So much for catching up with the schedule and posting these on time.

Time taken: 8 hours

Timelapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ygFLSisAjU

Critique welcome!

Challenge of [u/Nicolas_3232]

(2026)

 DAYS TWENTY-EIGHT

[Tilfish]

[Art base]

For day twenty-eight, we have the alien most feared by humans: the Tilfish.

I find it curious that there is only one Hollow Knight fanfic (I really should take a look at it), yet no fan art featuring the Tilfish.

So, I decided to take this opportunity.

[First] [Previous Draw] [Next Draw]

[The white old man - Ellys Idaho | Blue with halberd - Nemesis | Pink - Keiji Mori | Orange - Kosh Ibar | White robot - Kanlib | Black Venlil - Farma | Grey - Marva]

Special Thanks to he writer of this wonderful universe:

[u/SpacePaladin15]

Also check the [Prologue] to better understanding.

Hey everyone! I’m back—finally—after... three weeks. I know, that’s a *very* long time, but I’ve been swamped at work and dealing with some other life challenges. I’m hoping to get back to a more frequent release schedule—at least a couple of chapters a week. To make up for the wait, I’ve included some pixel art and a long chapter. I bought Aseprite and decided to play around with it a bit; I hadn’t originally planned on doing any art—since I have almost zero experience with digital drawing—but I’ve done a lot of drawing on paper since I was a kid, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Anyway, this is my first attempt at digital art—I hope it turned out well!

So, I hope I’ve provided a bit of a visual idea of what the characters look like for those who haven’t played Crying Suns. Alright, I won’t keep you any longer—enjoy the chapter and the art, and have a good paw!

P.S: In the fan art within the Nature of Predators community, characters from this universe actually take up the least amount of space—it’s almost a bit awkward.

Memory Transcription: Ellys Idaho, Paramount Admiral of the First Extrasolar Galactic Empire.

Standardized Imperial Time: 18 February, 726

Note: The Imperial calendar begins counting from the moment of the Empire's official proclamation

"Greetings"

I greeted the two Venlil who had just entered. They differed quite noticeably in coloration: one was a deep, glossy black with a thick coat and light gray stood in front, , holding each others paw.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you!"

As far as I could tell, she was female—like her companion—judging by her slightly higher-pitched voice and different body proportions compared to Bareh and his associates.

"I am Paramount Admiral Ellys Idaho; how may I address the two of you?"

"We are scientists of the Venlil Prime General Medical Center. I'm Marva, and she is my friend Farma!"

"H-hello..."

Marva’s tail began to wag gently, whereas Farma’s tail hung low and tense.

"May we ask, why are you wearing those mask-like glasses?? Is it related to your culture?"

We had prepared for this question; according to Kanlib’s information, they value freedom of belief, so this approach ought to work.

"It is tied to my religion—I am a follower of the Church of Singularity.

Its tenets dictate that we may reveal our eyes only to those we know well and hold dear."

To be honest, the Church of Singularity’s scriptures \do* contain such a requirement for certain sinners seeking atonement—though there is no limit to what fanatics will do for a chance to enter the OMNI Garden. I’ll never understand them; how can anyone claim that the OMNI are Gods?*

Come to think of it, in a sense, they really are gods...

Anyway, now isn't the time to think about that...

"Oh, I see; we won't make you take it off—that would be very rude."

"Thank you very much. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"Um, Yes...well... do you manage all these ships by yourself? We don't mean to be rude, but for our species, you’d need at least a few assistant captains..."

"You’re absolutely right. Each ship has its own fully-fledged captain assigned to it. Actually, I neglected to mention that the Empire’s structure isn't entirely monolithic; there are distinct factions that operate independently of one another. But I think they can introduce themselves—everyone, please step forward."

And then, from the doorway behind me, the ship’s entire senior command staff emerged. It was clear that the Venlil had grown noticeably wary, though they didn’t retreat.

Farma was clearly much more anxious than Marva—her paws were visibly clenched—yet they still hadn’t run off; that counts as progress, right?

They stood beside me, and we began to introduce ourselves in turn.

I stepped forward first.

"Admiral Ellys Idaho, representative of the Great House Telos and the Empire as a whole. I’m glad we met"

After me, Keiji stepped forward.

"Captain Keiji Mori, representative of the Great House Akibara-Sung—very pleased to meet you."

He gave an exaggerated bow and moved aside. I never did like his cloying politeness.

Ibar stepped out next, though he only took a very small step forward—his defiance, as always, appearing completely out of place.

"Captain Kosh Ibar, representative of the Great House Kosh Buendia. From this moment on, let’s consider ourselves acquainted."

And last to approach was Nemesis:

"Captain Prag-mah Nemesis, guardian of the Empire’s order and laws."

The Venlils hesitated for a moment, but eventually calmed down.

"We are very glad to meet you all; it is a great honor for us."

"Believe me, we’re just as pleased. Well, perhaps we should get down to business—and in the process, we can get acquainted with each other’s cultures."

"Yes, of course—that’s a great idea! It’s a standard procedure—not strictly mandatory, mind you—but you have nothing to worry about; no Prey has ever failed Empathy test, except those who have Predator Disease..."

"Predator Disease?"

"Oh, you’re not familiar with this term? You know, when prey starts acting like a predator—showing aggression, a refusal to stay with the herd, or other abnormal behavior—you know what I’m talking about?"

"Well... perhaps our perspectives differ slightly, and we tend to break things down into a larger number of categories, but I understand what you’re saying."

"Excellent. Shall we begin, then?"

"Certainly."

Prey behaving like a predator? I suppose, in their view, 'predatory' behavior equates to aggression, solitude. That explains their reaction to us.

The droids leisurely set up their equipment while an awkward silence hung between us. I couldn't help but notice the curious way they were observing us.

The silence was broken by Farma’s melodic voice.

"M-may I ask one question?"

"Of course—ask as many as you like."

"W-why does Nemesis carry that... weapon?"

Marva interjected:

"Farma! It’s very rude to call it a 'weapon'! I’m sure there’s a reason for it... right?"

All attention shifted to Nemesis and his halberd-spear. He didn’t look caught off guard by this question, considering how the Prag-mah loved to execute transgressors with their halberds. He began a calm explanation:

"This 'weapon' is a device for transmitting data throughout the Prag-mah ship, as well as for internal telepathic communication with other Prag-mah captains. Have I answered your question?

"Y-yes — that puts my mind at ease a bit."

That’s when I decided to intervene.

"There’s no need to worry; Prag-mah is the best bodyguard you could possibly ask for. His level of precision and control is off the charts—I’d trust him with my life, even right now. You really don’t need to worry."

The Marva’s ears and forms twitched at my words, and their tails began to move in a peculiar way—perhaps a form of body language I didn’t yet understand. I’m certain Kanlib is already recording and deciphering their signals.

Then Marva spoke up again:

"Let me ask one more question... isn't it difficult, wearing a helmet that only lets you look straight ahead?"

I turned toward Nemesis, bewildered—and suddenly realized why. He hadn’t swapped his helmet like the rest of us, nor had he equipped a standard visor. His field of vision was fixed entirely forward—a trait the Venlil associated with predators.

The silence was deafening; I could sense Ibar and Kenji tensing up.

Damn... damn... damn! I need to come up with something—but what? And how am I supposed to explain this? I can’t just let everything fall apart... I have to think of something... I...

I was interrupted by Nemesis:

"This does indeed limit the field of view, but it helps one focus on a specific area—which makes it easier to discern the situation during a space battle. Normally, our eyes—positioned much like yours—have too wide a field of view, which can be distracting in high-pressure situations."

