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Prompt - When You Find Your True Love
Jul. 29th, 2020 10:53 pm
Title: When You Find Your True Love
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 1037
“Shhhhhh, don’t move,” was hiss-whispered to himself.
The chestnut tree’s palmate serrated leaves framed the dog, hard to tell if he, and it was a he because dogs let it all indecently hang down, was a familiar or just ‘a dog’. The vest he wore looked good on him though, a real dog about town seen in the woods.
“I’d do him if he weren’t a dog.” He sighed. “How hard up can I be lusting after a dog, that may or not even be a familiar. Scratching the bottom of the barrel, I am.”( Read more... )
https://www.chewy.com/industrial-puppy-in-training-dog/dp/220467?utm_id=272259755&msclkid=4997d54449401e4ece1f8a66150ba491&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping-Product%20Targets-Hard%20Goods-NB&utm_term=4585307087236813&utm_content=Dog%20ID%20TagsThe Great Tree
Jul. 2nd, 2019 04:59 pmTitle: The Great Tree
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 933
“Climb it or don’t. If everyone honed their claws on The Great Tree there’d be no bark left on it.”( Read more... )
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 933
“Climb it or don’t. If everyone honed their claws on The Great Tree there’d be no bark left on it.”( Read more... )
https://www.livescience.com/18294-cats-world-died.html?utm_source=notification
What If All the Cats in the World Suddenly Died?
By Natalie Wolchover
Perhaps you're a cat lover. Perhaps you abhor the lazy critters. Either way, when you see a cat lounging on an armchair, napping all day but for the occasional stretch or window gaze, "useless" is by no means the last word that comes to mind. Cats, beloved or otherwise, don't radiate the message that they're indispensable, hard-working members of the household, or the world.
But, in fact, they're just playing it cool (as usual). Experts say that if all the world's cats suddenly died, things would quickly go to hell in a handbasket.
Cats, both pets and strays, may fool us into thinking that they depend on our food and trash for survival, but according to Alan Beck, professor of veterinary medicine and director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University, they're expert predators with adaptable hunting behaviors. "They are a significant predator of small animals, and can survive as almost solitary animals when the prey is scarce, while thriving in high density when the prey is abundant," Beck told Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience.( Read more... )
And let's not forget the emotional toll that a mass cat death would take on us humans: "In this country, cats are much loved by many. While there are more dog-owning households (38 percent) than cat- owning households (34 percent), there are actually more domestic cats than dogs because cat owners own more of them. Cats as pets have always been appreciated for the contact, relatively low maintenance, and pedomorphic (child-like) face and general morphology."
What If All the Cats in the World Suddenly Died?
By Natalie Wolchover
Perhaps you're a cat lover. Perhaps you abhor the lazy critters. Either way, when you see a cat lounging on an armchair, napping all day but for the occasional stretch or window gaze, "useless" is by no means the last word that comes to mind. Cats, beloved or otherwise, don't radiate the message that they're indispensable, hard-working members of the household, or the world.
But, in fact, they're just playing it cool (as usual). Experts say that if all the world's cats suddenly died, things would quickly go to hell in a handbasket.
Cats, both pets and strays, may fool us into thinking that they depend on our food and trash for survival, but according to Alan Beck, professor of veterinary medicine and director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University, they're expert predators with adaptable hunting behaviors. "They are a significant predator of small animals, and can survive as almost solitary animals when the prey is scarce, while thriving in high density when the prey is abundant," Beck told Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience.( Read more... )
And let's not forget the emotional toll that a mass cat death would take on us humans: "In this country, cats are much loved by many. While there are more dog-owning households (38 percent) than cat- owning households (34 percent), there are actually more domestic cats than dogs because cat owners own more of them. Cats as pets have always been appreciated for the contact, relatively low maintenance, and pedomorphic (child-like) face and general morphology."
visiting the past - stories
Oct. 1st, 2017 06:04 pmSo I was re-reading an old arc because I was trying to find the links for The Herb Shop and got distracted. Why did this author not write more chapters after this.... oh, it's me. As Poof would say, "Poopies".
btw onecrazycanuck your chapter is waiting at
Herb Shop part 5-- https://charisstoma.livejournal.com/1367888.html
And yes Meri there's more but Poof and Arath still haven't met back up yet after that tomhussy was poaching on Poof's territory, Arath.
