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Really, I felt I needed more Vietnamese animated music videos that has dung beetles in it here. Here is a basic translation of the description: "The love of Spring is a season with gentle, easy to meet, repeat every spring, but never before the old one. Modifications, they wait for the day of the blooming, the insects, the busy, bathing, the laughing, the waiting and the flowers that they expect in the spring is what everyone wants to immerse himself completely In it. But it's all gone through the eyes. Glowing hopes "The love of Spring" was born at this time, as a gift devoted to the difficult feelings to keep. Everything is carefully wrapped, full of witty and very affection through 900 drawings, with the team of new Tet days and the team of friends, team parent, and a little bit. Thanks everyone with all the most special feelings!"
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A well-known (among fans) but under-discussed pioneer of animation gets more of his due in the new book Walt Disney’s Ultimate Inventor: The Genius of Ub Iwerks. It’s written by Don Iwerks (Ub’s son!), with an introduction by Leonard Maltin. “Beginning with the creation of the Mickey Mouse cartoons, the Walt Disney Studio established an early reputation as being a technical leader in Hollywood. But Walt Disney didn’t do it alone. He frequently relied on the counsel, expertise, ingenuity, and creativity of a kindred spirit, lifelong friend, and fellow virtuoso: Ub Iwerks. Yet Ub and his many technical inventions and techniques are largely unknown by the general public. His illustrious career consisted of dozens of innovative contributions, large and small, to both animated and live-action motion pictures, as well as the fields of optics, film processes, and special effects. He was also the major force behind the design of special cameras, projectors, electronics, and audio for theme park projects-and much more. The high standard set by Walt and Ub continues to inspire artists and technicians within The Walt Disney Company as they explore new avenues of quality entertainment.” In hardcover from Disney Editions, it’s out of print right now but should be available again before the holidays.

image c. 2018 Walt Disney Animation

Here we have a 2017 Swedish animated film that is starting to hit in other countries. It's about a old Police Chief getting an new young mouse assistant. "The forest’s police chief Gordon is about to retire and he needs to find a new assistant. Paddy, a clever mouse with a great sense of smell seems to be the right candidate. Together they have to solve Gordon’s last case – the mystery of squirrel’s missing nuts. Could it be the fox that took them? Gordon and Paddy will soon find out." Here is different version of the trailer that can't be embedded [1] on Vimeo if you are curious. [1] https://vimeo.com/250091196
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Submitted by Fred Patten, Furry’s favorite historian and reviewer.

The Moons of Barsk, by Lawrence M. Schoen.
NYC, A Tom Doherty Associates Book/Tor Books, August 2018, hardcover, $26.99 (430 [+ 1] pages), Kindle $13.99.

This is the sequel to Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard, reviewed here in 2016. Barsk has such an unusual and unique plot that you should really read it before The Moons of Barsk. Both have interstellar settings and are set in the far future when humanity is extinct and has been replaced by the descendants of uplifted animals.

You also need to read Barsk first because there is no synopsis here. The opening paragraph is:

“Amidst torrents of rain and blasts of lightning, Ryne stepped from his boat onto the shore of the last island, the place where his life ended. The mental beacon that had guided him across the open water faded away. Clarity replaced certainty, composed of equal parts confusion and anger. Flapping his ears against the downpour he muttered a phrase heard by his students at least once a tenday for the past six decades. ‘The math is all wrong!’” (p. 11)

But Chapter One is titled “Nothing But Lies”. Pizlo, Jorl, and Ryne are Fant, elephant-men of the planet Barsk, looking like a human with an elephant’s head; great flapping ears and a trunk. That’s not why Fant is reviled as abominations throughout the galaxy, though. Of the eighty-seven races (species) of the Galactic Alliance, the Fant are the only ones who are not furred. The Yaks, the Prairie Dogs, the Giant Anteaters, the Hares, the Sloths; all the others have respectable pelts. Only the Fant, divided into Elephs (uplifted Asian elephants) and Lox (African elephants), are disgustingly nude, with wrinkly gray, hairless skin, plus those giant flapping ears and the huge mobile nose.

The Fant are not only known for their hairlessness, though. Barsk is the only planet where the wonder drug koph can be found. Koph enables rare individuals who take it to access the nefshons of the dead and to become Speakers to the dead. “He could see nefshons; the subatomic particles of memory and personality would come at his call. If he summoned enough of them that had belonged to a dead person he could even talk to them.” (p. 22) Barsk is partially about some Fant, and the attempts of some individuals of the other races of the Alliance (notably Nonyx-Captain Selishta, a Cheetah) to get more koph.

Barsk focuses upon a few individual Fant on their planet, and a few members of the Alliance, notably Selista the Cheetah and Lirlowil the Otter, a Speaker, who are especially dependent upon koph. The Moons of Barsk is about Barsk’s relationship with the rest of the Alliance, focusing on why the Alliance wants to destroy Barsk.

Although The Moons of Barsk tells the adventures of the Fant Jorl and Pizlo (and his lover Rina), and to a lesser extent Ryne, the novel is most fascinating for its description of the society of Barsk:

“Most women’s homes in Keslo [“an island located near the northeastern portion of the western archipelago. It is home to Jorl ben Tral.” – (p. 426)] were enormous and tended to get bigger as generations of women and children branched and expanded. Rooms were added, porches enclosed, neighboring dwellings annexed and connected by inventive and oddly constructed temporary hallways that acquired permanence and extensions of their own. Back yards became internal patios, became parlors, became bedrooms and kitchens and even bathrooms depending on need and whim and available materials. This was the pattern in every Civilized Wood throughout both archipelagos, expansion and adaptation rather than contraction.” (p. 55)

It also presents more background. The Fant used to be spread throughout the Alliance. Eight hundred years earlier, Alliance politics resulted in all the Fant being relocated to Barsk.

What are The Moons of Barsk about?

“The portion of the firstborn generation of Barsk that established the Caudex based their entire existence on a single core belief: the Alliance wanted every last Eleph and Lox – every man, woman, and child – dead and gone. They believed the bureaucracy responsible for transporting all the galaxy’s Fant to Barsk had only enacted the beginning of a plan, putting them all in one spot to facilitate their eventual annihilation. Margda’s Compact had forged a truce of sorts, but it was at best a stopgap; it bought some time for the Fant, but not safety. The Caudex resolved to use that time to best advantage, to develop plans to ensure they survived at any cost.

