INTRODUCTION

The Two-Blood Universe (or Hunter's Moon Universe, as some people call it) is the result of a hefty Magnificent Seven overdose, a television documentary on wolves, about two minutes worth of a fuzzy dream fragment, and seven weeks of typing, cursing, and decidedly neglecting real life. The Two-Bloods, their history, society, and behavior, is based on whatever interesting tidbits my restless mind got hold of, liberally blending folk tales, myths, Norse and Greek mythology and some Native American elements.

This is a first attempt at developing a kind of guidebook for easier handling of all things Two-Blood. At this point, it is more or less a collection of my personal notes and the questions I was asked by individual members of the Mag7 Slash list.

Some of the points mentioned here are fixed rules, others however are merely suggestions and at any time open to discussion. The most basic principle I want to set is - anything goes. The trick is to present it in a way that makes it believable. Many details of Two-Blood etiquette are negotiable, provided the author gives good reasons in their story why they choose a particular slant on the issue at hand.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1. NAMES

* SO WHAT WERE THE HORSES CALLED AGAIN?

Pony (Chris) Peso (Vin) Steele (Buck) Dancer (J.D.) Maverick (Ezra) Seeker (Josiah) Quinn (Nathan)

All horses are geldings.

* WHAT WERE THE NAMES OF THE RED STONE PACK?

The Red Stone Pack has 13 members, 7 of them female, 6 male.

- Alpha male: John Doe (Buck's father) - Alpha female: Jane Doe

- Females:

Arrah Georgia Grace Lila Rebecca Victoria

- Males:

Bennet Gabriel Lucas Morgan Seth

The two alphas are of course mated, as are Gabriel and Morgan, and Victoria and Bennet.

1.2. GROUND RULES

* HOW DOES ONE BECOME A TWO-BLOOD? or IS SHAPECHANGING CONTAGIOUS?

To become a Two-Blood, at least one parent has to be a Two-Blood. Two-Bloods are neither human nor wolf, but they share enough similarities with both that 'interracial' breeding is possible, if unlikely. (Think in the line of at least a 1:100 chance.) In the rare case that the two partners are compatible and a child is conceived, he or she will invariably be a Two-Blood, since the shapechanger genes are dominant.

This special kind of lycantrophy cannot be transmitted via bites, sexual contact, or magical rituals. In other words: a human can't become a Two-Blood and vice versa.

* WHAT ARE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TYPICAL MOVIE-WEREWOLF AND A TWO-BLOOD?

- Two-Bloods can change form whenever and where ever they want. The full moon has nothing to do with their ability or inclination to run around on all fours.

- You don't need silver bullets to kill a Two-Blood. In human and in wolf form, they are as vulnerable as the next human or wolf. Their wounds don't heal any quicker than a human's injuries, though they tend to be a bit tougher to kill.

- Two-Bloods aren't by nature aggressive. If given the choice, most of them will avoid confrontations with humans. Like wolves, they'll usually only attack if provoked, threatened, or desperate. They don't eat humans either. If push comes to shove, they might attack a wagon train or raid a farm, but they'll go for the livestock, not the people. The one exception to the rule is revenge: a pack that loses a member to One-Bloods will hunt the killers down and tear them apart.

- The change itself is not overly dramatic. There's no howling, no writhing on the floor while growing fur and a tail, or similar special effects. It all happens pretty quickly - the person about to change doubles over, there's a kind of pressure in the air like sometimes during a thunderstorm, and by the time the hands touch the ground, we're already talking about paws. The clever Two-Blood will remove his or her clothes first, because especially shirts will hardly survive the transformation.

- There's no memory loss or personality change when a Two-Blood changes form. Furry or not, their mind, intelligence, and character are the same.

* DO TWO-BLOODS HAVE THEIR OWN LANGUAGE?

Yes, though I refuse to go into details here simply because I haven't completely worked them out as of yet. I encourage every author to use their imagination to add to the development of this 'language'.

Just remember that the Two-Blood's way of communicating consists not only of sounds (like howls, growls, whines, etc.), but that body language is important, too. Even scent plays a role.

* HOW BIG DOES A TWO-BLOOD GET?

The rule of thumb here is: the bigger the person, the bigger the wolf. The body mass stays the same. So we're talking BIG wolves here.

