Priyore

By: Gurbs2

Chapter 1: Consent

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Deep in the mountains of Priyore, hidden within Russia's vast taiga range, a society unlike any in the world existed in tentative comfort. The people that made up this society were a diverse and verily random group, who worked together to build, and protect, and thrive. In the hilled valleys at the base of the mountains, the many monkey species foraged for foods to store; berries, roots, plants, and even some vegetables and fruits that grew wild in season. The few brown bears that called Priyore home led the smaller animals – hedgehogs, chipmunks, squirrels, wolverines, and many others – into the brush to gather sticks and branches and stone and foliage to create shelters. The deer, elk, and reindeer used their antlers where needed, while the burrowing animals dug out tunnels and dens for hibernating creatures or mothering females to birth their young. Sly foxes joined the small Eurasian lynx and Amur leapord to scout the vast territory of their people to identify trespassers as well as strangers in need, for Priyore was a home for the displaced and sanctuary for all who needed it. Everyone had jobs that were equal in importance. Above them all, though, stood the Guard. The Amur tigers that resided within Priyore's borders were not like the ones found beyond it. Loyal, noble, and honorable, they rejected their natural inclination for solitude to build and protect what had become a thriving and busy community of healthy, happy creatures.

The Guard was made up of many predators, including grey wolves, two brown bears, a polar bear, and a handful of Amur tigers of varying ages and size. It was they who thwarted attempts to hunt within Priyore by outsiders, as well as those who thought they might do a better job of running it. But there was only one Power Who Rules, and he was the one responsible for building Priyore as it was known today. Descended from Kings in the North, far beyond the borders of the taiga into the vast and unforgiving tundra, Karik and his sister, Irina, had fled their home after a years-long war with enemy factions of tigers ended with their father and uncle dead. They'd been young, then, barely out of cubhood, but they'd survived the perilous journey across freezing and barren ground to what they would later claim as their home. Disgusted with the fate of her people, and determined that it shouldn't happen to others, it had been Irina that began bringing downtrodden strangers back with her from hunts. Karik rarely denied his sister anything and had gone along with her whims; the muscle behind her vision. They'd laid a system of rules and boundaries within the community that were strictly enforced and, surprisingly, had worked out well.

Among the workforce within Priyore, there were a group of Japanese Macaque monkeys who'd escaped from man's prison and wandered far, far from their natural homes. Irina had been glad to have them, of course, and they'd been put to good use. They were the nurturers and, at their helm, was Mamsik, who was called Mam, because she felt like a mother to them all. She and her Macaques cared for the elderly, the sick, the young; they were at every birthing, and even at some matings when the pair were youthful, to avoid anyone getting hurt or to assuage any fears. Though Mam was thought of as family by all, she was closer still with the Power Who Rules, his sister, and their growing family, for Irina had wed and mated and had her very first cub in the Spring. Karik was a distant soul that carried the world's troubles on his back and rarely bonded with anyone outside of his immediately family, but Mam loved him. He was a true leader, a fair leader, and he'd lay down his life for anyone that needed his help, no matter if he liked them or not. Karik was also stubborn, though, and Mam could not help that. Just as she couldn't help that his bullheadedness had been the reason behind her journeying so far beyond the borders of Priyore and into the southern wilderness, despite his explicit orders not to. The coldness was heavy in the air, now, and he was right to worry over such a trek. Male tigers, jaguars, and even bears would be desperate to mate before heavy snow and lack of food made travel too difficult. This desperation made them aggressive and dangerous.

Mam was not as soft as she looked, though. She'd taken an oath upon arriving in Priyore, and she took her job seriously. Rumors of a large group stumbling about these wildernesses had solidified into certainty, with reports of young pups, injured plant eaters, as well as vulnerable females reaching Mam later than she'd hoped. Karik was not willing to risk the Guard for creatures he thought were likely too injured and weak to make the full journey, as the only way into Priyore meant scaling a jagged mountainside to reach the valleys beyond. Mam would not leave them to die. She knew well the pain and helplessness of being lost in these lands. If it hadn't been for Irina, and then Karik, she and her family would have perished. After years of imprisonment in cages, being tortured by man, such an end would have been tragic. Mam pushed herself harder, leaping from branch to branch, listening intently for signs of life, and searching the ground below with darting eyes. It was important to find them quickly. She would not survive long on her own with predators lurking about, and there were always those that sought to take Priyore as their own looking for opportunities to weaken Karik. She was a liability if caught by the wrong people.

