Lycan Markings - Mated Pair
First Mark:
The First Mark is the first step in creating a permanent, mated-pair bond. For some it is a trial phase to see if the bond really will work, for others who are more than certain that this is what they want, the time between the First Mark and the Final Mark is a time to strengthen the bond the First Mark creates.
The First Mark is created when there is a strong bond between the pair, a connection they share with no other. A Marking doesn't come with every casual liaison or even every heat-pairing, although it is possible for a couple to become Marked after short acquaintance or after a heat-liaison. The situation depends upon the emotions of the pair and how close they feel to one another. It is useful for those who come to lupine lycanthropy through infection, to perhaps think of the First Mark as an engagement or betrothal period. Serious, intense, leading to a greater commitment, but not yet a permanent condition.
Physically, the Mark isn't painful, but it is incredibly sensitive to being touched by the other lover. It becomes a unique erogenous zone that is as sensitive as the genitals themselves. This sensitivity, however, doesn't extend to touch by others, or friction from clothing. This is a blessing, as the sensations evoked would be far too distracting otherwise.
The First Mark will bring on a desire to have a constant connection with their intended mate, the constant need to be near them and to touch them. For some this becomes a possessive phase for the wolf knows the bond isn't complete and may feel threatened towards other males or females whom may be perceived as potential interlopers. The Marked pair might find it difficult to be separated for any great length of time before their need to be together becomes overwhelming. It is wise during the in-between period for the Marks, that the pair stay relatively close together, developing the bond and making it stronger if they so choose.
The flip side of this, especially for pairs who had a shorter courtship before the Marking, is that this interval is also a time when they tend to have their first conflicts. The "dating face" is off, so to speak, and idiosyncrasies and different opinions and expectations may bring out unwelcome friction. This is to be expected, and is actually desirable, as it can also serve to point out those for whom the First Mark was a biological misfire.
Mated: The Final Mark
So the Chase has been completed and you're mated. This means the bond has been solidified, and for most this means you are bound and mated for life. The metaphysical connection links you to your mate; you're able to tell how close or far they are from you without even having to use your nose. For some, the connection can be strong enough they can sense moods, like joy, or distress, or even pain. The mated pair will still need a physical connection, but it's not nearly as driving as it is during the First Mark. But like anything within the Pack, touch strengthens, and touch over time will strengthen the First Mark and strengthen the Final bond. The Final Mark can bring a calm, more secure feeling for those who experience a strong driving possessiveness or jealousy with the First Mark.
For the outsider, mated pairs are obvious as their scents change slightly, mingling so they constantly carry a piece of their mate with them. Within a Pack, since the pair received the Final Mark with the Pack's blessing and combined energy, Pack members can feel their connection, especially that of the Lycaon and the Loba.
For the male and his female, once the Final Mark is placed, the damping of the rest of the Pack's reproductive capability commences at once, and is an involuntary biological sequence. This doesn't become a voluntary process until the Lead pair produces at least one litter. If there has been a Pack-wide simultaneous heat before the Lead pair bond, then any unchosen females who have conceived will reabsorb their litters.
This is a painless process, and those not aware of the facts of lycan physiology will not even realize they were pregnant at that early point of gestation.
The female alpha will gain the same sort of low-level constant "Pack-awareness" that the male inherits upon his assent to that rank. This is in addition to their own bond-awareness. Usually, this is of the highest level for a Lead pair, though the mate-sense varies according to the emotional closeness of their bond.
There is a strong metaphysical aspect to werewolf love and "marriage," a.k.a. mating or pair-bonding. Wolves form a formal pair-bond via a series of processes and ceremonies that are a combination of natural instinct, metaphysical connections and ritual. This is due to the necessity of providing stability within the Pack—otherwise, every time a mated female went into estrus, her male would be fighting off the entire XY half of the Pack. Also, the normal human ways of marking an individual as mated don't work well for lycans. Jewelry doesn't cooperate with the shifting process, and the healing factor negates most forms of tattooing and scarification. Also, there is the metaphysical component, which plays such a large part in all werewolf society.
The Pairing process takes place over the space of at least two moons, and often three. In fact, when an unmated wolf becomes Lycan, he is officially granted three moons to select a female, after that, the Pack itself will choose his mate by a process described below. This is incredibly important for the Pack, because the female becomes fertile only after the Marking, and only the Lead pair is fertile, under most circumstances.
