TWWR Round up 01/20/2025– Welcome to Your New Home

Welcome to a pretty full roundup for the week. Thankfully, this post a lot more streamlined as I don’t have multiple pages of a single comic to cover.

Before I start talking about the regular comics I’m following this week, a huge thank you to the anon who recommended I Hope So to me. I got caught up over the weekend, and I absolutely adore this comic.

The cameo of Silver from Tofauti Sawa was great.

Of course there was one of Sahara as well.

I appreciate not having to know anything about My Pride in order to enjoy this story. The care, representation, research, and world building put into I Hope So really shows. I love how each chapter begins with the lion version of an African proverb. They remind of the Anansi tales I read as a kid. I can’t wait for Friday updates. Hopeful and Storm’s relationship is so wholesome. On the other end of the scale, Edge can bite the dust and take Jasper with him.

 

Africa | Page(s): 405 | Patreon

Even with Africa constantly reiterating how Mondo was innocent in what Sabra did to him and Binti, I doubt the young leopard will ever fully be okay with the serval cub. At least Africa is making an effort to understand her son’s feelings, while at the very least she can try to get him not to hate Mondo. With that bit of closure, Mosi thanks his mother for killing Sabra.

Africa’s not too happy with this bit of gratitude. Her feelings are complicated. She’s not proud of what she did, and raising Sabra’s son isn’t exactly a way to make amends. It’s her recognizing that he shouldn’t die because of what his mother did. But she’s also walking a tightrope as to not alienate herself any further from Mosi. It’s not a position anyone with a heart would envy. I just wonder if she’ll temporarily drop the subject so the two of them can spend some quality mother-son time together before the day is over.

What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): 857, 858 | Patreon

Hake insists he doesn’t need Kelp to stay. In turn, she justifies her decision by noting that Trout has many more cats protecting her. She has the entire family while Hake would be alone. Considering Hake never learned to properly hunt (though he was trying for Tusk’s sake), he really does need his mother’s help. And just like that Mollymawk doesn’t want to return to the beach either. A mixture of what The Family believes about Tusk and the Gods knowing she buried Ray means she feels she can’t go back. Even if she felt she could, Molly simply doesn’t want to return. So Hake welcomes her with open paws.

In that respect I was correct. Kelp and Mollymawk are joining Hake in the forest. Again, I suspect other cats will eventually join. I’m sticking by my prediction that Wrasse will be among their ranks sooner or later. For now, I’m sure the Daisys in the forest will leave them be, though I suspect Bluegill and Bream might come around. Given their slightly antagonistic nature to the former prince, it’s probably best that they’re not Hake’s only company.

I also wonder with Kelp sticking to the forest, if she’ll one day meet her other son, Egret. She’s not going back to The Family, so it would be cruel if they never knew about each other. Of course, that is a possible storyline for a future chapter. Right now I’m wondering how Trout will take her mother and friend joining her exiled brother. Will she declare them Daisys without God’s love and protection too? I guess we’ll see!

Page 858 marks the end of the chapter. What Lurks Beneath will be taking a month-long hiatus.

In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): 39, 40 | Patreon

Harzuk reveals that she picked up Kay’s change of clothing from the thrift store. The former royal is insulted, and after some ribbing from the rabbit, she puts on the clothing. It reveals how buff she actually is, which makes sense if she’s been living with a Giant in the wilderness for the past several years. At least Kay no longer looks like she escaped from a hospital ward. The feline also reveals that she does not like to wear shoes. Again, she’s lived in the wild for a while, so this also makes sense. Though I get the impression she didn’t like them as a royal either. Unfortunately, her vial of Giant tears and necklace go tumbling out of her gown as she hands the shoes back to Harzuk.

I have two predictions in mind. Either the rabbit knows exactly what’s in the vial and has some choice words for her new companion. Or she has no idea what the tears are and Kay tries to play dumb. Since she was already kidnapped and headed for a bad fate, I’m sure someone in The Lion’s Den knows what the tears are and their potential. Kay should probably do a better job of keeping them hidden. The significance of them hasn’t been revealed yet. That said, seeing how Giants granted powers to their Critters, I wouldn’t be surprised if the tears worked in a similar manner.

