Richard stood quietly before Elijah Hunter as he and Rose had gotten to the last real thing that had been on their list of things to do after Rose's transformation, as assigned by Leon Talbot earlier in the day. To establish a coalition between himself and Elijah in order to more closely understand how things were to be expected and the more detailed rules on when to fight and when not to fight would be allowed and so on. There was probably also some "method" for any sort of formalized challenge that he'd need to learn and didn't really know right now because he and his family were so knew to Moon Lake. Understanding the mundane animal, Panthera Leo, was one thing, and knowing werelion instincts was helpful, but the specific cultural norms and mores were all different from base instincts and Richard had learned the hard way that he'd need to learn.
"There... there would also be the concept that within my pride," Richard said slowly with a gesture to Rose and Shelia, "that my wife and I would stand as equals within that section. Just as a "heads up" and let you know... in case there's anything we need to do to let that balance while we're learning..."
Elijah raised a hand and brushed it off, "that's ultimately no problem. To some degree, individual werelions that have wives that are also werelions often share "leadership" over their particular pride with their wives. The male may still take the defense of the pride role... but things like where they meet, when they meet, what they do at their individual pride's meeting is left between them. I'm at present a bachelor... so I'm mostly on my own for the moment."
Richard nodded as Elijah turned back to his home and he motioned for Richard, Rose, and Shelia to follow. He then opened it and held it open for his three guests to enter.
"And you'll be joining with the new pride?" Elijah asked to Shelia as she and Rose walked by.
"Yeah... and it'd be nice and you and your girls won't be too overburdened by me," Shelia answered.
The three of them came in through the door and into a decent living room with Elijah following. The lights were low, if not out, but Richard didn't mind and he made his way in with no difficulty. Elijah then directed them to a couch and moved into the house before coming back with a clipboard with a piece of paper on it. The pen or pencil Elijah held looked tiny in his paw-like hands, but Richard noted him writing carefully as he approached.
"With new residents coming into Moon Lake that become werelions, a lot of this is often done before the actual transformation occurs," Elijah said slowly, "you'd give you're message to the city on that you'd wish to be a werelion and from there the one you'd be assigned to be in coalition with would give you a bit of a tutorial on all the rules that go with it. And giving you a last chance to look over those rules before the transformation is carried out... though obviously, circumstances for you and your wife are different. But... even with that things won't be TOO difficult."
"That's good," Richard spoke, "though... I'm sure there's a lot to learn... Mr. Talbot said that there are rules in which we'd have to follow so it's not like anyone could just go out and "take over" prides the way mundane Lions do and where that would also present problems in dealing with other were groups... and I mean outside the standard rules that everyone would have to follow."
"A lot of it isn't that difficult, for, there obviously the city laws that are important to follow and apply to everyone," Elijah nodded, "murder, thievery, and all the sorts of laws that you'd have outside of Moon Lake. Moon Lake also has added restrictions on weres, that we cannot be transformed during the day and be outdoors, unless it's on specialized days and in restricted areas. That you shouldn't need me for and even Shelia can help both of you with that as that's all basic were 101."
Richard nodded as he looked over to Elijah while resting one hand on Rose's right thigh while Shelia crouched on the other side of the couch and was actually rubbing Rose's left thigh.
"Working together in a coalition will relate to either scheduling hunts and potentially making sure that we wouldn't interfere with others... including any other werelion prides in the area," Elijah commented, "my pride shares the region between here on Wild Street and Main Street to the south with one other, and they'd actually be the ones to get in contact with when we go hunting..."
"Or rather when WE go hunting," Shelia gave a soft chuckle to Rose, "though we'd need to wait a few days to be sure your ribs are better. You may have survived the transformation... and lycanthropic regeneration will speed up the recovery... but it'll still be best to wait."
Rose nodded.
"And we'd just talk to them... the other pride males or would we need to call the entire pride?" Richard wondered, though privately agreeing with Shelia's advice to Rose.
"Just the pride male," Elijah answered, "if there is any scheduling conflict the over all rules would require a face to face meeting to see what the conflict may be. Though, this is usually only scheduling."
"Scheduling?" Richard asked.
"Yes," Elijah nodded, "some were groups have their main meetings at certain times of the year, and others at a regular rate. Many of the werewolf packs, for example, have their meetings on the full moon. Individual prides may have their schedules rather free based on when they work or have other issues, such as things with children, both those already alive and those not yet born, and so on. And at times... that may be complicated if two prides schedule their meetings on the same night and both decide to hunt. Settling those things is the most common point of conflict among werelions in Moon Lake."
"This is with individual prides... what about ALL the werelions in Moon Lake?" Rose asked curiously, "do they all meet together?"
