With their homework done and Connor continuing to give rather cagy answers to certain questions, Ryan ultimately figured it best not to push anything. Generally speaking things related to sex were pretty open in Moon Lake and given that Connor was either eighteen or at least close to it, Ryan would expect Connor to be aware of who he was sexually. But then, Ryan had never lived anywhere but Moon Lake and there were the occasional news clips that showed how different the rest of the world was from Moon Lake. It was those sorts of things that probably fueled a lot of the anger and concern over the City Council's narrow vote to accept Tom Herald's plan. But that wasn't something that Ryan could get too involved in, for so far as he knew, that was only at a starting point. Ryan also knew that since no one in his family was on the City Council they couldn't directly affect things.
Helping Connor, though, was something he could do. And while some elements of Connor's answers to some questions were rather cagy, there were plenty of were species out there that didn't have the sexuality issues that werecats and werewildcats had. And while most of Moon Lake's homosexual weres were werecats and werewildcats, there were choices that Connor would have that would go beyond them, even if he was gay and was hiding it for some reason. It'd be something that he'd talk with Tad about in a class that he and Tad shared and Connor wasn't there and at least see what Tad knew, but for now, it would be best to look through the guidebook and let Conner make an informed decision.
"Well..." Ryan began slowly, "Now that you've seen what I'd say is the REAL me... and you know just how extensive werewildcats can be..."
"Yeah a long list of species that would qualify... did you know before you had your first transformation... or?" Connor asked.
"No... and for were-species where there are either a large number of species that would qualify or sub-species or breeds if you're getting into domesticated animals, no were will ever know what their fursona will be outside of general concepts," Ryan answered, "I knew I'd be a werewildcat, matching my father... but I wouldn't know I'd be Bobcat Werewildcat until I actually transformed... and with that... all the instinctual knowledge on all werewildcats came with it."
"Instinctual knowledge?" Connor wondered.
"That'll be something that will apply to every were group," Ryan answered, "once you become a were and complete the transformation, natural instincts and knowledge of that were-species will develop in your mind. For some normals... it can be surprising and even troubling at first. As they're gaining instinctual knowledge about the were they've become... but for others it comes quickly and they're quite comfortable with what they've become. I think some of that difference relates to how much someone accepts the were they've become. Though... all that instinctual knowledge will be limited to that specific were-species."
"So... if I were to become a werewolf, like Tad, I wouldn't know what its like to be a werecat?" Connor asked.
"Well as a male, no one can know what it's like to be a werecat, werecats are all female," Ryan explained, "but if you were to become a werewolf... yes, the instinctual knowledge you'd gain would be limited to werewolves only. I can give you some general information on other weres and where they overlap with things that all weres have in common, but nothing beyond that."
"So... it'd be best to talk more with just about all the weres for specifics," Connor commented.
"Yes, but with general information, I'd probably be able to help," Ryan told him, "It's why we have the a guidebook to new families. It gives the general information to help new families get to know Moon Lake's weres in general."
"Yeah... she dropped it off and I was able to pick it up after dinner was delivered," Connor answered, "and I have it with me..."
Connor then bent down to his backpack, which was on the floor and lifted up the book and waved it back and forth through the air until Ryan nodded and then sat down beside him. Connor did scoot over a little to give Ryan room to sit down. Ryan did look over to him as Ryan sat down. The fact that Ryan couldn't give specific information on other were-species than his own made some sense, as Tad didn't really give much in that regard beyond werewolves, and right now he was really only looking for general information that would help with regard to what kind of were he'd want to be. Once he'd narrowed things down he could get into more specifics. Though a part of him also had some things still on the table.
"I trust you've already looked through it?" Ryan asked to Connor as Connor held the book in his lap.
The binding was pretty simple and was a soft cover book, printed likely at Moon Lake College or by Moon Lake's newspaper for the city. Older versions were hardcover with some fabric weaving around the outside, but from some stories Ryan had heard growing up, since new residents didn't always return the guidebook after they joined were-society the city switched over to a soft cover at some point. With that soft cover game the gold lettering that read "Moon Lake: A Guide of Fancy." The last part was part of Moon Lake's efforts to protect the were secret. If a guidebook left Moon Lake and was found by normals, the "A Guide of Fancy" line would make it seem like the book was a guidebook to some fictional universe and would likely be ignored.
"Yeah... they had some interesting illustrations," Connor answered and then opened the book, "See?"