Sometimes the Alliance’s contempt for anything and everything touched by Eleph or Lox worked to the advantage of the Fant. Eight hundred years earlier, when the first waves of resettlement had begun – before the tone of the relocation had grown darker – among the many ships ferrying Fant to their new home on Barsk were commercial spacecraft owned and operated by Fant concerns on Marbalarma and Kensington, Venango and Slon, Dramblys and Passyunk. In the rush to be done with the unwanted Fant, these vessels slipped off the grid, ostensibly kept in active service to transport latecomers, which went on for most of a decade. When the planet’s pharmaceutical treasure trove opened, these same ships provided some support for building Barsk’s space elevator and orbiting satellite. But then, under the guise of ‘business as usual,’ various agents of the new forming Caudex purchased every Fant ship and began hiding them throughout the system, powering down all nonessential energies and limiting personnel to the barest of crews. Alliance licensing databases showed all of them as decommissioned, sold to other concerns, or crashed on the surface of one of the moons of Barsk and destroyed.” (pgs. 66-67)

Since the Alliance maintains the pretense of representing all the races of the galaxy, it has to allow a token representative of the Fant. This is Senator Jorl ben Tral, “who can speak with the dead, navigates galactic politics as Barsk’s unwelcome representative, and digs even deeper into the past than ever before to discover new truths of his own.” (blurb) Pizlo, a Fant teenager, seems especially ostracized; he is an albino, considered an abomination by the other Fant who are considered abominations themselves by the rest of the galaxy. But Pizlo’s physical and mental uniqueness makes him able to “hear” voices from the moons of Barsk. He investigates …

The Moons of Barsk (cover by Victo Ngai) would be helped by more background from Barsk, but the reader is quickly swept up by the story. Be aware that there is at least one more novel to come.

– Fred Patten

• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Macmillan

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Cartoon Brew has a new article up giving a chronological and detailed look at animated features from major studios that are scheduled to hit theaters in 2019. Interestingly, almost all of them have furry content — some more than others of course, but just about all of them have a least a little! Those titles include The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World, Wonder Park, Missing Link, Uglydolls, Farmageddon (aka Shaun the Sheep 2), The Secret Life of Pets 2, Toy Story 4, The Lion King (the realistic CGI “live action” remake), Wish Dragon, Angry Birds 2, Abominable, and Frozen 2. (Hey, the first one nabbed itself an Ursa Major Award, don’t forget!)

image c. 2018 LAIKA

Here is a series of animated PSA's about alcohol overuse from Quebec Canada [1]. "Yes, we should probably only drink in moderation. Even if you are a cat, a mouse, or even a cockroach. Amirite?" https://vimeo.com/294941524 https://vimeo.com/294942806 [1] http://educalcool.qc.ca/benefices
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Here’s a sequel to Fursuit photography from the urban jungle: Goku’s Furban Exploration.

Years ago in the Rust Belt, my friend liked exploring decommissioned grain silos and factories of the area. He took me to climb an eight story brewery that closed in the 1980’s. The entrance was a hole in a fence and the inside was covered in spraycan murals, making an unauthorized art gallery. (Hey furry artists, if you’ve done such work, show me!) The stairs were dismantled for the first few floors. Could we climb up on the conveyer belt that used to scoop grain? No, but there was a fire escape with most of the steps still hanging on. Most. The upper floors had stories-tall fermenting vats and a movie worthy view. It made quite an impression to see the afterlife of a place that wasn’t supposed to have one. The place was gone soon afterwards, with a demolition party where people on the street watched it come down. It was an experience to remember.

Creativity in fursuiting gets boosted when you stage it in exciting locations. And for going bonkers with intense photography, street art and abandoned architecture are a class of their own. That’s why I loved the improbable idea of combining both. I put out a call to see if anyone was doing it, and Goku rose to the occasion. He sent in a new update. I love his work so much I’d love to meet him and help some day – and there will be more stories from him! (- Patch)

This story comes with a gallery of 40 photos, see the complete collection here. Photo credit: @seikoliz and @rclatter. Follow Goku: @KasigFuchsGoku

Good Afternoon Patch,

Here’s the latest installment of my Furban Exploration endeavors- I was hoping to have photos from my visit to the abandoned tunnels of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but the photographer is taking his time processing them. In meantime, I have photos from inner city Baltimore. Then there’s a venture to Fort Armistead, a former Confederate fort turned into a public park in Glen Burnie, MD that has unfortunately fallen into disrepair. (I’ll make another trip to the fort with others in the near future since I was really amazed with the graffiti, catacombs, and feral cat haven nestled in the structure).

Late in September, I made a venture across to Maryland with my boyfriend to see two good friends of mine- Seiko and Clatterbuck. We have been friends for a few years- usually when Anthrocon would come around, we always found each other for a drink or a meal and a photoshoot. Seiko loved the angst from my fursona, so whenever we were at a con together, he always shared his expertise to accentuate my gruff fursonality. For urban exploration, Seiko was more than willing to share sites in his own backyard. Chatting about the abandoned tunnels of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, he was telling me about “graffiti alley”, an open canvas for talented graffiti artists that was part of an art display in Baltimore. Clatterbuck, a dear friend if mine and Seiko that helps with making superb photos, joined in.

My beau Danny and I arrived shortly before noon in Baltimore- a city I had always driven through, but never actually stopped for anything. The area where we would rendezvous with our photographers was bleak to say the least; a lot of business storefronts have not been open for a while. The only bustling businesses were one supermarket, a check cashing place, and a Dunkin’ Donuts that was way past its heyday. We met as I was parking my car, had a couple of cups of coffee, and I donned my fursuit on a main street and began to walk towards the gallery.

It was invigorating to get all types of attention as I did all sorts of poses in this small alley. I had artists at the gallery, one drug dealer, a couple of junkies, and a mother with her infant children all stop to ask questions (everything from if I was part of the exhibit, to if I was an undercover officer, to how much I was being paid to walk around in a costume… you name it). The alley was a great experience even though it was small.

We continued wandering the avenues of Baltimore to see if there was anything else. It led to laying on the walls, crawling on the sidewalk, and climbing into dumpsters (I have no fear, bleach and OxyClean work wonders on a white fursuit). Seeing what this area was like years ago was a high I needed to enjoy myself.

After 90 minutes I got back in street clothes while we discussed supper plans. We decided to drive to Fort Armistead, then get some good mid-Atlantic seafood. We drove for about 20 minutes away from Baltimore to Glen Burnie, into an area full of dingoes, boats, and vessels of all sizes.

