Proof of Instinct: Ryoushi Raptor Mating Trials

Story by Roke Tanuki on SoFurry

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_<< A Foward by the Author: The following short story (4,353 words) was written for Candisitis Raptor. Though it is mentioned in the tags, I will repeat again that this story contains Hard Vore. I say this not because there is anything wrong with vore, hard or not, but simply because I know some people would hate to come across it. To each his own tastes, and tasty tastes at that. ^:=:^

This is my first attempt at hard vore, so if you happen to be a fan of it, please give me feedback and tell me what you think. Of course, all comments are welcome, have fun, and enjoy! ~Roke Tanuki>>_

It was humid near the feral lofts. Not that this was unusual or that it bothered the many velociraptors that inhabited the multi-tiered straw and wood covered nests that adorned the south of the valley, but it did cause an uneasiness among the pens below where the feed was kept. Candis stirred and rose to a stand on the edge of her nest, scaring away a few colorful birds that had made their own nest above hers. She leaned in and rested an arm on the ropes that braced her tower. The thick leaves swayed quietly and obstructed her view so that she could only see faint outlines of the feed mulling about far below. Her eyes slowly tracked up past the maze of high raised nests to the far off mountains that churned in quiet contemplation with rivers of fire in their belly. It was early morning judging by the broken light from the east, the time of day when her ebony scales and faded teal stripes blended with the shadowy jungle and mountains. Her stomach stirred in excitement. 'Today...' she thought, looking at the amateur nest that sat behind her, already set with the fresh imprint of a female raptor with well cared for talons.

"Today..." Spoke a male voice from just below her nest, one whose source was quickly revealed as a tall, toned male raptor whose body was more akin to the feed creatures below than Candis' own ancestral frame. As the form hoisted himself upon her nesting platform he dropped to a crouch, running a clawed hand along her jaw, his thumb playing delicately across the tiny scales beneath her eye. "Today is the day we've both been waiting for...are you ready?" Haitau did not expect an answer in the same tongue, ancestric raptors such as Candis had always shown more difficulty in learning the languages of tools, but then between them no words were needed. Haitau understood precisely when she closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, pushing her leather scaled snout into his cupped hand. She was ready.

The Ryoushi tribe had survived longer than most, while it was neither prolific nor great. In an ever changing world it had been able to remain true to its ideals, accepting the means of an outside society only when it was absolutely necessary. To this end, by law a new family must be started with a male who walks and speaks as the creatures of tools, and a female who shares the features and body of those who live purely in the wild.

When starting a family a potential father must show diligence, he must travel to the corners of the forest and collect from each race a token of trade. He must speak and understand the language of tools well enough to make these trades and convey his desires and demands. He must also learn to make his own tools and teach this skill to others. Finally he must be able to track prey by the signs it leaves: broken branches, prints left in mud, and by the sound of its cries for help.

A female must show instinct. She must be able to know simply by smell the fatigue of her prey, the direction it traveled and the wounds it has sustained. She must know the difference between prey that would feed a family and prey that would simply curb the hunger of a hunter while she seeks a grand meal. Finally, she must be able to chase down, kill and bring back the body of her prey, even if they are armed with tools.

Candis and Haitau shared a long and winding history, although Candis had come of egg bearing age over a year before. She had kept to herself without a male, waiting for the younger Haitau to reach adulthood. Or, at least the age in which the tribe would recognize him as old enough to take her as a mate. Her eyes slowly opened, a small after-blink to clear her vision as she looked up into his eyes, those beautiful orbs set on either side of his head, dark blue spheres slashed down the center with a black oval. Her eyes decidedly more reptilian, dark yellow with a much taller, narrow black slash cutting from top to bottom. Yet both found the features of the other unmistakably captivating. So much that Candis did not notice the yellow length with blue cuts that was Haitau's tail working its way past her, curving up between those long muscular legs and pressing clumsily to her canal. It was indeed hard to resist, and more than a few times they had sat alone in her nest, he fully aroused from his cloaca and she with her folds separated, on the verge of breaking tribal law and creating an un-sanctioned family. Yet each time they simply pressed each-other's fanged maws together and lashed their forked tongues together, promising that they'd raise a family right.

"Will you be alright until noon? I was told by Yuia to avoid feeding you, in order to heighten your senses and instincts." Haitau brought one of his hands out to her chest, slowly stroking along her neck and throat, wondering if it might be sore like his felt when he missed a meal. Her response was a quiet nod and a gently bite on his throat. It was their symbol of restraint and trust. To gently bite the others neck when hungry, but go no further than a gentle pressure on the scales. Haitau knew his mate was confident and trusted him, and trusted her ability to restrain herself..

As he returned a gentle bite to the back of her neck, he spoke. "I'm going to get my collection ready." He said as he stepped back, sharing a small grin of only a few sharp teeth as he climbed down the latter, leaving Candis once again to her own; to watch the fog slowly evaporate into a sweltering heat. Today would be interesting, certainly.

