nice hallucination before everything ended.

“Breathe!” Distantly, I could feel a hand on my chest, another at my mouth. Something sharp and bitter flowed past my lips and I choked, sputtering. My chest loosened abruptly and I sucked in a great breath, coughing and choking.

Nor, who I was gradually realizing was actually there and not just a hallucination, rolled me onto my side. Some of the solution drained from my mouth as I coughed it up. Nor rubbed my back vigorously, prompting another round of coughing.

Gradually, the tightness eased to just a faint raspiness and a raw pain. I sat up as Nor sank into a seat, weak with relief. “I thought you were going to die,” he said faintly.

“I did too.” My voice was gravely and everything felt raw. “The infusion wasn’t working. What did you use?”

“It was experimental,” Nor said a little sheepishly. “I’ve been trying to make it stronger, something that works better.”

“Thank goodness it did,” I said. I got slowly off the cot where I’d collapsed. Nor stood as well, staying close by like he was preparing to catch me.

“Maybe we should fine somewhere to rest,” Nor said. “The attack probably took it out of you.”

Despite your protests, Nor followed you back home and insisted on staying with you. “Just in case,” he kept repeating.

Nor kept near my side for the next few days, even when I tried to gently push him to spend time elsewhere and enjoy the event. The only times he seemed willing to leave was when I was going with him, at which point he took great enthusiasm in showing me around the various games and events that were being held. Being near him allowed even me to make some new friends- those who would have been unsettled by the sight of some strange, wingless creature seemed reassured enough by Nor’s friendly presence to approach.

Despite his insistence on sticking with me, I did convince him to take another day off for the last day of the festival. It was the day of the mating ceremony, and, given that Nor was of proper age, possibly even a little old, to participate in it, I wanted to give him time to do so.

The showing started at noon sharp, when the sun was at its zenith. Most of the people flying were male, though a few women had painted their tails red and were flying as well. A few would take off at a time and move in carefully coordinated dances. Some were conservative and simple, others were aggressive and risk-taking. Eventually, they would land back in the throng of people staring at the sky. Some of them landed and slipped off with a single partner. Others landed and seemed to attract a group, each of the admirers vying for attention.

After about an hour, I meandered off to the bank of a nearby river. Watching harpies fly was interesting, but it did get old after a while and I was getting a crick in my neck from looking up.

I had only been soaking my feet in the river for a few minutes when Nor walked up to me and sat down next to me. “Wondered where you’d gone,” he said. “Doing all right?”

“Fine. You don’t need to be so worried.”

Nor dipped his talons into the water. “Mm. I guess. But I do anyway.”

“I wish you wouldn’t,” I said. “You spent half of the festival trailing after me like I would collapse the instant you took your eyes off me. And now you’re missing out on the flight ceremony.”

It was hard to tell with his deeply tanned skin, but I thought Nor went a little pink. “I wasn’t really planning to fly anyway,” he said.

“No one caught your eye?” I asked. There was a long pause. “Nor?”

“Not as such,” he said. “I mean… Sort of.”

“And you’ve been spending all your time trying to look after me instead of enjoying the festival with her,” I said. “You know, I don’t need you to hover around me. You don’t need to feel guilty if anything happens to me. I’ve known I’m probably not going to live that long.”

Nor’s expression twisted a little bit. “I’ve been trying to fix that. I think I’ve got a concoction right. If you take it daily, it should help you-”

“Okay, okay,” I said. “Hey. You don’t need to spend all your time on me, you know? You can have a life. You’re not responsible for me.”

“It’s not about that,” Nor said. “I wasn’t worried about you. Well, not just that. I…” He stopped for a moment. “I wanted to spend time with you.”

Oh. That created a runny sensation in my chest, like my heart flipped over. “You wanted to-”

“Don’t be that surprised. I haven’t really been subtle about it,” Nor said. “Yes. I like being around you. Why did you think I kept inviting you to do stuff with me and stayed with you instead of going to the festival?”

“I thought you just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to suffocate in your absence,” I said.

“A little bit. But mostly because I like you,” he said. He peered into my face, a tentative smile on his lips. “You don’t seem upset?”

“I’m not,” I said. “I’m pleased, actually.”

“Really?” Nor’s face was quite close to mine. His lips were parted. I could feel the soft warmth of his breath.

