Urban Renewal: Interlude ~ Birds and Bees...,

Urban Renewal: Interlude ~ Birds and Bees...,

Tarra sits in contemplation as she waits for her mother to come downstairs. She looks around the sitting room admiring the trophies of her father's victories. Such the Ahroun he was, it both frightened and admused her greatly.

The last few weeks had brushed by in a blur, and making time to come up here and learn more about the Fenrir was very time consuimg in and of itself. Tarra sighed. It was for the good of the cubs-to-be, and an honor to be taught the histories as the Elders deemed proper. She made a silent prayer to the Mother, hoping that she'd make a good mother, teacher, and care taker to her childern.

Such thoughts lead her mind to wander to the ways her mother used in rearing both her brother Roland and herself. Maybe, the thought intruded, she should ask her mother.., maybe. Tarra softly smiled to herself.., remembering...

~~
Birds and Bees..,
~~

Ilse leaned over her stiching to sort out another thread. Tarra watched her intently. Then looking at her own stiching she frowned.


"You will be of age soon, Tarra."

Tarra tilted her blond head quizically. Half looking at her mother, half at the mangled cross-sticth pattern in her lap, she frowned again. The hair tucked behind her ear fell forward into her face. Turning back to un-weave the mis-counted pattern, she spoke from under her bangs.

"What do you mean?"

Ilse smiled, "You should be having your period soon, love. This means physically you are a woman."

Tarra paused, squinching up her face into a squished frown.

"What has this to do with cross-sticthing.., and.., do we _have_ to talk about this _now_." She looked up at her mother, blushing slightly and looking awfully uncomfortable.

Ilse chuckled softly, and set her own stiching down into her lap. She looked her daughter over, noting that her face and figure were beginning to develop more. The childish pudge and round form, was now growing into a taller, more refined body. Her forehead creased, it was a cross between the concern she tried to hide and the amusment at her daughter's discomfort.

"Would you rather me wait until you run crying to me, because you ruined your bedsheets?"

Tarra blanched, then reddened. Her eyes wide she stuttered,"ah., dah, er.., uhmn.., well... N.., no. B..buh., But the teachers are..., uhmn.., covering the whole.., uh.., 'Birds and Bees Thing'.., this year.., in Health Class."

Ilse's smile grew. She shook her head and leaned back into her chair.

"Its good to see that the school board is taking more iniative then when I was in school." Ilse chuckled to herself. "It will be good for you to learn the mechanics of things early. But there will be things..,"

Tarra interrupted her mother, " yeah yeah I know..," She took on a slightly mocking tone, as she poorly mimicked her mother's voice, "Things that they don't teach you at school, because they don't know.., and should never know..,"

Ilse stare hard at her daughter, then smirked. "You have more of your father in you, at least in your manners. Mind them."

The stern warning made Tarra look back at her stiching. She played with the fabric a bit feeling slighlty ashamed of herself, and partily not wanting to admit it. Her mother continued.

"Remember, we are kith an kin to a people who often do not pay attention to what they are doing. So -we- must be made aware of the dangers. They are driven by the deeper instinct of the Wolf. Many are mere childern, forced into a battle they never knew about. The conflict between human and wolf can be seen if you know what to look for, daughter."

Tarra looked up at her mother, embarrasment plain on her face, "Sorry."

"Not anymore sorry if you don't learn to pay attention to your own actions," Ilse looked even more concerned. Tarra, confused, just shook her head. Ilse sighed. She set her sticthing down and into the basket by her chair.

"Look here," she grabbed a book from the shelf. It was an old, leather bound, volume that looked about as ancient as some of the carvings deep in the forrest. A number of the pages had been replaced with newer paper.., or newer paper was added into with each new author. Tarra squinted at the handwriting and realized much of it were in different scripts. Some in a completely different language.

"This is the journal my mother gave to me, and some of the pages came from your father's mother. Each details, in a not so obvious manner, aspects of Garou nature. At least their breeding nature."



Tarra looked up to her mother wide-eyed. "Uhmn.., do we have to talk about this? Its a little.., weird."

Ilse just looked at her daughter. The expression on her face blank, contemplating. Ilse knew that the Elders of the Tribe already picked a mate for Tarra, in case she showed no signs of the First Change. Who it was, she did not know yet... but she had an idea. That assumption frightened her more.


"Yes, dear. You do. I don't want to frighten you, but your life may be at stake."

Tarra shivered involentarily. Ilse cringed inwardly. If her daughter knew fear now, Gaia help her if she ever experience the less rational side of a Garou in mating-heat. Ilse closed her eyes and sighed. Tara slumped next to her mother, and leaned against her leg. With a hand, Ilse ran her fingers through her daughter's blond hair.

