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stalkerofthegods · 6 months

Text

Apollo Cheat sheet

God of - prophecy and oracles, Music, song and poetry, archery, healing, plague and disease, and the protection of the young, divine distance, fertility, knowledge, dancing, wolves, locust, doorways, mice, entrances, foreigners, happy travels, light, omens, averting evil and harm, boundaries, and borders, laurels, mildews, the god who punishes and destroys, he helps and wards off evil, he protects the flocks and cattle, the foundation of towns and the establishment of civil constitutions, protection of young boys, god of purification, he’s also a Psychopomp.

Symbols- The lyre, Silver bow & arrows, Dolphins, Swans, Crows, Ravens, Lions, Wolves, Wolves, Mice, Griffins, Hawks, Snakes, Laurel wreath, Fire/flame, The sun/sunlight, Tripod, Apples

Incense/scents - Bay, Frankincense, Cypress, Clove, Cinnamon, Mugwort, Myrrh, hythincath, Rays of light radiating from his head, Branch of laurel, Wreath, amber, myrrh, lily of the valley, frankinscences, orange, lemongrass, marjoram

Colors • orange and yellow, red, gold and pure white blue, pink (means healing) purple and green (associated with the Oracle)

Herbs• Palm Tree, Apple Tree, Poplar Tree, Mistletoe, cinnamon, myrrh, bay leafs, sunflowers and red roses, oak wood, cypress (his veey dear friend ((not a lover or crush))), mint, heliotrope, Goldenseal, Date Palm, orange, lemongrass, marjoram

elements • his element is light

Day, month and festivals• Yule, Midsummer, May, sunday, his festivals are Noumenia, Delphinia, Thargelia, Apatouria, Pyanepsia, Asklepia (maybe), Pandia (maybe)

Patron of - medicine, mental health, physical health, therapy, the alphabet/words, defender of herds and flocks, justice, prophecy, and mental and moral purity, herdsmen and shepherds, anything in the medical field.

What I resonate with him • resseces pieces (I forgot why), Raven, lyre, lemonade, yellow, sun, bob Ross, painting, singing, humming, melody, Oracle’s, prophecies, knowledge, Purification, suns/ stars

Crystals•Sunstone, Citrine, Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Pyrite, Selenite, Lapis Lazuli

His sacred items - Bow and arrows; lyre; the wreath of laurel leaves (he wears that which is to be understood as Daphne’s hair.)

Planet - The sun

Tarot card- the sun, the chariot

Number - 7

Animals - Wolf, griffin, dolphins, Swans, foxes, roe deer, swans, cicadas, hawks, ravens, crows, foxes, mice, and snakes

Signs he's reaching out• Significant Dream Encounters of him, Frequent Solar Imagery, Increased Interest in the Arts, Strong Connection to Healing, seeing his Symbols and Animals, having Prophetic Experiences, finding yourself seeking the truth all of the sudden, Attraction to Light and Warmth

What u could put on his alter • Sun water, Wine (diluted with pure water), Milk, Olive oil, Herbal teas, Honey, honey cakes, Orange and lemon pastries, Lamb meat, goat meat, Fruits, Cheeses, Wheat, Breads, Golden objects (ex- such as gold bowls, gold wine cups, flakes of gold), Bows and arrows (real or fake), art, Images of the sun, All musical instruments, (especially stringed instruments), Wolf imagery, dolphin imagery, Any images of birds (especially crows and swans), Yellow, gold, and white candles, Incense he likes. He likes his alters Neat, clean, not cluttered, orderly, surround him with who he loves (ex- past lovers, Leto, artemis) , add images of wolves, mice, and ravens, Wine, incense, gifts of solar imagery, oranges

Other titles of apollon• ABAEUS/ Abaios (derived from the town of Abae in Phocis),

ACERSE′COMES/Akersekomês (Apollo expressive of his beautiful hair which was never cut or shorn.) ACE′SIUS/ Akesios (surname of Apollo, under which he was worshipped in Elis, This surname, which has the same meaning as akestôr and alexikakos as the god of averter of evil), ACESTOR/Akestôr (A surname of Apollo which characterises him as the god of the healing art, or in general as the averter of evil, like akesios), ACTIACUS (a surname of Apollo, derived from Actium, AEGLE′TES/Aiglêtês (that is, the radiant god), AGE′TOR/Agêtôr (a surname given to several gods, example is Zeus at Lacedaemon) AGO′NIUS/Agônios (a surname or epithet of several gods, like Zeus), AGRAEUS/Agraios (the hunter a surname of Apollo After he had killed the lion of Cithaeron), AGYIEUS/Aguieus (a a title describing him as the protector of the streets and public places), ALEXI′CACUS/ Alexikakos (the averter of evil, is a surname given by the Greeks to several deities like Zeus.), AMAZO′NIUS/ Amazonios, AMYCLAEUS/Amuklaios, ARCHE′GETES/Archêgetês (A surname of Apollo, under which he was worshipped in several places, as at Naxos in Sicily), Megara (The name has reference either to Apollo as the leader and protector of colonies, or as the founder of towns in general, in which case the import of the name is the same as theos patroôs.), BOEDRO′MIUS/ Boêdromios (the helper in distress), CARNEIUS/ Karneiosx, CATAE′BATES/Kataibatês (invoked by this name to grant a happy return home, katabasis (to those who were travelling abroad), CHRYSAOR/Chrusaôr) (The god with the golden sword or arms), CLA′RIUS/ Klarios (derived from his celebrated temple at Claros in Asia Minor), CO′RYDUS/Korudos (from the temple eighty stadia from Corone, on the sea-coast), CY′NTHIUS and CY′NTHIA/Kunthia and Kunthios (surnames of Artemis and Apollo from island of Delos, which is their birthplace), DAPHNAEUS and DAPHNAEA/Daphnaia and Daphnaios (surnames of Artemis and Apollo), DECATE′PHORUS/ Dekatêphoros (that is, the god to whom the tenth part of the booty is dedicated), DE′LIUS and DE′LIA/ Dêlios and Dêlia or Dêlias (surnames of Apollo and Artemis respectively), DELPHINIUS and DELPHI′NIA/ Delphinia (a surname of Artemis at Athens & The masculine form Delphinius is used as a surname of Apollo), EPACTAEUS or EPA′CTIUS/ Epaktaios or Epaktios (the god worshipped on the coast, was also used as a surname of Poseidon in Samos) EPIBATE′RIUS/ Epibatêrios (the god who conducts men on board a ship), EPICU′RIUS/ Epikourios (the helper),

EUTRESITES/Eutrêsitês (derived from Eutresis, where he had a ancient Oracle), GALA′XIUS/Galaxios a (from Boeotia, derived from the stream Galaxius),

HEBDOMA′GETES/Hebdomagetês (was derived from the fact of sacrifices being offered to him on the seventh of every month, the seventh of some month which became the god's birthday), HECAERGUS/Hekaergos (same meaning as Hecaerge in the case of Artemis),HY′LATUS/Hulatos (derived from the town of Hyle in Crete, which was sacred to him), INTONSUS/unshorn, (surname of Apollo and Bacchus showing the eternal youth of these gods, beacuse the Greek youths allowed their hair to grow until they attained the age of manhood), ISME′NIUS/Ismenios (A surname of Apollo at Thebes), ISO′DETES/Isodetêg (the god who binds all equally, is also used as a surname of Pluto),I′XIUS/Ixios (derived from a district of the island of Rhodes which was called Ixiae or Ixia.), LAPHRAEUS/Laphraios (a surname of Apollo at Calydon), LEUCA′DIUS/ Leukasios (a son of Icarius and Polycaste, and a brother of Penelope and Alyzeus. Leucas was believed to have derived its name from him), LIBYSTI′NUS, LOE′MIUS/Loimios (the deliverer from plague),

LO′XIAS/Loxias (derived by some from his intricate and ambiguous oracles), LYCE′GENES/Lukêgenês (describing him either as the god born in Lycia, or as the god born of light), LYCEIUS/Lukeios (the meaning is not quite certain, some derive it from lukos, a wolf, so that it would mean "the wolf-slayer;" others from lukê, light, according to which it would mean "the giver of light;"), LY′CIUS/Lukios (the Lycian, a surname of Apollo, who was worshipped in several places of Lycia),

LYCO′REUS/Lukôreus (A surname of Apollo perhaps in the same sense as Lyceius), MALEATES/Maleatês (surname of Apollo, derived from cape Malea, in the south of Laconia),MARMARINUS/Marmarinos (the god of marble), MALLOEIS and MELUS/Mêlos (A son of Manto, from which the sanctuary of Apollo Malloeis in Lesbos was believed to have derived its name), MOIRA′GETES/Moiragetês (the guide or leader of fate, occurs as a surname of Zeus and Apollo at Delphi) MUSA′GETES/MUSAE (?), NO′MIUS/Noumios (surname of divinities protecting the pastures and shepherds sheared with Apollo, Pan. Hermes, and Aristaeus) ONCAEUS/Onkaios (a surname of Apollo derived from Oncesium on the river Ladon in Arcadia), PAEAN/Paian, Paiêôn or Paiôn (meaning "the healing," however, used also in the more general sense of deliverer from any evil or calamity, PAGASAEUS/ Pagasaios/the Pagasaean, from Pegasus, or Pegasae, (town in Thessaly, uses the surname of Apollo there.), PALATI′NUS, (surname of Apollo at Rome), PARNO′PIUS/Paruopios (the expeller of locusts) paruôps (a surname of Apollo, under which he had a statue on the acropolis at Athen), PARRHA′SIUS/Parrastos (A surname of Apollo, who had a sanctuary on Mount Lyceius, meaning “the helper”, PATAREUS/Patareus (derived from the Lycian town of Patara, where the god used to spend the six winter months in every year), PHILE′SIUS/Philêsios (surname of Apollo at Didyma, where Branchus was said to have founded a sanctuary of the god, and to have introduced his worship) PHOEBUS/ Phoibos (the shining, pure or bright, occurs both as an epithet and a name of Apollo), PHY′XIUS/Phuzios (the god who protects fugitives, also occurs as a surname of Zeus in Thessaly), PY′THIUS/Puthios the Pythian, from Pytho (the ancient name of Delphi, often occurs as a surname of Apollo), SALGANEUS/Salganeus (a surname of Apollo, derived from the town of Salganeus in Boeotia), SARPEDONIUS and SARPEDO′NIA/Sarpêdonia (a surname of Artemis, derived from cape Sarpedon in Cilicia, where she had a temple with an oracle, The masculine Sarpedonius occurs as a surname of Apollo in Cilicia.) SMINTHEUS/Smintheus (a surname of Apollo, which is derived by some from sminthos, a mouse, and from the town of Sminthe in Troas), SPO′DIUS/Spodios (a surname of Apollo at Thebes, derived from spodos, ashes, because his altar consisted of the ashes of the victims which had been sacrificed to him.), TEGYRE′IUS/Tegurêios (a surname of Apollo, derived from the town of Tegyra in Boeotia. where, according to some traditions, the god had been born), TELMI′SSIUS/Telmissios (a surname of Apollo derived from the Lycian town of Telnissus or Telmessus),TEMENITES/Temenitês (a surname of Apollo, derived from his sacred temenus in the neighbourhood of Syracuse), THEOXE′NIUS/Theoxenios (a surname of Apollo and Hermes), THYMBRAEUS/Thumbraios (A surname of Apollo, derived from a place in Troas called Thymbra, where he had a temple in which Achilles was wounded, or from a neighboring hill of the same name), ZOSTERIUS and ZOSTE′RIA/Zôstêria (a surname of Athena among the Epicnemidian Locrians, The masculine form Zosterius occurs as a surname of Apollo in Attica, on the slip of land stretching into the sea between Phaleron and Sunium)

Epithets•Abaeus, Apollo Acesius, Acestor, Acraephiaeus Apollo, Acraephius Apollo, Actiacus Apollo, Apollo Actiacus, Apollo Aegletes, Agetor, Agonius, Agraeus, Agyieus, Alexicacus,Amazonius, Anextiomarus, Aphetor Apollo, Aphetorius Apollo, Apollo Musagetes, Apollo Soranus, Apollo Apotropaeus, Apulu, Archegetes, Argyrotoxus Apollo, Apollo Articenens, Apollo Averruncus, Apollo Clarius, Apollo Coelispex, Apollo Culicarius, Apollo Cynthius, Apollo Cynthogenes, Delius Apollo, Apollo Delius, Apollo Delphinius, Apollo Didymaeus, Apollo Epicurius Apollo Galaxius, Apollo Genetor, Hecaërgus Apollo, Apollo Hecebolus, Hekatos, Helius Apollo, Apollo Helius, Apollo Iatromantis, Apollo Iatrus, Apollo Ismenius, Kourotrophos, Apollo Leschenorius, Leucadius, Apollo Loxias, Apollo Lycegenes, Lyceus, Apollo Lycoctonus, Manticus Apollo, Apollo Medicus, Apollo Nomius, Apollo Nymphegetes, Paean (god), Apollo Paean, Apollo Parnopius, Apollo Patroüs, Apollo Phanaeus, Ptoion, Ptous, Pythius Apollo, Apollo Pythius, Apollo Smintheus, Apollo Sosianus, Thyraeus, Virotutis. (I’m not gonna put who, why or what the epithets are, cut me some slack 😔)

Equivalents• Abru (Berber), Horus & Ra (Egyptian), Aplu (Etruscan), Helios (Greek), Apollo & Janus (Roman), Nergal (Aplu Enlil) (Semitic)

Offerings• Candles (he’s the god of light), Paint brushes/paints, Canvases, Colored pencils, markers, crayons, Collages, Journals, Art books, Art prints, Anything you mad, Sculptures, Zines, Stickers, Any art supplies, Music boxes, Records, CDs,Cassettes, Record players,radios, MP3, Headphones, Music posters, Band merch, Instruments (especially String instruments), Dance shoes, Concert tickets, CD book holders, Sun and Light imagery, Sunscreen, Aloe for sunburns, Golden objects, Matches, Candles, Sunflowers/sunflower seeds, First aid kits, Medicine, Pain relievers, Band - aids, Ice/heat packs, Rice socks, face Masks, Aloe, Ambulance toy cars,Adaptive aids, Darts, Bow and arrows, Arrow quiver, Dart board, Targets used in archery, Bullseye used in archery, Snake skins, Snake imagery (ex - Python), Laurels, Bay leaves (because of Daphne), Palm trees (based on his birth myth), Ravens/Crows related things, Crow feathers, Cattle/turtles (related to Hermes birth myth), Swans (the animals Pull His chariot), Hyacinths (Hyacinthus is his past lover), Locks of hair, Vanilla flavored/scented things , Honey, Sunny D drink, Lemons/lemon juice, Oranges/orange juice, Citrus, Water, chocolate milk (UPG), molten orange-scented wax cube used on an oil burner, The first bite of every meal (keep a tea plate close by at mealtimes), Pot Pourri, visit a clairvoyant, Welcome foreigners, teach others your own culture/language, make sure foreigners are able to find helpful resources and social life in your community, Make sure the street outside your house is clean and secure, Resin, Sun-shaped cookies or cakes, Wine, Golden cakes, Golden raisins.

Devonatal- Donate to medical charities, Support beginner indie artists and musicians, Sing to Him, Play musical instruments for Him, Hold dance parties in his honor, Make a playlist for Him and listen to it, Read poetry to Him, Take care of your mental health in his honor, take your medicine in his honor, Try/do archery in his honor, Try/do different types of divination (ex- Tarot/Oracle decks, Pendulums, Rune stones, Charm casting supplies, Crystal balls, Scrying bowls, Cookie fortunes, Tea leaves), Try and wake up early and watch the sun rise, Go for a walk and feel the warmth from the sun, Let more sunlight into your home/room, Learn a musical instrument, learn how to sing, Learn simple medical care (ex- CPR), research his family in his honor, research Apollon, Attend pride, advocate for LGBT+ rights, Wear yellow clothing in his honor, wear orange clothing in his honor, Honor Leto and Artemis in his honor, Pray to Him/ speak to Him often (ex- for guidance, healing/good health, and new inspiration, protection, improvement in your mental health, fertility, ecstasy, for everything going well in the health aspect), Dance and sing to your favorite songs or songs you’d think He would like, Throw a feast in His honor, Support/donate to your local Hospital in his honor, Exercise in his honor, Get vaccinated in his honor, Get STI tested in his honor, practice Self care in his honor, Keep a first aid kit at home/in your car in his honor, Learn about alternative medicine in his honor, Advocate for accessible in his honor, Advocate for disability rights in his honor, Volunteer at a hospital in his honor, Give blood/plasma in his honor; Volunteer at a retirement home in his honor, Learn about anatomy/biology/nutrition in his honor, Learn about health conditions/rare disorders in his honor, Eat healthy for your body in his honor, Help fund surgeries if you can in his honor, Trip sit for someone in his honor, Listen to your body when it needs something in his honor , Sunbathe in his honor, Wear sunscreen in his honor, Start a garden in his honor, Make sun water in his honor, Music Go to a concert/show, Listen to music in his honor, Make a playlist for someone you love in his honor, dance in general in his honor, Sing in general in his honor, Support local bands in his honor, Explore new music in his honor, Daily tarot card/rune stones sessions in his honor, Make an oracle deck in his honor, Give divination readings in his honor, do Shadow work in his honor , do Colormancy in his honor, Make something in his honor, Draw in his honor, paint in his honor, craft in his honor, Color something for him, Make a zine in his honor, Go see a play in his honor, Get a tattoo in his honor, Throw darts in his honor, Use a slingshot in his honor, Go to a shooting range in his honor, follow and support artist/poet YouTubers and their social media, Check in with your neighbors, do Photography (painting with light), light a candle in his honor because he’s the of…light!

