A Note from the Editor
Welcome to HEATWAVE! a furry fandom zine. It’s been such a pleasure to develop this zine during the summer months. I’ve gotten to collaborate with some amazing artists, and now finally allow all of the readers to take a look at what we’ve been working on! We hope to take you on a sun-drenched vacation with various pitstops at visual and written wonders alike.
Before we jump into the deep end, I want to thank you to our editing team of one, Scarlet Nevermore, for guiding me through my first ever zine publication! And of course, a thank you to the contributors whose works made this possible. Here’s to many more furry zines in the future! We all wholeheartedly hope you enjoy reading
Editor-in-Chief
Special thanks to our staff & contributors.
Clover
AVTuberFriend's Perspective
I’ve known of the furry fandom from when I was as young as twelve. I had a fursona, made-up species, you name it Then, for some reason, I hit that age where I decided that I was “too cool” for that stuff, and completely abandoned my work altogether Typical teenager stuff
Many years later, however, I once again find myself in close ties with the community Quite frankly, I’m glad to have made my return.
It has perhaps one of the most passionate, artistically motivated communities I have ever been a part of, a flame that we must keep burning with the threat of A I looming over our creativity Some artists, I have worked with for but a fleeting moment, to grab a commission with some spare cash Others, I have become a regular customer for character references and the like Regardless, it has been an honor to work with each and every one of them
Recently, I started to become more involved with the community through fanzines. My goal has been to work on a wide variety of projects, to broaden my horizons, expand my portfolio, lend a helping hand, the list goes on. In the process, I have also rediscovered the love I had for the fandom all these years ago and the wide variety of people that it comprises of
The best part, is that it mingles with the Vtuber fandom as well Furries use png, Live2D, and 3D VRChat models for streaming and activities of all kinds It opens up even more possibilities for people to play as their sona, making many things that would be impossible with a real-life fursuit possible
I’m excited to see what advancements in the rigging and tracking technology means for both communities. If VTubers make great strides within the next few years, we’ll probably be able to attribute that to a furry’s work. And I mean this in the most loving way possible.
From a VTuber, thank you all for being such a wonderful community to work with, and I look forward to forging an even stronger bond between the fandoms in the future!
Scarlet Nevermore (staff member)
128Degrees by Kwiyatsi
As the air conditioner creaks to life for the third time in an hour, Athena scrolls on her phone. First, the news All warnings about the heatwave and articles on the importance of staying cool and hydrated Every article, about one or two paragraphs in, is cut with ads of bikini-clad feathered bodies splashing about in pools. Three times, she gets served the same advertisement of a penguin and peacock showing off their air conditioner repair deals under the tagline, “Staying frosty doesn’t have to be flashy!”
She closes the news app Nothing new she won’t know by going outside
Then she scrolls social media for a bit A lot of the same stuff served in the ads, just in perfectly posed photographs Bikini clad beach goers Colorful cocktails served in barely-sweating glasses Trashy romance novels by the pool, staged to look intellectual and fun. At least five people photographing their ice cream melting in their talons with captions loaded with fire and sweat emojis
And more ads, naturally, offering vacations she can’t afford to places that promise to be the cool summer wonderland of her wildest fantasy.
That’s when Athena decides to stop looking at her phone at all
Instead, she splays out on her back and watches the ceiling fan spin around And around And around Hot air presses down on her, making her unable to do anything but close her eyes
“C’mon, lazybones.” The mattress sags as Irene sits herself down. “Get up.”
“It’s too hot to move,” Athena points out “We should sleep until it’s dark Then do stuff ”
Irene scoffs “The store closes long before sunset ”
“Then we can spend the day inside ” Athena opens an eye “Please? Have mercy on your dove?”
For a moment, Irene seems to consider it. Mercy does not come easy to the vulture, Athena knows. It’s always hikes and jogs and adventures before the sunrise
“We’re going swimming ”
“It’s too hot.”
“It’ll cool you off ”
“I don’t want to get my feathers wet ”
“I’ll set up a nice, shady spot just for you to lay around and whine in ” Athena’s feathers ruffle at that. “I don’t whine!”
“You’re whining now, pet ”
The endearment finally makes Athena groan and roll out of bed It’s the way Irene gets her to do most things
“And,” Irene beams, “you haven’t seen my new swimsuit.”