Need to find the rest of this and maybe write more.
Taking Steps: Date by Appointment
https://charisstoma.dreamwidth.org/724917.html
https://charisstoma.livejournal.com/676900.html Chapter 1 (there's 28 1/2 chapters)
You know, my ideal job is in a bookstore or library but writing....
btw onecrazycanuck your chapter is waiting at
Herb Shop part 5-- https://charisstoma.livejournal.com/1367888.html
And yes Meri there's more but Poof and Arath still haven't met back up yet after that tomhussy was poaching on Poof's territory, Arath.
Need to find the rest of this and maybe write more.
Taking Steps: Date by Appointment
https://charisstoma.dreamwidth.org/724917.html
https://charisstoma.livejournal.com/676900.html Chapter 1 (there's 28 1/2 chapters)
You know, my ideal job is in a bookstore or library but writing....
The Herb Shop (Part 5)
Oct. 1st, 2017 01:57 pmArath/Poof, Malakishel/ Kish, Elert/ Kormier (Squeeky), Familiar Studies 101
Title: The Herb Shop (Part 5)
All in the Familiar Animal Shelter series - "On the Streets"
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 599
“I’ve had a call from a someone named Kish, who said he’s Arath’s Dad. He asked if everything was alright, that Arath is worried, not having seen you in class.”
Poof groomed a stray bit of fur better into place before answering Elert, the wizard half of his familiar-wizard family. “The ‘From Demon Concealment’ tonic you helped me with has been working. He never knew I was even in the area.” More smuggly, “Not that he didn’t look around.”
Elert nodded, “So it’s effective administered in a spray. Good to know.” He smiled, “Will let it be known on a need to know level. It’s handy to be undetectable to demon in some situations.”
“What’d you tell him?”
“The truth, of course.” As Poof’s eyes rounded, “Squeeky’s been fractious lately and you were staying home more with your Papa in case it might be infectious. Always best to mix the truth in with an evasion and that doesn’t work against parents,” was added severely, “just in case you thought to try it with us.”
“Me?” Poof innocently said.
“I was once young too, you know,” was grinned back. “Showing teeth in a wide yawn is only impressive if the individual it’s being done in front of to impress isn’t onto that person’s tricks.”
“Hmmm,” Poof hummed and was rewarded by Elert’s laugh.
Kormier wandered in with Squeeky dangling from his mouth, mumbling around kitten, “Wha yu tethin tha kittan?”
“Lying effectively without lying,” brought Kormier to a pause to look at his mate before his leaping up onto Poof’s bed and arranging himself and Squeeky.
“It’s not good lying to a demon. Gives them too much leverage if they catch you in it,” he reminded Elert and Poof. “So be careful and when in doubt, don’t. You will need to face him again though, soon. No sense pushing your young demon-wizard into doing something rash you’ll both regret.”
Poof sighed and nodded. “I don’t know how.”
Shrugging Kormier said, “Bump into him before class on your terms. Since you’ve been wearing the tonic, I suggest you don’t spray it on in the morning. No sense alerting him that you’ve been hiding in plain sight from him. Be clear with him about what you expect from him but let him try to explain himself first.”
Elert had winced during Kormier’s advice but he’d nodded, “Listen to your Dad. It works real well.”
Kormier laughed, “You didn’t require all that much training. Difficult to improve upon perfection.”
“You’re going to leave Squeeky here for me to mind while you two have couple’s time.” Poof observed; he knew the signs.
“He’s played and been fed and washed. He should be about ready to fall asleep soon. You could read your text book to him.”