* HOW MANY MEMBERS DOES A PACK USUALLY HAVE?

That depends on the pack and the situation. Generally, I'd say between half a dozen and two dozen members, cubs included.

* DOES THE ABILITY TO SHAPESHIFT APPEAR AT BIRTH OR AT PUBERTY? At birth. Which is why the cubs are hidden away from humans until they can consciously control the change. (Usually age three.)

* DO FEMALES GIVE BIRTH IN HUMAN OR LUPINE SHAPE?

Depends on the female and the situation. Both is possible.

* DO TWO-BLOODS HAVE MULTIPLE BIRTHS (LITTERS) OR USUALLY JUST ONE?

Multiple births are possible, as are single births. It depends on the pack's overall situation - when everything is fine, more cubs will be born than in times of stress and/or hunger. If the mother has to focus most of her energies on surviving, chances are she'll only give birth to one cub, if any.

* HOW LONG DOES A PREGNANCY LAST?

Six months.

* HOW OFTEN DOES THE AVERAGE TWO-BLOOD FEMALE GIVE BIRTH?

Depends on the female and the situation, but not very often. If she gives birth to more than three cubs at one time, chances to get pregnant again drop into the cellar.

* HOW CAN THEY TELL WHO IS TWO-BLOOD AND WHO ISN'T?

- Scent: Two-Bloods recognize each other by scent. That, of course, works for Buck, but not for the rest of the Seven. -- Note that dogs are able to identify Two-Bloods by scent, too. Depending on whether they're smart or suicidal they'll either whine and hide or bark and charge.

- Behavior: Usually, Two-Bloods attempt (more or less successfully) to blend in with the crowd while among humans. However, when a pack is on the hunt it'll most likely stick out like a sore thumb - imagine a group of people who move almost as one, communicating almost entirely with looks, body language, and touches. They'll be armed, men and women alike, they'll move either in groups or pairs, and they'll miss absolutely nothing. They'll also keep to themselves and won't react kindly to One-Bloods approaching them unbidden.

- Eyes: In the dark, the eyes of Two-Bloods reflect the light very easily, so from most angles it looks like their eyes are glowing yellow.

** Side note: There could be more or less subtle tests to ascertain whether somebody is a Two-Blood or not (as my beta put it: "Do you throw an apple at it and if it moves really fast, then you know?"), but I'd like to leave that to the individual authors. Have fun! <g>**

* ARE THERE OTHER TWO-BLOOD TRIBES, LIKE BEAR-PEOPLE OR CAT-PEOPLE OR OTHER SHAPECHANGERS?

For the sake of avoiding chaos, I want to limit the Two-Blood thing to lupine forms. (Wolf, Coyote, Fox; if you're extremely creative and give a good explanation for it, even Hyena or Jackal.)

* DO HORSES BOLT WHEN THEY SMELL A SHAPECHANGER?

Horses might get a bit confused by the Two-Bloods' scent, since it's neither really human nor wolf. It might spook them, but most likely won't.

Buck has the habit of 'introducing' himself to strange horses by approaching slowly and letting the animal get used to his presence. If he were in a hurry, he'd stay downwind of the horse, so it wouldn't realize he wasn't human until it didn't matter anymore, just to be on the safe side.

The Seven's horses know him, so they don't mind his scent at all. Steele is so used to the wolf 'subscent' of his owner that he's not afraid of wolves at all. (Something that gets him in trouble occasionally . . . )

2. PACK BEHAVIOR

2.1. HIERARCHY

1) Alphas 2) dominants 3) submissives 4) One-Bloods who are not mated with a Two-Blood 5) cubs of either persuasion

* WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOMINANT AND AN ALPHA?

A pack can have several dominants, but only two alphas max - usually a mated pair. Even though basically the alphas are equals, chances are one of them has a more dominating personality and acts as primary leader.

In short: The leader of the pack is the Alpha. If he is mated, his mate is also alpha, second in command. The rest of the pack is either dominant or submissive.

As long as Chris doesn't choose a mate, he's the only alpha (he'd be referred to as the Alpha, since calling him a dominant is pretty redundant, seeing as the alpha is automatically dominant to all the other members of the pack). If you decide to pair him with Josiah, for example, and make it more than casual sex, then Josiah would assume the role as the second alpha, and Buck would defer to him.

