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Bearly Furcasting S5E5 - Train? What Train?
MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!
Taebyn, Rayne and Bearly are joined by TickTock and Cheetaro in this episode. TickTock gives a recap of Campfire Tales and all the events that happened there. Taebyn gives us another round of PunMakers Game. We learn that Rayne really doesn’t like Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor. Cheetaro reviews a movie and news correspondent TickTock gives a report on the rising costs of fursuits. All this and soooo much more on this episode of BFFT! Remember spending time listening to this podcast is just like spending time listening to this podcast! Moobarkfluff!
This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.
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
Friendship Is Weird
Another interesting graphic novel we came across: Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures, written and illustrated by Jason Pamment. “Ember is a tiny boy (literally) all alone in a giant world who longs to fit in. His dream may finally come true when his adopted guardian, Lua, a warmhearted sea turtle, escorts him across the ocean to a school for little creatures on the mysterious Puzzle Island. This hidden place is brimming with fantastical life, and as Ember explores the lush forests and deep caves, he’s filled with wonder and curiosity. There’s only one problem — his new classmates don’t seem at all interested in being his friend.” Check out the sample pages over at Books of Wonder.
image c. 2024 Harper Alley
ZOOPHILES FACE JAIL AND FURY: Adam Britton, Lucas VanWoert, and Seattle’s Slightly Furry
(Content warning.)
Three stories with one cause
It was a major week of news for activists against animal abuse, especially the kind that comes from zoophile networking.
AUSTRALIA: Adam Britton was once a prominent zoologist, but now he’s a convicted serial killer of pet dogs. International media featured Britton’s August 8 sentence to 10 years in jail. Outside the court, activists protested for better animal protection, followed by a unity walk with Kiki’s Justice, an awareness campaign named for one of Britton’s victims. The worldwide shock of the case is documentary-worthy.
OHIO: Britton’s online accomplice was Lucas Vanwoert, a truck driver, furry and dog torture-killer. His wife Heather VanWoert was convicted for participating in the crimes, but released in May after a short sentence. It’s a wake-up call about abusers in the furry community. Many furries oppose abuse, but are troubled by how others enable lovers, friends or business partners involved.
SEATTLE: furry brand Slightly Furry brews cider, runs a taphouse, and has an owner named “Kompy” involved in zoophile networking. Watchdogs aired evidence at the same time as Slightly Furry ran a crowdfund and raised over $73,000 from donors to support their for-profit business. Slightly Furry refuses to respond about Kompy’s corruption — except by censoring and banning people who ask questions. Why do they refuse to explain this to the community, after taking so much support and calling their business an ambassadorship of furry to the general public? What will stop the enabling, after Pacific Northwest furries already faced exposure of a shocking abuse ring?
This is about networking, not just isolated offenses. When zoophiles organize to meet each other, this enables a spectrum of harm to animals who can’t consent, from coercive molesting to deadly zoosadism. Demand for abuse media is raised by the network as a whole — a well-known effect of pedophile networks, where participants are held responsible whether or not they did abuse themselves. (Below: more about how this works and how it gets enabled. Like: “It’s no-contact… trust me bro!”) Networking is never harmless.
Reporting zoophile networking
This news is reported by Patch O’Furr, with thanks to Naia Ōkami in Seattle. It’s the latest in ongoing coverage at Dogpatch Press:
- 2021: Introduction to Naia Ōkami — an investigator who got an abuser convicted after reporting about it here.
- 2023: Previous report about Adam Britton, Lucas VanWoert, and how the problem intersects with the furry community.
- Naia was a local customer of Slightly Furry in Seattle, until they banned her for asking questions.
- Patch and Naia live-tweeted Adam Britton’s sentencing on August 8, in cooperation with Kiki’s Justice and observers in the court room.
When furry spaces are used to shelter the networking, it doesn’t mean everyone knows about it — it means there’s a job to do — but the reported evidence has suffered poor comprehension, weak help, and backlash inside the community. (Below: much more about this and how it can change.) Of course, it’s not just with furries. It’s like suppressed abuse coming out from churches, schools, or Boy Scouts. It can be anywhere from anyone, including the most trusted people…
Adam Britton, the famous zoologist who was secretly a serial killer of dogs, is being sentenced now in Australian court. I'm watching live updates from people in the court. Adam's crimes were in a network that needs to be exposed, which made furry news. https://t.co/99HCQ9s74U
— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) July 11, 2024
Adam Britton is one of the worst and most prominent zoosadists ever reported
Britton built a successful career as a zoologist working with crocodiles in TV and movies, with the likes of National Geographic and Sir David Attenborough. Then he set up a shipping container as a torture room on his rural Australian property.
One by one, he took 42 dogs there to exploit and kill them slowly over days each, prolonging the victim’s pain for enjoyment on videos made for secret trading. While feeding the demand of a secret network, he fed their remains to the crocodiles that made his career.
In court, the torture details were so severe, that court staff and observers were directed to therapy. Kiki’s Justice is sharing suicide helplines to those who know.
It’s a glaring example for how devotion to an animal-related profession doesn’t exempt anyone from abusing. It’s commonly known that pedophiles slide into child care work and exploit the opportunity, but it’s little known that zoophiles do the same thing. Many cases overlap both things, and Britton was charged for downloading child abuse images too.
Britton calls himself a zoophile. His court defense portrayed him as helpless to control a paraphilia condition that he hid behind professional achievement. That was the excuse for his systematic, calculated deception of families trying to rehome dogs that they couldn’t keep, who got fake reassurances of their welfare after they were killed. “I can’t stop. I don’t want to”, he told eager trading partners who remain uncaught.
He submitted this apology to the court:
I take full responsibility for the demeaning crimes that I perpetrated on dogs. I deeply regret the pain and trauma that I caused to innocent animals, and consequently to my family, friends, and members of the community I affected. I let you all down, and I’m truly sorry.
I now acknowledge that I’ve been fighting a rare paraphilic disorder for much of my life, and that shame and fear prevented me from seeking the proper help I needed.
No amount of words can convey how sorry and ashamed I am, nor undo what I did. But I am determined to prove that I am better than this, that I will seek longterm treatment, and that I will find a path towards redemption.
Please give my family the space they deserve to heal. They were not aware or involved in any way.
Adam Britton
On August 8 in Australian court, watchers were breathless with anxiety that Britton might only get short jail time for each of 42 victims, to be served all at once.
The outcome was mixed. 10 years of jail was taken as too short, but relatively more than the outcomes of other cases within the limits of the laws.
Britton could be eligible for parole after serving 6 years, but with 2 served before trial. He could walk free as soon as 2028. He is supposed to register as a sex offender, and has a lifetime ban on animal contact, but it’s limited to mammals — so he might try to work with crocodiles again.
Outside the court, furious activists waved signs and spoke to media about weak animal protection laws. Then on August 10, the Kiki’s Justice Unity Walk led supporters and their dogs to a picnic with guest speakers about animal welfare.
An organizers said: “From the Adam Britton case, animal lovers have come together and stood united in their fight against those who abuse animals. Friendships have formed, from a place of absolute heartbreak. People are working together, to address social media and hold those platforms to account. And to use Adam Britton’s own words against him “We can’t stop… we don’t want to.””
Kiki’s Justice represents families of some of the killer’s victims. They plan to take out ads any time he’s up for parole. His academic work, TV appearances and online accounts are being removed. His doctorate might be next. A book will document what happened, and the activism goes on for other cases.
One observer said: “what he did far surpasses the death by neglect and killing a dog by beating, which is what people imagine dog killings to be. We must make people aware of him, and make him aware that we will never forget and will track him when he is released.”
8 years jail for Lucas VanWoert, wife gets a slap on the wrist for participating
Lucas VanWoert is Britton’s most known accomplice. He used furry name “Graves” as they exchanged 705 files of animal and child abuse and inspired each other to torture and kill. In their networking, there’s 3 things to notice about VanWoert:
- Anyone can call themselves a furry, and as far as his online profiles show, he was a nobody without special favor or influence in the community. But…
- He was far from an isolated abuser in furry. The owner of a secret trading group that hosted VanWoert and Britton was also in furry spaces. VanWoert wasn’t well hidden, with the same online handle across kink and bestiality sites visible on the web. He was also mutual followers with furry-zoophiles in a secret iceberg of thousands (covered in a previous report.) And…
- He was enabled so strongly by at least some, that his wife Heather Vanwoert also got 12 animal abuse charges.