“It’s the part about comparing courtship between the various cultures and how it affects cross-cultural interactions,” Poof informed his Dad askance.
“Well,” Kormier paused and took a breath, “that will be good practice and information for a certain difficult conversation tomorrow.”
“Ooooo-kay,” was responded doubtfully and earned a laugh from both his parents.
It did help though, Poof found. He could comment to Squeeky, an obviously impartial listener, on each point he thought was important and would be useful. Almost he was sorry when Squeeky fell asleep and he had to give up his monologue for fear of waking him. So he went back to the beginning and took notes on what he’d read and continued through the rest of the material. He could use them as an ice breaker when he talked to Arath tomorrow before class.
Title: The Herb Shop (Part 5)
All in the Familiar Animal Shelter series - "On the Streets"
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 599
“I’ve had a call from a someone named Kish, who said he’s Arath’s Dad. He asked if everything was alright, that Arath is worried, not having seen you in class.”
Poof groomed a stray bit of fur better into place before answering Elert, the wizard half of his familiar-wizard family. “The ‘From Demon Concealment’ tonic you helped me with has been working. He never knew I was even in the area.” More smuggly, “Not that he didn’t look around.”
Elert nodded, “So it’s effective administered in a spray. Good to know.” He smiled, “Will let it be known on a need to know level. It’s handy to be undetectable to demon in some situations.”
“What’d you tell him?”
“The truth, of course.” As Poof’s eyes rounded, “Squeeky’s been fractious lately and you were staying home more with your Papa in case it might be infectious. Always best to mix the truth in with an evasion and that doesn’t work against parents,” was added severely, “just in case you thought to try it with us.”
“Me?” Poof innocently said.
“I was once young too, you know,” was grinned back. “Showing teeth in a wide yawn is only impressive if the individual it’s being done in front of to impress isn’t onto that person’s tricks.”
“Hmmm,” Poof hummed and was rewarded by Elert’s laugh.
Kormier wandered in with Squeeky dangling from his mouth, mumbling around kitten, “Wha yu tethin tha kittan?”
“Lying effectively without lying,” brought Kormier to a pause to look at his mate before his leaping up onto Poof’s bed and arranging himself and Squeeky.
“It’s not good lying to a demon. Gives them too much leverage if they catch you in it,” he reminded Elert and Poof. “So be careful and when in doubt, don’t. You will need to face him again though, soon. No sense pushing your young demon-wizard into doing something rash you’ll both regret.”
Poof sighed and nodded. “I don’t know how.”
Shrugging Kormier said, “Bump into him before class on your terms. Since you’ve been wearing the tonic, I suggest you don’t spray it on in the morning. No sense alerting him that you’ve been hiding in plain sight from him. Be clear with him about what you expect from him but let him try to explain himself first.”
Elert had winced during Kormier’s advice but he’d nodded, “Listen to your Dad. It works real well.”
Kormier laughed, “You didn’t require all that much training. Difficult to improve upon perfection.”
“You’re going to leave Squeeky here for me to mind while you two have couple’s time.” Poof observed; he knew the signs.
“He’s played and been fed and washed. He should be about ready to fall asleep soon. You could read your text book to him.”
“It’s the part about comparing courtship between the various cultures and how it affects cross-cultural interactions,” Poof informed his Dad askance.
“Well,” Kormier paused and took a breath, “that will be good practice and information for a certain difficult conversation tomorrow.”
“Ooooo-kay,” was responded doubtfully and earned a laugh from both his parents.
It did help though, Poof found. He could comment to Squeeky, an obviously impartial listener, on each point he thought was important and would be useful. Almost he was sorry when Squeeky fell asleep and he had to give up his monologue for fear of waking him. So he went back to the beginning and took notes on what he’d read and continued through the rest of the material. He could use them as an ice breaker when he talked to Arath tomorrow before class.