We left our cars in a lot and took a short hike up a muddy trail to the fort, and just gazed at the graffiti, trying to get shots in as sunlight peered through the clouds. We had a few odd encounters- first were some burnout hippies living out of a late model Toyota RAV4. They were stoned, and they couldn’t believe a fox was walking around as they were listening to dubstep mixed with the Grateful Dead, with tall boys of Natty Ice in their hands. Then we came across some motorcyclists that looked like they were doing Initial D cosplay (or some similar anime), posing like I was in fursuit, with their crotch rockets and full gear.

I had to tread carefully as I walked around the fort- there were open holes that went a couple of stories deep (and I was all too eager to try and push my luck). Finally, as we circled back from our starting point near the hippies, we saw a small colony of feral cats living in this fort. The hippies stopped us, warning us that the cats weren’t the friendliest, so we just admired from a distance, and before the rain came, we packed our bags and went to supper.

The fish and chips were delicious, and I got to play every reincarnation of the Pac-Man franchise from 1980-1987. If I wasn’t so exhausted, I was tempted to ask the restaurant owners if they wouldn’t mind me suiting up for a few rounds with Ms. Pac-Man.

-Goku!

Still just super thrilled to see the work going anywhere visible! Too often projects like this float under the radar, I appreciate that you appreciate it!

— Seiko (@SeikoLiz) October 22, 2018

Like the article? It takes a lot of effort to share these. Please consider supporting Dogpatch Press on Patreon.  You can access exclusive stuff for just $1, or get Con*Tact Caffeine Soap as a reward.  They’re a popular furry business seen in dealer dens. Be an extra-perky patron – or just order direct from Con*Tact.

Some of the most iconic funny animal illustrations in the entire world get the scholarly treatment in The Art of Winnie the Pooh by James Campbell, published by Harper Collins. “Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends have enthralled generations of children and have become some of the world’s most beloved characters. But before their adventures were captured in many millions of books published in nearly fifty languages, they started life in the 1920s as the product of a unique collaboration between author A. A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard. They wove images and text together in a way that was utterly original for the time. It was a process that Shepard relished; he continued to create artwork for new editions until his death in 1976 at the age of ninety-six. This lovingly designed, full-color volume, which includes a foreword from Shepard’s granddaughter, tells the story behind this remarkable partnership, and traces the evolution of Shepard’s work, from his first tentative sketches to the illustrations we know and love, including the characters’ later incarnations by the artists at Walt Disney Studios.” The book is available now in hardcover.

image c. 2018 Harper Collins

Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.draggetshow.com Be sure to check our website for all Things Dragget Show! Podcasts, videos, merch and more! YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/DraggetShow Surprisestream! - Ninjas & Lawnmowers - Patreon: www.patreon.com/thedraggetshow www.drag…

Tal, Vox and Adoom gather on up to have a -long- talk about the new cannabis laws in canada and then some geeking out with email. Episode 46 - Shark can buy his weed now!

For a perhaps more traditional furry tale from Japan, look no further than Konohana Kitan. A manga series originally created by Sakuya Amano, it was adapted as a 12-episode anime series in 2017. It follows the adventures of Yuzu, a young “fox-youkai” spirit. Now TokyoPop have collected the original manga together in a new English translation. “Yuzu is a brand new employee at Konohanatei, the hot-springs inn that sits on the crossroads between worlds. A simple, clumsy but charmingly earnest girl, Yuzu must now figure out her new life working alongside all the other fox-spirits who run the inn under one cardinal rule — at Konohanatai, every guest is a god! Konohana Kitan follows Yuzu’s day to day life working at the inn, meeting the other employees and ever-eclectic guests, and learning to appreciate the beauty of the world around her.” Yip!

image c. 2018 TokyoPop

Kota and Tol join us for pup schenagans, lots of news and fursuit dancing in the music break.

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Watch Video Link Roundup:

• Arctic tweets photo from fursuit photo walk in Toronto
• Paradox tweets photo of TolWolf in studio
• Tony the Tiger’s silent Twitter exodus blamed on furries, but advertising laws more probable cause
• YouTuber lacigreen does a video about furries
• Twitter memes about FWA room reg

News:

• Glass Door Dangers
• Workers rescue raccoon with paw stuck in dumpster
• CNN: Memes may contribute to teenage obesity, lawmakers told
• Stolen in Kansas City: 10-foot-long inflatable model of human colon
• Giant nose stolen from porch, family offering $6.27 reward for return
• U.S. Embassy In Australia Apologizes For Cat Pajama Party Invite
• Seattle Motorists Stunned As 2-Pound Metal Balls Roll Down Street
• Top 10 American Fears
• California Cops Secure Escaped Pig By Luring It Home With Doritos
• Police Dash Cam Shows Giant Spider
• Suspect allegedly assaulted man at Medieval Times before swimming naked with sharks at Ripley’s

Emails:

• Hello From Tampa – Jojer

FC-310 Pup Filters - Kota and Tol join us for pup schenagans, lots of news and fursuit dancing in the music break.

Kota and Tol join us for pup schenagans, lots of news and fursuit dancing in the music break.

Download MP3

Link Roundup:

• Arctic tweets photo from fursuit photo walk in Toronto
• Paradox tweets photo of TolWolf in studio
• Tony the Tiger’s silent Twitter exodus blamed on furries, but advertising laws more probable cause
• YouTuber lacigreen does a video about furries
• Twitter memes about FWA room reg

News:

• Glass Door Dangers
• Workers rescue raccoon with paw stuck in dumpster
• CNN: Memes may contribute to teenage obesity, lawmakers told
• Stolen in Kansas City: 10-foot-long inflatable model of human colon
• Giant nose stolen from porch, family offering $6.27 reward for return
• U.S. Embassy In Australia Apologizes For Cat Pajama Party Invite
• Seattle Motorists Stunned As 2-Pound Metal Balls Roll Down Street
• Top 10 American Fears
• California Cops Secure Escaped Pig By Luring It Home With Doritos
• Police Dash Cam Shows Giant Spider
• Suspect allegedly assaulted man at Medieval Times before swimming naked with sharks at Ripley’s

Emails:

• Hello From Tampa – Jojer

[Live] Pup Filters

Okay, something different… How about a Disney kitten as a magical kitty? That’s what we get in Miriya & Marie, a new black & white manga from Maya and TokyoPop. “Even though the wealthy young girl Miriya has almost everything she could ever need, what she really wants is to find her missing parents. But this year, she gets an extra special birthday gift when Marie, a magical white kitten, appears and whisks her away to Paris! Learning the art of magic is one thing, but getting to eat the tastiest French pastries and wear the most beautiful fashion takes Miriya and Marie’s journey to a whole new level!” On the shelves now.

