Mehl's Corner of the Internet

Dysmorphia

breathe. breathe in. hold it. breathe out. feel the weight of your wings shift and settle on your back each time it rises and falls. breathe in and stretch your wings upward, then out, then fold them back in as you exhale. repeat this a few times to really shake the dust off your wings

keep breathing. clear your mind. sway your hips from side to side, and notice how the weight of your tail adds momentum to each mighty swish. tilt them forwards and back, and feel how your tail pulls your hips down. curl and uncurl it. try to move it a little bit

nuzzle against your scales. maybe even lick them a bit if you’re feeling particularly fastidious. how do they feel? rough? smooth? warm? cold? if you have feathers, do you feel them? your hide is tough and impenetrable. consider how it envelops your body and keeps you safe

flex your claws. they’re sharp, aren’t they? be careful with them. you don’t want to cut anything by accident. run your tongue over your teeth. those are pretty sharp too. you’re built to hunt. you were designed by millions of years of evolution to catch and eat prey. you’re the perfect predator

focus on what your highly-tuned senses are telling you. what can you hear? what can you smell? how does the environment around you feel on your scales? think about the taste of prey on your tongue? does it make you salivate? are you hungry?

I awoke with a start, head darting around frantically to take in my surroundings. My heartbeat began to calm as I was reassured by the familiar cave walls of my lair alongside the heavy breathing of my mate beside me. I laid my head down gently, glad that it was just a bad dream. That I was still here and not... back there again.

Tried as I might I couldn't fall back asleep as my mind couldn't shake the images of that nightmare. Restlessness took hold and I carefully got out of the nest, being sure not to disturb my partner's rest. Nor did I want to wake our precious hatchlings, adorably snuggled together as their minds floated in dreamland. A soft rumble escaped my throat and I smiled at them before leaving the nesting chamber, padding on all fours to the mouth of our cave, sitting on my haunches as I looked up at the stars above.

"Rrrm... mommy?"

I turned around to see that I had disturbed one of my little ones after all.

"Did I wake you? I am sorry, my little sunbeam." I craned my neck down and rubbed my snout gently against hers, crooning to her softly.

"You didn wake me, mommy. I... I had a bad dweam." Her fins were drooping as she sniffled a little.

With a wing I brought her closer to my side for comfort. "Why don't you tell me what happened in this dream and we can talk about it. Talking about it can help remind us that such dreams are just images our mind creates and nothing more."

"Well..." she sniffled a lil while leaning against me, "I dweamt that I lost my wings. And then you, daddy, bwudda and sista flew away without me." A little tear dripped down her cheek.

"My dear little one, we would never abandon you." I licked her cheek clean and nuzzled her lovingly. "Even if you lost your wings we would always be here for you."

"But they can fly and I can't!" She shouted. I gently put a claw to my muzzle to warn her not to wake her siblings.

"I should have known the lessons yesterday troubled you. But do not fret. Your siblings can only glide as you three are yet too little to fly. You still have plenty of time to learn. And I promise you that when you are older your wings will make you look majestic when you take to the sky."

My words seemed to comfort her as she looked up at me with a little smile.

"Mommy... did you have a bad dweam too?"

I looked away from her for a moment, working to figure out a way to explain things so she could understand but also keep certain truths hidden. She didn't need to know of my past.

"Yes, mommy had a bad dream. In it I had no wings either. Trapped in a weaker body. And you were no longer there. So I was stuck longing for something that was no longer real...."

I didn't notice I was trembling until I felt my daughter gently rub against my foreleg.

"But I am hewe, mommy. And this is weal so you don't have to be sad."

A smile returned to my snout. My little one could not understand how happy her words were making me for she did not know that once upon a time that the dream was real and this felt like it would only ever be a fantasy. I chirred and pressed my forehead against hers, receiving a happy chirp in kind.

"I think it is time we both returned to the nest. All dragons need a good night sleep."

She nodded and yawned cutely, following me back to the nesting chamber where she once again snuggled with her siblings to sleep. And where I rejoined my mate, snuggling close to him.

Many of those movies/shows are very good and I like them but the whole time I'm feeling like it's tragic in a way. The thought of a creature giving up its otherness to assimilate into humanity is really fuckin sad to me. Or a human getting the chance to be something else freaking out and rejecting it.

- bring them offerings of the finest foods. a well fed dragon is a happy dragon.

- incense and candles for lair decorations. caves and dens can always use mood lighting.

- pet their tongue. get right in there. the further back the better. just do it.

- jewels and gold are a common standard but items worth high sentimental, artistic, or scientific value are often just as acceptable! always ask your dragon what they prefer.

- help keep their talons at peak sharpness by filing off any uneven patches and oiling them!

Mattae's transformation • A TFTG commission on FA

It's been six months and the changes are so minimal. Was it even worth it to continue? She has to believe it is, she has to.

It's been 18 months and it's her! Seeing her own reflection finally brings excitement and none of the awful thoughts from before. It's still so new, and she hopes her horns get bigger, but it's her!!

It's been three years. She's happy. The excitement and novelty from before are replaced with confidence now. This was the best decision she's ever made.

Calm

I've been meaning to draw something cozy and warm for the harsh winter months... and then I didn't. So maybe let's pretend I posted this several months earlier. Good? Good.

Flame probably gets a little cold in winter. He grew up in forests and valleys and never got a chance to get used to the chilly winds at high altitudes. Nothing a blanket and a hot chocolate can't fix though.

goin down this bigass- oh shit- fuck- ow ow ouch fuck ouch ow ouch OW FUCK OW SHIT FUCK OUCH

how? what do you mean how, it's not hard, you just- wait, can you not fly? how have you made it to adulthood as a dragon without flying? didn't your parents teach you as a hatchling?

oh...

i had no idea. i forget all the time that not every dragon starts out as a dragon. you've never flown before, huh? human cities aren't super well-optimized for flying around in, and you just moved out here... well, this is a great place for your first flight! you don't have to figure out how to get off the ground, you just jump off and open your wings!

yeah, i know it's scary. you'll be fine! your brain may not know how to do it, but your body does, i promise. as soon as you're in the air and your wings are open it'll come naturally. i've been teaching hatchlings to fly for years, it won't be any different for you, i swear. besides, i won't let you fall. i'm bigger than you and if something happens i'll just get under you and stop your fall. the bay is a lot deeper than it looks anyway, it's totally fine to crash-land into it if you need. i promise you that you will not get hurt. dragon's honor

look, i can go first if you want and then circle back. would that be nice? ok, watch me. wings close to your sides and you jump down, and then pull your head back and open your wings to level out. like this!

...

ok, now you try it! on 3! 1, 2...

ok, open your wings- yeah, perfect! ok, you turn by leaning your body and tilting your wings to one side! we're gonna bank right and glide through that natural arch- yes you can, you big baby, your form is great! alright, follow me now!

see, look at that. you're a natural. stop with all the "i can't fly" talk, you're doing great. see the waves coming in? let's drop down to the water and shoot the barrel on some waves and get some fish, huh?

ok, but i'm leaving you up here if you don't follow me... 😁

dive! cmon, faster! alright, wings out... now! see, you're not even wet! into the wave! oh, nice form! love the little barrel roll! now stick your head into the water and grab yourself a fish, you've earned it. what do you think about a slower celebratory lap around the bay just to warm down a bit? hell yeah