"Listen now...," she spoke softly but intently. Knowing the horrors her daughter to dealt with on a regular basis, growing up so close to the Caern, Ilse felt her concern valid.

"As a female you are -responsible- to know about -your- body. To come to understand it, its cycles, and the resposnes and reactions we get -from- others; this is our birth-right. We are the mothers, the futures, and the nurturers of the Garou nation. We may never know great staus, or acknowledgement, but Gaia knows the Gift She gave us. We are Her in miniture; every female is, no matter the species. With this most important of blessings, we have a -greater- responsibility. Not just to the whole of the others, but to ourselves."

Ilse looked down at her daughter, concern in her eyes. Tarra looked up, her cheek pressed into her mother's leg. There was a look of discomfort and discord in Tarra's eyes, the edge of fear fluctuating just beyound grasp. Ilse ran her fingers through her daughter's hair once more, then continued speaking.


"Garou are driven by their instincts. Its a conflict we may never truely come to understand. Remember this always whenever you deal with them, no matter if they be an Elder or a Cub."

Tarra watched her mother quizically. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ilse shusshed her, "Listen and remember..,"

"This may be an uncomfortable topic to broach, but as I said before your are coming of age. I want you to understand, I want you to truely understand, that our responsibility to ourselves and our bodies is more important then most people will _ever_ honestly comprehend. What I am about to tell you is part knowledge given to me by my mother, and part.., experience."

Tarra made a face, causing Ilse to chuckle. Both of them relaxed more, and Tarra got up to make tea with a sigh. She wandered into the kitchen searching for the teapot. Once found she dug through the cabinets to retrieve an herbal tea her mother just bought last week. The smell of it, as she took it out of the box, soothed her. The uncomfortable thoughts that threatened to consume her, faded somewhat as her more rational aspect to her mind took control.

"I know that as a female, I will one day be a mother, -Mother-. I will have my own kids, and be responsible for the family. I know this mother," Tarra set the kettle on the stove and flipped on the gas flame to life under it, as she spoke.


Ilse only shook her head.

"What they teach you at school is only the part humans understand. Though I must admit they know more about how the human body works, then any other animal does. This is why what I have to tell you is so important. Human culture and structure requires us to be demure and quiet about our sexuality..,"


Tarra stiffened with that last comment, and turned toward her mother with a look of disgust. Isle just chuckled. She had to get her daughter to open up more, and become more comfortable with the idea she was about to instill. Otherwise.., Ilse forced back the doubts.., she -had- to get Tarra to understand.

"Still in that 'eww Boy Cooties' phase? I thought you'd be out of that by now," her mother teased. Tarra glared at her mom, and blushed. Ilse just shook her head and laughed, "Didn't think so."


Tarra stood by the stove, and planted her fist firmly on her hips, "So what if I _have_ 'noticed' boys lately?"


"Well, with most humans it really wouldn't matter /too/ much," Isle looked smugly at her daughter, "Though a good portion of what I have to tell you can be equally apply to humans as well as Garou.., to a degree."

The two of them engaged in a mock-stare down. Tarra was the first to burst into half-nervous laughter, breaking the seriousness of the mood further into bits.

"So what is this -oh soooooo- important information you have to give me, mother?" Tara returned to the stove, and began digging in the cabinet beside and above it for tea mugs.

"Well..," Ilse began, "when a female is said to 'come into heat', most of the Garou males in a given area will notice this."

Tarra's eyes widen as she glances over her shoulder at her mother sitting in the other room. The shock of the thought, and the fact that it didn't occur to her until just now, made Tarra blush deeply.

"The Lupus," Ilse continued, "understand this drive and recognize it right away, but, unlike human-born Garou, they don't question it. The one redeeming thing about the Lupus Garou, is that they show a bit more respect to their 'mate-to-be'. Most won't force the issue of the situation, unless they are in an extremely.., excited.., state."

Tarra blanched.

"From my understanding," her mother spoke rather non-chalantly, as if reciting from a text book some random bits of fact, "and what I've come to learn from some of the Lupus-born Elders, is that this reaction is more of a survival instinct. Lupus don't want to be wounded by their 'mate-to-be', otherwise another male will be more capable of besting them. Only the strongest and 'most worthy' male may mate with the female. Pack-oriented thought processes."

Tarra leaned against the counter, now turned facing her mother and listening intently.

"Most Lupus Garou in a Garou-pack won't even /seek/ a mate unless they are of a high enough status amoung their pack-mates, or so I've been told. A little strange I know, but then the Lupus don't think like humans. They are wolf-born after all." Ilse shrugs.

