TWWR Round up 10/20/2025– When Disaster Comes for Us

Hey guys, no long time no see. I haven’t given up on weekly round ups. It’s just been that I’ve been in and out of the hospital. To make a long story short, in early September I unknowingly came down with mononucleosis (mono) thanks to contracting Epstein-Barr virus. I have no idea where or when I picked it up. It finally caught up with me in early October when I had to visit the hospital thanks to swollen lymph nodes and neck muscles. Then needed a second hospital visit a week later for the same issue, plus a bad reaction to the antibiotics I was given for the first visit. (I didn’t have a bacterial infection.) I’m on the mend now, though I’m not at 100% yet. I was warned it could take months to fully recover from mono.

As for the round ups, before I got sick I had actually been working on one from the beginning of the month. So I’ll include the Home portion of it in today’s update. Also, Golden Shrike is currently on hiatus, but I wanted to write about the last page of the chapter.

Africa | Page(s): 444 | Patreon

We finally have some important information sharing after Fikra and Mosi manage to break through Wema’s stubbornness. In other words, the sickness is a bigger threat to the crater than whatever potential war might happen between the lions and the hyenas. This burst of insight has Fikra rushing back to the scene of the elephant carcass, though I’m not sure what she and her father are going to do, other than observe or warn the hyenas.

On the upside, it all ends well for Mosi. He doesn’t have to worry about an attack from the African Wild dogs, and he may have some insight for Bibi and his mother regarding the sickness. Though that scene will likely have to wait. I’m sure we’ll see what the wilds dogs are up to with the hyenas, or at the very least if all is well with Faida and her clan.

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

I’ve been waiting for weeks for Kenazil to make her appearance, and she has not disappointed me. Things were looking bad for Melissa and crew as the Black Idol cut down their group fairly quickly. That said, the black dog has completely turned the tides of this confrontation. As Melissa and Julia correctly guessed, the Black Idol is no match for Kenazil as she’s quickly torn through the mass, and even Krizman himself. I have no doubt that the mass on the moon won’t be a threat much longer.

Even so, I’m deeply worried about Melissa. What exactly did she have to give up in order to summon Kenazil? The black dog has already burst out of her physical body, and she appears to be dead. Is she now the black dog? Can she go back to being Mel? Will the dog stop with just the moon, or is there chaos to come on Earth? I just know this chapter is going to have a hell of an ending.

In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): 65-66 | Patreon

We’re finally getting a look at the upper crust of society in The Lion’s Den. Since this is a relatively modern setting it makes sense that we’d have a mixture of business people instead of traditional nobles. Though I’d argue Klea Rathburn fits that traditional noble in looks. I do like the threatening design of the gauntlet on her arm as well. It gives me the impression that she’s an actively antagonistic elected official versus someone with a hands-off approach.

As for the event currently happening, I’m wondering if it’s something big if the chairwoman herself has shown up. Or maybe she enjoys these nightly events. The masked cat did mention bait and a game for “it.” So if I had to wager a guess, the Therian is finally going to show up, and will fight the rounded up individuals for the entertainment of The Lion’s Den. Kay’s very bad, no good day just continues.

Lost Scent | Page(s): 102 | Patreon

As I suspected, Tulpi is quite good at sorting the crabs. Unfortunately, she’s still quite clumsy when it comes to everything else. Though I feel bad for her about the cage. It wasn’t her fault it smacked Motte in the face, and I’m sure Motte doesn’t blame her either. Still, all of this will continue to feed Tulpi’s anxiety, and likely won’t bode well for the duration of this trip. But hey, we finally have the chapter title!

In all seriousness, I hope the girls can just take a moment to have a real heart-to-heart talk. I know there’s no animosity from Motte, but Tulpi’s assumptions and fears have run rampant this chapter. The poor Akita-mix just needs a moment to ground those fears, and to tell her traveling companion how she really feels. Though I worry there will be more misunderstandings instead.

Golden Shrike | Page(s): 333| Patreon

After sacrificing the entire March, Antaras has finally summoned Loss. We only got to see glimpses of it when released from the ring in earlier chapters. Loss standing tall is very intimidating, yet its design is very cool. I like the glowing blue eyes, skull, missing antler, and the pitch black pelt. Now I’m just curious as to how Antaras managed to trap Loss in a ring on his tine. Would this be an automatic process after summoning him or has some kind of deal been made off-screen?

Since this is the end of the chapter, I guess we’ll have to wait a little while longer to see how Eve was summoned and used to revive Oudia and the unborn fawn.