On May 30, Lucas Vanwoert was sentenced to 97 months in prison, with 15 years probation after release. Heather VanWoert was convicted and served 6 months in jail but released in May. The light sentence caused disappointment and alarm among activists who know animals aren’t safe when predators have little consequences. That and their presence in furry shows a reason to join activists for change and transparency, and not let the opposite happen…
FRUITLESS: Seattle’s Slightly Furry dodges questions about co-owner Nick “Kompy” Charbonneau
Furries like supporting projects by each other. Seattle is a fertile place for that. Slightly Furry harvested that energy for cider brewing, and opened a taphouse, making a physical base for events and groups. That powered over $73,000 in donations for repairs — with a rotten side they can hide if it doesn’t raise sales of a for-profit business.
In 2018, shocking evidence emerged of a zoophile network in the Pacific Northwest furry community, with deadly zoosadism at its core. A few participants got decades in jail. Many had no consequences and remained active. For a time, Matthew “Cupid” Grabowsky was one of them. Dogpatch Press reported he was a convicted zoosadist at furry events, but his presence was protected by PNW organizers, until investigation by Naia Ōkami led to his new conviction and removal to jail in 2021.
Look for negligence and enabling when a known, severe problem returns with permission by organizers.
Nothing was foreshadowed in glowing P.R. about Slightly Furry in Seattle news from The Stranger. The story features three owners: Aaron “Martini” Kalin, Raymond “Spork” Araldi, and Nick “Kompy” Charbonneau (who also runs a kink event production company).
Kalin wants the taproom to feel like the first floor of a furry convention, a social space where furries can be themselves and the curious can get a taste of what an active FurCon might feel like. He even envisions the bar as an ambassadorship of furry to the general public, an important aspect of both his and Araldi’s identities.
“It’s not just for marketing,” Kalin said. “It’s me putting myself out there in probably the most intense, bravest way that I can possibly think of, saying, ‘No, this is really me, I’m not going to dial it down that much for you. So you can kind of take it or leave it.’ And luckily, as far as we can tell, the public has received it pretty well.”
The curious public might look at Slightly Furry’s “About us” page. Then they might wonder, where’s the third owner, Kompy? Why aren’t they putting him out there? Maybe something is dialed down. Here’s 3 things that they might not want to have bubble up.
THE “ZOO PRIDE” FLAG. Kompy’s husband posted selfies with this sticker on his phone made for zoophile networking. (NSFW archive / Info.) There is no mistaking photos from the source. Consider the conflict of interest this makes for Kompy and Slighty Furry’s management.
HOOKING UP WITH CONFESSED ZOOPHILES. Cenny is a furry who gained 30,000 Twitter followers and $5,000+ a month for making adult media with other furries. He has years of wide criticism for zoophile networking, including consuming real-animal media. The clout drew enabling and denial, but he proved critics right by coming out with the zoophile Zeta symbol (ζ). It’s the most obvious networking there is. Kompy and Cenny are so close that they make porn (NSFW) with Kompy’s husband. Again consider the conflict of interest for Slightly Furry’s management.
- Evidence: Cenny archive / Cenny husky is a zoo / Cenny Beware / Zoo on Cenny’s F-List
- Youtube videos: Zoophilia Doesn’t Belong in the Furry Fandom / The Cenny Husky Drama
CONFESSION BY KOMPY: Not just networking and enabling, but directly consuming zoo media and raising demand. Kompy deleted this to hide the evidence shortly after watchdogs pointed it out.
Add up three clues. Once can be a mistake… twice a coincidence… three times triangulates a location.
It isn’t Safe-For-Petsylvania. It’s not part of the Pro-Consent-letariat. You don’t need to be on moral high ground to know it’s not a place of hope or trust, if you want to report abuse and expect a priority on victims. If you want to try, don’t knock on their door. These boozy would-be furry ambassadors will be lost in the sauce or out at the zoo.
If we still give benefit of the doubt, there’s a simple way to clear things up. Ask them directly if they support zoophiles. It’s easy to say “no”.
Kompy’s Curiouscat page. Even if you want to be roofied at an alcohol venue with sketchy management, inebriated sex has no legal consent defense.
Slightly Furry owner Aaron “Martini” Kalin acknowledged a request for questions for a news story, which were ignored.
They couldn’t answer when asked point blank: “Should there be such a thing as Zoo Pride, and is it welcome at Slightly Furry?”
They also couldn’t answer if they had any safety policy or a process to report a problem.
Then on the given publishing deadline, they posted a strange Code of Conduct. It defines consent to restrict sharing evidence, like screenshots… but a Code doesn’t override law, in the opinion of a furry lawyer consulted for this:
“The appropriate benchmark has repeatedly been whether a speaker has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the environment, and most cases I’ve seen have said “not in chat rooms,” analogizing them to voicemail. It’s kind of like if a con had a “no recording” policy for panels and then tries to argue a panelist or audience member had an expectation of privacy if someone did record. It’s not gonna stand, probably because you don’t have an expectation of privacy when speaking to a large group of people.”
Naia was banned by Slightly Furry for asking questions, and thinks the Code hides “sketchiness”. (The lawyer also noticed that QR code access isn’t good for legal agreements.) Naia says:
“The obvious intention of this policy is to have a chilling effect on criticisms of the bar, its owners, its staff, and its patrons. It’s extremely bizarre that these policies are hidden behind a QR code. This can be done for a number of reasons, including their intention to possibly need to change policies again, as they have done as a result of this scandal, and not wanting to have to constantly change physical signs. A much more obviously apparent reason is to hide the sketchiness from newcomers.”
Then there’s the most relevant part. Slightly Furry’s Code defines community concern about zoophile networking as a personal problem.
If the abuser isn’t abusing at their place — like their participant who was convicted of deadly zoosadism — their Code says it’s not their problem.
Of course private bedroom activity isn’t public interest — but when it’s a person of community influence, a manager with power for running events and their safety — is it really our problem to address the amount of zoophile networking, demand for abuse media, and rape they enable?
Until they make it their problem too, Naia and other watchdogs like Con Staff Watch have been documenting it for them.
Based on the evidence, the well-documented Zoophile Mute List by Heika displays Slightly Furry as a zoophile supporter.
Herd denial and learned helplessness towards a zoophile-industrial complex
Consider the general human problem, not just for furry readers. Like suppressed abuse coming out from churches, schools, or Boy Scouts.
Movies like Spotlight depicted abusive priests getting moved from church to church, letting them prey without recognition. It was buried by active shifting. The disconnection of furry spaces also lets abusers cycle freely through new groups using new fursonas. Abusers don’t need active cover to skip town with passive policies like “if it didn’t happen here, it’s a personal problem”. Different route, same result.
Group disconnection starts with being marginal, as many gay people know. They find safety in niche community. Bigotry helps set the problem up before it’s inside, and insiders get an overactive immune system towards negative attention. When Bewares get conflated with bigotry, and freedom means from transparency… in-group-ness can liberate against outside problems, but stifle ones inside.
Suppression helps abusers hide. It’s enabling when evidence is blindly blown off with the “cancel culture” or “witch hunt” cliches sent towards previous reporting. The blindness starts to change when community members get aware, inform each other, do transparent ambassadorship, and meet outside help while the general public is also getting informed.
Herd denial doesn’t just represent individual corruption, but a wide scale “nobody’s job” dilemma. It’s not just misuse of influence, it’s built into how the internet let interest communities spiral fractally into more and more granular and unregulated niches. From furries, to liberated kink, to hidden abuse, to core zoosadists, with lagging recognition and inadequate remedy. (What can a little blog do besides say it’s everyone’s job?)
In internet no-mans-land, zoophile networking starts with signaling. They use codes, flags, hashtags and personal ads to furtively meet, then propaganda like magazines, blogs and podcasts to consolidate groups, while begging inclusion like an identity with rights. Some of these studiously avoid sex. It’s a fake front.
No matter what, networking raises access for other zoophiles who claim that animals can consent. There’s no network without the touchy ones, with no way to tell the difference from the “trust me” ones. Then a spectrum of abuse grows beneath notice while animals are unable to tell. Not saying “no” isn’t consent, and animals can’t consent, any more than toddlers can, so abuse is not an identity, and rights are for victims. (This report is not directed at pro therapy that isn’t networking.)
Even when abuse is known, it’s so rarely prosecuted, that there are individual abusers with more victims than the total of American prosecutions each year. (Around 100 cases with all statistics kept “artificially low”.)
