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by Amy Clare Fontaine

“They say a werewolf’s bite hurts like hell, but they don’t know. The worst wounds werewolves give you are the ones nobody sees.”

1.

Everywhere. They say that passion flares like fire, but this flavor of pain tastes more like drowning: choking on a pressure so deep it might crush me. I feel like your teeth are gnawing my bones. Like my heart has been ripped out by the same claws that held me.

I miss your long tongue on my neck, your fangs in my flesh. The way your tail wagged when I came home from work, as if you were happy to see me.

As if.

They say a werewolf’s bite hurts like hell, but they don’t know. The worst wounds werewolves give you are the ones nobody sees.

* * *

2.

In your navy-blue sweater, as I cuddle it in bed. It’s been two months now, but it still smells like a stray dog that just stepped out of the rain. A cur come to rest by the hearth for a spell, until her fur has dried and her paws start itching to run again. A mutt growling softly, legs twitching, eyes closed: chasing phantom quarry through her dreams.

I should have known you were going to leave me. Sit? Stay? Play dead? No. You weren’t my dog, weren’t some Good Girl trading tricks for treats. You could never bear to be the sidekick in someone else’s story. You wore no collar; you were free to come and go. The few burdens you carried, you left behind, fading gently like pawprints in snow.

The sweater has holes and tears and stains. I always mean to take it to the thrift store, but never do.

* * *

3.

In Central Park on a full moon night, the sidewalks littered with silver, the autumn leaves blowing about like discarded dreams. They crinkle like the pages of long-forgotten books. I wander, restless, prowling, alone. Searching for a path to silence the echoes of your eyes.

I hunt for an answer until my lungs burn and ache. Then, panting, I plop down on a bench beside an old man in a trench coat. He smells like the dog pound, but in a nice way. A way that feels warm and familiar.

His stare bores into me as I gaze up at the moon. I know what color his eyes are without even looking.

“You’re thinking of her, aren’tcha, lass?”

I turn to him. “Sorry, what?”

He chuckles. “I know that look, that voiceless howl at the moon. You fell for a wolf queen, and she wandered away.” The burning coals of his eyes dim somewhat. “Yessir, I know that look too well.”

My blood freezes over. I watch him light a cigarette and blow his smoke into the void. For the first time in a long while, my heart pangs with someone else’s pain.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, hanging my head. My year of grief seems petty next to his lifetime of loss.

He smiles sagely, breathing the hurt into his soul.

“It was many moons ago, my lassie.” He casts me a wink. “Asides, I learned a trick to help me cope.”

My lungs catch with a flicker of hope. I can barely breathe. “You did?”

“Aye.” He points up at the moon. “That bonnie orb there makes you think of her, dunnit.”

I nod awkwardly. “Um, yeah. I guess.”

He grins, takes another puff. “Ain’t that the way it always be. Lost lovers gazing up at that moon, always a’pinin’ for their long-lost loves.”

He shakes his head. Stamping out the last stub of his cigarette, he fixes me with that carnivore’s gaze.

“But ya see, lass, it ain’t gotta be her moon anymore. It’s yours now. You make it your own.” He leans forward, gripping my shoulders. “Ya see?”

His wizened hands clamp down on me with surprising strength, like canid jaws clenching a chew toy. He stinks of tobacco and elk meat and fur. For a moment, I wonder if I ought to be afraid.

Then understanding dawns.

“Oh…um…yes. Yes, I see.”

“Haha!” He squeals a wordless triumph, letting go of me and slapping his knee. “That’s the ticket, lass!” He grins broadly, revealing pointed teeth at last.

Those teeth sink deep into my hand.

When I emerge from the park, I know exactly where I’m going. I’m going home to no one, home to no home, home to me. I am going home to my own wild heart.

The old man’s voice rings through my memory as I let loose my first joyous howl.

It’s your moon now, lass. Make it your own.

* * *

4.

In the back of my mind, simmering like the soup I made on the night you left. I expected you to open the door, inhale the air with that sharp nose of yours, and lick your muzzle, your yellow eyes glinting. I pictured you sauntering up to the stove, making that old joke about how I was a lucky little pig, and you were a lucky wolf for not getting boiled alive. Sweeping me into your shaggy arms and kissing me so hard I could almost howl. Us ignoring the soup for a good long time, while we sated our sorrows on better prey.

It wasn’t to be. You never came back. I ate soup by myself, gazing out the window at the moon.

But it’s my moon now. And I’m learning to let go.

You never gave me this gift. You said you were afraid for my safety, my sanity. You didn’t want to condemn me to your curse. I begged and pleaded, but you never did it. Never bit down long and hard enough to let the magic sink in.

Now I know you were afraid for yourself. Afraid of not being the special one. Afraid of allowing me to trust myself, to follow my instincts and sing my own songs.

Sometimes, I almost catch your scent on the breeze. Sometimes, my pointed ears perk to the wail of the wind. Sometimes, I picture my paws thudding through this whole crazy city and leading me straight back into your arms.

Only sometimes. Not always. And not everywhere.

 

* * *

About the Author

Amy Clare Fontaine is a wandering wildlife biologist and a wildly imaginative furry writer. Over the course of her adventures, she has recorded wolf howls in Yellowstone National Park, observed hyena behavior in the Maasai Mara, and listened to rock hyrax songs in Ein Gedi Natural Reserve. Fox Spirit: A Two-Tailed Adventure, her interactive fantasy novel from Choice of Games, won the Leo Literary Award for Novels in 2020. She is currently writing another interactive novel for Choice of Games which lets you play as a unicorn/pegasus/kelpie hybrid with magical powers. Her short fiction has been featured in Daily Science Fiction, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, and the ROAR anthology series from Bad Dog Books. She hopes to instill in her readers a sense of wonder and a new awareness of the wildness within themselves. You can find more of her work, including novels, short stories, poems, games, and research, at amyclarefontaine.com.

by Katlina Sommerberg

“Stopping now isn’t an option, because my choices are a revitalization vat or a coffin. Gimmicks either die on the court or shelve themselves into a cryopod.”

I am one of four genemodded clones jogging onto the court. All three opponents wear black jerseys, proof they all survived a previous season. I’m the novice — stepped out of the vat this morning — the designated Gimmick of the game, wearing white to enhance the crowd’s entertainment for my eventual injuries or, as many in the audience have betted on, my death.