There are two Marks, the first physical and highly visible. It is triggered by the conscious desire to mate, having found someone who's willing to mate with you, and in part by the moon and the combined metaphysical bond that links all of the Pack.
The First mark is given on or near the full moon, though there are exceptions to this. This may or may not be a public event, but First Marks are always displayed during the red moon, if they are not created during it. It normally occurs during sex, if the desire between the pair to bond is strong. There is a perception of a flash of bright light and an extremely pleasurable sensation of heat flashing across the skin. Both wolves are left with an imprint of their mates teeth.
It's visible as dark pigmentation on light skin or pelts, or a lack of pigmentation on dark skins and pelts. It does not cause any pain and it is not an injury.
The intervening time until the second full moon is a more intense courtship period.
On the Second full moon, there is a formal announcement to the Pack, and the male Chases his beloved to gain a consummation that's as formal and legal as a marriage license for humans-- and far more binding, usually. Most werewolves do mate for life. Separations are not unknown, but they are rare and usually only occur in Packs that are in general upheaval, or among pairs who were created by a challenged Chase.
Challenged Chase: The period between the time of the First Marking and the Second can be seized as a last-ditch window of opportunity by a spurned suitor to regain lost favor. However, this doesn't include sexual contact by the interloper. That would break the Marking-- and normally, by the time a pair is close enough emotionally to trigger the first Marking, the chances of infidelity are minute.
If some of the Pack feels like the proposed union is a bad idea, they will join the Chase with intent to interfere. Only the unmated can place the Mark during the pack run, the others who are mated and don't agree with the pairing just try and prevent the pair from meeting. If the moon sets and the pair haven't met up and made the Second marking, the First Marking vanishes. If an interloper wins the Chase, then he/she will break the original Marking and will take the place of the defeated rival as bearer of the First Marking.
On the next full moon, there is guaranteed to be a challenged Chase between the two rivals and their mutual beloved. Whoever wins that Chase is the beloved's mate.
Far more often, however, the Pack agrees with the lovers' choice and follows along at a slight distance as witnesses. The First Marking may be a private event, but the Second Marking is a permanent, metaphysical link that is created from the power raised by the Pack during the Chase, then channeled into the mating pair to form the bond. It is permanent (unless broken before the Pack) and considered a blessing on the union, for it is given by the Leaders and the Pack.
It is invisible, unlike the First Mark, but as instantly recognizable by any wolf. It is almost impossible to describe how one knows the marital status of another wolf-- it has been said that to try is similar to the task of describing the color blue to someone born blind. It is simply unmistakable, and almost always honored.
Adultery among werewolves is extremely rare, as aggression against an interloper can be lethal with the full blessing of the Pack. If the pair becomes that unhappy, they normally dissolve their union by denouncing it in front of the Pack before they seek other companions.
In the case of a Lycan who has not chosen a mate within his first three moons, the issue is settled by melee combat between any females who wish to take the rank. The battle can be vicious and often deadly, though most of the less driven combatants will remove themselves from the fray after first injury. There is no mating Chase after the combat, as the victor has proven herself physically and mentally strong enough to dominate the Pack.
When the battle is over, the victorious female will join the male and at first contact, the Second Mark will activate between them. While the choice may have been made for him, the male will eventually fully accept and come to care for his female, as they are compatible in their abilities and desires to lead the Pack. This arranged bond might be chafing for a period, or for life, but there hasn't been an arranged pair separation within the living memory of the Packs.
It is important to note that the Mating Ritual, including the Marks, only takes place between werewolves. In the case of a wolf pairng with a human or with a lycan of another flavor-- no Marks. As it takes two to tango, it takes two wolves to receive Marks. A human and a wolf can shag, shack up, marry, whatever, but they won't have the metaphysical pair-bonding of a pair of mated werewolves. They're just a couple, like any other human couple, as likely to split up and go their own way later as the general population.
As for gay couples, while there is no discrimination against same-sex relationships among werewolves, biology isn't socially enlightened. The metaphysical pair-bonding process is to ensure that compatible mates stay together for life, for the cold and pure purpose of being able to make a litter of puppies at the first possible opportunity.
So, since that's not going to happen with a same-sex pair, there's no Marking, no mating ritual, no Chases. They simply love each other and stay together, with the fidelity or lack thereof inherent in any human romantic pairing.
