LESSON 156. I walk with God in perfect holiness.
Today’s idea but states the simple truth that makes the thought of sin impossible. It promises there is no cause for guilt, and being causeless it does not exist. It follows surely from the basic thought so often mentioned in the text; ideas leave not their source. If this be true, how can you be apart from God? How could you walk the world alone and separate from your Source? We are not inconsistent in the thoughts that we present in our curriculum. Truth must be true throughout, if it be true. It cannot contradict itself, nor be in parts uncertain and in others sure. You cannot walk the world apart from God, because you could not be without Him. He is what your life is. Where you are He is. There is one life. That life you share with Him. Nothing can be apart from Him and live.
Yet where He is, there must be holiness as well as life. No attribute of His remains unshared by everything that lives. What lives is holy as Himself, because what shares His life is part of Holiness, and could no more be sinful than the sun could choose to be of ice; the sea elect to be apart from water, or the grass to grow with roots suspended in the air.
There is a light in you which cannot die; whose presence is so holy that the world is sanctified because of you. All things that live bring gifts to you, and offer them in gratitude and gladness at your feet. The scent of flowers is their gift to you. The waves bow down before you, and the trees extend their arms to shield you from the heat, and lay their leaves before you on the ground that you may walk in softness, while the wind sinks to a whisper round your holy head.
The light in you is what the universe longs to behold. All living things are still before you, for they recognize Who walks with you. The light you carry is their own. And thus they see in you their holiness, saluting you as savior and as God. Accept their reverence, for it is due to Holiness Itself, which walks with you, transforming in Its gentle light all things unto Its likeness and Its purity.
This is the way salvation works. As you step back, the light in you steps forward and encompasses the world. It heralds not the end of sin in punishment and death. In lightness and in laughter is sin gone, because its quaint absurdity is seen. It is a foolish thought, a silly dream, not frightening, ridiculous perhaps, but who would waste an instant in approach to God Himself for such a senseless whim?
Yet you have wasted many, many years on just this foolish thought. The past is gone, with all its fantasies. They keep you bound no longer. The approach to God is near. And in the little interval of doubt that still remains, you may perhaps lose sight of your Companion, and mistake Him for the senseless, ancient dream that now is past.
“Who walks with me?” This question should be asked a thousand times a day, till certainty has ended doubting and established peace. Today let doubting cease. God speaks for you in answering your question with these words:
I walk with God in perfect holiness. I light the world, I light my mind and all the minds which God created one with me.

My toy poodle Teddy Pompin was found in Japan at 6 weeks old and we thought he wasn't going to survive his first week but he did and got treated for infections etc microchipped, vaccinated etc
He traveled with me to korea, Germany and the US. I went through a very abusive sad relationship for nearly a decade and he was my only friend. When my husband was at his worst the only way I knew how to calm him down was have him cuddle with Teddy because even though he was bad to me, he loved Teddy. My husband is not my husband anymore. That's been a lot to deal with. Now Teddy is 10 and were living with my parents in the UK, and has been struggling to eat, struggling to poop, dripping bloody jelly from his bottom. The vet has him on a prescription diet, immunosuppressant pills and pain killers for pancreatitis. Hes not improving. The mortality rate seems quite high and I'm not coping well with the idea of losing him possibly sooner than expected. I always imagined he'd live to 18. He always came to work with me and I don't.have any children so I've always thought of him as my son.
I feel so sad everytime I have to hand feed him the prescription low fat biscuits that he really doesn't want to eat. He still loves to paddle in his paddling pool but he can't go for walks without stopping to drip watery poo drips or straining for nothing to come out every few feet.
I'm also going through a lot of other personal problems and recovering from surgery, and the thought of being alone without Teddy is keeping me awake at night. My hair is starting to fall out. I don't think I'm coping very well.
I'm not sure what to do. He still has another weeks worth of medicine but I'm not sure if the vet should be looking for other treatment methods. I'm not asking for medical advice. Just advice on how to not fall apart.
Sorry.