Crystal•Sunstone, Citrine, Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Pyrite, Selenite, Lapis Lazuli, amber, calcite (only the color honey/yellow), quartz (rutilated or clear), rose quartz.

Parentage• Zues and Leto

Siblings• his full sibling was his twin Artemis, His half siblings were Athena, Hermes, Dionysus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus and Persephone, Heracles, Ares, Perseus, Hebe, Aphrodite, Athena, Some Muses, Eileithyia.

Works well with• people who are respectful, and are honest, and not boastful.

Jewelry • friendship bracelets

Hates• saying that your better than him, (too boastful), being to stubborn to learn (he is the god of knowledge.), and anything contradicting his godlyness

Mortal or immortal • immortal.

Zodiac • Leo.

Curses• Sickness, and often seeing yourself lying, and in trouble.

Blessings• your healthy and protection and purification.

Vows/omans• he swears he will be Hermes best friend, and that he will never marry (he still has godpouses, pretty frequently, just as a boyfriend) because he swore he would never because he couldn't choose between all the Muses.

Morals• Morally grey.

Courting• he is unmarried.

Past lovers & crushes• Admetus (a crush), Daphne (rejected him and he fell so in love she had to run away and turn into a tree..), all the nine muses (couldn’t choose so decided to never unwed), Cyrene (a crush), Evadne (a lover who bore him a child.), Rhoeo (bore him a child and made him raise it..) Ourea (had a crush on Apollo and they hooked up on his exile and bore him a kid), Thero, Hyrie or Thyrie (said they were lovers but he made them suicidal so..idk..). Hecuba (bore the child who made Apollo kill Achilles.), Coronis (bore him Asclepius), Creusa (bore him a child and left him to die and then to be raised by a priestess of Apollo.), Hyacinthus (his most dear male lover.), Cyparissus (a dear friend but still a honorable mention.), Admetus (a crush), Branchus, Adonis (poly with apollon and Aphrodite), Helenus, Hippolytus of Sicyon,Hymenaios, god of marriage hymns, Iapis, Phorbas, minthe (who he turned into mint)

Personality• He has a quick temper, He’s very energetic, cheerful, wise, honest and kind, but sometimes he could be jealous (from what I've heard.)

Fact• He was the god of so many things that even the Ancient Greeks got confused, Apollo was temporarily stripped of his immortal power by Zeus – twice (maybe y’all might have a little more in common with being atleast human once!), he tried to over throw his father Zeus once! (He failed.)

Roots• Greek mythology, born at Delos in Cyclades archipelago.

Appearance in astral or gen• depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and wears a wreath and branch of laurel, bow and quiver of arrows, usually accompanied with a raven, and holding a lyre.

Children• Acraepheus, Aeneus, Agamedes, Agreus, Amphiaraus, Amphissus, Amphithemis, Anius, Apis, Apollonis, Arabius, Aristaeus, Asclepius, Borysthenis, Cephisso, Chariclo, Cinyras, Coronus, Cycnus, Delphus, Dius, Dorus, Dryops of Oeta, Eleuther, Epidaurus, Eriopis, Erymanthus, Eumolpus, Eurydice, Eurynome, Hilaeira, Hymen (god), Ialemus, Iamus, Idmon (Argonaut), Ion, Ismenus, Korybantes, Laodocus, Lapithes (hero), Linus (Argive), Linus, Linus of Thrace, Lycomedes, Lycorus, Melaneus of Oechalia, Melite, Miletus, Mopsus, Naxos, Oaxes, Oncius, Orpheus, Phemonoe, Philammon, Philander, Phoebe, Phylacides, Polypoetes, Scylla, Syrus, Tenerus, Tenes, Troilus, Trophonius, Zeuxippus of Sicyon.

Pet• the swans pulling his chariot called the “singers of Apollo” or just “birds of Apollo”

Status• Greek mythology god, in the big theoi, not a Demi god.

Prayers•

Prayer to Lord Apollon for Help with Divination

Hear me, Foreseeing Apollon, Son of Indomitable Zeus and Gentle Leto, Brother to Far-Shooting Artemis. He who speaks of truth, If I have ever revelled in your sunlight, accept this prayer, Apollon Leader of Fate, I ask you to be with me during this divination and to guide my cards with your knowledge, I ask for your favour with a token of my praise, I offer to you (offering)- @praise-to-the-theoi

To Lord Apollon when taking medication

Hear me, healing Apollon, Father to Soothing Asklepios. He who controls both plague and healing, If I have ever honoured you, please accept this prayer, Shining Apollon, Please allow me to be safe when taking this medication, to aid it in its effectiveness, and to reduce the likelihood of negative side effects. I ask for your favour with a token of my praise, and I take this medication in your honour. -https://www.tumblr.com/praise-to-the-theoi

Prayer to Artemis and Apollon

Praise today, O Lord Apollo and Lady Artemis, rulers upon the Sun and Moon. The Celestial Twins, on this date, join each other in the sky, shining upon us their divine light and presence. Praise the children of Great Zeus and Leto; Hail Lady Artemis, the oldest daughter, who helped her mother at birth. Godess of the hunt, divine virgin, patroness of girls, their childhood and innocence. Hail Apollon, youngest son, born by his sister's hand. God of the plages and sickness. Patron of the arts, music and poetry. May they raise their bows and guide us towards their light. - serotoninbetweenpages

Prayer with his epithets in it-

Let us hymn Paean the great god, Apollo; Immortal, gloriously formed, unshorn, soft-haired, Stern-hearted, king, delighting in arrows, giver of life, Joyous, laughing, slayer of giants, sweet-hearted, Son of Zeus, slayer of dragons, lover of the laurel, Sweet of speech, of ample might, far-shooter, giver of hope, Creator of animals, divine, Jove-minded, giver of zeal, Mild, sweet-spoken, sweet-hearted, gentle-handed, Slayer of beasts, blooming, charmer of the spirit, soft-speaking, Shooter of arrows, desirable, healer, charioteer, Weaver of the world, Clarian, strong-hearted, father of fruits, Son of Leto, pleasant, delighting in the lyre, resplendent, Lord of the mysteries, prophet, magnanimous, thousand-shaped, Lover of the bow-string, wise, stiller of grief, sober,Lover of community, common to all, taking thought for all, benefactor of all, Blessed, making blessed, Olympian, dweller on the hills, Gentle, all-seeing, sorrowless, giver of wealth, Saviour from trouble, rose-coloured, man-breaker, path-opener, Glittering, wise, father of light, saviour, Delighting in the dance, Titan, initiator, revered, Chanter of hymns, highest, stately, of the height, Phoebus, purifier, lover of garlands, cheerer of the spirit, Utterer of oracles, golden, golden-complexioned, golden-arrowed, Lover of the lyre, harper, hater of lies, giver of the soul, Swift-footed, swift-voiced, swift of vision, giver of seasons. Let us hymn Paean the great god, Apollo.

- Epigram from Book 9 of the Greek Anthology, translated by W.R. Paton (1916-18)

Links/websites/sources •

@praise-to-the-theoi

ofbloodandfaith

Reddit · r/Hellenism5 comments · 1 year agosimple offerings for apollo? : r/Hellenism

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo#Children https://www.thoughtco.com/roman-equivalents-of-greek-gods-4067799https://www.reddit.com/r/Hellenism/comments/d20s5v/would_amber_be_an_appropriate_incense_for_apollo/https://www.reddit.com/r/GreekMythology/comments/du0z4k/did_the_olympian_gods_have_particular_color/https://www.tumblr.com/eldritchhorror06https://www.tumblr.com/themodernwitchsguidehttps://web.pdx.edu/~scarmody/art342/exercise2/index.html#:~:text=Animals%20sacred%20to%20Apollo%20include,foxes%2C%20mice%2C%20and%20snakes.

let the light in and let your truth of loving Apollo shine aswell

316 notes · View notes

cryptidclaw · 1 year

Text

Cryptidclaw's WC Prefixes List!

Yall said you were interested in seeing it so here it is!

This is a collection of mostly Flora, Fauna, Rocks, and other such things that can be found in Britain since that’s where the books take place!

I also have other Prefixes that have to do with pelt colors and patterns as well!

Here’s a link to the doc if you dont want to expand a 650 word list on your Tumblr feed lol! the doc is also in my drive linked in my pined post!

below is the actual list! If there are any names you think I should add plz tell me!

EDIT: I will update the doc with new names as I come up with them or have them suggested to me, but I wont update the list on this post! Plz visit my doc for a more updated version!

Animals

Mammal

Badger

Bat

Bear

Beaver

Bison

Boar

Buck

Calf

Cow

Deer

Elk

Fawn

Ferret

Fox

Goat

Hare

Horse

Lamb

Lynx

Marten

Mole

Mouse

Otter

Rabbit

Rat

Seal

Sheep

Shrew

Squirrel

Stoat

Vole

Weasel

Wolf

Wolverine

Amphibians

Frog

Newt

Toad

Reptiles

Scale

Adder

Lizard

Snake

Turtle

Shell

Birds

Bird

Down

Feather

Albatross

Bittern

Buzzard

Chaffinch

Chick

Chicken

Coot

Cormorant

Corvid

Crane

Crow

Curlew

Dove

Duck

Dunlin

Eagle

Egret

Falcon

Finch

Gannet

Goose

Grouse

Gull

Hawk

Hen

Heron

Ibis

Jackdaw

Jay

Kestrel

Kite

Lark

Magpie

Mallard

Merlin

Mockingbird

Murrelet

Nightingale

Osprey

Owl

Partridge

Pelican

Peregrine

Petrel

Pheasant

Pigeon

Plover

Puffin

Quail

Raven

Robin

Rook

Rooster

Ruff

Shrike

Snipe

Sparrow

Starling

Stork

Swallow

Swan

Swift

Tern

Thrasher

Thrush

Vulture

Warbler

Whimbrel

Wren

Freshwater Fish

Fish

Bass

Bream

Carp

Dace

Eel

Lamprey

Loach

Minnow

Perch

Pike

Rudd

Salmon

Sterlet

Tench

Trout

Roach

Saltwater fish and other Sea creatures (would cats be able to find some of these? Probably not, I don't care tho)

Alge

Barnacle

Bass (Saltwater version)

Bream (Saltwater version)

Brill

Clam

Cod

Crab

Dolphin

Eel (Saltwater version)

Flounder

Garfish

Halibut

Kelp

Lobster

Mackerel

Mollusk

Orca

Prawn

Ray

Seal

Shark

Shrimp

Starfish

Sting

Urchin

Whale

Insects and Arachnids

Honey

Insect

Web

Ant

Bee

Beetle

Bug

Butterfly

Caterpillar

Cricket

Damselfly

Dragonfly

Fly

Grasshopper

Grub

Hornet

Maggot

Moth

Spider

Wasp

Worm

Trees

Acorn

Bark

Branch

Forest

Hollow

Log

Root

Stump

Timber

Tree

Twig

Wood

Alder

Apple

Ash

Aspen

Beech

Birch

Cedar

Cherry

Chestnut

Cypress

Elm

Fir

Hawthorn

Hazel

Hemlock

Linden

Maple

Oak

Pear

Poplar

Rowan

Redwood

Spruce

Willow

Yew

Flowers, Shrubs and Other plants

Berry

Blossom

Briar

Field

Flower

Leaf

Meadow

Needle

Petal

Shrub

Stem

Thicket

Thorn

Vine

Anemone

Apricot

Barley

Bellflower

Bluebell

Borage

Bracken

Bramble

Briar

Burnet

Buttercup

Campion

Chamomile

Chanterelle

Chicory

Clover

Cornflower

Daffodil

Daisy

Dandelion

Dogwood

Fallow

Fennel

Fern

Flax

Foxglove

Furze

Garlic

Ginger

Gorse

Grass

Hay

Heather

Holly

Honeysuckle

Hop

Hyacinth

Iris

Ivy

Juniper

Lavender

Lichen

Lilac

Lilly

Mallow

Marigold

Mint

Mistletoe

Moss

Mushroom

Nettle

Nightshade

Oat

Olive

Orchid

Parsley

Periwinkle

Pine

Poppy

Primrose

Privet

Raspberry

Reed

Reedmace

Rose

Rush

Rye

Saffron

Sage

Sedge

Seed

Snowdrop

Spindle

Strawberry

Tangerine

Tansy

Teasel

Thistle

Thrift

Thyme

Violet

Weed

Wheat

Woodruff

Yarrow

Rocks and earth

Agate

Amber

Amethyst

Arch

Basalt

Bounder

Cave

Chalk

Coal

Copper

Dirt

Dust

Flint

Garnet

Gold

Granite

Hill

Iron

Jagged

Jet

Mountain

Mud

Peak

Pebble

Pinnacle

Pit

Quartz

Ridge

Rock

Rubble

Ruby

Rust(y)

Sand

Sapphire

Sediment

Silt

Silver

Slate

Soil

Spire

Stone

Trench

Zircon

Water Formations

Bay

Cove

Creek

Delta

Lake

Marsh

Ocean

Pool

Puddle

River

Sea

Water

Weather and such

Autumn

Avalanche

Balmy

Blaze

Blizzard

Breeze

Burnt

Chill

Cinder

Cloud

Cold

Dew

Drift

Drizzle

Drought

Dry

Ember

Fall

Fire

Flame

Flood

Fog

Freeze

Frost

Frozen

Gale

Gust

Hail

Ice

Icicle

Lightening

Mist

Muggy

Rain

Scorch

Singe

Sky

Sleet

Sloe

Smoke

Snow

Snowflake

Soot

Sorrel

Spark

Spring

Steam

Storm

Summer

Sun

Thunder

Water

Wave

Wet

Wind

Winter

Celestial??

Comet

Dawn

Dusk

Evening

Midnight

Moon

Morning

Night

Noon

Twilight

Cat Features, Traits, and Misc.

Azure

Beige

Big

Black

Blonde

Blotch(ed)

Blue

Bounce

Bright

Brindle

Broken

Bronze

Brown

Bumble

Burgundy

Call

Carmine

Claw

Cobalt

Cream

Crimson

Cry

Curl(y)

Dapple

Dark

Dot(ted)

Dusky

Ebony

Echo

Fallen

Fleck(ed)

Fluffy

Freckle

Ginger

Golden

Gray

Green

Heavy

Kink

Knot(ted)

Light

Little

Lost

Loud

Marbled

Mew

Milk

Mottle

Mumble

Ochre

Odd

One

Orange

Pale

Patch(ed)

Pounce

Prickle

Ragged

Red

Ripple

Rough

Rugged

Russet

Scarlet

Shade

Shaggy

Sharp

Shimmer

Shining

Small

Smudge

Soft

Song

Speckle

Spike

Splash

Spot(ted)

Streak

Stripe(d)

Strong

Stump(y)

Sweet

Tall

Talon

Tangle

Tatter(ed)

Tawny

Tiny

Tough

Tumble

Twist

Violet

Whisker

Whisper

White

Wild

Wooly

Yellow

#cryptidclaw's warriors au #?#Im tempted to use these in the au #some characters deserve some more fun names hehe #rise of change #warrior cats #warrior cats design #warriors #warriors names #warriors naming #warriors prefixes

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sabertoothwalrus · 2 years

Text

so as you may know, the sound effect used for bald eagles in movies is almost always the call of a red tailed hawk. well, I happen to have several red tailed hawks that like to circle above my house and nest in the tall cypress trees in my neighbor’s backyard, and frequently my day is filled with this hawk call that my brain immediately interprets as a stock cartoon sound effect. like next thing I know I’m gonna be hearing wubbawubba hONk skreEEEE *wilhelm scream” yeAAAAAOOOOWUGH aawwOOOOGA boiioiiiioiiingg BLAM ough

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moonlight1237 · 9 months

Text

Apollon basic offerings and associations

Associations

Light

Song and Poetry

Archery

Knowledge

Prophecy and Oracles

Art

Healing and medicine

Plague and disease

Protection of Children

The sun

Truth

Sundays

number 7

Colors

Gold

Yellow

White

Silver

Orange

Tarot

The sun

Page of wands

The Chariot

Strength

Plants

Laurel

Larkspur

Apples/apple trees

Cypress

Hyacinth

Olives

Oranges and Lemons

Sun Flowers

bay leaves

dandelions

Poplar trees

Mugwort

Crystals

Citrine

Sunstone

Amber

Carnelian

Sapphire

topaz

Animals

Ravens

Bumblebees

Swans

Serpents

Wolves

Dolphins

Mouse

Griffin

Hawks

Offerings/Devotional

Honey

Poetry

Artwork

Music

Laurel wreaths

practicing archery

Solar magic

Sun water

Wine

Milk

Olive oil and olives

Teas

Honey cakes

Yellow, gold, and white or orange candles

Bread

Cheese

Fruits

Jewelry

Bows

Bird feathers(Ethically sourced)

practicing divination

Singing and dancing

Make a playlist

Wake up early to watch the sunrise or watch it fall

Learning healing and basic first aid

Learn about his lovers

Learn about Leto and Artemis

sit out in the sunlight

Learn a new instrument

Go for a walk in the golden hours

Flowers

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mousetoe-wc · 8 months

Text

I Got bored one time awhile ago and made a list of every prefix plus some into organised sections so I thought I might as well share.