“Are we at least bringing cold drinks?” Athena asks, shucking off her tank top and tossing it into the laundry basket
“What’s your poison today?”
“Anything cold. And sweet.”
“We have some of that fruit punch left ”
“Perfect!” Athena rummages in the drawers for her swimsuit Pale pink that compliments her plumage She pulls on the top and adjusts the halter top “We have sunscreen, right? I don’t want you burning ” Irene laughs. “I’ll let you put it on me, if you want.”
“That sounds like you’re flirting ” Athena pulls off her shorts and lets her talons linger at the waistband of her panties “Should I be worried?”
Looking away, Irene crosses her legs. “Just...hurry up and get dressed.”
Athena shrugs and pulls off her underwear. Bikini bottoms pulled on and, just to be a tease, snaps the waistband against her hips She takes her time picking out a sundress, opting for the pink one printed with yellow roses
“Okay, Irene, you can look I’m not naked Or flirting ”
Irene gets up. She rests her talons on the mourning dove’s shoulders and kisses her cheek. “You get to pack the cooler while I get dressed ”
“You’re not going to let me see the new swimsuit?”
“Nope ”
“Can you at least tell me if it’s sexy?” Athena crosses her wings. With a wink, Irene answers, “If you’re a good sport, you might find out Now go load up the cooler, pet ” Athena feels her face heat up under her feathers With a huff, she steps out of the bedroom
From the kitchen, she can’t even sneak a peek at Irene and her mystery swimsuit And Irene cuts off any sneaking around by closing the bedroom door. Athena resigns herself to packing up the cooler. Ice. Juice. Bottles of water.
She lingers over the choice of the hard cider in their fridge. It’s a fresh six-pack and, knowing Irene, probably meant for a balmy evening at the grill Athena packs all six bottles, delighting in the sound of them rattling in the ice
Athena grabs the picnic basket, too, and sets to work making them a proper lunch Chips and fruit Sandwiches heavy with thick-sliced vegetables, cheese and, for Irene, honey ham. Athena makes her own sandwich with a generous serving of mustard Those get wrapped in plastic and checkered napkins She adds a couple more napkins, just in case things get messy while they eat
“You ready, pet?”
“I made us lunch.”
Irene steps into the kitchen, peeking into the basket “Looks perfect ”
To Athena’s disappointment, Irene’s wearing a t-shirt printed with the name of her gym and running shorts Not a peek of the swimsuit visible.
Kissing Athena’s cheek again, Irene asks, “Now get your hiking shoes on.”
By the time she can smell the lake, Athena absolutely despises the vulture She curses her in her head Coming up with as many creative insults as she can before her brain overheats By the time she gets to the single word insults, Irene beams over her shoulder
“Almost there. Keep those knees high!”
“I hate you ”
“You’ll hate me less once we’re in the water and cooled off ”
Irene keeps marching on, grinning over her shoulder. But Athena comes to an immediate halt.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”
Irene turns her head and whistles
The entire beach, just a little cove that locals use, is choked with trash. Sun bleached plastic bottles and the torn remains of fishing nets A few plastic toys lay half-buried in the sand, paint scuffed A dead fish bobs in the water, pushed closer and closer to the shore with every incoming wave
“Well, I guess we just have to clean it up before we go swimming ” Irene sets the picnic basket down on the sand and shrugs off her backpack. “Work up our appetite for the water.”
“I am not getting in that water ” Athena drops the cooler in the sand, curling up in the shade of a mesquite tree She flips open the top and snatches a bottle of water, wrenching it open “You can get malaria or whatever I’m staying right here.”
“Suit yourself ”
Irene rummages in her bag for a while before pulling out a trash bag Without hesitation, she begins to pick up the trash left behind by other swimmers As she works, Irene sings under her breath
It’s one of those slow songs off the radio. Poppy and sappy. Athena guzzles half her water bottle, glaring at the glassy eye of the dead fish
With a deep sigh, she gets up off the soft sand “I’ll get more bags ” “You’ll be alright walking back by yourself?”
Athena rolls her eyes. “It’s a fifteen minute walk. I’ll be right back.”