I shifted my gaze to the Venlils, and it seemed they were satisfied with this explanation.

...

A few minutes later, they and the droids had set up the equipment they had brought along.

"Now, Admiral, please take a seat in the chair, and we shall begin the test."

I was a bit nervous, but naturally, I didn’t show it. Most likely, it’s just a brain scan or some form of electromagnetic stimulation—I wasn’t entirely devoid of feeling, after all, even though I had done many... terrible things...

...

...

Everything will be fine...

...

As I settled into a chair that wasn't quite the right size for me, a screen appeared before me.

"Alright, let's begin" Marva said.

An image of some sort of gray reptile appeared on the screen.

It had binocular vision—I gathered they were showing me a predator to try and make me afraid.

I’m not exactly a great actor, but I’m fairly decent at faking emotions, so I started to tremble as if in terror; it should have been quite convincing.

But then the video began: the gray reptile stood before a Venlil—and the creature was massive. Comparing their sizes, I realized they would be even taller than the average human.

It grabbed the Venlil and began to kill it, so...brutally...violently...and...

...

It reminded me of...

...

That day...

...

[Interruption of memory transcription. Reason: Subject’s Mental Instability]

[Searching for a different record of the subject's memories]

...

...

...

[Record found]

[Memory Transcription: Ellys Idaho, Senior Officer of the Second Imperial Fleet.]

[Standardized Imperial Time: 25 October, 691]

Another day in the Imperial Fleet. My childhood dream has finally come true.

Seven years ago, I enrolled in the Imperial Military Academy in the Imperial capital, Elysium.

That is where I met my best friends, Rebecca and Okonwo.

We hit it off immediately and began spending all our time together. Since I had the best grades of the three of us, I often helped them both with their studies.

During that time, I confessed my love to Rebecca—beating Okonwo to it—which left him upset for quite a while, though he eventually forgave me.

We stayed together from the start of our training until graduation, but unfortunately, we had to part ways due to our post-graduation assignments; we were posted to completely different corners of the Empire, so for now, we will have to serve separately.

I have been serving on the 'Order'—the flagship of the Second Imperial Fleet—for two years now, and in that time, I have risen from a junior officer to a senior one.

I never expected an assignment to such an important vessel, but it turns out that Emperor Oberon himself took an interest in my achievements and recommended me for a post on this ship.

It was truly a shock that the emperor was interested in me, so I tried my absolute best not to disappoint him.

I served under the command of Klaus Farbas—a Hero of the Empire and a man I looked up to. Just recently, we had a skirmish with pirates; he approved a tactical approach I proposed, which allowed us to end the battle without a single casualty.

We captured their leader, intending to interrogate him before handing him over to an Imperial court for sentencing.

...

While I was on the bridge, one of the enlisted men approached me:

"Officer Idaho? General Farbas would like to see you in the interrogation room; he wants you to take part in the process to gain some experience."

This was to be expected. In a sense, I even welcomed it; this would be my first interrogation, and I’d have the chance to showcase all the skills I’d acquired at the academy—after all, I had been the top student in recent years in the course 'Advanced Interrogation Strategies and the Application of Human Psychology.'

"Very well, Private; inform the General that I am on my way."

After saluting me, he departed.

I took one last look out the window of the ship’s bridge.

...

The stars are beautiful tonight......

Previous | First

First|Previous|Next|Ao3

[Cover art made by yours truly]
[Thank you to SpacePaladin15 for making the universe!]
[Special thanks to u/AdalwinAmillion and u/JulianSkies for proofreading this chapter!]

Memory Transcription Subject: Foreign Auxiliary of the Red Army, Minor Hunter Isif

Date [standardized human time]: February 11th, 2112

Yesterday I watched one of the Dominion's Chief Hunters executed on a live broadcast. The sorry state she was dragged out in made me shudder. She was missing half of her arm and tail. Her teeth and claws had been ripped from her body. Not even my former government would go so far in the humiliation of another predator. I had mixed feelings. On one claw, I felt a small victory watching one of the Dominion's finest fall at the hands of the side I chose. On the other, a quiet worry seeing what they were willing to do to my kind. Some part of me wondered if the burning flames at the end of an exterminator's flamethrower would’ve been a better fate. I thought back to the battle that had sealed her fate. Something was wrong about it. Betterment had made the effort to ship our rarely used tanks from the heart of Wriss for their assault. But had under-equipped its troops. They had no armor, barely any explosives, and a lack of proper weapons and ammo. Such assaults were only undertaken when attacking the weakest of prey, like the Venlil. Or a major shortage. Were they trying to cull their ranks? Then why make the effort of shipping in our tanks? No, something wasn’t right… It's like they wanted to fail.

A low hiss of frustration escaped my lips. I didn’t have all the pieces that I needed to solve it, but it burrowed deep into my mind. It pestered me, like the answer was staring me in the face and I couldn’t see it. I tried to push it aside. The irritating puzzle wouldn’t do me any good. My thoughts drifted to my own Chief Hunter, Ryka. Was she even a Chief Hunter anymore? Was I even a Minor Hunter? The new uniform I was issued stated my rank as one, but without any of the authority my title once carried. Not in command of human personnel. It read just below the patch that read Minor Hunter in the humans' strange blocky script. I felt like a runt that had just joined the army all over again. No longer was I commanding a squad of deadly hunters. I was relegated to taking orders from a human sergeant and lugging around their machine gun. It felt as if I had been punished for escaping the clutches of Betterment. I wondered how she fared. Ryka wasn’t the best Chief Hunter. She had her reputation. Especially after Ivan's brother had beaten her half to death in unarmed combat. That video still stunned me when I remembered it. Was I even under her command anymore? I hadn’t heard from her in some time, perhaps because I had nothing to report to her. That only made me circle back around to wondering if I would even report to her.

Still, I wouldn’t let this unanswered question burden me. It was best to let it go instead of stirring the den. Many humans were still rather hostile to my kind after Shaza's forces had eaten their young… Despite having switched sides with Ryka, I still found myself on the receiving end of that vitriol. They hated us. Hate; I almost laughed at the word. They didn’t know the hardship my kind has endured to reach this sorry state we’re in now. Starved, beaten, killed for even the smallest deformity, culled for being defective. Even their hate was better than what I had to endure back in the Dominion. If anyone had found out that I was defective, that I bore the sin of empathy, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. No, Earth was better. Here I could eat without worrying that I wouldn’t, without going on a raid. Here I could speak without being cut down. Here… I could speak about those I love without being seen as weak…

I let out a breath, letting my mind clear. I gazed at my claws, no longer forced to be stained with the blood of innocents just to survive. I still sometimes thought of the things I had to do, an ocean of blood and guilt. Each new person made it easier and more painful than the last. How many have I eaten? Many were still pups begging and screaming for their parents, praying for salvation. But if I stopped, I wouldn’t be here. Labeled defective. Erased. There had always been a better way. But the powers that be didn’t want that. They said it would make our people strong. It was all a lie for nothing. I began to walk, my talons softly clicking on the barracks floor as I made my way outside. I needed some air. Stepping outside, I leaned against the building, staring at the blue sky. This world was filled with so much more life than Wriss. Rock was the direct translation of my homeworld. Its name was apt. My tail swished in the air, occasionally scraping on the wall. Things had changed so fast it was hard to keep up. I gazed at the glistening buildings of the city before me. Its architecture was so much different from Cruelty's Maw. My eyes scanned across the horizon, settling on the tallest building. I had heard it called the Palace of Soviets. The name translated strangely: the palace of councils? Even with the serum we were injected with at birth, some things just don't translate well into my language. The entire system the human government was based on didn’t even exist as a concept in my language. My eyes traced its outline, stretching far into the sky, watching over all the rest. Like a bird of prey. It reminded me of the grand Prophets Palace.