"Human-born Garou.., well you've heard the horror stories of rape, incest, and the like. Sadly human-born Garou often don't understand the urges they feel. There is this drive they must follow, this.., need. Accidents happen this way, and some can be fatal. But both Lupus-born and Human-born Garou can "loose themselves"."

Ilse sits up more, looking very directly at her daughter. Her hands come up, fingers spread and palms upward, in a pointed gesture. Tarra can see the mix of seriousness and concern in her mother's features.

"Think of it this way," Ilse continues unabated, "if a person is drunk, they have no real inhibitions to things. Their brains stop functioning on a rational level. This situation is simailar, except that instead of alcoholic drinks the Garou are 'drunk' on _your_ hormones."

Tarra turned and pulled the tea bags out of their container, and sniffed at them again. The scent of peppermint and lemonmint filled her nostrils pleasently. She looked over her shoulder at her mother, and waited for her to pause. Several thoughts crowded her mind at once, confusing her slightly.

"But," Tarra interjected, "you make it sound like the Lupus are very different from the Homids. Aren't they both Garou?"


Ilse blushed, "Uh.., in most ways they are, but there are a few key differences. Especially when a Garou "loose" themselves. Strange things happen. When these 'strange things' happen..., it can be very obvious where the differences between Lupus Garou and Human Garou.., lay."


Tarra stared at her mother for a moment, still not comprehending. Ilse licked her lips in thought, opened her mouth as if to say something.., then paused. Tarra just shook her head in confusion and turned back to the stove. Ilse thought for a momment about how she should continue. Finally she spoke just as the kettle began to whistle.

"There are stories of some Garou, both male and female, who shift forms during mating," Ilse waited to see if her daughter heard her...

Tarra paused. She looked at her mother a moment with a raised eyebrow. Shaking her head, she turned to the stove and removed the kettle.

"Say that again? I'm not sure I heard you right," Tara spoke over her shoulder as she poured the water into the cups on the counter.



"Some Garou, both male and female, often loose themselves in the passion of the moment. In doing this they also loose control of the ability to change forms." Ilse spoke rather plainly.

She watched her daughter's reaction carefully at this comment. Tara froze. The shock and utter sudden comprehension flooded Tarra's features. Ilse smiled a knowing smile, and quickly continued.

"It is rather disconserting when one wakes up to a furred form rather then a human one, I assure you. Its more disconserting when one is.., pinned by said furred form."

Ilse watches Tarra's reaction, waiting for her to drop the kettle. Surprisingly Tarra instead shakely sets it back on the stove after turning off the flame. Then slowly turns toward her mother. The look of shocked horror on Tarra's face is almost enough to make Ilse laugh. Instead she smiles demurely at her daughter, and mockingly flutters her eyelashes.

"Yes dear, they do that. Its a bit of a.., mood ruining experience if one is not prepared for it. I assure you."

Tarra leans back on the counter as her brain slowly absorbs this little fact. As she does, Ilse continues not wanting the shock to wear off too quickly. The more shock, the better the information will be retained... but Ilse knew she had to be careful, because too much shock would turn her daughter away from her heirtage.., or worse.



"Quite often they loose themselves in the passion. Garou are passionate creatures after all. They have a bright fire that burns within them. They love like no-other, they hate like no-other, they fight like no-other, they enjoy life like no-other, and many can hold grudges that last entire lineages. If you can see the signs, if you know what to look for, you can more easily guide them into a less-frightening and distressing coupling."



"Mother!" Tarra's shock wore off just enough for the last comment to illicit a response. Ilse laughed.



"Its a fact of Life daughter," Ilse chortled, "it is something you -need- to know. We are -not- like the rest of humanity. We bare a special gift, and must come to understand its complexities."


"But..," Tara's mouth hung open, her mind still reeling. Ilse didn't wait, and decided to throw another shocker into the mix.

"Some Fianna kin," she expressed with a laugh, "have used their menses, and cycles, to stir the passion of their kith and kin. Rousing them into more violent and righteous-feeling protectors. One thing the Fianna have in common with the Get, is that you don't mess with their families. When their anger is roused, and their "stock" is at stake.., Garou have a little extra 'umph' to give when in battle."

Tarra's eyes grew wider.., then she seemed to really think about it. Her mouth closed, her fore-head creased. Then a quizical look jumped to her face. She seemed to want to ask, 'What?'


'Good' Thought Ilse, 'she's thinking now. That's what I wanted to see. Better her to rationalize it then to just be utterly disgusted by it.'

"As I said before," Ilse motioned to her daughter to bring the tea over, "the Garou are -driven- by their instincts, wether they acknowledge that or just run with it without care."