“Glad you care about our environment, pet ”
“I care,” Athena scoffs, “about not dying from heat stroke Cleaning up the beach gets me closer to cooling off ” And, before she can be called a saint, Athena turns and makes the hike back up the hill, meeting the road. There’s so much sand in her sneakers and she loathes the slippery feeling of it against her talons
She sips her water as she walks It’s a nice day, despite the heat Clear skies and quiet roads Their small town is all inside to beat the heat
Athena returns to their apartment and opens the door. A wall of heat greets her and she tests the light switch. Nothing
She curses the rolling blackouts and grabs the box of trash bags they keep on the counter And, just because she can and because it’s hot, she grabs one of the bottles of juice out of the fridge It’ll be warm by the time they get back anyway.
With trash bags and a fresh drink, she leaves the apartment again and glares vaguely in the sun’s general direction
Irene has the bag full and proudly stacks the next load of garbage next to it “Hey, you’re back ”
Athena hands her the box of trash bags. “I’m dying.”
“Not yet you aren’t.” Taking a bag from the roll, Irene shakes it out.
“I’m dying and it’s hot and I’m going to kill the sun ” Athena finishes the last of her juice and puts the empty bottle in the trash bag
“Lay down in the shade. I’ll take it from here.”
“Did you put on sunscreen?”
Irene lowers her head “I forgot ”
“Come here,” Athena sighs “The last thing I need is both of s d ing ” Irene relents, kneeling on the sand while Athena sunscreen made for naked avian flesh With a generou making sure to work it into her skin
“ You need to take better care of yourself,” Athena chides “What if you get skin cancer?”
“Vultures don’t get skin cancer ”
“Everyone gets skin cancer,” Athena replies.
Another generous helping and she works the sunscreen into the talons of Irene’s wings Massaging it in there, too.
“There Now you’re fine to go play with trash ”
“You’re not going to use the spray on me?”
“You’re a big girl,” Athena points out. “You can spray yourself with it I’m trusting you ”
Irene smirks “Responsibility I like it ”
While Irene uses the spray to get all the skin under her plumage, Athena applies the cream to her own talons She massages it into her legs, making sure to get a decent coverage
“So are you going to help me pick up this stuff?” Irene hands over the spray
Giving the can a quick shake, Athena sprays herself down, even wriggling out of her dress to get every spot. “Maybe I prefer to watch you work ”
“So you’ll watch our stuff if I run these up to the dumpster?”
“Sure.” Athena pulls her book out of Irene’s backpack “I’ll be here Relaxing in the shade ”
But, over the top of her book, she watches Irene as she squats down to pick up trash and add it to the second bag
art by ilex (@dinosaurish.bsky.social)
Firm muscle in her legs from a rigorous exercise routine The twitch of tail feathers to balance her as she moves Everything packed neatly into the plastic bags Irene even steps ankle-deep in the lake to pick up the dead fish “Gross ”
“I thought you were reading.”
“And I thought you were going to leave the dead fish alone ”
“You’re lucky I’m throwing it away ”
“Gag,” Athena says, turning a page in her book “I hope you’re going to wash your talons before you try to slather sunscreen on me.”
“You’re a big girl,” Irene teases back “You can handle it ” Athena huffs and reaches for the cooler She grabs a bottle of water and one for Irene “Don’t forget to hydrate ”
“I won’t. Thanks.”
Irene takes the offered bottle, pointedly using her other wing to grab it, still careful not to brush talons with Athena After a long drink, Irene finishes picking up the last of the trash and ties up the second bag
“I’ll be right back I promise ”
“I know you will be.”
Watching Irene hike up the hill, Athena takes in her confident jog The steep hill is nothing to the gym loving vulture. She attacks it like a good meal. And then she’s obscured by the brush.
Athena tries to focus on her novel. She really does. But the words go right over her head and she finds herself rereading the same page three times and still forgetting A sip of cool water does nothing to clear her head So she lays back in the soft sand and shade of the mesquite
Just a short nap. A few minutes. She’ll be awake before Irene gets back.
“Pet, wake up ”
“Five more minutes,” Athena begs “You hungry?”
Despite wanting to go back to sleep, Athena’s stomach rumbles. She sits up slowly, glaring at the picnic basket. “There you are Here ”
The sandwich is forced into Athena’s talons before she can protest Not that she intends to Athena peels back the napkin and plastic wrap and takes a bite. Her stomach growls, reminding her she is starving.