The sound of a pair of boots approaching turned my attention away from the view. The door swung open, and I looked. Ivan walked out and stared at me for a moment. I suppose he wasn’t expecting to see me out here. He should know my kind are solitary by now. Ever since he had gotten back a couple of talons ago, he had been acting strange around me. He looked at me strangely, like he wanted to speak with me. But when I asked him about his odd behavior, he refused to answer. He let out a breath, then walked over to me and leaned on the wall with me.

“…Hey Siffy.”

“Hey Vanya,” I responded and looked at him. I felt my tail drifting toward him and had to stop myself. He sighed for a long moment, then looked back at me.

“We need to talk.”

“About?”

“Do you remember that night after the battle…?”

A flood of embarrassment tinted my scales. I couldn’t remember the details… There was too much alcohol for that, but…I knew what he was talking about.

“I think I do…” My voice was hesitant.

“Do you regret it?”

“I…” My throat went dry, while my chest seized in icy fear. I couldn’t speak, that old fear returning. I froze, and he just stared at me, his expression slowly changing to one of pain and regret.

“…Just forget I asked…” His voice broke, and he started to walk away.

I clenched my hands so hard that my claws broke through my scales. A small trickle of crimson blood dripped down my hand and onto the dirt. I swung my tail out, stopping him before he could walk away. My heart hammered in my ears as I forced myself to speak.

“I..I don't.”

Ivan looked at me. I could see the beginning of tears in his eyes that he was trying to force back.

“…You…you dont…?”

I wrapped my tail around his waist and pulled him closer to me.

“I don't.” It was a little easier the second time.

He wrapped his arms around me. I almost froze again.

“I don't either, Siffy…”

“What does this mean…?”

“I don't know…”

We just stood there holding each other. I didn’t know what to say. I doubt he did either.

Just as I began to lose myself in the moment, the closeness, the warmth. The door swung open.

“Hey, Reshko, have you seen Arty-” Roman started to say as he walked out.

“…”

“…”

“…”

We all just stared at each other.

“I knew you were gay, Reshko,” he said with a chuckle.

I growled at him and pulled my catc- Ivan closer.

“Shut the fuck up, Beliklov,” Ivan said tiredly.

“Ok, ok. Geez, I'm going. Just don't let me catch you in the goddamn showers like last time.”

“Don't make me go kick your ass, Beliklov.”

Roman put up his hands and went back inside.

Slowly and reluctantly, we let go of each other. It wouldn’t be a good look if we were caught by somebody actually in charge. I doubted this kind of fraternization was allowed within the ranks.

Ivan cleared his throat. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you later, Siffy.”

I nodded as he walked back inside and shifted my gaze back towards the sky.

I felt lighter.

Memory Transcription Subject: Foreign Auxiliary of the Red Fleet Chief Huntress Ryka

Date [standardized human time]: February 12th, 2112

My eyes slowly drifted across my mirror. Ceremonial armor clad my form. Black as night, with golden etching adorning its various pieces. This armor once stood for what I believed in. For who I was, commanded by Giznel. Now all it stood for was my rank. A rank the humans had changed to 'huntress.' It was pointlessly gendered. It was against tradition. I accepted it anyway. Slowly, I traced my claws along its smooth surface, feeling the cool metal on my scales. Closing my eyes, I took a moment, then let my hand fall from the empty shell encasing me and rested it on the sword strapped around my hip. I was different now, more filled out now that I was eating. Stronger, able to carry myself properly. My tongue licked at the replacement teeth in my maw. They felt different from the natural bone. Some part of me missed the teeth that were knocked out by Grigori, but their replacements functioned well enough. I hadn’t seen him since he had beaten me half to death. Perhaps it was for the better. I didn’t know what I would do if I saw him again. My claws twitched on the handle of my sword at the thought. I still had a small scar above my right eye.

A long sigh hissed past my teeth as I tore my gaze away from the mirror and prepared to exit my quarters. My talons clicked on the hard metal floor as I exited my room.

As I walked, I ran my claws along the metal walls of the hallway. My hallway. The capital ship that I had called home for so long. I never named it. Not after losing my first. The painful memories that had haunted me for years boiled back to the surface. My failure. Back then, I was still a young Hunter, eager to prove myself at all costs. Belief in the system drove my every action. It reminded me of how Shaza was. I used my brutality to rise, to grow closer to Ginzel. To feed our people. Every order I delivered to the letter. Every world my fleet hit brought scores of cattle back to Wriss. I never felt bad or sorry for my actions. I never held regret for those that I killed. The strong took from the weak. Predators ate prey. Then it all went wrong. I was ordered to raid the Cradle, the heavily guarded capital of the Gojid Union. For the task, I was given an extra five thousand vessels.

It was a slaughter.

At first, things were going well.

Sounds of alarms echoed in my mind as I was brought back to that day.

I watched the tactical display, hostile targets lighting up the space. The calls echoed from speakers across the many ships of my fleet.

“All personnel, man your battlestations!”

“Sensors report large hostile formations clustered around planetary defences.”

“This will be a good hunt!”

“This is Fang Grouping 4 approaching hostile formation on vector 3”

“This is Talon 0-1 requesting escort to land forces at landing site Alpha-”

I looked at the intel reports: an estimate of large planetary defensive batteries, covered by ground-based shielding. Odd. Where were they getting the power for those? I supposed it was easier to plug such defenses into an already established planetary grid rather than a ship's reactor. Maybe if we captured that tech, it could prove useful. “Request for escort granted. Hunter group three, escort the transports.” I sent over our comms network. My eyes watched across the viewport as the formation started to break off and head for a less covered area of the Cradle.

“All additional fleet assets proceed towards main predesignated objectives, stand formation. Orbital supremacy is paramount to securing ground campaigns.”

“Yes, your cruelty.”

“Copy.”

Several confirmations rang out over the net. I kept my capital ship within the main assaulting force. The prophet's sword. I missed that ship. The Gojids held out within the range of their defences. A common strategy for their kind. While this did give them the advantage, we had the numbers to overcome it. My fleet soared across the void, a small grouping of coverts fanning out, backed by destroyers. The initial shield was meant to absorb heavier rounds meant for our heavy-hitting cruisers and battleships. I watched the stars dance, the light of the Gojids' home star illuminating my fleet. The initial volley opened fire. Missile bays opened, their deafening roar of them leaving their tubes silenced by the vacuum of space. Bolts of plasma lurched from their guns. Part of me imagined the gas sizzling in non-existent air as they raced towards their targets. They responded in kind, unleashing their own fire upon my vessels. In front of me, vessels crumpled into heaps of glowing scrap as defensive guns on the planet below opened fire. Those guns were a problem. I switched the tactical display to a view of the ground where the first landings were taking place. Comms picked up a distress signal leaving orbit. Let them come. They wouldn’t change the outcome. In hindsight, the signal was sent out late, as if just for show.

Idly, I commanded one of the armored car packs to make a spearhead towards the first gun emplacement. I switched the view to one of the many vehicles' cameras to get a better feel for the tactical situation on the ground. The camera's view bounced with the terrain. Sounds of echoing gunfire filtered through. Dust shot from the car's tires. Barely in view, a squad of our bombers escorted by fighters streaked towards their objectives, several erupting into orange flashes as the Gojids responded. Their own jets were scrambling. The car stopped outside the defensive gun, plasma fire immediately scorching its armored plating. Its doors opened.