When a human dies, it’s a tragedy; when we die, it’s entertainment:  our dying game becomes a season’s highlight.

Ostrich, the tallest opponent, fistbumps his chest and shrieks at the crowd as if he’s oblivious to the bulletproof barrier. The inhuman sound warbling from his throat sends the crowd into a frenzy; he sounds more ostrich than human, feeding the lie that our animal DNA defines us. The others yell too, and I hesitate before I add my bleat, because I would still yearn to win this game if I wasn’t a genemoded clone.

Hippo’s honks fade into a wide yawn. His jaw stretches until I think it’s dislocated, then widens. Like he could bite my head off and swallow it whole, horns and all. Hippos lack the natural weapons of a predator — the MBA outlawed genemods from carnivorous animals after last season ended in a bloodbath — but he’s a legendary grappler because of his bulk and short legs.

Ostrich stands as far from his goal as he’s allowed. Clearly, he’s sticking with the strategy which best matches his digitigrade, long legs:  reckless offense, ignoring his own goal entirely. Ironically the opposite of how a real ostrich would protect its eggs. Hippo and Armadillo are bulkier, more defensive than me — and veterans like Ostrich — so Ostrich’ll sprint for the ball and throw it at my goal.

The buzzer squawks, vibrating the waxed hardwood under my cloven feet. The crowd cheers as quickly as Ostrich reacts. He lunges to intercept the thirty kilogram ball falling from the ceiling and catches it before the buzzer silences.

A fraction of the crowd cheers. The volume difference means Ostrich is not a fan favorite, likely because he’s not a brawler and the crowd finds his playstyle — shattering knees, hips, or other bones with a precise throw — scummy, because the audience craves the intimate violence of bloody victory marking the winner and the loser, not the dispassionate efficiency of a sniper.

Ostrich eyes Armadillo and Hippo, but both are defensive and more likely to catch the ball than let it slip by them. No, Ostrich is ignoring me because I’m his target.

The goals are smaller than hockey nets, so guarding would be simple if we played in teams. Simple, not easy, because the trick is blocking without injury. I squat and hold my arms tight to my body, so Ostrich can’t land an easy wrist-breaker. Better to let him score — plus two points for him, minus one for me — than cripple myself for the rest of the match. I’m tempted to abandon mine; my mods are cloven hooves and ram horns, shit-tier for defense and too gimmicky for above average offense.

Ostrich grips the ball in a two-handed throw, pulling it back as he stares down Hippo, but Hippo stands relaxed as if he’s superior to us all. Armadillo hunches over, his natural plates slide in place, and he hunkers over his goal in flawless defense.

Ostrich’s body coils. His gangly ostrich limbs fold up for maximum buildup of force. I blink; he’s uncoiled, turned, and locked his sights on the gap behind my left shoulder. My arms are too low to block a high shot; I should’ve known the projectile build wouldn’t be limited to shooting through the larger gaps around my legs.

His inhuman eyes meet mine; his body slows, like he’s hesitating, and his gray eyes beg me to dodge. I’m pissed at his pity. I don’t need charity from a veteran player, especially not one built to run from confrontation instead of fighting like a baller. I’m not a coward like him. And I’m going to prove to the whole crowd my horns aren’t ornamental; they’re a threat.

Impulsively, I lunge left.

The ball thwacks into the crown of my head — a perfect block — and the crowd roars. The ball bounces high in a vertical trajectory. My skull and neck throb. Concussion, most likely. I shake my head, trying to clear the brain fog.

I reach out to catch the falling ball, but Hippo slams into my shoulder. I slide back to defend my goal, but he plucks the ball out of the air and runs for it, charging for Ostrich’s goal.

Nobody intercepts him.

While Hippo has the ball, I muscle in on the drop zone, pushing Ostrich to the outside. He’s taller than me, but his hollow bones are fragile and a stray kick of my hooves could ruin his whole game, so he backs off. I doubt this’ll work once he figures out my range and abilities, but he’ll never take me seriously if I can’t steal the ball.

A child bouncing in her parent’s lap joins the crowd’s answering cheer. Despite the thick glass between the players and the audience, the noise hurts my ears.

“Two points to Hippo! Minus one to Ostrich!” the announcer yells over the screams.

The ceiling door slides open. The ball drops.

I jump for it, and the thirty kilogram weight slams into my chest. The breath leaves my lungs, but I wrap my arms around the ball and land, knees bent to guard against Ostrich’s counter—

But he jumps to my left. A second ball? It’s a possibility. Rare. I can’t worry about my own goal; I pivot and sprint.

“Two points to Ostrich! Minus one to Ram!”

I run. The ball restricts my breathing as I hold it tight to my body, minimizing the drain on my back and arms while guarding against steals. I’ve got to hurry and score before the ball drains too much of my stamina, but Armadillo’s guarding his goal and Hippo’s heavy strides clunk behind me.

My heartrate pounds, drowning out the crowd. But I’m not playing for their applause.

This is what I was made for, even if they made me poorly — not my fault, but my burden to shuck off. I’ll prove everyone wrong. I’ll succeed, I’ll win, I’ll go down as the first gimmick to win a match. No, win a season!

Ostrich’s goal is on the other side of the court. I sprint, outspeeding Hippo.

My hoof steps on the paint, and I hurl the ball inside the unguarded goal. My left shoulder shrieks. I held the damned weight too long before releasing, but it’s not a serious injury.

The thirty kilogram ball drops like a stone — throwing it is harder than I thought — before it reaches the goal. Would’ve been easy to block, but it rolls between the posts and disappears down the chute.

“Two points to Ram! Minus one to Ostrich!”

Thunderous applause drowns out the squeaking sneakers and the ball drop’s mechanics. They’re cheering for a modern gladiator genemodded to fill the underdog niche, and I hate them for their willful ignorance.

Yet I raise my arms and drink in their approval.

My stomach drops when the cheers die. I want to stay in this moment, but it’s already passed. I understand the veterans now; I’ll play again and again for the dopamine kick. Nothing else compares. Maybe these humans know greater joy in their lives off the spectator’s bench, but there is nothing else I want more than to score.

The applause roars to life again; no, louder, with whistles and rabid yells. I know it’s not because of me, and I try grinding out their cheers by grinding my teeth. I hate myself more than the crowd for jealously craving the spotlight.