“I knew you were hungry ” Irene grins, taking a messy bite out of a peach Already, she’s kicked off her shoes, talons buried in the sand “Making a total mess of myself ”
“There’s more napkins,” Athena tells her, rummaging in the basket until she finds them “Here ” “Thanks. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Live at the gym?” Athena suggests
“Probably!” After another messy bite of peach, Irene grins “Oh no My shirt is totally ruined ”
“I can hear the exaggeration.” Athena pulls a slice of tomato that refuses to cooperate with the provolone out of her sandwich and gulps it down, licking her talons “Are you going to show me the swimsuit now?”
Nodding, Irene finishes eating her peach and wraps the pit up in a soiled napkin That and the plastic wrap go into another trash bag In one smooth motion, Irene peels off her shirt
Athena almost chokes on her sandwich.
“You hate it ” Irene says, folding her shirt up neatly
“It’s definitely different ” Athena takes in the bikini top: white fabric patterned with pink roses It stands out against Irene’s dark plumage “But I’m not complaining Is it a matching set?”
“It sure is.”
Emboldened, Irene stands up, wriggling out of her shorts The bottoms do match A trail of pink roses on white fabric
“It’s so cute I might have to borrow it,” Athena warns.
“This is just for us, though The one-piece is for the gym ”
“Don’t I feel special ”
“You should ” Irene stretches in perfect form, chirping with satisfaction “I’m going to swim some laps ” “Go ahead.” Athena picks at her sandwich. “I’ll be here.”
“But you’ll get in the water, right?”
“Of course Just give me a second ”
“Good ”
Jogging down to the water, Irene plunges in without hesitation. Up to her ankles, then knees, hips. She dives right in, cutting a dark shape through the water Athena gets the chance to admire her breaststroke
Finishing her sandwich, Athena decides on another coat of sunscreen before she makes her way down to the water. It’s freezing and she squawks at it.
But it’s nicer than the heat of the afternoon, so she follows Irene’s example and dives in Athena is content just to swim around without any real goal Letting her body get used to the cold water The first real cold she’s felt all day She dives under the surface, taking in the quiet
Rising out of the water, she finds Irene cutting through the water with a goal in mind. Swimming laps out to the buoy that marks the wake zone for boats And then back again to where she can reach the bottom, kicking off
Athena makes sure to give her space, letting her tire herself out for a while
Already, the sun is starting to set Golden hour Bobbing in the water, Athena takes it all in The mesquite trees turning darker in the light while the sand shimmers. Even the water seems silvery in the dimming light.
Irene cuts through the water almost soundlessly Like she was hatched for it Her dark feathers glisten with drops of water
And then the sun sinks behind the mountains, bathing everything in shadow.
“Almost done warming up?” Irene asks as she kicks off again
“I’m just relaxing,” Athena tells her. “Not everything has to be exercise.”
“No, but this is easy on the joints. Low impact.” As if that matters more.
“Relaxing,” Athena repeats, deciding to float on her back for a while and stare up at the sky
It grows deeper and deeper from blue to indigo to the first stretch of black Stars come out slowly while Athena watches.
A voice next to her is drowned out by the lake seeping into her head
“What?” She stands up too deep and finds herself bobbing in the water, tilting her head to let the water out
“I said,” Irene repeats, swimming a little closer, “it’s odd that we’re the only ones here ”
“Everyone else is probably out of town. Or laying down. Whatever.”
“But if there’s no one here ” Irene gets that look in her eye
“Skinny dipping ”
“Skinny dipping,” Irene agrees.
With a roll of her eyes, Athena decides to be bold. She unties the strap of her swimsuit, peeling off her top. Which gets a whistle of appreciation from Irene
“I’m putting this with our stuff,” Athena tells her “Unless you have a better place for it ”
“None that I can see,” Irene agrees, peeling off her own top.
Together, they wade out of the lake and shake the water off their feathers Athena pulls off her swimsuit bottoms and folds them up to rest with her things
“You know anyone could come by, right?” Irene points out
“Getting shy?”
