Mating lessons for dummies

Subject: Mating lessons for dummies Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:17 am

Taboo of Mixing

Skin Walkers consider it taboo to mate with many other species. This is because they are in an awkward position. They are sentient like a human, but are technically and for all intensive purposes animals. They also can’t reproduce with other animals, because they are sentient and other animals are not. On top of this, there’s no telling what would happen to a mix breed child. Half canine with no natural human form and half human? Human? Puppy? Somewhere in the middle? (Read below for more info.) It’s taboo and pretty much forbidden, so it just doesn’t happen.

Danger of Inter-species Mates

There is an inherent danger when mixing two species with vast differences. The differences come in varying degrees and thus varying dangers.

Skin Walkers are, at base, canines. Though they may receive human forms, they’re still canines at the heart of it. Conversely, many species are, at base, human. Humans (of course), vampires, hell vampires, werewolves, and many more species are human at the base level, some even being turned from humans. A good rule of thumb to tell is; if it’s humanoid or can be made from a human, then it’s human at the base. These are the species subject to the taboo of mixing, and there’s a good reason for it. Because Skin Walkers are animals, they see it as if it were a form of bestiality. It’s horrendous to them and others. It’s also impossible for them to have any offspring, as the genes don’t mix and always result in either a miscarriage or failure to become pregnant anyway.

Other sentient creatures aren’t as common as human ones, but they are acceptable as mates. Unfortunately, many of them are not spared the risk. Even though both are animals, they don’t always match genetically. Most of them are, in fact, vastly different. Trying to mix with another species isn’t easy, genetically speaking. Due to this, there’s sometimes a fertility problem, but more often the case can be much worse. Miscarriages are a very real threat, as are genetic mutations and disabilities. Health conditions are frequent and mortality rates due to genetic complications are high. It is possible to have a healthy child that grows and lives a regular life, but that’s not the norm. Out of a full litter, it’d be lucky to have one healthy child or even a few that survive. So it’s really a difficult thing and most inter-species couples decide not to have children, as many would rather avoid the pain they could cause to themselves and their potential children.

The safest route will always be between two Skin Walkers, but the second safest is with canines of other species. (Sentient canines mind you.) They may not be an exact match and potential health risks and pregnancy complications will always be a factor, but they are far closer genetically than many species. The closer to a Skin Walker, genetically, a creature is, the safer a couple reproducing becomes. Thus, other canines are about as close as they come, aside from Skin Walkers themselves.

Mate Tradition

Traditionally, Skin Walkers do not have marriages or elaborate marriage ceremonies to join two together. This does not mean that they behave wildly and just sleep around though. No. Quite the opposite really. Their views on union are quite straightforward but strict. If a Skin Walker mates with someone, they are considered mates for life, unified. There may be a celebration or formal event after the couple announces that they’ve decided to become mates, depending on the pack, but it’s already said and done no matter what.

They can separate, but this is uncommon and seen often as a betrayal by the one who instigates it. Skin Walkers as a whole don’t look fondly on people who essentially divorce their mate. However, if it’s mutual, then it can be brought before a pack leader or council (or friends if they lack a pack) and announce their separation together. If they properly explain their reasoning and both parties agree, they can go their separate ways, though it is viewed as a sad thing for both sides

With how they view union then, it’s understandable that it logically follows: they don’t like players. Let me clarify. One night stands, flings, or generally just sleeping around at all is seen as disgusting, debasing, disrespectful, and utterly unacceptable. It would be the same as marrying someone and then cheating on them, divorcing them, and marrying someone else in the same instance. Or, another analogy would be: it’d be like promising to marry someone, then ditching them without so much as a phone call and saying the same to someone else. It also is considered to be terrible because it sullies the honor of both parties, even if they were unaware the other was not going to be true to their supposed commitment. Thus it’s definitely taboo to partake in any sort of mating without actually being committed mates. Some communities may even shun someone who participates in this taboo and it would definitely be very difficult to find any real relationships after it came out that was what was going on.