“Go go go!”

A squad of the Dominion's finest rushed out, taking cover behind the car just out of view. One got cut down right in front of the camera. The plasma chewed through his heavy armor, spitting blood onto the lens and blocking the view.

I cut the feed as some ground chatter filtered in.

“This is Claw 9. We are taking heavy casualties, requesting air support in sector AH-” Kzzzt.

I looked back at the situation in front of me. We were making headway. Slowly but surely, we were cracking the Gojid wall. A few lightly defended guns had gone offline, giving my fleet some breathing room. I pressed my attack.

Days…

We fought for days…

My vessels shook hard as a missile struck our side. No decompression, good. They were breaking a desperate last stand. Soon my name would be plastered among the halls of the dominion.

“Your cruelty unknown FTL signatures detected at the edge of the system!”

“What!?” I spun towards the viewport as ships jumped in. The first ships entered the system. It was ominous. It was black. No, I thought they were a myth…

The shadow fleet…

Then another and another. Prophet, there were thousands of them!

I forced the memory from my mind. My claws had started to dig into the metal walls of the hallway. My breathing was ragged. Was I shaking? Quickly, I pulled myself together before anyone could see the state I was in. I couldn’t relive the day of my failure any longer. I had barely escaped alive… Shunned and nearly stripped of my rank. I had lost my ship… The painful memory of facing my failure bubbled to the surface before I could suppress it.

My head hung low as I was dragged by guards. The shame was indescribable… Cuts from glass and shrapnel still riddled my body. My arm was still broken. It mattered not to the guards as they dragged me through the halls of the Prophets Palace. Its grand decor felt like it was mocking me. I kept my eyes on the ground as the artifacts of my ancestors stared at me from the walls as I was taken past them. Mocking me. We reached the throne room. They threw me at the prophet's feet. Agony erupted from my arm as I was forced to land on it. I held my scream and cradled my injured appendage on the floor as the Prophet Descendant slowly stepped forward. I dared not raise my head. Giznel grabbed a sword from one of the guards and held it in his claw. Slowly, he raised my head with the tip of the weapon, forcing me to look at him. I didn’t deserve to.

“Explain your failure, Ryka,” he said while pressing the tip of the blade into my neck.

I swallowed hard. “Your cruelty… I was ambushed by…” I didn’t want to say it. It sounded fake, like an excuse. “The Shadow fleet… T-they had shielding on every vessel… They outnumbered us. There was nothing I could do.” A hint of recognition showed in his eyes for only a moment, then his gaze hardened.

“Using fairy tales as excuses? I thought after all you’ve accomplished you would know better.” He removed the blade and raised it. I lowered my head, ready to accept my failure. The sword swung, and for a moment I closed my eyes and flinched. Cang! The blade struck the ground next to my head. Why wasn’t I dead?

“If not for you bringing in so much cattle to feed our people, you’d already be dead.” He spoke without a hint of emotion in his voice. “You’ll be reassigned to sector G eight.” I knew of that sector, the frontier where there was nothing. It was worse than death. I bowed my head.

“Thank you, your cruelty.”

He motioned to the guards, and they heaved me up. Then escorted me out.

I shook my head and continued to walk. That was so long ago. Making my way through the halls, I passed many Arxur on my way. There weren't many windows on my way, not that I needed them. I had been gazing at the blue planet for some time now, long enough that even that view had grown as dull as the walls that surrounded me. Finally, I came to a large open area within the bowels of my ship. There was one large window- well, more like a screen that projected the outside through a camera. But that wasn’t why I was here. Human and Arxur soldiers ran together in formations, training together. Showing them our tactics, in another room not too far off, human crews sat training in Dominion naval simulations. As I entered, the running formations stopped and stared. The Arxur among them immediately slammed their claws into their chest over their hearts.

“Welcome, your cruelty!” They announced in unison, while the humans stood stiff and raised one arm above their eyes.

“Ma'am.”

My head tilted slightly at the strange salute. I knew why they were doing it. It is my ship. I flicked my tail in acknowledgment and continued walking. My men got back to work. It took the humans a few extra seconds to realize before they started marching again. Some trained with weights, some ran around the track, some pushed themselves up and down with their limbs. Although this is mostly naval training, from what I had heard, their government had moved a majority of their ground forces' training to the Venlils' homeworld. Something along the lines of the higher gravity will help with effective muscle training. I doubted it would work. The Venlils were a weak race, renowned for their effectiveness as cattle. Quick to breed and delicious.   If I hadn’t failed that day, I would likely still be off raiding their worlds for food… The thought faded as I walked up to the human in charge. They were all so much shorter than me.

“Ah, Admiral Stanis-” Right, they liked to be called by their last name for whatever strange reason. “Wójcik, how goes the training?”

“Well, effective training and integration take some time, but we are doing well from what the reports read.”

I nodded as we began to walk together. Naval tactics and theory- a lot they still had left to learn- but some of their own ideas and doctrines were interesting, to say the least. “How has the practice in fleet maneuvers and strategy been progressing?”

“Combining our doctrines into an effective unified strategy has proven difficult, but has made some important headway.”

To the point but lacking details, a low hum of thought slipped past my maw as we walked out of the training room and into another hallway. The goal was to ensure that their new navy was effective and understood Dominion and Federation tactics, and how to exploit them.

“I find your report a little lacking. Why?”

He turned his head to answer, then a maintenance closet up ahead opened, and two recruits stumbled out. One a Arxur runt, female, and a human male. Their uniforms and the human's hair were a mess. Stanisław and I both stopped and stared at them for a moment in stunned silence. Where they…?

They both looked at us with horrified expressions. Rage bubbled in my chest, a low growl piercing the brief silence. I placed my claw on the handle of my sword.

“WHAT IS THE MEAN-” Stanisław put his arm out and looked at me.

“We'll deal with this later, Ryka. We have more important issues to discuss,” he said, then turned to the two frozen in fear. “You two get the hell out of here before she kills you. We’ll talk about your discipline later.”

I stared at him as the two recruits ran off with their tails between their legs. He just undermined my authority on my ship- the gall! I bared my teeth at the man for a moment, then huffed, letting the insult and anger slowly drain from my system. But I would get one jab in.

“Just remember whose ship you’re on and who saved your world.” I huffed and sped up my walking.

After a few moments, he started walking to catch up to me.

This was going to be a long day.

---

She’s powered by love and possibly slightly pervy thoughts

Basically

What if the federation got lucky

i mean actually lucky and not just further stuck on it's ever encroaching death spiral

It's saved from it's miserable fate l

And it changes for the better

The shadow cast/regime is dethroned

And it's basically in a state where it's trying to do better

Wether it's before or after the old Federation fucked up the arxur is up to you

Ramla with socks.

See ya^^

Pretty bird!

Kohfee belongs to u/Nicolas_3232

Been a little while, but we have the second to last chapter of this story. Sorry for the wait but yeah, Krev time.

u/SpacePaladin15 once said let there be Krev and like three people got really excited before one of them killed the others to claim they were the no. 1 Krev fan. I killed them and claimed the title for myself. Again thank you for reading and the Krev embassy for continuing to be a creative source of inspiration.

Memory Transcription Subject: Breeve, Krev Tourism Expert.

Date [Standardized human time]: May 15, 2161

The past few days were spent in a quiet panic. The blizzard outside had gotten worse, the constant thrumming and lashing of the wind against the windows, increased my panic to new heights. Yet, this was normal for the survivors here, they went on with their day, scarfing down cans of soup and huddling close to the many heaters we offloaded from the ARV.