* WHAT IF THE ALPHA MATED WITH A SUBMISSIVE?

In a 'normal' pack, he or she usually wouldn't. They'd be drawn to strong dominant males or females. In a mostly human pack, where the dominant/submissive thing is lot less important (except when it comes to Buck, since he's the only Two-Blood), they'd most likely play it by ear.

* DOES THE LEADER OF THE PACK HAVE TO BE A MALE?

No. It's common, but not a law. The most dominant Two-Blood leads the pack, gender is secondary.

* WHAT'S THIS 'SUBMISSIVE' BUSINESS ALL ABOUT?

Now, this point is a matter of personal preference and definitely open to discussion. In a wolf pack, you get dominants and submissives. These terms refer to the social standing of the individual in the pack.

From the way they're portrayed in the series, I'd consider Chris, Vin, Buck, and Josiah dominants, and Nathan, Ezra and J.D. submissives. This does NOT mean they're weaker or bowing to the others' wishes. In a situation where they're with One-Bloods, they'd act as dominants in most cases. The reason why I'd organize the group like that is that more often than not, Nathan and Ezra are either rather passive (Nathan) or prefer not to get into a serious argument with the more 'dominant' regulators (Ezra). J.D., as the youngest, would probably be considered not exactly submissive, but rather 'cub', which is also why everybody's so protective of him.

* WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 'MATING', 'BONDING' AND 'CASUAL SEX'?

- MATING: Two-Blood term for a spiritual and physical union between two people. Two-Bloods believe that every person has a soul-mate. When the two meet, they usually 'mate', meaning they commit to each other and spend the rest of their lives together. Mating always implies a sexual element. The bond between the partners works on a very intimate level. Even when separated for some reason, a mated Two-Blood can sense if their partner is alive and well.

The exact terms of a mated bond are decided by each pair individually and hence differ. Some couples are monogamous, some have sex outside their relationship, or invite others to join them for sex, or whatever else they both want. Some couples need close physical proximity, hardly ever leaving their partner's side; some are a lot more independent, going separate ways for days, weeks, or even months before joining again. It doesn't change the intensity of the connection they share.

In short:

A mating bond means both a touching of souls on a spiritual and a touching of bodies on a physical level.

If you leave the sex out of the equation, you get the Two-Blood equivalent of a soul-brother -- kin by choice. If you leave out the spiritual bonding, you get lovers, casual sex partners, or intimate friends, or whatever. Neither qualifies as mating.

- BONDING: The act of strengthening the connection between pack-mates and/or friends, or reassuring a distraught pack-mate and/or friend. Bonding can be everything from sitting on a church roof and singing at the moon to having hot and frequent sex in every conceivable position and location.

- CASUAL SEX: Just that. Two willing partners get together and have sex, no strings attached.

2.2. EVERYDAY LIFE

* HOW DOES BECOMING A PACK CHANGE THE SEVEN'S LIVES?

The most important change will probably be that they'll have to get used to touching each other. With Two-Bloods, touch and body language are the most important means of communication, and given how Buck is starved for touch he'll need their closeness and their willingness to reach out to him and initiate contact. If they refuse to touch him, he'll assume he's being punished for something.

Note that 'touching' does not necessarily imply sex. It can easily *lead* to sex, but it doesn't have to.

Chances are the physical closeness between the Seven will grow over time and become a part of them until they aren't even aware anymore that they're doing it.

A few months after Hunter's Moon, when they're used to being a pack, it's entirely possible they'll be close enough to feel uncomfortable sleeping alone - they might decide to live under the same roof then. Now, how they'll accomplish that I haven't worked out yet. They could occupy one floor of the boarding house, transforming the biggest room into their bedroom. They could make Chris' shack their out-of-town headquarters, which would mean they'd have to remodel the building to suit their needs.

Their relationship with the townspeople would also change, though how exactly is up to the individual authors. Personally, I guess the people would notice that something was up. It might take a while, but when the Seven move in with one another at the latest, they'd perk up. Nettie, Inez and Mary would probably pick up on it earlier. Yosemite might. How they'd react is anyone's guess.

