TWWR Round up 06/17/2024– God is a Creep, Actually

I don’t have much in the way of an introduction this week. So enjoy the roundup. I spent way too much time on theories for Home regarding Feaf and a golden feather.

Africa | Page(s): 376 | Patreon

Africa runs her tongue over the top of Mondo’s head as she informs him that she’ll tell him everything he and Mosi want to know. They slowly leave the swamp and Africa continues. She plans to tell the young serval and leopard about everything that happened. She’ll answer all of their questions and talk to them about their doubts. Furthermore, she’ll even tell them everything she’s learned, was taught, how the world works, and why. There will be no more secrets. As the pair leaves, Nuru and her cubs (who previously stayed out of sight) walk over to Safari’s corpse and their stomachs rumble. She looks down and is relieved to see that the old cheetah has died with a smile on his face. They stay with his body as the sun rises, sharing a moment of gratitude.

I’m looking forward to Africa’s big talk with Mondo and Mosi. While I’m certain Mondo is willing to listen, I’m hoping Mosi can keep himself under control long enough to hear what his mother has to tell him. This planned talk sounds very important, like a parent imparting extremely useful information just before you plan to venture out into the real world. Even though Mosi has been living alone for months with serious help from Bibi, a leopard-to-leopard talk can’t hurt. I’m just hoping that nothing will get in the way of them having that talk in four days. Like Baba Bes and his pride, Faida, or even Chui lurking in the area since he’s following the zebra herd.

As for Nuru and her cubs, what they’re about to do to Safari is macabre, but food is food. I’m pretty sure once he passed on from this world, he wouldn’t have minded helping feed a few young mouths– especially after Faida’s clan gave him shelter. Despite Nuru’s harshness and desperation earlier, I’m glad she was respectful enough to left Africa and Mondo say their goodbyes. I’m also glad she’s taking her own moment to say goodbye and thank Safari here.

Africa will be on hiatus for two weeks. See you then regarding this particular comic.

To Catch a Star | Page(s): 515, 516, 517, 518 | Patreon

The moon wolf stops in their tracks, as they ponder love. They then admit they don’t understand because they were never given the chance to love. The moment they woke up as a wolf, they were captured by the Supernova. They were the first of their kind and remained locked away, while their sun wolf counterpart died over and over again. With growing despair, they come to the realization that Lupi is not their sun, their companion. At that realization, Lupi begins to cry. As the moon grows weaker, they reason out loud that perhaps Lupi’s moon can understand their feelings.

Finally, they admit that the choice to decide the fate of the world does not belong to them. They lay down and close their eyes, and hope that Lupi is able to make the wish without regrets. Suddenly the moon’s body begins to glow, and they slowly morph into a glowing pale blue flower. Lupi looks on wordlessly for a few moments. Then they turn back to the star and touch it, intending to move on.

We’ve received another confirmation. Lupi was killed by Backlash’s pack so many times that they aren’t the same sun anymore. I guess when they died over and over again, they gradually lost their memories to the point of only knowing that they had to get the stars. Whatever the original purpose was has long been forgotten. Meanwhile, the moon remained alone and the companion they once had died ages ago.

Also, a rather dark question finally receives an answer. What happens when the sun or moon wolves die? Becoming lost wasn’t a possibility, as they always return in a new vessel. Now we have an answer– their vessels become flowers. And astute readers realized that all of those flowers in the clearing by the star were all the places that Lupi died and became a flower. From my own counting that means Lupi was killed 17 times at that particular location. That’s a nice call back and is also just chilling. Backlash’s pack seems to have formed a cult around killing the sun. No wonder Takedown was so eager to get Lupi back.

As for this page, I hope that Lupi is able to zoom away on the star without being interrupted by Scorch and the rest of the Supernova. If they are stopped, I hope they tell the cultists off about all the damage they’ve done with their zealotry. I do fear that in response Scorch could decide to kill the sun to wipe their memories and get his wish granted that way. That could be the building conflict for the remainder of To Catch a Star. Lupi searching for the last star to make their wish, while Scorch tries to hunt them down and reset them to save only the Supernova. We’ll see! Also, I wonder how long it will take for a moon to be sent back in a new vessel? Will all their memories fade as well?

The Order of the Black Dog | Issue 28, Page 6 | Patreon

The voice continues on about the new spacesuits. The upper pockets on the right side are filled with basic medical supplies. The left side has field survival tools. The group will be given booklets that detail everything about the suit. One scientist asks if all that will be on the quiz, while their friend buries her face in her hand. It’s time to start the first test, and a scientist named Yoshida wheels in a strange-looking cross between an electric cart and a scooter.

The only thing that really grabbed my attention on this page was the fact that Melissa is holding the crystal with the Black Dog in one of her suit pouches. Although this is a test, I have to wonder if this will be Chekhov’s crystal. Basically, if the crystal is introduced here at the start of the chapter, will it have to be used by chapter’s end? I can easily see this test going sideways given that the issue is called “The Saurian Conspiracy.”