All the ones that aren’t cannon to warriors, yet at lest are bold

Describing names

Colours: red, russet, copper, golden, amber, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, white, gray, black, ebony, dark, pale, silver, brown, tawny, fallow

Pattern, Texture + Size: spot/ted, dapple, speckle, freckle, brindle, patch, mottle, ragged, tangle, kink, bristle, fuzzy, curl/y, wooly, soft, sleek, little, tiny, small, slight, short, tall, long, big, heavy, crooked, broken, half, stumpy, shred, torn, jagged

Actions + Character: flip, pounce, bounce, jump, hop, crouch, down, low, drift, flail, strike, running, fidget, mumble, whistle, snap, sneeze, shiver/ing, shining, flutter, fallen, lost, rush, fleet, quick, shy, sweet, brave, loud, quiet, wild, hope, wish,

Other: claw, whisker, dead, odd, one, spike, fringe, echo, song, hallow, haven

Elements

Time + Weather: day, night, dusk, dawn, morning, sky, sun/ny, moon, storm, lightning, thunder, cloud/y, mist/y, fog, snow, blizzard, ice, frost, dew, drizzle, rain, clear, wind, breeze, gale, shadow, shade, bright, light,

Earth/Water/Fire names: stone, rock, boulder, slate, flint, pebble, gravel, sand/y, dust, mud/dy, meadow, hill, rubble, river, ripple, whorl, float, rapid, shimmer, lake, swamp, marsh, wave, wet, bubbling, splash, puddle, pool, creek, fire, flame, flicker, flash, blaze, scorch, ember, spark, ash, soot, cinder, smoke

Plants

Trees: alder, aspen, birch, beech, cedar, cypress, pine, elm, willow, oak, larch, maple, bay, rowan, timber, bark, log, wood, twig, acorn, cone, seed, spire

Berry/Nut/Fruit/Herb: juniper, elder, sloe, holly, yew, mistle, bramble, hickory, hazel, chestnut, nut, apple, cherry, cranberry, olive, pear, plum, peach, chive, mint, fennel, sage, basil, mallow, parsley

Flowers: aster, poppy, primrose, rose, bluebell, marigold, tansy, pansy, briar, cherry, daisy, dandelion, daffodil, tulip, violet, lily, myrtle, thrift, yarrow, heather, lavender, blossom, bloom, flower, petal

Other: leaf, frond, fern, bracken, sorrel, hay, rye, oat, wheat, cotton, reed, pod, cinnamon, milkweed, grass, clover, weed, stem, sedge, gorse, furze, flax, nettle, thistle, ivy, moss, lichen, bush, vine, root, thorn, prickle, nectar

Animals

Mammals: mouse, rat, mole, vole, shrew, squirrel, hedgehog, bat, rabbit, hare, ferret, weasel, stoat, mink, marten, otter, hog, wolf, hound, fox, vixen, badger, deer, doe, stag, fawn, sheep, cow, pig, lion, tiger, leopard, lynx, milk

Birds: robin, jay, cardinal, thrush, sparrow, swallow, shrike, starling, rook, swift, dove, pigeon, crow, raven, duck, goose, heron, wren, finch, swan, stork, quail, gull, lark, owl, eagle, hawk, kestrel, buzzard, kite, hoot, feather, bird, egg, talon

Fish, Reptiles + Amphibians: pike, perch, pollack, trout, tench, cod, carp, bass, bream, eel, minnow, fin, snake, adder, lizard, turtle, frog, toad, newt

Bug type Names: bug, lady or ladybug, moth, spider, ant, snail, slug, beetle, bee, wasp, dragon or dragonfly, bumble, worm, maggot, cricket, fly, midge, web, honey

Skyclan + Warriorclan: Bella, Billy, Big, Harry, Harvey, Snook, Ebony, Monkey

#warrior cats #wc

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blondeboyfriend · 1 year

Text

𝐇𝐄'𝐒 𝐀 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐘 (𝟏𝟖+)

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐍𝐈

[ PAIRING ] Zeke Yeager x f!reader [ AUTHOR'S NOTE ] One of my Kinktober fics from 2021. [ SYNOPSIS ] You had no idea adopting a dog would be this complicated. [ WORD COUNT ] 2.5k [ CONTENT ] Modern AU, hybrids (Zeke is a dogboy and he wears a collar), y/n is kinda dominant, pet names (you call him puppy), oral sex (f receiving), Zeke knows when you ovulate (and I have no good explanation for it), creampie, knotting, a fluffy ass ending.

When you moved up to the coastal north you didn’t think much about how isolated you truly were. Your closest neighbor being a mile away didn’t dawn on you until your first night in your new home. The wood floors were cold and creaky. The Monterey cypresses that shielded your home from the salty, onshore winds trembled outside your window, making the most heinous noise. Cell service was shaky and you didn’t have the foresight to get a landline.

Overall you were woefully unprepared for this new chapter in your life.

One day you wandered over to your laptop and set out to find a dog. You flipped through adoption sites trying to find the perfect fit. You didn’t want a huge one, but you didn’t want anything small enough to get carried off by a hawk. You needed something cute and loud, preferably.

It took about an hour of searching until you stumbled across a Shiba Inu mix. After doing remedial research you knew a creature capable of letting out a “Shiba scream” was the perfect match. The listing was rather mysterious, but it seemed promising.

“No pictures? Whatever, I know what dogs look like,” you told yourself.

You submitted your inquiry and crossed your fingers hoping you and the dog would get along.

The next morning you heard an urgent knock on your door. You rolled out of bed and threw a robe on top of your nightgown. The wood floors were anything but kind, the cold oak freezing your feet with every step. The knocks grew harder and you flung the door open.

“What?!”

In your sleepy daze you tossed civility to the side. You glanced at the blonde man standing in front of you. He was tall, slender but well-built, and his flaxen hair was windblown and looked exceedingly soft. You barely noticed his fox-like ears and floofy, curled tail.

“Can I help you?”

“You wanted a dog, right?” he asked plainly.

“Are you from the agency?”

“You could say that.”

“Are those part of your uniform?” You pointed at his ears and they perked up much to your surprise.

“My ears?” He barely spat the question out before he was overcome with laughter. “The things I use to hear?”

“Ye—yes,” you stammered.

“Are your ears part of your uniform?”

You ignored his snide comment, hoping he’d leave as fast as he came.

“Where’s the dog? I’d like to meet him before I make a commitment,” you paused, gathering your thoughts. “Doesn’t seem like a great idea to blindly adopt a dog, you know?”

“Oh you’re going to love this,” he said, stepping closer to you.

You backed up and nearly stumbled back into your home.

“I’m the dog.”

“What? No, seriously where is he? His name was Zeke or something, right?”

You peered over the man’s shoulder looking for the dog you had conjured in your mind. You called out the his name, thinking maybe he was hiding behind a tree or placed out of view.

“Yeah, it is his name. My name. Hi, I’m Zeke. You’re officially stuck with me.”

Zeke came in even closer, standing chest to chest with you. He stared at you hard with his grey eyes, they reminded you of the fog that drifted in on the marine layer. Nothing like the big brown eyes you expected your dog to have. Taking a good look at him, he wasn’t like anything you imagined. You were rendered speechless. He smirked, clearly taking joy in your stunned silence.

“Can I come in? I’m cold. I had to walk here. Well, not the whole way. The guy kicked me out the car because I kept sticking my head out the window. Apparently I was letting the heat out.”

He ended his sentence with a dejected sigh.

You reached up and squeezed one of his ears, feeling the soft fur that coated them. They felt real and they matched his hair color so well it was almost uncanny. You were stunned. In your absentmindedness your thumbnail scratched one causing him to yelp.

“Oh fuck! I’m so sorry! I just thought maybe you were a really committed furry.”

Zeke cocked his head to the side, rubbing his ear. He gave you a quizzical look.

“What the fuck is a furry?”

Zeke was much more even-keeled than you anticipated. You were expecting a screaming Shiba Inu, but instead you got him. He alerted you of weird noises in a manner you considered too lax. He would stare out the window, eyes narrowed, and calmly mutter, “I think something’s out there.”

However when a man tried to break into your home he came at the guy with a baseball bat. You ran downstairs to see him dressed only in his underwear, standing over the unconscious man. He was catching his breath, bat in hand, immersed in a silent rage. You never saw him so incensed, so wild. When he glanced up and saw you standing there with your eyes wide he softened his expression, flashing you a sheepish smile. Wagging his tail, he suggested calling the police.

Once the cops drove off with the intruder in tow, Zeke carried you upstairs to bed and spent the night spooning you. After that encounter he slept beside you every night.

Zeke demanded that you collar him even though you told him it wasn’t necessary. You thought it was rather strange and held off on buying one, hoping he’d forget about it. But he didn’t. He sat you down and explained how it made him feel wanted and safe. He knew you’d never throw him out on the street, but after a life of getting shuffled around from home to home he needed the security.

He was fairly casual during the conversation, even cracking a few jokes. But his eyes gave him away; they revealed the melancholy that pooled inside him.

It killed you to think of a sweet, little puppyboy getting tossed out of someone’s house. You wanted to go after all the people who mistreated him after he described how cold he'd get when he was forced to sleep in a literal dog house. How he’d curl up into a little ball with his tail wrapped around him, trying to stay warm as snow blew in through the shoddy door. One family even refused to let him walk upright; they made him crawl around on his hands and knees.

You got him a lovely leather collar in a rich mahogany color the very next day. He nearly squeezed the life out of you when he pulled you in for a hug, his tail wagging like crazy.

From that day forth you were determined to make up for all the awful things that happened to him.

One night while you were cuddling in bed Zeke was considerably more affectionate. He spooned you, muscled arms wrapped around you, nose buried in your freshly washed hair. He took a deep inhale and his warm hand cupped your breast, giving it a little squeeze.

Your eyes fluttered open and you turned over to face him.

“Zeke, what the hell?”

“You’re in heat, don’t play coy,” he said before licking your neck.

You clumsily patted him on the head and scratched that special spot behind his ear.

“I’m not in heat. Humans don’t have estrous cycles.”

He sighed and nuzzled his face into your neck, his breath hot against your skin.

“You smell like it,” he murmured.

You thought about the random pain you felt in your left ovary the day before. It had to be a coincidence.

He tightened his arms around you and ran his hands down your back, stopping at the small of it. His eyes were dark with lust. Zeke looked at you like this quite a bit, but it would only be for a moment. He was good at keeping composure. You couldn’t count how many times he busted into your room while you were getting dressed. His gaze lingered on your body before apologizing and shutting your door, acting like nothing happened.

Zeke licked your neck again. Usually he only did it to annoy you, popping up from under your desk and straddling your lap just so he could poke your face with his tongue. He’d stumble off, snickering the entire time. A much different context compared to the current one.

You stroked his head, tangling your fingers in his blonde locks. His hair was like silk; it was hard to keep your hands off it.

“We can’t do this,” you said.

“Aw, what? You don’t like me anymore?”

You gritted your teeth, trying to ignore the growing wet spot in your underwear.

“You’re my pet.”

“Oh so now I’m a mere pet,” he said, mocking your apprehension.

He had a point. You didn’t treat Zeke like he was a dog. Why would you? He cleaned the apartment while you were at work, did the grocery shopping, and occasionally played amateur therapist when you got hit with an existential crisis. He was so much more than a pet; you held no dominion over him nor did you want to.

Zeke lifted your nightgown and peeled your underwear off. He grabbed your ass and squeezed, digging his trim nails into the flesh.

“Please,” he said, borderline begging. “I need it.”

He looked so sad with ears tucked down. If he was guilt tripping you it was working. You stroked his cheek, your fingers grazing his beard. It was silly to lie to yourself, to think you didn’t want to fuck Zeke.

“Fine, but we tell no one.”

You heard his tail thumping against the mattress.

“Really?”

You sighed, “Yes… Really.”

Without another word Zeke flipped you onto your back and yanked your nightgown over your head, throwing it over his shoulder. He left a trail of kisses down your body before stopping at your throbbing cunt. He forced two of his fingers inside and prodded the inside of you.

“Nice,” he said, pulling them out and licking them clean. “I knew you’d taste good.”

His breath was hot against your cunt, beard tickling the inside of your thighs. You felt his warm tongue drift along your folds before he encircled your clit. Your toes curled as gently sucked on it.

He peered up at you and your heart melted. He was so eager to please. You scratched behind his ear causing him to moan with a mouthful of your cunt.

“Such a good boy,” you cooed, remembering the things he murmured when you caught him fucking your pillow.

His eyes lit up at the sweetness radiating from your voice. It was probably not something he was used to hearing.

“I’d even say you’re the best boy.”

“Do you have the authority to make that claim?” he asked, adjusting his glasses.

You pinched his ear.

“Don’t make me take back what I said.”

He let out a pained little whine. Eager to please he ran his tongue along your slit, prodding the opening.

“I’m gonna have to reward you.”

His tail wagged with a fervor you didn’t know it was capable of.

“Aw,” you said, patting his head. “Such an eager puppy.”

His glasses were fogging up. His cuteness was truly unparalleled.

“Are you enjoying this?” he asked, resting his cheek on your thigh.

“Very, but I don’t remember asking you to stop.”

“I know, but I need to fuck you. It’s becoming distracting.”

You giggled. “Oh, you poor thing. You need me that bad?”

“Yes,” he growled.

He crawled on top of you, his face obscenely close to yours. The heat coming off his body was immense like those rogue, hot days that reared their heads in October. You wanted to immerse yourself in him, feel the weight of his body against yours.

You smiled and cupped his face in your hands, kissing him. You didn’t expect him to be so sloppy but his desperation should have clued you in. Biting on his bottom lip, you guided his erect cock inside you.

“Oh f—fuck,” he stammered, breaking the kiss.

You tightened around the length of his cock and watched as he agonized over the sensation. He buried his face into your neck, trying to hide his expression from you.

“Is it too much?” you asked, petting his head.

“No,” he responded, voice muffled by your flesh.

You rolled your hips against his and he started to thrust.

“I don’t know. It sounds like my precious boy can’t handle it.”

“Your precious boy is going to come if you keep talking like that.”

Your body nearly sang at the thought of him filling you with his cum.

“As if that’s not my end game,” you laughed.

He beamed, tail still wagging. He really was your precious boy, so eager to please.

Vulgar noises emanated from your wet cunt as Zeke drove his cock deeper inside you, your fluids intermingling. He panted and rutted against you in a haze of ardor. You looked into his eyes and saw nothing behind them other than lust. His brain had taken a vacation.

“Aw, such a dumb puppy. Are you gonna come, hm?”

He rubbed your clit with his rough thumb.

“Not yet,” he choked out. “You fir—first.”

The weight of his thumb against your throbbing clit was almost too much to bear. His cock was brushing up against your cervix. Your breathing labored as your orgasm crested the horizon. You locked your legs around his hips, grinding up against him. You held onto him as he fucked you harder, driving your body into the mattress.

“Shit,” you said through a moan. “That feels so good.”

A devilish gleam came over Zeke’s eyes. He bit down on your shoulder, the pain making you wince. However you felt yourself becoming overwhelmed with euphoria.

You held his face in your hands and told him, “You’re such a good boy, Zeke. You are my good boy.”

He softly bit at your neck as you were engulfed in rapture. Your body quivered and writhed underneath him, exuding delectation. You hung onto his shoulders and rode out your orgasm as he continued rutting against you.

“Can I come inside you? I’ve been good enough, haven’t I?”

You smirked and kissed the tip of his nose.

“Go ahead, puppy. You earned it.”

His cock swelled and released a deluge of cum inside you. It was a completely new sensation; nothing prepared you for it. Honestly had you known it’d feel this good you would have propositioned him the day you met him.

His loud moans filled the room and you instinctively checked to make sure the window was shut. Once he finished he collapsed on top of you, cock still buried inside your cunt.

“I’m… We’re going to be stuck like this for a while,” he muttered, blushing. “I can’t pull out yet.”

You rubbed his back. “That’s alright. I mean, it is weird as fuck.”

He playfully bit your ear.

“I guess it is kind of weird, huh…” His voice trailed off, heavy with sleepiness.

He held onto you and rolled over onto his back, letting you rest on top of him. He kissed your neck before letting out a hearty yawn. He looked so peaceful, so relaxed. You were happy you could give him a better life and hoped you could make up for the years of shit he endured.