* WHAT KIND OF BONDING RITUALS DO TWO-BLOODS HAVE?

- Greeting the hunter's moon. In the first night of a full moon the pack will meet and sing, confirming the bond between them and warning other packs away from their territory.

- Hunting. Once in a while, the pack will undertake a special hunt. All members of the pack participate, even the cubs. Since the Four Corners Pack can't change form and go chase some deer, they'll have to improvise. Suggested alternatives: They could accompany Buck on horseback, having one hell of a good time even though the chances of actually catching anything this way are pretty damn slim. I can also see them argue in favor of fishing, which is a lot less strenuous while being an entirely acceptable group activity.

- Sex. Since touching is such an important part of pack life, sexual tension between the members of the pack isn't at all uncommon. The rule here is again - anything goes. Any pairing is possible, the author just has to make it plausible why these particular guys would feel the need to do it with each other. -- The 'mating' issue in the Two-Blood sense concerns Buck rather than the others, since the One-Bloods do not have wolf characteristics by genetics, instinct or nature.

- Eating. Packs usually eat together. When it comes to the Seven, chances are they're already used to meeting for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, so that's a habit that won't change.

- Sleeping. Not exactly a ritual, but something that would surely help strengthen the bond between the Seven. Yes, we're talking about all of them cuddled together here. Perfect way to chase away nightmares. Of course, it'd also make it extremely difficult for Ezra to oversleep . . .

* IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A PSYCHIC BOND BETWEEN THE SEVEN NOW THAT THEY'VE BECOME A PACK?

No. The only bond between them is the bond that already connected them before the whole Two-Blood incident happened. There's nothing supernatural about Two-Bloods (except the whole changing thing) or the pack.

However, the Seven might be more aware of each other in terms of body language and might also pay more attention to their sense of smell, if only to get an idea about what the world's like for their one and only Two-Blood. Vin would certainly help train them, since he learned a lot from the members of the Dry Pond Pack in terms of Two-Blood behavior and skills.

2.3. DEALING WITH OTHER PACKS

* HOW DO 'NORMAL' PACKS LIVE?

The packs are nomadic by habit. They spend most of their time wandering, hunting, and patrolling the perimeter of their territory. Small packs that don't have a territory are always on the move and generally allowed to cross through other packs' domains provided they ask for permission first.

The relationship between the members of a pack is extremely close. Except for occasional fights for dominance, the Two-Bloods tend to get along well with each other. In the face of danger they close ranks immediately. Seeing as they have a long, bloody history when it comes to relations with One-Bloods, they're not only extremely cautious in their dealings with humans, but trained to fight them from a very early age on.

There are, of course, exceptions. Sometimes a pack forms an alliance with a Native American tribe or family, living with them, protecting them, and even sharing their kills with the humans if needed. In rare cases a pack might associate in a similar way with a group or family of settlers (an arrangement like that could happen with the Four Corners Pack and the people of Four Corners, for example). If a One-Blood is accepted into a pack, they are especially protected by pack law (see there).

* DO TWO-BLOODS RAISE ALL THEIR CUBS EQUALLY OR DO THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRONG CUBS AND WEAK CUBS?

All cubs are protected and cherished, for the simple reason that there are so few Two-Bloods. That's why John Doe and his pack were ready and willing to chase Buck for years, trying to get him to join the pack.

The way I see it, the Two-Bloods have survived the rise of Man only because they managed to stay hidden in the shadows and pass for human most of the time. They never were great in numbers, and females seldom get pregnant more than once or twice in their life. So the children are the most precious thing in Two-Blood society and their pack will go to any lengths to protect them.

* HOW WOULD OTHER PACKS REACT TO THE FOUR CORNERS PACK?

That depends entirely on the pack and the situation. I can see every reaction from surprised but friendly acceptance to outright loathing, hostility and aggression.

* WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FOUR CORNERS PACK IS CHALLENGED AND LOSES?

Most likely, they'd be exiled from their territory. The other pack might offer them to join them, in which case they could stay. They'd start out lowest in the pack hierarchy, but could fight their way up. In theory, if they were ruthless enough, they could even turn tables on the other pack and end up annexing them, reclaiming their territory.