(Any sentences or phrases wrapped with brackets "[ ]" are designated as inner monologue!)
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Memory transcription subject: Lemva, Venlil Archeologist
Date [standardized human time]: July 13, 2165
The attendant, Harold, had told me that there would be another passenger boarding shortly several minutes ago, and since then I couldn't keep still wondering who I was going to meet.As I sat on the couch, I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversation that Harold had just started with the other passenger. As I heard a new voice respond to Harold’s greeting my heart started beating faster. Wait, the voice sounded familiar…
My heart rate quickened as footsteps came closer down the hallway.A man wearing a black suit and indigo tie came walking around the corner and my heart fluttered a little as I looked up at his face.
“Lemva?”
“James?” I squeaked as I said his name. I jumped up off the couch and ran toward him, throwing my arms around him and nearly knocking him over. “Lemva!”
Looking up at him, I realized what I had just done, backing off slightly embarrassed. “James! I haven’t seen you in so long, what have you been up to?”
“Looking into ancient history, studying declassified documents, bringing back ancient history, that sorta thing.” James kneeled slightly and looked at me with a wide smile, I’d missed that smile so much. He opened his mouth to speak. “I wasn’t expecting to see you on this flight. It’s very good to see you!” “It’s good to see you too! So you’re one of the others that the UN’s invitation spoke of.” “It seems that way, yeah.” He chuckled slightly.
“I see you two are getting along well! I don’t even have to introduce you.” I realized Harold had been standing there watching the interaction the whole time. I straightened myself out, even more embarrassed than before. Harold chuckled. “Alright you two, we’re going to be taking off shortly. I’ll be in the cabin along with the captain. If you need me, press these buttons.” He handed us both a device with a singular blue button labeled “call”.
The man turned around and headed through the door leading to the cockpit. Leaving us alone. We both sat on a couch. James spoke, “So, do you know anything about the job being offered?” “I was going to ask you the same thing.” “Hmm, well we’re going to be in for a long flight, may as well catch up on some things.”
Me and James had known each other since we attended MIK, and had a lot of history. We met in the college’s history club, and quickly became friends. We both had a passion for learning about things that most others had forgotten, and theorizing about what life was like in ancient times. He didn’t know it but I had a huge crush on him at the time.
We stayed in contact long after we both got our doctorates, despite the large distances between us. Eventually James suddenly stopped contacting me, I never understood why. I had worried that it was something I did, that I had pushed him away. Then, after a while, he faded from memory, only existing in the back of my mind. I needed to know why. But not now, this was too soon.
“I know I already asked what you’ve been up to since we last spoke, but still. Discovered anything new?”
“Yeah, I got my hands on some recently declassified Fed info and artifacts around 8 months back. Studied them and found out they were ancient Gojid pottery, inscriptions described some sort of fertility god? Found some other inscriptions describing the site of an ancient Gojid city on The Cradle and got in contact with a dig team to go search there. Hit the motherlode and-” He spoke so enthusiastically about his findings. Just seeing him so happy about his work made me bloom, but thankfully he didn’t notice as he kept talking, waving his hands to emphasize his words. “-trying to find a museum that has the room for all of them.”
“Wow, that’s a lot more than what I’ve been doing.” “Really? Lemva hasn’t done anything interesting lately? I find that hard to believe.” James took on an amused expression. “Yes, really. I’ve been on vacation with my family for a little while, that’s all. It had been a while since I’d seen them.”
I could see his smile visibly lessen, he shifted his eyes, seeming to be deep in thought. Had I said something wrong? “Hey, are you okay?” I asked. “Yeah, I’m fine. Your mention of family brought back some… memories.” A singular tear formed below his left eye, before he looked away. I didn’t want to push, despite his failed attempt at hiding his sadness. “Oh, we can change the subject if you want.”
He wiped his eyes and shuddered, before straightening himself out. “No, it’s ok. You should probably know anyway. It’s part of the reason I haven’t talked to you in so long.” I was hoping to get some answers but now I didn’t know if I wanted to if it was making him this upset.
“A- alright, go ahead. You can stop at any time if you want to.” “Before I start I want to say how sorry I am for ghosting you.” He closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply. A somber expression filled his face as he opened his eyes. “Okay. You know my parents right? Bill and Angene?” “Yeah?” “A couple years back, I was doing a small job for a little town on Nishtal. Not much pay but that didn’t matter. This was during the time when the anti-human movement was in full effect.”
My heart stopped, I immediately knew where this was going.
“I wasn’t worried for them cause they were on Earth. I thought they would be away from the violence because the rioters would be too scared to be among so many ‘predators.’” His voice dripped with malice as he spat out the last word. He was always treated… differently from other people. Even so long after the war, “predator” hate was still common. He kept speaking. “Clearly I was wrong, or maybe one of those fucking rioters hated us too much to care about their own safety.” I only now noticed that he had been shaking as he spoke, but he suddenly stopped. He looked defeated, on the verge of a breakdown. “They were just bringing home groceries, that’s all. They were friendly and happy and polite and all they were doing was bringing home some things for dinner. But because they had committed the SIN of being born with forward facing eyes everyone hated them.” “On the phone the next day, I was told that my parents had been stabbed to death when walking home. I had to attend their funeral several days later, and that night the police took me in to meet their murderer. It took every ounce of energy that I could muster to not turn their disgusting little face to orange mulch.”
If anyone else had looked at James’ face at that moment, they would have seen nothing but a rabid animal looking for something to rip apart, but I didn’t see that. I saw a man that just wanted his parents back, a man that wished the world didn’t hate him. James crumpled over and started sobbing violently, and without thinking I got up and gave him the biggest hug my small arms could allow. He wrapped his muscular arms around me and buried his head into my wool, his sobs shaking my whole body. I stroked the back of his head in an attempt to comfort him, and tried doing those shushing sounds that human mothers do to calm down their children but ended up making a strange sputtering sound instead. I heard the sounds of giggling interspersed with the sobbing, leading into a fit of coughing from James. He lifted his face from my shoulder and stared into my eyes, still dripping tears but starting to smile now. He rested his chin back on my shoulder, and I gladly let him.
“I’ve missed you Lemva, you have no idea just how much I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry I left so quickly, I’m so sorry.” “I’ve missed you too James, and you don’t need to apologize, I understand. Why don’t we go drink some water and get some sleep, okay?” The man on my shoulder croaked out a hoarse “Okay” before slowly pulling himself off of me. We both got up and walked into the kitchen to grab some water. James chugged down several glasses before he was satisfied. We made our way to our separate bedrooms before saying goodnight to each other and closing our doors. I pulled the warm blankets over myself and laid my head down, exhausted from the short but intense emotional interaction. As thoughts floated through my mind, I drifted off into a deep sleep.
<<>>
I awoke to a familiar sensation, it felt as if I was standing in a shallow pool of oil. My eyes were met with black for as far as the eye could see, a seemingly endless floor of tar, and a distant orb of light. This sight had become less eerie and more frustrating the more times I had seen it. [Not this again…] I had been having this dream nearly every night for the past 3 weeks, ever since I had received the invitation from the UN. It was always the same. Endless void, endless black oil, a light always seeming within reach but always too far to catch. I decided to play along with the dream and walk towards the light, the faster I go through with this charade the faster I can wake up and talk to James again. My footsteps echoed into infinity as I waded through the sticky oil, the sensation was awful. I stopped and thought for a moment. [Know what? Fuck it, might as well do something different this time.] I turned around and walked away from the orb of light that had been taunting me for 3 weeks straight. As I walked, I could feel the texture beneath my paws slowly change. I looked down to notice that the tar floor I had grown accustomed to was now an endless field of silver sand. My paws were still sticky from the tar and were now covered with sand, great. As I stared down at the ground beneath me, it slowly started glowing brighter and brighter until it hurt my eyes. It was reflecting something.
I looked up to try to find the source of the light and stared in shock at the sight before me, despite the pain in my eyes. I could not turn away. [By the creator…]
Filling the darkness above me was a white dwarf, its brilliance seeming to burn away the darkness surrounding it. Burning streams of plasma buffeted sand in the distance, leaving only glass. I could feel it watching me, judging me. The air around me swirled and roared, picking up fragments of glass and flinging it against my face as I stood in awe. Clouds of silver shards swirled forever around me, scraping away my wool and flesh but I did not move. I could not turn away. The star seemed to fall toward me. I could not turn away. Instantly, the fury of the wind around me calmed, dropping mountains of the glittering sand onto the ground. The sands whispered to me, filling my mind with a single message.
“Find us. We await.”
<<>>
Date [standardized human time]: July 15, 2165
I stood alongside James near the airlock, we were finally here. It had been two days since I and James had boarded the ship, and we were finally on an approach to Aafa’s spaceport. I felt excited theorizing what job the UN had for us, but couldn’t help but notice a feeling of dread in the back of my mind. Aafa was the capital of the Federation before the UN Coalition began their occupation, and as a result there would probably be more xenophobia on the streets. Hopefully we wouldn’t have to stick around long enough to see it.
“Attention passengers, we are now breaking through the atmosphere, brace yourself on a nearby hand-rail or other stationary object until further notice.”
Me and James grasped the hand-rails tightly as the ship jostled through the turbulent atmosphere, the surface outside the airlock view-port slowly grew larger and larger as we descended. A beautiful city came into view as the clouds’ obfuscation subsided. I had been to Aafa twice in my life before and every time I saw its grand cities I felt a sense of wonder. I could feel the ship level out and slow down, we were almost docked. I felt a small jolt as the landing gear gently touched down on the landing pad.
Harold’s voice came through the PA system. “Alright you two, we’ve landed. I’ll be with you shortly to show you to your escort group.” James and I looked at eachother, I could see a glint of worry in his eyes. Though whether he was worried about the reactions of Aafa’s inhabitants or worried about his first impressions with such important UN personnel, I could not tell.
I heard the cabin door open far behind us and heard Harold’s footsteps make their way toward the airlock where we stood in wait. He stepped past us and took a position at the airlock door.“Welcome to Aafa.” Harold pressed a button and the blast-door slid open with a pneumatic hiss. “Follow me.” We walked down the ramp and onto the hangar bay floor. As my eyes wandered around the large room I noticed how much better kept this spaceport, or at least this hangar, was than the port on Venlil Prime or Earth. Harold took us through a door and into the main hall for this level.
As we made our way to the nearest elevator a kolshian man walked toward us, his gait taking on a menacing feel as he drew closer. When he saw me he smirked. “You sure you wanna keep walking with these predators, little lady? You’d be a lot safer with me instead of them.” I was astounded by how blatant this man was with his opinions. I tried to respond calmly to the man but couldn’t hide my offense. “No thank you, I’m perfectly fine walking with these “predators” thank you. Speak your xenophobia to someone who cares to listen.” The kolshian’s smirk disappeared as he walked toward me faster. Harold’s arm shot out in front of me, blocking the man from getting any closer, the chipper smile he usually displayed was gone from his face. “Please leave sir, we have things to attend to.” The kolshian’s angry expression intensified. “I’m not taking orders from any damn predator.” I could see the man pulling out an object from behind his back. Before I could react, I heard a sickening crunch as Harold’s fist connected with the kolshian’s face, and the man tumbled to the ground. I heard a sound as the knife we were about to be stabbed with clattered to the ground, the tentacle he had been using to wield it clutching his bleeding face. Harold in a swift motion kicked away the knife and put the kolshian in a choke hold while a group of UN security officers rushed over. Two officers cuffed the bleeding kolshian and another walked up to Harold most likely to ask for an explanation.
Harold put back on his usual cheerful expression as he turned to speak to us.“You two head down to the first floor, your escort group and the other 2 invitees will be waiting in the main lobby, they should be pretty obvious to spot. I’ll catch up soon but I have to explain the situation with security.” I turned to look at James as we hurried to the elevator. I could tell he was angry, but he had a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little similar. James scrolled down the list of floors on the screen and selected the number 1. The Aafa spaceport was easily the largest structure I had ever seen, I guess there wasn’t enough room for 400 buttons. As the elevator descended, James spoke.
“Hey Lem, you ok?” “Yeah, my heart’s beating pretty fast though. Who knows what would have happened if Harold wasn’t with us.” “Yeah, did you see how fast he handled that? Guy must be a veteran or something.” The idea brought a question to the surface of my mind that I had been pondering since I first received my invitation. “Yeah… I’ve been wondering why we’ve been treated so well ever since we got aboard the ship. I mean, we’re just a couple historians, why spend so much on the ship and all the protection? What could this job possibly be?” As I spoke, James stared past the transparent wall of the elevator and into the city skyline, he seemed to be deep in thought. “Yeah I’ve been thinking about that too… I don’t think we’ll have to theorize for much longer though, just a short drive and we can ask whoever invited us.”
My attention was brought back to reality as a DING sounded from the doorway, indicating that we were at the ground floor. The doors slid open silently and revealed a veritable swarm of people walking through the main hallway loop, several people of different species squeezed into the elevator we were just in as we walked out. James and I followed the signage on the walls for several minutes and entered into the main lobby, where we could see a group of humans with a Gojid in the middle. The humans wore black suits and sunglasses, I could also barely make out earpieces and microphones hidden among their clothing. They reminded me of the secret agents in the human spy movies I enjoyed watching. They must be our escort group.
We approached the menacing humans and they turned to look at us. Before I could speak up I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Harold catching up with us. “Sorry for leaving you alone for a bit. I’ll talk with your escorts.” Harold walked up to the closest escort and flashed a badge at them, turning around once the mysterious man nodded. The escort spoke something into his earpiece but I couldn’t quite make it out. “Well, I’d best be going to sort out matters with the captain. I’ll meet up with you later.” Harold handed us off to the mysterious entourage and walked back into the crowd.
One of the bodyguards spoke up. “Follow me and don’t stray off course, we’ll be taking you to the senate building.” As our guards escorted us to our vehicle, I spoke to the gojid accompanying us. “Hi, my name is Lemva, this is James. Are you one of the other people invited by the UN?” The gojid spoke up in a soft voice. “Yeah, though for what reason I do not know why. My name is Cayek by the way, nice to meet you. Do you mind if we get some introductions out of the way before we arrive at the senate building?” James responded first and stretched out his arm for a handshake. It took a second for Cayek to reciprocate. “Sure! As Lemva told you, my name is James. I was born on Earth and currently live on Venlil Prime. I’m a historian and got my doctorate at MIK, where I met Lemva. We’ve known each other quite a while. I like coffee and hate the ocean.” “Oh cool, I attended there too! Got my doctorate in linguistics. When did you attend?” “Sent in an application in 2140, as soon as it opened. Got accepted around a month later.” “Nice, that was around when I joined too. We must not have crossed paths often. Though your face does seem vaguely familiar.” Cayek looked at me and I began speaking. “My name’s Lemva, though I already said that. I attended MIK with James. Went there to get a doctorate in archeology. Was born on Venlil Prime and I’ve moved too many times to count, but my latest home is on Earth.”
I noticed that we had reached our ride. Our vehicle was a black limousine, it looked slightly larger than others I had seen, perhaps it was armored? One of the guards escorting us, who I could only assume was the one in charge, opened the side door and we all crawled inside. Cayek, James, and I settled in our seats and the guard closed our doors before entering through a door closer to the front to sit facing us. The guard sat unnaturally still, staring directly at us as the vehicle drew out of the underground parking area, making me feel uneasy. I looked over at James and Cayek, they seemed just as uncomfortable as I. The ride to the Senate building was silent.