image c. 2018 TokyoPop

I think I better go call my mum. "Jackie, an old widow tells the story about her routine and loneliness during an interview"
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What the Fox?! is a light-hearted romp by a variety of writers. Some well-versed in the comedic writing style and others more well-known for their dramatic pieces, all come together to create this interesting look into some of the "funnies" that we sometimes miss while picking up a good book. Think of it as a very well-rounded compilation of furry-inspired literature. From a Zootopia/Rogue Cop inspired romp through the city to a classical Brothers Grimm inspired world full of all the fairytale characters. For those interested in the raunchier side of things, it seems the compiler, Fred Patten, had found it pertinent to allow a couple of “TBAGS” to creep in, which are good for a laugh with friends as you try desperately to maintain a reputation while reading them aloud.I felt the stories themselves were written competently for what they set to put out, although the ordering could have been a little better since it seemed like being tossed from world to world like a ragdoll which gave me pause at times. I had to re-read some stories because I'd still be in different mindsets because of one or two previous ones, and I felt thrown from one perspective to the other. As a collection, however, it paid off because it added to the feeling of the madcap nature of what satire is all about. As a whole, the anthology has some amazing stories in it that, while reading, had me take little excerpts and tidbits from it and read them to friends over Discord to share a little bit of the reason why I was quietly chuckling to myself. Every story has a stylised picture as its accompaniment which helps add flavour to it.FAPD - Sofox As an opening story, it makes light of many situations where police may be a bit heavy-handed in their approach to active duty and being completely unapologetic about these incidents. It really sets the pace as to what to expect. If one looks at the ending, one can really draw a comparison to Furaffinity admins and some connection with police brutality. I, however, felt that some of the connections could have been a bit more subtle.Perfect Harmony – Jaleta Clegg A short story about a barbershop quartet of llamas who desperately need help in order to win a singing competition. The characters' general development was very in-depth. Who'd have thought that an al-packa of llamas would be what I needed to read about. This was a good piece overall and had a very interesting premise.Counter Curlture – TelevassiSometimes, the idea of being a wolf may seem taxing when your best friends are huskies. This story, about a teen wolf who finds herself trying to deal with overly 'traditional' parents and what seems to be the wolf version of 'Sunday School', finds a unique way to get out of it for good. Well-written and with just the right amount of snark, this story is one that many of us can relate to. “A good wolf always has a plan."The Carrot is Mightier than the Sword – Nidhi SinghClever imagery and very beautifully put forward, this story has a fair amount of clout to it., revolving around a more antiquated lore in respect to our fables. Armies of bunnies, dragons and humans duke it out against one another for power. Hares outnumber the lot of them. Reminds me of Redwall in some senses. But maybe that's my own nostalgia.A Web of Truth – James HudsonWhat would you do if you found out your kid was dating a massive spider? If your answer is attempt to burn the house down, I think I'd agree very much. It has a lot of good characterization to it, and the parents somehow remind me of the Dursleys from Harry Potter when they encounter magic for the first time. At the same time, it also reminded me of a Courage the Cowardly Dog episode. I'm sure what the artist drew with the accompanying picture ensured that my mind go in that direction. A different take on some interspecies relationships, and the character interactions were excellent: they had spark, and there was a genuine connection with them. I felt the writer did a fantastic job.Suddenly, Chihuahua – Madison KellerThis story is a quaint romp into our psyche when faced with a mundane job, that of a postal officer and the day-to-day issues one might face en-route. Including the fear of all postal officers, being bested by the tiniest canine of all the rat – chihuahua and the subsequent lessons learned from the entire experience.This story was interesting: it had the makings of the old RL Stine books I used to read as a kid, although not nearly as terrifying. This story has a fair premise and is well-written with a few amusing asides. This has the kind of spunk that a story about chihuahuas should most probably have: punchy and entertaining.Kenyak's Saga – MikasiwolfA look into the worlds of the Vikings and their travels. Written like the epics of old, with a little more of an honest depiction of encountering certain tribes of the old days, Kenyak is the most innocuous 'alpha' of his pack. His travels lead him to many lands and some of the stranger stories that many of the epics of old seem to pave over...such as repopulating an entire island and teaching a group of otters to fight. Oddly, minus the re-population which was quite well-written to be subtle, I felt like I was reading about an episode of Samurai Jack.Rapscallions – Mary E. LowdAn engaging piece that plays on the Star Trek themes where some hilarious episodes have been created, much like 'Trouble with Tribbles' and some of the more interesting tropes. It plays on the whole, “what if they were made younger by some stroke of sciency thing.” It really transported me back to some of the books and animated series I used to consume in my younger years. This story is quite the stand-out.I really hope to pick up more of her full length novels at some point: sci-fi and furries is a little interest of mine, and she knows how to make a light-hearted romp out of her writing.Dazzle Joins the Screenwriters Guild – Scott BradfordDazzle, our protagonist, goes through a long waiting period for the creation of a film based on him and the seemingly endless 'meetings about meetings' that happen in the film industry. Well-written and almost striking painfully close to home on the front of what really happens in Hollywoo, I was quite starkly reminded of similar concepts while watching Bojack Horseman.However, I felt like I was missing context at times in respect to the story.A Late Lunch – BanWynn OakshadowWhere to even start? Our protagonist, a fairytale dragon, sets out to find himself a bite to eat and the various hi-jinx that would go along with it. This story had some interesting twists on the entire fairy-tale ending and even has a gloriously long-awaited punchline.Masterfully executed.Riddles in the Road – Searska GreyRavenReynard the mischievous fox, King of Trickery, finds himself in a new land with new customs and meets a sphinx where he duels with her in a battle of wits and, more importantly, food. I