Overall, I loved this chapter even though it leaves me with just as many questions as answers. I’m glad we were able to see who Antaras was before tragedy struck, and why it took so long for Usma to run. I’m also loving how the story explains his actions via grief, but does not excuse them. Even though he was a gentle soul before all this took place, the former God Caller is still as selfish as ever, as he wasn’t the only deer to lose family during the storm. Worse, he went and inflicted that pain on the entire March, and managed to deeply traumatize his daughter in the process. I’m all the more hyped for when Nero’s group finally confronts him.

Home | Page(s): 938-940 | Patreon

No further explanation is required regarding the humans on Earth, how Marduk related to them besides being worshiped, and why this means the Asmundr pack is likely never going home. Father has to go because Earth needs him now, and there’s no mention of taking them back. Hell, Father can’t even be bothered to speak with the rest of the pack. It seems cruel to not even admit that his original promise to take them back has changed, and everyone has to make the best of their new planet. I guess this page also confirms the difference in time theory, though it doesn’t make much sense.

On another note, this is the second character we have telling Jahla that she must go talk to Rohgir. Nevermind that he’s gone to a dark place, attacked his sister, and scared Argeirr. For whatever reason, the responsibility of bringing him back from the brink has fallen to her, even though she was slapped and banished from the island. Marduk’s obelisk is gone now. Why can’t Father talk to Rohgir and tell him to stop it? Last we saw him, he claimed to know what the Sky Gods wanted for the Akiulfrs and their purpose. Surely, his god telling him directly that he’s gone down the wrong path would have more sway than a sister he insisted was lacking in faith just before he attacked her.

Father telling Rohgir directly would be so much more effective, as the Akiulfr leader wouldn’t be able to write off anything has Jahla said as a lie. Honestly, this right here cements the fact that this particular Sky God might not be evil like Marduk, but he is a jackass and Marduk had a point. The burden of stopping Rohgir should not fall to Jahla, when it would likely take a few seconds for him to hop over to the island, set things straight, encourage Rohgir to make amends (instead of the other way around), then do his thing on Earth. Instead, Father has practically abandoned his dogs for shiny new humans, and time seems to work like that interdimensional portal in season 5 of Rick and Morty where seconds in one place pass as years in another. Of course, it would be nice if this was outright confirmed instead of alluded to in dialogue.

Despite more or less confirming Jahla won’t be seeing Father again, he insists he’ll be around. Again, why couldn’t this be a concrete promise like in Asmundr where he stated he and his kind will guard the skies? Maybe have someone they can actually trust check in every so often if Father can’t return? I also have to emphasize that Father pressing Jahla to be the one to fix her misguided brother will always leave a bad taste in my mouth. I get it, the plot on Akiulfr island needs to be addressed, but I wish Jahla had come to that conclusion herself rather than being told by first Lifa (who then apologized), then Father to do something.

As for the next pages, it’s back to Norgarde Tribe. While it’s kind of cute to see Diarko, the Bearcub nickname is wearing thin on me. It’s such a strange name considering that he’s a large feline, and Kargo is supposed to be the one associated with bears. I get it, he’s technically Kargo’s son now, thus the name. Still, it would be nice to have his own heritage acknowledged. Nitpicks aside, these pages are really about Naeva and her refusal to fight now that she knows about Ranach.

I would argue that Ronja did a piss poor job of explaining why Ranach is bad news, and how he tried to kill them all. Worse, she let Naeva walk off without having a one-on-one talk with her. An explanation of what she originally saw in Ranach, and how he betrayed that trust would have gone a long way in helping to explain why the dog who sired her can’t be trusted. Instead, this one-on-one talk falls to Rogio.

I get he spent more time with Ranach than anyone else, but in the grand scheme of things he’s just as selfish as his former lover. Both dogs used each other. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, had Ranach chosen Rogio has his second-in-command instead of Ronja, Rogio would not have aided in Kargo and Ferah’s escape from the Meteor Tribe. Worse, it’s pretty clear that Rogio is the only dog Ranach loves and others have pointed that out. Yet, when Rogio had a chance to aid the tribe in the fight against him, he cowered instead. Something, something mental chains. Nevermind that in their relationship, Rogio could easily hold his own against Ranach.

So it’s rich to me that this dog is claiming Ranach only cares for himself, when the same can be said about him. He’s been a terrible partner to Roamer, only using him for comfort and sex. Rogio gave Roamer the cold shoulder for months, and kept him in the dark. The only reason he suggested Kargo join the relationship is that he was a afraid of losing Roamer.

As for his advice to Naeva, it’s actually not bad considering blood does not make one family, and Fraujar is more of a father than Ranach will ever be. That said, wrong dog, right advice.

Off for the week:

On hiatus:

What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): | Patreon