Though it would be a few hours before they would present themselves before the village's Matchmaker and resident elder, Candis felt she had much more to do than simply sit in her nest and watch her neighbors. Walking down the network of ramps and logs she came to the commons. Watching as raptors of all bodies passed between the huts and hovels, the smell of fine ground berries, mushrooms and powders from the tool hut. From the south the smell of fresh slaughter being made ready for lunch, and to her west, there were the feed cages. Most of the feed were larger animals of bovine and equine nature. The kind to give a family a good dinner and a meal afterwards. This was mating season however, so a handful of "prey" creatures were kept on hand as well.

Prey and feed were quite different for tribes like the Ryoushi. Feed was simply any creature large enough for a handful of raptors to share and get a full belly. But prey, prey ran, prey tried to escape and needed to be chased, tracked. Prey was important for older hunters to prove their worth, and young couples to prove they can fend for themselves without the tribes help. Prey wasn't always a deer or a feral creature though. At times prey were tool-using creatures that had wandered too far into Ryoushi territory. Or enemies of the tribe that would find more use than simply being a quick meal for a raptor.

Candis wandered, past the feed and towards the prey, getting a glimpse of what she might be chasing. Her long claws pulled against the straw that had been laid along the floor of the room. Cages of bamboo held all manner of creatures. There! In the back. A larger than average cage that held several tool users. Candis approached and let out a quiet, curious croak. They looked terrified, even if some of them were larger than Haitau or the average male. Many were of species she'd hunted with her mother, all but one of them had bodies covered in fur, and the only non furred one had a grey complexion and a strange fin on his spine. It was their clothing that struck her the most odd, though. All of them were dressed in the most stark, easy to recognize colors. Furthermore, the clothing looked thin, not at all warm or strong. What tools made such strange clothing? What compulsion was there to wear such obvious patterns and markings? Candis took a few more steps forward and wrapped her fore-claws around the bars.

They seemed anxious, that was to be expected. They probably knew the eventual fate they were going to face. Many of them moved toward the back of the cage away from the young raptor. Yet one didn't. He stood there facing her as if trying to stare her down. Trying to prove something as she blinked, looking up into his eyes. He was a panther, and his clothing, while it covered most of his body, was vaguely patterned like the surrounding jungle.

He stood but he said nothing, and after awhile Candis had lost interest in him. Her stomach rumbled but she knew she would have to wait. This was the big day, her big chance to prove herself along with Haitau. She foresaw no reason to risk that simply for want of a cure for her hunger pangs.

Time passed. Candis had spent her time conversing with the other females in the same boat as she, as well as running laps around the village to limber her muscles up. Eventually a bellowing horn was blown in the center of the village. A summoning horn that each pair of martial hopefuls had been waiting for an anxiously ran towards its origin for.

This truly was a huge event for members of the Ryoushi, all able raptors had shown up, and the prey had been paraded out to the center of town upon pedestals of stone and leaves. The couples had been brought to a platform where each was announced by family name. Candis had studied this as well, just as the Matchmaker said each couple was lead to the council. First the male was to produce the articles he had collected and to recite the alphabet of his chosen tool language, then finally read a poem.

Haitau and Candis stepped out and marched waist to shoulder towards the Matchmaker and elder. The former of which wore a garment entirely of feathers, the latter of which wore the markings of age and little else. "The ancestors recognize Itisai and Gyuru." Spoke the Matchmaker. Candis' head came down and her tail protruded back, holding her body entirely level as Haitau gave a bow with his hands at his side.

"I have collected these, to show my travels." Haitau stepped forward and opened a small satchel, producing from it a small plate with a mirror like rainbow reflection on one side. A small box that flashed on occasion when a small indent atop it was pressed. A rolled up scroll that had upon it giant armored figures and humans drawn with rather large, unrealistic eyes, and a small chain with a plate upon it, the words "Candy" etched into it.

The elder and Matchmaker looked over the tools, though a moment of tension ran through Haitau and Candis, the showing of their fangs and the laugh from behind said fangs eased the tension. "Well done, now, recite for us the vocal tools you used to construct the language you have learned."

Haitau stood with his back straight, leaning down and coughing so that he could clearly enunciate his words. "A...B...C...D..E.." He continued through a number of strange letters. Only a few of which he seemed to have a little trouble with. "...W...X...Y...Z" He finished as he continued to stand, waiting for approval. "And finally, recite to us a poem in this language."

This made Haitau truly nervous, his tail was moving rather quickly behind him as he looked to Candis for support, her dark eyes blinked as she showed her fangs in a smile, having all the confidence in him that he needed.

"Her glorious scales

contrast to her bloody fangs

Both are beautiful."