Vacancy of oversight makes easy apologism. Networking participants do hairsplitting between “bad abuse” and a “good zoos” myth — as if coercion is consent, or a pure non-contact network exists for innocent fantasy or quack DIY therapy, and “trust me” will protect victims. Then if a bad one does get caught, “good” ones deny responsibility for doing abuse themselves, after they enabled demand and opportunity. Some offer up sacrificial tokens after the harm, (in other words, throwing liabilities under the bus), and claim to make things safe by catching abusers after giving them a place to prey.
There are no safe zoophile networks. If one is visible anywhere, something is wrong, and you can show them the door. It’s certainly possible, because pedophile networking isn’t welcome in your space, is it?
“Not our job” ends up being learned helplessness. It doesn’t take police help to stop giving attention, favor, enabling, or $73,000 in donations towards a threat of zoophile networking getting influence over community management. But sex and alcohol and clout make an industry where zoophiles like Cenny make a comfortable living, and asking their friends to care gets you banned. If the community doesn’t solve its own problems, one alternative is for whistleblowers and activists to team up with outside groups, taking it beyond limited bubbles and fruitless appeals to places they can really be heard.
A few links about networking:
- ActiveFence (Trust & Safety for platforms): How Are Pedophiles Hiding In Plain Sight on Platforms?
- Wall Street Journal: Instagram Connects Vast Pedophile Network
- Australian government report: history of pedophile networking as organized crime.
Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon.Want to get involved? Try these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for news or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here. (Content Policy.)
How To Draw Furry Heads: A Step-by-Step Guide
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- Introduction
- Understanding Furry Anatomy
- Basic Furry Head Shapes
- Proportions & Structure
- Step-By-Step Drawing Process
- Sketching the Base
- Defining the Muzzle and Jaw
- Adding Ears
- Drawing the Eyes
- Adding Facial Details
- Refining and Inking The Drawing
- Cleaning Up the Sketch
- Inking Techniques
- Coloring and Shading
- Choosing Colors
- Shading and Highlighting
- Blending and Finishing Touches
- Conclusion
Introduction
Furry art, a vibrant part of the furry fandom, brings anthropomorphic animal characters to life, blending human and animal traits. The head is often the most expressive part of these characters, making it essential for artists to master.
This guide is designed for beginners and intermediate artists who want to improve their furry head drawings. We’ll cover the basics of anatomy, sketching, and refining your work, helping you create expressive and unique characters.
For additional learning, check out these resources:
Let’s dive in and start creating your furry character!
I. Understanding Furry Anatomy A. Basic Furry Head ShapesBefore diving into the drawing process, it’s important to understand the foundational shapes that form the basis of any furry character’s head. Furry characters often blend features from various animals, such as canines, felines, reptiles, and even mythical creatures like dragons. Each of these species has distinct head shapes that influence the overall look of your character.
Canine Heads: Typically have elongated muzzles and pointed ears. Examples include wolves, foxes, and dogs.
Feline Heads: Generally more rounded with shorter muzzles and large, expressive eyes. Think of cats, lions, and tigers.
Reptilian Heads: These heads are more angular, often featuring scales and elongated snouts. Dragons and lizards fall into this category.
Custom Creations: Many furry characters combine features from multiple animals, so don’t be afraid to mix and match traits to create something unique.
Understanding these basic shapes will help you maintain consistency and realism in your character designs.
Examples of Different Animal Head Shapes
Image via Reddit
B. Proportions and StructureProportions are key to creating a balanced and appealing character. The head is usually broken down into simple shapes—like circles and ovals—that serve as a foundation for more detailed features.
Head Base: Start with a circle or oval that will define the overall size and shape of the head. This helps ensure that the head remains proportionate to the rest of the body if you plan to draw it later.
Guidelines: Draw a vertical line down the center of the head to keep the features symmetrical. A horizontal line across the middle will help you position the eyes, while another horizontal line below can mark the position of the muzzle.
Feature Placement: The eyes are usually placed slightly above the center of the head, with the muzzle extending below. Ears typically start from the top or upper sides of the head, depending on the species.
By mastering these proportions, you’ll create characters that look natural and cohesive, regardless of the species you’re drawing.
This understanding of furry anatomy sets the stage for the next step: sketching the basic structure of your furry character’s head
Start with Basic Shapes: Begin by drawing a simple circle or oval to establish the head’s overall size and shape. This will act as the foundation of your drawing.
Add Guidelines: Draw a vertical line down the center of the circle to help keep the face symmetrical. Then, add a horizontal line across the middle of the circle to guide the placement of the eyes. If your character has a longer muzzle, you might want to draw another horizontal line lower down to guide where the muzzle will begin.
B. Defining the Muzzle and JawSketch the Muzzle: Depending on the species, the muzzle can be short (like a cat’s) or elongated (like a wolf’s). Extend the muzzle from the bottom of the circle, curving it outwards slightly. Use your earlier guidelines to ensure it’s centered and balanced.
Draw the Jawline: Connect the sides of the muzzle back to the base of the head, forming the jawline. This line can be more angular or rounded depending on your character’s species and personality.
Different Examples of Muzzles and Jaws
Image via DeviantArt
C. Adding EarsPosition the Ears: Ears are typically placed on the top or upper sides of the head. Use your guidelines to ensure they are symmetrical.
Sketch Ear Shapes: Ears can be pointed (like those of a fox or wolf), rounded (like a bear’s), or floppy (like a dog’s). Experiment with different shapes to see what best fits your character’s personality.
D. Drawing the EyesPosition the Eyes: Use the horizontal guideline to place the eyes. Typically, eyes are positioned slightly above this line, especially in more cartoonish or exaggerated styles.
Explore Eye Shapes: Eyes can be large and expressive (common in many furry characters) or smaller and more realistic. Experiment with different shapes to convey different emotions—rounded eyes for a friendlier look, or narrow, angular eyes for a more serious or sly expression.
E. Adding Facial DetailsNose and Nostrils: Sketch a small oval or triangle at the end of the muzzle for the nose. Add nostrils as small curved lines on either side of the nose.
Mouth and Teeth: Draw a line under the nose to indicate the mouth. For a more detailed expression, you can open the mouth slightly and add teeth or a tongue.
Fur Texture and Patterns: Lightly sketch fur details around the cheeks, forehead, and ears. Consider adding patterns or markings that make your character unique, such as stripes, spots, or patches.
At this stage, you have the basic structure of your furry character’s head. Next, you’ll refine the sketch, adding more details and preparing it for inking and coloring.
Commissioning a fursuit has never been so easy!
"They where extremely understanding and patient. They provided fast response times and amazing communication"
Edward .blog-banner-button{ background: transparent; border-radius: 6px 0px 6px 6px; border: none; padding: 16px 28px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; font-family: 'Lato'; font-style: normal; font-weight: 800; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%; align-items: center; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; color: #1D022E; border: 1px solid #1D022E; width:100%; max-width:200px; } .black-point{ position: absolute; width: 16px; height: 16px; top: 0px; right: 0; background: #1D022E; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 12px; } .blog-banner-button:hover{ background:#1D022E; color:white; transition: 1s cubic-bezier(0.57, -0.43, 0.37, 1.1); } .banner-flex{ display:flex; align-items:center; max-width:450px; width:100%; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; justify-content:center; } .banner-p{ color: #1D022E; text-align: center; font-family: Lato; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 800; line-height: 140%; /* 19.6px */ text-transform: uppercase; } @media (max-width:540px){ .banner-flex{ flex-direction:column; } .banner-p{ margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; } .blog-banner-button{ max-width:287px; width:100%; padding:12px 20px; } .banner-flex a{ max-width:287px; width:100%; } } Build my fursuit III. Refining and Inking the Drawing A. Cleaning Up the Sketch Refine the Lines: Go over your initial sketch, darkening the lines that define the head, muzzle, ears, and other key features. At this stage, focus on making your lines clean and smooth. This will make the next steps easier and your drawing more polished.Erase Unnecessary Guidelines: Carefully erase the guidelines you used to keep the proportions and symmetry. This will help to reduce clutter and make the final lines stand out. Make sure the final shape still looks balanced and accurate without these guidelines.
Example of a Cleaned Up Sketch
Image via Tumblr
B. Inking Techniques- Inking the Outline: Using a fine pen or a digital inking tool, trace over the final lines of your sketch. Apply consistent pressure for a smooth outline, but feel free to vary the line weight (thicker or thinner lines) to add depth and interest. For example, thicker lines can be used along the outer edges of the head and major features, while thinner lines work well for details like fur texture.