“I like weird things,” you said softly.

#zeke yeager x reader #zeke jaeger x reader #zeke yeager smut #zeke jaeger smut #aot x reader #snk x reader #snk smut #aot smut #attack on titan smut #shingeki no kyojin smut #.fics #.aot #.zeke #reader insert #x reader

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warrior-names · 6 months

Text

Prefixes/Suffixes for ThunderClan Cats

Words from things that can't be found in North America or Europe aren't included; this list is made based on ThunderClan territory, culture, & prey.

95+ prefixes and 30+ suffixes under the cut!

Prefixes

Acorn-

Adder-

Alder-

Apple-

Ash-

Aspen-

Badger-

Bark-

Bay-

Bear-

Beaver-

Bee-

Beech-

Beetle-

Berry-

Birch-

Bird-

Bracken-

Bramble-

Branch-

Bug-

Bumble-

Bumblebee-

Butterfly-

Cardinal-

Cedar-

Cherry-

Chestnut-

Chipmunk-

Crow-

Cuckoo-

Cypress-

Deer-

Doe-

Dogwood-

Elk-

Elm-

Fawn-

Feather-

Fir-

Fox-

Frog-

Gum-

Hawk-

Hedgehog-

Hemlock-

Hickory-

Holly-

Honey-

Juneberry-

Juniper-

Larch-

Laurel-

Leaf-

Linden-

Lizard-

Locust-

Magpie-

Maple-

Mouse-

Mulberry-

Myrtle-

Nectar-

Nettle-

Nut-

Nutmeg-

Oak-

Olive-

Owl-

Palm-

Pecan-

Pine-

Poplar-

Raccoon-

Raven-

Robin-

Root-

Rowan-

Sequoia-

Shrew-

Snake-

Spruce-

Squirrel-

Stag-

Sweetgum-

Sycamore-

Toad-

Tree-

Vole-

Walnut-

Weasel-

Willow-

Worm-

Yarrow-

Yew-

Suffixes

apple

bark

berry

bird

branch

claw

fall

feather

flash

flight

flower

flutter

heart

leaf

leap

light

moth

root

rumble

step

strike

stripe

tail

thorn

wing

#warrior names #prefixes #suffixes #/ Region:#North America #Europe #/ Clan:#ThunderClan #/ Reach:#TumblrClan #warriors #warrior cats #warriors oc #warriors roleplay #oc inspiration #oc inspo

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whitherwanderer · 1 year

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pride ✨

#ffxiv #ffxiv screenshots #[ edited ]#[ photoshop ]#[ anamnesis ]#[ custom pose ]#[ dust to dust ]#[ the hawk and the cypress tree ]

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phae-undergrove · 2 years

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APOLLO

Roman name: Phoebus

God of the Sun, Prophecy, Truth, Music & Poetry, Archery, Healing, & Light

🎨COLOURS: Gold/Yellow, Orange, Red-orange

🔥ELEMENT: Fire

🗓DAY OF THE WEEK: Sunday

🌱PLANTS AND TREES: The laurel tree, the apple tree, the poplar tree, the palm tree, cypress, hyacinth

💎STONES & GEMS: Sunstone, Citrine, Amber, Carnelian, Yellow topaz, Sapphire

💨INCENSE: Bay, Frankincense, Cypress, Clove, Cinnamon, Mugwort, Myrrh

☀️SYMBOLS: The lyre, silver bow, Dolphins,Swans,Crows,Ravens, Lions,Wolves, Mice,Griffins,Hawks,Snakes, Laurel wreath Fire flame,Sun/sunlight, Tripod, Apples

🕊OFFERINGS: Bay laurel leaves (including a laurel wreath), Honey, Sun-shaped cookies or cakes, Wine, Golden cakes, Golden raisins, Apples, Music or poetry, Dancing, Donations to hospitals or health research institutes, Donations to local artists, Drawings

ART BY: Huang Guangjian on ArtStation

ART BY ChrisrtyTortland on DeviantArt

If you liked this check out GREEK DEITIES P1

#apollo #greek deities #greek gods #witchblr #beginner witch #witchy tips #witchcraft #baby witch #witch #witchcraft 101 #grimoire #book of shadows #digital grimoire

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fissions-chips · 3 months

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shriek

(day 7: can't scream- eldritch au, winged jon. tw for broken bones and injury)

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck-

Chest heaving for breath, Jon flung himself forwards, talons only just reaching the branch before him and snagging- sharp pain shivered up the joint of each finger as he hauled himself up to press against the smooth black bark of its trunk, struggling not to slip and fall into the waiting water below.

Pressing one hand to his chest, Jon’s wings hung behind him, shaking with strain- surrounded on all sides by closely-woven branches and vines and lush, dizzying greenery, there was no room for full flight. He wasn’t built for the stop-and-start of fluttering from tree to tree, he was built to dive, but the closely-packed canopy above was too dense to break through, little light reaching beneath the leaves to guide his way. Legs trembling, he clung to the branch beneath him and tried to catch his breath, ears pricked for the sounds of creaking wood and rustling, smooth scales-

Snap.

The breaking of a branch, somewhere above him.

Shit.

Jon leapt from the tree just as a massive hand slammed down where he had perched just moments before, sending him hurtling forward.

The chase was on again.

He hadn’t met many other gods before- Artemis didn’t allow it. Jon wasn’t built for combat the way his soldiers or the Butlers were, strong of tooth and talon. He was… a priest. A servant. One to perch on the Hunt’s shoulder and oversee his dark dealings, his cult organized and efficient under Jon’s watchful eye- one to bend under his hand and murmur his praises, keeping his god well-fed and well-worshipped, feathers straightened (and pulled, when Artemis was in one of his moods) by clever fingers. He’d been gifted wings of his own for it, soft and warm things, but it wasn’t for Jon to swoop down on prey from above alone- it was a symbol. Artemis, the Hunter, and his trusted hunting hawk.

Artemis had told him to stay with the others. This was uncharted territory, the hallowed grounds of some other great creature- a vast, verdant jungle of green, growing things, the air heavy with the scent of flowers and faint, sugary smoke. It was a beautiful place, Jon had admitted, even if they had been told simply to wait and stay put while Artemis investigated the rumors of another god’s presence. The sole member of Foxworth’s coven chosen to accompany them had warned them not to touch anything but the grass beneath their feet, for fear of something toxic- and it seems he had been right. Everything here, pollen and petal and sap and stream, was poison, the danger only evident when the first of Artemis’s men to drink from the water had keeled over.

He was the only one to pass so peacefully- Valentine, velveteen and venomous ruler of this jungle, had found them first.

The ground blurred below him as Jon darted left, a loud snarl of rage shaking the air behind him as the serpentine creature collided teeth-first with the trunk of a massive cypress, massive claws flailing about blindly as his body hurriedly curled around the trunk to steady himself. Shaking his head and spitting out a needle-like tooth, the god let out a chilling shriek of rage as Jon shot past him in a blur of black-barred feathers.

“You fucking cunt!”

Valentine was a massive, massive creature- bigger than Artemis, even. Built like a snake, finned and frilled, flytrap-like, his black scales had blended in perfectly with the dappled ground when he had darted down from the trees to snatch the first man from the dirt, pulling him screaming into the branches above. Not even Butler had noticed he was there.

I hope he’s alright.

The cult’s finest soldier had darted into the undergrowth as soon as the other god had arrived, and Jon didn’t have time to look for him- he needed to find Artemis, warn him, beg him for help, something. Hide beneath his wings and wait for his god to drive the other away. They were not meant to be here- he could feel it, down to the tip of each feather. Everything, the swamp below him and the black-barked trees and the bones he had seen, scattered among the branches, warned him that this was an evil, evil place, far from the warm garden they had stumbled into. Butler would have to look after himself.

A twinge of pain rattled up his ribs, lungs aching, and he hurriedly spiraled down, landing hard on a tangled mass of roots and bending over, gasping for breath. A quick glance around him revealed that, for the moment, he seemed to have lost the serpent- Jon leaned against the wood behind him and tried to catch his breath.

He was being driven… somewhere. Further from where they had first arrived, deeper into the jungle- Jon tilted his head back to find the canopy above a tangled mass of knotted wood and vines. There was no breaking through that- he’d break his wings trying. Pulling them tighter around him, Jon swallowed, fighting back a shiver as he continued to pant, eyes darting left and right and praying not to find the flash of teeth or scales.

He was being hunted.

Fuck.

Crouching down, Jon peered into the swampy waters below- dark and thick with mud, they bubbled strangely, the air heavy and reeking of sulfur and fumes His face twisted into one of disgust. Nasty. He shook his head, feathers bristling at his back. Fucking nasty.

He was trapped from above and below, then. Wincing, Jon let his wings fall behind him for a moment, careful to keep his feathers brushing only the bark below. He didn’t want to know what would happen if they became waterlogged with that muck. The muscles at his shoulders were trembling, and for a moment Jon focused on trying to stretch them out, as carefully as he could. He couldn’t afford for them to fail him, and he was already exhausted- but he couldn’t afford to stay here much longer either. Already, the shadows around him were growing longer as the sun slowly began to dip beyond the leaves. Jon could see in the dark better than most, as a servant of Artemis, but he didn’t trust himself not to crash in such closely-packed conditions-

“Helloooo…”

Jon froze, paling as a soft, lilting voice echoed among the trees- he flattened himself against the trunk behind him, eyes screwing shut as cold fear snatched the breath from his chest.

“Little bird… come out, come out, wherever you are…”

Valentine’s words dripped, hissing, sticky and saccharine as sap- the distant creak of wood and tree limbs and scales brushing bark met Jon’s ears as the serpent slowly wove himself among the branches, golden-green eyes glittering as they roamed the understory around him. “Come out and say hello, little sparrow,” he purred, forked tongue flickering from between his teeth. “I won’t bite.”

Jon forced one eye open, slowly looking upwards as massive, hooked claws curled around the branches far above him, Valentine slowly moving to coil himself around the tree he was hiding under. His shadow shifted over Jon, and the man found himself beginning to shiver, unable to stop himself. His feathers flattened against his back completely, one hand grabbing at the edge of his wing as Jon pressed his back to the bark and prayed that the creature didn’t look down.

Up close, he could make out scattered green and sundew-pink scales across the god’s back and down his spine, fins flattening down the sides of his slithering body as he lazily leaned against a nearby trunk, lifting a hand to his mouth and calling, voice still sweetened and soft.

“I’ll find you eventually, little winged thing- you serve Artemis, don’t you? I thought I felt another god’s presence nearby, that prowling creature… won’t you fetch him for me? I’d love to meet him…”

The claws above him dug deep into the trunk, chips of bark and splintered wood falling against Jon’s feathers as something sinister bled into the tone of his voice.

“I can’t wait to taste his feathers between my teeth. Who do you think will find him first- me, or you?”

Jon paled- he clapped his hands over his mouth to bite back a shriek of fear. He wants to hurt Artemis- he couldn’t, could he? Artemis had always seemed untouchable, immortal, even surrounded by his kin- but Jon knew gods could bleed. Looking up at the massive serpent, terror sank its teeth into the pit of his stomach as Jon pictured his god slashed and bitten, sinking to the ground and lying still. Artemis wasn’t immune to poison, and he wasn’t immune to venom.

“Do you think he’s hiding?” Valentine continued, taunting- he suddenly stooped, beginning to peer at the swampy waters below. “Is he afraid of me like you are? I can smell it- where are you? I won’t hurt you, if you come out. I just want you to fetch him. That’s not too hard, is it?”

Jon watched as the serpent paused for a moment, eyes narrowed as he took in a deep breath. He opened his mouth, and suddenly blew a long jet of thick, black smoke into the air- it began to fall across the swamp like fog, thick and choking and reeking of fumes.

“Come out,” the serpent hissed- he leaned back and turned, the tree trunk shuddering against Jon’s back as he settled against it, waiting. “Or I’ll smoke you out. You can come up here and say hello, or choke... I’ll wait.”

Jon lifted a foot and flinched as he felt it brush his skin, stinking like melting plastic- he covered his face, eyes stinging as he felt his chest seize tightly. Shaking, he held his breath and screwed his eyes shut, heart pounding.

He couldn’t stay here- his wings were trembling, still overworked and sore, but his head was spinning and his skin itched, the taste of fumes bathing his tongue even with his hands shielding his mouth and nose. His lungs ached for breath and the urge to cough, and Jon felt his ribs tighten in his chest, unbidden. Don’t, he begged himself, wings slowly stretching wide as his talons dug into the bark below his feet.

Don’t cough. Don’t scream. Just fly.

His body failed him just as Jon pushed himself forward, wings snapping downwards to send him hurtling skyward as he choked on air, one arm covering his mouth as he frantically dodged branches and climbed higher. Half-blinded and shaking, he struggled not to crash into Valentine himself as he pulled free from the smoke.

Valentine’s head whipped around, eyes widening as Jon darted past, just out of arm’s reach. Baring his teeth, the serpent arched his back and grinned, reaching out and beginning to race after the other, tail lashing. “There you are!” He crowed, lip curling as Jon barely dodged another trunk, gasping for breath.

He couldn’t see. He could hardly breathe. Jon’s feathers brushed bark and he flinched, nearly tumbling from the air entirely as he smacked into a branch and dragged past it. Shit. Turning his head, he saw a blurred shape swipe at him, Valentine’s claws barely clipping the edge of one wing, nearly slicing through his feathers as Jon let out a shriek and lashed out- the god snarled and ducked away, eyes narrowed to shield them from a slash of Jon’s talons.

Diving, Jon ducked beneath his outstretched arm and wheeled around, flying as fast as he could back the way he had come. His shoulders screamed with pain, and his vision refused to clear completely, shapes blurring and darkening as he fluttered a frantic, crazed path beneath the trees. Behind him, he could hear crashing and the snap of teeth, Valentine weaving among the branches with expert skill, claws leaving deep gouges in the wood as he surged forward. Jon couldn’t tell if he was gaining or falling behind, but he could see the shape of his sinister, sneered smile, amused. Not hurried. Not annoyed.

He’s playing. This is a game- just a game.

Horror struck him and turned his blood cold, the irony not lost on Jon as he fled. He was being toyed with, like a cat with a mouse- like Artemis did with his prey, pinning it and rolling it beneath his talons to feel it shriek and squirm. Jon was utterly lost in this jungle. For all he knew, he was only flying further into the swamp-

CRACK.

Jon hit the tree full-force, his shoulder taking the brunt of the blow and sending a shock down his body- something caved, wing grinding against its joint as Jon dropped like a stone, flailing and clawing at the bark to try to slow his fall. He hit a branch stomach-first, all the air punched from his chest- he hooked an arm around it, only for pain to suddenly seize him completely, so sharp and blinding that he barely felt himself slip loose.

When Jon came to a second later, he was upside-down- his wings hung limp and uneven, stretched out above his head. The tips of his feathers were dragging in the swampy water below. Jon blinked, shuddering as a white-hot, dizzying pain spiraled up his shoulder and down his body. His vision refused to clear, but he forced himself to lift his head.

One leg was held tightly, wrapped in the tip of the serpent’s tail- Jon let his head fall back down, half-stunned and falling limp in fear. His body wouldn’t obey him. He stared down at the swamp below him, bubbling- a quiet whine slipped from his throat, the stench of burnt feathers nearly lost to him as he was slowly pulled up into the trees.

“Poor birdy,” Valentine cooed, appearing from between the branches as he caught up with the rest of his body, curling himself over a particularly thick branch and blinking down at the small, shivering man, dropping him into his open palms. “Hit your head? Ohh, your poor little wing-“ His claws curled around his feathers, Jon’s eyes widening as he realized they were blackened, flaking away between the god’s fingers. Suddenly, Valentine pulled, and Jon screamed as it was nearly pulled from the joint, broken bone grinding at the point closest to his shoulder.

“Oops.”

Jon shrank away, Valentine releasing his feathers only to brush the tip of one claw against Jon’s scalp, like one would pet a bird. “I told you not to run,” he muttered, the god’s voice taking on a petulant note, dripping with shallow, false sympathy. “I didn’t want to hurt you- you’re so cute. Where’s Artemis? …Maybe he can fix you…”

Wincing, Jon shook his head- the sharp edge against his throat pressed deeper, blood welling beneath as the serpent’s voice turned coaxing.

“Come on, pet… don’t make me hurt you. Call your god- he’ll come running, right? You must be so special to have earned such a pretty little gift as these feathers…” Leaning close, his eyes narrowed as his hand was suddenly joined by the other, curling around Jon to trap him between them. The man screamed as his broken wing was forced against his back at an awkward angle, feather breaking between the god’s fingers as Valentine hissed, voice no longer quite so pleasant.

“Call for Artemis.”

A whine slipped between his teeth- Jon shook his head again stubbornly, Valentine’s lip curling as his fingers squeezed tighter. He shook him slightly. “I can mend you, little one… I’ll fix your broken wing, keep you safe in my gardens while it heals…” he coaxed, scratching at Jon’s chin gently with a claw. “I’d hate for your bones to rot here- you’d look so pretty perched at my arm. Wouldn’t you like that?”