“No, just ” Her talons toy with the strings of her bikini bottom
“Getting caught is what makes it fun,” Athena points out
And, naked, she stride confidently back down to the water, wading in until she’s waist deep in the lake. She dives in, swimming a clumsier breaststroke than Irene but going all the way out to the buoy
“Hurry up and get in, you big hatchling!” Athena calls
Without hesitation, Irene strips down and sprints toward the water She dives in, splashing clumsily in the lake
When she gets close, Athena says, “There’s a six-pack in the cooler.”
“Sounds like a good time ”
“It could be ”
Irene rests one wing on the buoy and traces talons up Athena’s chest “Have I mentioned, recently, that I love you?”
“Maybe,” Athena teases “But tell me again?”
TheWeirdandWonderful WorldofInflatables
This past week, I rewatched one of my favourite videos about the furry fandom: Ash Coyote’s “Inflatables and the Adults Who Love Collecting Them” Despite never having any previous interest in the (albeit very popular) subset of the community involved with inflatables and pool toys, I found myself more and more intrigued with every second that ticked by. I couldn’t help but be glued to my screen - partly due to my fascination and partly due to the riveting stories told by these squeak-enthuaists
I admit, I was under the presumption that the members of this community were primarily focused on sexual gratification, but only twenty minutes found myself tearing up hearing the testimonies of a veteran whose only comfort after his homecoming were pool toys As an autistic individual, I could empathise with the immense relief that came alongside stuff like evenly-distributed weight, pleasant textures, and soothing, repetitive sounds The longer I watched, the more I thought - oh God, am I into inflatables?
Not in a sexual sense - though I understand the appeal, I myself never experienced it Moreso, I enjoyed the thought of hugging a very firm pool toy and running my hands (or paws) over its smooth exterior There was something soothing about the thought which was not dissimilar to the sensory aids I had used previously To me, pool toys were simply a furry-specific, bigger, and much more expensive version of fidget toys. My only issue? I had never seen one in person! Suddenly, I was experiencing major FOMO regarding these custom air-filled pieces of art My first furry convention was several months away and every day, I grew excited at more particular event scheduled on Saturday afternoon - the inflatables panel
And when Scotiacon came, I was so anxious for the panel, I ended up running an hour late I rushed from my tiny hotel to the con building Then, myself and my handler unknowingly stood in the line for the dealer’s den - thinking it to be the line for the panel - for an extra twenty minutes
“Is this the right line?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s gotta be ”
“I just didn’t realise this panel would be so popular ”
“You’d know better than me.”
“Hold on, I’ll ask the people in front of us ”
By the time I caught on to what was happening, bursting through the double doors to the main stage, I had only ten precious minutes left. But it was really a sight to behold I could only imagine what my handler - also my partner, and a total non-fur - was experiencing There were soft mood lights, carnival-esque music and a hall filled corner to corner with adorable inflatable anthro animals Fursuiters like myself were running amock, playfully hugging and playing with neon pool toys
My handler still best describes this panel as “dream-like” - he stood stunned for a few moments when we entered Maybe I should have briefed him more thoroughly!
Regardless, it was incredible As an autistic individual, it was the best sensory experience I had during the whole con weekend The testimonies of those in the documentary were suddenly ringing true as I dragged a fursuit paw over taut plastic, and let my eyes dance with the soothing lights. I let the hustle and bustle of the dealer’s den melt away I could relieve pressure I didn’t think I had simply by squeezing an inanimate Lapras, or letting myself get crushed by a falling inflatable (oops!)
Under the dimmed lights, I got to speak with individuals just like me who felt a similar ecstasy being in what is, in reality, such a peculiar location Every hug I got from those individuals felt specifically tender
If you told me three years ago that I would feel an immense sense of human connection when surrounded by dozens of anthropomorphic pool toys, I don’t think I would have believed you. But now, I do. And I am already aching to go back to that lovely main hall in Scotiacon!