“Really.” Our lips were quite close to touching. Just before making contact, Nor seemed to stall, hesitation overcoming desire. I smiled and leaned in, pressing our lips together in a gentle moment of contact.

Neither of us had much experience kissing, so it was a bit clumsy and we clacked teeth more than once. Still, when we broke apart, I felt breathless in the most positive way I’d ever experienced.

“We should go back,” Nor said, still staring at me. “I… I think I want to participate in the ceremony after all.”

I smiled. “I’ll be watching.”

#exophilia #harpy #harpy boyfriend #harpy lover #monster boyfriend #monster lover #ocXoc #MxF #Nor

[remmushound]

Beyond the Bay chapter 7: Mutant Town

Tags: @brightlotusmoon @digitl-art-monstr @scentedcandlecryptid @selfindulgenz @ilo-artistry

Mikey fell, and he screamed all the way down. A large pile of garbage softened his fall— in fact, it was more like a mountain than a pile. A mountain that he tumbled down like a tossed rock, and once he pulled himself into his shell to escape the tumbling whiplash, he even resembled a rock. The slope of his shell ensured that he landed on his plastron, and only once he was still for several moments did he crawl back out of his shell and look around the environment.

The first thing he noticed, with a wave of relief, was that it was night. The next thing he noticed was the wall; a great, big wall of wire and metal sheets around the perimeter that stretched several feet taller than the highest trash peak, and along the top of it were tangles of barbed wire that made the place look almost like a prison yard. No, not a prison yard— a junkyard! And a pretty big one at that! Mikey couldn’t see much from where he was, expansive walls of junk blocking his view and giving him the sensation of almost being in a giant maze.

Mikey struggled to his feet. He was unstable but, as long as he had the wall to lean on, he was sure he could find his way. The cold, tickling tingle washed over him, but he forced his way through the cloud of misery. He tested the steadiness of the wall before he dared to lean his whole weight into it; at his size, even the most sturdy of things were at constant risk of collapse. The wall supported him just fine, and he was thankful as he used it to guide his way while his other hand cupped around his stomach. Mikey made his way down the first walkway. Trash, trash, and more trash was all he saw, packed together so tightly together that their integrity surpassed even some of the houses back in Mikey’s city.

“Man, and I thought my New York was dirty!” Mikey whistled. He was sure this wasn’t actually a part of his counterpart’s city, but the joke helped him to not completely shut down. “Raph? Leo? Dee?”

No response came. To the left of Mikey’s path was a disturbance that made him yelp and grab his nunchaku expecting a threat; the perceived threat was, in fact, a giant rat running down the side of one of the closer hills. The rat ran over Mikey’s feet, bolting down the path while its pursuers, three very fat cats, were hot on its tail and seemed to take no interest in Mikey.

Mikey practically squealed. “Kitties!”

Mikey hurried after them as fast as his still-stiff body could carry him. For as long as he could remember, he had always wanted a cat! The ones back in his world always seemed to run from him, but maybe these ones could be different! If he was extra quiet, maybe he could even pet one!

“Here kitty kitty. Pspspspspsp…” He fell to his knees when he caught up to the cats; they were all crowded around a small hole in the trash, too small for them to fit through, batting through the opening with sad mewls. “Aw… hey kitty kitties…”

One of the cats almost immediately responded to Mikey’s calls, the other two still too focused on trying to get the rat to care about the mutant. The cream tabby, tail held high, trotted over to Mikey with all the confidence in the world and pressed his face against the mutant’s finger, immediately starting to purr as he danced around Mikey’s hand. Mikey gasped out a sob and started to cry as carefully deft fingers began to massage the tom cats cheeks and head, and in response the cat squinted his eyes closed and started to knead his claws into the dirt; he was even drooling a bit!

“Oh my god…” Mikey sniffled and, on impulse, slowly scooped the fat cat into his hands. The cat didn't seem to mind, so Mikey picked him up and held the cat securely to his chest. “I never wanna leave…”

“Babies!” A voice echoed through the junkard and immediately both Mikey and the cats were at alert. “Babies babies babies!”