I watched the buildings glide past us as we drove down Main, toward the Capitol. The large dome shaped building grew larger as we crept closer. Nervousness invaded my mind as I wondered what the task we had been chosen for was. Why did the UN spend so much to get us here? What’s with all the security? Why us? We had reached our destination. The limousine passed through several security gates and slowed to a halt at the entrance of the grand building. The guard that had been staring at us spoke, “We’ve arrived, please exit the vehicle and follow me. As you enter the building you’ll undergo several security checks to make sure you don’t have any weapons or banned items. Don’t worry, this is all standard procedure.” Two guards who had been waiting to the side of the entrance walked over to the car and opened the side doors, allowing us to crawl out. Though it had only been a 5 minute car ride, it felt like I had been stuck in that cramped vehicle for hours.
We walked toward the entrance of the titanic building, a large podium with a hologram of the Coalition logo orbiting an artistic depiction of our sector of the galaxy stood just before the doors. The first time I had gone to Aafa as a child, the podium had supported a large statue of Chief Nikonus, the president of the Federation at the time of the war. Good riddance. Our group stepped past the threshold of the senate building and submitted for the security checks that our escort had told us about. As soon as we were cleared, we were led to one of several large doors, it looked like an oversized elevator. Inside was a holographic display of the building showing us our current position, along with a small keypad to the side. I braced myself for the elevator to start ascending as our escort input some numbers into the pad but nearly fell over when it unexpectedly started moving sideways. James chuckled amusedly and I looked at him with a mock pouty face, my tail flicking in slight annoyance. Our escort tried to wipe a tiny smirk off his face as he helped me back to my feet. “We had these installed after a couple instances of people passing out trying to navigate around. Most Coalition species don’t have the amount of endurance humans do and this building is quite large.”
Several moments later the tram came to a halt and the doors slid open. The escort chaperoned us down a short hallway with a decently sized wooden door at the end. I braced myself for whoever would be behind it. Impressions were of utmost importance when meeting government officials. However, I was not prepared for who I would see as the door swung open.
Is that an Arxur?
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The maw of the moss-wolf chomped down on the treat, its partner patiently waiting its turn, an eye trained on the Human providing the sustenance. Joseph reached into the pouch, counting out what he had left and mentally setting a few aside for the raven-like birds that Scarlet had trained to bother him.
Well, ‘bother’ might be a strong word. They would whistle at him and wait for food. Upon getting their hard sought quarry, they would return to share it with the rest. Surprisingly cooperative, all things considered. Scarlet had apparently been getting them to associate certain short melodies with members of the pack, allowing her to send the avians after whoever she wanted for more snacks.
If they didn’t get any, then they would yell something not dissimilar to a caw until either food was procured, or they grew bored. Given that they had taken to humouring Violet in her attempts to be a mobile perch, that usually took a while.
It drove Nalah nuts, which seemed to be part of the reason the blond-furred female was included in the ritual at all. Harrow was apparently the favourite target of the nuisance when she was outside the base, but he couldn’t say why.
The tell-tale scratching had been somewhat muted since the shift in medium, but Violet’s writing was always something he kept an ear out for, his daughter presenting her tablet excitedly. [It blinked!]
He turned his head to the cow-looking thing, the unwavering stare held until he gave up. “I swear you guys are just messing with me.”
“Or we merely enjoy your suffering,” Sahari suggested with a smirk, the black-furred female standing taller than him for a moment as she stretched her legs out. Settling into a height that was level with him, she attempted to offer the wolves food. Receiving a fearful retreat instead, the black-furred female frowned, the two canines shifting in their enclosure to be closer to Joseph and Violet. “They still seem to distrust any but yourselves.”
He shrugged, taking the scrap from her and giving it to the young Atmo to pass along, her chittering laugh when the wolves accepted the morsel breaking the soft sound of trickling rain outside the barn. “Faye was the one who started this. I guess they treat her like an alpha of sorts, and seeing her bow to the two of us so often told them that she’s lower on the pole. That’s my guess, anyway.”
“That is….rather intelligent of them, if so,” Sahari commented pensively.
The Grand Hunter tipped his head in agreement. If anything, it was an understatement. The six-legged canines were remarkably receptive to taming, though he couldn’t say how much of that was due to Faye taking to his suggestion so seriously. He had only offered it as a passing thought, but she had set to it like their god had mandated it.
He fought back a sigh at the reminder of his placement in the whole thing, his foot kicking the ground to adjust the new sandals he was wearing until Pan finished proper shoes.
One day, he was a divorcee flirting with random women on a cruise ship so that the rejection validated his own self-esteem issues. The next, he was a guy in charge of a settlement nearing one hundred people and had become a manifestation of religion condensed into the form of some random moron.
He snorted at a morbid thought. How would Emma react to his ‘rise to fame?’ His acquisition of more than they had ever thought for themselves back on Earth?
Owning a territory? They could only manage a nice apartment that could fit several times over inside the base. Friends? Hell, he had a group of people who have helped him through some of the worst the planet had to offer. Kids...well, nothing could replace Violet. He doubted Emma would see it the same way, though.
A paw enclosed his shoulder, dragging his mind from more sombre thoughts. It had been quite a while since everything fell through and he had moved on, but it still stung every now and again.
“What ails your mind, Joseph?” Sahari asked with a concerned inflection. He looked over at her, a smile becoming easier after a moment.
“Just wondering how my ex-wife would react to seeing what I’ve turned into. What she’d say to all of this,” he admitted honestly with a wide gesture to everything. She patted his back, a small pride in her gaze.
“You continue to heal, Grand Hunter, but you are still scarred. Your previous mate would curse her decisions were she to see what you have accomplished.”
He snorted, a wide dry grin breaking out. “I’d love to see her face going back with two alien wives and this sweetheart as a daughter,” he teased, giving Violet a thorough rub on the head. She purred, chittering between breaths as she fought off the rough affection playfully while keeping her blades tucked for safety.
The black-furred female tilted her head and shifted her weight to her other foot. “You’ve mentioned that there is a specific procedure for binding the lives of your people, no?”
He blinked, his mind flickering to the two rings he had prepared, yet held some modicum of expectation around before he whipped them out. Not least of all was the foreign sensation of doing it again twice, nor finding an appropriate time to do it. It was hard to pick a picturesque moment when each day was paperwork, punching people in the face during spars, and orchestrating the well-being of such a large group. Given that the closest thing he could get to a romantic occasion was laying down on the grass while Nalah barked orders at the construction crews in the distance, he didn’t feel like it was ever a good time to ask. It was even harder picturing himself doing it to the two of them, as if it cheapened the gesture in some way.
Then there was the part of himself that feared rejection—as stupid as it sounded. They could deny the alien practice, not share the same sentiment, or any number of disagreements that would render him kneeling like an idiot. As unlikely as it was, it could even be too great a commitment for them, the implication of their entire lives being pledged solely to him being a crushing weight, rather than a promise of mutual loving dedication.
Sure, now they were speaking as if it was the case, but the circumstances as they were lent themselves to it being a product of necessity. Who was to say that it would remain the same once they got off this rock and—hopefully—in touch with their own people again. Would they still feel the same way with an entire species back on the table as possible romantic partners? Would he still be enough?
“Joseph,” Sahari called out with worry and irritation in equal parts. “You are making me anxious.”
“Hm? Oh, sorry,” he apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he was reminded that more than one person could be afflicted by his emotional state. She placed a paw to her hip.
“Are the proceedings really such a means for strife?”
“Ah, no, it’s just…” He averted his eyes, offering Violet a token smile when she seemed to be concerned about him. He inhaled deeply. “It’s just…I have reservations about it.”
She raised a brow. “I need not a bond to know you care for them deeply enough to toss your life to the Void for them.”
His weak smile faltered further. “Well, yeah. They mean everything to me, but I cant help but remember how things went last time, I guess. There’s a million and one ways it could go up in smoke, and I…” He fell quiet for a moment, Violet pressing herself into his side in an attempt to cheer him up. He rested a hand against her back, the texture comforting in a way. “I want it to be an important moment in our lives, rather than some disposable token that they accept without thinking much. It’s not like they’re swimming in potential romantic partners here, so it feels like they’d be agreeing for lack of options.”
She stared at him with a hesitant expression, her cheek pinched between her teeth and eyes narrowed in thought. “Pan would sooner end her own life than be separated from you, and Tel would end any who so much as suggested such,” she stated finally. “To you, the mark upon your flesh is but a sting that fades. To them, it is their declaration that they have found their reason to live. A declaration that is shown to all others of our people the moment they draw near. Though Pan lacks the means to impart her own, she is rather pleased that another is able to in her stead and treats it as her own for all intents.”
She grabbed him roughly by the arm, pulling him into her breast as she stood to her full height, a surprised yelp stifled by soft clothing and fur.
“Unfortunately for you, openly voiced or not, we all feel as such. Though you bear not the mark of everyone in the den, I assure you that to be removed from you would leave us lesser, regardless of bond.”
He shut his mouth at the last addition. There was a weight behind knowing that people were likely to simply give up on living if you were away for too long. It put the relationship in front of a loaded gun for both parties. They couldn’t afford to break it off from him because existing would become a living hell, and he couldn’t change his mind for any reason because it would be the same as killing them.
What kind of marriage was one built upon such fragile pillars? How could they be happy when every fight was tempered by the threat of the end of everything? What about Sahari? Could she ever pursue her own life with Nalah when she had the bond shackling her to him? How long until that became a stinging poison, rotting away the veins and arteries of her psyche? How long until death became preferable to being around him?
A strong impact to his stomach winded him, though the unnoticed hyperventilating left him little to eject as he fell to his knees. Violet clicked in surprise, the wolves backing away at the unexpected violence.
He coughed, sputtering spittle as he fought the urge to evacuate his breakfast. A pained glance up revealed Sahari still clutching a fist, her expression just as hurt.
“You hear my words and twist them, Joseph,” she chastised softly, crouching to look at him better. “We pledged our lives to you. Not because we had no choice, but because we believed you to be our future. From that moment on, our desire was to remain with you.” Her voice grew weak, almost pleading. She placed her forehead to his, the contact an intimate touch. “Your experiences may suggest our bond a prison, but for us, it is an ambrosia for our soul. It completes us like no equal. Jax and Harrow care for you immensely, Nalah and myself owe you everything that we are, and your mates will fight the Hunt Mother herself if it would mean even one more sun with you.”
He found himself speechless, wading through the emotions behind her words a syllable at a time. The feeling of Violet pressing into his back in an embrace stung as much as soothed, his mind rejecting the idea, yet so desperate to accept it.
“Do not desecrate our affections because you had been scorned by one who did not see within you that which we covet,” she implored sombrely, raw emotion oozing through the confines of speech. “Though you doubt it, none would know how much value you place in the ‘mark’ of your people more than your mates. If merely thinking about the unlikely event that they refuse tortures you so deeply, than the elation they would share with you when they agree would likely see Pan unable to contain herself for many suns after.”
He stayed on his knees, the warmth surrounding him from both sides seeping within and thawing the frozen excuses he held onto to prevent exposing himself to potential rejection. Every step of the way since he had met them, it had made him fearful of losing their company. At first, the thought of being left alone to brave the planet was too much to bear, but he would try. Now? Now he felt like he understood where the minds of those bonded Lilhuns had been. Even considering being away from his new loved ones pulled at a primal part of himself, each tug stronger than the last, each suggestion fanning the flames barricaded behind morals—the depths he would trudge to see it never come to pass.
Sahari nuzzled into his neck for a moment before parting, a somewhat satisfied smile given towards the emotionally fragile Human they had taken to depending on. He returned his own, though it was tinted with a bit of embarrassment.
Violet stepped back to allow him room to stand, the extended joint of her blade asking to be held like he did with her adoptive mother. His expression softening, he did as requested, lightly rubbing the smooth surface with his thumb. It soothed a part of him to be holding his daughter’s ‘hand’ while they watched the wolves slowly approach the front of their enclosure again, now that the momentary intensity had faded.
With a self-deprecating roll of his eyes, he nodded, promising himself to follow through with his small wish the next time the chance revealed itself. It didn’t need to be perfect, but it would be nice if it was at least private. The dull ache in his stomach would be a reminder not to second guess himself anyway.
The wolves yipped, ignoring Sahari as they moved towards the other corner. Joseph glanced at where they were focused, his curious gaze replaced by surprise, then shock.
Raine supported Faye over her shoulder, the deep gold-furred female’s breath short as she rested her weight over her brown-furred counterpart, their black leather coats dripping water onto the floor as it wrapped tightly around them, concealing their armour. A steady trickle of blood flowed from a long gash on Faye’s leg, her free arm clutching across her breast to keep her coat closed.
Without waiting for either to speak, he ran to pick up the Wraith, slinging her across his shoulders and tearing off to the base. He could barely hear Sahari over the rain and his own blood pounding through his ears, his heart hammering in his chest. Though they had established something of a clinic for minor injuries that were sustained constantly, his singular focus was getting Faye into the medbay.
Pack members cleared the way, some jumping to the side as he barrelled through the sparely populated routes between home and workplace. More than one tripped over themselves in shock, the Human never having a reason to go at a full sprint before. He was slower than a Lilhun like this, but he could make it the full distance before them. He didn’t need to slow down.
Harrow pushed open the doors to the hub, her distant expression as she examined thin ironwood tablets perking, his rapid heavy footfalls telling of his arrival before she had the chance to see him. Her eyes lit up, her brows furrowed, and a hurried pull of the door kept it open for him, all in sequence. He didn’t have the spare breath to explain or thank her.
The orange-furred female bolted across the hub, slamming into the crash-bar installed into the facilities wing entrance to force it open, only barely outpacing the Grand Hunter in his rush. She staggered to her feet behind him, rushing to collect herself and assisting in tearing the pants off of the injured female when Joseph laid her on the bed.
Modesty being the least of his concerns, he braced an arm across her pelvis to stop her hips from bucking as Harrow wiped off any dried blood to see the extent of the damage on her thigh.
“What happened?”
He tightened his hold on Faye as his friend tentatively spread the wound to check for debris. “Don’t know. Didn’t ask. Saw her bleeding, rushed her here,” he answered through deep breaths, each strike of his adrenaline-fuelled heart pressing against his lung capacity.
Harrow frowned, grabbing some sterile water to pour over the wound and picking out a stray splinter of wood that looked to be from her missing leg armour. Faye let out a small whine, but didn’t have it in her to talk yet, signs of exhaustion and pain unfocusing her eyes.
The Head of Technology—and current medical expert in the room—pursed her lips against her muzzle. “We need to stitch it. It’s too big for just healroot.”
Joseph nodded, easing his weight off the Wraith and wiping his sweat from his brow. “Pan!”
Noticing the urgency in his voice, he could hear her throw the door to the sewing room wide open and jog to the medbay, her wide eyes steeling as she assessed the situation.
“Idee with you?”
She nodded, ears turned perfectly towards him.
“One of you boil off some palm string, the other sterilize the thinnest quill you can get away stitching a wound closed with. I don’t care who, but we need one of you to close this up.” He glanced at Harrow. “Grab some alcohol. I keep a bit in the closet in my room, next to the old crossbow prototypes. We need to flush this out and kill off anything that might have gotten in.”
