My new zine, belated, is coming out this year!

Words are meant to be taken at face value, but theres a meaning behind what we dont say. We cling on to them for too long until its too late to say it.

I've been maimed by these words for years. As real life started to take more control, these were left buried in a desolate corner of the room. Then you have to pack things up to move, and rediscover the burden of having said nothing.

These words become weight we carry, an indescribable guilt; personal in nature.

This zine is a collection of those art and those words to finally let them out. We can never go back. The world has turned and so has everyone else. All we can do is say it. While they will never hear it, at least the ghosts will be set free.

Maybe it wasnt the right time, or you thought it wasnt the right thing to say. but eventually time reveals we were wrong.

In the end, all things not said become belated one day.

I knew the risk. If my name does not come up on that list, I’d have to walk through the thick air of pity. But, if my name shows up, it would be a celebration. And the list crawled slowly up and each name passed with patient anxiety.

Until I made it.

And a deluge of gratefulness flooded the room. Four and a half years spent bound, now I could let myself be carried by the stream.

I’ve been posting art online since 2013. Blaze has been my online persona from the heydays of deviantArt. What a pivot it would take for a furry artist to straddle two disjoint interests. In my youth, never in my life did I decide that one day I would enter the legal profession, more so even attempt to enter. But when I took that undertaking in 2021 after graduating from college, I’d have the day of my bar exam results circled in deep red ink. To call it a dream would be an understatement. For me, it was to get to that point no matter what. I’ve always wanted to find myself as a lawyer. And that became reality. I found myself being a furry artist, and also a lawyer.

Lately I’ve been preparing documents, polishing my résumé, rubbing elbows, and trying to act like a lawyer. Despite the impending personality change, you guys have shaped me into who the best version of me (so far!) The peak wasn’t reached alone. I’m glad to have a village that paved this road, and a slew of people to thank.

To my followers, thank you for being there through thick and thin. Many times have I heard from online creators that going cold turkey kills the momentum you’ve built. Corollary, followers are there for your content and not yourself. Those postulates were wrong. I’ve gone far, and you went along. When I wouldn’t post for a while, I saw the patience from you guys. From twitter to bluesky, it’s been wild. I’m so happy you’re here with me. And I’m glad to take these next steps forward with y'all.

To my discord server, for the longest time it's been a little silent, until a few good pals made it lively, then it snowballed into a creature in itself. My god, I love going in and seeing what’s being talked about. Interacting with you guys has been a blast. I joke about blowing up the server a lot, but your conversations and support kept me going when it felt like I couldn’t go any further. Each morning, the first thing I read is what happened while I was asleep. It was a sacrifice to keep my head down during the bar exam, but I’m glad you all stayed.

To BURN, my beloved Guild Wars 2 guild, who are full of just the quirkiest, unabashedly furry folk, who allowed me to stay my course in a sea of opposing currents, thank you for helping me center myself when the world gets a little bit complicated. I don’t know how I could survive the trials of law school if it wasn’t for the whimsical insanity that comes up from time to time. I lost track of the hours we spent in voice chats enjoying content together. And when the time came for me to study, I would never be scared of returning. I could come back and talk like I was always there. For MMORPGS, it is the players that make the game worth playing. But it isn’t about Guild Wars 2 anymore, it’s about the strong lines of friendship we built throughout the past 5 years (and counting!). Here’s to many more voice chats in the future.

To Kuk, being the first has its perks. You’ve been with me since god knows when. Maybe to put a date on it, since tumblr was a functioning website. Thank you for keeping me informed about the furry world. Thank you for being one of my trusted individuals. It's so unfair for us to be just online friends, when it feels like you’ve walked by my side since we were young. (I mean we’re still young, but you get the point.) One day we’ll meet and it’ll be one of the happiest days of my life.

To Wes, you are the closest to being a furry father figure to me, even if we aren’t really THAT far apart in age. You always have your maturity that always sets me straight, even in the face of fire. I would have gone off the rails a lot of times if it wasn’t for you. That calmness is something I aspire to have. It’s a moral. It’s a tonesetter in a fast-paced environment. Every person needs a Wes in their life.