The cat kicked himself free of Mikey’s grasp and took off running toward the voice; the other two cats snapped out of their trance and ran just as fast. That voice had been close, really close, and Mikey certainly didn't want to stick around and see the human that it belonged to. In his mind, he still saw the hate in the eyes of the officers that had cornered him and his brothers. He saw it so clearly, and he felt that same fear, and that same sense of smallness like the humans were growing and he was shrinking and he was alone and—

Mikey had to hide. The footsteps were approaching, and the only place to escape to was behind an old, rusted car, and that was exactly where Mikey went. He covered his mouth to hopefully hide the fact that he was breathing so heavy, and he saw the shadow of the stranger as they passed by on the other side of the car. Mikey held his breath. The shadow paused. Surely they didn't know Mikey was? How could they know?

The car gave a groan and Mikey soon realized that it was being moved. Lifted, as if it was nothing more than cardboard, and to Mikey’s horror he looked up to something tall and definitely not human. White eyes were the only part of the creature that wasn’t cast into shadow, two massive claws clicking together in a threat. The stranger was completely covered in thorn-like spikes, and when his eyes focused on Mikey, his lips curled into a sneer.

“Whatchu doin’ crawling around down there?”

Mikey screamed. It wasn’t a very long scream, more like a high-pitched yelp, but it was enough for color to flood back into the other mutant's eyes as he kneeled, looking far less threatening now he was at Mikey’s height.

“Hey hey, it’s okay.” The mutant waved a claw in what was intended to be a deescalating manner, “Don’t scream, kid, I ain’t gonna hurt you.”

Mikey was able to see more of the mutant now that they were closer. His skin was purple and he had dark hair with streaks of aging gray. His outfit was simple, a stained white t-shirt and a leather jacket, both torn by the jagged spikes that littered his body. Around his waist was a belt that looked like it could have once been the collar of a junkyard dog, black with silver spikes, though it wasn’t holding anything up because the mutant was without pants.

“Didn't mean ta scare ya kid…” The mutant offered a claw and Mikey slowly accepted it, standing with the help of what he now recognized as a praying mantis around the same height as Donnie. “Jus’ wonderin’ why you’s pokin’ around is all.”

Mikey swallowed what little spit was left in his mostly dry mouth. “Hey… you’re a mutant!”

“And uh… so’s is you.” The mantis smiled and pointed at Mikey.

“I didn't know there were other mutants here!” Mikey’s voice did that thing where it went loud without intention, but he didn't care. “Oh my god that is so cool!”

The mantis laughed jovially. “Man, where have you been that you don’t know about other muties?”

He swung his arm around Mikey’s shoulders and prodded the tip of his claw against the turtle’s plastron with nothing but friendly intention. He started to guide Mikey down the path and Mikey was more than willing to go with him.

“Uh…” Mikey rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m… pretty new in town.”

The narrow path they had taken opened up to show a wide, mostly-clear area in the heart of the junkyard. The first thing Mikey saw, much to his delight, was a congregation of fat, happy cats feasting on a large assortment of food laid out for them

“Well, let me be the first to introduce you, then. I’m Repo Mantis...” Repo motioned to the area beyond the cats, “Welcome to Mutant Town.”

“Wha…?” Mikey’s mouth fell open. The longer he stared, the less he could believe what he was looking at.

What was once junkyard opened up into what could almost be mistaken for a town or, more accurately, a village. The space wasn’t particularly big. And from what Mikey could see of the layout there was only one road, but to him it was the most beautiful thing. Mutants— lots of them! Mammals and reptiles and birds too; Mikey could have almost mistaken it for an actual street if not for the colorful creatures that called it home instead of humans. Then Mikey realized that the structures that filled the area were meant to be houses! Some of them were cars, hollowed out and filled instead with personal items and sleeping spaces, while others were more innovated; ramshackle sheds out built of scrap metal acting as small houses. There were tarp canopies that covered outdoor sleeping spots, and there were tents, and there was random furniture scattered around for shared comfort space. He even spotted a few shipping containers that had been renovated into small hotels with four or five rooms side by side.

“Woah…” Mikey almost forgot to breathe.

“Cool, innit?” Repo smiled, laughing once more as he gave Mikey a playful shake. “Come on! I’ll show you around!”