Lost Scent | Page(s): 72, 73| Patreon

After giving it a little thought, The Selkie decides to let Motte and Tulpi stay with their group for a while. After all, if they can’t pay to cross the strait, perhaps they can stay and work for the trio. The retriever mix’s name is Morgan. The two other dogs with her are twins named Desna and Danell. The two girls are led out of The Zone and deeper into the docks where they’ll be allowed to camp with Morgan’s crew. In her camp are two other dogs, Piper and Caleb. Tulpi is tasked with seeing if she can tie bait, while The Selkie wants to have a private word with Motte.

So far this arrangement could work out well, depending on how trustworthy Morgan and her crew are. It’s hard not to have your heart moved by Tulpi’s story, but at the same time one can’t be too careful of strangers. Perhaps this is how Morgan gets by, labor in exchange for her services. We’ll see if this arrangement is too good to be true for the girls.

As for what she wanted to talk to Motte about, I’m guessing it’s in relation to the borzoi mix’s panic earlier. Morgan definitely picked up on it. I have to wonder if she knows who the large dog is or if she has any ties with the gang Motte is running from. Or maybe Morgan really is a kind soul. Again, time will tell.

Maybe not until February. Lost Scent no longer updates on the last Sunday of the month.

Golden Shrike | Page(s): 295 | Patreon

We have a slight scene change as Runi and Kasko watch over a sleeping Usma. It’s clear they plan to take the albino Northerner with them when they confront Antaras, but they admit Nero has a point. Other than her very real sadness, they know nothing about her or her motivations for seeking them out. This is why I was so annoyed with Nero a few pages back. He’s fundamentally in agreement with the rest of his traveling companions, but he’s so bullheaded that he refuses to sit down and talk about the situation. At the very least, the group could have gotten a feel for Usma and decided on if any contingency plans were needed if they decided she ought to come along.

Instead, we had Nero fighting with everyone else over not immediately attacking the doe or driving her off. Since fighting Antaras is in the cards, and he has loss, it doesn’t really matter if he’s keeping track of them or not. The Northerner buck is already confident in his ability to even stop War with Loss under his control. Hearing this information directly from Usma would be of great benefit to the group. You know, rather than blindly charging to their deaths.

I do suspect Nero will eventually come around, as Usma is ultimately a deserter like everyone else in their group save for Boneslav. I’m also sure the Northerner doe has no desire to see her father doing whatever it is he plans to do. A possible point of contention might be whether he has to die or not. I’d imagine that plot won’t play out while, though. (If it happens at all.)

Home | Page(s): 901 | Patreon

Siqhaala declares that she doesn’t trust Ranach and neither should Ateus (or Ruette). Having gleamed enough information from eavesdropping, Keirr sneaks away and presumably returns to Whispervale Tribe. I can only hope he’ll tell Jarl Fraujar about the conversation he just listened in on once the jarl returns from literally dicking around in Nordgarde territory. Speaking of Ranach, we have a transition into a scene between him and Iberon sneaking around abandoned Meteor Tribe territory.

The Lead Wrangler finds the former Meteor Tribe Jarl staring at his old home possibly deep in thought. Perhaps thinking of better days with Rogio or the night he tried to kill his former family. Iberon figures he wanted to visit his old tribe (having no idea he used to be the leader), and decides to explore. Surprisingly, Ranach is terrified of going deeper into the abandoned lands. Not because he expects anyone to punish him for the attack and the murder of Kargo, but because he’s worried that his love interest may discover signs that Rogio joined the tribe. Those signs could lead to Iberon questioning him about his younger brother, and Ranach may let it slip that he had Rogio murdered. That would sink any romantic chances with said love interest.

I’m still amazed that we’re 718 pages in since Ranach left Rogio to die while he was chained to a slab, and it has been another 354 pages since Kargo outright told Ranach that Rogio was still alive. Yet the former MT Jarl has no idea that the dog he’s still in love with is alive. Between the first time Ranach attacked the Meteor Tribe and revisiting the abandoned remains, Rogio’s scent would be around to discover versus fading away because he died a year ago in-universe. But we know the dogs’ noses only work when the plot requires it in Home. If I had to wager a guess, Iberon is going to discover that his little brother is alive before Ranach realizes it, and will confront the former Meteor Tribe Jarl over that fact. I have no clue if that happens before or after the rebellion succeeds (if it succeeds), but given this comic’s track record, the reveal and confrontation will likely be underwhelming.

On hiatus:

The Order of the Black Dog | Issue 29, Page: | Patreon