To Raiizn, who was there for me at my loneliest, and who I will keep living and breathing for, who was always a kind soul, and who always cheered me on, wherever you are: with the stars or with the sun, thank you showing me that even in the darkest there is still light within us that is worth protecting and worth cherishing. Words cannot express how much I’m thankful for you. I hope that you found peace in the turbulence.

To my college friends, the Sebastian to this Mia, a huge chunk of my wandering tendency was cultured from college where I was lost. The transition to higher education was a storm that came from left field. It pours cold water over the flames on your back. But I’m glad I met like-minded individuals who allowed me to be as ambitious and soar high. It made me who I was today. Dreaming is free, but executing it takes resources. Growing up is a test of attrition. Some friendships don't make it and that's ok. There’s a time for everything to end. I hope we both achieve our dreams. I hope one day we can sit down and talk about it. Till then, wherever you are and whatever form you may be, you still have my thanks.

To MK, stop comparing us to Mia and Sebastian, okay? At least we still talk. It would be a disgrace for me to leave you with a short paragraph, because our history is richer than the net worth of any parasitic-billionaire. It’s a treasure trove of inside jokes. But I know, that you know, that what I mean is true: Thank you for everything from the moment you talked to me to the moment we have right now, and including the messy in-betweens. I’m always grateful for those moments, for the unconditional support.

To my closest friends, the true holders of “blazelore”: from violent supernovas, till my life cooled down, I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for you guys. My view on myself is always neurotic. I fear the worst because I feel like the worst always happens. I sound like a pretty heavy friend to carry. But what the hell, you guys stuck to me like glue. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but why would I question friendships that survived the test of time. In these silent days, we always have each other to rely on. You guys are the undeniable proof that friendships never decay. In a world where relationships are treated as transactional, opportunities for content, I’m so glad I know I have your back. Trust has always been an issue for me, but never when it comes to you guys.

And to those who watched from far away, this victory is yours the same as it is mine.

With all the love in the world,
Atty. Blaze Silverwolf

Truer words have never been spoken. Ever since I entered law school, I set myself up to have this year circled in red ink. The bar exam was the definite event of 2025, to the exclusion of everything else. Because of my school’s schedule, I had a dearth of time. But that was not at my disposal. Long swaths of time were earmarked for studying.

Mentally my brain was elsewhere, far away from being able to catch up with the community I love. And after all, it was not just the bar exam. Residual heartbreak, the common depression, all the moods that come with the cold isolation of studying pile on top.

Despite this I found support. Everyone still showed up when I came out from the cave on sporadic opportunities. I’d put something out and you’d still come. And when it came time to face the monster, you all showed up. I can’t thank you enough. Even in the times when I’d feel like I was at my loneliest, that constant has always proven wrong. People will show up.

Though law is not my only personality. I’ll admit: A lot of my other skills took a hit. It was a necessary sacrifice, but a tough one. I put out all that I could. But there’s still the pang of wishing I could do more. This desire grew into casting my nets in unknown waters. For the first time in my life, I got into technical drawing. It scratches the logical itch I find in drawing, and I’ve yet to marry that with expressive explosions. While I found something missing, there is still something to be obtained in my art. After all the practice, I hope you’ll also be there when I get my groove back to post weekly.

Next year I really want to focus a lot more on being able to be able to apply what I’ve been practicing. Truth be told, I wasn’t satisfied with the output this year. There is a disconnect between what I study and what I apply in painting. The result is frustration. I wanna be able to trust the fundamentals I’ve learned. If I manage to pull that off, it would be a great achievement. But the end result is trying to give my art more depth, more love baked into it. As I said, I’ll need more time. This isn’t just for self-improvement, but a way for me to return all the love and support you gave me, like an investment. Capitalist language aside, it’s time to get used to the long grind for improvement.

It gives room for the inevitable future that I’ll have a job. I can’t stay supported by my family forever. And with the results just around the corner, I will have to make a living to survive society. I cannot say for sure that I will have another off-year (in terms of art) like 2025, but I will strive to make 2026 one of the best years creatively.

I had a lot of other solid achievements. I graduated from law school, started this website, first time traveling without my parents, started going to the gym more and growing(?????????) and a lot more shenanigans.

Though I’ll leave 2025 with an open door. The results are still pending. And just like with art, opportunities are still endless. This year was rife with trials and tribulations. I hope it's all worth it next year. See you in 2026.