The mantis led Mikey deeper into the compound. For the first time in his life, Mikey was able to walk down a road, in front of people (more or less) without being stared at! It was him who was doing the staring, his awe getting the better of him the more he witnessed of the small town and its occupants. Mutants of all shapes and colors and species—young and old and skinny and fat and small and big! There were some so large he had to crane his neck to actually look at them.

“This is incredible…” Mikey breathed.

“This is everyday in this city.” Repo snickered, beak wrinkling, “Seriously kid, no worries! You’re among your own kind here!”

“Wow…”

A sudden and unsteady klunk klunk klunk caught the attention of both mutants. They looked further down the trail to see what looked like a tin can running after them! No, not a tin can, Mikey quickly realized, but a tiny cream kitten with a tin can stuck on his head. With every step the little kitten took, he wobbled and stumbled and fell, making very little progress in his search for help. It was like he had four left feet!

Repo clicked his tongue and calmly shook his head, helping Mikey to rest on a couch before heading over to gather the kitten up in his claws.

“Aw, sweetie.” Carefully, his claws started to work the can off of the kittens head until the young cat was free. “How do you keep doing that, sweet thing? Aww…”

The kitten reared its head up to encourage the gentle petting of Repo’s sloped claw, tiny paws dancing in the air while purrs sounded off in quick succession, more than loud enough for Mikey to hear.

“Awww kitty!” Mikey stuck out his bottom lip as he made desperate grabby hands.

Repo gave an amused smile at the turtle’s antics and made his way over, guiding Mikey’s grabbing hands into more of a cradle before carefully placing the kitten in Mikey’s arms. Mikey melted under the warmth and the pleasant vibrations. It was as if his entire body was jello and the only thing keeping him in one piece was the solid mass of happy energy in his arms. He was terrified to move, so went as stiff as a statue, not daring even to blink.

“Oh my god I love him…” The kitten pressed against Mikey’s hand and gave him no choice but to massage the fluffy face with a delicate touch; all the while the kitten was still wobbling unsteadily back and forth as if some invisible force was jerking him along. “Why is he so wobbly?”

“Wobbly kitten syndrome.” Repo said with a sigh and shake of his head, “Normally they’re euthanized but eh… he seems to be handling himself alright for now.

Mikey sucked in a shaky, sobbing breath, “He’s the most beautiful baby boooooooyyy…”

***

“Incredible…” Donnie said breathlessly, adjusting his goggles once more to get an even closer look inside the compound, “It’s like a whole town of mutants down there!”

“It’s not called Mutant Town for nothing.” Leonardo smirked, leaning against the taller turtle like he was a fence post.

“There must be dozens of them!”

“Thirty-four currently, to be exact.” Donatello said proudly, “And we just so happen to know the guy who runs the place, so let us do the talking, kay?”

“Kay.” Leo entertained with a slight nod.

“But you talkin’ us back for a tour the second we get the time to spare.” Raph rumbled, flashing teeth to show his joke.

Donatello took the lead of the group as they descended upon the compound, to a grand door just below a sign reading ‘Beware the Repo-Mantis’ with the ‘tis’ added on with spray paint. Leo felt incredibly small under the sharp watch of the guards on point, two large and particularly nasty looking mutants hidden among the wires, but he stayed quiet as had been requested of him. Quiet, but alert. Donatello rang the bell that said “Ring For Service” and it wasn’t very long at all before the gates were opening, and out from the community stepped a seven foot praying mantis with a sneer on his face; a sneer that faded quickly when he saw Donatello.

“Donnie!” Repo Mantis wrapped his arms around Donatello and heaved him up in a powerful grip, “Shit, man, how the hell are ya?!”

“I can’t complain!” Donatello mused, slipping out of Repo’s grasp faster than the laughing mutant could catch him again, “Pizza’s still a’flowing, and Foot’s still a’kicking, so you know…”

“Business as usual?” Repo offered.

“Exactly!” Donatello clicked his tongue and winked, whisking Repo away for a private chat, “But there is a minor issue.” He gave the mantis man a quick rundown of the days affairs.

Repo considered, and then nodded. “Ah. Sounds like you got’s your hands full. Well, glad to say I can help ya wit’ at least one of your problems. Wait here.”

Repo disappeared back into the compound. Donnie leaned over to whisper in Donatello’s ear.

“How do you know him again?”

“He tricked me, I bug zapped him, he nearly trashed my tank in a Demolition Derby, you know how it is.”