actually quite enjoyed this story: the attention to the characterisation of our protagonists really fleshed out this piece. The pacing was nice, and the premise interesting. The ending left me wanting to hear much more of Reynard and his travels!The Lost Unicorn – Shawn Frazier Miracles, unicorns and the 'saviour' of a small family on a small plot. We follow a rather convoluted story about a unicorn and a farmer's household. Oddly, reminded me of The Last Unicorn in some senses in the manner of writing. Very 1980s fantasy orientated. I felt like I'd been transported to watching the Sunday Afternoon kids movies like Never Ending Story and the Pagemaster. Sadly, I tilted my head a lot at this story and at times found it to be confusing. Boomsday – Jenny Brass Plots to take over the world, more chihuahuas and some really pyromaniacal tendencies allow this story to take some interesting spins. Protagonists Enfuego the chihuahua and the pine marten Alsadair have the means to make many explosives...for science of course. These elements make for some very 'Pinky and the Brain'-esque scenes except our 'Pinky' is far more fleshed out in her love for explosives than anything else. Almost reminds me of Jinx from League of Legends...Fun interactions, but I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a story; characters were well-fleshed out though.Oh What a Night – Tyson West A charming lakeside retreat with an equally charming homme fatale in our vulpes vulpes (it's always foxes isn't it), John H. Truehart finds himself attempting to make a few 'business deals' that would benefit himself, and he has a mark in mind but may find it more trouble than it's worth. Written with noir-esque stylings as well as charmingly dark humour, the premise of this story fared well amongst some of the sillier notions that have been offered. (Chihuahuas? Really?)Moral for Dogs – Maggie Venesee A love triangle of the strangest nature. A dog, a fish and a snake. Because why not? Short, titular and a stark reminder of the tribulations we have with relationships of all shapes and sizes. This was fun, if somewhat short.Broadstripe, Virginia Smells like Skunk – SkunkbombA cautionary tale as to what happens to those older conspiracy theorists amongst us that just can't let go for their own good. Our protagonist, a bloodhound, Grand Uncle Hubert has a problem with skunks. They're taking over the town, and it seems like no one else is much too worried about it. I felt the story to be fun, maybe a little on the nose (pun most definitely intended) but an honest look at some of the issues we may have with those pesky, stick-in-the-muds that we seem to exclusively find in smaller towns.A Legend in his own Time – Fred PattenAs far as stories about the future of mankind go, this one is actually the most likely that I've seen. An otter-like alien goes in to a human settlement planet for trading goods. He instead meets a lost girl and befriends her.Truly a feel-good story: although as humans we seem rather secessionist by nature, our kids will always be the people to bring us to an understanding that's far beyond our own comprehension. Well paced, and the accompanying art reminds me of Elmyra which is a massive plus point.The Cat’s Meow (Le Miaulent du Chat) – Lisa PaisA French tabby cat, named Kitty Pierre, and two dogs aptly named Scruffy and Pug are house pets in this story that revolves around the introduction of a very strange new object to their lives. This story takes some ingenious twists and turns in their attempts to find out what the object of attraction is. It highlights the tenacity of cats, the helpful nature of dogs and the obliviousness that we humans so often have. Fun, light-hearted and a fair read.Super – Billy Leigh Chock-full of the kind of antics you would expect from a super heroes league where some powers seem to be better than others, we find our unwilling son-of-a-hero Spike, who deals with the trials and tribulations of having to live up to his father when all he really wants to do is get high and play video games (ah the life of a student). However, there's trouble afoot, and it will be up to Spike to save the day!A good story overall: some interesting superpowers in it, and the villain reminded me so much of Dr. Robotnik I couldn't help but mention the similarities.Woolwertz Department Store Integrated Branch Employee Manual: Human-Furred Relations – Frances PauliAs the title suggests, if there were Furries among us, this guide may well be the type we get to be able to handle a more animalistic bunch. The guide is well put together, gives some of the most practical suggestions as well as the kind of store 'HR' or in this case 'HFR' rules there would be. Most of them to avoid lawsuits.The Dark EndAnd thus, we enter a point that needed its own paragraph breaker to warn us to 'take heed all ye who enter here' and with good reason. We've hit the wonderfully cringe-worthy world of TBAGS better known as “The Best and Greatest Story” coined by the ever-present Mog Moogle and now (unfortunately) trending as its own brand of erotic literature.A List of Erotica Clichés You Should Avoid in Your HEAT Submission – Dark EndEver wonder why some books never see the light of day beyond Deviantart and Wattpad? Yes, this list gives all the reasons why they wouldn't. Definitely worth a read-through if you're a budding novelist/erotica writer.The Best and Greatest Story – Mog MoogleThe story revolves around a trio of protagonists, Mog Moogle, the obvious protagonist, and two characters with names that beg belief, Moonstar Packhowler and Twinky Yiffslut, and the variety of sexually deviant antics they get up to. Honestly when it comes to TBAGS, I'd almost say it's the best there is...it was like staying up until 4am in the morning and reading the stories on Deviantart that are ordered by least read first.Self-Insertion – Jaden DrackusAnother take on the TBAGS theorem of things, comes this story about a writer who clones himself in an attempt to jog his writing speed and to come up with plots. Everything goes balls-up from there. Literally. Jack and Jason find the best way to write a story. Also, “Stud Mayo.” I found this to be rather coherent. It had a fair premise and showed promise in some senses. There's a lot of raw sexual emotion, and the characters are almost believable.The Best and Greatest Sequel: Pron Harder Damnit! – Some Guy Who is Definitely Not the Main CharacterI thought it couldn't get better (worse). I was wrong. Amethyst Twilight Tw'inkle has her fun with Professor Mog Moogle in this final (thank the gods) story. From wild sexual abandon to some of the stranger fetishes within the spectrum, we have the sequel of the original TBAGS and what a sequel it is. Forgive me father for I have sinned, I've looked upon this work and despairingly regret every moment of it.Jokes and Recommended Reading The final part of this anthology contain jokes/funny anecdotes from the writers featured here as well as a piece by Fred Patten in respect to where one can find more furry-themed novels and short stories.