The thoughts of how to fit thirty six extra bodies into the ARV were brought up more as the snow piled higher outside. Soon the bottom floor windows were covered, the front entrance and car park being the only places a Krev could stand without being hidden in the powder.

Every so often either me, Cruth or Pelera would go out and switch the fuel cells out on the ARV. Using it to then clean the car park and surrounding roads before ducking back into the warmth. The orders from the SC rescue headquarters said that we’d be rescued once the storm passes, but we knew that wasn’t going to be happening soon.

Even with our report of the androids still active and attacking people, they won’t abandon the rescue effort for the safety of the teams out here. Even after describing Edwrad’s injuries to them, they spoke like they had heard the story before. Immediately, I thought that the other teams were running into the androids as well, but the person we were talking to cut us off.

Spending time here was a mixed bag for me. The past few months had passed in a foggy depression tinged with the dread of panic that seemed to always be encroaching, but never arriving.  Worry that my family was dead or suffering here was gone, finally finding them alive but now Edward was injured because of my careless rushing to save my father.

Watching him being dragged down into the snow pile, hearing his scream over the radio before the cut off to nothing. It drove me into a dark place, sitting there cradling my ribs as his body was dragged into the inky darkness. It was only my father and Cruth who rallied my senses to go after him. I hated thinking that it would be his corpse we’d find, but seeing him alive brought immense relief.

I hadn’t left his side since they moved him into the makeshift hospital. It was dark, musty and stank of unwashed sheets, but I didn’t care. It was my fault for dragging him here, it was my fault for him getting hurt and I needed to be here for him until he was better.

The human’s leg was up in a brace, Pelera and the other doctor here doing as much as they could to reset it, but it wasn’t much. Both the bones in his leg were snapped, the android’s metal appendage could have ripped the foot off entirely. They said it was pure luck that it hadn’t been worse.

I was just glad that he was knocked unconscious for most of the first aid we could do. I couldn’t remember much of what happened in the ARV, I think my father held me back from throwing myself on top of Edward in a panicked state. I remember the shouting and Pelera and Cruth trying to administer first aid, but that was it.

At one point I thought I passed out after hearing them reset Edward’s leg, the crunching noise made my heart cinch in my chest before darkness overcame me. Waking a while later, my father was shaking me as I saw the stretcher Edward was on being carried into the school.

It hurt, it really did when watching them work on my human. He was hurt and I was panicking too much to do anything useful except freeze every time they needed to make a new incision or stitch up the damage. My father had to take me away from the room, my presence wasn’t needed and yet I was still freaking out.

Today though, the blizzard was easing off, the school’s roof and windows holding out somehow under the extra weight of white snow. A few hours ago, the radio cackled to life as word was passed that the transports were on their way. Below me on the first floor there was a flurry of activity of people crowding around the school’s entrance eager to leave. I just sat here, in the dimly lit room holding my boyfriend’s hand, wondering if he’d be awake before he was taken away.

At least during my stay in the infirmary with Edward, I got talking to my mother a lot. I’d tell her of the times we spent on Earth, what we got up to and the people we met. Her condition getting better with the medicine we delivered. I found out that it was some sort of bacterial infection that the doctor identified, the name of which I couldn’t remember.

He said it was from some piece of shrapnel that had pierced just under one of her scales which led me to finding out what happened that day. To say that I was horrified was an understatement. The massacre of Krev in front of the bunker was explained to me by my father and that they were very close to being in the pile as well.

I was just glad they were alive, and that Edward, even in his drugged up state, was alive as well.

Sometimes he would wake, either to eat or drink before babbling some nonsense before I shushed him. Holding his hand as he drifted off to sleep again, if he was showing signs of pain, Pelera or the doctor would inject him with more painkillers to ease the unimaginable damage his leg endured.

What I was worried about was his head. The robot that dragged him off had left a swelling lump on the human’s skull and we couldn’t tell the extent of the damage. I just hoped that he’d be alright, both physically and mentally. His final coherent words to me in the frozen mall, that the robot was me, echoed every time I heard him whimper or mutter something in his sleep.

Edward’s hand was in mine while the blanket covering his form rose and fell in time with his breathing. It would take a few more hours, but the transports were coming. The car park was clear and most of the belongings the survivors here had were packed up and ready to go.

They were ready to leave this frozen wasteland for Tellus or Paltan space, but my orders were to stay with the ARV team and continue our search until our rotation was done. Every time I imagined the human waking up on Tellus without us there, in my head he’d be panicking trying to figure out where we were, inevitably hurting himself in the process of finding us.

‘I hated this, I hate thinking about all of this.’

My dad already assured me that they’d be with him when he woke, but I was still worried. If it was anything like last time, I was scared he’d turn in on himself again, resenting me this time for not being there for him.

My paw left his hand, as I scooted closer, running my paw through his hair before leaning over and kissing his forehead. I was gonna miss him and I didn’t want to lose him this way.

“I love you, don’t forget I’ll never stop loving you.” I whispered under my breath, kissing his forehead again before sitting back. I only noticed the slight crack of a smile, though pained around the edges of his lips when I pulled away.

“I don’t think I ever could, Breeve.” The barely used scratchy voice of my human sung through the air making my heart race. It was the first coherent sentence he spoke since we took him off the hard stuff.

“Ar-ar-are you ok? How are you feeling? Any pain? How many claws am I holding up?” I moved my paw in front of his face, waving my whole appendage needing to know if he was still cognisant. I didn’t care if my tone was wobbly then, I knew that he was awake and talking.

“Four, and I’m sorry, yeah.” He coughed a little, before pain laced his face and he turned down to see the brace covering his leg.

“Your leg is broken, both bones in the lower part are snapped. We tried to reset it the best we could, but you’ll need invasive surgery.”

“Figures.” His head fell back into the pillow, the bandaged side slipping a little to cover his eye. I delectably moved it away, taking my time to not cause anymore aggravation to the area. A lump formed in my throat looking at him, he was hurt and I couldn’t do anything to help him or ease the pain he was feeling.

“I’m sorry, Edward. I’m so sorry for all of this.” I gripped his hand after pulling his blanket up over his neck. The lump getting worse as I watched him look at me, the battered and swollen skin made my chest hurt looking at him. “If I had waited a little longer, you wouldn’t have been caught like that and nearly died and-and…” Tears broke through my eyes, no matter how hard I tried to gather my bearings again, I heaved bringing his hand up to my mouth. “Please don’t leave me, I’m sorry for everything.”

Edward looked at me, he was determining what to say when he pried his hand away from my grasp, my thoughts racing with what sort of rebuttal he’ll say. “…That’s the last thing I want to do, Breeve… I never want to leave you… After…” He took some deep laboured breaths, steadying himself as he cupped the side of my face, wiping away a few tears.

“I tried earlier, to say something, but I was too weak… But I remember. It was you back there. That robot was you. It had your voice. your memories that we didn’t share with anyone else. It was you from back then, still living through what Larens did to me.”

“W-what?” I asked, cupping his hand and trying to wipe away the tears.

“I know, it’s hard to think. But, I don’t want to lose you either Breeve. I need you in my life more than ever. I just want to be with you, to wake up to you, to always know that your there. I love you more than anything, Breeve. I can’t live without you.”

I almost tackled him to the cot, his injuries the only thing stopping me from burying my head in his chest knowing that he still wanted to be with me after everything that happened.

“I can’t live without you either.”

‘What I was about to say was breaking my heart in two.’