* WILL OTHER TWO-BLOODS RECOGNIZE THE HUMAN MEMBERS OF THE FOUR CORNERS PACK AS A PACK WHEN BUCK ISN'T WITH THEM?

Yes, since the constant contact with Buck leaves his scent markers on them. The other Two-Bloods probably wouldn't realize that the Seven are a pack in their own right, but they'd know that they're part of the same pack.

* DO ALL PACKS PLAY BY THE RULES OR COULD THERE BE RENEGADE PACKS THAT DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE TWO-BLOOD LAWS?

I assume that most packs do play by the rules, though probably to a varying degree. Rogue packs would be a danger to all Two-Bloods, and are consequently hunted and eliminated by their own kind. That doesn't mean they can't do a lot of damage until they're stopped, both to humans and to other Two-Bloods. So, yes, the Four Corners Pack could well find themselves facing a pack that's fighting dirty.

* DO SHAPESHIFTERS DEVELOP A TASTE FOR HUMAN BLOOD?

Under some circumstances, that's entirely possible. A hungry outcast or a psychotic loner (comparable perhaps to a human sociopath) could well start hunting humans. The result would most likely be a shapechanging serial killer.

3. PACK LAW

Please be aware that the following laws are a THEORETICAL CONCEPT that forms the basis for Two-Blood behavior. The ideal pack would follow them to the letter. However, packs consist of individuals, and individuals tend to bend, circumvent, and break rules. Also, some of these laws might not apply or would have to be altered for a predominately human pack.

3.1. GENERAL LAWS

- When a pack wants to cross through another pack's territory, they have to ask permission. They also have to ask permission if they want to hunt. The asking and the reply can be done through howling.

- The Alpha and his or her mate have absolute authority over their pack. However, every member of the pack has the right to challenge them, or to leave whenever they please.

- When there is danger, the cubs have to be protected at all costs.

- The most dominant non-alpha Two-Blood acts as the alpha's 'Lieutenant'. He or she is the protector of the pack, making sure pack life runs as smoothly as possible. The Lieutenant is always the last to leave in a dangerous situation, ensuring the others all make it out safely.

3.2. RULES OF COMBAT

- When a pack moves into another pack's territory to challenge the resident pack, they have to follow the Rules of Challenge: The Challenge has to be officially declared. The fight happens between the Alphas of the packs; until then fights between individual members of the packs are prohibited. The challenging pack has to defer to the ruling pack until the Alphas have fought.

- If a Two-Blood is killed in a fight with a member of another pack, the pack is not allowed to exact revenge on the victor or the other pack.

- To refuse a challenge is to admit defeat.

- When one partner of a mated couple is challenged, he or she has the right to call their mate to fight in their stead.

- A Two-Blood member of a pack can declare himself or herself submissive to a One-Blood pack member and accept a Challenge in their stead.

- If a person is sick or injured, they must not be challenged.

- Cubs and adolescents must not be challenged.

- A dominant is not allowed to challenge a submissive.

- Firearms are outlawed in confrontations between Two-Bloods. The only weapons allowed are edged weapons.

- The person who was challenged has the right to choose the form in which the opponents fight.

- A fight ends when one of the combatants admits defeat or loses consciousness.

- If the opponents are evenly matched, the fight may go to the death.

- Once a fight has begun, no one has the right to interfere.

3.3. MATING

- A mated bond cannot be forced. If it doesn't happen naturally, it doesn't happen at all.

- A mated pair is considered a unit. They can speak for each other and fight for each other.

- Not even an alpha has the right to demand sexual intercourse from a mated member of their pack.

- A mated bond cannot be broken.

3.4. DEALING WITH ONE-BLOODS

- Two-Bloods are not to reveal themselves to One-Bloods, if at all possible.

**Side note: This is one law that tends to get broken a lot.**

- When moving among One-Bloods, Two-Bloods should try to blend in. Attracting attention will most likely endanger the pack, if not the entire kind, and has to be avoided like the plague.

- Since One-Bloods are distantly related to Two-Bloods, they are under no circumstances to be considered food. Neither are wolves.

- If a Two-Blood mates with a One-Blood, the One-Blood becomes automatically a member of the pack.