Ryan looked over to the page that Connor had opened it to, which happened to be on werefoxes. On the left page a man and woman in late 1800s garb, with the male looking very much like a saloon keeper and the female like a voluptuous dance hall girl. On the right page the same couple was pictured but in their were forms, looking very much like anthropomorphic Red Foxes. There varying points of reference for werefoxes that were in set blocks that explained certain things about the were-species, though their proficiency in bed was emphasized. He then looked up to Connor who then continued.
"And all the illustrations are like that... weres dressed like they're from the late 1800s or early 1900s," Connor continued.
"Well..." Ryan began as Connor passed the book to him. Being a born were, the guidebook was not something he needed. He knew he was a werewildcat because that's what his father was, though he had to admit he was curious. And to a certain extent the artwork was exquisitely detailed. And with the page Connor had opened it to, the two did look like what a real werefox would look like, if transformed. He then flipped to the front of the book and then found what he was looking for and pointed to the bottom of a page. "The book was first published in 1889 and its last editing and updating was in 1925. So there is your reason why. The artwork used was current for the time of publication and editing and since it hasn't been edited since then, there's probably been no need for it. And since much of the information hasn't changed, I'd doubt the city has seen reason to change things because the images aren't current."
"But most people don't dress like that today," Connor pointed out, "You don't dress like that. Tad and Amy don't dress like that. Not even my grandma dresses like that."
"Maybe... but again, the artistry isn't what we're going over," Ryan reminded him. Connor nodded and that allowed Ryan to get to another question, "Now... did you have any other questions... with the book?"
"Well..." Connor began by flipping to the first entry werebears. The right page had a man drawn as though he was straight out of a Paul Bunyan tale with a flannel shirt that was spread open to reveal a hairy chest, even in human form. The female looked more like a typical mid-western housewife in the late 1800s, though she appeared to be quite muscular as well and with her dress covering an ample bosom. The opposite page showing the two in their were forms showed them nude. "Some of them have them naked like this... the werewolves are the same. While some like the werecats and werewildcats are still in their clothes."
"Ah..." Ryan chuckled, "that is a bit different. And that will relate the size difference between a were's human and were form. For some, there isn't that much of a difference. You saw my change... most of the change in my size has to do with my feet and ears and not much more than that. I don't put on lots of excess muscle and neither do I get all around larger to the point where the clothes I have wouldn't fit or couldn't be easily adaptable."
"But you do look a bit bigger," Connor commented.
"Well, I am a bit bigger in my fursona," Ryan admitted, "but it's not by much. And that's going to be the same for many small weres. Our were form won't be large enough that we'd shred our clothing transforming. Certain parts might be uncomfortable... but we wouldn't destroy our clothing. Larger weres, though, like werebears... and werewolves, though, their were form is much larger than their human form that they'd absolutely destroy any clothing they'd be wearing in the process and for those weres... being nude is easier on the wallet than destroying their clothing and THEN being nude."
"Makes sense... but where would the line be?" Connor commented, "because... I may not be tiny, but neither am I into huge, either."
"Some of that can vary," Ryan commented, "I've generally seen it mentioned that "large" weres would start at werewolf and would then go with animals larger than wolves, thus wereleopards, werecougars, werelions, weretigers, werehorses, and werecattle... and werebears. But I've occasionally heard that with some weredogs, particularly if their fursona was based on a large breed... like the St. Bernard that might be big enough that they'd destroy their clothing... but that could just be guessing. You might need to talk to a weredog to get the answer."
"Would a werewildcat have that issue?" Connor asked.
"No," Ryan answered, "while some of the "wild cats" that a werewildcat may become are bigger than the average house cat... it isn't by that much. We know that werewolves fall into that "large were" range. Gray Wolves range between seventy five and ninety nine pounds in weight. The only cats that will surpass that weight are cheetahs, cougars, and the "big cats," and among weres, werecheetahs, like werecats are exclusively female... but they don't have the sexuality issue that werecats and werewildcats have. And werecougars, werelions, weretigers, and wereleopards will have members from both genders, male and female."
"Interesting," Connor commented, "well some of that may take a few things off the list... I don't want to be something that would be too big... not into the whole "exposure" thing..."
"Well..." Ryan said slowly, "some of that may just come with being a were. Our libidos are naturally high. It's not uncontrollable... but just about every were group will end up either having sex or discussing plans for it later."