Donnie really didn't know how it was, but he didn't want to ask. Repo returned soon, this time with a six foot tall box turtle in tow.

“Mikey!” Three brothers swarmed the youngest.

“My son.” Splinter raised a hand to touch Mikey’s face, then hesitated when he saw a tiny bundle of orange in his sons arms. “Oh…”

Mikey sniffled as he held the tiny, ginger kitten in the palm of his hand, petting his fingers through the happy tom cats fur. “Repo said I could keep him. I named him Klunk. With a K!”

Michelangelo gasped. “CUUUUUTE! Also, hugs!”

Michelangelo penetrated the wall of muscle to give Mikey a hug, which Mikey returned with a weak arm.

“Mikey, we can’t…” Leo started, but a sharp glare from Donnie made him hold his tongue.

The family started to usher Mikey away, now acutely aware of just how exposed they were out here; the rapidly rising Sun was doing them no favors. Mikey showed no resistance in following, and the rest of the turtles joined the congregation as they passed.

“I’m gonna give him so much cheese…” Mikey sniffled, not bothering to wipe his tears.

“Weee have cheese.” Donatello commented with a nod.

Leonardo laughed and gave Mikey a firm pat on the carapace. “Welcome to paradise, hermano. It’s great to have you back.”

#mutant town! #every Mikey deserves a Klunk #repo mantis has been busy #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #tmnt au #tmnt 2014 #tmnt 2016 #bay turtles

[vannahfanfics]

Dawn and Dusk Part V

Before you read, here’s Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV!

Category: Romantic Fluff, Angst

Fandom: Yona of the Dawn

Characters: Soo-Won, Yona

Requested by: @lilc77​ (Tumblr)

Hey, friend! I hope you’re ready for more YonaWon! This is for the first of the batch that you requested for the theme “sexual tension and desire.” I thought it would fit perfectly within my ongoing “Dawn and Dusk” series of oneshots, so I hope you enjoy the latest installment!

The study echoed with gentle flip of pages. Yona sat among the towering tomes, her legs tucked primly underneath her so the thick, leather-bound book could rest on her thighs. Her dawn-colored eyes scoured the printed words carefully, though in the back of her mind, she doubted that a biological survey of Kouka Kingdom’s bird species would prove fruitful in her endeavor. Though she knew nothing would be hidden in the text, she entertained herself for a few moments more with the detailed illustrations of the songbirds and descriptions of their behavior. She got like this from time to time, looking for escape in the useless paragraphs after yet another day of finding nothing. 

Her fingertips skimmed over the inked drawing of a finch, its feathers painted in brilliant watercolor hues. The “sunrise finch,” it was nicknamed, not only for its brilliant red and yellow plumage, but also its propensity to be the first of the indigenous birds to rise. It awoke in the mere minutes before dawn to herald the oncoming sun with sweet tunes of the morning. Yet as the golden sun spilled across the trees, it would fall silent, its beautiful song swallowed up by the dawn chorus of other birds. Brief and fleeting, like the sunrise it worshipped. 

Yona wondered if that was her fate, to be brief and fleeting like the dawn. 

Sighing, she closed the book and replaced it on the shelf. Rather than grab another from the small stack beside her, she sat there a moment, reaching back to massage the flesh of her shoulder. Though soaking in the bath— however brief that was thanks to her surprise encounter with Soo-Won— had improved the strain significantly, she still found it twinging throughout the day. Perhaps I should retire early and give it some rest, she wondered, but looking down at the books next to her, Yona knew that would not happen. She had to keep searching, searching for any clues to the puzzle that existed between herself and Soo-Won. 

She turned to the window, where the moonlight streamed in to bathe the study in white, at least where the soft yellow light of the lantern beside her could not reach. She wondered if there was a bird that also called to the setting sun and rising moon. Did it mourn the loss of the sun, or did it welcome the appearance of the stars and night sky? Perhaps there was no bird at all, but a king’s fanfare is close enough, she supposed. Dusk had ruled this land ever since her father’s death, as the pale moon sat upon the throne, merely reflecting the light of the sun. A false light, but, did that mean it was no less worthy? She wondered that as she gazed at the sliver of moon hanging low in the sky. Dusk, dawn… It was all light, wasn’t it, chasing away the darkness? 