- Adding Detail with Line Weight: Use varying line thickness to emphasize different parts of the drawing. For example:
- Thicker lines: Around the outer edge of the head, major features like the ears, and where shadows would naturally fall (e.g., under the chin or muzzle).
- Thinner lines: For details like the inner parts of the ears, fur texture, and fine facial details like the nose or mouth.
- Enhancing Texture: To give the fur a more natural look, use small, quick strokes to add texture around the edges of the face, ears, and along the jawline. This adds a sense of realism and helps define the character’s unique appearance.
- Review and Touch Up: After inking, review your drawing for any areas that may need touch-ups. Smooth out any uneven lines, and add final details where needed. Make sure the inking is consistent and clear.
Once you’re satisfied with the inked drawing, you’re ready to move on to coloring and shading, where the character will truly come to life.
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IV. Coloring and Shading
A. Choosing Colors
- Selecting a Color Palette: Choose colors that reflect your character’s personality and species. For example, natural tones like browns and grays work well for wolves, while more vibrant colors can be used for fantasy creatures or stylized characters. Consider the character’s environment and background when selecting your palette, as this can influence how the colors are perceived.
- Base Colors: Begin by laying down the base colors for your character. Start with the primary fur color and fill in the entire head evenly. Use a medium tone that can be shaded darker or highlighted lighter later on. Remember to keep the colors flat at this stage—details and texture will be added afterward.
- Secondary Colors and Markings: Add secondary colors for specific features like the inside of the ears, the nose, and the eyes. If your character has patterns or markings (stripes, spots, patches), apply them now, ensuring they blend smoothly with the base color.
- Identifying the Light Source: Decide where your light source is coming from—this will determine where shadows and highlights fall on your character’s head. A consistent light source is key to making your drawing look three-dimensional.
- Applying Shadows: Use a darker shade of your base color to add shadows. Focus on areas where the light doesn’t hit directly, such as under the ears, along the sides of the muzzle, and under the chin. Gradually build up the shadows to add depth, making sure they blend naturally with the base color.
- Adding Highlights: Use a lighter color to add highlights where the light hits directly. Common areas for highlights include the top of the head, the bridge of the nose, and the tips of the ears. Highlights should be applied sparingly to avoid making the character look too glossy unless that’s the desired effect.
- Enhancing Fur Texture: To make the fur look more realistic, add subtle variations in color along the fur’s natural direction. You can achieve this by using a slightly lighter or darker tone than the base color and applying it in short strokes to mimic the texture of fur.
- Detailing the Eyes: Eyes are a focal point of any character, so take your time to add depth and shine. Use bright highlights in the iris and a small white spot to mimic the reflection of light. This brings the eyes to life and adds expressiveness to the character.
Example of a Completely Coloured Furry Drawing
Image via Etsy
C. Blending and Finishing Touches- Smooth Transitions: If working digitally, use a blending tool or a soft brush to smooth transitions between shadows, highlights, and the base color. For traditional media, blending can be done using a blending stump, cotton swab, or simply by layering colors gradually.
- Final Adjustments: Step back and assess your work. Make any necessary adjustments to colors, shadows, or highlights to ensure the overall piece looks balanced and cohesive. Add any final touches, like small hairs sticking out or slight color variations to enhance realism.
- Background Consideration: If you plan to add a background, choose colors that complement your character without overpowering it. A simple gradient or a soft, neutral tone can help your character stand out.
At this point, your furry character’s head should be fully colored and shaded, giving it depth and personality. The next step is to consider how you want to present your final piece, whether in a full scene or as a standalone character.
With these final touches and presentation tips, your furry head drawing is ready to be shared with the world. The attention to detail, thoughtful presentation, and willingness to engage with the community can help elevate your artwork and connect you with others who appreciate and share your passion for furry art.
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Monsters with a Difference
The Cryptid Kids are off and running with their first graphic novel, The Bawk-Ness Monster, written by Sara Goetter and illustrated by Natalie Riess. “Penny swears that when she was a little girl, a creature called the Bawk-ness Monster — half sea serpent, half chicken — saved her from drowning. Now, years later, she’s about to move away to a new city, and before she goes, she needs the help of her best friends, Luc and K, for a vitally important mission: seeing ‘Bessie’ one more time. But in their quest to find Bessie and give Penny the send-off she deserves, the kids stumble into a whole new problem: Cryptids are being kidnapped by an evil collector, and only Penny, Luc, and K can save them!” Available now in hardcover or paperback, from First Second.
image c. 2024 First Second Books
FurAffinity under siege: website redirected, social accounts compromised
FurAffinity 遭攻击：网站被重定向，社交账号被盗
S11E9 – Boundaries - Ever been told you need to do better at building boundaries? What are boundaries? Why are they important? - Join the cast and guests as they explore the complex and often delicate topic of boundaries. Offer insights on how to establis
Ever been told you need to do better at building boundaries? What are boundaries? Why are they important?
Join the cast and guests as they explore the complex and often delicate topic of boundaries. Offer insights on how to establish, respect, and uphold boundaries in various aspects of life. From friends, family, and relationships; to enforcing limits in the workplace.
NOW LISTEN!
SHOW NOTES Thank you!Ashton, Basel, Timid, Sage, Eli and Sotolo for your inputs on the episode!
To all our listeners!
PATREON LOVETHANK YOU to our patreons! You help us keep the show going!
Uber Supporter Tier
Anthallo
Tails Bursting out of Pants Supporters
Barnaby Panda, Basel the Dragon, Nuka
Fancy Supporter Tier
Black Baldrik, Lufis the Raccoon
Deluxe Supporters Tier
MephistophEli,, Nugs (pic pending), Plug, Tenax
Plus Tier Supporters
- Ausi Kat
- Chaphogriff
- Lygris
McRib Tier Supporters
- Christian
- Ichigo Ookami
- Sage Lightfang
- TyR
- Victor Mutt
- 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: Hardware – Karl Casey, White Bat Audio, Creative Commons 2023
- Second Break: Zenith – Aaron Kruk, Argofox, Creative Commons 2024
- Third Break: Not The One – Dino Rano, Argofox, Creative Commons 2024
- Patreon: Inflammatus – The Tudor Consort, Creative Commons 2019
- 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
The Earth 🌎! Chapter 6 | Puplift: A Dog's Guide to Space🐕 🚀
A dog from the future explains a pleasant interstellar society in this sci-fi audio series. This series explores the topics of transhumanism, animal uplift, space travel, realistic artificial intelligence, terraforming, and a future you'd want to live in. Allison & The Cool New Spaceship Body https://shipfolk.neocities.org/Shipfolk.html Writing & Narration: Tempe O'Kun https://www.furaffinity.net/user/tempo321/ Puplift has been nominated for a Cóyotl Award! https://coyotlawards.com/coyotl-awards-2023-final-ballot/ 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_
TigerTails Radio Season 15 Episode 41
TigerTails Radio Season 15 Episode 41. 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.
Genopanic Review - Nothing to Panic About
Ah Genopanic. It's without a doubt the most Metroid non-Metroid game I’ve ever played. It has a lot of those same themes and elements but also does manage to stand out on its own.
Keep Trying ‘Till You HIT!
And speak of the Devil… Here’s another bit of Viva Pictures news we got (again from Cartoon Brew): “Viva Pictures has signed on as the U.S. distributor of Hitpig! and will release the film theatrically on November 1, 2024. The film, adapted from characters first introduced in the children’s book Pete & Pickles by Bloom County creator Berkeley Breathed, is from British production company Aniventure, which has previously completed Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank and Riverdance: The Animated Adventure. The animation provider is Cinesite (The Addams Family 2, Iwájú, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem).” Here’s the official synopsis: “Hitpig is a clever bounty hunting pig who catches escaped animals and returns them to their owners. His next job is his biggest yet: return a dancing elephant named Pickles to a maniacal Vegas showman, for a million bucks. The mission quickly escalates into a wild adventure around the world. When danger looms, it is up to Hitpig to save the day but he can’t do it alone.” As you can see, there’s a lot of “professional furry” experience behind this film, and we’ve been talking about it for a while now. See the trailer, too!
image c. 2024 Viva Pictures
Wholesome Games 2024: Furry Edition!
We've got a PLETHORA of furry & animal games in the "Wholesome Games Celebration" on Sale on Steam right now! We put together what we could find in the list of games that are currently selling at a reduced price and those that are upcoming (and with demos!) Check out the full list below!