“Two points to Hippo! Minus one to Ostrich!”

As I turn, the buzzer shrieks thrice in rapid succession. I hesitate; anything more than one buzz signals a timeout. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to move, until Hippo and Armadillo run back to their goals.

I trot back to mine, passing where Ostrich slumps against a panel of bulletproof glass, holding one foot completely off the ground. His knee bends the wrong way — strangely more normal than his uninjured digitigrade leg. He’s not looking at the injury, but at the medic team running to the court’s entrance.

“First knockout of the game goes to Hippo!” The announcer is barely intelligible over the roaring crowd. “Let’s get that on slowmo. Will Ostrich’s knee ever be the same?”

Ostrich throws his head back and laughs. I’m strangely fascinated. Is he delirious? Pissed his injury will be a national obsession for a week or he lost the game? Or is he amused that the announcer’s talking out of his ass, because he’ll be in a revitalization vat until he heals (or rots if they forget to take him out)? He catches my eye and laughs harder — he’s still laughing as the medics carry him out on a stretcher.

The buzzer squawks.

I sprint toward the ball drop; Armadillo and Hippo’s sneakers shriek as they take off at the same second. With Ostrich out of the game, it’s anyone’s guess who’s faster. My digitigrade legs are shorter than Armadillo’s, but I’m accelerating faster.

I reach the paint first. Eye on the mechanism, I leap and grab the ball, watching for a second ball, because a mechanical error could give me four points. Anticipation chokes my lungs.

But the trapdoor slides back into place. I squeeze the ball to my chest until my diaphragm complains, and land.

Armadillo slams into me at a full sprint; his natural armor tears the skin off my tricep. He grabs for the ball, but I spin from his body slam and run without considering the direction.

Blood trails down from my arm, wets my jersey, and the crowd howls like baboons in a blood frenzy. The announcer quips. I tune them out and listen for Hippo and Armadillo’s shoes. They’re on my heels; I accelerate faster than them, but now they’re closing the gap.

I’m three steps towards Ostrich’s goal before I realize I’m running the wrong way. Scoring in a removed player’s goal will earn me two negative points. So I adjust my grip on the ball, cradling it with my good hand like it’s my baby and holding my injured right arm out for balance.

I turn tighter than I thought I would. One hoof skids on the waxed floor. I nearly fall on my ass, but I find my footing and charge.

The closest goal is Hippo’s. And with his genemods and one point lead on me, he’ll risk everything to defend.

But it’s not over until I win. Stopping now isn’t an option, because my choices are a revitalization vat or a coffin. Gimmicks either die on the court or shelve themselves into a cryopod.

Hippo skids to a halt and trots backwards, his arms out and already positioned for a grab. He backs up until his back nearly touches a goal post. With so much of the goal obscured by his own body and my poor throwing accuracy, he’s forcing me to fight him at his strongest.

Behind me, Armadillo stands between the ball drop and his goal. I’m too far away and he’s too close for me to have a chance at making the goal. If I make the goal, Armadillo will have an opening to score in mine, but I can’t worry about my future opponent when Hippo is between me and my two points.

I charge, willing my legs to accelerate as fast as possible. If I push him into the goal and score, then I’ll earn four points and secure a lead. No time to think or care about the crowd; I focus on the sound of my hooves pummeling the court.

Hippo catches my horns, one in each hand. His feet slide back until the backs of his shoes collide with his goal.

The sudden stop jostles my spine and fuzzes my vision. The slightest twist to the left or right shoots painful jolts down my straining neck, so I can’t slip out of his grip. I hug the ball tighter. I could release one hand to grapple, but that’s favorable for him.

I grin. Chewing on my mouthguard, I drop my gaze to Armadillo’s feet. I pivot and raise my right hand off the ball.

Hippo takes the bait. He pushes me, twists my head to fuck with my balance.

I let a hoof slide, like he succeeded.

He releases his grip and reaches for the ball.

I lower my head, presenting my horns forward, and charge. He has to sidestep me to avoid the blow, but he doesn’t. I accelerate faster with my digitigrade legs; we’re both surprised.

I spear him. His flesh squelches, and I’m triumphant. No, not yet — he has too many points and genemod advantages, I can’t defeat him even if he’s injured.

My hands grab his shoulders. I’m yanking him forward while I push my head forward. The horn’s tip punctures his back; the lessening resistance propels my head into his chest.

His scream is exquisite, like the sound of the world unraveling, until the cacophonous crowd drowns his voice. I won. I will survive — and yell my truth to the crowd.

Neck straining, my jaw pops. I clench my eyes against the blood sliding down my face. The smells of the sport are gone, replaced by the sharpness of fresh blood. I see nothing. I taste my opponent’s death on my lips.

I run him through until my forehead squashes his pec. He slumps, and I shove the ball into his belly, pushing with my head and arms until I force him into his own goal.

“Four points to Ram! Minus one to Hippo!” The buzzer shrieks three times, signaling a medical intervention. “First double-pointer of the game goes to the Gimmick! Looks like Hippo will spend the rest of the season in the revitalization vat — if he lives.”

Hippo falls on his ass. Horn snagged on his flesh, my head follows. His ragged breaths in my ear are almost too soft to hear over the crowd’s hoots and claps, but the whistling from his chest rings.

The rage fades, leaving me blood-soaked and attached to a dying clone. With a sudden flip in consciousness, I realize I attempted to murder him — maybe he’s a dead man already and we just don’t know it — and my stomach lurches. I want to blame the steroids and synthetic testosterone in my veins, but the juice filling out my physique didn’t cause the muscle contractions that punctured his lung.

Every scream from the crowd’s bedlam hits me like a slap in the face. Why did I kill him for this empty reward?

I close my eyes and bite my tongue. I count multiples of three’s to steady myself. If I panic, I might rip my horn out, and doom him if he’s not already dead.

I could be in his place. Ostrich could’ve cracked my head open with a throw. Armadillo and Hippo both could’ve easily outmuscled me. But I went for the kill.

When the medic orders me to withdraw my horn, I’m frozen. Three orderlies pull me off him, and when they do, I finally breathe.

“The score’s five to zero, Ram in the lead by a landslide!” The announcer’s words elicit another cry from the audience, and I flinch. “Armadillo’s only chance for a comeback is a knockout! Pray for blood, this game is going down in history!”