**Side note: If a Two-Blood has sexual intercourse with a One-Blood, the One-Blood does NOT automatically become a member of the pack! Exception: If a child is conceived, the mother does become a member of the pack, even though she is not mated to the Two-Blood. Her status in the pack is that of a submissive under the protection of the child's father.

In the case that a Two-Blood female is made pregnant by a One-Blood, this informal law does not apply. If he wants to stay, the female is the one to decide whether he may join the pack or not.**

- A One-Blood member of the pack has the same rights as any Two-Blood member of the pack.

- If a Two-Blood chooses a One-Blood as a sexual partner, but doesn't mate with them, the dominant person is in charge.

**Side note: The Two-Blood is not automatically the dominant in a Two-Blood/One-Blood relationship, because dominance is not only a matter of physical strength.**

- A dominant One-Blood has the right to let a submissive Two-Blood fight for them.

- If a Two-Blood challenges a One-Blood to a fight, the One-Blood has the right to choose the weapons.

- If a pack joins with a band of One-Bloods, the One-Bloods get the full protection of the pack. Their status is similar to that of the cubs.

4. BUCK'S PAST

- The name of Buck's mother was Virginia Wilmington.

- Buck and his mother were always on the move, rarely staying in one place for long. He didn't know they were running from his father until he was about seven or eight years old.

- Life wasn't always easy for the son of a traveling whore. Buck was a social outcast and is the survivor of sexual abuse.

- Buck learned about his Two-Blood heritage from an old loner called Sarah Ann Blue. Sarah Ann had left her pack when her mate died. She was a friend of Virginia's.

- John Doe and the Red Stone Pack caught up with Buck and Virginia in New Orleans, when Buck was about sixteen. Virginia was killed in front of her son's eyes, gutted by Doe. Buck escaped and ran to ground.

- Buck was in the war, fighting for the North. The scar on his left flank from a rifle bullet that ripped through his body from behind dates from that time.

- Sometime during the war, Buck met Chris and they stayed together from then on.

- Until Chris met Sarah, he was in a sexual relationship with Buck. He did not know about Buck being a Two-Blood and hence did not know Buck considered him his Alpha.

- Pony was Buck's wedding present to Chris.

- Buck lived on the ranch with Chris and his family and accepted Sarah and Adam as his pack.

NOTICEABLE SCARS:

- saber scar across his chest from when he saved J.D. from Colonel Anderson

- whip marks on his back

- ugly scar from a rifle bullet on his left flank. The bullet entered from behind, tore through his body, and exited just below the ribs. The injury was almost fatal.

- burn mark on the inside of his left upper thigh. Somebody branded him; Buck erased the initials with a hot knife.

5. TIMELINE

So now what . . . ?

No worries, I haven't planned this out minutely. I just think a rough timeline could be useful . . . so here are my (rather vague) suggestions of how the AU could develop.

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

I'd like to reserve the first couple of months following Hunter's Moon for stories that focus on exploring the possibilities of the Seven as a pack -- learning pack behavior and pack law, learning about the others' personal quirks and their pasts, realizing that there's a strong sexual tension between them all and dealing with it. It's a great time for First Times, for insecurities and misunderstandings, for learning to live with each other.

Sometime during this time of exploration the townspeople (or at least some of them, like Nettie, Mary, Inez, etc.) will probably notice that something has changed. I think there's a lot of potential for some great stories when it comes to how they react.

ESTABLISHED PACK

After the initial confusion it is entirely possible that Buck might mate with one of the six, and that other permanent couples might be formed. Chris might choose a 'mate', or maybe appoint Buck or even one of the other members as the official second in command, simply to clarify the hierarchy issue for Buck and for everyone else.

Sooner or later the Four Corners Pack will have to deal with other packs, either moving through their territory or drawn by the stories about a One-Blood pack. That could bring challenges, new enemies, and new friends -- and lots of opportunities of comparing 'normal' packs with the Seven. Maybe the Red Stone Pack will make a reappearance . . . John wasn't too happy to let his son go, and I kinda like Georgia and Seth.

Other storylines that have been spooking through my brain but which I'll probably never find the time to write down feature Maude, Judge Travis, Casey and Rain. The latter two I can almost see joining the pack some time in the distant future, while I'm pretty sure Maude will pitch a fit when she finds her son has gone native. Or lupine, in this case.

END NOTES