FixFox Review
What if we wanted to take on the climate change crisis by simply modifying our DNA so that we took on animal traits like fur so that we could regulate our body temps? Or work out medical issues that overtake our bodies with a fresh new species takeover? That’s the baseline of the story of “FixFox”, a solo game venture by Rendlike and published by Joystick Ventures. You’re a spacefaring clumsy foxy fixer-upper named Vix who is accompanied by her toolbox Tin, and you’re pulled into one last job to prove you’ve got the repairing chops to keep your job. Unfortunately, you crash land on a planet in a system that looks down on tools and fixing, and will police your attempts to solve the various planets’ problems, unless you distract them with a radio broadcast. Over the course of trying to escape the planet’s various communication and humanitarian problems, you discover a story of humanity’s past and its innate problems in the present. FixFox had a vibe & story that pulled me in and kept me engaged with its many twists and turns, and so many little unique details.
FWG Monthly Newsletter August 2024
Ever since I stepped up to president in 2021, I have been proud to lead the Furry Writers Guild. It has been an absolute joy to see the talent and passion amongst the writing community.
Sadly, all things must come to an end. I have decided to step down as president of the guild effective immediately.
I have not achieved all I wanted for the guild, but I truly believe I have left it in a better place than I began. Every president has left their mark in expanding and evolving the guild, and I am happy with what I achieved. I have simply come to realise that I no longer have the time and energy to devote to running the guild in the way that it deserves.
For that reason, I will be stepping down. My VP K.C. Shaw will be stepping up to fulfil the rest of the current term, with a decision to be made in April next year to continue or to initiate an election. Over the next few days and weeks, I will be assisting Kate to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
You will still be able to find me around the Telegram and Discord as always – I’ll be sticking around to help moderate the chats, though our wonderful members always make it so easy by never having any drama to police!
It has been an honour and privilege leading the guild these past three and a bit years. Thank you everyone for entrusting me with the presidency.
But! This is still a blog post, and that means there are markets to share! Check these out if you have a short story within you.
F/F Non Erotic Anthology – Deadline August 31st 2024
Isekai Me! – Deadline August 31st 2024
Paw Anthology: Volume 2 – Deadline November 21st 2024
Spirit of the Wolf – Deadline March 31st 2025
Indecent Exposure – Deadline When Full
This Is Halloween – Deadline When Full
Children Of The Night – Deadline When Full
Furry/Lovecraftian/Erotic/University Themed Anthology – Deadline When Full
Beyond Their Pale – Deadline When Full
Please also check out the latest releases from our members.
Squeak Thief, by Kyell Gold. Released July 2024.
The Heavens Within Our Grasp, edited by Maddison Scott-Clary, featuring stories by multiple FWG Members. Released July 1st 2024.
Far Flung, by Utunu. Released July 3rd 2024.
The Eternal Party, by DarkEnd. Released July 4th 2024.
Therianthropic Dreams, by NightEyes DaySpring. Released July 15th 2024.
Return of the Queen, by Shaun M. McGrath. Released July 31st.
Shadow Sun, by Jess E. Owen. Available for pre-orders. Released August 30th
Legend of Ahya: Broken Empires, by Matthew Colvath. Available for pre-orders. Released October 2nd 2024.
There might be one more monthly blog from me, depending on how the transition goes with Kate. If there is, I will see you then.
If not, I leave you in the very capable hands of Kate.
Thank you everyone.
Stay safe and happy writing.
J.F.R. Coates
Race to the Rides
More interesting news from Cartoon Brew: “Viva Pictures has picked up North American rights to the animated feature Grand Prix of Europe. The story of the film revolves around Edda, a racing car-obsessed young mouse, who must disguise herself as her idol, Ed, and take his place to compete in the Grand Prix to save her family’s amusement park. The film is a tie-in for the German theme park Europa-Park, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. The theme park has won the Golden Ticket Award eight times for being the best park worldwide.” Viva Pictures is also making quite a name for itself for distributing more obscure animated feature films. After finding success with The Amazing Maurice, they went on to bring us Dragonkeeper and the upcoming 200% Wolf.
image c. 2024 Viva Pictures
Issue 21
Welcome to Issue 21 of Zooscape!
The world turned upside down, and everyone went scrambling, trying to hold on to the past or find a new way of existing in the turmoil. The world does that sometimes. It turns upside down, and you find yourself lost in a swamp of confusion.
One of the most surefire ways of turning your own world upside down is to have children. They’ll turn your world upside down over and over again.
I started Zooscape when my younger child started kindergarten, and I suddenly had a lot more free time on my hands. I put Zooscape submissions on a long-term, indefinite-length hiatus when I discovered my older child needed more help getting through high school than I’d expected.
My world turned upside down, and the rest of the world got Zooscape. My world turned upside down again, and the rest of the world had to wait to see if Zooscape would come back again or not. Meanwhile, I made sure to store a bunch of stories up to keep you all entertained while you wait…
* * *
Frog Song by Koji A. Dae
Don’t Cry by Ian Madison Keller
The Frog Wife by Rebecca E. Treasure
The Cloak by Erin Brown
How Fred the Opossum Mobilized the Microbes and Saved the Universe by Mary Jo Rabe
If Your Child’s a Dragon by Chad Gayle
* * *
…and now that everyone has waited so patiently, we’re happy to announce that Zooscape will be re-opening to submissions on January 1st, 2025.
As always, if you want to support Zooscape, check out our Patreon. Also, you can pick up e-book or paperback volumes of our first 13 issues bundled into four anthologies, complete with an illustration for every story.
If Your Child’s a Dragon
by Chad Gayle
“…it isn’t easy dealing with the problems of a troubled young dragon, as you already know. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to do it alone.”
If your child’s a dragon, there’s no need to explain your tattered clothes or the smoke rings round your eyes. We know how your eyebrows got singed, and we know you spent half an hour or more circling the parking lot because you really didn’t want to walk through those double doors. You didn’t want to take your place among us, to admit by your very presence that you’re afraid of your young dragon, nor do you want to acknowledge that the love you’ve always felt for the magical creature living in your midst is fraught, these days, with dread and disappointment. Most of all, you’d rather not divulge the secret that you’ve kept hidden from family members, friends, and coworkers for so long, the awful truth about the life you’ve been living, the fact that there have been moments, far too many now for you to count, when you’ve wanted to kick your dragon to the curb, to send them packing and to do your best, afterwards, to forget you ever loved them at all.
We know all about these feelings because our children are dragons too. We’ve felt your shame, your self-deprecating guilt, and your nauseating fear. Like you, we’ve all been burned so badly by our dragons that we thought our wounds would never heal.
And we all have our stories; mine’s probably not that much different from yours. Along with my partner, I pampered my dragon with love and affection, and together we tried to make sure she felt wanted, safe, and secure. As our dragon grew older, we told her how important it was to talk about her feelings, to learn to understand not only why she was happy but why she might be sad, and we did the best we could to help her figure out the place she wanted to occupy in this world. We tried to be there for our dragon; we did everything we thought we were supposed to do, which, as it turned out, was not enough.
What we didn’t see, or what we weren’t prepared to acknowledge, I should say, was the magnitude of the anxiety that beset our dragon as she matured. The first real sign of trouble came when we realized that our dragon had stopped attending flight school, which, as you are no doubt aware, puts a dragon at risk of becoming permanently dependent upon humans. At about the same time that we made this discovery, our dragon started smoking, and she smoked incessantly, filling our house with sulfurous fumes that kept me and my partner coughing for hours on end. Maybe you’re a member of the camp that believes dragons can quit smoking after they start. I happen to think that they can’t because I’ve spent the last two years administering anti-smoking punishments and potions and poultices to our dragon that never gave us more than a few weeks’ worth of clean air. But that’s my dragon — maybe yours is different.
Anyway, the smoking was the least of our worries. As her anxiety intensified, our dragon tore up the furniture and picked at her scales with her claws until her body was covered with sores. And she became bolder and more aggressive with me and my partner, thumping her tail menacingly against the walls or the floor as soon as we brought up her mounting absences from flight school.
Sure, it’s adorable when your dragon’s knee high and she whips your ankle with that little tail of hers, but it’s not quite the same when her head reaches the ceiling and a mere flick of that tail — which is as thick as a tree trunk — can break your femur or every one of your ribs. I don’t know if you’ve reached the point in your relationship with your young dragon where lines have been crossed and bones have been bent, but I’m sure you’ve had glimmers of how much worse it can get in the darkest of your dreams, nightmares in which you grapple with the questions I grappled with after I came home from the hospital that first time. Questions like, what if she hurts me again? What if she hurts someone else? I know these bones will mend, but how can the damage done to my heart ever be repaired?