Who am I to truly say which is better? Yona thought with a sigh, looking back down at her lap. She felt her eyes begin to burn with the familiar sensation of salty tears brewing in the ducts. She often got this way when the watchful nights closed in, cast in light only by her flickering lantern. Everything was still so confusing; she knew not what path to take, what she should do for her people. It was maddeningly frustrating. She really only knew one thing these days, and that is that she still loved Soo-Won, achingly so, despite everything that had happened. 

The first tear slipped down her cheek just as the door to the study opened. Yona quickly swept it away with the sleeve of her kimono as Soo-Won walked in, a look of mild surprise on his face. 

“Ah. You’re still here? It’s awfully late.” 

“I could say the same to you,” she said, but not icily. “I wanted to look through another book or so before finishing up for the night. What about you?” she asked as he navigated through the stacks upon stacks of volumes covering the floor and sat at his small desk. He picked up his quill with a tut, uncapping the inkwell and dipping the pointed tip of the writing utensil into the black muck. 

“I have some reports that I have not yet read or signed off on,” he explained, skimming the contents of the first page before scribbling his signature on the bottom. He set it aside for the ink to dry, then began reading the next. 

Yona looked back to her stack of books, knowing that she should pick one up, but her desire to investigate any further had suddenly vanished. She looked back to the shelf, then stood to retrieve the book of bird species. She flipped back to the page about the sunrise finch, then slowly walked over to Soo-Won. He glanced up when she approached, then looked down at the open book in her hands. 

“Soo-Won… Have you ever seen this bird?” She turned it around so he could see the illustration. He studied it for a moment, then nodded. 

“Yes… They actually nest in the palace gardens,” he explained, and looked up when Yona gasped in delight. How had she never known such a gorgeous bird had a home in the plants right outside her window? Well… It wasn’t exactly often that she found herself up before dawn. However, that would soon change. She would wake up first thing tomorrow to catch a glimpse of this bird. 

“Thank you. I’ll leave you to your paperwork,” Yona said, then looked down at the bird and its brilliant sunrise plumage. She wondered if it would be as stunning in person. She was sure it would be. The anticipation brought a smile to her face, and so she replaced the book on the shelf. The sooner she got to sleep, the sooner the dawn would come. 

Soo-Won spoke as she headed to the door. 

“You were crying.” 

She stiffened. He had seen? She’d thought she’d been slick. She could feel his aqua eyes boring into her back, making warmth spread all over her back. His stare beckoned her like a siren call; she was helpless to his song, causing her to turn slowly around to face him. His expression wasn’t judgmental, not that she had expected it to be in the first place— it was sad, or guilty, even. 

He turned in his chair so he could hold his hand out to her. Entranced by that silent magnetic melody, Yona’s body moved of its own accord; she crossed the room to take his outstretched hand. His touch was soft as his fingers moved over hers, giving just the slightest tug to pull Yona until she was standing in front of him. He reached up with his free hand to brush over the tear stains she’d thought she’d scrubbed away, ghosting over the slightly reddened skin with a heartbroken look. 

“How is your shoulder?” Such an innocent question so at odds with the way his fingers skipped down to her shoulder, fingertips inching under her kimono to brush over the skin. She tried not to twitch at the electricity that shot through her nerves. Her body was stunned, electrified by his ministrations, but her tongue seemed to work just fine. 

“It’s better.” 

He didn’t say anything, just tilted his head while continuing to massage the top of her shoulder. Her heart thumped against her chest as her kimono sleeve slipped fully off her shoulder, exposing her upper arm and even the barest hint of the curve of her breast. Soo-Won’s eyes flickered up to hers, inspecting the minute twitches of her fate for discomfort. He didn’t find any, because why would he? By now, he knew the depths of Yona’s feelings, the way she yearned for his touch despite everything that had happened. 

When did his other arm snake around her hips? It had circled around her without her knowing, so she gasped when she felt him pull her forward until she bumped against his knees. He quirked a brow— a silent invitation. She bit down on her lip, debating. 