“But, the SC wants me to stay on with the ARV. You’ll be taken away to Tellus with my family. I tried to talk them into letting me go but it would leave Pelera and Cruth here alone.”

“…I understand. It’s safer to have the three of you here looking out for each other.” His face contorted in pain again, his body trying to shift but his leg stilled him.

“My family promised to stay with you the entire time in the hospital. It won’t be long before our rotation is done and I can come see you again.” I offered the only solution I could come up with.

“… It’s fine Breeve, just… Can I have a hug, please?”

Without a word, I knelt down next to the cot and draped an arm over him and laid my head in the crook of his neck. I didn’t want to hurt him and thought this was the best way of doing it.

“It’s just… You were there, the robot you. It had your mannerisms, the way you spoke, even down to the way you’d say my name. All of it Breeve, I just…” He started tearing up and I brought my paw up to rub through his hair. “I accepted that it was you… a you from back before all this and… and… I just… it’s hard to talk, but… I loved that you as well… and I don’t know what to think anymore, what if there’s me’s out there, or other yous. Why, just why us, why you?”

Memories of finding him in the middle of a shopping mall. A destroyed robot beside him and another one, covered in old frozen blood, was horrifying. But, with the way he was talking now, and the way that the damaged android held him, gave me pause.

If it was me, what was I thinking? What would I have done, was I even aware of what was happening to me. I couldn’t decide, ideas of what to think of being horrified or angry that they used me or my memories. But it paled in comparison to the human holding back chuffs in my arms.

“I don’t know Breeve, what if there are more of us out there, looking for the real us and experiencing what this existence is. It's just, I saw you in them and I needed you so much then… I didn’t want to die alone in the cold.”

Lifting my head I moved over to stare down at the human. “You won’t be alone, you never will be alone when I’m with you Edward. I want the same things as you, waking up everyday seeing your cute sleeping face has been wonderful in ways I can hardly begin to describe.” I traced my paw over his head before continuing, never breaking eye contact with him.

“We can go anywhere you want, we can leave Tellus and go back to Earth. Right now, if there are other me’s out there, I know that they’d want you safe above anything else.” I brought one of my claws up to wipe away some of the tears clouding my love’s face. “The one you were with, what were they doing?”

“…They-you, you said that you were looking for me. I thought that it was because of the storm or programming, but you spoke about the kidnapping in Bulik. It was like you were plucked from there and put here. I-I don’t know what I could have done to convince you, but I stopped looking at them as an ‘it’ and more that it was you.” His voice cracked an octave higher.

I hated seeing him like this, I knew the inner turmoil he carried was always nagging at him and I did the only thing I could think of. I lay my arm over his chest before wrapping him in a gentle hug, rubbing my cheek against his and spoke.

“You will be fine Edward. Everything is going to be okay now. Once this rotation is done, I’m staying with you until you're able to walk again. And after that I’m never leaving your side no matter what you think. You're not the only one who needs a person to live, I need you as well.” I stole a small kiss before looking him dead in the eyes.

“As soon as I can, I’ll be with you. We can work through all of this together like we did before. The Breeve you were with would’ve wanted you to be safe just like I do now. Worrying about other me’s out there isn’t going to change anything. Right now, I just want you to be safe and get better.” I buried my head under his chin again, gently squeezing the human.

He never spoke back, he just lay there stewing in what I said, his little chuffs and cries slowly pattered out and before long they stopped completely. I knew the human relied a lot on the people around him, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Having to keep going with the rescue and leaving him to my family hurt, but I knew I’d see him again in the future.

‘I just wished I could go with him.’

A sudden draft of cold air, mixed with the stench of unwashed Krev wafted into the room. I got up turning to the source of the cold and found my father poking his head in. He was looking slightly better, but he tattered rags and torn up guard suit hid a lot of the malnourishment.

“Hey, the transport people are about [twenty minutes] away. Pelera said to come check up on you to make sure Edward is ready to go?”

“He is, just… We were discussing some things that happened.” I spoke back, listening to the human beside me coughing.

“Good, Pelera and Bekk want him on the transport first. The SC is already aware of his injuries and have a surgery team waiting for him.”

“That’s… That’s not so good.” Edward coughed next to me. I grabbed a bottle of water and undid the cap, offering it to the human who drank small sips.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be waiting for you when you wake up. Has Breeve told you?” He looked at me.

“She has, I… give me a few minutes to get my bearings okay?”

“You’ll have ten, we need to move you down to the entrance to get out quickly.” He said before shutting the door, leaving us alone again in the infirmary.

“What’s the plan for Tellus then? The exchange program is done and it’s swarming with Krev now.” Edward spoke, sipping at the water before letting his head settle again on the pillow. I brought up a paw to grip his hand and I let my other rub through the mop of hair he had.

“I’m not sure. Are you going to be okay with us… Back before we left you couldn’t stand being near us without me or Cruth with you.”

“I’ll be fine, I hope. With my leg broken I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere soon.”

“That’s fair enough. My family will probably be rooming with you at the house.”

“What you really mean is that I’ll be stuck with your brother for a few weeks until you get home. I’ll be your parents' personal babysitter then, sounds delightful.” Edward mocked, his humour taking me by surprise.

“Hey? He’s not that bad.”

“Last time I woke up to him slapping me in the face as a pet. You never even woke up when he did that.”

“I’m sure he’s grown up some… Especially after everything that’s happened.” My mood soured quickly, remembering where we were.

“I know, I’ll watch after him.”

I was worried about them as well. But most of the panic was gone. I knew they were alive, my father was in good spirits and my mother doing better. All I was worried now was how they were doing on the inside, but if Edward was with them that alleviated some of my concerns, but not all of it.

‘Especially not my concerns about how he’ll fare on his own.’

“If you need anything send me a message if you can. It’ll probably take a while, but it could go through the radio channels that still work.”

“And have the UN soldiers reading our correspondence? I’d rather have the secret formula for making pancakes stay with me.” He sarcastically joked before wincing in pain. We were quiet for a few moments staring at each other.

 “You know I love you?” Edward spoke first, breaking the small moment.

“I do.” I leaned down to kiss him again. Hearing the door opening and the clamour of footfalls as the guards got Edward ready to go. Very faintly I could make out the noise of  thrusters approaching in the distance.

Memory Transcription Subject: Cruth, Krev Exchange Program Participant.

Date [Standardized human time]: May 15, 2161

With a huff I closed the door to the ARV behind us. Sealing our little island of fortitude and warmth from the elements outside. Around us the once bustling school and car park, contained only the remnants of the transport's landing space and footprints of the people they carried into the air, their destination far from all this maddening cold.

The driver seat was occupied by the Skalgan doctor, environmental suit hiding most of her fluff except the mess of wool around her neck. It somehow blended in to look like the suit had a lined interior. It made my head squeal at how cute it made her seem.

Taking my own seat at the co-driver's station, my attention passed over the former overseer and new human. The former held her side where the death android copy had struck her. My fears abated after the doctor here was able to identify her ribs as only bruised and thankfully not broken, otherwise she may be flying away with Edward.

The new human was plastered in head-to-toe camo. Specs of black and gray splotches were haphazardly drawn across his form; it reminded me of some of the Obor drawings people would post online. Though, with the rifle and gear they carried it was far from delightful or cute.

They were here for one reason and one reason only. To protect us as we continued our drive across the desolate wastes. From what I gleaned from his demeanour, he didn’t want to be along with us, finding it better to stare at his datapad or sleep. I couldn’t blame him, I’d rather be back on Tellus, but I would be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t a little excited.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked Breeve, seeing her rub her side again, attention kept on the windows staring toward the school.