I stand up; the crowd screams in delight. Their maniac faces grin at me through the transparent walls, thousands of eyes crawling over my skin. Millions more on the livestream. Judging my performance as worthy entertainment. I’ll never stop playing these games if I’m a crowd pleaser. Otherwise, I’ll rot in a vat.

I plant my hooves in front of my goal. If I can survive until time runs out, I’ll win without another showdown.

Armadillo is all fangs and bristles; I don’t think he’ll let me. His armored plates for skin pulse with his rapid breathing. His aggressive stance tells me he’ll run for the ball — or me — and fight.

An apology burns in my throat. But I bite my tongue. Even without the crowd baying for blood, I can’t talk to him. Players can’t talk during a game. What could I even say?

The buzzer squawks.

Armadillo charges, slower than me but fast enough to grab the falling ball before it hits the ground. As he draws closer, I hold out my arms defensively, but my body’s relaxed. My heart’s not in the game.

The fight’s drained out of me. I’m sick of the game; there’s no joy in hurting, killing other clones for the humans’ fickle approval. I won’t let them force me into a veteran’s jersey.

He raises the thirty kilogram ball over his head. He’s going to bash my skull.

I lower my hands.

I choose to die on the court.

 

* * *

About the Author

Katlina Sommerberg is living xyr best queer life in Portland. Previously a security engineer, xe left the industry after working in cryptocurrency and defense contracting. Unfortunately, hacking in real life is always boring or unethical, with no in-between. Xe has quadrice been honorably mentioned in the Writers of the Future Contest, and links to xyr published work is available at https://sommerbergssf.carrd.co/#

Article Content

• What Is A Fursuit?
• What Are Fursuit Accessories?
• Furry Badge
• Ring
• Collar
• Piercings
• Props
• Name Tag
• Cooling Vest
• Where Can I Buy Fursuit Accessories?
• How Expensive Are Fursuit Accessories?

1. What Is A VTuber?
2. Where Did This Trend Start?
3. So What’s A Furry VTuber?
4. Who Are The Most Popular Furry VTubers?
5. Why Are VTubers So Popular?
6. Who Is The Most Popular VTuber Overall
7. Are They Safe For Kids To Watch?
8. How Can I Make A Furry VTuber Of My Own?

What Is A VTuber?

With the innovations in AI, the rise of the metaverse, and the growing technology in the world of virtual reality, we are heading toward a future of complete automation at a meteoric pace. And what better embodiment do we have of that than the world of VTubers?

The term VTuber was originally an abbreviation of the term “virtual YouTuber”, but has quickly evolved into something much greater than just a form of YouTube content. VTubers use a computer-generated avatar that is mapped to their face (and sometimes even body) to mimic their every move as opposed to just having a face cam. This means that their avatar can literally be anything or anyone. VTubers typically like to remain anonymous and the fact that VTubers can remain faceless and completely incognito means that almost anyone with a webcam can build a platform. 

In recent years VTubers have become more popular in the live-streaming world than YouTube content creation and you can find VTubers telling stories, hosting Q&As, playing video games, making music, literally anything you could do normally as a live streamer. What once started out as a niche on YouTube can be found everywhere from TikTok to Twitter to Twitch.

Where Did This Trend Start?

Of course, while it may feel like it, the VTuber trend didn’t just come out of nowhere. The idea of having a virtual character in place of a human but representing a human everywhere is not some new phenomenon. The “virtual” British TV show host Max Headroom fooled thousands of viewers across the UK into believing that he really was an AI-generated show host when in actuality he was just an actor wearing thick prosthetic makeup under harsh lighting and a distorted backdrop all the way back in 1985 to give the illusion that he was AI-generated. While this is not an actual example of a VTuber it was the beginning of the idea that would eventually become VTubers as they are known today. 

Then in 2007, more popularly, the avatar of Hatsune Miku grew massively in popularity and was performing as a projected hologram. Fast forward four more years to 2011 and you have London-based vlogger Ami Yamato creating videos using a virtual avatar as opposed to her own face. So, yes VTubers are exploding in popularity right now, but this technology didn’t just pop up one day and the ability to almost physically become your avatar isn’t something that people have wanted recently, it’s been brewing for years.

VTuber Hotaru Hikari’s Reference Sheet

Image via Twitter

So What’s A Furry VTuber?

So, you may be wondering what any of this has to do with furries. Well, like every community, there are sub-communities and it just so happens that the furry fandom has made its mark in the wider VTuber community. But what does it mean to be a furry VTuber? Don’t worry, we’ll break it down for you here. 

For one, possibly the greatest thing about being part of the furry fandom is having your very own fursona, and what better way to celebrate that than literally becoming your fursona as a VTuber? That’s right, furry VTubers are just furries who have mapped a 3D model of their fursona to their face, or sometimes it’s just a sound-responsive image that will slightly move when the user speaks. Regardless, furry VTubers use their fursonas as a means of remaining anonymous while also being able to express themselves and build a platform and community for others. 

It has become a super common form of content creation within the furry fandom as it saves so much time that would typically be spent animating individual frames that they would usually use in an animated video. In addition to this, animated-style videos don’t translate super well to live streaming, but with the help of VTubers, this problem has been completely solved.

Who Are The Most Popular Furry VTubers?

If you’re looking to take the plunge into the world of furry VTubers but you aren’t sure where to start, there are a bunch of amazing content creators that you should definitely check out and we’ll cover them here. And not to gatekeep, but we’re not talking just your standard VTuber avatars with some cat ears on them, we’re talking about the VTubers out there with full-blown fursonas. 

Firstly there’s Kris Yim or better known by his Twitch alias imkrisyim. He was first an animator and is now a VTuber who you can find playing everything from the latest God of War to the newest season of Fortnite or sometimes just telling a story about something that has happened in his life. With over 43.4K followers on Twitch, he is likely the biggest furry VTuber out there and it shows in the quality of the content he puts out. 

There are also content creators such as Lordmau5 who are perfect for those of you looking for a cozier and much more personal chat with the streamer. There isn’t as much hustle and bustle in Lordmau5’s chat (no offense) as there is in Kris Yim’s which leaves a lot more opportunity to talk to him. You can find him playing games like GTA San Andreas or Goat Simulator 3 if that’s the kind of thing you are looking for. 