I would love to say we worked out all of our problems on our own, that our dragon quit smoking, returned to flight school, and took a solemn oath never to strike me or my partner again, but the time for myth-making is over, my friends. As awful as it makes us feel, my partner and I had to admit that our dragon is better off living somewhere else for the time being, sheltered in a closed preserve with dragons her age where she can be monitored and privately tutored, and so we are in the process of finding a program where she can get the care that she needs without endangering herself — or us — any longer. Which isn’t to say that I still don’t find myself grasping at straws, searching desperately for reasons to keep her with us for at least a few more months, but I’ve accepted the recommendations of the wizard we consulted, and I’m committed to following through with this treatment plan because I know that we have to think not only of the health and safety of our dragon but of our own health and safety as well.
I’m sure you’re asking yourself, as you try to get comfortable in your seat, how any of this helps you, in your situation, which is different in various degrees from mine. The answer is that although our situations may be different, the problems that we face with our dragons are very much the same. That’s why we all meet here in this great cathedral every other Monday night — to tell our dragon stories and to lean on each other during times of crisis and conflict. Because it isn’t easy dealing with the problems of a troubled young dragon, as you already know. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to do it alone.
We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do try to support each other however we can. We come to this sacred place from townships all over this kingdom because we refuse to give up on our young dragons, because we believe in the possibility of a better future for all dragons, everywhere. We’re dragon people, in other words, and we’re proud of it.
Well, as usual, I’ve stood behind this podium a lot longer than I’m supposed to, but that’s because I’m so happy to see all of these new faces here today. Now I want to welcome you all and tell you how much I look forward to hearing your dragon tales and to walking the road to recovery with you. We really like to think of ourselves as one big family, you know — but, be that as it may, I’m getting that hand signal from my partner again; yep, I can put a sock in it and yield the floor.
One very, very last thing before I open it up to the new parents and give you all a break by sitting down: if your child is a gnome, my apologies — you want the green room at the end of the hall.
* * *
About the Author
Chad Gayle is a writer and photographer based in NYC. His speculative fiction has appeared in The Colored Lens and MetaStellar Magazine; his commercial photography has been featured in The New York Times and The Huffington Post. Husband to the world’s most talented veterinarian, he has witnessed countless stories of furry recovery and redemption that have given him a reason to believe in a brighter future and a better tomorrow for animals everywhere (humans included). He is also the proud parent of two amazing children and three rescue cats.
How Fred the Opossum Mobilized the Microbes and Saved the Universe
by Mary Jo Rabe
“Fred deliberately thought of nothing as he concentrated on soaking up impressions from the microbes in the pond.”
It turned out to be a perfect time for saving the universe. Fortunately, Fred the resident farm opossum was paying attention, as always.
After a long nap, some careful foraging activity, and resultant nibbling, Fred the opossum laid his moderately chubby body down on the brown grass and dipped the sticky claws on his front feet tentatively into the muddy duck pond.
The ducks flew off, quacking loudly in protest but acknowledging the potential danger of Fred’s presence. Completely unnecessary. Fred would never bother trying to kill a duck. Too much effort involved. Duck cadavers, marinated in the pond for a couple of days and covered with a crust of crunchy maggots, on the other hand, were a savory delicacy. He was more than content to let someone else take care of actually slaying the avian creatures.
To his relief, the pond water was more than satisfactory for his purposes today, both in temperature and in general viscosity. The air around Fred was cool and dry, which was pleasant since he was sensitive to temperatures for a few hours after waking up. Cool was better than hot.
Fred preferred cold water to remove the insect remains from his claws. His limbs were still quite agile for his advanced age, but it was to his advantage to keep his grasping appendages free of obstruction.
Mud was also quite useful as a soothing lotion for sore paws. An opossum that tended to his body parts tended to live longer, which was Fred’s constant goal.
It smelled like the hogs hadn’t been near the pond for a while. Fred’s pink nose on his long, thin snout couldn’t detect even a whiff of hog excrement, just overly ripened corn from the fields, a promising scent. There would be plenty of tasty, sated insects in the cornfields for dessert later.
The dark, deep pond — frequented by the farm animals but ignored by the human creatures — was hidden behind the three-story wooden barn, itself shabby with weathered planks that had been painted red in more prosperous times, now missing the occasional slab. The current humans weren’t concerned with appearances.
Fred found the structure imposing, if only in size. These human creatures were generally clueless about important things, but they did construct impressive objects for habitation, both for themselves and for their animals.
The increasing chill in the air meant that it was probably getting close to sundown. The sunlight was getting dimmer, which annoyed Fred somewhat.
There were no clouds, and he hoped that it wouldn’t rain. It wasn’t that he disliked rain. His thick, gray fur protected him from hypothermia, and he quite enjoyed shaking and shimmying to get the heavy raindrops off his bristly hairs.
However, Fred missed the light that clouds restricted. It was bad enough that the light receded every day, even though that made life safer for opossums. In the few hours Fred was awake during the day, he loved to watch the joyous play of sunbeams on plants and ponds, making their colors dance, a pleasure possibly unique to this planet.
Fred might be elderly, but he was certain that his body and mind were in excellent shape, if only because he kept both active.
There was still time before supper, and so Fred decided to slip into the pond for a quick, relaxing swim. He liked to feel supported by the water while he paddled around and opened his mind to discussions with the microbes who lived in the pond, probably his best friends on the farm.
As the ticks in his fur fell off and floated away, Fred swallowed each one with gusto. Crunchy ticks soaked in fragrant pond water made for a delightful appetizer.
Fred deliberately thought of nothing as he concentrated on soaking up impressions from the microbes in the pond. In structure, they were simpler creatures who, however, when united, far outmatched more complex creatures in powers of observation and analysis. He could only hope that he didn’t bore them with his thoughts.
The communication chain worked best top to bottom. More complicated creatures could send messages down to creatures with less complicated structures fairly easily. The less complicated creatures had no trouble taking these messages apart and analyzing them.
However, it demanded strenuous concentration for a creature with a more complicated structure to understand what the less complicated creatures were communicating. Their messages came slowly and were often interrupted. Fred had the patience and physical vigor necessary for listening. Plus, he enjoyed hearing from the microbes.
Most opossums ridiculed him for talking to the microbes. Fred got tired of explaining that he listened far more than he talked and that opossums were foolish to ignore sources of information.
Other opossums were just as receptive as Fred by nature, but they preferred to spend their time eating, mating, and sleeping.
Today, floating in the pond, Fred engaged in pleasant chitchat with the microbes, nothing serious, just comments on life in general. While listening to them, he thought he sensed something else, something not quite right in the universe, but nothing he could put his paw on. The microbes themselves had no worries they wanted to pass on.
After splashing around for many enjoyable minutes, Fred decided it was time to think about setting his refreshed legs in motion and joining the semi-feral farm cats for supper.
The felines did consume the occasional small rodent on the farm but also let themselves be fed outside the farmhouse by the somewhat capricious though kindly human creatures.
Fred and the cats got along well enough. It was only when a new cat arrived that Fred had to re-establish the pecking order ─ or, in this case, the order of growling, pawing, and slapping ─ for the feral but currently resident mammals on this farm.
Cats had to be reminded that opossums ruled. He had managed to acquire their respect one by one as they showed up at the farm.
For some reason feline tourism abounded in this area. Fickle cats always thought they might get better food at a different farm.
They were wrong. The occupants of this dilapidated farmhouse were quite skillful cooks. The repast they set out for visiting animals was always delicious; it just tended to arrive at varying times. Fred had long since learned to be flexible in his eating habits.
However, it was common knowledge, or perhaps inherited memories, that opossums shouldn’t go near humans, if only to avoid becoming a premature component of the food chain. Some humans were known to consume opossums, calling them tasty vittles.
The humans in this house didn’t use that kind of language, but a cautious opossum took nothing for granted.
Caution had its benefits, one of which was avoiding the necessity of “playing possum.” It was beneath Fred’s dignity to lie immobile, roll his eyes, draw back his lips, bare his teeth, and expel noxiously fumed secretions from his anal glands. It took far too many swims in the duck pond to rid himself of that stench afterwards.
Fred developed the habit of waiting for darkness before he approached the farmhouse to partake of the banquet the humans would offer. He always only ate after the humans returned inside.