More more more of Don, Tony, Fred and Alex
Jun. 9th, 2017 10:32 pm
Title: Dog and Cat Drinking Together
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 746
“You think they’ll be long?”
Fred turned his head from his water bowl to look in disbelief at Don. “Surely you know about humans, and even if they’re wizards they’re still humans. They don’t do a simple mating thing. They tend to take their time and after that they tend to fall asleep cuddling together. And often they do it all again sometimes waking the other to mate again and again.” He sighed. “This may be an all night thing since you’re over here too.”
Don’s eyes widened, “That’s why he brought my stuff over here.”
“Yep.”
“Where do I sleep then?”
“Couch, chair, spare bedroom;” Fred did a dog shrug, “but I warn you, if you decide to sleep there it’s my bed too.”
“I like to sleep between the sheets.”
“So do I but I’m in my human form.”
“Oh. You wear pajamas?”
“Nope.”
“Oh.” Don looked away down into the second water bowl. “You mind if I stay in my cat form?”
“Scaredy cat?”
“Cautious cat. I may shed my fur but I’ve never done human naked in bed with anyone and my pajamas aren’t in the things Tony packed. I watched him closely.”
“What did you think he was packing so many of your things for?”
“We’d stay late, like maybe after 11 o’clock, and he knows I’m finicky. I don’t want to eat dog food if I get hungry and since you might not get to eat anything except dog food if you’re in canine form.”
“And the blanket?”
“My blanket, that I like to cuddle into if it’s cool and there’s no sunlight to sun in. You might be one of those families that like to turn the A/C down cool.”
“Yeah, we do do that at night for bedtime.”
“So, you think they’re going to be in there long?”
Fred sighed and told himself not to roll his eyes. “Yes.”
“It’s already 11 o’clock.”
“So it is.”
Don sighed, “Spare bedroom is where?”
“Want to use the outdoor cat box first?”
“No.” Don shuddered. “I’ll use the indoor facilities.”
“We’ve got no cat box and you didn’t bring one.”
Don sniffed, “I know how to use the toilet and flush it after. You’ll have to put the seat down for me if it’s up.”
“Ooooh an educated cat. That’s handy. I use my human form for the necessities. Even know how to operate the can opener.”
“Really? Before I leave would you show me how. Might come in handy sometime.”
“Sure. No problem. Gotta be in human form though.”
“Why do you have dog food then?”
“Cheaper. Isn’t too bad especially if Alex pours gravy over top of it and if a regular human visits they expect to see dog food down for me to eat if I get hungry. Usually we eat the same thing though.”
“Tony doesn’t think of that. He says things like cats have special needs in their food and because he’s really aware of that ash thing in foods I eat,” Don sighed. “He’s careful. I probably should be in my human form more. Humans can eat pretty anything they want and he forgets I can be human.”
“Want to start practicing that human form thing tonight?”
“I don’t know you well enough to do that and sleep with you. I don’t tom cat around.”
“Fair enough. I’ll put the seat down for you and show you where the spare room is before I shower.”
“Dry well. Wet skin and fur don’t go well together.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“Right.”
Alex heard the shower start a short time of the flushing of the toilet. He turned over and cuddled close. “Fred’s getting ready for bed. Don going to be okay?”
“He knows how to use the toilet. Expect he’ll curl up someplace with his blanket.”
Tony felt Alex smile against his cheek and turned into the kiss.
Sometime in the night Alex got up and checked things, returning to bed to tell Tony about how cute Fred looked with Don sleeping on his chest, his small cat head just sticking out from below the bedding.
“That’s the way he sleeps with me. He’s already training Fred.”
“Good. You’re time in bed is going to be taken frequently.”
“Good, often and well. You want to receive this time though?”
“A little sore?”
“No, I’m good. Equal time.”
Alex rolled over, “You are definitely good either way.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
Chuckling, “Everywhere? I’ll remember that.”