Finally, you should definitely check out creators like BetaEtaDelota if you’re not really looking for a live streamer and want some quality editing instead. If you’ve ever seen videos by Youtubers like QuackityHQ or Pyrocynical, then you’ll probably be pretty familiar with the format that they operate on. They are semi-commentary, semi-“informational” videos that are just a little bit of light-hearted fun.

Of course, there are different strokes for different folks and there are hundreds more creators out there that make equally as good content but these are just our favorite picks.

Furry VTuber Chester’s Avatar

Image via im kris

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"The artists had amazing response times and were constantly updating me on my piece" Clara Draw My Fursona Why Are VTubers So Popular?

One thing that certainly gave the VTubing world a bit of a boost was the whole 2020 pandemic thing. With everyone locked indoors, and chronically online, everyone was looking for something to do. Whether it was to start creating content of their own or looking for new types of content to watch, VTubers finally had an opportunity to shine. 

VTubers were already relatively popular in Japan before this though, so this moment of mass online connectivity greater than we’d ever seen before allowed Japan to bridge the gap between their content and the western world. As well as this, VTubers also caught the attention of many anime fans as many of the avatars are modeled after popular anime characters. This allowed VTubers to go even further in breaking boundaries between standard modern entertainment and innovative new methods of content creation. 

Also, as mentioned before, it allows people who would otherwise be uncomfortable showing their faces to be an entertainer to actually pursue what they want to do without sacrificing their comfort. This makes being a VTuber so appealing as it allows practically anyone to build a platform.

3D Furry VTuber Model

Image via ArtStation

Who Is The Most Popular VTuber Overall?

Now obviously, furry VTubers are more of a niche within the broader VTuber community, so it would be hard to be both a furry VTuber and the most popular VTuber overall. So who is the most popular VTuber in the world? Well, we’ll split it up into two platforms as the most popular on Twitch and the most popular on Youtube are completely different. The most popular VTuber on Twitch would likely have to go to Shylily. With over 900,000 followers, Shylily is a streamer who has built up a huge fanbase through the Just Chatting category on Twitch as well as their Genshin Impact gameplay and ASMR. 

 

In the world of YouTube, however, the VTuber Gawr Gura takes the cake for the most popular. Boasting over 4.25 million subscribers, Gawr Gura gained this popularity through a variety of different styles of content. From ASMR to original animations to song covers, Gawr Gura can do it all. Above all though, what really got her this traction was her Minecraft and GTA V live streams which kept fans engaged if you check out her content page she doesn’t actually have that many videos to her name.

Furry VTuber Model By NekuroSilver 

Image via DeviantArt

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"My artist worked tirelessly on my reference sheet despite several complete revisions of the piece" Craig Draw My Fursona Are They Safe For Kids To Watch?

A big question surrounding the VTuber community right now, especially the furry VTuber community, is whether or not they are family-friendly or rather should parents be allowing their kids to watch them. The furry fandom already gets a bad wrap as it is, so, when you combine this with the VTuber community which in itself seems to have this weird stigma surrounding it, it’s understandable that parents would be concerned about their children watching them. 

 

What is probably the best advice for parents looking to mediate what their children are watching is to vet what they are watching first. It’s virtually impossible to say that all furry VTubers (or VTubers in general) are safe for children to watch, the same way it is impossible to say that all furry VTubers are not safe for your children to watch. Especially in the case of live streams where it is impossible to censor or moderate perfectly, you should be checking out if the stream is generally clean before you start showing it to children rather than just assuming that all furry VTubers are or aren’t safe to watch.

Mochas VTuber Model

Image via Reddit

How Can I Make A Furry VTuber Of My Own?

For those of you looking to get a furry VTuber of your own commissioned, there are a few ways of going about it. Getting a VTuber commissioned isn’t always as easy as just someone throwing together a quick sketch and sending it to you. Sometimes it can require actual 3D modeling and rigging before it can be used in a video. However, below we have listed a few ways to easily get your VTuber made. 

 

Etsy: If you’re looking for an easily accessible means of getting a VTuber avatar commissioned, then Etsy is the one for you. You have the luxury of being able to browse multiple sellers if you aren’t happy with one or the other. Granted, due to Etsy’s tax, sellers tend to charge quite a bit more on Etsy and Fiverr than other services that are designed specifically for commissioning VTuber avatars. 

 

VTuberArt: When talking about services designed specifically for commissioning VTuber avatars, VTuberArt is the first that comes to mind as it is one of the most reliable out there. If you are looking to get an affordable commission, then VTuber art is the way forward for you. 

Fiverr: Much like Etsy, Fiverr is a super great pick for those of you who want variety in your options. If you don’t want to be limited to just one artist, Fiverr has hundreds of sellers looking for a gig right now. However, the only downside, much like Etsy again is that sellers tend to charge more as Fiverr take a split of the money they make.

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The post What Are Furry VTubers And How Do I Get Involved? appeared first on Fursonafy.

At a recent convention we met self-published fantasy author Amy Wolf. We’ll let her describe A School For Dragons, the first book in her Cavernis series: “Mattie Sharp was never special–except when it came to getting in trouble. Then, she was exceptional. So when she falls into a portal and winds up in dragon-filled Cavernis, imagine her surprise when she discovers she’s the heir to a magical prophesy and must train to be the hero she never thought she could be. Though Mattie has always been a top student, studying at a school for dragons puts even her to the test! Join Mattie and her crew of new friends as they learn not just how to survive in the world of dragons, but to save it as well.” Ms. Wolf has many other fantasy titles for sale as well, and not all of them feature talking dragons. But some of them sure do!