It was getting darker, and so Fred swam toward the edge of the pond. Out of habit, he perked up his dark, rounded ears, not to listen to the motors of the tractors, combines, and harvesters on the farm, but to be open for any important information.
Opossums had a special talent for hearing, for listening to the grunts and lowing of farm animals, of course, but also for absorbing messages from other more complicated structures in the universe.
Most such data was boring, but every now and then Fred picked up on something useful. Way back when, his ancient ancestors had detected the behavior of an approaching asteroid and made arrangements to survive underground.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to warn the dinosaurs. They just didn’t listen to the pleas of primitive, tiny mammals. This was still the case today. Opossums couldn’t communicate with more complexly structured creatures because such creatures couldn’t concentrate on what the opossums said.
Right now, Fred could only be certain that he sensed powerful, individual thoughts from the six-legged creatures he intended to devour later. Flies, mosquitoes, and gnats, buzzing and humming contentedly, were busy selecting their own sources of nourishment in the cornfields.
Fred stomped out of the pond and shook the water off his fur. Feeling energetic again, he scampered around the barn and down the hill to the two-story, old-fashioned farmhouse, probably painted white some time ago but now displaying graying boards.
His timing, as always, was perfect. The screen door opened and a tall, female human, followed by her loquacious, diminutive offspring, brought out bowls of meat and milk and water. Today, as so often, the child seemed to understand the greetings Fred sent him.
When the adult headed back into the house, Fred jumped up the steps to the porch where the door to the kitchen was. Fred growled and then shoved his way through the crowd of cats, who submissively moved aside and made a path for him.
“Fred’s here,” the child shouted. Since the creature wasn’t even half the size of his parent, and since Fred only received benevolent telepathic thoughts from him, Fred wasn’t afraid of him, though Fred did feel more secure when the all the humans went back into the house.
Fred, of course, did have a distinguished opossum name, but after the child had started yelling “Fred” at him in such a delighted tone of voice a few years ago, Fred decided to claim it for himself. The name “Fred” brought about pleasant associations with the evening meal the humans provided.
However, survival instincts demanded that Fred wolf down the food and drink and then head for the cornfields before the humans could suddenly pose any threat. While his behavior might be considered rude, he consoled himself with the thought that the humans could always talk to the feral cats if they needed mindless repartee with their outdoor dinner guests.
Fred scurried over to the nearest cornfield, running until he was convinced that he was invisible to the humans. As expected, he found sufficient insects for his dessert crawling around between the muddy rows.
When he couldn’t eat any more of the tasty, crisp insects, Fred lay down between a few stalks of corn and looked up at the sky. This was the time of day when he was most awake.
Without the food the humans provided, he would have to be off hunting. However, with a temporarily full stomach, Fred could tend to what he liked best. As soon as the humans extinguished the toys in their house that lit it up, the cloudless sky gave Fred an excellent view of outer space.
He ceased all conscious thought, opened his mind to any impressions he might absorb, and concentrated on the stars.
Fred always loved those points of light, the hints of color in the black night. Fortunately, the air was dry and cloudless. He had a completely unobstructed view, which should have made him unreservedly happy, but he sensed something was wrong.
It took a while before he could comprehend the messages. He directed his full concentration upwards. The stars didn’t radiate their usual joyful contentment. A sense of apprehension pervaded, which was unusual for the stars and galaxies that generally moved with the abandon that the laws of physics allowed.
Although it was his habit to spend about an hour in the cornfields enjoying his dessert, this time Fred spent the entire night watching and listening. It took that long to make sense out of the feelings he was absorbing, to translate feelings into concrete thoughts.
There were just so many stars to listen to. Eventually he understood that they were all broadcasting the same message, however with varying details.
The universe was in danger because one of the infinite numbers of parallel universes was on its way to collide with this one. Since the parallel universe was larger, after the collision, the parallel universe would dominate the resulting, newly formed, compound universe.
The physical laws of the parallel universe were such that matter would be unable to form, and existing matter would quickly degenerate to pure radiation.
This prospect made the stars sad, which Fred the opossum could understand. Being an opossum on this farm on this planet occasionally had some disadvantages, but he had no desire to be turned into an unstable collection of meandering photons.
More to the point, however, how could this collision be prevented?
Fred knew when he needed to brainstorm. Whenever he was at a complete loss, he consulted the microbes in the duck pond. They always listened to him. Each individual microbe didn’t know much, but when they joined to a telepathic group mind, they often came up with excellent ideas.
Fred shuffled out of the muddy cornfield and, as soon as he was on firm ground, scurried over to the duck pond and dived in.
“Yo, microbes,” Fred began his telepathic message. “Listen up. We all have a problem.”
“One of the new cats steal your food again?” the microbe group mind asked.
“No, no,” Fred said patiently. “This is a real problem, unless you like the thought of losing your physical existence and being turned into pure energy.”
That got their attention. Fred explained that some stars at the outer edge of where dark energy pushed them had noticed disturbing changes.
Comparing observations, the shrewd quark stars came to the unanimous conclusion that a parallel brane of a universe was approaching the brane of this one. Collision was probable. The approaching universe was larger and would absorb this one, converting all matter here to radiation.
Fred sensed the uneasiness and uncertainty that this caused among the microbes.
“Any ideas on how we can prevent this?” Fred asked.
“Obviously this is more than microbes can manage,” the microbe group mind answered. “Tell your humans to build something or do something. They’re good at that kind of thing.”
“You know that they don’t have the patience to listen to me,” Fred said. “On their own, they won’t notice anything until it is too late. Then their building skills won’t help them.”
“Still, microbes don’t move universes,” the microbes said. “Maybe we should just go with the flow. Eventually this universe will peter out into nothing anyway. Why not be part of a radiant road show first?”
“Eventually is a long, long time,” Fred said patiently. “Think about it. You enjoy your one-celled existence, absorbing, expelling, moving about. You sense pleasure from the physical feeling when chemicals or life forms move through your membranes. I can’t imagine anything more boring than floating around in a cloud of nothing.”
“Hmm,” the group mind said. “Maybe you’re right, but we still aren’t capable of doing anything.”
“We have to come up with some idea,” Fred said. “Or else we lose it all. You microbes always have a solution to things. Find one for this problem.”
“We can’t do anything, but we might be able to function as intermediaries,” the microbes said after a long pause. “We’ll pass your news down to the molecules, they can pass it down to the atoms, and they can pass it down to the subatomic particles. We’re all forms of matter and, like you said, all have something to lose.”
“Excellent,” Fred said. “I could probably pass the message down as far as the subatomic particles myself, but I wouldn’t be able to hear their replies or suggestions. Just concentrating enough to listen to you takes a lot out of me.”
“Right,” the microbes said. “Each level of complexity can only easily understand communications from a maximum of one lower level. If we concentrate, we can hear the answers from the molecules, they can hear the answers from the atoms, and so forth. Eventually your message would have to reach dark matter and dark energy.”
“Perfect,” Fred said. “I’m sorry I have to involve you, but no one listens to the stars except me.”
“Don’t get your hopes up, though,” the microbes said. “There is a definite problem that the message could get garbled at every level or that it will turn out that no one can do anything.”
“Try anyway,” Fred said. “I have every confidence in you.” This wasn’t completely true. Fred knew that the microbes’ group mind had a capacity for thinking that was far beyond his. Unfortunately, microbes also had difficulties in staying with one project. They were spontaneous, more than a little flighty, and got bored easily.
He had no idea what to expect from subatomic particles all the way down to dark energy. Even if there was a general willingness to do something, Fred had no idea what could be done.
He could only rely on the microbes to initiate some action.
Actually, the sun was now fairly high in the sky, and Fred needed to find a safe place to nap. To get to the next little wooded area Fred would have to retrace his steps past the farmhouse. This seemed too risky. The child was already playing in the front yard. Fred could run fast, but possibly not fast enough.
There were a few thorn bushes at the back of the ramshackle barn. It would be uncomfortable for Fred to crawl between the barn and the bushes, but the location was unlikely to attract the attention of the human creatures. So, no choice.
“I’ll be back later,” Fred said to the microbes as he crawled out of the pond and walked reluctantly over to the bushes. Once he was between them and the barn, he felt invisible enough to sleep for a few hours.
Listening to the microbes and thinking about the fate of the universe must have tired Fred more than he thought. When he woke up, it was very dark, and he was hungry. He suspected that the cats had already consumed his portion of the supper banquet that the humans put out. He would have to survive on whatever he could forage.
First, though, there were more important things to take care of. He wanted to know what the microbes had accomplished, if anything.