Would any good come from yielding to her desires? She should focus on ferreting out his plans for her kingdom, not yielding to her more base compulsions. Yet as Soo-Won’s aqua eyes met hers, she felt her inhibitions melting away as easily as that silk had slid off her shoulder. With a breath of his name, she climbed onto his lap, pressing every inch of their bodies together that she could. Soo-Won’s hands pushed into her dawn-colored hair with a reverent sigh, prompting her to crane her head back into his palms. 

He pressed his mouth to the column of her throat in an open-mouthed kiss. He lingered there for several moments, and then murmured against her skin, “I’m sorry. Ever since we met again, I have caused you pain.” 

Yona’s throat bobbed against his lips as she swallowed. Her eyelashes fluttered to fight back the tears, but they came anyway. Soo-Won must have felt the tears dripping down into his hair, because he sat up to press wispy kisses over her ruddying cheeks to catch the salty streams. “My selfishness has caused you pain,” he murmured against her face. “I tried, but… Yona, I love you so…” 

“I know,” Yona said with a shuddering breath. “I know. I love you too, Soo-Won, though it vexes me.” She curled her neck so she could bury her face into his hair. She inhaled deeply, and the scent of him flooded her nose— parchment, rose water, and a crisp coolness she could only characterize as moonlight. She wondered if she smelled like the dawn, spicy and warm? 

Soo-Won kissed the junction of her neck and shoulder, drawing her out of her thoughts. Just as a small bit of lucidity returned to her, he began a path up her neck and over her chin to claim her lips in a steamy, hungry kiss. Yona perched on his lap while his fingers roved up and down her back, leaving sparks in their wake. She tangled her tongue eagerly with his, and he tasted like cool moonlight, too. Her mind clouded over like it was filled with cotton as heat built up within her, like she was a pot filling with steam. 

Just as she felt ready to burst, he pulled away. Cool air rushed through her, chilling the warmth inside of her, and she exhaled shakily. Soo-Won petted her cheek with that sad look on his face again. She still trembled atop him, not sure how to feel. These short, passionate moments between them had become such a regular occurrence that it was hard to feel guilt or shame anymore. 

“Soo-Won,” she murmured, and his fine eyelashes fluttered when he looked up at her. They’d just exchanged some very passionate kisses, but she still blushed when she meekly asked, “Would you… Would you show me the sunrise finch tomorrow morning?” 

He seemed surprised by her question, his eyes going wide. Then, his face relaxed into a sweet smile. 

“I would love to. It has been a while since I’ve seen them myself.” 

When Yona prepared to get off him, his hands tightened around her hips. 

“Stay?” he asked, quietly, pleadingly. Yona tensed at first, then slowly relaxed when she saw the way he was staring down at his desk— so sadly, so miserably. Yona knew she ought not to, but she draped herself over him anyway, nestling her head on his shoulder. He held her against him with one arm while he turned to resume tending to his documents. Yona closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of his chest rising and falling against hers, his heartbeat thumping against her sternum. It didn’t take long for hers to synchronize with his. Lulled by the melody of their tandem breaths and heartbeats, Yona found herself drifting into a comfortable sleep. The dawn would come eventually, and Yona would have to tend again to her priorities. However, for at least a few sweet hours, she would allow herself to bathe in the cool white light of the dusk— in Soo-Won and his deep, unconditional, heart-wrenching love for her.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

#yonawon #suyona #sooyona #soo-won x yona #soowon x yona #suwon x yona #yona x soowon #yona x soo-won #yona x suwon #yona of the dawn #akatsuki no yona #akayona

[andy-clutterbuck]

#HELLO MY GORGEOUS OLD MAN #here comes Papa Bear 🐻💖 #Rick Grimes #* #rg #S9 #Fuzzy Daddy and his axe #hatchet whatever i'm not a lumberjack #cool me next #there's a joke about splitting something but i'll leave it #bout to make like that time i played Life and had so many kids i had to get an extra car #you have a flair for the dramatic richard #bout to invest in those kneeling pads people who garden a lot use #FLUFFY SANTA TEDDY BEAR FACE #like a gracefully aging king #who doesn't need to but he's still out leading his troops into battle #split me with swiftness too #tell everyone you saw me with the devil #still want to rub his head like it's a crystal ball and i'm a cheap ass fortune teller at a county fair #there are several species of birds called swallows #that's me #why do pushed up or rolled up sleeves have so much power #and yet forearms don't get enough love #even his elbows are nice I hate myself