RhythmoftheWaves by Proscmewtto (she/her)
A dusky indigo sky was embraced by the syrupy air of the humid summer night Beaded moisture rested on the flat scales of Luka’s back, and his dorsal spines just barely waved in the weak shore breeze. He sat where the pale sand met the misty water, his tail tip stirring up sediment as it flicked rhythmically. He took a deep breath, letting the lapping waves overtake his thoughts. When he was just about settled, a sudden tone, far and distant, caught his ear Luka’s eyes snapped open, as they had been closed when trying to relax, and cocked his head, searching for the source of the sound
After a while of listening to the scattered sounds, Luka could pinpoint the general direction of the sound, far to his left where the sandy shore seemed to stretch to infinity Piquing his curiosity, as Luka had never gone that way before during his trips to the beach, he stood and brushed loose sand from his shorts The wind picked up as he made his way to the sound, hissing and whispering as if inviting him onwards
Eventually, Luka stood face to face with a wall of black, crumbly rock Squinting his eyes in confusion, he strained his head forward to listen for the noise again. Where could it be coming from? I don’t see any Luka's thoughts were interrupted by another tone, seeming to come from inside the rock. But how? Suddenly, there was a flicker of light against the dusky sand. Fire!
Luka crept around the wall, which ended up not being a wall at all, instead the outer shell of a hidden seaside cove. I had no idea this was even here... Luka marvelled to himself. Getting just close enough to peer around the rock, Luka observed the inside of the cove To his surprise, it was decorated modestly with string lights hanging from crevices, blankets and towels strewn across the floor, and even a bean bag chair There was a figure sitting in the chair, Luka noticed; they seemed to notice him too, their ears swivelling towards the entrance, a long tail puffing up in shock
“Hey!” they called, their voice reverberating from the cove, “I know you’re there!” The voice sounded apprehensive, but also playful in a way
In the meantime, Luka had flattened himself against the outer rock of the cove, dorsal spines slicking back and dewlap inflating as if by instinct He shut his eyes tight, ridden with anxiety Why did I walk over here!? I come to the beach to calm down and work things through, not whatever this is! I should’ve just stayed curious Luka suddenly felt a brush of air near his snout, and upon opening his eyes, he saw that he was face to face with the cove-dweller.
“And who’re you?” the figure spoke.
Luka reeled backwards, startled, slamming the back of his head against the rock. He grunted in pain, clasping a hand to the back of his head. His vision had blurred for a moment, but upon his eyes re-focusing, he took to take in the animal in front of him.
The individual that Luka had spotted in the cove was a striking serval, roughly his height and with a luxurious coat of fur, her bold spots appearing like tumbled stones against the sandy fur of the rest of her body She wore a simple ribbed tank top, cropped slightly, allowing some of her cream belly fur to poke through, and parachute pants covered in various patches Her ears were angled towards him, concern scrawled across her face
“Hello? I asked if you were alright Well? Are you?”
Luka shook himself to the present “Ah! Sorry ” He tapped a claw to the outside of his eardrum “My ears were just ringing from that ”
“Well, I can imagine!” the serval said through a breathy laugh “Sorry for seeming on edge earlier; it’s just that I’ve never had anyone come over here before ” She let out a sigh “I’m Indie, by the way,” she said, holding her paw out to Luka
“Luka,” the iguana said briskly, locking his own eyes with Indie’s emerald green ones “And don’t worry, I can understand. I had no idea this was here honestly, and I come here nearly every evening.”
Indie smiled curiously. “Do you really?” She flicked an ear and shook her head out. “Sorry, the bugs get so bad when it’s muggy like this.” She held up a digit and then pointed it at Luka. “Say, you want to come inside the cave? It’s nicer than you’d think in there!” She studied Luka’s expression, then added, “Just for a little while? I swear I won’t keep you long.”
Luka inhaled sharply, his scales suddenly feeling prickly and itchy Maybe I should? After all, I really haven’t talked to anyone outside of family since “Sure,” he said briskly, following Indie towards the soft orange glow emanating from the seaside cove
“Ah, well, I should’ve known when you didn’t say anything,” Indie went on “So, bugs really can’t bite you through those scales?” She gestured towards the array of blue-green scales on Luka’s arm Indie adjusted herself on the blanket she was sitting on. “That’s gotta be so cool, right?”
Luka chuckled nervously “Well, I guess so ” He leaned back in the beanbag chair Indie had let him sit in it “It’s always been this way for me, so I guess I take it for granted in a way ” “Hmm ” Indie nodded her head thoughtfully, eyes shining from the campfire blazing in the middle of the cove. “How did you find me here anyway?”
“Well, it’s not like I was looking for you specifically it’s just that I heard a noise, and well, followed it ” Luka tapped his claws together as he spoke Indie tipped her head to the side “A noise? Like what?”
