Hall of Fame

Where the brave denizens of ZA Fur battle it out in contests of skill to earn the winner's golden crown.
Locked
User avatar
Rakuen Growlithe
Fire Puppy
Posts: 6718
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:24 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Growlithe (pokemon)
Region: Other
Location: Pretoria
Contact:

Hall of Fame

#1

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

Here we honour those who have triumphed in a battle of the muses.

Easter Art Competition - Sudan Red
Image

Start Wars Art Competition - Animew
Image
Technically Animew's two pictures tied so I'm just putting the one I prefer here.

Pet Role Reversal Writing Competition - Raven Song
Tanner looked out of his window. It was another glorious morning. Rays of dappled sunlight filtered from the surface, glistening off of the rocks and kelp surrounding his home. At the corner of his garden, his treasure chest bubbled away.
Tanner had a good life. This he knew. He was a reputable builder, able to move copious amounts of pebble with his maw. He had recently won an award from the local Aquathority. And yet, he felt alone.
Tanner slid out of his sand bed, his coral pillows and seaweed blanket floating back into place. He sighed, a small air bubble floating to his roof.
A near empty fridge met him in the kitchen. He'd forgotten to go shopping again. Looking up, an ASPCAB (Atlantis Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Air Breathers) advert drove last on the side of a Eelectric Bus.
"Cant look after yourself? Don't get a pet".

"I can look after myself" Tanner huffed.

Picking up his wallet and shellphone, Tanner stuck a determined face on his gelatinous bulging lips.
Today was the day. Enough of being lonely.
Today, Tanner was going to get, a pet.

The ASPCAB office was on the far side of the ocean. A few other fish were seated in the waiting room. A tall, business like pike sat at the reception desk.
"Welcome to Coral Bay ASPCAB. How can I be of diserv- I mean service today?" She drones, not looking up from the computer.
Tanner smiled his most charming smile.
"I would like to adopt an air breather."

The pike raised her eyes just enough to glare at Tanner, who felt his confidence waining. If he were able to sweat under water, he was sure he would be doing it.

"Fill out this form and report to education room A101." She said, sliding a clipboard and pen towards Tanner.
Taking them in his fins, Tanner floated along towards the class rooms.

"A good, responsible pet owner has all the necessary equipment for their pet!" Boomed the large parrot fish. His teeth flattered together and his army uniform scared Tanner somewhat.
"You'll need an airtight container, large enough for your pet to move about in. And an oxygen converter."
Tanner wrote notes down on the small note pad he kept on his fishson at all times.
"A heater lamp and day light lamp are necessary if you love below a depth of 50 meters.
And you'll need a feed machine. Otherwise you'll flood your pets room every time you feed it."

Tanner nodded and quickly took note. He raised his fin.

"How much on average does all this cost?"

The parrot fish chuckled.

"Intelligent question. On average, 2500 clams. Surface dwellers are not cheap pets. These things are delicate. Fragile. They don't breath underwater and some of them require massive amounts of space.
Do not underestimate the costs involved."
Tanner sighed. He could afford it easily. He knew that. But he also knew the time and responsibility required.

Tanner left the shelter, mixed feelings playing football in his cartilage skull.

...

A month had gone by and Tanner had finally hit the buy button on Seabay. In one hour his tank would arrive. In three hours it would be set up.
In a day he would have his own air breather.
Tanner looked out of his bedroom window at the space he had cleared for the tank.
It was large, most of his acre of land was taken up by the pebble base he had made.
He checked the instructions from the ASPCAB Instruction Leaflet again.
A honking outside cut Tanners thought in two. His heart beat faster. Excitedly, Tanner swam to the front door. The delivery truck had arrived.
Two sharks got out and moved the tank into position.

"You want the feeder near the house or the other ways round?" Said the hammerhead. He had to tilt his head sideways to look Tanner in the eye.
Tanner pointed to the sliding glass door in his castle shaped house.
"As near that door as possible please."
The sharks nodded and slid the tank over. The feeding mechanism sat a fins breath from the door. Tanner would be able to see his pet the moment he awoke in the morning.

The oxygen filter clicked on. The machine whirred into life and there it stood, Tanners Tank. A small sandy beach with a single grassy knoll, 2 palm trees and a rock hut lay basking in the glow of a sun lamp. Fresh water lapped the shores of this island paradise. Tanner would have to invest in a hammock for his pet.