"Yes," Elijah answered, "though you may get a call from Leon or one of his brothers as part of the scheduling. There is a open area in the woods to the north of where we are now, on the other side of the lake and the campgrounds on the north shore of it, the kids supposedly call it "fur field." That's where all the prides will go for those meetings, though they're usually only held once a year and the one for this year was already held. There could be changes, based on other events, but more often than not, those sorts of things might only generate a call that would go down through the various official coalitions that work closely together and then loose coalitions that may be more a "formality" to have some semblance of order and avoid squabbling."
"Leon said he and his brothers put a stop to that," Richard slowly.
"More that they were able to talk many of the more combative males down and generate a series of compromises," Elijah answered, "to insure that if there is a challenge between males... it can be handled and arranged for a formal wrestling match and nothing more. The loser accepts the demands of the winner, within reason. No one may challenge for your wife. In theory one youngster may challenge you for Shelia... but even in those cases, there is also an understanding that Shelia has the right of choice. Thus you could be challenged, lose, and Shelia would stay in your pride because she does not wish to leave it. Which would be something more embarrassing if this was a youngster..."
"I'd imagine... but from what I've heard... we can live up to 400 years, assuming we're not killed or something like that," Richard said slowly, "I'd imagine both Rose and I would be considered youngsters to any that are in town that are that old..."
"That is all relative," Elijah smiled, "the more common challenge, though, particularly with teenage werelion males... is more their trying to establish their prides. As they can't truly stay with their father's pride, as they wouldn't want to be with their mother sexually... and to a degree the same would apply with daughters... they wouldn't want to be with their fathers, sexually. This often leads them to seek out new or young prides where the pride male is unrelated to them and the werelionesses aren't related to them. Otherwise... they'd sort of function as nomads without a pride while looking for one to join. Existing prides are to tolerate their presence if they wish to hang around and even join in an existing pride's fun. But for those that have a set ratio...1:6, that nomad would have to accept that they can't be accepted without an additional male werelion joining to form a coalition..."
"Which is what happened with me," Shelia said softly.
"In other cases, you... and while in coalition with me, and I, would also be free to reject nomads from joining a pride if they do not seem to be a good fit or would make any existing members of your pride uncomfortable beyond anything that is casual," Elijah continued, "and this could be where real challenges come from. Males challenge because they think a nomad female is being claimed or wanting to join in coalition with you to enable them to gain a pride and thus have one... and could take rejection the wrong way. You can answer those sorts of challenges directly, and matches would be scheduled or you could even offer to help that nomad find a pride, often with those their own age."
"A lot of that sounds complicated," Richard said slowly.
"It can be with new comers," Elijah chuckled, "once you're used to it, you'll be more confident and capable. Serving in coalition with me for a little while will help you get used to things. In that, things will get easier. And we can then work over scheduling meetings for the pride and the activities connected to that meeting, and so on."
With that, Elijah then handed the paper from the clipboard. Richard looked it over and noted it was a list of phone numbers, one was to Elijah's home phone, his cell phone, Leon and Regina Talbot's phone, and another Talbot who's first name that Richard didn't recognize, but assumed had to be one of Leon's brothers. There were also a further six that had only a woman's first name by them, Tiffany, Anne, Megara, Cheyenne, Natasha, and Vera.
"These are all the important numbers you'd need to know now," Elijah spoke, "you can call me, and my phone will hold a caller ID feature. I'll see the number and then when I talk to you... I can then confirm it and put your number down. That'd go with then scheduling the first pride meeting so that you and Rose can meet the girls and some of the official parts of your training can begin."
Richard nodded and looked over to Rose who nodded in return.
"With that... I wouldn't want to take up any more of your time this evening," Elijah replied, "and thus leave the three of you to get to anything else you might have had interest in for the evening."
"May we...?" Shelia asked politely.
"Of course," Elijah answered, getting a hint on what Shelia was asking for.
Elijah motioned for them to they stand up up and then lead them through the house to his back door. It was largely the same route that Richard had been on the night before, though this time in reverse and with the knowledge that Rose was in no danger. As they walked out the back door, Elijah waved them off and the three began to make their way toward the woods.
"That worked out well," Richard said slowly with a smile, "though I think I'll run the phone numbers home... if you two want to get started together... that's okay."
"Where would go first?" Rose wondered... though a part of her actually a bit of excitement. Some in anticipation that she and Richard would soon be having more sex, but that she'd actually get to try something she'd never had before, but was curious before meeting Richard and now was privately eager to try.
"How about the spot where we first met," Shelia offered, "it'd cement our pride together in the same spot where it technically began. And Richard can be back to join us quite quickly."