Beneath the rustle of dying leaves being jarred by a steady breeze, Mam heard the first sign that she was close. It was subtle, and certainly not being made on purpose.

"Hush, little one," Mam heard a voice say sternly, but the pup was restless. Bored. And hungry, she realized, when he began whining about his rumbling belly. Mam empathized with this group. It was a hard journey for adults. Most children were killed along the way. It spoke to the strength and determination of these creatures that their young still lived.

Mam turned in the direction of the sounds, growing louder now, and stopped as she came upon the head of the caravan. The panther's eyes narrowed immediately and looked upward, into the trees. She took this moment to study them. There were more plant eaters than she'd imagined after so long a journey. And a man-cub, of all things. Mam shook her head curiously. Near the rear was a mid-sized tiger that did not belong in this region. It was smaller than the females of Amur, and more brightly colored. A male, Mam thought, when she saw a second and even smaller tiger pacing behind him. They were hovering around something on the ground; keeping others away from it. Wolves circled the area in pairs, while the panther and a gangly bear scouted the front. Near the tigers, the man-cub looked worried.

"We need to go," the panther grunted, but no one moved. A water buffalo plopped to the ground with a loud oof.

A white wolf walked between the panther and the tigers, glancing between them. "She cannot help it, Bagheera. You know that when the wanting is upon us, we are taken from our right minds. It has been several days now. She will be coming out of it soon."

"We're lucky to be alive," the bear said grouchily. "Got tigers crawling out of every hole from here back to Seeonee chasing us around because of her."

Mam's eyes widened and she darted to the next tree, and then to the next. Below, she could now see what the tigers were guarding. Smaller still than the others, a brightly colored female lay panting on the cool ground. Poor thing, Mam thought. The wanting did not come upon all creatures. It was different for each people but equally troublesome. Females emitted potent, mind-maddening scents that drew males from all over to mate her, and during this time she was delirious and desperate for a male, any male. This was fine for those that had no need or want for a true mate. The romantics, though, were hard pressed to remain without child should they be alone with no protection. Males following these scents were eager to win the females' womb. They often fought each other – violent, horrible scenes – and hurt the females in their haste, biting and clawing as they mated dozens of times over several days.

The small female let out a needy sound and Mam rushed back around to the front of the group. She scurried to the end of an extended branch and leaned forward to show herself. The panther had already been suspicious. Her quick movements had drawn his attention. Mam raised her hands cautiously as his green eyes narrowed on her. "Hello," she said, alerting the others to her presence. "My name is Mamsik. You may call me Mam, as all the others do."

The bear chuffed. "Monkeys. Great."

"What do you want, Mamsik?" the white wolf asked, tense. "We've had much trouble here and aren't looking for more. If you've come to lure or trick us, begone."

Mam smiled. "I am no trickster, she wolf. We've heard of your troubles and this is why I'm here. My people would like to invite you to our home and to safety. It is a hard journey, though, so we must move quickly, before you are too weakened."

"We," the panther repeated.

"Our home is Priyore, in the mountain range just there." Mam pointed north and east to the behemoth rock structures already half covered in snow. "We welcome all in need."

The bear sat up a little straighter. "The haven," he murmured. "It's protected? Our people will be safe there?"

"We have a guard made up of fierce warriors. You needn't worry."

"If you have this Guard," the she-wolf said, "then why did they send you to bring us? Where are these protectors?"

Mam frowned. "It is late in the season, and dangerous to travel into these wildernesses. The Guard stopped retrieving stragglers after the last full moon. The Power Who Rules does not risk his people lightly."

"Then why did you come?" the man-cup spoke up, watching Mam with interest.