The orange-furred female tipped an ear in confusion as Pan took off to do as he asked. “I thought you didn’t have medical-”
“I’ve been around enough workplace injuries, okay? Go!”
His shout jolted her into action, a few steps required to gain traction as she ran out the door. Applying solid pressure to the wound with one hand, he used the other to lightly tap Faye’s cheek.
“Faye? Faye, you with me?”
Her eyes languidly turned to him, slow blinks and meaningless mouthing ceased, a soft smile forming under her pained expression. “Hello, sir.”
He exhaled a relieved huff. “Welcome home, Faye. What happened?”
She seemed confused by his question, glancing down to her leg after a few seconds. With widened eyes, she struggled to sit up, Joseph forcibly pressing her to the bed.
“Stay.”
All resistance disappeared in an instant, her body complying despite the obvious urgency. He hardened his expression.
“What happened?”
She breathed deeper a few times before speaking. Each word was hesitant, as if the memory was hazy and diluted, though he couldn’t tell if it was due to blood loss or exhaustion. “A large grey beast…teeth, large mouth...attacked wolves...”
His brow knitted, Faye’s coat moving. A small whine came from her again…no. Not her.
A small yellow canine head freed itself from the confines of black leather, a weak keening produced from a tiny moss-wolf. Faye looked at him guiltily, a pleading look in her eyes given as she composed herself.
“It lost its parents…”
His protest died in his voice, a distant memory of a wolf being torn in two came to mind. The time before they had even moved to the pod, let alone met the Lilhuns, him and Violet checking snares shortly after his ankle had healed. A time so long ago, yet remained with him under the surface.
“You saved this little guy, huh?” he asked gently, wincing in tandem with her own when he leaned heavier on the massive gash in her thigh. She nodded, averting her eyes. “Did you get the ‘beast?’”
Faye shook her head. “Raine lured it away, but it still remains.”
“That’s fine. You’re back, that’s all that matters right now.”
Harrow bumped into the doorway, failing to shed all of her speed as she returned from fetching a smaller container that Joseph kept in case the rest of the pack burned through their stores of alcohol. Her eyes flicked to the wolf pup before disregarding it to hand him the ethanol. He lifted his hand, Harrow pouring some water to wash off the blood. Volta would be busy later, it seemed.
Gesturing for the orange-furred female to hold the leg down, he poured the alcohol into the wound, grimacing at Faye’s pained gasp. They didn’t have anything for her to bite into, but that would be a future consideration.
Pan and Idee entered the medbay, the former moving like a machine with purpose while the visiting seamstress took a moment to size up the situation. The Paw fetched a tray from the shelf, laying out several strings of softened palm and a few thin quills, threading one and passing it to Idee. The light brown-furred female accepted it, Harrow making room as she stood next to Joseph.
Pan handed him a tough leather strip as wide as his palm. Seems like she saw the problem before he did.
“Open up,” he prodded, placing the leather between Faye’s teeth. “This is going to fucking suck. We don’t have anything to numb you, so you need to stay as still as possible, okay? I’ll be here the whole time.”
The Wraith nodded, staring at him for a moment before closing her eyes in acceptance, her grip on the pup firming.
“Want me to take the wolf?”
She lightly shook her head, him exhaling hesitantly in response. Idee readied herself, looking to him for confirmation, Pan holding Faye’s ankle flat to the bed.
“You’re good,” he responded, pressing an arm to Faye’s chest and hips to hold her down.
The deep gold-furred female managed a quiet muffled groan of pain as the quill pierced her flesh.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
He entered the hub, dropping himself on the couch and ignoring the sweat on his brow. He had only just managed to get the blood off of his hands after Idee finished, but it was still staining his clothing. Pan was off to rinse it out of her fur while Faye slept off her exhaustion. As far as they could tell, she had avoided any infection thanks to Raine half-dragging the female back to them as quickly as she did. The wolf pup was staying with her for now, since—even in her sleep—she refused to let it go. The little guy didn’t seem to be complaining, so they just left it where it was comfortable. Ferra would be by later to check it out, apparently, and he didn’t see a reason to complain; she was their animal expert.
Scarlet offered him some tea, the warm liquid whetting his pallet that had since dried. Sahari had checked on them during the process, leaving to keep anyone who had questions in the loop. Given that half the damn pack either saw or heard about the Grand Hunter running like a bat out of hell, pretty much everyone was worried. Either about some urgent threat that might befall them, or about one of the quiet servants they had grown used to seeing around.
Looked like the Wraiths had taken to offering small services and assistance to people who needed it when they didn’t have anything better to do, so the pack was curious about what had happened. It was a small blessing that the usual armour they wore when ‘on duty’ was covered by the cloaks, otherwise he would have more questions coming that he didn’t want answered.
Raine stood a few paces in front of him, her bowed posture holding a hint of fear under his unwavering stare. He waited for whoever else was going to show up for the report, Tel and Pan insisting that they be involved. Harrow followed behind the two entering from the facilities wing, either because she had gotten wrapped up in the whole thing, or because she wanted to be included.
Pan sat to his left, Tel taking a place behind him to remain standing. Harrow surprised him, her recently elusive presence firmly displaced as she dropped onto the couch to his right, her tail curling around his calf—not that she seemed to notice.
Given that both Tel and Pan trapped a limb or two with their tails regularly, he didn’t stop to put thought into it, the encapsulating appendage crossing him as a common occurrence.
“I don’t know how accurate it was, since she’s still pretty out of it, but Faye said one of those grey bear-deathtraps attacked some wolves before she stepped in to save the pup,” he opened, glancing at Scarlet. The almost black red-furred female was maintaining a surprisingly commanding presence, her attention laser-focused on Raine. The brown-furred Wraith kept her gaze fixed to the floor, too ashamed or nervous to move it.
“I apologize for her error in her stead,” she announced, the slightest of grip in her folded paws digging her claws into her skin. “The fault is also mine for not preventing her misstep. I will accept any punishment for our mistake.”
He exhaled heavily. “I’m not mad that you guys had an original thought, Raine. I’m worried about those iron-maiden-looking fucks being around again, and I’m concerned about you getting hurt.”
“Of course, sir. Forgive me for the arrogance of assuming your priorities.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, Pan squeezing his thigh in support. Tel rested her head on his, the weight somehow comforting despite the grin at his annoyance. “We can talk about not getting yourselves killed later. Are you injured at all?”
Raine’s ear twitched. “No, sir. I am whole.”
“Good,” he sighed, nodding lightly. “That’s good. Faye’s patched up for now, but she’ll be under observation to keep on top of any possible infection. How did the ‘mission’ go?”
The Wraith perked up a bit, the conversation moving away from her perceived failure. She produced a satchel, pulling a rather thick stack of tablets from it and passing them to Scarlet, the latter ferrying them to Harrow. He thought it was an odd choice, but the orange-furred female started giving him an abbreviated translation of the text.
Line after line of transactions. What was offered and received, any debts and who owed them, as well as small notes about what should be brought next time. It was a comprehensive copy of the ledger that the trading caravan kept. His brows raised at the sheer density of information, and for them getting it from something he was only partially sure existed.
“You managed to get this much?” he asked in disbelief. “Jesus. Were you caught?”
Raine shook her head. “If we were to be seen by them, we would be nothing more than a stain against our Blademaster.”
Compliment or boasting, doing this much was damn impressive. Especially with just the two of them.
“Shit. Well, good fucking job, I guess,” he managed, still reeling a bit from the unintended scope of the task. Harrow continued to dig through the report, though stopped voicing it aloud. Joseph turned his attention back to the Wraith. “Anything else of note? Rumours?”
The Wraith grew pensive. “Though we returned partially through their return trip to Grand Hunter Pernel, we did overhear some conversations. There were discussions of other packs simply no longer occupying their settlements.”
He leaned forward in his seat, dislodging Tel as his elbows rested against his knees. “What do you mean?”
“Some of their usual trade locations were purportedly burned down, others merely abandoned. A few were apparently littered with corpses,” she explained more steadily. “From what we could gather, the reason they came to trade with our settlement at all is that the others along the way were in such states. It seems they intended to restock and head back out immediately to accommodate the loss in trading partners.”
He bit his lip as he thought about it, letting himself fall back against the couch.
“What do you guys think of it?” he asked with a glance to his mates. Pan seemed to be mirroring his own apprehension openly, while Tel kept a more serious expression.
“I believe there is something larger happening,” Tel concluded, taking a few seconds before returning to using him as a headrest. Pan nodded her agreement, but didn’t have much to add to it otherwise.
“It would explain how desperate they were for food,” he mused aloud, raising a brow when Harrow shifted to lean against him, one foot placed on the edge of the seat forcing the posture. “Any details of interest, Harrow?”
The orange-furred female jolted, only just stopping from moving her foot back to the floor before committing to using him as a backrest. She turned back-on fully, stretching her legs over the remainder of the seat and placing tablets she had finished with on her lap.
“It didn’t take very long for the methods you sold to propagate,” she responded, holding up a few of the tablets before laying them in their own pile. “Looks like Pernel has been spreading it around by buying some from places that have bows and snares to sell where they don’t.”
“Supply and demand, or arming people with the tools that would help them survive?”
“Hard to trade with the dead,” Harrow commented dryly, starting a new pile. He nodded in exaggerated fashion.
“What about the Atmo?”
She tapped the small stack she just started. “I’m trying to separate these by inventory type. Give me a bit.”
Deciding to trust the woman in charge of managing this kind of thing while she was on the ship, he glanced back to Raine, the female easily mistaken for a statue if not for the subtle sway of her breathing. “The grey-bear-thing. How far away is it?”
“Too close,” she responded firmly. “We did not get a chance to verify their numbers, but there was evidence of at least that singular beast making our territory its hunting ground.”
“Fuck,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “We’re going to need to hunt that thing down.”
Pan looked worried at the prospect, Harrow stiffened in her sorting. The Wraiths were the only ones who seemed completely at ease with the suggestion, Tel not so much as twitching. Harrow laid down the tablets she had yet to categorize, her gaze aimed at her lap.
“Joe, don’t think that taking one out is easy.”
“We have ranged weapons and more than a few people who can use them,” he pointed out with a breath. “Ideally, we go as a larger hunting party and take the damn thing down through sheer volume of fire.”
“Their skin is tough,” Harrow replied with a shake of her head, her ears pivoting back towards him. “I don’t know if our bows could pierce it as easily as we might like.”
He furrowed his brow. “So, what? Let it close in until it eats everything and starves us out? Until it thinks we look tasty?”
“I don’t know. I’m just saying that this won’t be as simple as firing a few arrows and patting ourselves on the back for a job well done.”
Joseph felt the stiffness of his brow start to hurt from how tight they were knitted. A deep breath centred his thoughts. “We’ll arrange an armoured hunting party soon. Better to take it down before it becomes an issue.”
The orange-furred female nodded, quickly leafing through the remaining tablets and only pulling two more out for the pile she indicated earlier.
“Here,” she said, tapping the stack. “These are records for trading Atmo.”
He suppressed the sigh when he genuinely tried to read the mess they called a language. “How many? Who bought them?”
She hesitated, reforming the copy of the ledger—sans the relevant tablets—and placing it on the floor. The remainder in paw, she held them up over her shoulder, Tel accepting it and going over the contents with an interested tilt of her head.
“From what I can see here, Pernel traded two hundred.”
“Two…” he squeaked, his eyes wide. “Two hundred?”
She nodded, pacing around the couch to stop in front of Pan. “It seems others heard of his willingness to barter for them. He accepted quite a few deals before selling them off again.”
“To who?”
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The door to the ship closed with a hiss, Willin shaking his head at Nav’s questioning gaze. “Nothing.”
Tech removed her CARDs, storing them in the weapons locker before shrugging off her AMR to place in its own unit. “Nothing living, anyway.”
“That bad?” Nav asked, deflating after yet another failed attempt to contact a settlement. The dark green-furred male stored his rifle, seating it into its receptacle with a click.
“Tell Comms to add another eighty to the count.”
“Four hundred eighty-two,” the purple-furred female supplied as she walked past Nav to enter the ship proper. Willin followed after, hanging his pistol holster on the side of his chair as he dropped into it.
“Thirty were covered in wounds, twenty or so were executed, twenty-five looked to have died of accumulated trauma, and the rest were found with singular cuts to the throat.”
“Not quite,” Tech remarked, interfacing with the systems. “Only eight of the ‘executed’ seem to have been done up close.”
“Sniper?” Comms asked as he entered the room, nodding his greetings and taking a seat at his station. Nav crossed their arms and leaned against the doorway as Tech Ops ran some numbers on her screen.
“Wounds are consistent with Anti Material Rifles, and debris suggest they took the ‘material’ part into consideration with their shots. There were a few holes in the buildings that didn’t quite get removed by the fires.”
“Covering evidence?” Willin mused aloud, receiving a thoughtful shake of her head.
“No, I don’t think so. My guess is that the buildings were already on fire when they did it, based on the splinters around the exit holes.”
Comms’ eyes widened in surprise. “Shooting through a burning building? That is rather impressive.”
“Blades?” Nav suggested. “Avalon is required to act against those who break the treaty, no?”
“Maybe,” Tech allowed tentatively. “If it was them, then that would explain the lack of targets.”
Willin scratched at his ear, furrowing his brow as Comms ran another scan for any communications being made. Though a few suns had passed since they had unwittingly agreed to involve themselves in what was likely the first case of war that this planet had ever seen, nothing was being sent anywhere. Regardless, the male kept the scans regular, just in case.
Nav switched the foot they were resting on. “Why not just dispose of everyone breaking the treaty?”
“Maybe they did,” Comms commented, turning back to the conversation as the program ran in the background. “Blades typically function under strict conditions. If they removed anyone who was commanding the hostile action, then they did as required of them. The moment the attack stopped, they completed the terms of the treaty.”
“Or if the Grand Hunter here surrendered and allowed their pack to be subsumed,” Willin proposed, the others glancing at him in curiosity. He waved a paw dismissively. “If everyone in the conflict becomes a single pack, then any fighting from those who still disagree with it is now an internal dispute, thus outside of the purview of the Blades. Check the notes on Grand Hunter Toril and High Hunter Bratik.”
Tech’s eyes unfocused for a moment as she accessed the system. “Avalon is forbidden from interfering with internal politics. Toril was sheltered by Bratik. Since Bratik was from outside of Toril’s pack, it counted as acting against their right to manage their own affairs. Hasen was given a perfect reason to take over, and it forced Grand Hunter Trill to exile the both of them to adhere.” She looked around the room aimlessly as she thought, her eyes snapping to Willin when he spoke.
“And a perfect loop-hole to exploit. Toril loses his supporters, Trill loses a member of his command structure, and Hasen rises in power while leaving Avalon to grit their teeth.” He shook his head, both impressed and disgusted. “Once he attacks another pack, he just forces a vassalage and subsequently executes the new High Hunter for whatever reason he wants. The Blades can’t act on a technicality.”
“So Grand Hunter Pernel….”
Willin nodded at Comms' unfinished question. “In the count.”
“There was a bit of a weird holding area,” Tech added after a moment. “Seemed like somewhere to hold livestock, but even then, it was a bit big. I’m not sure what used to be there, but tracks suggest carts left with whatever it was not long before everything went down, so probably a trade caravan.”
“Well, at least someone made it out,” Nav sighed, pushing off the wall to resume their station. “Where are we going next?”
Willin toyed with the odd silver tablet in his paw, the two unrecognizable scripts curious and alien. “The only pack left before we see what all the fuss is about. Let’s pay a visit to Grand Huntress Sunundra. Hopefully she knows something we don’t.”
Next
A/N: Been a while since we’ve had a proper A/N, huh. Welp, here’s this one. Patreon is currently set to ‘per post’ because i made the account ages ago. Waiting on support to help me switch it to monthly, then I’ll post the Silva render i have. RR is at 30k views and 100 followers.
Figured I’d ask how you guys are liking this arc, hows Willin’s team coming across, etc.
Final note: I’m thinking about rewriting the first ‘book’ so i can get it edited and published! Problem: i have no fucking clue where to cut book 1, and editors are expensive. Where should book 1 end? All i know is that I’d prob end up adding extra chapters to it, as well as lengthening the OG chaps. RR is a ‘touch-up’, not a final product, so those don’t count!