The Matchmaker and elder discussed quietly before the feather clad Matchmaker approached. "Your poem is quite short, but you have shown well enough that you know the language you have chosen. Now, your tools." Haitau drew slowly from his back a finely crafted bow of yew wood. After it he drew an equally well carved arrow into his fingers. Directed to his right he saw a painted target in a large cut of wood. Needing no further explanation he drew the bow back, hearing the wood creak as he looked down the shaft, holding his breath as he let the traction slip. The bow's stark desire to return to its previous angle sent the arrow sailing with speed into the wall, a loud "thock" sound as it sat outside the inner ring but close enough to win a warm approval. "Well done. Now tell us how you constructed the bow." Haitau began to run over the basics, the wood he used, where he collected the string. Candis had drifted away into her own thoughts during this as tools really would never have a use for her.

"Itisai" Spoke the match maker, grabbing the attention of the young raptor and causing her head to raise in attention. "You have been trained to hunt, but a good hunter is one from birth. Which of these is a meal, and which of these is merely a mouthful?" From the edges of the stage two males walked out, holding cloth lengths stained in blood. Each was unrolled an equal distance from Candis. Her eyes closed and her nares flared, which was it? It felt like her youth all over again, trying to tell one meat from another as she walked in the shadow of her mother. Each struck deeply in her mind due to her hunger, but she knew only one would pass this test. Then she caught the scent, from the right, the roots eaten by the small rabbits she'd chased and eaten as a child. Walking to the left she opened her maw, biting down and ripping at the cloth in a glorious fashion. Bringing her head up and tensing just a little at the taste of old blood.

"Well done" Was spoken by the match maker to the excited raptor, whom had chewed the cloth a few times before spitting it on the floor and licking each of her fangs. The bit of blood on the cloth, though diluted, made it delicious, it took a conscious effort to not simply swallow the material whole. "The last test, then, it is time for your hunt." Candis and Haitau were lead to the various caged prey. Allowed to choose their desired third partner for the test. Though Haitau had begun to think. The moment Candis saw the fearless figure from before, her mind was set. She glanced back and gave a half-roar to her fiancee, to gain his attention as she looked over what would eventually be her and her mate's lunch..

Haitau spent a good moment looking him over before turning back to the elder and speaking. "This one...this tool using Panther, he will be our prey." The Matchmaker looked for a moment and nodded, raising her aged blue hand and calling forth a guard. "Bring the tools he was found with." In less time than it takes a hungry raptor to devour a rabbit, the guard had returned and carried in his hand a small wooden box, handing it to Haitau, whom in turn set it just inside the cage. The prey was cautious, kneeling down and picking up the small box, watching the many raptors around him as he slid it open and produced a small black tool. "A gun...." Spoke Haitau ominously. Watching as the panther drew a small rectangle from the box and slid it inside the 'gun', a modest amount of clicking and sliding followed before the panther finally slid the tool into the belt of his pants.

"Your prey will be given a head start of fifty breaths, then you may chase him. You must bring back the head and chest and his tools." The matchmaker's long thin finger came up, close enough to Candis that her eyes crossed slightly. "And you, Candis Itisai, must deliver the killing blow. He may help, but you must lead the hunt just as you would for your family." With that the cage for the panther was moved to the front of the village, faced to the forest and opened. The panther wasted no time as he took flight, disappearing into the undergrowth of the jungle, folded hands of leaves that offered a place to hide, in theory.

The next fifty breaths felt as if each lasted an hour. Candis and Haitau both stood at the edge of the village, watching, each running over the paths the panther might take, where he might go. They had lost sight of him but his scent still hung in the air, it had grown faint just as the fiftieth breath was announced and the Matchmaker sent them on their way.

Candis wasted no time as she began to charge through the forest, her natural hunter body moving at a much quicker pace than her upright half could manage. Haitau had learned how to track faster beasts though. He curved around to the ridges and rivers, bounding along at his own speed as they kept within eyesight of each other. Two worked as one, moving through the large expanse of the Jungle they'd called home since they first hatched.

It had been less than an hour before Candis caught sight of the panther. His early sprint had waned to a jog as he crossed a clearing, glancing around and seemingly oblivious to Candis' location. He'd drawn his tool tin his hand though, and seemed ready to attack the moment he saw a threat. The hunger in her made her desperate now. She would've charged out at him if not for the sight of her soon-to-be mate on the far side of the clearing. Yes, it would be a traditional raptor attack. One would distract while the other struck. Haitau fired at the Panther, missing intentionally and drawing his attention with four rather loud flashes and eruptions from the tool. Haitau seemed to be expecting this as he began to circle the clearing, turning the panther away from Candis and allowing her to approach.