Luka let his eyes wander the inside of the cove as he responded. “I don’t know, it was like a tone or someth--” his vision caught on the neck of a guitar poking out from under a messenger bag and a few folded blankets “Oh!” He pointed a claw at the instrument “I think that was it!”
“What?” The serval swung her head around to follow Luka’s pointed finger “Oh- yes, that ”
“What is it?” Luka asked.
Indie fidgeted in place “Ack, it’s nothing really I just- specifically come all the way out here so that no one will hear me So, that’s kinda embarrassing ”
“I get it, wanting to be alone,” Luka started, “but I think it’s neat that you can play an instrument I’ve always admired people who could, and I just really enjoy music in general.”
“Heh, thanks,” Indie said, looking up from her fidgeting and smiled at Luka. “I like music a lot too. My whole family really They’ve always been involved in it, and I think that’s why there’s always been this unspoken expectation for me to be a musician too ” She continued to ramble; “And it’s not that I don’t want to I really do it's just that I don’t want to do what they do. It’s hard to break out of the music you’ve been taught. I want to do something... I don’t know... different, but I just can’t find that spark. So, I come here some nights and just... play. I play and I hope that I can find my own thing But I come out here so that my family won’t question me it's enough that I question myself, y’know? It’s easier to be alone, but it’s hard too ”
She suddenly clasped a paw over her mouth, ears flattening back against her head. “I am so sorry about that. You don’t even know me, but here I go explaining my whole life story to you.” She bowed her head shamefully “Please forgive me ”
To Indie’s surprise, though, Luka was sitting wide-eyed and alert, and had been listening to the story in its entirety intently “Don’t--don’t apologize,” he stuttered, not exactly knowing how to handle the situation “I I appreciate you putting your trust in me and telling me.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I--” Luka stomach lurched Am I really about to tell someone? “I have my own reason for coming here at night, and wanting to get away from other people,” he said softly
The raw emotion in his voice caused Indie to lean towards Luka and clasp his hand in her paws. “Tell me. It’s okay I’ll listen ”
Are you sure? Luka thought to himself, face to face with someone he had known for just a handful of minutes, and yet, he knew if he asked her that, she’d undoubtedly say ‘yes ’
“Okay,” he said finally, exhaling slowly. “I always came to this beach. I liked to surf, actually, and I had a good friend who liked to come along with me Funnily enough, she was a big cat like yourself Anyway, we went to the beach one day to surf like we usually would It was pretty windy, but that didn’t bother us as we enjoyed the thrill My friend wanted to keep surfing while I went to the café down the street to grab us some lunch, so I walked down to do just that. It took a bit, but that’s to be expected. When I came back to hand out lunch, I didn’t see her out on the water I had assumed she went to the bathroom or something, but when I saw her surfboard floating on top of the water, along with the abnormally large waves from the weather, I just knew ”
Luka’s voice broke “It’s been over a year, but I just I never saw her again I’ll never see her again ” His voice continued to hitch as he spoke, sobs threatening to break through “And then all these ‘what-ifs’ go through my head, and all I do I think about how things played out over and over and over... I try to come here now to to work things out, I guess, but I just can’t Only the tip of my tail can touch the water, and sometimes even that is too much I want to learn to love the water again to help preserve her memory, I guess I’m just so scared ”
Luka looked up to find unshed tears swimming in Indie’s eyes “I I really just I really don’t know what to say, Luka No amount of ‘I’m sorry’s can fix something like this, but all the same I’m just so sorry ” Her statement ended as just barely above a whisper, a tear sliding down her soft, spotted-and-striped face.
Her empathy and emotion caused Luka himself to begin to cry as well, squeezing Indie’s paws tightly as he did so
He stopped speaking as delicate, strumming music began to caress his ears He looked to find Indie squatted near the bag and the pile of blankets, playing her guitar
She noticed Luka staring, and she immediately stopped. “O-Oh, I’m sorry, should... should I stop? Sometimes music helps me when I’m sad, so I just figured--”
“It’s okay,” Luka said plainly, getting up to walk across the cove and sit next to her “Please keep playing ”
After a while, Luka spoke up again “What is this you’re playing?” His voice sounded a bit hoarse from his crying earlier “An original song or something?”