image c. 2022 Lone Wolf Press

This broadcast was recorded on Dec 16th 2022. Interested in seeing recent news in the furry community? Here are the highlights: Furality Aqua in VRChat https://vrchat.com/home/launch?worldId=wrld_f5dd279b-72fa-4b4b-abb8-b46e4b0e1d78 https://furrycon.social/ is without the doubt, the largest server that contains furry conventions/events. https://furality.social/@furality https://social.goblfc.org/@blfc https://mastodon.social/@FurnalEquinox https://defcon.social/@dcfurs AnthrOhio is open for PreReg http://anthrohio.org/ https://t.me/GrovelReports/4920 Keep Tahoe Furry plans to open PreReg soon https://keeptahoefurry.com/ https://twitter.com/KeepTahoeFurry/status/1602744019074748417?s=20&t=rZ8YOUSA6drTE4EM4-Uw7g AnthroWeekendUtah has opened PreReg https://anthroweekendutah.org/ Announcement Details https://anthroweekendutah.org/Anthro_Weekend_Utah_2023_Updates.pdf Garden State Fur The Weekend, Located in New Jersey, will open Registration Jan 2023 https://twitter.com/gardenstatefur/status/1603907966725406720?s=20&t=9V9XXS2dDA2Q0kbMozQsiA Furry Migration welcomes their next Con Chair https://twitter.com/FurryMigration/status/1603887703208124417?s=20&t=9V9XXS2dDA2Q0kbMozQsiA The full details of MFF 22 https://www.furfest.org/news/2022/12/7/2022-wrapup Interested in their shirt or polo? https://artworktee.com/collections/mff-2022 HFF announcement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_8Y8U7zDd4 Would you like to volunteer? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOgvcZZwna2sXN7dF7YzSxKucd8EcZUXDUUMByHYJLAY1zeQ/viewform

MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!

Welcome to another exciting episode of BFFT! This week we are coming to you LIVE (well ok, recorded live) from the Corvallis Furry Meetup! We chat with the organizers, discuss media, Furries in the News, have a wonderful Christmas story for Storytime, and tell some really bad jokes.

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Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.

You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com

Bearly Furcasting S3E34-Corvallis Fury Meetup LIVE

We stumbled across an ad for Lee’s Detective Agency, a new anime mini-series that’s a spinoff of the popular Arknights smart-phone game and anime series. Set in the same multi-species dystopian world, if follows the exploits of “…an odd jobs business in guise of a private investigation firm based in [the city of] Lungmen that is run by the namesake Mr. Lee and his personal, close-knit ‘family’.” We’re not sure how it works either, but it’s coming soon (December 23rd) on Crunchyroll, and they’ve got the trailer up for you to see.

image c. 2022 Yostar Pictures

求婚成功！福瑞伴侣当众在英国兽聚求婚

Get In, Losers, We're Going Cybernetic Fursuiting. Arrkay is driving this train off the rails into the final Fursuit Future where we combine all the concepts of parts 1-3 into the ultimate fursuit of tomorrow. Written with guest collaborator Nasidoe: www.youtube.com/entobird And our staff writer Tempe O'Kun Merch, Sweet Tees and stuff: https://culturally-fd-merchandise.creator-spring.com/ Support Culturally F'd: https://www.patreon.com/culturallyfd Listen in on TEMPO TALKS with Tempe O'Kun https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPyIK2c7mK-LpbvfDNqfcSW Check out Tempe O'Kun's books "Sixes Wild" and "Windfall" here: http://furplanet.com/shop/?affillink=YOUTU2907 Here's a playlist of his other Culturally F'd videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPS7tnT4hdJwBI-CeLF8Kb_

At Midwest FurFest we met Stacy Bender. She’s a science fiction and fantasy author based in Cincinnati, Ohio. As you can see from her Amazon page, many of her works have a degree of anthropomorphism to them… But what she’s especially known for is the Poached Parody series of furry noir novels (written under the name P.C. Hatter), featuring hard-boiled detectives Lucius Anoraq (wolf), Kaiser Wrench (tiger), and Lizard Fifth (guess!). Most of her works are available in paperback, kindle, and even audio book form, from Byrnas Books.

image c. 2022 Byrnas Books

TigerTails Radio Season 14 Episode 21. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. If you like what we do and wish to throw some pennies our way to support us, please consider sending a little tip our way. https://streamlabs.com/tigertailsradio/tip * Please note, tips are made to support TigerTails Radio and are assumed as made with good faith, so are therefore non-refundable. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Come join the threeway! Sammy and Roo want to growl in your ears! This episode will bring you in bed with a cookie as the hosts of Fur What It’s Worth talks about the in and out of group sex.





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The following people have decided this month’s Fur What It’s Worth is worth actual cash! THANK YOU!

 

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MUSIC

Intro: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth.
First Break: Fox Stuff, Ekko Fox - Argofox, Creative Commons 2021.
Second Break: Ghost, Mystery Skulls. Use with permission.
Third Break: Rev, Eveningland, Creative Commons 2018.
Closing: Cloud Fields (RetroSpecterChill Remix), USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth. S10 Episode 3 – Group Plap - Come join the threeway! Sammy and Roo want to growl in your ears! This episode will bring you in bed with a cookie as the hosts of Fur What It’s Worth talks about the in and out of group sex. - NOW LISTEN! SHOW NOTES PATREON L

There’s no stopping the Transformers movie series, it seems, but now something new has definitely been added — Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, due next year, is based on none other than the 90’s animated series Transformers: Beast Wars, where the whole series went severely furry for a time. Nerdist has the teaser trailer. Good old Optimus Primal is prominently featured (voiced this time by Ron Perlman), but look swiftly and you’ll see Cheetor, Rinox, Dinobot, and Airazor. No sign of Rat Trap yet, but who knows? The film is due in theaters in June of 2023.

image c. 2022 Paramount Pictures

1. What Is Midwest Fur Fest?
2. How Often Are They Hosted?
3. What To Expect From Midwest Fur Fest
4. How To Prepare For Midwest Fur Fest
5. Is It Kid-Friendly?
6. What About That 2014 Incident?
7. What’s Its Attendance Like?
8. How Much Are Tickets?
9. Are There Any Alternatives To Midwest Fur Fest?

What Is Midwest Fur Fest?

Midwest Fur Fest is the largest furry convention in the world. They typically take place in Rosemont, Illinois, and are a completely non-profit organization. These conventions are hosted in attempts to facilitate and educate others on the ins and outs of anthropomorphic literature and general art. It also facilitates the donation of funds to other non-profit organizations, typically ones that promote the well-being of animals and/or humans. It was first held in the year 2000 and has since grown to be one of the highest-attendance furry conventions in the world.

 

It started as a furry branch of the science-fiction convention DucKon but this track grew larger and larger each year until it reached a point where over a third of the attendees of DucKon were there for their collective interest in the furry fandom. Keep in mind this was in 1999, before the explosion and wide accessibility of the internet that we have today means that the rapid growth of this convention was borderline inevitable. By 2000, DucKon was facing a serious dilemma and that was the fact that the furry interest of the convention was becoming so overwhelming that they were running out of room to expand without cutting into other branches of DucKon at which point it was decided that these furries had to form their own separate convention. This would eventually become what we know today as Midwest Fur Fest. 

