Later that night, I felt restless as I lay in my pile of furs. The thought of killing the entire family of deer was weighing on my mind, I couldn't deny that I had thoroughly enjoyed eating the doe. But killing off the entire pack just didn't sit quite right with me

  “Mother, can I ask about something that is bothering me?” I whispered.

  “Yes, of course my little pup.” she replied as she turned to look at me.

  I told her the entire story of the hunting trip I had with Arissa earlier that day, about my thoughts on letting the deer go. How the fawns would go on to reproduce to give us even more deer to hunt in the future. About the idea of sustainable hunting, my fear of the danger of overhunting in our territory. How we could benefit from starting with animal husbandry, and how that would give us a more sustained food source in the long run.

  Mother just stared blankly at me for over a minute, until she reached out to hold me in a thigh embrace. “ I don’t get where you get all these thoughts and ideas from. You talk about things and concepts I haven’t even heard about or even considered, and yet you are still so young. How can you be such a smart little bitch, I’m so proud of you.” she said while beaming with pride.

  I held back my distaste from the bitch word, knowing she meant nothing negative with it, and answered her in an exhale.

  “But Mother, that is not an answer at all, I’m glad that your proud of me and all that, but it doesn't help with my concerns at all”

  Mother opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again, only to get a thoughtful expression on her face. Nearly a minute passed before she finally opened her mouth again.“ Lunaria, my little fluff ball. I don't know what to tell you, your ideas are remarkable, and if they could work like you describe in practice that would be ideal. But to suddenly start telling our hunters to avoid prey with younglings is asking a bit much. Even as the matriarch my power is limited, If we ever start noticing the forest getting sparse with game, I will do my best to enforce some of your ideas, but no one will be able to restrain themselves as long as the forest is plentiful. And I don't see how keeping prey locked up and alive would do us any good. How do you expect our hunters to keep their paws to themselves? I'm not sure I could do it myself whenever I get hungry enough.”

  I threw my paws up in resignation, close to the edge to go on a full blown tirade “ Oh come on. It can't be that hard, all it takes is a little self discipline. I am hungry just like everyone else, and I'm still able to think further ahead than the next meal. I truly believe we could improve our quality of life with a few changes.”

  Mother let out a heavy breath, moved closer and started rubbing my ears before saying.“ Don't be like that. We can't just change our way of life, just because a little bitch has a few ideas. And you need to give Arissa some slack, she is just acting like what any ordinary bitch would. Your way of thought might be remarkable, but you would need to grow up before the rest of the tribe will respect your words. You keep impressing me with all these outlandish ideas, I had high hopes for my own pup, especially after trying to conceive for over 600 winters. But I would never imagine I would get such a remarkable bitch as you.

  “What?” I nearly shouted.

  “You tried to get a pup for over 600 winters? I had a hunch that you had tried for a while, but I had never imagined that you tried for that long. Maybe it is time for you to tell me who my father is? If you tried for that long, there must be something special about him. Is it perhaps Verroz?”

  Thinking of one of the more impressive males in the tribe, With a respectfully five tails, he was without a doubt the biggest and strongest of them all. I didn't know how much strength that 6th tail did for my mother, But if she was stronger than Verroz, it would be mighty impressive seeing her beat such a big guy.

  Mother let out a growl of annoyance before replying. “Lunaria, how many times do you have to ask that question? I keep telling you that I don’t know. How can I possibly know such a thing?

  It could be Verroz, but it can just as easily be any of the other males.”

  I was dumbfounded, not quite sure how to process what Mother had just said. I slowly opened my mouth, but couldn't speak. I took a deep breath and tried again. “ S… So, you spread your legs for the entire tribe?” I stammered

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  The gentle ear rubbing was interrupted by a hard smack on the top of my head, and I yelped loudly. “ Auch. What was that for? Isn't that more or less what you said? I know I am just a little pup, but I do know what you need to do to conceive”

  “ That is still not the way to talk to your Mother.” She said in a firm tone. But yeah, since you are so informed and such things, you should also know that the chances increase the more you mate during mating season. I just made sure the chances were as high as possible. It took 600 winters after all, so why wouldn't I? “