Trembling, Jon turned his head away, his eyes screwing shut- cold fear had caught him completely, his teeth chattering, but he forced himself to bite his tongue, even as tears dotted his eyes.

Valentine’s eyes narrowed, glittering cruelly- then, he sighed. “Last warning.” He muttered, brows lifting when Jon only remained as he was, turned away and shivering. Rolling his shoulders, the serpent shrugged, Jon lifted further between his hands as his shadow fell across him.

“Suit yourself…”

Jon blinked open his eyes to find Valentine looming over him, forked tongue flickering- he froze as the god’s mouth parted to reveal rows of razor-edged needle teeth and a dark, dripping mouth, the man left staring up into the serpent’s throat as smoke curled around him. For a moment, neither moved- then, he was lifted upwards, Valentine slowly beginning to bite down. Teeth sank into Jon’s back, brushed against his chest, the man flinching away with a shrill, choked scream as the serpent’s tongue brushed his face. Venom dripped to trace down his shoulders, and it burned, eating away at flesh and feather to mingle with sudden, spilt blood.

Jon’s vision darkened, every sense filled with needling teeth and smoke and the stench of burning feathers and blood. Overwhelmed with terror, his nerve failed him, and Valentine paused as he felt the man begin to thrash and struggle and squirm, gasping for air as he suddenly, violently screamed.

“ARTEMIS!”

Jon screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed, sobbing and begging for his god to appear until his voice broke completely- he didn’t know when the serpent pulled away, or when he was held aloft by his tattered wing, shuddering with pain. All he knew was that when he couldn’t scream anymore, he sobbed, wreathed by smoke and blinded by terror, tucked beneath the god’s hand to wait for Artemis, eventually, to arrive.

#wrote this in a handful of hours so its messy but i wanted to write some injury instead of just hurt/comfort. i've been too soft lately.#so have eldritch valentine being an ass! i wanted to see how little context and setup i could get away with lol so forgive any confusion #or errors for that matter- i'll proofread it tomorrow #eldritch au #oc: valentine #fission’s fics

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axl-ul · 5 months

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The Flight of the Western Crane: Chapter Fourteen

(A reupload/repost of my fic/dark retellingof Journey to the West which can be also found on AO3 under the same name)

(General info about this fic/wip/retelling is here)

****

Under the sky, thick redwood tree giants, golden larches and discreet gutta percha trees were covering the area with their wide veils. Every single twig played in various shades of green, the only colour which seemingly brought some vibrancy to grey daybreak. Yet, under their leaves, an unbelievable humidity carrying the stench of decay and boiling hotness quickly wrapped around the group of armed travellers who took hiding in the swampy groove, making their scaly skins under the armour drown in salty sweat mixed with dust and peeling skin. Only one of them didn’t seem to care much about the tough conditions despite the thick fur covering him from head to toe. Standing in the darkest shadow, he appeared as a terrible statue dressed in a tattered cloak and a brown waist sash of a beggar. Yet nothing but a pure arrogance of a victorious thunder god was carved into his grotesque features.

The nameless monkey’s pupils had to burn with tiny orange flames so he could keep watching the cursed Dragon Prince warily. The snow-white body was lying on the moist ground not moving. The steamy fumes streamed out of the nostrils like the gas leaking from under the bubbling surface of the nearby dirty pool. The dead river arm desperately tried to hold onto the last bits of life just like the will of the dragon horse. Its numerous thin fingers stretched out among the low hanging cypresses and low fruitless bushes or lilacs.

The horse snorted from his deep sleep with great difficulty. Lie’s nose was in the worst condition than ever before, the pink was painted over with deep purple and indigo blue from numerous bruises.

While the ominous figure never left the prey out of sight, his fingers played with a tiny flask filled with a dark liquid.

What to ask? Where is Sun Wukong? To trust Golden Wind with the task of hunting down the Pilgrims wasn’t an option he was willing to prolong. His future younger brother must surely know something. Anything.

The macaque’s foot was quickly tapping on the ground as he pouted.

The liquid splashed behind the glass. An inaudible noise for a mortal. Yet for the demon, it marked a promising future.

The macaque brought the item to his vision and observed the essence for the hundredth time. His hawk eyes were as precise as always even now in the treacherous shadows of the swamp. In no way they could have been easily deceived.

Truly, the creature he witnessed had blood darker than the night, darker than the core of the rotting pit, the corner where his damned soul should be.

****

The macaque’s hands brushed away the twigs and lianas of the gargantuan banyan like two rakes. Faster than any other being in the humid forest, he certainly gained a lot of strength from the devoured monkeys of Mount Huaguo. Most of his skin was already covered by golden-brown hair, which got darker with each day. Occasionally, there were red dots sprinkled over the fur on hands and throat which kept holding on, refusing to be washed away by the light summer drizzle. Yet there still remained a few spots on his face, back and legs where the skin and the muscle didn’t replace the dead rock. It, however, crumbled with each step and the more he went, the more flesh was born from it. The freedom washed over him. He wanted to feel like all those years ago when he for the first time saw the golden light, the innocent blue sky threaded with creamy clouds and the waving trees of the wide mountain. He really should have been feeling like an infant as he was freed only a few days ago.

But he didn’t.

He knew he couldn’t. Although, his hunger matched that of a newborn.

His eyes darted around, his mind was stripped of any remorse. The demon wanted to feed. It became his only wish. To feed, to grow stronger, to conquer, to murder, to last forever.

That was his purpose. To survive and to show he was the strongest. In the chaos of the world, nothing was certain. Anything was fleeting, anything could easily get lost. Anything but him. He is eternal.

He desires to be the next sky, the next stars, the next sun, the next moon and wind. The next seas and oceans and mountains. He will last far longer than forever. He will become beyond comprehension. That is his potential, what he truly must become for he was born to achieve it, to claim it.

He. Tianchan Shihou.

The macaque was submerged in his own thoughts; he did not realise the terrible howling coming from nearby.

He stopped. His six ears perked up as he carefully listened.

Yes. A howling. A terrible blood-freezing screech which the inky night should have carried away. But the sound continued. A metal clashed against a metal. The fight resonated and made the curious macaque come closer. From behind a massive boulder coated with moss, the demon carefully observed.

What he saw, he couldn’t believe.

A being with a head of a one-eyed brown dog and horse hooves leaped against an unbelievably tall naked creature which resembled a person only in the structure of the body and the amount of limbs. Its skin was as pale as fresh snow, a perfect contrast to the dark hair wildly flying around as the creature ducked down from the incoming attack. Even though it didn’t last a second and the distance between the two enemies and the monkey was rather big, the demon noticed a pair of dots located on the creature’s face. Eyes. He wasn’t sure, though. But if they were, those were the biggest and the darkest eyes he’d ever seen on anyone.

Another cry, another spit, another kick into the stomach and shin and they clashed again. Now the demon monkey understood. Their crossed claws were the source of the ear-piercing clang.

The pale one roared in a voice like a thunder. It thrilled and waved around the vast area as the pair fought and bled.

The sight, the view, the sheer speed and might far greater than his own sent shivers down his spine. Not from fear, though.

The pale one shrieked as the twisted dog-creature with a muscular human torso leapt forward and bit down into the lanky neck. The dirty teeth tore down into the flesh until something black started pouring out.

The macaque thought he recognized the winner. However, his judgement wasn’t correct this time.

A sound of meat being torn apart, white bones crushed to dust, a splash of red blood reeking from the hole in the barking dog’s chest as the clawed hand of the pale creature ripped through it. There, imprisoned among those dry dead man’s fingers was a beating heart.

The dog monster collapsed on the ground, motionless, while the pale one’s protruding spine arched back so the pale demon could howl in a bitter victory. Yet, the relieved puffs didn’t last long. Holding the breath for a moment, the face with sunken cheeks turned to the East so the abysmal eyes could inspect the starless sky.

The macaque didn’t understand at first the terror in that face. He followed the direction of the creature’s gaze until he met the rays and warmth of the rising sun. The creature screeched for the last time as it grabbed onto its wounds and limped in the opposite direction. Enormous bat wings grew from under the ashen skin and in a flick of an eye, the thing disappeared in the remains of the night sky as black as charcoal.

Understanding the risks of coming out of his hideout too soon, the demon waited for the sun to fully come out, enjoying the pleasant change of the colour palette in the meanwhile.

Surely, it was a bizarre look on the foreign corpse lying among the numerous flowers of snow-white rhododendrons, bright lilies with spotted yellow petals and carmine orchids. A grotesque contrast for sure, when nobody knows whether to admire the bizarre scene nearly taken out from a fine collection or paintings or to cry out from dread.

These odd circumstances certainly caught the macaque’s attention. But not in the way those dark dots on the dried out twigs and trampled grass did.

At first, he thought the ooze was only covering the affected areas. Looking closer, the macaque noticed a peculiar detail. Everything it had touched was now rotting and hissing as the liquid burnt through.

His brown eye with a scarred brow twitched. A malicious toothy smile suddenly cooled down the summer air. He vigorously stood up, the heels of his bare feet digging into the wet soil. Quickly, the monkey robbed the one-eyed canine to the last possession. As if by a miracle from the Heavens, a little flask was included, too.

Soon, he proudly started to munch on the meat of the fallen. His face twisted, already distinct wrinkles became even more profound. The taste was nauseating. Not sure whether the meat was naturally so repulsive to digest or it was the effect of the black blood, he spat it out. Although the strange monkey hated the idea of wasting food, his crying stomach and the bitterness building up in the back of his throat changed his mind quickly. The acidic aftertaste kept on nagging him for a long time, even when he returned to his pursuit of the Pilgrims and his destiny, gold-plated on the first glance, yet crooked and rotting deep within.

****

The macaque demon shook his head. The memory used to be exciting. Now, it’s a bitter reminder of his own weaknesses. He must get stronger. The sooner the better.

What’s a better way of achieving that if not becoming one again…or only the sole one?

Soon, the mount’s limbs started to convulse and the macaque with six tattered ears threw away his flaming mask of arrogance.

****

Lie’s heavy eyelids uncovered his blood-shot eyes as the mount was starting to gain consciousness. His strong muscles were sore and exhausted. His legs were bound together by a strangling rope, thus he had no way to stand up. The rough material cut him deep. Those invisible claws and fangs, daggers and needles sucked on his strength and energy, his blood and pain became the source of their collective but twisted pleasure. Worse, the nest of his despair didn’t end there. His heavy body was crushing his innards. His lungs itched and jabbed. Puffing and trying to neigh, he became no more than a jerking worm drowning in a pool of mud and dirt. His heart was beating wildly. Like a wild river, the mount’s boiling blood was running through the veins, his pulse quickened as a fog enveloped his surroundings.

At last, the most desperate neigh stuck somewhere in the unknown of his stranded thoughts. It never reached the outside to be heard by anyone.

His terror, however, bounced back and cut deep into his heart once Lie noticed two flaming eyes targeting him from the darkness so thick and glutinous as treacle.

Lie froze. A tired hoot, a sound more of a low but loud screech than a twittering melody, reached his ears yet it was all that managed to get to him through the thick coat of horror which wrapped around him completely and caused an unbelievable tremor to his body.

“You should rest while you can, Brother Lie.“

He was there. Looking right back at the Dragon Prince. A pair of miniature charcoal pupils encircled by hellish flames. Two damned islands in the middle of a large face painting where the skin convoluted with deep wrinkles until they resembled terrible waves.

“Don’t call me your brother. You’re nothing to me.“ Though still trembling and stuttering, Bai Long Ma himself was taken by surprise by his audacious words.

The stranger, whose dark cloak rested on his wide shoulders like terrible birds of omen, remained unfazed, though. Only the sharp jaw clenched. “Where’s Shifu?“

“Stop referring to him as such! I may not know what you’re exactly,“ goosebumps emerged on Lie’s skin the more resemblance he noticed between Wukong and the demon in front of him,“but I'm sure you ain’t up to no good.“

The horse’s fury had no impact. The six-eared stranger muttered his question again. “Where’s Shifu?“

That was the last drop. The dragon horse inhaled deeply and then spat out a large flame towards the monkey. Once the fire was gone, the Prince bulged his eyes out as he saw nobody standing on the spot he aimed at. But within a few seconds, a dull pain struck the back of his head. The kick caused dozens of miniature stars to appear in the horse’s vision. Then, a clawed hand grabbed him from behind under the throat and elevated the Prince’s head. The fiend whispered to his ear,“Where’s Shifu? Where’s the imposter? Don’t try to lie. I know all of you too well to know where you’re trying to dance around the words.“

“Go…“ Lie puffed, the iron taste spreaded on his forked tongue,“...to Hell.“

The unknown demon chuckled. “Don’t need to. I’ve already been there and let me tell you, Yama isn't as scary as some like to claim. At least he didn’t protest when I made a little update to his records.“

The macaque let the mount’s head meet the floor. The prisoner lay still with his eyelids shut, his initial shallow breaths slowed down and significantly deepened.

Although it was a pitiful sight at the humiliated heir of the Dragon King of the West, the Prince had no intention of letting his only friends down. His inner willpower and courage burnt in his heart and caused the fear to retreat.

The macaque, of course, noticed it. Although it complicated his plans, he wasn’t angry. His thin, strangely playful, smile showed how the creature’s resistance really amused him. The nameless macaque shook his head and politely added,“Sorry for that outburst. I let myself get carried away a bit. Y’know, the temperament is sort of my thing. But, brother, please. Just answer my simple question and we can continue westward soon. I know that you know that Shifu needs us. He’s in great danger. That swarm of demons shall devour him soon. Idiot and Little Brother won’t be enough for protection. I can save us.“

Lie gathered the last strength as his head rose from the stinking brown mud beneath. His voice was fragile, the macaque had to lean in to hear properly despite the six ears decorating his head. “I’ve already answered you. Go to Hell and don’t call me your brother.“

A spit landed in the middle of his forehead. The monkey’s eyes flared up. He grabbed the nearest stone and nearly struck the horse’s head with it.

Lie’s heart raced as fast as a rabbit followed by the village hounds. He expected the hit to land any time soon. Thankfully, though, a tall viper demon with a disfigured cheek walked out of the shadows. The bald head retracted and hid in the safe zone of his shoulders when he noticed what the demon monkey was about to do. “I’m sorry to bother you once more, sir. Me and the boys thought of a pretty addition to your plan scheduled on the nearest full moon-“

The rock flew right by the snake’s trembling jaw. Like tiny arrows, numeros splinters caressed his wide scar. The scaly demon thanked the Heavens perhaps for the first time in his miserable life because when he turned around, the stone knocked a hole into the mighty trunk. Without ever looking back, the lone macaque growled, his index finger stretching out from the slim hand,“Golden Wind, this was your last warning. Let’s be honest, ‘thinking’ isn’t your strength. Let that part to me. One last thing, so I don’t forget. Don’t you dare to disturb me ever again. I’ve been holding myself back so long around you I consider it my new record.“

Goosebumps emerged like tiny sharp hills on Golden Wind Viper’s greenish skin. It curled and crinkled as bulging eyes emerged from the skull. Backing away like a defenceless mouse, the sweat drops flooded his temples for the second time and fell to the smelly mud beneath when the nameless demon suddenly turned around. Golden Wind Viper let out a whimper. Before he managed to run back to his troop, the tired monkey sighed and ordered the viper fiend to interrogate the monk’s mount. A clumsy salute and the viper was no more.

Before the nameless one jumped back to the shadows to get some sleep after the rough day and night, the hoarse voice of Ao Lie made him stop and bared teeth. “I may not know who or what you are. But trust me, it won’t take a long time for me to break from these chains. I, Ao Lie, the son of Dragon King of the West Sea, swear to the Jade Emperor and Buddha I shall save my Shifu and brothers from whatever you plan you got.“

“Look at yourself. You can barely keep your eyes open. Stop giving yourself these false chances. Spare yourself and myself the embarrassment.“

“Not in this life nor in the next one if I’m not destined to reach the West. But as long as I breathe, you bet I’ll do my best to do so.“

A long tail swished like a whip, the macaque bounced from the floor of the swamp and gripped on one of the branches of the nearby banyan tree.

“I have one last question for you before your lackeys come to beat me up.“

The macaque smirked, his dark eyes glistened once again and cut the fumes rising from the dirty pool in half. “Then speak your mind up for the last time today, Your Dragon Highness.“

“You think you may know every secret thanks to your six ears. But how are you so confident you know any of us, especially Brother Wukong, so well? We’ve never met.“

The simian didn’t answer. Instead, he let Golden Wind Viper’s belt silence the horse.

Finally, he reached the highest branch. As soon as he climbed up, the cicadas resting on the wood flew up and spreaded on the wide blanket of the sky, which was slowly but surely changing its cool shades of grey to pink and carmine.

He lay down despite the cries and screams coming from underneath and closed his eyes, slowly drifting off. He simply couldn’t be bothered by the suffering of the horse disciple as the dragon prince chose his path himself. Those cries and chokes would end soon anyway.