 

It has since helped raise over $767,000 for various charities including MCP Rescue + Outreach, Felines and Canines, Sitstayread, Crisp, and Save-A-Vet.

Article Content

• What Is A Fursuit?
• What Are Fursuit Accessories?
• Furry Badge
• Ring
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• Where Can I Buy Fursuit Accessories?
• How Expensive Are Fursuit Accessories?

How Often Are They Hosted?

This is an annual convention that is typically hosted the second weekend after Thanksgiving. Although I am unsure of the reasoning for this, that just seems to be when the venue is. They have always been held in Illinois, most often in Rosemont, and have been hosted once a year, every year (apart from 2020 because of that whole COVID-19 thing that happened), since 2000.

Midwest Fur Fest 2019

Image via RollingStone

What To Expect From Midwest Fur Fest

Now that we’ve gone through all of that, for those of you who have never been but are looking to attend, what should you actually expect from a Midwest Fur Fest? Well the event organizers themselves describe it as an opportunity to “celebrate the furry fandom which includes art, literature, and performances based around anthropomorphic animals” but I think they do themselves a disservice with this description as it’s a lot more than that. 

 

Furries are often treated with a lot of hostility within wider internet culture so are often discouraged from disclosing the fact that they are furry making it kind of hard to meet other furries. Luckily a lot of these keyboard warriors don’t have enough hate in them to attend furry conventions making not just Midwest Fur Fest but furry conventions, in general, a safe space to meet new people and possibly even make new friends. 

 

As well as this, if you’re into fursuiting, this is a great place to meet other fursuiters as if there was ever an opportunity to show off your best work, this is definitely the spot. Here you’ll see some of the most extravagant fursuits you’ll probably ever see anywhere and if you’re looking to make your own fursuit you may even be able to get some inspiration from this convention.

How To Prepare For Midwest Fur Fest

If you haven’t already read our article on the steps to take to prepare for Biggest Little Fur Con then it’s worth noting that a lot of the same rules apply when preparing for furry conventions in general. However, for those who haven’t read it, we will cover the brief do’s and don’ts of attending a furry convention. 

• Bring A Portable Charger: It’s bad enough that these conventions have notoriously bad reception, so, what would be even worse than having bad reception would be having no phone at all. Whether it’s to take pictures or if you need to phone someone in case of an emergency, it’s super important to have a working phone on you. 

• Try To Socialise: One of the best parts about attending furry conventions is that, as we mentioned before, you get to meet so many people interested in the same thing as you. In such a niche community, it’s hard to come by anywhere else and because of this, it’s important that you are ready to socialize with other people at the convention. We completely understand that it can be terribly nerve-racking to just go up to random people and strike up a conversation but when you get to know these people, you quickly realize how friendly everyone is and you might even forget that you were ever even nervous. 

• Be Aware Of How You Smell: This one might sound a little silly and it also feels a little taboo, but seriously, be aware of how you smell. It’s pretty easy to start sweating and inherently start smelling with the amount of walking around and the number of other people there. This especially goes for those of you who intend on wearing a fursuit as they can start to feel like an oven after a few hours and let me tell you now, smelling the combined BO of several thousand people is not pleasant at all. 

Of course, there are other things you should be aware of and you should prepare for, but we feel like these are the three most integral parts of preparing for a furry convention as it just makes it a much more pleasant experience for everyone.

Midwest Fur Fest 2021

Image via Flickr

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"The team was super cooperative and accommodated for all the changes I wanted to make to the suit" Stella Get A Quote Is It Kid-Friendly?

Midwest Fur Fest themselves explain that they offer a variety of programming and events for a wide spectrum of audiences. For the most part, the shows are appropriate for all ages, including all daylight hour events. However, beyond daylight hour events, there are events that may not be age appropriate and should therefore be double-checked beforehand if you intend on taking a child. Having said that, it should be made pretty clear when the event is or isn’t child-friendly anyway.

A Group Of Fursuiters At Midwest Fur Fest

Image via Twitter

What About That 2014 Incident?

If you’ve read into Midwest Fur Fest at all then you may have heard about an incident in 2014 that would put a lot of people off the convention altogether. Essentially on December 7th, 2014, a gas leak occurred within the Hyatt hotel in Rosemont (the place the event was being hosted) which ended up hospitalizing 19 of the attendees and forcing the hotel to evacuate all other attendees. Further investigation was done on the gas leak only to find that there was a broken glass bottle containing a concentration of chlorine powder within the building meaning that this gas leak didn’t happen by chance and that someone intentionally did this. Hotels guests, employees, and employees of nearby shops that sold chlorine were interviewed to no avail and the culprit of this still remains unknown. 

 

If this slightly puts you off attending at all it’s definitely worth noting that for one, that was the only time that something like that has ever happened in the 22 years that the event has been running. As well as this, all of the people who were hospitalized were able to return to the convention shortly following their hospitalization. In short, you shouldn’t really be afraid as it’s extremely unlikely something is going to happen.

Midwest Fur Fest 2014

Image via Flickr

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Your dream fursuit is a couple of clicks away!

"The team was working day-in and day-out to get my partial fursuit made for me as soon as possible. So helpful." Alfray Get A Quote What Is Its Attendance Like?

As mentioned before, Midwest Fur Fest has the highest attendance out of any furry convention, but how many attendees do they get exactly? Well, you’ll be happy to know it has only grown massively with each year. Below we’ve listed their annual attendance since 2000.

2000: 473 attendees

2001: 511 attendees

2002: 685 attendees

2003: 800 attendees

2004: 959 attendees

2005: 1066 attendees

2006: 1422 attendees

2007: 1690 attendees

2008: 1992 attendees

2009: 2040 attendees

2010: 2285 attendees

2011: 2600 attendees

2012: 3216 attendees

2013: 3904 attendees

2014: 4571 attendees

2015: 5606 attendees

2016: 7075 attendees

2017: 8771 attendees

2018: 10,989 attendees

2019: 11,019 attendees

2021: 9332 attendees

2022: 13,641 attendees

Midwest Fur Fest 2022

Image via Pinterest

How Much Are Tickets?