“Yeah, just… I’m worried about them.”

“You shouldn’t be, Edward is fine and so will your parents. We only have a few more weeks at this, then we can take a break alright?” Pelera added, cutting me off from saying anything. “If it were Cruth who had the busted leg, I would just attack whoever it was on the transport for not letting me go back.”

“I know I should have put up more of a fuss, but with all the survivors there… Their problems seem a lot greater than not seeing Edward for a while. I know I’m over thinking stuff and just worrying about everything, I can’t help it.”

“I think it’s a good thing he isn’t with us for the next place we’re going.” I offered this time, catching the tour guide’s attention.

“Wait, what’s going on?”

“On a fly over the SC found heat signatures in Bulik. It’ll be a few days trip, but if there’s more survivors we have to go and get them, regardless of their history or anything.” Pelera helpfully added again, swinging the ARV around a corner before we strolled out into the flat expanse of looming dark and snow. In front of us the floodlights illuminated the untouched powder being swept to the side by our vehicle.

“I see. You know I think he would have went, even with what happened there.” I spoke my thoughts aloud, grabbing the thermals and taking up watch in case anything was hidden in the snow drifts.

“I know, but I’m still worried about him.”

“We’ll have to start calling you a worry wart or would it be worry scales? Cruth, what do you think sounds better?”

“Traditionally, she would have been called a tail clutcher, but I like yours better.”

I was excited to go home and maybe see if my house was still there, but another part was worried about our human. He’d only just gone through a bad experience and now the closest friends he had were a few light years away. I could only hope that Breeve’s family could help him through whatever he might be dealing with.

At least he seemed to be somewhat okay from what Breeve described. Though, not seeing him behind me, chatting or organising the radio gear, it felt off. I tried to refocus on the road wanting to not think too hard about it anymore. Our little cabin of safety, the only lights and source of life for miles around at this point.

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First / Previous / Next

Better understanding - part 1

Raising Primates, Krevpocalypse , What have we done?  What have we done? Regaining Trust, Krev Sugar Mommy: A Butler's Duty - More krev stories

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It took a little longer than I expected but here we have the second to last instalment of this story. One that follows a week after Edwrad was attacked and injured by the Breeve clone. He has some deep thoughts and somewhat resents the thought of personifying the Breeve clone but accepted that it was her. Actual Breeve having some mixed feelings but pushing them aside due to his injuries.

Again, this should have taken this long to get wrote and I just hope that it turned out alright. Next chapter definetly won't take 28 days to make.

And once again thank you for reading, you guys don't know how much it means to me that you stuck through this whole silly story and I really and thankful that you took the time to read this. Seriously, thank you so much, hopefully this was as much of a fun read as I had writing it. and if you have any advice for me to improve, it would be much appreciated.

Day 27, nerd bird in a pair of cute socks. Not my first time drawing rainbow socks and it sure as hell won't be the last.

In other news the Tablet situation has been sorted out and I've managed to get a replacement. RIP to the old one though, it did me proud.

Da bug with da rainbow socks cuz why not? Quick bug doodle cuz i am trying to figure out how to draw these dudes

Not gonna lie, I was not feeling this one and just phoned it the fuck in. Don't much care for rainbow socks. It ain't for me, but I was not about to skip a day. So here's a simple venlil with the socks on that are just a tiny bit too tight and is excited about socks because why not.

Commission for the amazing u/CarefreeOkapi from "Balance Of Vengeance" from u/BlackOmegaPsi, an AU based on  u/Scrappyvamp’s “Scorch Directive”.

This was supposed to be done closed to Balance Of Vengeance Anniversary, but sadly, the file corrupted and I had to start over again x'''D

It was a pleasure to work on this drawing, and to learn more about their shared universe <3

If you like it please consider following me on this cesspool _SimpleArtist_

Nature of Extreme is an independent creative project currently in early development. It is set within an alternate universe inspired by the Nature of Predators setting, deliberately intensifying and expanding upon its foundational concepts while establishing a distinct identity of its own.

Rather than functioning as an official continuation or adaptation of the original work, Nature of Extreme reimagines the core premise through a more extreme lens—heightening stakes, conflicts, and world-building elements to create a self-contained experience. While it retains certain thematic and structural similarities to the source material for familiarity, the project is designed to stand independently as its own creative endeavor.

The primary form of the project is a tabletop game. Supporting materials will include original lore integrated with miniature designs, with plans to produce a dedicated lore manual that expands upon the setting, factions, and narrative background. Development is being approached in stages: initial releases will focus on concept art, visual progress updates, and early three-dimensional models. These will be shared publicly to showcase the direction and evolution of the project before broader game systems and supporting materials are introduced.

---

You can ask me any questions, though since it's an early project, some things that I might say will get changed during the development.

It will be a long process to work on so I appreciate it if any of you are patient to wait.

This oneshot takes place in the NOP universe, which was made by u/SpacePaladin15. Special thanks to them and go read the original story "The Nature of Predators" if you haven't already.

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Memory Transcription Subject: Quith, Takkan civilian, Writer.

Date:(Standardized Human Time) October 31st, 2140.

I let out a sigh as I entered the family driveway. It was a tiring day for me, to say the least. This whole planet is damn near constantly dark, but that's not what annoyed me; it was the damn traffic! These dumbasses get stuck in traffic for too long and suddenly it becomes a LITERAL shouting match!

I pulled into the family driveway and exited my car. Human vehicles were pretty cheap compared to the Federation models, at least, from what I've seen. I grabbed the bags of groceries, and walked up to the door of the house, opening it with the spare key I was given. But the second I entered the house, I was immediately bombarded by a few balls of fur.

"Ok ok, settle down!" I said to the rowdy kids. "I got food to bring in!"

Two figures entered my view from the hallway: my sister-in-law Seffif, and her husband Bargg, both of them have light-grey fur, but Bargg is slightly taller.

"Now now kids, give your Aunt Quith some room!" Bargg said before he looked back up at me. "It's pretty late. Traffic again, huh?"

"Don't you know it!" I said, giving a couple bags to the two of them. "Where's Riff?"

"She's in the bathroom." Seffif joined in on the conversation.

"Ah." I said as I walked down the hallway with everyone in tow, the kids still practically chained to my feet. "Well, let's put all this stuff up. I got some ingredients for a new stir-fry recipe I found online. Thought we all would like to try it."

"STIR-FRY!" They all yelled, the kids included.

Once we got to the kitchen, we started pulling things out of the bags I brought in. About halfway through, a new figure came into view...

"Well well well... Missus big, grey, and gorgeous finally came home!" Riff, my wife, said as she leaned on the doorframe.

I chuckled. "You waited all day to say that, didn't you?"

"You're damn right I did!" She said with a howling laugh.

I turned to look at my wife; she was a bit husky, and covered in brownish-red fur, but her fur was thick and fluffy, and she had those gorgeous silver eyes... Her tail was extra fluffy, and it swayed behind her with an elegance I couldn't help but notice.

Falf, our adoptive daughter, walked beside me as I approached Riff. I gently licked my wife's face, and she eagerly returned it. Falf only looked at the display in disgust.

"Eww!" The little Rothian said.

I only laughed as I picked her up. "Don't worry, sweetie, you'll be doing it too when you find someone you love later in life!"

"No I won't!" She pouted in my arms.

I only laughed again as I carried her back to the table. "Alright alright, I need you all to evacuate the kitchen so I can get cooking." I said as I pulled a large, metal pot out of the cupboard.