However, the macaque wasn’t able to find any peace in his sleep. He kept on changing sides, turning from right to left, then from left to right. He cursed under his shallow breath because of his earlier decision to remember the fateful night of finding the black blood of the pale creature. As much as he tried, he couldn’t forget the face of that thing. It always stared back at him from the pitch black of his long dream.

Prolonged, gaunt, protruding.

And those eyes. Those two blackest coals on earth were slowly tugging onto him. The longer he kept looking back into the abyss the more he was getting devoured by the creature inside out. Something crawled on his arms, on his legs, under his skin. He no longer felt the sensation of fighting somebody dangerous.

He’s lost, alone. He’s drowning in the dread as he realises that thing, whatever it is, is clutching onto his mouth and dragging him deeper. As if to turn him into an abomination of its own.

His shallow gasps are no longer enough. For the last time he tries to look behind, to look for the poor trace of remaining light, a place he could escape to. Alas, he found no sun shining in the horizon. Nothing to turn the dreadful curse into dust and ashes. To burn its very presence away until no proof of the thing’s existence remained.

The darkness of those two cursed eyes was gazing at him. Only then the nightmare left him be and the macaque finally took a deep breath in his finally achieved rest.

****

Wukong shot up on his bed. Slowly turning around while scanning his surroundings, he could bet the strange dream occurred only a few minutes ago just as he was slowly dozing off. Now, as he was sheepishly approaching the red window, the rays had already caressed the city’s splendid palette of roofs. The Great Sage was thankful though. The image of strange black eyes was starting to vanish. How he achieved such visions and whose empty stare it was, he had no idea. As far as his attempts to recall anyone with such unique features, the list was getting thinner and thinner till there was nobody left.

Shaking his head, he walked up to the large porcelain bowl painted in deep blue and red. Next to it, a water vessel was sitting, sounds of splashing water echoed in its long neck when the demon picked it up. Slowly pouring the cool water down his head, he occasionally massaged his sore temples. Veins on it were bulging and pumping the boiling blood. The scintillant droplets cascaded down on his naked chest, the drastic change of temperature made it quiver like leaves in the autumn.

Yet, he always felt as if that lingering stare was burning a hole into his brain. To avoid to this day an unfamiliar feeling of dread creeping around the corners of his mind, he directed his attention elsewhere.

He recalled another detail which still managed to unsettle him, though.

Márgerdra didn’t share the room with him last night. She did show up in the monk’s room for a brief talk about the dinner story but she soon vanished once again, never to return.

Where did the witch go after last night? Did she stay with the captain for the rest of the night? Did she like his company more than that of their group? What if something happened to her? Captain Jun was no obstacle for Wukong to fight off and the witch certainly possessed the same set of her amazing combat skills.

Yet there was nobody to have her back. The crane could’ve easily led her to a trap. Wukong was a fool to let her go that easily.

Then, something else crossed his mind. This time, a thought significantly more chilling. A thought well familiar to him. One he’d wanted to turn blind eye to since their reconciliation.

She betrayed them. She betrayed Mei, Shifu, Bajie, Ol’ Sha, Lie. She betrayed him. She made a pact, sold them away. Just to save her own hide…

“Nonsense.“ Wukong gritted his teeth and stomped off to the nearest armchair to sit down and tame the wild herd of his worrisome ideas. Having nobody to talk to, to unburden himself, he whispered the lament under his nose, his trembling hand ruffling the thick thatch of wet hair stuck to his forehead,“C’mon, she wouldn’t. Ever. She’s a friend. Blondie knows when to pull out from the danger. She’s not Yawen either. She might be a foreigner and look weird but… She’s not…evil. Right?“ The low rasp stuck in his throat, unable to come out and carry out any more words. All the simian could do at that moment was to look to the side and face the small bronze mirror left on the low table, the same piece of furniture which carried their hands during the writing lesson. Wukong clearly saw his imperfect reflection. The lips contorted like a wild python crawling across the jungle and the varying length of his face. Underneath, when he took a closer look, Wukong noticed what a pitiful sight he was.

After rubbing face with water and a piece of white cloth, which was lying nearby, the markings on his face were washed away. The lack of paint revealed the dark circles and dry skin under his eyes, no longer joyful, only tired. The words, sentences, feelings, it was all being washed away from the shore of his stranded self, leaving him with nothing. Although, the longer he sat in loneliness, the more taunting the vultures of loathing became. Slowly he began to remember how innocently Márgerdra acted in front of him. How vulnerable she was in privacy. Suddenly, the rage flooded him no matter how much he tried to keep himself in check. His pulse quickened, the stone heart was cracking and beating like a blacksmith’s heavy hammer against his ribcage. His clawed hands dug into the redwood of the armrests. Dozens of splinters stuck under his nails, sinking deeper and deeper into the meat. Red blood trickled down his pads, then down the carved wooden spiral and dripped on the stone floor, creating tiny red suns and stars across the matte grey. Their edges were as sharp as the tips of Wukong’s fangs which shone in the morning sunlight. The fur lining his chiselled chest and abdomen bristled. All of a sudden, Wukong’s right leg shot up and landed on the floor hard, the brisk motion helping the simian to quickly stand up from his seat.

He paced the length of the room. He was beyond being furious. Now, the simplicity of the only emotion nagging onto him kept him on the verge of breakdown.

Uncertainty.

When he thought he was about to lose his mind, the sliding door opened and a person entered.

Wukong fastly turned around in hopes of finding the woman. Although his wish was left unfulfilled, he was still overjoyed for the presence as it finally chased off the dreadful silence where not even the larks sang through.

Before Wukong managed to spat all of his questions, Bajie shot up his hands and informed,“She’s with Her Highness now. Both are sleeping. No need to worry, Big Bro.“

Wukong couldn’t contain himself anymore and snarled,“Why didn’t she then come here?!“

The monkey’s unpleasant manners worked up the former heavenly marshal. “Do I look like I know?! If you want to fight then go up to her and leave my poor hide alone!“ He then uttered,“Already behaving like a jerk from the morning, aye?“

“What did you say, Daizi?“ Wukong’s eyes narrowed until only two slits remained. “Perhaps I didn’t hear you right. Repeat it.“

“Look,“ Bajie rolled his eyes, not giving any attention to his hissing senior,“anything that's going on in your head is beyond my business. Not that I don’t care about ya. Not at all, Big Bro. Sometimes, though, you’re such a tough nut to crack and it’s not that I’m getting paid to ruin my nerves with your tantrums. The same goes for our pretty lady with golden locks. Now, it’d be for the better to calm down, alright? Remember what Shifu always tells us? Inhale, exhale. Again. Don’t let your emotions take over you.“

At first, the Sage unwillingly did as he was told to. Few seconds later, he was breathing in and out spontaneously with maximum ease. His tensed body relaxed. His lashes flickered like butterfly wings once he came back to reality.

Bajie, not waiting for any apology, had taken a seat in the meanwhile and began to feast with fruits presented in the bowl by the window.

The Monkey King leaned against one of the major pillars. He sighed. “What happened last night?“

Sweet bits stuck in Pigsy’s throat, scratching it badly. The middle disciple began to cough and choke and tear up so much Wukong had to tap him in between the shoulder blades. “C’mon. We had a deal, Middle Brother.“

Zhu Bajie hesitated. His gaze lingered on the doorway and briefly thought about the witch. In that very moment, regret spread inside his heart and reigned with an iron fist. Although he was aware of his promise, to upset either Wukong or Márgerdra was his last intention. Not because of fear. He simply didn’t want his close ones to suffer. He already saw enough of that in the witch’s hidden manners.

“Bajie, spit it out.“ Wukong’s hoarse voice pulled the pig out of his thoughts.

“Are you sure, brother?“

The Monkey King simply nodded, no emotion displayed on his face. But Bajie knew all too well how much it was boiling inside the old monkey.

“Promise me that you won’t say a thing to the witch. Now lean over a bit, Big Bro.“

****

Márgerdra’s lashes fluttered as she was waking up. Beside her, the young princess was still snuggling the witch. At first glance, the young girl seemed to be at peace. However, her hand was tightly clutching onto the blanket her advisor threw over her at night. Occasionally, her expression contorted, muscles waved, making her look upset or worried, though it was hardly because of a dream.

The Wolf Witch completely understood the Princess of the Great Tiger Kingdom. The Northerner didn’t feel much better. Indeed, she was glad that at least Mei was able to fall asleep and rest, even if it were only for a while.

Márgerdra cringed as she leaned over in order to peck the princess’ forehead when the younger woman let out a deep sigh. Fortunately, the attempt was successful.

The large blanket with a golden rooster pattern shuffled upon the witch’s struggles to get up from the bed. Her hand was pressing against her stomach while the puffing woman, all too pale for it to be normal, walked towards the green teapot.

The steamy fluffs lingered over the surface of the herbal tea. Its heady aroma spread around and it easily filled Márgerdra’s nostrils. The unmistakable earthy notes of cinnamon and fennel accompanied the slight tingling sensation the ginger caused in the witch’s eyes. Márgerdra wished to drink the liquid as soon as possible, alas, she growled when the somewhat sweet taste soon turned into iron-like as the tea burnt her tongue and cheeks. In her anger, she nearly threw the cup against the floor. Recalling the sleeping girl, she changed her mind at the last second.

Slowly sinking into the armchair, she rubbed her face, the swollen lids heavy from the sleepless night. Her tongue was sliding up and down her mouth and teeth as the Wolf Witch tried to keep herself from puking.

The exasperation slid under her skin, made its way deeper through the flesh and finally settled down around her innards, choking them.

How more useless could the protector get? She hated how much immobile the cramps and the fatigue made her.

The dismal mood didn’t have intentions of abandoning the woman. Even more, it seemed to have intensified because in her vain attempts to focus on the strong first impression, the last night with the captain left Márgerdra with a sour taste in her mouth. The more time had passed, the more rotten the image of the man, deprived from any greatness she once tricked herself into seeing, became. The worst of all, the demoness knew all too well this wasn’t about the captain only.

Her fragile fingers quivered like the few feathers of the caged finch as the despair, the loneliness which was lurking around the corner jumped and dragged Márgerdra into the blackest ooze of her dying self. She no longer fought. She was too tired from the pain twitching the muscles of her otherwise firm belly. She only closed her eyes and let herself be carried away, not knowing the young princess was slowly coming back to her senses.

****

The threads of the setting sun shone through the carved spirals on the shutters into the long corridor inundated by the dim light of the ceramic lamps which were displayed in circular alcoves carved into the cold rock like numerous tiny soldiers on the watch. Some of them were accompanied by small screens with an ivory support and portrayal of the noble peacocks with wide green eyes on their tails, pond herons with blue and white wings, grebes crowned with black and orange crests and lastly the always present proud black and white cranes dancing in the snowy country with their bright flaming red crowns tilted back, the birds seemed to reign over any other birds, the sky and the land in all the paintings and embroidery.

The soles of two pairs of feet softly landed one after another on the floor, neither of the visitors knowing they were secretly followed by a boar barely managing to balance on the roof above. Although Márgerdra had her suspicions after a roof tile slid down and broke into tens of miniature pieces. Fortunately, the presence of the guard captain was too alluring for her to go and investigate.

Initially, the Captain of the Royal Guard observed the foreign-looking woman sparsely. His confidence returned fast, though, and the man raised a question,“Do you enjoy your stay here so far?“

The right corner of the woman’s lip rose, something the captain had no chance of seeing as he was walking by her left,“Why wouldn’t I? The meal is delicious, we have a roof above our heads, we’re well protected thanks to you, captain.“

“You’re too generous, Miss Yaling.“

“I don’t think so, captain.“ The couple stopped what allowed the witch to face the dashing soldier. His jet-black hair, which was finally allowed to throw glints as the captain freed the strands from under his helmet, was tied up in a knot allowing the long contours of his noble face to be better observed by the she-wolf’s watchful gaze. Márgerdra felt like fish being thrown back into the water. She finally took hold of her cards and she was grasping onto them as if she were gripping on the reins of a horse brought to be tamed. “I’m being fairly honest with you. Or do you want to tell me you’re not much used to such good manners, perhaps?“

Her sultry voice made the crane demon chuckle. Before Jun could add anything, Márgerdra seized the opportunity,“Am I dreaming right now? Is that a smile I see on your face, captain? I thought you can’t do much apart from your stern expression. It looks like you’re full of surprises. My husband could learn from you at times with his difficult nature.“

The words made Jun laugh out loud, this time. “Miss Yaling, I could pass as a sort of an enemy of your husband. Yet you dare to make me an example for him to follow?“

“I might have married him,“ Márgerdra came up to him, making sure her natural scent highlighted by the flowery perfume was presented properly to the man in front of her, and whispered with a foxy smirk,“But I won’t pretend he’s flawless.“

“What a cruel woman you can be, so harsh on your own lover.“ Jun returned the favour and closed the moderate distance between them. Yet his mind had always stayed bewildered by the striking features of the beauty. “At least you’re not as cruel as somebody else I know. Though you both have a similar, let’s say, approach to conversation.“

“I know very well where you’re aiming, captain, and I’m not sure whether I should take this as an offence or not. I am no Miss Yawen.“

“Your words carry the weight of a threat but your eyes are still smiling and so I’m sorry but I just cannot take your warning seriously no matter how much I truly desire to do so.“

“What a long sentence. I’ve never witnessed anyone so well articulated. That makes me happy.“

“May I ask why?“ Jun slid his hands carefully around the blonde's thin waist. Her skin radiated under the blue silk, an experience so magnetic the crane couldn’t help but give it a small squeeze.

Muscles of Márgerdra’s right leg stiffened at the last second. Her whole limb felt as if it were on pins and needles. Like by magic, she fought off the urge to twist and bark. Though, taking control over the fist and not punching the man in the middle of his face proved to be so much more difficult. After all, Jud had zero of Wukong’s charm and friendliness. Only the surrounding circumstances and Márgerdra’s own stubbornness to achieve her goal saved Jun from carrying away a bloody nose.

“It means you’re going to be a delight to ask a few questions.“ The witch forced a chuckle and easily slipped from his grasp. In a moment, her long lean back presented itself to the captain, meanwhile she was marching towards the large open window with the view on the whole city and the wide hills and mountains behind.

It didn’t take long for Jun to take a seat on the windowsill next to her.

“Captain,“ the woman started coldly,“as I mentioned I’ll be honest with my intentions. The bandits were able to infiltrate not only past the city gates but even into the palace. Which means they must be well familiar with the infrastructure. This fact leads me to the inevitable question whether they are former residents. Or whether they have somebody to rely on inside. Although, there’s still the secret third option.“

“Which is?“

“Both, naturally. Do you have any idea? Before you get suspicious, let me clear some things up. My family is now directly involved in whatever this mess is. I want to know my enemy before I get to snap their neck for endangering my little sister.“

Jun became more relaxed in the presence of the enigmatic woman. He leaned back, his gaze lowered, focusing on the folds of the light fabric wrapping around her hips and thighs. “I can see how you charmed Huang. Very well. I decided to trust you. For now.“

The Wolf Witch cocked her eyebrow but kept smiling, even though these oddly familiar manners unnerved her more and more with each second passed.

Rolling her blue eyes and puckering red lips the blonde went on with her act of a seductress. However, inside, something poked at her. Both Jun and Wukong shared her husband’s confidence. However Jun also carried his raven black hair, his tall stature, his piercing gaze and sharp nose. Those bits and pieces of her lover were so much stronger here than in Wukong. Yet, she felt so much safer, so much alive and like herself in the presence of the monkey demon. Not around the soldier. Neither around Ereanth.

“You’re right. The bandits did originate from our citizens and even from our ranks. They might also get some help from someone around here.“

As her ears finally heard the news she hoped for, the witch relaxed, stretched her back and propped her head against her palm. “Good. Go on, captain. Who is the ‘help’?“

“I’m not so sure. You may want to ask your husband. I bet you two lead wonderful debates each night.“

“Is it Miss Yawen?“

“Might be,“ Jun scratched his beak-like nose since he did his best not to focus on the woman whose heaving bust was perfectly illuminated by the lamps and the weak distant sun. The orange flames created a perfect mix of the light’s warm tones on her creamy skin. “I wouldn’t be much surprised.“

“Why so?“

When Jun didn’t answer, Márgerdra inconspicuously added,“Is she related to the fiends in any way? Well, apart from being a snake herself. Literally and metaphorically.“ Even though she muttered the words, Jun clearly heard the venom in them and grinned broadly.

Was his gaze also this shallow? Márgerdra thought and she caught herself not actually wanting to know the answer. She wasn’t even certain who was the target of her question. All in all, the thought sent shivers down her spine. Something she hadn’t experienced in years. After all, until now, she’d revelled even in the most superficial attention given to her.

“Golden Wind Viper, the leader of the bandits, used to go under the name Jin and he was one of the highest ranking officials in our army. Yawen is his twin sister. Those two have been inseparable and you can imagine what sort of beasts they were and still are.“

“Yes, I can. The same way I can hear the hatred whenever you say her name. From my own experience, hatred and passion are two sides of the same coin. You and Miss Yawen were having an affair, weren’t you?“

The remark pulled Jun out of his trance. His knuckles turned white, his eyes widened meanwhile Jun’s full lips parted.