Please be kind. I feel vulnerable and English isn't my first language.
For years I have know about rape not needing to be a stranger jumping out of a brush to assault you. I have been one of the commenters saying consent means actively checking in on your sexual partner and for some people it's natural to freeze during an assault instead of fighting or fleeing. That consenting to sex, doesn't mean consenting to all kinds of sex, ect. But apparently for a numbers of reasons I have never applied these to my own past.
I kinda need to know what this looks like from the outside, because I honestly don't know anymore.
When I was like 18-19 I was drinking a lot, partying a lot and had a lot of casual sex (I know now, and knew even back then, that it was an unhealthy coping mechanism but I didn't really know how to deal with things other than that). I live in a generally sex positive country and the environment I frequented included a lot of hook up culture.
One night a guy took interest in me and I was down. We left the bar we were at, but had no place to go to have sex. It obviously annoyed him, and I suggested we just did it in park nearby, that would be empty at night. A really secluded place. He agreed since there where no better option. Things got rough really fast and to boil it down he almost bit off one of my nipples (as in, it was almost not connected to my body anymore - it ended up healing though), he tore my butt cheeks apart so roughly that my skin split all the way from my anus to where the cheeks meet. It was a bloody mess. I was bleeding vaginally too. In the moment I reacted with doing whatever I felt like I could to make him cum fast thinking then it would be over. It included thrusting back and moaning at points. Then he choked me so hard I almost passed out. I thought I would die and wanted to call out for help, but obviously couldn't get a word out. In the moment I thought "this I why he really really wanted a room. He's going to kill me". Then it was over. I used the next week to get over my injuries and hide the marks around my neck and shoulders and breasts and try to make things heal. And telling myself I was a bad bitch for engaging in what I at that point accepted as just bdsm (I know better now).
It never really occurred to me how wrong it all felt. I even met him later as we were regulars in the same place, and he ignored me. It was at that point I realized that he probably didn't actually think I liked it. Yeah, I know, I was naive.
I just stored it as bad sex in my memory, but now, being in my 30s and looking back at it, I feel like it really wasn't okay. I don't care for him so much at this point in my life, but I think what I really need to know is, is it possible to react like I did during an assault? To just do whatever to make it be over as soon as possible, including sexually interacting? And isn't it wrong to act that violently during sex with a new person without discussing it beforehand? In the situation I never really felt like it was possible to say no or stop it, but maybe it was?
I don't know if I have just told myself this was bad sex, because I couldn't accept myself as a victim of assault, or if what I did was actually willfully participating. I just feel so confused and have so many feelings about something that didn't matter to me nearly as much back then - maybe exactly because I acted like it was okay and that I had a choice.
I feel like I'm rambling, but has anybody heard of or experienced something like this or have any thoughts that can help me deal with suddenly looking at myself and my experiences in a different way.
(therapy is not an option in my life right now)