Now, we’re not going to lie, registration to Midwest Fur Fest can actually be pretty pricey. Registering can cost upwards of $50 which seems like a lot if you’ve never been to a furry convention before. However, if it’s any reconciliation, the money that you put towards tickets is what allows Midwest Fur Fest to fund charities such as the ones listed above. For example in 2019 Midwest Fur Fest raised a record-breaking $224,704 for the charity Felines & Canines. They are a rescue center for stray cats and dogs and without the ticket prices as high as they are, Midwest Fur Fest would not be able to fund the event and the charity so generously at the same time. 

Are There Any Alternatives To Midwest Fur Fest?

Maybe, for some reason, you’ve been put off attending Midwest Fur Fest but you still want to attend and experience a furry convention. Whether it’s because of the price tag or the number of attendees, there are still plenty of other furry conventions out there that cater to your needs. So here is a list of alternatives to Midwest Fur Fest. 

 

Biggest Little Fur Con: This is a convention that (as we mentioned before) we not too long ago wrote about, and with good reason. This isn’t one of the biggest conventions in the world but it’s just one that has received a lot of positive reception and is typically held in Reno Nevada around Halloween time. However, this one is a little less child-friendly than Midwest Fur Fest so keep that in mind when attending. 

 

Anthrocon: This is probably the second biggest furry convention in the world next to Midwest Fur Fest but has actually (technically) been around longer than Midwest Fur Fest. It has been held every year since 1997 and has had a max attendance of over 9700 people. It doesn’t really offer anything that Midwest Fur Fest doesn’t, it’s just a bit quieter (but you probably won’t even notice it when you are there) and is typically located in Pittsburgh. 

 

Furry Weekend Atlanta: As you could probably guess, this one is hosted annually in Atlanta and has been since 2004. Even in 2021 when they physically could not host the event, they held an online version of the event anyway. The highest attendance they have ever had was in 2022 when over 7000 people attended. 

 

Furry Fiesta: This is the last entry on this short little list and is probably tied for the smallest on the list with Biggest Little Fur Con. Furry Fiesta started in 2009, and much like Midwest Fur Fest is non-profit and makes it its goal to raise as much money for charity as it possibly can. Their highest attendance was in 2019 in which they raised $29,429 for the CARE charity. 

Of course, there are plenty of other conventions you can and should check out but these are the 5 biggest furry conventions out there.

Furry Convention

Image via Reuters.com

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The post A Guide To Attending Your First Midwest FurFest appeared first on Fursonafy.

Recently got this from Animation World Network: “Disney Branded Television and Emmy Award-winning Baobab Studios have begun development, with award-winning screenwriter Pamela Ribon, on Intercats, an animated sitcom set in a cat workplace… Baobab’s co-founder and chief creative officer, Eric Darnell (Baba Yaga, Madagascar, Antz), is the creator and executive producer on Intercats…  Jony Chandra (Nimona, Spies in Disguise) will direct… Told through the big reflective eyes of cats, Intercats is a four-quadrant animated workplace comedy about the cats who produce the hysterical cat videos that go viral on the Internet. It features a ragtag team of cats aspiring to get what all cats want: their independence. But, to do so, they must first learn to navigate their own internal relationships and build upon their success as the premier studio for viral cat videos.” Interestingly, Pamela Ribon is also the writer of My Boyfriend Is A Bear, which we’ve talked about previously here.

image c. 2022 YouTube

Judith Peterson describes her background as coming from education and library science. But along the way she’s found an interesting hobby: Carving original 3D puzzles out of wood. Lucky for us, most of her designs are animals: Current, prehistoric, or mythical. The puzzles range in complexity from 3 pieces to 57 pieces (!). She and her husband have even written books on how to create wooden puzzles using scroll saws. We found them vending at Midwest FurFest, but you can check out FanTaminals’ web site to see the latest designs.

image c. 2022 FanTaminals

Infurnity 2022 Panel - How to Start a Podcast ---- Thought about running a podcast? Don’t know where to start? Well look no further as Fox and Burger tell you how to start a podcast, software and hardware you’ll need, and more! We would like to thank all the Infurnity for inviting us to host a panel, as well as all the staff and volunteers for their hard work! ---- The Fox and Burger Podcast is one segment of our production house, Fox and Burger Productions. The podcast’s goal is twofold: 1, to know more about the Asian furry fandom; and 2, compare and contrast the Asian fandom with the Western one. If you have a guest that you would like to see on the show, please PM us! We will also take questions for our guests, so don’t miss this opportunity to know some amazing furs.

MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!

Back again this week to educate you and make you laugh Bearly and Taebyn are joined by Rayne Raccoon acting as guest producer for this episode. We try to answer some existential questions about existence, a new friend stops by to chat, we tell some jokes, talk about media, and generally get waaaaay off the rails! 

Support the show

Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.

You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com

Bearly Furcasting S3E33

Recently we learned about Disney Lorcana, a new card-collecting game set to be released in the fall of 2023. According to The Gamer, “Disney Lorcana is a trading card game (TCG) by Disney and tabletop games publisher Ravensburger. Like other games, such as Magic: The Gathering and the Pokemon TCG, you’ll collect cards in booster packs and create decks with the aim of defeating your opponent. It is being developed and published by Ravensburger, who previously worked with Disney on the Villainous series of tabletop games. It’s also known for other board games like Dingbats, Escape, Labyrinth, and El Dorado, however this will be its first-ever trading card game.” While Disney’s Twitter feed says “In Disney Lorcana, you’ll wield magic inks and the power of Lorcana to assemble your team of Disney characters. Some characters will be familiar friends. Others will be fantastically re-imagined.” More info to come, needless to say.

image c. 2022 Disney/Ravensburger

Among the many amazing artist we met at Midwest FurFest was Lindsey Burcar — who is actually from that part of the continent herself. “Lindsey Burcar is a self-taught freelance illustrator working from her home in Milwaukee, WI. Inspired by all things fantasy and nature, beast and creature, her travels and exploration of the natural world are a pivotal part of her life and art.” If you visit her official web site you can find links to her Inprnt shop, featuring some very high-quality prints of her art — as well as her Etsy shop, where you’ll find not only prints but pins, stickers, and other artistic goodies she has for sale.

image c. 2022 by Lindsey Burcar