“My apologies, captain. This was highly inappropriate from me. Let’s change our topic, shall we? We started this evening as allies, friends even,“ the witch pushed herself closer until their knees touched and though she didn’t drop her alluring smile, she visibly softened her gaze which created the much needed effect. Her look was a brief one and she soon focused on the charming landscape beneath. She did let him stare a bit longer, however, while she adored the chirping of thrushes which were hopping on the rooftops but mainly in the treetops of pines like naughty children, a small protest against the setting sun. The murmur of the river played gently into the lullaby of the upcoming evening. Little by little, the Heavenly horses of the Jade Emperor were running back to the stables and as they did, the numerous clouds were getting dragged away by the immense herd. “I’ve never seen such beautiful nature. Not even back home. Or while on the journey with Wei. Truly, this is a jaded treasure one shouldn’t touch and harm.“

Captain Jun cleared his throat,“Precisely, Miss Yawen. That’s the reason why our dynasty settled down in these vast lands.“

“Has it been a long time since then?“ Márgerdra didn’t look at him yet she sensed the growing tension and added,“I don’t see the city much expanded beyond the walls and so I’d like to congratulate you on keeping the mountain mostly untouched with all the citizens around.“

The argument worked with the captain and a proud smile settled on his lips. “Her Majesty came to these lands a long time ago. She was fed up with the hypocrisy of the world and desired to create a place for us, demons, to live in and to cultivate ourselves.“

“How? By eating people?“ Márgerdra snorted, bitterly amused by the story she heard so many times before. It was a lie she herself used to claim many centuries ago. “By stealing one’s life essence in a blink of an eye? Because this sounds like an excuse to become a power-hungry tyrant yourself. No offence, of course.“

“You have a sharp tongue, Miss Yaling. I must admit I like that in a woman. But be careful, you’re speaking with the Captain of the Royal Guard.“

“And you’re speaking with…“ In the heat of the moment, the blonde’s tongue nearly slipped as she was prepared to announce her title. She quickly had to change her reply. “My apologies, captain. It’s just…“ Searching for the right words, Márgerdra decided to discreetly admit her deepest fear. Sighing, she hung her head low to watch over her nails and palms and muttered,“Please, don’t take any offence in my words as my rage wasn’t directed at you. Simply put, you remind me of somebody I used to know. It was most inappropriate to drag you into matters you know nothing about. I offer you my deepest apologies for that, captain.“

Márgerdra shot up her head, her expression stern, ridden from any deeper emotions. Yet, her words were truthful, spoken with vigour and honesty, the captain had no reason for doubt.

This time, it was Jun who snorted. Not from amusement, though. His eyes glistened like lightning striking from the indigo sky.

“You are truly strange,“ he directed his gaze into the unknown distance of the mountain range while simultaneously resting his chin on the formed fist,“my aunt is going to have a wonderful celebration with you around.“

Fortunately, this remark led Márgerdra to a newly formed plan. She wanted to know more about the water source she discovered in the chambers. Now was the perfect time. “Yes, the celebration. I wonder what the feast is going to be like.“

“Wonderful just as always. Though, it might be ameliorated this year.“

The spark in her sultry voice was brought to life once again,“How so, captain? Do you prepare, let’s say, a special present for Her Majesty?“

“To be honest, she’s preparing it for herself.“

“Are you not going to tell me?“ Although the captain’s wild eyes flared up with dangerous flames, Márgerdra’s daring nature couldn’t be scared away and the woman continued with an absolute ease. “Captain Jun, I hope you do realise I’ve been telling you things I wouldn’t announce to many people and that I’ve declared I have no intentions of betraying your trust. After all, I’m all but at your mercy right now. Don’t think I’m naive. I know your hand on the hilt of your sword isn’t twitching for no reason. I also know you’ve noticed the whip dangling under my robes and that I pose a threat to you.“ The man clenched his jaw once Márgerdra motioned towards his right hand seemingly casually resting on the pommel adorned with jades and emeralds of the curved sword. “It would be utterly foolish to try and assure you with words only that I became warier over the course of the past few days. I’m not afraid to pay the highest price in case you truly obtain the impression I might be a spy or even worse, a danger to your loved ones. I can be a woman of many lies and deceit. Yet, strangely, or rather ironically, the honour isn’t a foreign word for me. We have a common enemy and a common goal - to keep our families safe. So if you think I’m lying to you and have ulterior motives, don’t hesitate,“ the long sleeve rolled up and the demoness stretched her right arm on the table next to them,“unsheathe your weapon and strike.“

Despite how quickly the foreigner saw through the soldier’s intentions and worries, Jun remained equally composed,“Do you recognise the weight of your words, Miss Yaling?“

“I do. So should you, Captain Jun.“

Bajie, who until now had been silently cursing under his breath while trying to find the safest position on the roof, went completely pale. He brought his large palm closer to his ear. The old wood of his diminished rake scraped his shaking finger.

Jun paused. Eyeing the woman for a moment longer and replaying her invitation over and over again, he came to the final conclusion.

In a blink of an eye, the Captain of the Royal Guard unsheathed the shiny blade and brought it down upon the woman’s bare arm.

Bajie’s heart missed a beat. His eyes watered, his mouth agape yet no grunt or a yell escaped from the horrified boar. He was too far away. All he could do was to watch the witch’s arm being chopped off. He saw the bloodied limb falling to the floor. He saw the mutilated woman scream in pain and cry for help, for the unbearable pain to stop only for the soldier to cut off her head, as well.

At least that was the scene his mind pictured in that sole moment of pure dread. Because the reality made him shiver, nearly shed a tear, from true happiness, although he still cursed himself for not choosing a wiser spot or a hideout.

The blade stayed lingering right above the elbow. The soldier offered the witch a smug smile when he saw that not only she didn’t budge, Márgerdra never stopped piercing him with her icy gaze either. Neither did her breathing become irregular.

For a long while, they remained in their places, unmoving like the aeons old two mountains of the universe.

Slowly sliding his sword back into the red-gold scabbard with a flaming blue feather emblem, captain Jun returned to his seat visibly well amused,“You’re truly something, Miss Yaling. Your courage matches your beauty. Since you managed to convince me I will share some information under one condition.“

Márgerdra crossed her legs. “If it’s related to me keeping my tongue behind my teeth, so be it. That won’t pose a problem to me.“

“That’s not the case.“

The witch cocked her fair eyebrow and pouted her cherry lips. The root of her nose wrinkled slightly but the Lady Wolf Witch did nothing else.

“I suspect your husband must truly adore you. How couldn’t he? Nobody could ever reach your beauty, not even the Lady of the Moon herself. I wonder what you really are. What sort of treasures and flowers you hide under all those garments. What your sweetest fruit tastes like.“

The blonde laughed out loud while her fingertips caressed the bare collarbone. Her provocative eyes glinted in the approaching darkness. She loved every bit of his attempt to chase her. “Men are truly simple creatures! Never ever in my life I’ve heard somebody say something so lewd yet so poetic. Captain, you’re lucky you’re this handsome and you know your way around the words.“

“Is it a ‘yes’, then?“

Bajie stiffened. He was utterly appalled by the soldier’s courage and even more, the witch’s pleased behaviour and playfulness, though the pig demon had been a witness to her foxy manners before.

“What do you think when you see a woman smile in the light of the rising moon?“ She drew closer and waited for the captain’s own response. It didn’t take long for his right arm to envelop her hip.

The crane demon leaned over to whisper in her ear. His fingertips delightfully brushed against Márgerdra’s ear lobe and his breath tickled the side of her neck.

His voice was low, slightly nasal, inaudible for the most part for Pigsy. However Márgerdra heard every single word he aimed at her. The edge hidden in the plain sight of his faint smile also didn’t escape her notice. “My aunt used to be one of the Immortal Cranes on Mount Kunlun. She served the Immortals whenever they came. However she disliked some of their decisions and didn’t appreciate that some of the cranes and dragons weren’t rewarded enough for hard work. You see, we used to carry Immortals, we were their messengers, rides, servants and even protectors if needed. Yet our efforts to cultivate ourselves were never enough. My aunt decided to leave the place and come down to lower regions where she could continue without the Immortals. However, she was considered to be one of the most reliable and capable cranes there. They didn’t want her to leave for she’d even taken an oath. In the end, it led to a rebellion.“

“You keep saying ‘we’. Were you also there?“

“Yes.“ Jun grew more melancholic with each word. “My parents, my brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents. I was only a freshly hatched colt. My aunt was the only one to survive and we both shall never forget that ‘punishment’ of Immortals, the old bastards backed up by the Jade Emperor.“ His spat landed on the floor in front of them. “I hope he’ll get what’s coming for him.“

The conscience was biting onto Márgerdra. She was well familiar with the captain’s pain and sorrow. “Captain, please, accept my condolences.“

For a while, they kept on being silent as two mice. Jun couldn’t help but bitterly sigh upon the memories flooding in. “Good thing the Kinbutcher wrecked the Heavens back in the day before he turned his back on the rest of us.“

The name, which Jun barked out, rang a bell, however Márgerdra couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “I’m sorry. Who?“

“The Kinbutcher,“ another spit flew through the air,“Sun Wukong. One of the mightiest demons in existence. The bastard who cultivated himself until he got strong enough. When the Jade Emperor thought he was too much of a threat he decided to listen to his rats and tame the Monkey King…“

“I know this story, captain. Don’t think I’m that unfamiliar with the local legends,“ Márgerdra rolled her eyes,“I only haven’t heard that nickname. Did I miss something?“

The soldier chuckled, his fingers curled until they reminded of talons. “Sun Wukong turned on us the day the young monk freed him from Buddha’s imprisonment. Since then he's been murdering his fellow demons on sight. One by one.“ His teeth clicked next to Márgerdra's ear. “Hence the nickname. He’s just a puppet now. Both he and the Tang monk be damned. If only we got them as soon as possible. To hear that wretched macaque cry over his ticket to freedom being eaten alive by us is going to be music to my ears. Just the fact he shall finally understand how much he screwed over himself and how far he’s fallen from grace while we ascend thanks to the knowledge and immortality gained from the Golden Cicada’s tender meat…“

He didn’t need to finish his sentence. The pieces of the complicated puzzle started coming together. The witch understood most of his outrage. The betrayal, the sorrow, the hatred and loneliness were old friends to her. But she could not shake off the feeling of dread when she thought of all the spilled blood.

Sanzang had been kind and she could not think of a single day she wished any harm to him. The young man didn’t pretend to be generous. Simply, his soul was indeed a blessing to anyone he spoke to. His disciples were no different despite their flaws. Inside, all the Pilgrims possessed courageous hearts. Just like her little plum Mei. The idea that Jun would go after them in his bloodlust and blind hatred crushed Márgerdra’s soul.

To think she once thought similarly and not only herself but also the one once so dear to her cold wolf heart…

“Captain, your story is a heartbreaking one. I’m sorry to hear about such a tragedy…“ The woman attempted to change the topic despite the fact she was trapped between disliking the captain because of his family’s future plans and feeling sorry for the crane demon.

“That is alright, Miss Yaling. It’s been a long time. Though the Dynasty of the Azure Crane doesn’t forget that easily. We will have our revenge. We just need to wait a little bit longer. You see, the little crane baby wasn’t the only thing my aunty managed to take in all that haste.“

“If so, what was that other ‘thing’?“

“Two seeds of two precious trees. Once was supposed to be a present, a symbol of divine nobility, for the Jade Emperor and Xiwangmu. The other one’s a fig tree which can give up to twenty immortality fruits. Now, the trees are highly guarded in the upper gardens and the palace residents aren’t allowed to freely speak of them. Even Miss Yawen hasn’t been told the whole truth about them, only miserable bits, though the harlot thinks otherwise.“

The shared secrets widened Márgerdra’s eyes. She was finally back on the track and she wasn’t going to let go of her lead, not even in a dream.

She kept her tone gentle like a morning fog, a perfect veil for her real intentions. “Then why are you telling me your secrets? I know I’ve caught your attention. But even the Tang Emperor’s concubines cannot feel safe with him. Is it that you can easily snap my neck if I betray you?“

“Precisely.“ Perhaps for the first time, Jun’s smile froze, he slowly blinked as if to drive away the gloomy thoughts. However, he continued to caress the woman’s cheek with all tenderness. Soon he came back and his sweet whisper went on,“Did I say I’ve never seen anyone with such marvellous eyes like yours? So pretty in colour. Those two splendid shades, my darling. I can’t decide whether I desire the amazing waves to wash over my body in your left eye or to fly high up in the clear sky of your right eye. Your lips, they seem like the sweetest lychee in the world. You can’t imagine how much I desire to explore their divine taste…“

The Wolf Witch grinned. Despite she’d heard such flattery before she couldn’t exactly deny the crane demon didn’t manage to stroke her ego. “Is that so, sir?“

Jun nodded while giving out a silent sigh.

“In that case go on,“ while speaking, Márgerdra brushed her lips against his. At the last second, when the captain was prepared to deepen the fleeting touch, she pulled away, her palm pressing into his tunic interlaced with gold threads, a pleasant change for his usual armour,“but you better hold onto your part of the deal, Captain Jun. Don’t you forget, I’m doing you a favour. I’m still a married woman and my husband’s waiting for me. What’s the real deal about the fig tree?“

“Very well,“ Jun finally pulled away, too, though the eagerness in his glistening eyes remained. “There are twenty fruits in total growing on it. When the right time comes, one can eat them. The fig shall give you additional strength, it shall also grant you immortality. You won’t ever need to worry about old age catching up to you, marking your youth with terrible scars. Instead, your body shall become lighter, eternal, its marvellous beauty preserved forever.“ Jun leaned over and deeply inhaled Márgerdra’s smell. Simultaneously, his hand slipped around her waist again, warming the skin under the woman’s brocade skirt studded with carmine peonies and pink magnolia flowers.

“Immortality?“ The witch snorted. Like a wasp trying to get into the beehive, she was searching for another way to unravel the knot. To make sure her plan would work, her hands once again started rubbing his steel-like shoulders. “Is this vanity all such a treasure holds or are you hiding more from me, dashing Captain Jun?“

The strategy seemed to have worked out.

The captain broadly grinned. His head tilted backwards as if the demon was thriving in the intimate attention. The delight intensified in both when the foreigner started stroking his muscled chest. At first, Márgerdra adored his desperate response to her touch as the captain, equally eager, grasped onto her firm thigh. His thumb massaged the side of it, making slow circles around, something her Ereanth used to do. However, Márgerdra was now seeing the other side of the guard captain. No. Of her former husband. The memories flushed her all at once. She recalled the side she was always turning blind eye to. Something she willingly buried in the back of her mind simply because of her inner desire to achieve peace. To settle down. To start a family. “Who knows, my beauty. Maybe, it’s like you said. It should be added that the fruit can even heal the most fatal wounds, bringing the seemingly dead back to the world of the living. To say the least, it’s quite a win if you get your grasp on it. Unless you eat the unripe fruit. Not only it shall crumble in between your fingers, its ash is poisonous and kills anyone holding it.“

“That, my wonderful darling sir, I can trust you on. But tell me one more thing before our time’s up.“ Getting more nervous about the realisation kicking in again, this time stronger than ever before, she straightened up and drew her neck away from the man’s lips.

“Anything for you.“ Though the words belonged to the captain, all the witch saw was a green-eyed man from her past.

“The trees of the Immortals must be great possessions. How do you supply them, then? I suspect you must be using another source than the river running through the city…“

It wasn’t the annoyance the she-wolf saw there but rather lightning of fury and suspicion. His reply was evenly sharp though Márgerdra clearly heard his effort to stay civil with her. Whether it was out of politeness or out of respect, the witch had no idea. “Yes, there’s a great lake behind the mountain. It’s located on a vast rocky platform with a strong stream. We don’t need to ever fear for it or the lake to run out dry. Thanks to it…“

“...the two halves of the city, the palace and the gardens are equally supplied with enough fresh water with the river being a nice back-up,“ the witch finished the sentence, leaving the captain with wrinkled eyebrows and pursed lips. “If there’s a platform like that right behind the palace, aren’t you afraid of Golden Wind Viper’s attack from there?“

The captain let out a bark of laughter,“The fiend would never dare to cross such a high peak even though he could easily infiltrate Her Majesty’s palace this way. A beast is guarding and tending the stream as it deems the water as its rightful home. The creature is dangerous. Occasionally we can hear its roar every full moon when it comes to scout the surroundings.“

“Aren’t you afraid of it, dashing sir?“

“You said it yourself. I’m a dashing soldier. The fear is the ultimate unknown for me. Her Majesty made a pact with it anyway. We feed it and give it offerings and the beast lets us use the water. You know what they say. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.“

“I see.“ Márgerdra let Jun plant a few kisses on her jaw and neck while she squinted, a sign of a pursuit for another question. When he leaned in to steal a kiss of her own lips, she stopped him once again.