Golden Shrike | Page(s): 269 | Patreon

The group relaxes in the grass, and they all look up at the starry night sky. Kasko and Nero complain as they can’t quite get comfortable on their backs. Runi stares up at the night sky admiring how different it looks compared to back home. Not because they are in a different location, but because they know so much more now. Nero scoffs and considers it to be creepy. Deer are made of stars, and the deer god is peeping at them from behind the moon. Boneslav corrects him. God does not peep, it stares, and the moon is its unblinking eye. The correction does not put Nero at ease.

Another character building page and a chance to admire the beautiful backgrounds. On a practical note, I can’t help but muse on the fact that Nero and Kasko are uncomfortable on their backs. Why don’t they just flip over and gaze at the stars that way? Sure, it takes away from the coolness of the moment, but why have such a moment if the position is a painful one? I wonder if Boneslav is also pained, but doesn’t really care?

As for the conversation itself, Nero and Runi both have good points. It’s impossible to look at the sky the same, especially when God is real and very much involved in the lives of his creations. To know that he’s specifically sent you on a mission and is watching over you is both awe-inspiring and unnerving. I’d probably never look at the sky the same again, especially knowing part of the current pressing issues for mortals are a source of amusement for God.

Home | Page(s): 858| Patreon

Rhov wanders around in the open grass and a hidden Feaf rushes him. The Taiga Lion pounces on him and playfully grabs him by the neck. As they both recline in the grass, Rhov says his partner’s comment about eating him might have some truth to it. Feaf licks his paw in agreement. The Rifle-mix changes the subject asks if she’s no longer feeling ill. Feaf replies she’s feeling much better and that she probably had a stomach bug. Her appetite is back and stronger than ever. Rhov chuckles and says “Lucky me,” as the pair lean in for a kiss.

Marduk appears behind them and comments that it’s refreshing to see new love taking shape, as his presence shocks the pair. He turns away from them and adds, that they are canine and feline and their love is tragic in a way. Both Rhov and Feaf scowl in annoyance. The Taiga Lion asks why it’s tragic.

The purpose of this page seems to be hinting that Feaf may very well be pregnant. She had no appetite and was feeling sick until just recently. Considering how the Golden Lioness left a feather behind after the first time Feaf had sex with Rhov, then touched her belly on another occasion, I can’t see the outcome as anything other than a supernatural pregnancy. The thing is, Feaf and Rhov never expressed a desire to have children. In fact, they’ve never talked about the issue at all since they got together. The pair had to know that by being together, the chances of them having their own children were non-existent outside of adoption. In Asmundr, that was the solution to Zahira and Raimo’s desire for a child. First they took in Panic as a son, then Zilas as the sole survivor of the Zioqa mass suicide.

What the Golden Lioness is doing here is just creepy. She’s forcing Feaf, who never expressed any desire to have children to do just that. The Taiga Lioness joined the Guild knowing she wouldn’t be able to have a family as long as she was a member. Her being fired was unexpected. Her having sex with Rhov that night was on a whim. The pair acting out their sexual desires. Just because a pair has sex doesn’t mean they do so with the express intent of having babies. As far as Rhov and Feaf know, having children as two different species is impossible.

Again, it would be one thing IF Rhov and Feaf expressed ANY kind of desire to have their own children, but they haven’t. Even the commenters on this page found it weird and a bit creepy that the Golden Lioness is making Feaf pregnant without her and Rhov’s consent.

But looking at page 790 and 820, and knowing the outcome, I propose two theories. First on page 790, Feaf asks Rhov about the feather, then wordlessly tucks it into her jacket. Her expression is thoughtful. Then on page 820 the Golden Lioness approaches her as she sleeps. She looks down and has a slightly pensive expression. Then she touches Feaf’s belly, smiles, and leaves. The panel where Feaf remains sleep focuses on the same feather left behind from the couple’s first intimate night together.

Feaf would know about the Golden Lioness and what the spirit is and isn’t capable of. She might even know what receiving a feather means. She never asked what the feather meant or questioned its appearance. What if she held on to that feather in the express hopes that she’d be blessed with children? If true, that’s kind of shitty of her not to talk about it with Rhov first. In this sense she’d either be surprising him with the miracle of cubs, hoping that he’d be pleased, or she’s seeking to entrap him in a relationship by having cubs. The first scenario is well-meaning, but a little messed up for not discussing it first. The second scenario is straight up manipulative– not completely unlike the same Taiga Lion who guilt-tripped Rhov for wanting to leave Shiverfall Tribe and finding Roamer.

A more charitable viewing of Feaf keeping the feather would be that she intended to ask someone back at Shiverfall about it. Instead, she got sidetracked with Rhov finding his family and deciding to stay with him in the Asmundr pack for the time being. When the Golden Lioness returned seeing the feather left behind, she assumed that meant Feaf wanted to have cubs despite being with a dog. Her expression was one of concern knowing that it would be unnatural, but this is what Taiga Lion wanted by keeping the feather. This paints Feaf in a better light, but still means the spirit is forcing a life-changing decision on the couple without their knowledge or full understanding. In short, the lack of consent is still an issue.

I also have to note that considering how racist the dogs of Aedra have been, the whiff of a dog and cat having children together can’t bode well– especially if those children come out as hybrids.

On hiatus:

In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uprising | Page(s): | Patreon

Lost Scent | Page(s): | Patreon