Indie shook her head slowly as she played absentmindedly, her thoughts seeming to be elsewhere. “No, I just... kinda started playing But I I like it, though ”
“I do too,” Luka said, smiling softly “It feels ‘you ’”
Her eyes widened a bit “Does it really?”
He nodded intently, his tail swishing gently against the floor of the cove. “Keep going,” he invited.
As the twilight dimmed into an inky black sky, stars blazing in the wearing night, two hearts found themselves to begin to be ever-so-slightly lightened by the rhythm of the waves
“I want to move on and stop hurting,” he said between sobs, “but in a way that I don’t neglect the life that was lost. I want to remember but I don’t want to hurt ” He felt Indie’s paws slip away from his, but he dismissed it, clouded by thought and feeling “I feel so scared and nervous all the time, like there’s a nagging feeling that I’m going to lose everyone around me “ ABOUT
Pink Lavender Mocktail Recipe
www.trilvyrose.carrd.co
by Trilvy Rose (they/she)
During the warmest days of the year, who doesn't love a refreshing, pretty drink to sip on ?
When I'm relaxing in the summer, chances are you'll often find me with one of these in hand !
This alcohol-free recipe is an incredibly versatile template, so feel free to try different flavours & variations by switching up the ingredients.
For 1 tall glass (400 mL/14 oz) :
4 cL/1,5 oz lavender syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
16 cL/5,5 oz lemonade
20 cL/7 oz sparkling water
Frozen berries of your choice
Optionally: Ice cubes
A sprig of lavender for decoration
Combine all the ingredients and enjoy!
I recommend using frozen blueberries; they cool the drink down and make it a super vibrant pink!
TheDignifiedWolf'sPerfectConcoction: AZZZFiclet
A heatwave swept through New Eridu.
by Scarlet Nevermore (she/her)
His ears were big, his fur was snow white, and he could pant to cool himself down Despite his obvious canine characteristics, Von Lycaon viewed it as improper and inconsiderate to allow “unsightly behaviors” such as panting to shine though He was a proper and dignified Thiren, and he was going to continue to present himself as such
Victoria Housekeeping’s “chores” have been attended to in the early morning, to save the company from dying an early death of heatstroke Seemed like even troublemakers called off to take shelter from the sun’s relentless fury Von Lycaon himself was especially feeling the effects of this blistering heat He couldn’t just strip himself of his butler suit and spread his body out on the floor, sloppily panting What was he, some kind of animal?
Given the circumstances, a little bit of recreation wouldn’t hurt Just a tinge of alcohol for him and his companions, perhaps as a thank-you for a job well done. He felt as if he must personally limit his consumption, in the unfortunate chance that he is called to the frontlines His build was considerably large, so it would take a lot to bring him down, but one can never be too cautious of intoxication.
His arsenal of skills stretched across all manners of activity, and preparing refreshments was no exception. Splitting a considerably tall can of spiked blue raspberry lemonade across the four of Victoria Housekeeping plus their two masters should be a reasonable and responsible enough task. It was sweet and refreshing, balanced out with just a right tinge of sour On its own, this store-bought drink would not suffice, failing to reach even the bare minimum of his standards.
To rectify this, Von Lycaon poured a choice amount of cherry juice into each glass, sweetening each drink to the individual’s liking For some, he added only a splash, just enough to make the cherry flavor prominent For others, he almost filled up half the glass with the cherry juice alone An equal distribution of boba between the glasses and a straw wide enough for the pearls to comfortably pass through was the finishing touch But it still seemed to be missing something
Von Lycaon leaned in and gently sniffed the glasses The aroma of the drinks was appealing to him, at the very least, though they were lacking that “tropical feel,” per say. Nothing a hibiscus flower accenting the rim of the glass couldn’t fix
Where was he going to get them at this time? Why, he just so happened to have a few on hand What kind of leader would he be if he couldn’t properly prepare a simple drink?
ABOUT THE WRITER
Scarlet Nevermore (she/her)
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AO3: Scarlet Nevermore
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Kwiyatsi (ve/ver)
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IT'SASUMMER HEATWAVE!
Dive right into colorful illustrations of our furry friends, or kick up your paws and claws and relax with a good story! Featuring articles, art, and much more, there is something to help every fur beat the heat! So grab your coolest sunglasses and your cutest umbrellas and get ready for some fun in the summer sun!