I left my relationship with my ex partner (we’ll call him “J”) of 8 months in Feb 2022. I got the guts to leave after confiding in my current boyfriend (i’ll call him “N”, 23m) about the unhappiness i was feeling in the relationship, who told me I deserved better. I jumped right into a relationship with N (not smart, i know) despite still living with and communicating with J. I tried to cut off ties completely, but it was complicated due to us living in the same apartment (separate rooms; right next to each other). I was going to see N on my days off to stay away from the apartment, hoping that would help me get over the breakup. It didn’t, and I ended up breaking it off with N for a week or so and went back to J. I felt so terrible about hurting N that I had to go back and we’ve been together ever since. We’ve lived together since Sep 2022 and have resigned our lease for another year. I love him, but I find myself regretting it sometimes. I wish I would have let myself heal before jumping into something else, but I didn’t. Now nearly a year and a half later, I still miss J and wishing things turned out differently. N treats me amazingly, better than any partner I’ve ever had, but it just isn’t the same and it’s taking a toll on me and our relationship as a whole. I don’t want to have sex, we aren’t really affectionate anymore, and I’m aware I’m 100% of the problem. I just wish I could get over this to be able to live happily 😅

Hello!
I really need some advice from others who have been in long term distance relationships.
My husband and I have not been fully getting along for the past two years. We have been together for 10 years, and married for four. We spend most of our time apart, which is why we havent been able to resolve anything. Our sex life is fine. We get along quite well when we are together. Covid lockdown was a blast: we spent forever in each other's company and loved it. The problem started two years ago when I shared my desire for having children. He was never interested in them, but had always known I wanted children, and agreed to it when we married. He turned me down when i was ready to start preparing for them. He told me to give him six months to think about it. After six months he said later, and after nearly a year of me keeping my hopes up and clinging to that "later," currently he is saying never. There wasn't really much of a conversation. Originally just said no, and when I was finally able to get a reason from him (it took months) there was still no conversation. He just stated why and left it at that. No room for comprimise. Ive been spiraling in and out of depression ever since. (For anyone who has been through this before, I still don't know how to get past this emotional betrayal. But I'm trying. I like him more than theoretical unborn babies, atm. But im still depressed. Advice would be appreciated.)
The added complication is that we are a service couple. We spend most of our time apart from each other. Like now. We have been separated for most of the year, which means bringing the baby conversation to its conclusion keeps getting put on hold as he work is his priority. His job is really dangerous. Mine is not. His is exhausting. Mine is quite easy. So I understand why he can't deal with my issues right away. The work separation thing is supposed to end in October, and after that we should be together far more often than not. However, I'm starting to feel like he legitimately just doesn't care.
Honestly, I feel so unsupported by him. I was bullied at work for months while i was away this year. These girls literally picked away at my self esteem to the point where i didnt even want to leave my room to go to the bathroom if they were around. I would tell him about it on the phone; he listened but there was never any comfort. When I finally came home, I was so defeated. I told him how betrayed and depressed I felt from his not wanting children, and how low my self esteem was from my experience away, and he said a few words, cautiously, but then refused to talk about it anymore. I told him I feel like my mental health is the worst it has ever been and he basically gave me a hug and never brought it up again wirhout me mentioning it first. I tried saying we needed to sort this out before he left again, or else I was going to have a terrible time and end up spiraling, and I ended up doing all the talking. Nothing was resolved.
Flash forward two months, we are apart right now. We talk for maybe 10-20 min a day, or every other day. Phone calls are fine, as long as we only talk about work. When I try to bring up my struggles, I'm legitimately afraid that he'll brush me off. Because 90% of the time, he will. For the last few years I've tried to bottle up my disappointment from the lack of intimacy when we are apart, and when I finally can't stand keeping it to myself, I explode in long text messages. Lately these explosions have been happening more often, because its the only way for me to say what i want without feeling ignored and like im talking to myself. I'm polite in text (i hope). I dont blame him. I don't want to hurt his feelings. I just state things as I see them because I want him to understand my point of view. They're basically the same thing as what im typing now. I know its annoying to get every few days, but i have no other way to communciare honestly with him anymore about things that matter to me, bevause im afraid to try and talk only to be met with silence. He is aware of why i do it. I know he reads them, but a lot of the time he doesn't respond.
Lately, im so on edge that any hint of rejection makes me spiral alone for hours. Im living in a new town, at a new position at work, alone. Last night I felt so fed up (I asked him to come to a work function with me when he gets back, because i didnt want to be alone while everyone else brought their family, and he ambivalently said no because it would be awkward for him) that i texted a long chat, reiterating that I need support, and for the first time i ended it by telling him exactly how id like him to respond (I watched a lot of videos on stonewalling and figured he was ignoring me because I was being overwhelming, resulting in him not know what to say). I was tired of getting nothing substantial back and needed to feel like he cared. I didnt ask him to say yes he'd come, i just wanted him to confirm that if i really needed him, he'd be there for me. I was at the point where I sucked up what little pride i had left and tried to hold his hand to get some emotional support.
Today he told me he was sorry and that he is desensitized to my long texts and can't use up his time reading it. He implied he would address my anxieties in two weeks when he gets back.
I never meant for my messages to so shocking that he could eventually become "desensitized". I wanted him to understand me. And in that situation, i really just wanted him to say he would be there for me. That wouldve been enough for me to get through the rest of our separstion. And what I really, really wish he would do is just acknowledge how badly the baby thing has impacted out marriage, and actually sit down and talk it through with me. I'm having a hard time trusting him to be there for me anymore.
And thats where i am at. I feel utterly alone. Honestly, I know it's not 100% his fault. He's busy, he's doing a dangerous job, I know for a fact he isn't cheating on me, he just sucks at communicating. And he has never told me to stop texting him, he just doesn't have time for it. Before he left i had even asked him how im supposed to communicate with him when I spiral, and he said to text like i always do. But at what point do I stop just letting this emotional rejection slide? I'm talking to nobody. I feel so broken and emotionally starved. Im chasing after him for morsels of sympathy. I signed us up for couples therapy for when he gets home, but I'm starting to wonder if he'll actually participate. Or if I'm just going to get hurt again trying to get my needs met? I understand that getting long, emotionally charged text messages from someone is not ideal, but I literally do not know how to communicate with him anymore. We are a service couple, and the military lifestyle isn't the most conducive to family life. Its hard to establish effective communication when youre always being pulled away. Am I the problem? I know I'm starting to get really exhausting. I'm tired. I keep trying to work on myself, but he never changes. Like, will he change once work calms down? Hes the only person ive ever been with. I grew up in a single parent household. I dont know how this works. :( Has anyone experienced something similar? I want our relationship to work so badly, but it's not right now. :(