"Because I once traveled with my people through these forests of birch, seeking a new life, and I remember well the treacherousness of the journey. We were saved. I want to offer you this same kindness."

They seemed to consider this. The man-cub looked around at his friends, and said, "I'm not sure we'll make it. Some are injured. We're all tired, and starving."

"Sita," the she-wolf said, "Is deep into her wanting. There are male tigers nearby, tracking us."

Mam nodded resolutely. "Even if they follow us, they will not make it into the borders of our territories. They are heavily guarded, always. But we must go. Now."

They would not last another full moon on their own. This, Mam thought, is what drove them into agreement so quickly. "Everyone who is able," the panther called out, "grab a youngling or one who is injured and carry them. We must put ground between us and those who wish us harm. Move."

Mam swung quickly back to the tigers and leapt to the ground. "Let me see her," she said, sliding beneath the male. The small tigress was miserable; rubbing the ground with her cheek, body rolling and moving persistently, tongue half out as she panted helplessly. "You must follow me, sweet girl. You must push passed this now. Come."

"It has been many days," the other female said. "But this is her first. I think it is worse because of it, and because of the males, calling for her." She lowered her head. "I am Machali, her mother. This is her father, Ustad."

"I am happy to meet you," Mam said kindly. "We have to get her up and moving." With an open palm, Mam patted Sita's cheek. "Come now, girl. Wake." Sita groaned unhappily but sat up, muscles quivering beneath her fur. "There we are." Mam smiled as the tigress' eyes blinked some of the fog away. "You will follow the man-cub."

Behind her, his voice said, "How far is it?" Without fur, he was vulnerable to the sharp weather, and was rubbing his hands up and down his arms to warm them.

"Do you have something to cover yourself with?" Mam asked.

"I took some things from the man village." He slid the pack on his shoulder to the ground and rifled through it until he pulled out a thick covering. It took him a moment, but the boy got it situated over his head, his arms slipping through their holes. "This will do, I think."

Mam nodded. "Good, - ah… what should I call you?"

"Mowgli," he said.

"Stay close to Sita, Mowgli. Help us keep a look out for the ones hunting her." Mam stood and bustled to the front of the group, trying to take count. Many. So many more than was really safe. Sita was an added complication, as well. "Are we ready?" she asked the panther, and led the way when he nodded his approval.

Travel was faster with the pups off the ground. And though Sita was undoubtedly uncomfortable, she kept up easily. When Mam was certain the group were able, she broke into a steady run down the path of least resistance. This way held more dangers; it was more open, more frequently traveled, and would make it easier for nearby males to catch up. But it was also fastest. They made good time and the distance was dwindling, a sense of urgency and danger keeping even the heaviest of their group moving at a heightened pace. Mam felt her heart lighten when she spotted the trail that would take them up. It was a narrow path, and impossible for predators to circle or corner once they were on it. The males would be risking themselves by following. And, of course, they all knew what was waiting on the other end.

"Up ahead," Mam called. "The trail. It's just there."

The panther grunted behind her. "I see it." Over his shoulder, he called, "Almost there. Don't slow."

At the base of the trail, the panther and bear split, one on each side, to direct the bucks, buffalo, deer, and dozen or more other various people onto the path to safety. Mam climbed to one of the rocks above and watched as over half of the group disappeared behind towering stone. Mowgli had done as he'd been instructed and was still with Sita now, standing guard with her parents. Mam smiled. She'd been unsure of the man-cub at first. Her own experiences with true man were traumatic. Mowgli, though, did not remind her of them. The tigers were nearing the opening when Mam heard it; a call that made Sita stop in her tracks.

"Keep moving," Mam said urgently, dropping to face the tigress. "Do not listen, girl. Keep moving forward."

It was too late, though. The male broke the trees and Mam's heart began to pound. There were really no small Amur tigers, but this one, like many of the ones in her own home, was twice the size of Ustad, who growled warningly. Sita's legs seemed to stop working and she fell to her belly, her claws digging convulsively into the dirt and tail lifting high in the air; an invitation. Machali nudged her daughter roughly, urging her forward. Sita did not move.