“You’re never going to let me claim my reward, are you?“

“I am, dashing sir. But you woke the curiosity within. What does the beast look like?“

“I don’t know, I’ve only seen it from a distance. It’s probably a distant relative of the Dragon King. Now face me, my beauty, and let us enjoy the last touch of our deal.“

Although the soldier’s desire was undeniable, the Wolf Witch, like a sly fox, tried her luck for the last time,“Do you think you could sneak past it?“

“Of course. Aunty said that the beast recognizes her and me by our scents. She says she introduced me to the stream guardian when I was but a little chick. Since then, quite a long time has passed, a few centuries. But the beast still remembers who saved it from the rock crushing its foot.“

The two looked each other in the eye. Márgerdra was now sure. Ereanth’s stare has turned shallow, vain. The one she preserved a false image of. A made up memory of a person she idealised to fulfil her desperate dreams.

No! This was Jun. Somebody completely else. Somebody whom she didn’t fail. Somebody who didn’t fail her. No, no. Ereanth would never fail her or anybody else. He was a courageous hero. A great husband. It was all her fault they were no more. She didn’t meet the expectations. She betrayed her love.

Jun’s looking at her, his expression soft. On his pale forehead, coal-black brows faintly raised, his lips parted.

Márgerdra focused on that. This was the reality. Jun was real. He was the one with her now.

Márgerdra closed her eyes as she leaned into the kiss and soon she deepened the union. Jun gladly took his chance. He moaned, enjoyed the feel of her tongue pressing against his, her leg hooked around his hip as Jun’s fingers dug into the flesh.

Márgerdra wished to cherish the moment as she’d dreamed since she had first laid eyes on the handsome soldier. But now, she was clutching her eyes just to avoid the disappointing reality, the state of her sorrowful circumstances she landed herself into. She had no idea that Pigsy, the one who now knew what not to mention to his senior brother, was a witness to her silent lament.

In her soul, the woman gritted her teeth. Yet her restless mind always brings her to her husband.

The flower of anguish bloomed inside her heart. Its iron petals stabbed her, cut her, made her bleed like never before. The green-eyed man was looking at her, though his gaze was as hollow as a trunk of a rotting tree. His touch slid past every part of her body and yet he remained so distant as if he wished not to be with her, not to claim the happiness of their wedding night, such intimacy where they finally promise one to another. Then again, he did protect her when needed. He was always there when she was upset or unsure. He even tried to find solutions to many of her problems. Although was there any inner fire beside the friendliness? Was he listening to Márgerdra? Or was he only hearing the witch out? He was an ally, a friend. But was he ever more? A close friend? Though she did care about him, had he been ever something more to her? Had she been more to him?

Did they, in the times of despair, loneliness and hatred, confuse their feelings, tricking themselves into something that could never be?

The cruel truth she knew long ago but refused to admit was deadening. Settling down, it crushed her like thousands of stones which crumbled down the steep slope on the day Wukong saved her.

If only the Sage hadn’t caught her on time. She wished that at least one of the stones had hit her head on that day and for her limp body to be swallowed by the mass of rocks never to be taken out from under the pile just for it to become the next meal for vermin.

A grave without the title, a single name with no surname. A girl that never came to grow up and stand up for her beloved big sister, their gentle master who they deemed a father, her little…

Driving away the anger, the hatred, the sorrow, the regret, she somehow convinced herself to give into the pleasure. That was until she felt something long stroking her nape dangerously close to her golden mane. Before Jun’s hand reached her hair fully, the Wolf Witch broke the kiss, the act which left the breathless crane not only speechless, but his brows furrowed with deep wrinkles by the root of his nose too.

The lamps in the long empty hallway went out. The cold wind rose and claimed even the tiniest flame there.

“Miss Yaling,“ Jun stretched out to tenderly touch the blonde woman who was now looking past his shoulder into the nothingness like the most wonderful statue devoid of any life,“is everything alright? Did I overstep the boundaries?“

He gave her knee a little shake when she kept on being silent. “Miss Yaling, please, say something.“

“No, this isn’t your fault. It’s just that our deal was about a kiss, wasn’t it, Captain of the Guard?“ Her voice was monotonous, yet it carried the unmistakable hint of steel authority.

Watching her stand up all of a sudden, Jun stuttered, confused by her actions,“Yes, it was. Miss, if I truly offended you, please, know that was not my intention.“

“I do trust you, soldier,“ Márgerdra straightened her light blue gown. She walked up to the sitting man. Her hand cupped his cheek and the woman gently brushed his lips with her thumb. The fingertip carefully wiped off the red lipstick from Jun. Without hesitation, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the tempting moment of their last intimate touches. “There you go,“ she whispered and tenderly slid the back of her palm down Jun’s cheek,“make sure to be properly cleaned before you meet Her Majesty.“

“Or Yawen, I’d like to add. She can be quite possessive and get jealous no matter how much the person wants to distance themselves from her.“

“If you say so.“ The waves of blue, red, gold and pink fabric swished through the air and the soldier now saw only Márgerdra’s back. The long skirt like a long veil dragged behind her.

Quickly grasping onto his senses, he shouted not caring if anyone would hear him,“Is this the last time we saw each other?“

The woman replied immediately,“In this manner? Of course. I’ve told you. I’m married. This was just a business. Though it was truly a pleasure to meet you, Captain Jun.“

“Don’t you wish for a divorce? I could give you a better life.“

Márgerdra stopped in her tracks. Deeply inhaling, her eyes darted, her lips quivered. If only you knew I already am…

“I already have a better life. Farewell, captain. I hope to see you soon under other circumstances.“

She quickly marched away. After turning around a few corners, she started arching over. She felt her knees had become wobbly, weak. Soon, she had to grasp on her abdomen.

****

The blonde witch shuffled across the hallway. The blush on her cheeks didn’t leave her. It was a miracle she convinced the princess she was alright and that her sour mood was caused solely by menstruation. The princess, a kind and innocent soul indeed, even offered her another sandbag so the witch wouldn’t fear the one she had received wasn’t enough.

‘Don’t worry, Márgerdra. I still have three left. So if you’re gonna need one more, just say.’ No matter how miserable they were, Mei’s cheerful voice always encouraged the witch. In her thoughts, the Northerner thanked the Heavens she had the luck of meeting the young heiress.

Finally, she was in front of the door to her room. Márgerdra sighed in relief that she could change into not only different clothes but also to change the sandbag she was currently using as the item was completely soaked from her blood.

With a faint hope that the room was empty and waiting just for her, she slid the door open.

The little bit of the happiness from the brief morning interaction with the princess vanished into thin air.

“Brother, no matter how much you’re going to insist that I’m hiding something, you’re never going to be right. I told ya everything. It was merely a brief conversation which ended with the talk about the beast-“

The witch’s sudden appearance in the room cut off Bajie in the middle of his sentence.

Márgerdra gathered the last of her strength and straightened up to show off her full height. She didn’t need to say a word, Pigsy understood everything that was written on her face. Simply wishing a good morning, he used his chance and ran out from the room, leaving the reserved Wolf Witch and the furious Monkey King alone.

She didn’t need to guess twice what his first words would be.

“Where were you?!“

“Chasing the heavenly horses of the Jade Emperor, what did you think?“

“Very funny.“

“Just as funny as you sending Bajie to spy on me.“ Sighing, she took the jug of water and drank from it, not caring whether it looked disgusting or impolite.

“So?“ the monkey folded his arms and began pacing around the room,“You’re giving me a headache, woman. Next time I’m tying a little bell ‘round your neck.“

“Careful with your words, Wukong. That attitude may backfire soon,“ still catching her breath from taking such a sip, Márgerdra nonchalantly wiped her mouth with the narrow-cuffed sleeve, “Now, excuse me. I need to change.“

She stepped out but the Great Sage soon blocked her as he stood right into the middle of her way. “Move away.“

“I’m not your lap dog. Neither am I a circus monkey. Don’t think I’m gonna dance as you whistle no matter how sour your mood is.“ Wukong furrowed his brows even more when the witch paused and observed him in complete silence.

The sunrays were sliding down his cheeks and only now Márgerdra realised why his face looked strange this morning. She snorted through the pain. She had to avert the attention somehow and this was a perfect chance to do so. “Yes, now I see why you’re so unpleasant. You must be missing your eyeliner, don’t you?“

Wukong pouted but didn’t let himself throw out of balance. He offered her an equally mocking reaction,“Yeah, you could use some for those swollen lids, too. I thought Ox-Head came from Hell to say a little hi to me when you walked in.“

It seemed to have worked on the already irritated demoness. She seized the few clothes that were thrown over the armchair, her red nails digging so deep into the fine fabric they nearly tore the skirt and trousers, and marched behind the folding screen in the far corner of the wide bedroom. While passing Wukong, the Wolf Witch didn't forget to growl at him to which the monkey demon only offered a provocative grin. Once she was out of sight, however, his frown was immediately back.

Sliding down the armchair and scratching under his chin, a peculiar iron smell reached his nostrils, however he paid it no attention. The simian barked,“So, are you gonna tell me, blondie?“

All he was met with was a dull silence.

When Wukong was about to smash the armrests with his palms to stand up, Márgerdra muttered under her nose as she hung her blue skirt over the upper edge of the screen,“Jun made me think of something. Let’s say the evening didn’t go as smoothly as I had planned. Though I dug out some information from him.“

The Sage chewed onto nothing. In his mind, scenes of various inappropriate images played over and over and made his skin crawl.“Blondie, I do know you’re a tough one,“ he motioned to his left eye, although the witch couldn’t see a thing,“I know from experience you’re a really good fighter. But I… Did he..y’know…“ The monkey demon had to grit his teeth before finishing what disturbed him the most,“...touch you?“

“Excuse me? Don’t be ridiculous, Wukong,“ she retorted and kept trying to scratch away the dried blood from her skin in the quickest manner possible. Her hand rubbed the rag up and down. She didn’t stop scuffing the skin even when the irritated place turned red and started itching and burning.

“Look, I get this is none of my business but…“

Fed up with the cloth being already soaked with the fluid and new trickles running down her thighs, she raised her voice,“Then why do you keep asking?“

It wasn’t the question which took Wukong back but rather the firmness within. No matter how much Márgerdra pretended to be alright, how much she tried to hide behind the screen or covered her face, the fragile shake under the surface couldn’t possibly escape Wukong’s sharp ears. “I care about you. Can I not know my dearest friend’s struggles and to help you out? It hurts much less when two share it.“

He saw how her shadow, which fell on the bright yellow paper, froze for a brief moment.

Immediately, though, the black silhouette quickly put on a long robe and tied a sash around the waist as the Wolf Witch came back to senses. “This isn’t what I expected of you.“

“What?!“

“Not in a bad way… Sorry, I don’t know what I exactly mean by that myself.“

The monkey lowered his gaze. Suddenly, the painful lump in his throat was easily swallowed with no traces of strange anxiousness left behind. Still, it wasn’t enough for him. “Would you like to talk about it?“

Though they were rather stereotypical, Márgerdra caught that strange friendly warmth radiating from the disciple again who wasn’t even that near to her. The need to hug him and to be hugged back was building up. It was a strange yet pleasant thought which left her tongue wordless.

The Wolf Witch wasn’t the only one who was slowly being driven crazy by the stillness of the moment.

The Monkey King rubbed his hands together. Although it wasn’t the flames of rage burning him like usually. Now, he felt the unfamiliar feeling of uncertainty made him to be of two minds. Thinking he should have chosen a better approach, he tried to calm down by taking deep breaths and massaging his left palm.

Fortunately, she did give him the answer,“No, not now… But thank you. I just…“

“Yes?“

“No, it’s nothing,“ the woman changed her mind at the last second. “Can I bother you with something else, though?“

“Blondie, you bother me with many things, just not with your well-being,“ Wukong uttered while he nonchalantly crossed his arms,“What do you need?“

“Mei had tea prepared for us early in the morning. Please, go and tell the servants to prepare the same mixture again.“

“What mixture?“

“They shall know. Don’t worry about that.“

“Hey, Missy Prissy, stop this nonsense and tell me directly what you need. My patience is running thin. By the way, what’s taking you so long behind that screen today-“ The monkey fell silent in a heartbeat. The smell from before, the one which was coming from the witch’s direction, rose up his nostrils again. His eyes widened, though his curiosity took over him and the simian peeked behind the screen.

The bitter taste of his stomach’s content made its way to his mouth.

But he managed to hold himself back when he caught Márgerdra changing the dirty sandbag for a new one. Her weak and shaking hand tossed the old one into the bowl with water. Though she tried to be careful, a few red drops spilled onto the floor. She cursed under her breath even more when she noticed the hairy head of the monkey demon peeking at her.

“What are you doing, you moron?! Don’t you hate looking at ladies?“

“I do! Just thought you were injured or something!“ He yelled back, never hiding his twitching eye and mouth twisting in disgust.

“You’re going to get injured soon if-“ The witch pulled the long purple robe even tighter to her body and remade the strong knot around her waist so as not to show a single bit of her naked skin. Angry and tired beyond belief, she was prepared to scorch Wukong with a lightning bolt from her palm. However, the simian took her by surprise again.

Straightforward as always, he simply shook his head.

Cocking his eyebrow, he motioned with his chin forward and awaited her silent approval to get closer. Strangely enough, not one of them uttered anything and yet, they perfectly understood their companion.

Márgerdra nodded back. Only then he carefully shuffled towards her. Slowly, he knelt down. The witch gently lifted the hanging brocade. Her right leg showed itself to the Sage to be inspected by the disciple.

Wukong’s fingertips slid down the front of her thigh. Her skin was warm, perhaps even warmer than the sun outside. Under his touch, her muscles flexed and it was only now that Wukong realised how strong her legs actually were and that her kicks could truly become lethal. Upon Márgerdra’s sharp inhale, the monkey demon took a piece of fabric, soaked it in water and began to wash the demoness’ skin.

The Wolf Witch could no longer hide how much his actions astonished her. Wukong, a hot-headed brute at first sight with a seemingly unending amount of sarcastic remarks, was now so tender and discreet, never casting a single look under the robe. Instead, he gathered all his patience, even held back his slight disgust. Márgerdra’s lips and swollen eyelids quivered. During the demon’s first touches she was clutching onto her collar. Now, her hands relaxed and rested by the length of her body. Even more, after a slight hesitation she decided to rest them on the disciple’s shoulders.

The Monkey King didn’t mind the gesture. Quite the opposite, a faint smile played on his lips.

“Fennel and ginger?“ he raised a quiet question as he continued in his slight massage downward towards the she-wolf’s foot and then focused his attention on her left leg.

“How did you know?“

“Blondie, I’m not at all oblivious to the basics of medicine,“ the Sage playfully winked at her. “Though, would you like to try a different sort of tea? If the fennel didn’t help much you could try the ginseng.“

The blonde crossed her arms. “Wukong, you’re on thin ice right now. I might be seven centuries old. But I’m not that old.“

“Blondie,“ he chuckled,“it’s not used just for the menopause. I’ve been told it has a similar effect as fennel. You could give it a chance. If you want I can order some for Her Highness, too.“

“That…would be delightful of you. Thanks.“

Once again, they fell into silence. The Wolf Witch felt like falling asleep under the numerous gentle rubs. At least for a short while, she was able not to feel any pain in her abdomen, a wonderful feeling she wanted to last much longer.

“I guess you can’t join me in training for the tournament today.“

“I fear so too, dear friend. But tomorrow-“

“You shouldn’t force yourself. You better rest now,“ Wukong stood up, washed the cloth for the last time and helped his comrade to the bed. “I’ll bring the tea and you can tell me what your little research from last night brought. I can familiarise you with my own investigation. Deal?“

“Deal,“ Márgerdra slithered her fingers into his palm. “But bring venerable Master and boys, too. And Mei but that goes without further saying, I suppose,“ she added with a weak smile growing on her face, her cheeks appearing much healthier than before.

“Yeah, don’t worry about that,“ the Great Sage joined her in the light giggle. “I wouldn’t dare to leave them out.“

The moment he seemed to stand up, the Wolf Witch squeezed the hairy hand. Wukong looked back at her, a clear worry behind the stern expression.

“Jun called you a…name yesterday.“

He offered a flippant grin. “Many call my old hide various names.“

“This one was different, though. He called you…what was the title…a ‘Kinbutcher’.“

The imp as well as his daring smile froze. The sudden silence flooded the vast space, not evening the birds outside dared to chirp or tweet. The time seemed to have stopped. The stare he offered, a deep void consuming everything in sight, was long as if it had no end.

The witch held her breath. She opened her mouth to break off the uncomfortable moment. Soon, she closed it back as barely any sound escaped from the dry throat.

Finally, the monkey demon moved. He licked his thin lips and rubbed his face meanwhile he walked up to the bowl with dirty water.

“Wukong…“ The hurt in the demoness’ voice was unmistakable.

“It’s not your fault.“ Sun Wukong marched out of the room. His demeanour became a perfect contrast, both freezing and boiling hot. Before shutting the sliding door behind himself, he uttered one last phrase not realising the woman had equally excellent hearing. “Just mine.“

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Taglist (let me know if you'd like to be added): @vanessaroades-author @rubywrite @aohendo @rbbess110 @jgmartin @outpost51

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List of chapters:

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Epilogue

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