Investigation continues – October 2018

Last month, furry fandom took a very dark turn. Zoosadism leaks: possibly the worst story to ever hit fandom was a mere introduction to the exposure of hidden networks for abuse and even snuff porn of animals.

The impact of it kicked up murky clouds of misinformation. After the shock, there was the usual speculation that comes with lesser dramas that usually die out in a week or two. There was smokescreening to hide evil that shocked even the most shady corners of the internet. There was rubbernecking, shit-stirring, evidence-tainting, and penny-chasing for views. And beneath it all was natural confusion. The ongoing story still defies explanation after a month, but on the good side, there’s significant work behind the scenes. That should have been done from the start to avoid a botched mess. Most of that work is for future updates. This update is mostly about public awareness.

One thing needs saying up front: you can definitely judge before a court does. “Innocent until proven guilty” is a legal standard to constrain government, not common sense about the evidence. There’s different standards between criminal court, civil court and society. (For example you don’t get a trial about fitness for employment, election, or safety with kids or animals.) Remember names like Casey Anthony, George Zimmerman, or OJ Simpson, and let a lawyer explain:

Okay.

"Guilty" and "Innocent" are both legal terms and terms with common meanings outside of the law.

In the legal aspect they require proof beyond a reasonable doubt and a determination of guilt from a trier of fact.

In the common usage, they do not. /1

— Boozy Badger (@BoozyBadger) October 1, 2018

It’s not just about Kero, but apologism for Kero is the most obvious obstacle to progress.

If you followed so far and understand the evidence, then the name Kero may fill you with disgust and rage. Kero is a Youtuber exposed as a secret animal abuse fetishist, whose complicity got outsized notice due to his 100,000+ subscribers.

[UPDATE] Twitter Moment: “Kero is guilty – Evidence”

Kero had opportunity to own up or shut up. He didn’t. In the most self-serving way, he responded with cherrypicked and inconsistent denials, to brush this under the rug and keep his following, manipulate them to shield him, and even capitalize on notoriety built on puppy killing. I’ve never labeled anything obscene in my life, but making money from this is nothing less than obscene. Of course the info wasn’t leaked to target Kero and there’s a roster of worse offenders to account for. But his failure to at least relieve everyone from apologist bullshit makes him a poster guy for what’s wrong.

Kero dug a bottomless pit for himself, and the rest of fandom is on the edge. If you thought it was bad already, you haven’t seen anything yet.

This is the last word on the "is it real" nontroversy of the zoosadist ring that wormed into this community. @MythicalRedFox you deserve huge respect for this. If you see anyone post #istandwithkero just link this, it's over. And give that fox a follow.https://t.co/hHcKugGD7v

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) September 29, 2018

The coming challenges, what to trust, and the cost of lying:

The original article laid out the challenges: to learn the size and shape of the network, who was complicit but not inside, who did content sharing but not creation, who was directly responsible for uploading toxic files, and who committed crimes.

Higher powers than fandom are working on that now. I’m lucky to see exclusive info that’s only for their eyes. However it’s still a fandom story. Investigation is relying on a few good furries, and their work will continue when this is done. Laws don’t have absolute power to handle the extent of it. That’s obvious in the way animal cruelty content is more-or-less legal to possess (which is how networks for it wormed in to fandom).

What’s coming out is more than one network or kind of activity, but many that overlap. It starts with fetish content where sharers may consider themselves harmless, but they’ll have to disentangle themselves from those who aren’t (blame the offenders for that.) That overlaps with convicted sex offenders, multiple open crime cases, and even clues about unsolved crimes only known by a trail of victims. There’s drug trafficking, some of it used to sedate animals before doing abuse. Besides animals, this involves children. At least there’s little sign of power corruption so far, besides abusers just seeking thrills behind anonymity.

Finding the truth is the goal. Readers should beware of sources with agendas (including just trashing furries shotgun-style for fun). Beware of cooked up Pizzagate-style conspiracy theories, dismissal with the words “drama” or “mobs”, or debates in favor of Kero. (The benefit of the doubt died when he lied.) I won’t favor anyone and don’t care about personal cost like losing friends for sharing the truth.

If you watch horror movies for Halloween, could you stand seeing it for real? I was warned about the evidence: “There’s a picture in there I’d call ‘Mortal Kombat Finishing Move'”.  It’s almost funny except this isn’t a movie or a game. It also isn’t about science, euthanization, hunting or butchering for meat, or only a frozen photo. It’s about the experience of sadistic fun with crying, struggle and brutal annhilation of a weaker being that could be a family member if it had the chance. A photo of that looks like animal remains, but it means more. It stands for the killing of good faith in a community based on believing and trusting that members love one thing so strongly, they even see each other being the animal. If someone does that to an animal, they’re morally doing it to you.

If people settle for apathy and lies about this, that’s how the fandom will die for real. At least the part that lets this go and accepts complicity.

Exactly.

Cons need to revoke membership. Builders of their suits need to disavow them. Other YouTubers need to pull collabs and use their platforms to say, hey this is not okay to do, this isn't what we are.

But they won't.

— LOT'S WIFE (@LibrettoTaur) September 22, 2018

A deeper look at how this came out – Kero lied about it, and then a video of his abused dog came out.

As above videos covered, the evidence wasn’t leaked by furry-haters.  Kero wasn’t the target. It’s logistically unrealistic to have faked the huge volume of chat logs. Messages from Kero match his user ID on the Telegram server (which can’t be hacked or edited on local devices in HTML or screenshots). They had unique photos found nowhere else. And multiple sources close to the story indicate that accounts weren’t hacked with messages faked, they were just exported.

There’s independent confirmation. I received a screen of text messages with the mother of chat user Levi Simmons/”SnakeThing” from the texter. They knew SnakeThing granted access to his account where existing messages were exported from. The login was given to fellow chat member EliteKnight, and gained from him by the leaker. EliteKnight posted an apology and admitted his involvement was real.

[Zoosadism leak] aren't you tired of it? Blame those who are lying to cover up.

Further confirmation there is no "hacking" or faking from one of those responsible. https://t.co/0gkhjnqdfJ

No you DON'T get to say "oops, spent years sharing puppy torture, fresh start". pic.twitter.com/F4Boe4nAKg

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) September 29, 2018

Another source comes from my chat with a partner of another group member, who tacitly authenticates their involvement by excusing it as a setup to get police involved. And an independent zoophile group admin confirmed they knew Kero was involved for a long time.

Now look again at a video from Kothorix about his interview with Kero and the actual interview log, where Kero switches course with multiple lies. He pretends he never spoke to SnakeThing but then admits he did.  He says he was hacked but admits he misled his entire fanbase and gave them an active sessions screenshot he found on the web. He claims he only liked feral art (which was only 3 images) instead of hundreds of necro/zoo/abuse images that were shared.

Then Kero says “I have never harmed an animal or had sex with one.” A video of his dog being molested is held by investigators, with stills released for proof.

I have been given the video with Koda and there are some things I want to show.

— Okapi (@Okapi_Fan) October 14, 2018

Quote-tweeting with link to spare your eyes of censored but not so great content. https://t.co/DcJR9ObfC8 pic.twitter.com/Sp0kyj9ESf

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) September 30, 2018

It's hilarious because Kero keeps changing the story over and over again like dude! Just accept the fact that you got caught for being a zoophile!

— Sliat (@yourfluffyfoxy) October 15, 2018

After all this, why is Kero trying to come back? And why is he making MORE MONEY than before?