"Away with you," Ustad growled, moving between the stranger and his daughter.

The male tilted his head. "You would stand between us?"

"She does not want this," Machali snapped, moving to block Sita's other side. "Go find another to fill."

The panther and bear circled quietly, preparing, as Bagheera hissed to the man-cub, "Mowgli, run." He did as he was told, helping the rest of the creatures onto the trail as his friends readied to fight. Even with their help, Mam wasn't sure the odds had been leveled. An Amur of this size could take down brown bears with minimal effort. None here were matched with a brown bear.

Without warning, the male darted forward and gripped the side of Ustad's neck, slinging him wide into a tree. Machali stood firm but was quickly grounded, one of the male's paws bouncing her head off the dirt. The panther came next, and then the bear, and each were dispatched as fast as they charged, slower and slower to get back up. When the small area was littered with injured, groaning allies, Mam swallowed and put herself between Sita and the male. "There is no honor in this," she said, keeping her voice firm.

"Honor?" he snorted. "There needs be no honor. It is our way, little monkey. Since the beginning of our kind, we have traveled the land alone, stopping only to fill our females with cubs, so that they may continue our lines. This is our way."

Mam shook her head. "She desires a true mate. It is not her way."

"That is not for us to decide. She is wanting, and I will fulfill my duty. Now move."

He snapped his jaws inches from her face and she darted away, up a tree. Mam was not so full of herself that she thought she was up to facing down a tiger. It would be suicide to approach him again. But as he climbed over Sita, who was shivering, eyes closed tightly, and his jaws closed around the scruff of her neck, Mam could not stand idly by. Perhaps it meant death, but she could not witness such a violation and ever be right with herself again. Mam launched from the branch and onto the head of the male, teeth and claws digging in deeply to what they could reach, and he reared back and away from Sita, which was all Mam really wanted, anyway. He shook her off easily, though, and she was temporarily disoriented when her head hit the ground and her body was bounced several feet away.

"Foolish creature," the male roared, crouched low and quickly moving towards her. "You will not interfere again."

He lunged but did not hit her. Mam saw a flash of pale orange above, and the male dove head-first into that, instead, and a chorus of roars and howls of rage followed, igniting the forest into panic.

Mam sat up curiously and swallowed as the large male was overpowered and dragged all over the small, open area. She realized, then, who the newcomer was.

Karik.

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He'd been angry when Mam went missing. Angrier, still, because he'd known what she was about. She'd begged to have the Guard dispatched for the sake of the travelers they'd been hearing of for several moons now. Priyore's scouts had yet to come across them, which meant they were likely still deep into the wildernesses of the south. With the coldness upon them, the risk had been too great. Karik had to think of the good of the whole, not the few. Mam, however, cared for each of their people individually, and had given her loyalty to these strangers before she'd met them. Word had reached Priyore of the death of the Seeonee jungle, and most who'd called it home. It wasn't difficult to surmise that some of these travelers, at least, were probably survivors of the very same. Karik felt for them, certainly, but hadn't been willing to risk his people on the chance that they'd survived the journey.

The male's claws caught Karik's chest in a quick sweep, and he felt his fur wet with blood. Behind him, Mam scurried around the fight to the female who seemed to be more lucid, now, though not nearly enough. Most of the wolves had already made it onto the trail, but the white wolf was back, helping Mam get the tigers and the panther and bear away. This one male was not a troublesome task for Karik, who outweighed him by a great deal, and was older and more experienced. With a heavy swat, his claws raking long, jagged lines down the tiger's side, Karik let the other male fall to the ground with a thud and backed away a few paces.

"Need we go on?" he asked reasonably.

Movement drew his attention from the male. Another Amur appeared, crouched low. And then another. But it was the scarred, mangy Bengal that appeared between them that made the Seeonee companions hiss in surprise.

"Shere-Khan," the panther spat, putting himself between the tigers and the man-cub, who hovered readily at the entrance to the path.

