Couple definitions for how I’m using some of these words for the humans are spaceship cats AU:
Coterie means: a small group of people with shared interests or tastes, especially one that is exclusive of other people. "a coterie of friends and advisers”
In this context, coterie is the overall name for humans who serve on any Cybertronian ship. If there’s a reference to “the coterie,” it can mean humans on your ship and on other ships as a whole; AND the loose organization of support personnel on earth who help negotiate contracts and serve as a (very informal) go-between for humans and mechs.
Cohort means: a group of people with a shared characteristic. "a cohort of civil servants patiently drafting legislation"
In this context, a cohort is the name for a group of humans serving on the same Cybertronian ship.
So you and your however many buddies on the Lost Light or the Ark are a cohort, that is part of the overall coterie of humans on all Cybertronian ships.
It’s also possible you’re the only human on the ship, though there’s extra safety rails built in to the agreements in those cases, because of the potential detriment to mental and emotional health that can happen to more isolated humans.
Either way, humans are valuable and wanted and appreciated, and that comes with protections whether you’re part of a cohort or just part of the coterie.
Have you heard about Meningeal worms (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis), also known as the deer brainworm?
Warning: Talking about a real-life internal parasite, will probably be a disgusting read. I tried to go light on the details, but still (Probably) not for the squeamish. I was planning on making it more fandom-centered than it ended up being, I blame my field of study.
You read that first sentence right, these parasitic worms spend their adult lives in various veins and veinous sinuses on the surface of the brain in their definitive host, the white-tailed deer. The larvae escape the host's body through the digestive system before finding their way into the body of an intermediate host (a snail or a slug), which is then usually consumed by the definitive host accidentally while it consumes vegetation where the larvae grow to reach adulthood; completing their life cycle.
Shockingly, these parasites do not appear to bother the deer much, and few cases of sickness related to said parasitic infection have been reported. In fact, it is actually rather common for a deer to be infected with these parasites, though no one usually would be able to tell whether or not a deer is infected by appearance and behavior (unless it was a case of a deer infected with many worms, especially a fawn). The issues begin to arise when the infected mollusks get eaten by other animals...
Within any other animal besides the definitive host, this parasite cannot grow to adulthood making these other animals "dead-end hosts," and furthermore, has been known to burrow into the brain and spinal cord, causing severe neurological issues and usually resulting in death
These unfortunate species include the likes of Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Black-tailed deer, Reindeer, Pronghorns, Llamas, Alpacas, Camels, Cattle, Horses.... Sheep...... Goats........
The best thing to do for an afflicted dead-end host would be to be it out of its misery; there's no fixing the damage done.
I was planning on going somewhere with this, but I have no idea where. Perhaps making some kind of remark about how a certain deer can make it through dangerous situations keeping a relatively calm mind where others would panic? Or maybe how he is better able to resist/work with corrosive beings that pose a much greater risk to his companions?
...
If I wanted to get more exact with my references, well... This parasite is mostly found in North America, while the Goral and Roe Deer are Native to the Eurasian Continent, so they'd realistically never have an unfortunate encounter. The Goat, however... ;)
...Before you accuse me of preventing you from sleeping well ever again, I feel like I ought to let you know that transmission of this parasite to humans has not been reported.