First Mark:
The First Mark is the first step in creating a permanent, mated-pair bond. For some it is a trial phase to see if the bond really will work, for others who are more than certain that this is what they want, the time between the First Mark and the Final Mark is a time to strengthen the bond the First Mark creates.
The First Mark is created when there is a strong bond between the pair, a connection they share with no other. A Marking doesn't come with every casual liaison or even every heat-pairing, although it is possible for a couple to become Marked after short acquaintance or after a heat-liaison. The situation depends upon the emotions of the pair and how close they feel to one another. It is useful for those who come to lupine lycanthropy through infection, to perhaps think of the First Mark as an engagement or betrothal period. Serious, intense, leading to a greater commitment, but not yet a permanent condition.
Physically, the Mark isn't painful, but it is incredibly sensitive to being touched by the other lover. It becomes a unique erogenous zone that is as sensitive as the genitals themselves. This sensitivity, however, doesn't extend to touch by others, or friction from clothing. This is a blessing, as the sensations evoked would be far too distracting otherwise.
The First Mark will bring on a desire to have a constant connection with their intended mate, the constant need to be near them and to touch them. For some this becomes a possessive phase for the wolf knows the bond isn't complete and may feel threatened towards other males or females whom may be perceived as potential interlopers. The Marked pair might find it difficult to be separated for any great length of time before their need to be together becomes overwhelming. It is wise during the in-between period for the Marks, that the pair stay relatively close together, developing the bond and making it stronger if they so choose.
The flip side of this, especially for pairs who had a shorter courtship before the Marking, is that this interval is also a time when they tend to have their first conflicts. The "dating face" is off, so to speak, and idiosyncrasies and different opinions and expectations may bring out unwelcome friction. This is to be expected, and is actually desirable, as it can also serve to point out those for whom the First Mark was a biological misfire.
Mated: The Final Mark
So the Chase has been completed and you're mated. This means the bond has been solidified, and for most this means you are bound and mated for life. The metaphysical connection links you to your mate; you're able to tell how close or far they are from you without even having to use your nose. For some, the connection can be strong enough they can sense moods, like joy, or distress, or even pain. The mated pair will still need a physical connection, but it's not nearly as driving as it is during the First Mark. But like anything within the Pack, touch strengthens, and touch over time will strengthen the First Mark and strengthen the Final bond. The Final Mark can bring a calm, more secure feeling for those who experience a strong driving possessiveness or jealousy with the First Mark.
For the outsider, mated pairs are obvious as their scents change slightly, mingling so they constantly carry a piece of their mate with them. Within a Pack, since the pair received the Final Mark with the Pack's blessing and combined energy, Pack members can feel their connection, especially that of the Lycaon and the Loba.
For the male and his female, once the Final Mark is placed, the damping of the rest of the Pack's reproductive capability commences at once, and is an involuntary biological sequence. This doesn't become a voluntary process until the Lead pair produces at least one litter. If there has been a Pack-wide simultaneous heat before the Lead pair bond, then any unchosen females who have conceived will reabsorb their litters.
This is a painless process, and those not aware of the facts of lycan physiology will not even realize they were pregnant at that early point of gestation.
The female alpha will gain the same sort of low-level constant "Pack-awareness" that the male inherits upon his assent to that rank. This is in addition to their own bond-awareness. Usually, this is of the highest level for a Lead pair, though the mate-sense varies according to the emotional closeness of their bond.
There is a strong metaphysical aspect to werewolf love and "marriage," a.k.a. mating or pair-bonding. Wolves form a formal pair-bond via a series of processes and ceremonies that are a combination of natural instinct, metaphysical connections and ritual. This is due to the necessity of providing stability within the Pack—otherwise, every time a mated female went into estrus, her male would be fighting off the entire XY half of the Pack. Also, the normal human ways of marking an individual as mated don't work well for lycans. Jewelry doesn't cooperate with the shifting process, and the healing factor negates most forms of tattooing and scarification. Also, there is the metaphysical component, which plays such a large part in all werewolf society.
The Pairing process takes place over the space of at least two moons, and often three. In fact, when an unmated wolf becomes Lycan, he is officially granted three moons to select a female, after that, the Pack itself will choose his mate by a process described below. This is incredibly important for the Pack, because the female becomes fertile only after the Marking, and only the Lead pair is fertile, under most circumstances.