Karik eyed them all warily. He was outnumbered now. "State your business here, charred one. My patience for this matter is thinning."

"Oh no," Shere-Khan said. "State your business here, Karik. Yes, I know who you are, and I know where you hail from. I know the laws of this land and I know where your right to interfere begins and ends. You have overstepped here."

He wasn't wrong, Karik thought. It wasn't within his purview to decide who mates with who and when, outside of his own territory. The southern wildernesses were not his to police. "These peoples belong to me, and were being escorted by one of my most trusted. Attacking them is the same as attacking me. A slight I cannot allow."

"Ah, ah, ah," Shere-Khan tsked. He lifted a big, twisted paw and limped forward, arching into a wide circle. "I know these creatures from the Seeonee; followed them here, in fact. They do not live in Priyore."

Karik flicked his tail and lowered his haunches so that he was sitting, deceptively casual. "We accept refugees from all over. These Seeonee survivors are no exception."

"The female is wanting, Karik, and she is not on your territory. You had no right to stop me," the first male said, side quivering slightly from the wounds he'd suffered. "She is not wed and has no mate, and by our laws that means she's free to be mated during her cycle. You know this."

He did. A female's first cycles were the most dangerous for her, unless she was betrothed as a cub. Some preferred the old way, and wandered as the males did, only mating when her cycle demanded and only staying with her cubs until they were old enough to live on their own. The laws of Siberia had been set in a time when this was the only way, and made it difficult for the females that wished to remain chaste until marriage. Karik couldn't backtrack and claim he was only trying to save Mam. To do so would be to surrender the strangers to Shere-Khan and his new allies. The only other answer was to fight, and there were no guarantees that he could win against four full-grown tigers. He wanted to turn to Mam and ask if she was pleased with the outcome of this disastrous situation, but he knew it wasn't really her fault. She'd just wanted to save people that were in a poor situation, as she'd once been.

Before he could speak, Mam hopped onto the back of the male Bengal that was with the man-cub's people. "There has been a grave mistake," she said kindly, smiling at Shere-Khan's pinched face. "We are discussing the fate of a female who, I'm afraid, has already been set to wed. I tried to tell you sir," she said to the first male, "that she did not want this, that she was seeking her true mate."

The male snarled and said, "She is unwed and –"

"We were delivering her to her betrothed," the male Bengal implored. "This is my daughter, Sita, and my wife, Machali. While we intend to stay within the territories of Priyore, we did not feel comfortable doing so without proper offering. And so we arranged for Sita to wed and mate within the bounds of our new home. Alliances through marriage are old as time."

Shere-Khan snorted. "Trickery. It is too convenient that this mystery man lay claim to her, yet is absent from her arrival."

"He is not absent," Mam assured happily. "Sita's future husband and mate justly protected her from violation mere weeks before their ceremony."

The scarred tiger snapped his one good eye to Karik. "You're implying that she is to wed Karik. Is this true, Power Who Rules?"

Karik swallowed and tried not to let his expression shift, even minutely. Though verily damaged, Shere-Khan was famous beyond the Seeonee, and for good reason. He was large for his Bengal kind, unspeakably vicious, and above all, he was smart. Karik, though blindsided and increasingly angry, could not show any weaknesses now. "She will be my wife, yes."

"Another impressive coincidence, then." Shere-Khan's expression soured as he studied the group.

The first male bowed his head subtly. "If this is true, then no laws were broken."

Behind him, the other two males that had yet to breach the tree line looked at each other and seemed to accept this.

"If it is true," Shere-Khan agreed. "But how can you be sure that it is?" he asked the three, and their suspicion was instantly renewed. "I've heard tale of the audacity pouring from Priyore and its rulers. Is this another scheme, then, to get what you want? Another lie to silence those that might oppose you?"

The first male's eyes narrowed. "It could be a lie. What's stopping you from taking them to the safety of your Guard and then releasing her to another?"

"Well, there is a way to be certain that doesn't happen," Shere-Khan drawled, smirking. "I assume you plan to wed during the Winter Solstice, yes?"