Tarra brings the tea over and hands her mother a cup. She settles down on the floor in front of the fireplace, absorbing the heat from it. Sipping at her tea, she listens intently to the knowledge and wisdom her mother attempts to impart to her.

"If you feel an emotion," Isle motions with her cup, gently, "keep in mind that the Garou you are near may sense that before either of you realize it. This is one of the double-edge gifts with which Gaia blesses the Garou. If you feel flush, angry, upset, or 'tingly', your very presence may trigger off something within another Garou's mind. Elder garou, mostly, have come to recognize this urge. They learn to either curb it or direct it more.., properly. Beware the cubs, thier confusion can be your worst enemy."

Tarra's forehead crease as she considers the implications of such things.

"If," Tarra's mother doesn't pause except for a shallow breath, "there is tension at our Sept, most of the women tend to stay away. Its not because we don't have bright enough minds, or that we aren't good tacticians. If the tension at the Sept is great, and a female is 'in heat'.., things can get very, very, _very_ messy.., very quickly."

Eyes widen as the realization floods Tarra's mind. In-fighting was a common enough issue.., but certain recent events in both school as well as in town suddenly made sense. Certain reactions and resposnses from a number of the older childern of the Sept slowly began fitting together. Even as Tarra's mind wandered, connecting instances with this new understanding, she continued to absord silently her mother's knowledge.

"Key to this is that somewhere in our systems is a hormone or chemcial that is attractive to most Garou. I've made this one of my personal pet projects. Studying the make up of both male and female kin isn't as hard as it may seem, but pin-pointing that "thing" still eludes me," Tarra's mother wavies her free hand in frustration just before taking a small testing sip of her tea.

"I was told by one Elder Lupus that certain kin "smell of" certain bloodlines. Maybe not as we understand it.., I don't know..." Ilse grumps at the mental road block. Taking another longer sip of her tea, she smiles to herself.

"Ah yes.., this is very good Tarra, thank you."

Tarra smiles, and motions for her mother to continue.

Nodding, Ilse collects her thoughts before jumping into another diatribe, "Bloodlines.., right. When the elders speak of the purity of breed, it means two different things. One is a caste-system like recognition. You were born to "High Blood", or "Good Blood", or "Old Lines", and thus you are given accord equal to that. Those without the purity of Breed are ignored, or at worst shunned. This again is instinctual to the Garou."

"But," Tarra Interrupted, "what has the purity of a line to do with anything besides 'status' and 'bragging rights'? Just because we are from a specfic lineage, doesn't mean we are any better then those without - or any less then those who claim greater purity?"

Ilse nodded slightly acknowledging her daughters question. Then with a slight shake to her head she answers it confidently.

"Very few human-Garou crosses will produce a Garou. Most matings will only produce kinfolk, or 'non blooded' humans. Now kinfolk-Garou pairings have a -better- chance at producing Garou.., but the chances are -slimmer- if one is not of a pure-blood line. For Garou, purity of blood is a status. For kinfolk.., its more for 'choice of breeding stock'. Some Tribes give some purer-blooded kin better treatment. Again I believe this has to do more with the instinct drive to produce more Garou."

Tarra eyebrows rise as she considers these words. The logic and rational to them make sense, stirring up the in-born pride of her family line. Her lagging self-worth boosted somewhat, she smiled at her mother. Ilse smiles in return, and continuing her thought.

"Garou and kin may couple often, since passions do run hot between mated and un-offically mated pairs. Love, lust, and breeding tend to merge together into a tangle of emotional confusion. It is said that many human males express themselves physically. Almost every Garou I have ever met does this regulalry. So love to them is most often expressed.., physically. Not all of them do this, but more often then not this is true. Even if its not the physical-touch type of expression. Presents, tokens, trophies shared..."

Ilse motions to the wall hangings of her father's greatest victories, "all can be physical expressions of the emotion. It is up to -you- to understand this.., because -your- partner may not understand this for himself."


"But," Ilse continues, following another thought tangent, "every pairing does not always produce childern. Humans are capable of breeding during any season, as their cycles permit. BUT, they too are bound by their cycles. Couplings during the height of a fertility cycle tend to be a bit more.., intense. The closer one is to one's fertile peek, the more intense prospective mates become in their seekings."

Ilse smiles at her daughter for a moment before it turns slightly more serious, "just be aware of your cycles. Keep a regular calander, and mark the days. If you are anything like me, you will be blessed with a regular cycle. Some humans don't have one, and this can lead to problems later in life. With a regular cycle, you will have more time to react and respond in positive ways to a Garou's reactions around you."

"Never forget that."