He stumbled over to the duck pond and dived in. When he was physically surrounded by the microbes, it was less strenuous to listen to them.
“Yo, Fred,” the microbes broadcast into his consciousness.
“Yo, microbes,” Fred answered. “Do you have any news?”
“Yes and no,” the microbes answered. “We’ve been passing the news back and forth all day. We got answers and questions and then answers and more questions and then more answers. For the longest time, the only answer was that there was nothing that could be done. We’re completely worn out.”
“Thanks for trying,” Fred said. “I know this was hard work for you, always concentrating on messages from lower levels of structure. No wonder you’re exhausted.”
“We would have given up hours ago,” the microbes admitted. “But we didn’t want to disappoint you. You’re a good friend, Fred.”
“Thanks, but what is the current situation?” Fred asked.
“The short version is that it’s unanimous through the structures all the way down to dark matter. No one wants to let a parallel universe obliterate this one,” the microbes said. “Dark energy is still undecided.”
“Why?” Fred asked.
“Who knows?” the microbes said. “We’re awfully tired.”
“I know,” Fred said. “If the universe survives, it will be exclusively due to your hard work. The whole universe will owe its existence to you.”
“Yeah, well,” the microbes began. “Only if we succeed, and we are getting too tired to do anything more.”
“I know,” Fred said. “But could you make one more attempt? How about if you send down the thought that dark energy won’t have anything to do in the new universe. A universe consisting solely of radiation doesn’t expand. Any kind of energy would find itself paralyzed.”
“We’ll give it one more try,” the microbes said. Fred heard how fatigued they were. He hoped he wasn’t asking too much. He didn’t want to threaten their existence, especially if the whole attempt turned out to be in vain.
He waited and floated in the pond. He was starving, but it didn’t seem right to abandon the microbes after all they were doing.
“Success,” came the tired reply from the microbes. “Dark energy understood your thought that it had as much to lose as the rest of us. At this moment, it is calculating how it needs to steer the brane this universe is in away from the approaching one. It thinks it is doable. Dark energy just has to pulsate the rate of expansion instead of constantly increasing it. That should yank the universe out of danger.”
“Great,” Fred barked. “You really went to your physical limits and saved us all! How can I make it up to you?”
“To be honest,” the microbe group mind said. “We need reinforcements, additional, energetic microbes to support the group. Can you help us with that?”
Fred’s first thought was to sacrifice a few cats, but he quickly abandoned that suicidal prospect. If he attacked one cat, the others would make cat food out of him.
At that moment, a few ducks landed on the water. Ducks! The proverbial solution of killing two birds with one stone. Fred could attack some ducks and then dunk their cadavers into the pond for the microbes. Once sufficient microbes made their way out of the ducks, Fred could slaughter one duck for his own, long-delayed, evening meal.
Fred was tired as he quietly swam over to the first duck, tired but determined enough to swing a mighty paw and whack his first prey with his claws. It was no problem to then hold the creature under water for a sufficient length of time. The microbes deserved no less for saving the universe. Fred would eat later.
* * *
Originally published in Pulphouse, Issue 18
About the Author
Mary Jo Rabe grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa, got degrees from Michigan State University (German and math) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (library science). She worked in the library of the chancery office of the Archdiocese of Freiburg, Germany for 41 years, and lives with her husband in Titisee-Neustadt, Germany. She has published “Blue Sunset,” inspired by Spoon River Anthology and The Martian Chronicles, electronically and has had stories published in Fiction River, Pulphouse, Penumbric Speculative Fiction, Alien Dimensions, 4 Star Stories, Fabula Argentea, Crunchy with Chocolate, The Lorelei Signal, The Lost Librarian’s Grave, Draw Down the Moon, Dark Horses, Wyldblood Magazine, and other magazines and anthologies. You can find her blog at: https://maryjorabe.wordpress.com/
The Cloak
by Erin Brown
“Her cloak held the warm, soft, stolen remains of all that the wolf had ever loved, all covered by a blood-red cloak and filled with that poison-sweet song, that venomous laughter.”
The wolf had the brambles to thank for the extra few minutes of life. He had chosen to sleep in the tangle because it had grown a roof of snow, keeping him nearly warm through the winter night, as well as completely hidden. As a result, when the smell of meat and spices and the sweetness of song roused his body in the early morning, the thorns arrested his instinctive pounce before his mind awoke enough to remember caution. Then he recognized the voice.
The song was sweet as any sent to greet a morning’s sunlight, and the smell of the meat twisted his stomach into knots, but the voice made him curl up into a ball of aching bones and frost-tipped fur, and he swallowed a growl. The song grew closer, and then he could see it: the bright red cloak of the hunter girl.
The wolf glared as he watched her approach in her long red coat that dragged across the snowy ground. Behind her, a fist-sized chunk of green and shining bacon was dragged along on the end of a thin rope. It had long ago stopped marking a trail in juices and simply scraped its path across the snow, across her boot prints. She walked slowly, singing all the while, and her crossbow hung by her side, pointed down, carried stiffly. The wolf could barely tell if the ache in his belly was hunger, or hatred. The words of her song silenced the few birds singing above in the bare trees.
Here little wolf, little wolf, little wolfie
Come to me, come to me
The winter is cold, and my gran needs a blanket
So I’ll never let you be.
The wolf restrained himself from snapping his jaws at the brambles, from tearing at the thorns until the way to her was as exposed as a throat. As she walked, a bright red blotch against the whiteness of the world, black scratching the white sky all around by the barren limbs of the trees, her cloak flapped a little, and the thick grey lining showed itself. The tops of her boots were fuzzy and brown. The wolf knew them intimately.
Her boots were lined with the hide of his mother, the scent tainted by the girls own body scent. Her cloak was lined with his brothers, their skins draped across her shoulders, or dragged across the snow. The red hood on her head hid a mottled white fluff that had been the belly of his sister. He did not know whose fangs made up her buttons, but to get close enough to find out was to get close enough to bite, and be bitten.
His mouth filled with bitter saliva, and it drooled down his jaw and froze in his fur. The bacon, as hungry as he was, barely mattered. The girl was stout and strong, and her smell healthy and hot. But her cloak. Her cloak held the warm, soft, stolen remains of all that the wolf had ever loved, all covered by a blood-red cloak and filled with that poison-sweet song, that venomous laughter.
There had been so many winters without his pack, his family. All of the other packs had been chased away. He was so alone. Food would not stop his misery, just prolong it. Only the cloak was home.
With the memory of love of family warming his hide like weak wet winter sunshine, the wolf stifled a whimper of desolation, but not enough to fool a hunter. The girl stopped and spun around, and looked right into the bramble. She crouched down slowly. His brothers’ skins bunched beneath her, against the snow. His mother, his sister, all dead skins curled around her, to keep her warm. It was intolerable. The girl in the cloak laughed to hear him growl, and set her crossbow across her knee. And smiling right into the wolf’s eyes, she sang.
Here little wolf, little wolf, little wolfie
I see you, I see you
The winter’s so long, and I’m cold and I’m lonely
I’m bettin’ you’re lonely, too.
She laughed at him, her mouth wide and pink, her white teeth so small. She tugged the bacon forward and swung the rope so that the meat landed just a bound away from the brambles, and she laughed when she heard him whine. But she misunderstood the source of his misery. When she had tugged the rope, the reddish-brown fur over her arm showed itself, and the smell of it caught the wolf by the throat. It was a familiar hide, it was family, but the wolf could not remember who. He was forgetting family, love, warmth, life. He was forgetting!
The furs called like howls to his heart. The girl kept singing. But the wolf only heard the silent songs of his family, all warm panting snarling playful recollections, loping across his memories of life before this red demon had appeared to them for the first time, so long ago.
There would be no more winters, either for himself or for this horror and her bow and her cloak. This would end. One of them would laugh, would sing the winter hot as blood again. Only one of them.
The girl swung her crossbow up just as the wolf exploded out of the snowy brambles. She had aimed for the bacon, where she thought the wolf was going.
But he was aiming for home.
* * *
About the Author
Erin Brown is a black, neurodivergent author of horror, fabulist, and fantasy short fiction. She has been published in Fantasy Magazine, FIYAH Magazine, The Deadlands, Midnight and Indigo, The Los Suelos CA Interactive Anthology, and 3Elements Literary Revue, with work in the anthology It Was All a Dream: An Anthology of Bad Horror Tropes Done Right. Erin is also the recipient of the Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship in Creative Writing for Spring 2022.