There are two Marks, the first physical and highly visible. It is triggered by the conscious desire to mate, having found someone who's willing to mate with you, and in part by the moon and the combined metaphysical bond that links all of the Pack.
The First mark is given on or near the full moon, though there are exceptions to this. This may or may not be a public event, but First Marks are always displayed during the red moon, if they are not created during it. It normally occurs during sex, if the desire between the pair to bond is strong. There is a perception of a flash of bright light and an extremely pleasurable sensation of heat flashing across the skin. Both wolves are left with an imprint of their mates teeth.
It's visible as dark pigmentation on light skin or pelts, or a lack of pigmentation on dark skins and pelts. It does not cause any pain and it is not an injury.
The intervening time until the second full moon is a more intense courtship period.
On the Second full moon, there is a formal announcement to the Pack, and the male Chases his beloved to gain a consummation that's as formal and legal as a marriage license for humans-- and far more binding, usually. Most werewolves do mate for life. Separations are not unknown, but they are rare and usually only occur in Packs that are in general upheaval, or among pairs who were created by a challenged Chase.
Challenged Chase: The period between the time of the First Marking and the Second can be seized as a last-ditch window of opportunity by a spurned suitor to regain lost favor. However, this doesn't include sexual contact by the interloper. That would break the Marking-- and normally, by the time a pair is close enough emotionally to trigger the first Marking, the chances of infidelity are minute.
If some of the Pack feels like the proposed union is a bad idea, they will join the Chase with intent to interfere. Only the unmated can place the Mark during the pack run, the others who are mated and don't agree with the pairing just try and prevent the pair from meeting. If the moon sets and the pair haven't met up and made the Second marking, the First Marking vanishes. If an interloper wins the Chase, then he/she will break the original Marking and will take the place of the defeated rival as bearer of the First Marking.
On the next full moon, there is guaranteed to be a challenged Chase between the two rivals and their mutual beloved. Whoever wins that Chase is the beloved's mate.
Far more often, however, the Pack agrees with the lovers' choice and follows along at a slight distance as witnesses. The First Marking may be a private event, but the Second Marking is a permanent, metaphysical link that is created from the power raised by the Pack during the Chase, then channeled into the mating pair to form the bond. It is permanent (unless broken before the Pack) and considered a blessing on the union, for it is given by the Leaders and the Pack.
It is invisible, unlike the First Mark, but as instantly recognizable by any wolf. It is almost impossible to describe how one knows the marital status of another wolf-- it has been said that to try is similar to the task of describing the color blue to someone born blind. It is simply unmistakable, and almost always honored.
Adultery among werewolves is extremely rare, as aggression against an interloper can be lethal with the full blessing of the Pack. If the pair becomes that unhappy, they normally dissolve their union by denouncing it in front of the Pack before they seek other companions.
In the case of a Lycan who has not chosen a mate within his first three moons, the issue is settled by melee combat between any females who wish to take the rank. The battle can be vicious and often deadly, though most of the less driven combatants will remove themselves from the fray after first injury. There is no mating Chase after the combat, as the victor has proven herself physically and mentally strong enough to dominate the Pack.
When the battle is over, the victorious female will join the male and at first contact, the Second Mark will activate between them. While the choice may have been made for him, the male will eventually fully accept and come to care for his female, as they are compatible in their abilities and desires to lead the Pack. This arranged bond might be chafing for a period, or for life, but there hasn't been an arranged pair separation within the living memory of the Packs.
It is important to note that the Mating Ritual, including the Marks, only takes place between werewolves. In the case of a wolf pairng with a human or with a lycan of another flavor-- no Marks. As it takes two to tango, it takes two wolves to receive Marks. A human and a wolf can shag, shack up, marry, whatever, but they won't have the metaphysical pair-bonding of a pair of mated werewolves. They're just a couple, like any other human couple, as likely to split up and go their own way later as the general population.
As for gay couples, while there is no discrimination against same-sex relationships among werewolves, biology isn't socially enlightened. The metaphysical pair-bonding process is to ensure that compatible mates stay together for life, for the cold and pure purpose of being able to make a litter of puppies at the first possible opportunity.
So, since that's not going to happen with a same-sex pair, there's no Marking, no mating ritual, no Chases. They simply love each other and stay together, with the fidelity or lack thereof inherent in any human romantic pairing.