You might be amazed to hear this. I found a conversation by the furry fandom fringe of alt-furries, that gives a pretty consistent opinion of what’s going on. (Let’s avoid asking if there will ever be such self-awareness about that source itself…)

Even a broken clock is right twice a day:

Kero’s Patreon lost users over two weeks following the original leaks. (I’m told that reaching 100,000 Youtube subscribers is about the minimal level where someone might go full-time as a video maker. He only recently hit that level, and likely depends on the income).

Then the money went up. He appears to be making private videos just for his Patrons. Is there any better example for selling your soul?

Everyone might be sick of hearing about the ring of zoosadists but stay aware that there were many not just one in the spotlight. Complicit members may want to get excused in time because awareness died down. They want it to get memory holed.

2 weeks ago vs now: pic.twitter.com/o6HSmLaR9P

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) October 7, 2018

@kerothewolf is making more money on Patreon now than before it came out that he was complicit in a ring of animal abusers who murdered puppies for fun. There's a video of his dog circulating. It needs attention that won't go away. That's how to make sure it can't happen again. https://t.co/to3ZnYrT19

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) October 15, 2018

Kero’s current Patrons

A Patreon supporter list was pulled from the unlisted video: “How to become a meme” that Kero made in the weeks after the Zoosadism leaks.

Below are some accounts matched to these names. Some may not be up to date with what’s going on. People who want to help can contact them with reasonable questions. Link this update and ask, do they support complicity with animal abuse, and could they please consider helping to fix this problem?

• @MikeShadowWolf 
• @FynxTaurin
• Vanguard Skylar – @SkylarGrayJedi (http://archive.is/A8sBm http://archive.is/EgrDr, appears at the start of “Mini Con Weekend!”)
• xTheBladerx – @Dragoon120 (http://archive.is/BT90N)
• @zhenfur_ (Active on Instagram and YouTube as “zhenfur”)
• @ZephythePango (http://archive.is/V4DGF http://archive.is/e9gXv)
• @TylerFurlong86 (http://archive.is/A6G8g http://archive.is/zLi3d, appeared at the start of “How to become a meme”)
• @CurtisLupus
• Omega Iakona – @sorenjas000? (Inactive for Years)
• The funny wolf Lockhere – @Lockhere_ (http://archive.is/UeafA)
• @Javathecoyfox
• @Meepsalot69 / @meepsfw
• Battercake Folfsky – @theBattercake (http://archive.is/TVrbe http://archive.is/oL4D3)
• @RarushiTategami
• @LeonWolfheart
• @AddEFurry (http://archive.is/P3RKF)
• @blugufox (http://archive.is/CWttD)
• @WolfBrightwater (http://archive.is/9rn3d http://archive.is/HdPQW)
• Drakon-Winterheart – @DWinterheart (http://archive.is/l5D1O)
• FireTheFox – @FireTheFoxxo (Appears at the start of “BLFC 2018! The ultimate con experience!”)
• Gunmaster461 – @gunmaster46 (http://archive.is/1vnpc)
• Ivan Wolfgang – @WolfGangTheGrea (http://archive.is/9rn3d)
• TheK9dog – @theK9dog? (Inactive for Years)
• Kian Wolf Kiggles – @KigglesTheCusky?
• @KonradtheWolf1 
• Phoenix.of.ice – @Phoenixofice1? (Protected account)
• Seanie Sweetfang – @SSweetfang (http://archive.is/YbnDi http://archive.is/XzVuA)
• Skittles Fox – @TheSkittlesFox?
• Tatanka Winterheart – @TWinterheart (http://archive.is/S1Bv1 http://archive.is/zEfaP)
• Tech Coyote – @Techcoyote529 (http://archive.is/Y3Nng http://archive.is/mi4GS)
• TheFoxGuardian – @GuardianTheFox? (http://archive.is/9bGpQ)
• @Kittsuera (http://archive.is/DqRJX http://archive.is/uMQz3)
• Theofilus the Folf – @_Theofilus_ (http://archive.is/hNV6E http://archive.is/n3UaO, appears at the start of “Can you be Straight?!” )
• Xeoth DaggerFox – @MChukovich (http://archive.is/ujSeY http://archive.is/Ry9yA)
• @masterkennyg (http://archive.is/Xlbzr)

More: TragicCat? ZombyWoof Mischief? Brian Murphy? DynasRa? Viktor Lozano? Nathan Camatter Adams? Christopher Cole Wuff? Casandra Wagner? Shayne Coddington? Storm the Wolf? TheVeganWerewolf? Parker Sawyer Alan? GraymuzzleWolfpaw? Cilo Fox? Cupid Fley? GoldHusky? GIBSON THE FOX? Greyson? Nobody Important? Ratchet? Biofox? Aureus Jackal? Rob B ModjaFur? Lilly Justice Fox?

Q&A with investigation team “Furvengers” about Kero’s complicity – how bad did it get?

In-progress investigation indicates that Levi Simmons/SnakeThing began forming Telegram chat groups to gather users of Animals Dark Paradise. ADP is “a hidden forum where violent and perverted people upload videos in which they rape, torture and kill animals for their sexual pleasure.” I think this was a darkweb site needing a TOR connection for access.

Reddit has a post about ADP discussing why other networks may have been wanted – perhaps to evade surveillance. But more likely it was so ADP users could meet to create new animal abuse content, consistent with videos found in the leaks. One of those relationships happened with a big user of ADP, Illone, who became Kero’s boyfriend before his death by heroin. Illone was posthumously renamed “Colwyn Collie” (a name with no history), probably so Kero could cover up his ADP history.

Levi/SnakeThing was a main connection for Telegram groups he made for this including “BBB” (Beasty Beast Beasts).  It looks like Kero was a lower-level member, but aware, complicit, and concealing it while coming in from other groups. The BBB chat logs may be exclusive evidence (I’m unsure if they leaked.) I asked an investigator to supply and explain screenshots of Kero’s activity. This isn’t easy because evidence is still being traced, and the source of leaks appears to have sorted evidence to focus on some users that omits others.

Kero’s timeframe in the BBB group appears between December 2016 to 1st of February 2017. Then from 11th of February to 14th of February.

1) This screen is meant to show Kero is looking at rape content? Is there proof he knows it’s more than RP in this screen?

Date: 18th of December, 2016. This image was meant to show Kero’s earliest known joining of the group. This join was shortly after the group was nuked, thus it’s not certain whether Kero was in the group before this date. I’ve provided other files below that shows that Kero knew the others were inflicting pain, and not merely roleplaying.