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The revised Graviton Lance is so strong in PvP now, but what exactly makes it so powerful? Is it the range, the increase in its rate of fire, or the damage profile of each shot?
Apart from the figures, there’s things about it that makes it feel odd to play against, knowing you can get beamed by it from far out, and every ally near you in 6v6 is a potential enemy grenade. It’s not as if these weren’t in the game before since the changes (on paper) were rpm and damage per shot.

We have three dogs. They are all tied up separately. Let's call the locations A - B - C.
Dog A is getting the habit of getting untied or biting off his rope. Before, he has attacked Dog C.
Today, they were all tied in their respective locations and Dog A comes untied. He had to go through Dog B to get to Dog C but for some reason, he ignored Dog B and went straight to Dog C's face. We were able to separate them through pulling collars and water. And Dog A is currently inside the house all bloody from Dog C's injuries. And it seems he's hyper and checking both front and back doors if he can get out, but otherwise sweet and gentle to us humans right now.
For context in their behaviors, Dog A has always been prickly as he has been trained as a guard dog meant to bark at strangers and has been an only child for so long that apart from female dogs, he's not friendly to male dogs. Dog B was a house dog and is only prickly when barked at first and is a childhood friend of Dog C. He was a teenaged dog when Dog C was a just a kid. Dog C is a combination of house and guard dog. He has never been aggressive but he's always been naughty and sassy. He recently started having fights with Dog B when they're near, a behavior he did not exhibit before. He has often been untied since a kid and even when going on walks, Dog A is on leash while Dog C is free roaming. He attacked Dog A out of nowhere before and this is the second time he's done this aggressive behavior.
Any idea about this behavior?

To hit the broad details of this up front just in case I start to go off on a rant.
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was a child in elementary school. Near the end of my elementary school education my family more or less fell apart and I stopped receiving treatment for my ADHD some time around 5th grade to the beginning of the 6th grade, due to not having parental figures afterwards that cared or at one point simply couldn't afford the treatment any longer. The treatment I received was in the form of a Ritalin prescription, though the dosage I can't remember because I was still pretty young at the time. My parents/guardians either lost or didn't keep the records of it.
From that point on I have not had any treatment for ADHD, and I struggled with passing my schoolwork in all but a few subjects, for some reason history manages to stick with me.
After public education I would join the Army. It might sound weird but I kind of forgot that I had ADHD during this time, and also generally speaking you can't really join the military while on any sort of mind altering prescription so I might have unconsciously chose to not reveal that fact when I was in the process of joining some 10 years ago.
Some years after that career I am starting school again in Engineering, and am struggling really hard to get by. It feels like I only retain a portion of the lecture in class that my peers do, and when I study or do the homework it's almost like I'm learning the material for the first time, again. I managed to pass my first semester, but only barely.
Additionally I can feel that my general forgetfulness, procrastination, and scatterbraininess puts a lot of pressure on my spouse.
Though I have survived thus far without much treatment from ADHD I feel going back on treatment is personally the right move for me and my family. And after several consultations with a psychiatrist, (basically starting over from scratch because of the aforementioned lack of records), their results indicated I do have ADHD and they will start me on new medication soon, though they haven't mentioned what exactly it might be over the phone. My general phsyician tried me on Guanfacine before this and I noticed basically no measure of improvement in focus, and I generally thought it had no effect until we agreed to discontinue that where the side effects of withdrawal gave me the worst hangover I've ever had and to be weened off it.
So I guess my question is if anyone else has had such a long break in treatment before, and if there are things I should be aware of / watch-out for when finally resuming treatment. I am sure the actual doctor will go over with the most important stuff when I finally have that consultation soon, but I live in a country that is extremely suspicious/cautious about treating ADHD.

ok so i was wondering if some of you ever had these annoying neighbors who you absolutely despise. is there a way subliminals could help? sorry for the long post.
context: these neighbors of mine are always outside laughing LOUD AS FUCK in the front of the apartment complex and im on the 3rd floor, i still can hear them with the window closed and it's fucking summer im supposed to keep the windows closed just so i don't hear them but it's hot as heck. i hate them. everytime i go and get back from somewhere i have to get past them and they have the audacity to bring others from near neighbourhoods and it's just??? i don't know it's exhausting as fuck?????? there are like 15 people at the entrance door laughing like dying animals and im not even joking???? police won't do anything, some years ago someone called them and they literally told them who called them. police in my country is a joke. the complex's administrator is a joke as well, he tried to tell them they are loud and annoying but now he is scared of them so um yeah.​ they have lots of connections i guess? idk.​ yes my country is a joke. sometimes it makes me cry because if i go outside like them and laugh and make noise someone will put me down but they don't get any repercussions. i know it's silly. but literally i have other problems as well since long ago and every night i pray to just die. they are just an addition to all of this. im crying as i type this because they are there laughing obnoxiously and making so much noise and this happened for almost a decade. yes i know i should move from here but it's not that easy. im socially anxious and they just make it worse. they gossip and everytime i have to get past them im scared and sure they will gossip about me.
i just want them to be gone. sorry for the long post. is there anyone who had this problem and found a subliminal that helped? they are rich i just want them to move somewhere else that's all. i want to go outside without fear and anxiety, i want silence. and i wouldn't care if they were there talking like normal people but please trust me they are loud every morning and every evening for hours. when other neighbors stay there and chat it's different, it's normal, it's quiet. they fucking do it intentionally. and selfish people like them always get good things and no consequences. i don't even care about their karma anymore at this point. i just want them to leave. please tell me some of you went through this and subliminals helped.
please help

Hello,
I've started a game in 1066 in ck3 in the HRE with some friends. One of them is very aggressive, expanding near my borders and killing my second husband (i killed the 1rst) and almost got me. I wanted to know if their are ways to keep him in check, apart from killing him to have is realm weakened or separated. By "in check" i mean preventing him from growing too fast, gaining intelligence on him (to know if he'll try to kill me again)... i dont want to chain kill him or conquer him, it wont be fun for him. I dont think there is a way to send spies to other courts. Is there a mod for it ?

Hello all! I’ve recently (within the last 2 months) reconnected with one of my oldest and best friends from HS after nearly 20 years. She and I were very good friends in those days—we had many mutual friends, common interests, and I actually took her to homecoming my senior year (she was a sophomore), but we never actually dated, despite both having major crushes on each other. After HS, we kinda drifted apart as friends often do (I left our small town to join the Navy in the early 00s, and she left shortly thereafter as well.) We became Facebook friends probably about ten years ago, but never really interacted with each other’s posts, etc. I’ve always had very deep feelings for her, but I’d just assumed too much time had elapsed and that I’d never actually see her again. At the time we became Facebook friends, I was married and starting a family, etc., and she was in relationships as well, which is probably why we never really talked despite being friends.
Two months ago, that all changed. I came out on FB as a trans woman, and she reached out and left me a very sweet comment offering her love and support, which had me bawling my eyes out. I reached out via Messenger to thank her for her kind words, etc., and we began messaging each other almost daily via Messenger and Snapchat. We’ve discovered that we both still have very deep feelings for each other, and a LOT more in common than we’d ever realized. She then shared with me that she suffers from bipolar disorder (as well as other mental health issues). I also shared my mental health issues (ADHD, PTSD, gender dysphoria, anxiety, depression, etc.), and expressed my empathy and support, which she greatly appreciated, yet another thing we’ve bonded over.
As the past two months have gone by, I’ve started to get a glimpse of what bipolar looks like for her, the manic phases and nearly agoraphobic depression cycles. She’s shared a bit about how it’s cost her friendships and relationships with her family, etc., and how she seems doomed to keep losing people. All of which makes me want to reach out to her even more, as I understand what going through long periods of deep depression is like firsthand.
I guess what I’m looking for is guidance on how best to support her, and show her how much I love and care for her without triggering her episodes, smothering her when she needs space, etc. When her depressive episodes hit, she goes almost completely dark on social media (which is the only way I have contact with her right now.) As i mentioned, I have VERY deep feelings for her and I think I’m falling for her again. But I suppose I’m wondering how to proceed with supporting her when she goes silent. I so, so badly want to be there for her since most people have walked away from her, and it’s difficult feeling so helpless when I know that she’s hurting (distance is a factor at the moment, as well.) Any thoughts are welcome! Thank you. 😁💜