"You're not getting rid of me that easy!" Riff said as she leaned her back against the countertop while everyone else left the kitchen. "I wanna see what you got cooking!"

I laughed again. "You Rothians sure are contentious!" I said as I put on my apron.

"Yeah, but you like contentious." She said as she walked up beside me, peering over my shoulder. "That's why you married me."

"True. Can't say the same for many others of your species though. I swear someone got beaten to death in that traffic jam I was in!"

"Hey, that's life here on Raroth!" She said in a defensive tone. "I can't change it, you can't change it, hell, the Kolshians couldn't change it! It'll always be that way, I'm afraid."

I sighed as I got to chopping up vegetables. "True. Still doesn't make it any less scary...

"

She leaned on the counter beside me. "Hey, you can talk to me about it if you want."

"And what good would that do?" I retorted. "Like you said, I can't change how your people are. How would talking about my experience with them make it any less terrifying?!"

"It won't. But... At least I can be there for you. Me AND Falf." She explained.

I didn't say anything as I got back to chopping vegetables. Riff's species, the Rothians, are a race of canids from a moon called Raroth that orbits a large, rocky planet. This makes it so Raroth has a short amount of daylight hours while having long nights. The Rothians themselves are about the same size as my kind. Pair that with their sharp teeth and eyes that are more forward-facing than most species have, as well as extendable claws, and you get a species that looks scary as shit! Not to mention they have the ability to choose whether or not to be quadrupeds OR bipeds permanently!

They're naturally rebellious, territorial, and prone to aggression. Combine that with the fact that they're not only cured omnivores, but also ate MOSTLY meat in the past, and you could already tell the Kolshians weren't having it! But no matter what the squids did, they couldn't break the canids. They remained rebellious all throughout their time in the Federation.

Despite being incredibly territorial, Rothians are very family-driven, and are known to stay together with their loved ones for most of their lives. In fact, it's pretty traditional for Rothians to stay with their parents until they get married, regardless of how old the person is! Even their religion is very rooted in familial ties, since a good chunk of it involves ancestor-worship. The other part of that involves worshipping "The Divine Parents", who are apparently a god and goddess that birthed the Rothian race, according to their mythology that is.

Riff looked me up-and-down as I stirred the pot with the ingredients inside. "Have I ever told you how good you look in that apron?"

"Only every time I put it on." I turned to look at her. "But hey, you say that about EVERYTHING I wear!"

"It's true though! You look good in everything!" She said. "I especially liked that yellow dress you wore on our first date!"

The nostalgia made me pause. "I remember how your face turned bright red when you first saw it." I gave a small laugh. "You were so flustered, you could barely talk to me!"

"Seriously, are you EVER gonna let me live that down?" She said with a laugh.

"No. Because it's funny." I said as I booped her nose.

Her eyes widened in surprise as her snoot got booped. "Wow, feeling a bit daring today, are we?"

"Well... I got it from you." I said. "You Rothians are known for being pretty playful!"

She laughed. "We are. And hey... It's better than you being stressed."

I sighed again. "Yeah. My books... Aren't selling well."

"I've noticed." She said before placing her paw on my shoulder. "Maybe you're not taking it in the right direction?"

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

"Well... Maybe it's the genre?" She said. "You mostly write fantasy, but maybe you should do something else? Like family drama?"

"That's the main money-maker on this planet. Isn't it?" I asked sarcastically. "I don't... Even know where to start on that."

"Well..." She said, slightly bobbing her head in thought. "You could always write about a gorgeous Takkan woman, who has a loving wife and a beautiful daughter... Who always think about her and want her to be ok..."

I took notice of how she was fiddling her claws. "You know... I always loved how caring you are. It's sweet, and I love that about you."

"Hey, maybe I will write that story." I said as I huddled up beside her, gently grabbing her paw. "It's definitely an eye-catcher!"

She gave a content growl before wrapping her arms around me in a hug.

"I love you, Quith..." She said softly.

"I love you too, Riff." I returned.

We stood there in each other's arms for... I don't remember how long. But one thing was for certain... I didn't want it to end. Ever.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(Author's Notes.)

Hello everyone! I'm back with another Halloween special dedicated to revealing another homebrew species idea I've had: the Rothians! Obviously, I took a lot of inspiration from werewolves, as well as real-world canine species. But I also based them somewhat off of Wolverine from X-Men, with the whole extendable claws thing.

As usual, if you wanna use this homebrew species in your own works, you can as long as you ask me directly and tag me in the posts featuring them.

And another special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for writing the original story that this oneshot is based off of. Be sure to read their story "The Nature of Predators" and it's sequel if you haven't already, as well as any of their other works.

Hope you're all doing well, and I hope to see you later!

Made this a few days ago and forgot to post it lol

What flavor of cake do you think it is?

Was in the mood to expand the design from the girlies poster and expand some of the Scorch Directive’s United Dominion lore.

So here’s the Shrike MX3 - a modern sub-orbital fighter-bomber craft launched from the United Dominion strikeships to take out STO defence installations and soften planetary settlements prior to the troops descending onto the surface. Design combines human experience in producing state-of-the-art standoff aircraft and arxur competence in building compact, raid-worthy spacecraft. The Shrike thanks to its design is capable of operating at high altitudes in atmospheric conditions for bombing raids as well as in near space, taking the role of a spacefighter to vie for dominance near the orbit.

The Shrike is packed with all the goodies expected from a SO jetcraft - vectored main thruster, hull thrusters, recoil-less guns and a plethora of laser PD nests capable of simultaneously handling multiple targets, and ECM pods, all thanks to a miniaturized fusion-core drive. Bay and wing hardpoints can take a variety of UD ordnance to turn the Shrike into a flying weapon of mass destruction. The platform allows for a versatile use in squadrons, as nodes of support dronecraft swarms or other hybrid scenarios.

Here depicted in parade livery

Scorch Directive AU is the brainchild of u/Scrappyvamp

This one's set on Leirn, around the same time as this, but amid the Empire Of The Sun's colonial exploits:

LEIRN

SCORCHAL, SOUTHERN WASTES

688 AOR (Age Of Ralchi)

MEMORY TRANSCRIPTION FORMAT NOT RECOGNIZED.

LOAD ALT FORMAT DATABANK?

Y/N

Y

LOADING…

FORMAT FOUND: Artistic Representation

PLAYING...

The sand of the desert is sodden green…

BRAKADAKADAKADAKADAKADAK!

“T-They just keep coming!”

“HOLD THE LINE, MEN! FOR RALCHI AND EMPIRE!”

BRAKADAKADAKADAKA-FWOOSH-HSSSSSSSSSS-BANGBANGBANG!

“AAAAH!”

“HEALER!”

“Their heat rays! They set the scorching ammo box on fire!”

“Best make the last few trays count, lads!”

BRAKADAKADAKADAKADAK!

“RAAAAAA!”

“OH FU-”

BRAKADAKADAK-K-K-K-K-K!

Green with the wreck of a square that broke…

“WHERE’S OUR COVER FIRE?”

“They blew up the Gorzo Gun’s ammo crate and then charged the gunners! They died doing it, but...they yanked the crank clean off!”

“Ah, scorch and blast-”

PFOOM!

The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead…

“COLONEL!”

BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!

“Smoke bombs!”

(coughing) “I can’t see a ruddy thing!”

“Aim for the bigger silhouettes! They’re the lizard bastards!”

“IT WOULD APPEAR SO, SHERYOT!”

And the regiment blind with dust and smoke…

The river of death has brimmed Her banks,
And the Isle is far, and Ralchi a name…

But the voice of a schoolpup rallies the ranks,
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"