  I felt a chill down my spine, shivering by the thought. Trying my best to hold the disturbing mental images at bay. I hesitated for a moment before asking. “ So you actually were intimate with everyone? And what do you mean with mating season? Do we actually have such a thing? "

  Seeing my serious expression, Mother broke out in a full bellied laughter. “Oh my dear innocent fluffy pup. Every spring we all feel the heat of the mating season. Everyone is doing their best to increase the chances to conceive, and it is a great honor to be with the matriarch, so anyone could be your father. On average we only have one pup born every 50th winter, so we are trying our best. Having both you and Arissa born just a few winters apart was a great boon for our tribe”

  “W…Wait a minute” I stuttered. “ So you're telling me that I will go into heat every spring? and that we have giant orgies? That's not the mental picture I want of my mother. What kind of disgusting traditions do we practice here? I'm horrified by the thought of the entire thing. I have absolutely no desire to be part of such things. Is there a way for me to avoid being part of such practices? And why are new births so rare?. most other species can reproduce much easier than that.”

  Mother let out a snort, struggling to keep her laughter back. After regaining her composure she started stroking my back in endearment and spoke in a soft tone. “ You don't have to worry about such things, there are still many winters until you gain your second tail. When that time comes, you will go into heat like everyone else, by then you will feel different about it. And calling it orgies is in bad taste, if you don't want to participate you don't have to. No one with more tails than you are allowed to challenge you if you were to refuse, and those with the same number of tails can only challenge you to duel for the mating rights. You have the same right to challenge anyone who refuses you. As for why it is so hard for us to conceive, that has always been a mystery, I suspect it is nature’s ways to limit us. Since we don't age and don't die easily”

  Hearing her words horrified me, making me dread the future. Fearful of the answer I steeled my resolve and hesitantly asked. “ What exactly do you mean by duel for the mating rights? Is that exactly what it sounds like?

  Mother let out a sigh before replying. “ More or less. It’s not something that happens often, during the heat, most of us will accept most requests out of desire. But if you decline any offers by someone that has fewer or the same number of tails, that person can demand a duel, just as we do with every other dispute. Then you just fight, and the strongest will decide what happens next. And you have the same right if you are rejected, but I doubt anyone will reject you. As my daughter, anyone will be honored by your request.

  “W…Wh… What exactly do you mean by, the strongest decides what happens next.” I stammered nervously. “ Does that mean that, if I would lose such a duel, I could risk being raped as I lie beaten in the mud?

  ” I don't know what raped means, but if you were to lose such a duel, and the winner wanted to mate with you, he would be well into his rights to mount you. The strongest always decides what happens next” she simply stated.

  The shiver went from my neck, all the way down to my tail by the thought of suffering through such a fate.” That is so barbaric, even allowing such things is sick and twisted.” I muttered

  “Then you just have to become strong, and beat everyone foolish enough to challenge you to anything” Mother stated.

  “ Jeez, That is so comforting” I replied in a flat tone, as I curled down in a ball among my pile of furs, horrified of what the future might hold.

  What kind of horrible deeds have I committed to be punished with this life?

  Born into a feral tribe where they can do whatever they want to, as long as they have the strength to enforce it. I could end up raped if I refuse any guy, and that is only if I am in a state of mind to be able to refuse, What if the damn heat makes me unable to think rationally, How will I be able to live with myself if I lose total control over myself? Wasn't it bad enough to become a monster that is constantly hungry, struggling with such crap every day. But no, apparently I'm also doomed to squat whenever I pee, bleed monthly, grow tits and risk being legally raped. And that is only if I manage to not spiral out of control because of some involuntary heat. If this is the work of some sick god, I will make it my life mission to get revenge on that bastard. Strength and long lifespan might be great things to be handed, but they don't make up for all the crappy things about this life.

  I need to become strong, so no one can take advantage of me, I will become the strongest bitch on the block. Damnit, did I really think of myself as a bitch now? These foxes are rubbing their foul culture on me. I must keep true to myself and cling to my own core values as best as I possibly can.