Karik's claws drove deep into the soil. He didn't like being toyed with. "Naturally."

"Problem solved, then, gentlemen!" Shere-Khan plopped to the ground, suddenly and entirely relaxed. "We'll simply attend the festivities and see for ourselves."

The first male was clearly still unhappy, but nodded. "That will be acceptable. After, we can say with certainty that none of our laws were broken, and that what happened here today was handled properly."

The bi-annual Solstice celebrations were open to all, even outsiders, to court and mate or wed with their chosen. Karik struggled with the idea of a creature like Shere-Khan within his borders, but could not refuse him. And so he nodded. "It is agreed then. We will be happy to welcome you."

Smiling toothily, Shere-Khan murmured, "I'm looking forward to it." He lifted himself and, with a flick of his tail, turned to renter the forest the same way he'd come. With matching snarls and another glance at the female, Sita, and her family, the other three followed him.

"Well," Mam said, clapping. "I think that went rather well."

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He could admit, though reluctantly, that she was beautiful; a thin, sleek coat that was more brightly colored even than her parents', and thin stripes that wove along her back and neck and head, black as night. There was a soft tuft of white hair that outlined her cheeks and jaw. And though Karik knew they'd gone many seasons without proper food and endless exertion, he could not get over how small she was. The weight would be regained as she ate regular, suitable meals. But hers was a petite build; small paws, thin legs, with a longer and narrow-shaped body and neck. As he approached her, he realized that her head barely reached his shoulder while standing. His last mate had been nearly his own size, and she'd died before they were able to be wed.

"That was foolish," he told Mam sternly.

She bowed her head. "I am sorry, Karik." Standing between him and the female, he wondered if she was still feeling protective of the girl, even now. Sita's wanting was waning. He could barely scent the remains of it and, as close as he was, that was significant. But, he supposed, they'd been through a great deal in the last few hours. He couldn't blame Mam for being on guard. She said, "I put you in a terrible position. This was meant only to fix it."

"By binding me to a female I've never met?"

Mam winced. "I know. There wasn't much time, though, and without a justifiable excuse, that burned beast and his cohorts would have had every right to attack once more. Priyore needs you."

"Thank you," the mother, Machali, spoke up. "For interfering. Shere-Khan has been hunting us for many seasons."

Karik frowned. "Why?"

"He wanted me for himself," Sita answered, voice a husky whisper. "I denied him and he promised to hunt me for as long as it took.

The man-cub approached slowly. "Shere-Khan keeps his promises," he warned.

"We learned that the hard way," the white wolf agreed. She licked the side of the man-cub's face tenderly. "Almost lost this one, as well as many others. He is evil."

Karik sighed. His troubles were never through. Making a decision, he tried to step around Mam to speak with Sita more directly. Mam did not move. He rolled his eyes. "Mam. I'm not going to hurt her."

"I know that." She smiled sheepishly and moved to the side.

Face to face for the first time, Karik could see the appeal from Shere-Khan's eyes. It wasn't about reproducing with this one. She was not a hearty female that might carry and birth a large litter. Hers was an entirely sexual draw. Shere-Khan did not want her for a season; he wanted her to please him always. One did not give open-ended promises such as the one he'd made in hunting her without a certain level of commitment… or obsession. Karik studied her icy blue eyes and said, "I will not marry you on the permissions of your parents."

"Karik, you must!" Mam pleaded, and both Ustad and Machali voiced their protests over one another.

"But the other tigers –"

"- Shere-Khan will take her –"

" – you must reconsider!"

He glanced at Mam patiently, awaiting her silence. She folded her hands and quieted. Karik looked back to Sita. "If I am to agree to this, it will be because you've decided it's what you want. It is your permission I must have and no others."

Sita's brows furrowed. "This was not what I planned," she admitted, glancing at her parents and then back to him. "But then I suppose any plans I'd made for my life were changed when Seeonee burned." She blinked quickly and shook her head. It would be several days before her mind was entirely cleared.

"Perhaps, then," Karik said, "you should know what you're getting yourself into first." To the group, he said, "We leave for Priyore."

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