(This is a wild rant, to blow off all the steam buckling up right now. I can't talk to anyone but I need to get this out.)
I know. I know- what a rough title. But honestly, I am so fed up.
I (18f) will finish the highest educational level in Germany soon and I have an apprenticeship at a bank with a pretty good wage. But I need to move into my own apartment. A little backstory: My parents made a saving account for me. It ranged to 10k now and it was always meant to pay for my very first apartment.
However, plans changed when I got a boyfriend (whom I dearly love but he should start believing in some gods that I won't strangle him). He (19m) will move in with me, which should have made things a lot easier. Well, so I thought. But oh man, I was so so wrong.
Because of him, I got us a bigger place for a good price. As planned, we used the saving account to purchase furniture. It just became a little more due to the second head in the new household. I had no issues with it, of course. But before we began to purchase everything, I did talk to him about finances because I like to scheme everything out.
We would have to live at least one month prior to my starting date at my new job in order to get accustomed to the place and the new life. And since this apartment had a good location (with supermarkets and all reachable within a minute walk) I knew we had to get this. Sadly, the owner said we could rent the place but we had to move in a little earlier. Which leads to us moving in in at least two weeks. A few months ago I picked up two jobs in order to start saving money and pay some furniture with it. Because the other half of my savings will go into investments and I am adamant to not change that. I paid of the deposit of the new apartment, all the contracts run in my name.
And whilst I will happily pay half the rent and for the living costs, I cannot do such in the first two months. I will get my first paycheck near the end of august. I told my boyfriend that we had to be depending on his job, his savings. I told him five months ago to stop purchasing stuff so we won't end up in a financial crisis.
Of course, this man went to buy a PC, a new lego set, expensive jackets and shoes and whatnot. I didn't say anything as I do agree he needed a new PC. And I told him it was fine as long as he started saving a bit. He didn't. Of course he didn't. He buys some skins for games, battle passes, expensive gifts for his family... Thank you, my dear. Thanks for listening to me.
We move into his city. And whilst he lived only five minutes away from a train station, we now live twenty minutes away from it. Though it is only ten with the bus. Meaning, he has every goddamn chance to reach the train station and get to his old job.
But you know- silly me for believing he knows how to think.
This week he quit his job. Yes. We will move into the apartment in approximately two weeks when all my finals are through. Yes, he is very much aware of that. But does he care? No. He did apply to a new one and I told him to wait until they called him back. Yeah, why listen to the stupid woman? Of course! Let's go and quit without even having a new job.
I can't. If I'd tell you steam comes out of my ears, better believe I am not joking.
He explained to me, though, that he has all the finances sorted out. I am laying back then, you know. But today was the tip of the cake. He texts me saying the state doesn't pay him this sort of loan when there are holidays. And you know when we move in and have to depend on exactly this money? In the holidays, correct!
Now I write application after application to get another job. Because why not? Someone has to pay the rent at the end, right?
And then he proceeds to admit he had an offer from his dad's job this weekend to help out for at least 300€. Might not seem much but in the end it would have been. And now that he is jobless we depend on any offer. Sure, it is a bit under the minimum wage but in the end, he'd have to help out for three days only. Instead of THNKING "Oh, yeah. We might need those 300€." this man straight out said he was too lazy for this and declined. Now the offer is gone.
I can't. I just- what is he thinking? I won't empty my entire damned saving account just because he doesn't have his life under control. If I'd known this, man, I would have let him stay at his parent's house and get myself a nice, smaller space.
And now we are in this mess. He won't do any other work because he, and I quote, "doesn't want to do a job where he actually has to work." My guy, if you don't start working soon you will have far bigger problems. I understand everyone has a preference but please- for two months? You can do it for two months.
And now he has the audacity to say I can't get another job because "what of our time together?" Boy, if you don't shut up. We can have time together. I'd love that. But not under a bridge! I paid for everything up to this point. He had to pay 70% in the next two months whilst I would have only been able to contribute 30% of the money. But now it seems I have to take up these 70% as well. Who quits a job without having another whilst in the middle of the process of the first ever apartment?
The worst part is that I talked about the finances over and over again. He only went "Baby, I know. You've said it five times already." I should have said it a sixth and seventh time apparently ! He didn't get it. I told him how expensive living is nowadays. And he didn't listen. Now I have to smooth his stupidness out and fix this mess.
Thank you, my love. Thank you.

Can't tell you how many times in Call of Duty and other First Person Shooters I died while running clearing rooms because the enemy positioned themselves in a location that would be blocked by a door when you open it or even intentionally left wooden fences and so on opened so that they have a safe hiding spot and they'd shoot you as you run past them.
IN addition so many stealth games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid give you the gadgets to help hide on the ceiling or your character is even fit enough to jump and hold themselves near the ceiling at the corners of a room because they are just that fit enough. So basically wait for the whole enemy squad to come in and gunned them down as you are out of their field of view and the rooms are often dim.
What inspired this question? I was playing Deus Ex and I was exploring a bedroom when suddenly I got electrocuted to death by robots hiding under a bed. IN another mission when I was exploring an apartment I didn't notice an enemy was also hiding under a table and got crippled in the legs.
So It makes me wonder how real militaries would handle ambushes from this bizarre locations not usually emphasized in squad tactics like say spies skimping their way behind bookshelves and crouching or a criminal hiding in a closet behind clothes with his uzi ready to shoot?

Can't tell you how many times in Call of Duty and other First Person Shooters I died while running clearing rooms because the enemy positioned themselves in a location that would be blocked by a door when you open it or even intentionally left wooden fences and so on opened so that they have a safe hiding spot and they'd shoot you as you run past them.
IN addition so many stealth games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid give you the gadgets to help hide on the ceiling or your character is even fit enough to jump and hold themselves near the ceiling at the corners of a room because they are just that fit enough. So basically wait for the whole enemy squad to come in and gunned them down as you are out of their field of view and the rooms are often dim.
What inspired this question? I was playing Deus Ex and I was exploring a bedroom when suddenly I got electrocuted to death by robots hiding under a bed. IN another mission when I was exploring an apartment I didn't notice an enemy was also hiding under a table and got crippled in the legs.
So It makes me wonder how real police would handle ambushes from this bizarre locations not usually emphasized in squad tactics like say spies skimping their way behind bookshelves and crouching or a criminal hiding in a closet behind clothes with his uzi ready to shoot?

Can't tell you how many times in Call of Duty and other First Person Shooters I died while running clearing rooms because the enemy positioned themselves in a location that would be blocked by a door when you open it or even intentionally left wooden fences and so on opened so that they have a safe hiding spot and they'd shoot you as you run past them.
IN addition so many stealth games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid give you the gadgets to help hide on the ceiling or your character is even fit enough to jump and hold themselves near the ceiling at the corners of a room because they are just that fit enough. So basically wait for the whole enemy squad to come in and gunned them down as you are out of their field of view and the rooms are often dim.
What inspired this question? I was playing Deus Ex and I was exploring a bedroom when suddenly I got electrocuted to death by robots hiding under a bed. IN another mission when I was exploring an apartment I didn't notice an enemy was also hiding under a table and got crippled in the legs.
So It makes me wonder how real militaries and police forces would handle ambushes from this bizarre locations not usually emphasized in squad tactics like say spies skimping their way behind bookshelves and crouching or a criminal hiding in a closet behind clothes with his uzi ready to shoot?

Hi! Can anyone please recommend condos/apartments near Veterans Memorial Medical Center? Good for 1 - 2 people and hopefully is 15k or below. Must be with security guard, CCTV, fire exits and within a good area.
Specific things I look for:

• Allows tenants to cook
• Allows visitors (both sexes)
• Preferably semi-furnished with bed, aircon, stove, microwave
• Preferably with parking space

From my research, I've heard of Avida Towers Vita, SMDC Grass Residences, and Joseon Residences with info about them online. However, can't seem to find the official FB pages/contact numbers for the first 2.
Other places include Vien Plaza, One Carmela Place Condominium but lack a lot of information online. Please share any info you have!
Thank you!!

Can't tell you how many times in Call of Duty and other First Person Shooters I died while running clearing rooms because the enemy positioned themselves in a location that would be blocked by a door when you open it or even intentionally left wooden fences and so on opened so that they have a safe hiding spot and they'd shoot you as you run past them.
IN addition so many stealth games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid give you the gadgets to help hide on the ceiling or your character is even fit enough to jump and hold themselves near the ceiling at the corners of a room because they are just that fit enough. So basically wait for the whole enemy squad to come in and gunned them down as you are out of their field of view and the rooms are often dim.
What inspired this question? I was playing Deus Ex and I was exploring a bedroom when suddenly I got electrocuted to death by robots hiding under a bed. IN another mission when I was exploring an apartment I didn't notice an enemy was also hiding under a table and got crippled in the legs.
So It makes me wonder how real police would handle ambushes from this bizarre locations not usually emphasized in squad tactics like say spies skimping their way behind bookshelves and crouching or a criminal hiding in a closet behind clothes with his uzi ready to shoot?