You ride a zebra, eh? :)

Interesting that she's got a feral form. ;) I'm so behind on my reading things but if you've got work featuring these two I might have to give it a read, ie, add it to the uberpile. ;)

Anyway, this makes me think of an idea I had for an upcoming project. It features some weres that have feral forms rather than anthro. ;)

I thought you might find that appealing.

Everybody who is animal-cursed can take a feral form. My main character has used it a few times. It is only in more recent stories that some, especially the equines, who have decided to take advantage of the feral form to gain employment with the nobility. The story that Maysin and Charlie appear in is "Divine Travails of Rats" but that's pretty deep into the story-line so you really should read everything in front of it first. Just think of this as something to look forward to.

So the weres are human or feral in their shape? What sort of phenotypes do they have?

Dominus tecum

I support my species. ;)

I can see how they would prove rather handy in both forms. ;) I'm glad you treat her well, though, a lady should be well regarded! ;)

I guess I'd better start with the ones you gave me already, LOL. ;)

The weres are mostly human in their shape, so far I've decided on three groups. The werewolves and canines and such that form the pack, the ungulates that form the herd, and the others that don't fit into a category called the Independents, tigers, cats, birds, etc. That's different than the rogues, which defy were society and live as they wish, which generally results in someone being sent after them. A good number of the horses are feral, and what they learn in the second season is were horses are matriarchal. The horses as a whole secretly control horse racing and dressage competitions, winning with human intelligence at most of what they do. Males are more or less living in gilded cages, treated well but they must race when the mares order, breed when they sell their breeding rights, and so on. Part of the planned arc for the second set is attempting to break that societal order. I haven't decided if all the horses are feral, but it's an interesting idea.

I've a soft spot for other Rats too.

There is a scene where he makes up to her for a bit of foolishness on his part, but for the most part he does treat her very well. And there's a scene where she shows off on four hooves to try and lift his spirits that I know you'll love.

There's always an interesting dynamic to were stories, the dehumanization of the other given physical form. The mares are dehumanizing the male werehorses by treating them as beasts instead of as men who can take the guise of beasts. I hope that made sense!

Dominus tecum

Yeah, I've definitely got some reading to do... It never ends, LOL!

It does, but yes, the more I thought of it, the more I realized that there aren't a lot of pieces dedicated to how such topics affect men and thought it might be interesting to hopefully make people think how such things are wrong no matter who is doing them to who.

We do keep adding to the list don't we!

Well, that's not news to me, but then again I always knew the idea that only certain groups can be victims was utter lunacy.

Dominus tecum

Apparently I learned that horses are matriarchal, so this works even better than I thought ;)

Not in the same sense as a human society would be, though. Always important to keep such things in mind.

Dominus tecum

Perhaps not, but it's going to be quite the combination. ;)

This is one thing I have not explored in Metamor Keep. Given that all of the horses were once human they carry with them the human family dynamic first and foremost. There is one group of equines that live communally and take turns working as feral horses, but no examination of their social structure has really been made.

Still, I thoroughly enjoyed writing about Charlie and Maysin and their relationship as both friends and rider and steed. And of course, Maysin has beautiful stripes and likes to show them off. It makes for a complicated situation; Charlie knows Maysin wishes to serve him as steed, but he is not to treat her like a common horse. Add in the noble-commoner dynamic and the weirdness of the natural affection a rider has for his horse now compounded with that horse also a lovely young lady his age, and yikes!!

Dominus tecum

Yeah, the thing I'm enjoying about this idea is that in season/book 1, the four main characters all bring different perspectives to the were situation. Kameron is the only one that already has experience with it. He ends up training the others. While they mostly started as humans, the were world is so different it's evolved into it's own system that in season 2 our characters will challenge. I've determined that the Alphas in the werewolf world are conceived and born as werewolves, and the Omegas are those inducted later by bites or other means. The horses are already sort of worked out, but what happens at the end of the first book sets up what happens in 2, which triggers what happens in 3.... :)

I'm definitely looking forward to it. All zebra ladies do so love their stripes. ;) Lauren certainly does. ;) I can only imagine Maysin does a little flirting knowing how proper Charlie probably is. :)

Eh, newbies challenging the system? That's too easy. Far more interesting would be for them to come to terms with the wisdom of ages passed through the generations and to recognize the weakness in themselves and learn to change themselves. It's your story and it sounds like you have a lot figured out, but I just wanted to put that idea out there.

*chuckles* Well, Maysin has a suitor of her own so she doesn't flirt with Charlie in that way. But she does do her best to encourage him to be his best in the saddle, even playfully at times. It's a relationship only possible in Metamor Keep in a way.

Dominus tecum

That might be what happens in 3, there's still a lot in the air, but the first arc is real close up, so in the second I pan back and we get to see how it all fits in. ;)

Hehe, I recall stumbling upon Metamor Keep a long time ago and I'd been intrigued by the possibility, I remember the premise well enough though I never really got involved. Anyway, I did finally start reading Tethered, for some reason I thought it was way longer. Anyway, I'll get on the other ones and then you can direct me to these stories. :)

Okay. I'll do my best to give it a fair shake. I confess I don't like most furry fiction anymore; too predictable and usually too much from a worldview alien (if not hostile) to my own. But there's still quite a bit I like and so far I've enjoyed your works.

All of the stories I suggested are reasonably short except for the last one ("Never Again a Man"). My story lengths tend to vary quite a bit. Due to simple time constraints these days I'm trying to keep my latest stuff as short as possible.

Dominus tecum

I'll agree with that, there aren't many that really seem to know how to tell a good story. A lot of folks think they do but I'm fairly particular. I like story worlds that are realistic, even with fantastical elements, where people behave like their past indicates they should and don't suddenly change personality traits, and things have to make sense.

I'll get through them as I go. :) I enjoyed the first and that's always a good sign.

I also like to avoid stories that read like somebody's personal fetish-fantasy. Most people are not like that and I don't want to read that stuff at all.

I'm glad you did! I look back now and cringe at my clumsy phrasing and poor word choice!

Dominus tecum

My goal is to tell a good story first and foremost. If you like the stuff that's in there, that's great, if not, it's not about the details, it's about the big picture. ;) I enjoy writing complex arcs and well developed characters. ;)

I've still got to read the others, so much to do. I'll get to it!

Then you are writing for good reasons. I tend to reveal myself in my stories in ways that I don't otherwise. Most of my characters have a bit of me, or are me looking through other eyes. That said, I do try to avoid writing escapist fantasy too (even if I'd rather live in most of those worlds at times).

I know that feeling. I'm always swamped with five million things as well.

Dominus tecum

I'd like to think that all writers do. I like to write functional worlds that make sense and could actually exist, and worlds I'd love to be a part of, even if not full time. ;)

*hugs*

*grins widely* I think we write for much the same reasons then.

Dominus tecum