2) Feb 11, 2017 – Kero is asking to be back in to the chat with rough stuff and necro. It looks like the second screen confirms he did join immediately. When did he leave?

New evidence I found shows him leaving on the 14th of February, since rejoining on the 11th.

(Higher quality image)

3) Crazyotter is forwarding in messages made prior to January 2018, do those show Kero is trying to win his confidence to talk about rough animal abuse, and SnakeThing is confirming he used to be in BBB and is trusted as a fellow zoosadist? Does this help bracket the time he was in the group? 

These logs were from the 13th of January 2018, the same date as the forwarded messages. It falls outside the time Kero was in the group, as far as I’m aware. My original timebracket is supported by SnakeThing referring to him as an ‘old member.’

4) Is this only showing Kero knows SnakeThing is admin of the BBB chat, or something more?  Kero doesn’t know what BBB means in here… does this show groups were nuked or reformed in multiple versions for same users?

Date: 17th of July, 2017. This was to show more that SnakeThing was the admin of BBB than Kero’s involvement. I think Kero doesn’t know BBB here because the group was never referenced by the acronym ‘BBB’ between Snake and Kero prior.

5) When Kero says he is “a little broken,” that’s about the death of Illone right? It shows Kero associating with people he knows are zoosadists? Why does he say no Z talk… perhaps he’s separating his regular account from it but he knows what they do and is keeping quiet?

Date: 23rd of July, 2018. This conversation was related to Illone’s death. This is meant to show that Kero and Illone knew other zoosadists in the group, eg ‘CrazyOtter’. I think the ‘No Z content’ is a combination of Kero’s security concern, and his emotional state at the time.

6) Does this show Kero has access to SnakeThings video he made of raping a drugged puppy, making it bleed and breaking its teeth?  Is there proof Kero received it?

Date: 18th of March, 2017. This was meant to show the form of content shared on BBB. This was posted outside of Kero’s known timeframe within BBB.

7) This shows that RLC = Real Life Cub, AKA child pornography. Is there any proof Kero received this?

These messages fall outside Kero’s timeframe, and there’s nothing to show that he knew about the CP distribution. The timeframe, as well as his reactions to the content, shows he knew damn well about the zoosadist content shared.

8) These additional screens are included to show that Kero knew the others were inflicting pain, and not merely roleplaying. It looks like Kero was a lower-level member, but aware, complicit, and concealing this while leaving the group.

The disgrace of complicity, and what a healthy fandom does.

Watch for updates on happenings with this story outside of fandom. At some point that will end, but the question of what kind of fandom you want won’t.

Fandom is like a sandbox where you build it to be like you want. Furries build a community that brings amazing benefits to members and collects millions for charities. They’re good people, except when a few aren’t. Creativity has no limits here. Of course it’s hard to limit bad things too. When they’re uncovered, it can be like drawing a line on the beach. Apathy washes it away and the sands of forgetfulness cover up what was exposed.

There’s an ocean of difference between loving cartoon animal art, and doing cruelty to animals. If one says “well I only watched someone else’s, but that wasn’t mine”, it’s still generating demand. “Guilt by association” is only unfair to people who aren’t conscious about it. Complicity is the word for people who are. There’s no innocence for joining or supporting networks for abuse.

The abusers in this story were a tiny group that wanted to stay hidden. Transparency depends on refusing to accept excuses, giving no benefit of the doubt when it isn’t deserved, drawing a line and making it stick.

When someone has credible accusations of B and was complicit in C, you don't get to handwave their behavior as merely A.

That is disingenuous and harmful.

— Soatok the Dhole (Cuon Alpinus)⚣ (@SoatokDhole) October 19, 2018

Kero is complicit. He denies it and even capitalizes on the attention. Paying him is part of the problem. If it continues, fandom will be a platform where abusers use it freely and even prosper. Progress depends on ending dishonesty.

74 of Kero’s Patrons haven’t understood the news yet. Give them a helping paw.

TAKE ACTION – please share this story to anyone who stands with complicity in animal abuse.

UPDATE:

FYIhttps://t.co/RD5LuHtOIM pic.twitter.com/nuBE72I2f7

— Boozy Badger (@BoozyBadger) October 26, 2018

Little known fact, dogs are quite good at singing.
View Video

Witch-Hazel, by her own admission, isn’t very good at being a squirrel. In fact, one might argue that she is downright foolish. When lured into a dark underground labyrinth by an enigmatic snake - with questionable motives - she obliges! Thus begins a quest which sees her solving puzzles, fighting the undead, meeting Gods and fighting monsters as well as ghostly apparitions.Dungeon Solitaire: Labyrinth of Souls is a Tarot-card based roleplaying game, created by Matthew Lowes. ShadowSpinners Press publishes books based on this fantasy universe. Mary E. Lowd, well known and well respected author within the furry fandom, gives this world the talking animal treatment.On entering the snake’s labyrinth, Witch-Hazel is at first claustrophobic and confused. She does, however, press on with her quest and gradually starts to appreciate the deceptive nature of this netherworld that doesn’t always play by the rules. Environmental hazards, high-stakes puzzles, monsters and enemies abound.Not everyone she meets underground is out to kill or deceive her, though. A friendly beaver, an otter (called Fish Breath, no less!) and a bee join her on her quest. The storyline is fairly linear, as is expected of a dungeon crawl style adventure. There are, however, enough surprises to keep it interesting.The reader is teased throughout by the notion that the antagonistic characters know a lot more about the true nature of the netherworld and Witch-Hazel’s quest than they are willing to share. With courage and a fighting spirit neither she (nor the reader) knew she had within her, she manages to unravel - at least part of - the mystery surrounding the Celestial Fragments. She also gets a glimpse of the All Being, the deity who created all Animals in this world.What gives this story its charm are the little details, such as the concept of Nut Gathering Songs that Witch-Hazel sings to herself as she tries to stave off fear and hunger. The animal characters are all fully realized, each having the traits, motives and behaviourisms one would expect. They each have a purpose and each have their own hopes, dreams and aspirations. Some of these are realized; some of these are sadly not. The world of The Snake’s Song is tightly woven and though at times (intentionally) confusing, it all pulls together nicely at the end.Whether you are familiar with the Labyrinth of Souls universe of not, you will find this novella an enjoyable, quick read that provides a glimpse into a well-developed fantasy world that begs further exploration. Highly recommended for lovers of high-fantasy (that crosses into the realm of mythology), those who love talking animal stories and those who enjoy DnD-style exploration and questing.