The container arrived. Tanner smiled like a school fish on leaving day.
He beckoned the officers over, and the pair of tuna carefully manouvered the container to the tank opening.

"Now you understand Mister Gouldvis that the pet you've chosen is a high energy pet. What toys have you bought it?"
Tanner smiled and pointed to a pile on the island. A beach ball, radio and jet ski lay ready for use.
"Thematic of course." Said the tuna.
His partner clipped the container into the airlock. Bubbles focused furiously upwards and the container door slowly slid open.

A small black and white snout stuck out, sniffing the air. It sneezed. Two large, pointy ears, each a different colour, and burnt sunset coloured hair followed.
It's eyes were different as well. One had black sclera and a lime green pupil. The other normal but lime as well.
It fell. Into the water.

"Can it swim!" Shouted Tanner in a panic! He hadn't thought about that!
The officers laughed and pointed at the now floating jackal.
It lay on its back, the water bobbing it up and down. It's hair floated outwards, and it's tail pushed it along like a small paddle.

"We will be back in a week to check up."
Said the tuna while unclippijg the container.
"Be very careful with the airlock. Also, when you clean, use an automatron rather than attempting to do it yourself. We lost a good client last month because his pet duck got him. Who knew ducks ate fish!"

Tanner nodded and bid them farewell. He swam over to his pet. She was sat on the beach near his house, playing with the radio. Tanner couldn't hear the music but she seemed to like it. He waved at her. She waved back.

"Oh she's smart! I'll have to teach her a few tricks."
He picked up a packet of crisps. They were good, healthy treats he'd been told. He loaded it into the feeder and shot it off.
The packet soared through the air, landing at her feet. She jumped back.

"Oops"

The jackal sniffed the packet, and carefully opened it.

"Did you like that? You must have."

Tanner smiled and she smiled back.

"What am I going to name You?"

The jackal crawled along the beach. Her body began changing. She shifted and stretched out. She looked like a snake now.

"Oh! You can change!"

The little black and white snake slid into the cave and curled up into a ball.

"Alright then. You sleep. I'll figure out what to call you tomorrow." Said Tanner. He switched off the sun lamp. Heading inside, Tanner beamed happily to himself.

...

Morning came quickly. Tanner stretched out. Remembering his pet, Tanner bounded out of bed. He slid open his glass door.

"Good morning my fur friend! How are we today!"
Tanner scanned the tank for his new friend. She was nowhere to be seen. His heart stopped. He panicked a little. He panicked a lot. Tanner swam around the tank. Still no sign. He clicked the sun lamp on. Still no movement.
Tanner began to go cold.
He floated. Trying to figure out where she was. He peered into the blackness of the cave.
A pair of lime eyes peered back.
His body relaxed.
"Phew. You almost had me worried there." The eyes glowed brighter still. Behind him, a pair of cars collided. But Tanner did not notice. Across the street, the house began to rot and collapse. But still he did not notice. The radio in his house had turned to static, and the water beyond his house began to boil.
Tanner saw nothing. All Tanner could see was the end. The total destruction of Atlantis. The crumbling decay of millennias worth of life. The ruin of a civilization.
Tanner knew what he had been given. A god. A shape shifter. The bringer of destruction. The bringer of death.
And she was his. And he was hers. He was her carer. Her worshiper. He would feed her. And love her. And she would keep him safe.
She was the bringer of death.

She poked her head out from her cave, staring into the burnt out holes where Tanners eyes had once been.

"Hello. My little Raven."
Halloween Competition - Ryall
Image
Tyler watched the rain pouring across the desolate landscape, and all the shades of grey that came with it. It hadn’t rained in so long, and while it was a welcome distraction from his aching stomach, it also caused him to reminisce about the past which brought with it a crippling weight. Thoughts of that fateful day started to haunt him again. Tyler felt himself choking up. He and his best friend, Alex, had went to his parents’ cabin in the wilderness, for a weekend camping trip, on 3 November 2018: the day the bombs fell.

It was late morning, and Tyler and Alex were indoors preparing breakfast, when suddenly, blinding light engulfed the room. Even though Tyler reflexively shut his eyes immediately, the intensity of the light was excruciating, and even his skin felt prickling sensation. Moments passed, and just when Tyler was ready to open his eyes, the Earth trembled; the windows shattered, and he was knocked off his feet by a deafening blast of air. Minutes passed before Tyler recovered from the shock and looked at Alex who was also sitting down, completely bewildered. Tyler and Alex locked gazes, and then both wept, for they realised they had just lost everything, and everyone. That afternoon, it rained, and that was the last time Tyler had seen rain.