And even more Don, Tony, Fred and Alex
Jun. 9th, 2017 10:02 pm
Title: Relationships
Author: charisstomas
Word count: 189
“So how did your clandestine meeting go with ‘Alex’?”
Tony paused, “What makes you think … how do you know about that?”
“Just because Fred and I are mortal enemies...”
“Oh not mortal, not from what I’ve heard.”
Through clenched teeth, “mortal enemies. Just because he and I talk, doesn’t mean we’re friends.”
“Uh huh.”
“We can still talk to each other.”
“Talk. Uh huh.”
“WHAT DID ALEX TELL YOU?”
Tony assumed a mysterious Cheshire cat smile. “Oh, I don’t kiss and tell.”
“KISS and TELL?”
“I’m a little tired. Think I’ll go to bed now.”
“Wait. What?” and then menacingly, “You may not wake up in the morning.”
“That would make Alex sad and you’d have to go live with him and Fred.” Tony stuck his head back around the door frame, “Think about it.”
Tony grinned as from the other room he heard, “ARRRRR.” Seems he had a pirate for a cat. The pitterpat of rain outside made him smile. The garden needed a good soaking and he’d already warned Alex that tonight would probably not be a good night for Fred to go for any walks.
More Don, Tony, Fred and Alex
Jun. 9th, 2017 09:30 pm
Title: Street Art
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 421
“Alright who is the comedian?”
Tony came up to stand beside Don and surveyed the art on the pavement. “Probably some child. Some older child with more chalk than they know what to do with and more free time than is healthy.”
“I do not look like that.”
“Of course not, I’ve never seen your tail in that S shape and hmm looks like it might have been broken too.”
“My paws are not misshapen like that. They look like human feet. And it looks like I’ve got a sausage for a body. No cat has a sausage body.”
“True. True.” When in doubt just agree, Tony had found. “Cute face though.”
“Hmmm.”
“So you like Fred’s chalk art? It took him a while. I especially like the meteor. He doesn’t often change to his human form but for this he did.”
“He did this in his human form?” there was dread in Tony’s voice. Hoping against hope, “Fred’s age in dog years the same as his human form?”
“Oh,” The wizard laughed, “he’s about our age.” Eyeing the feline familiar, I’m assuming that Don is our age.”
“Then Fred is mentally an adult and not developmentally challenged?”
“Oh. Nope. Some people like to color in those adult coloring books. Fred likes a more free form format on pavement.” The wizard was slightly nervous, “this wasn’t meant to be derogatory. Think of it as sort of a caricature, exaggerated representation, a parody even. I um think the face is cute.”
“Look Wizard...”
“Alex. My name’s Alex. Pleased to meet you… again.”
“Look Alex...”
Tony cut off whatever Don was going to say, “I’m sure that Fred didn’t mean to be insulting. The fact that it’s on our sidewalk and not on your own is a bit suspect. But we’re adult enough to overlook any implied disrespect.”
“Um, Ooookay. Thank you. I’ll talk to Fred.”
“Thank You.”
As Alex walked hurriedly away Tony’s voice carried just enough to hear, “You will wait to cause it to rain until he gets safely back to his own house, Don. If need be we can get the hose out to wash the chalk off sooner. Do. Not.”
Alex put a little more speed into his step. By the time he saw his house fat raindrops were starting to splat on the concrete in an as yet sparse distribution.
Entering through the door he called, “Well, I don’t believe your familiar cat friend is a lover of your form of art.”
Fred’s laughter met his words.
That's not a kitten. Potatoes are needed for some arcane spells?
Any port in a storm?
Umm...
Well my tail won't clean itself.
The cat version of, "I've fallen and can't get uppppp, um I mean down."
One of those neighbors.
Demon Possessed Cat photos
Jun. 9th, 2017 12:36 pm
Some demon possessed or is this a familiar, can be helpful.
And then there's those that have watched too many vampire movies
http://www.boredpanda.com/hey-pandas-share-pics-of-your-cat-acting-weird/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=wimp