Tyler and Alex had spoken about that day many times, and they had wondered if the nukes had come from Russia or North Korea, but that hardly seemed to matter now. Tyler was unsure how many months had gone by, or if even a year had passed, but since then he and Alex had been surviving on food left over in their cabin and neighbouring cabins, supplemented with foraging in the woods. The food had run out, and both Alex Tyler were starving and sickly. They had not encountered any other survivors. Both Alex and Tyler had discussed venturing back to the city to look for canned foods, but had ruled out that possibility for fear of lingering radiation, or aggressive looters. Their options had now run out.

Alex saw his friend falling back into despair, and spoke, “come on, we’re nearly there.” Tyler’s attention shifted to the present, and he could not help but admire Alex who in spite of the cold rain falling on his dirty, matted fur, and in spite of his emaciated physique, was managing a smile. Tyler nodded and they marched onwards. The rain stopped but Tyler’s mood was still bleak.

They arrived at the city, which was now gutted ruins of concrete and twisted metal. Some buildings on the outskirts of the city were still somewhat intact, looking out of place amid all the devastation. While this was promising, it was difficult to remain hopeful with the sights that surrounded them: bones, shadows, and wreckage all posed disturbing reminders to Tyler and Alex of the billions of lives that were lost when the world ended in atomic fire.
Hours passed and eventually, the two came across the promising remnants of a shop. Among the debris of the store they found some cans of food – warped, but presumably still edible. Alex and Tyler were giddy with excitement at the find, and wasted no time breaking the cans open and shovelling the food with their hands. The food had a metallic taste about it, but anything was delicious right now. Night had fallen, and so the two decided to spend the night in the shop. As they lay down to bed on makeshift bedding, Tyler looked to Alex, and managed a smile. “Thank you,” he said. Alex smiled and nodded back knowingly. They passed out from exhaustion.

In the morning, Tyler and Alex were woken by a thunderous rumbling noise. They both rushed outside, in time to see a large apartment block collapsing close by, finally having succumbed the ravages of the nuclear holocaust. Vast amounts of dust billowed forth as the building fell with a tremendous crash. “Wow,” Alex commented. “Yeah,” Tyler responded. The noise stopped, and there was eerie silence as the two stared into the opaque dust clouds which had now spread to a mere 20 meters in front of them. They were mesmerised by the scene in front of them. “Tyler look!” Alex suddenly exclaimed while pointing towards the clouds. There was movement! A figure – the silhouette of a person - began to emerge through the dust.” Tyler was stunned. “I see it,” he responded. Tyler mused if this was another survivor. He could hardly believe it: he and Alex had not seen another living soul in what felt like forever. The figure stopped, turned, and then started shambling towards then. Two more figures emerged behind the initial one, and also started heading towards them.
The gait with which the figures moved was awkward and unnatural. Something was wrong. Tyler’s heart started to race, as a sense of dread overcame him. “A-Alex, we should go,” he stammered, but Alex was still mesmerised by the silhouettes. They were much closer now. “Alex!” Tyler yelled! A brilliant violet beam of light burst forth from the smoke, hitting Alex squarely in the chest. The heat from the beam was enough to sear Tyler just by being near it. Tyler watched, panic-stricken, as the light pierced Alex, disintegrating tissue and then bone. Alex collapsed, and the sickening smell of burnt flesh flooded Tyler’s nostrils. The horror was too much for Tyler, and he vomited. The initial figure stepped forth from the smoke, revealing itself not to be a person at all, but instead a grim mockery of one: a metallic machine with skeletal characteristics, brandishing a weapon of sorts. Its gaze was fixated on Tyler. Tyler turned to flee in terror, but his efforts were futile. Tyler felt complete numbness as that same light pierced his own abdomen, and he fell, gasping for air. Time stopped and everything dulled. In the lingering moments of Tyler’s existence, he felt a sense of relief that it was finally over.
Christmas Competition - Kai
Image

Valentine's Competition - Niexie
Image

South African Furry Community Competition - Leeward
I found some friends here.
Alive, disappeared, or dead,
Always remembered.
World of Fantasy Competition - Animew
Image
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~

“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
Locked