All was going to plan until Haitau's foot became entangled in a root. He'd been moving in a complicated step pattern so that it was impossible to accurately lead him using a tool such as the panther's, it had worked well until now, with no way to gracefully land Haitau's blue frame hit the edge of the clearing with a rather uncomfortable crunch. His ankle sore and possibly twisted. On his side and unable to stand or escape with any real speed, the panther moved up and held his tool towards the downed raptor. Candis crossed the clearing with a speed unseen by raptors. Driven by hunger and a desire to protect the one she loved she lunged with her maw wide. The panther only had time to turn his head, attempting to bring his gun to the real threat. He only managed to present her with his ample forearm as a target. Within less than a second her jaws clenched down, cut through his clothing, cut through his fur, his skin, his muscle, and with a snapping sound to rival the loud report of his weapon, his arm bone.

There was a moment of disbelief and shock as his hand went limp, a moment of unreality as he saw a savage kindness and excitement in the raptor's eyes as he watched his right arm from the elbow down move steadily further away from his body. The stump that his arm now ended in was not unlike a cutaway diagram, veins carrying blood to a now removed limb, muscles flapping spastically trying to flex a limb that was lodged in the maw of a hungry raptor. It was then the pain hit. He began to stumble backwards but was quickly assailed as Haitau lept to a stand and sunk his own row of fangs into the shoulder of their victim, gripping it as his scaled clenched the panther's left arm. Holding him spread and vulnerable as Candis dropped the limb from her maw. She licked her fangs, feeling her hunger as she drew closer, seeing the excitement and adrenaline in her guaranteed mate as she felt the bit of muscle and flesh she had on her fangs travel down her throat.

A second lunge and bite, she felt her fangs dig into the soft tissue of the panther's throat, he'd been screaming until now but it was replaced with a soothing gurgle as she pulled back from him, tilting her head back to swallow a mouthful of panther flesh. God it was good, it tasted better than any meat she could remember, she wanted more of the hot flesh to grind in her sharp teeth, to feel the compressed and eviscerated material drench her entire maw and saite her carnal carnivious nature. She moved in to bite his stomach this time, powerful jaws cut through the flesh and brought back a mouthful of disrupted intestines and organs. The panther had lost too much blood and had fallen into shock, unable to resist now, not that it would do him any good. Haitau watched with eyes wide, feeling the blood gush along his body as his love feasted. Seeing her maw disappear as she ate their prey from the inside out, her tail thrashing behind her as she swallowed mouthful after mouthful.

The thrill and arousal wasn't just his though, Candis felt wonderful shivers along her spine as his meaty ribs pushed to her forehead. All manner of open wounds bleeding along her cheeks and down her back as she bit into his lungs, chomping down on them and filling her belly. There really was something unique about feasting on a living creature, the intense warmth of its blood and the reflex pulse and throb of its body. In an ironic sense, nature truly was the greatest cook, knowing the exact temperature to keep a meal until consumption. As she pushed up Haitau held the panther firmly in place, letting her feast to her heart's content.

It wasn't until she'd finished with his lower torso and began to gorge herself on his barely attached thighs that she noticed Haitau had grown erect. His reptilian member was stained dark red by the panther, as was most of his front half. With a fanged grin he let go of the panther finally. The carcass sliding down to the ground as he allowed her to take in the entirety of his form. It was....enthralling, seeing her lover covered from chest to foot talons in the vitae of her kill. Likewise it was amazing to see Candis' maw and chest covered in glistening red. Her loins burned for him, clenching rapidly as she approached him.

They had fulfilled all the requirements made of them and found no reason to wait any longer. With a rust after-tasted embrace Haitau began to stroke eagerly across her throat, massaging the stains into her scales. In return Candis lowered her head, ripping a large mouthful from the thigh of her prey and bringing it up to Haitau, sharing a bite of her meal and an extended kiss afterward as he chewed then swallowed. Both of them smiling with crimson stained fangs and tongues, chests, bodies covered in the aftermath of a well earned meal as Haitau laid down.

His member stood erect and his body prostrate, he watched his mate slowly walk forward, her deep hooked toe claws near his shoulders as she crouched down. He drew a hand up to her cheek, those same gentle scales he stroked earlier now had new meaning, so brightly reflecting the noon-day sun as she grew closer. Both raptors let out harmonic roars of pleasure, finally knowing the intimate touch of the other as he slid inside. Feeling the hot, damp passage clench rapidly, it only thickened him, driving him harder as she began to rock along his shaft.

"Candis....Candis..." He began to say, closing his eyes as he leaned up, licking the blood from her throat drawing his tongue along her smooth scales and picking up the taste of the panther that was still heavy in the air. As a return gesture he tilted his head back, allowing Candis the pleasure of tasting what little was left of her lunch along the grooves and scales of her male counterpart. All the while she felt her carnal, reproductive needs handled beautifully by Haitau's throbbing, heavily erect member. Haitau's tail came up and intertwined with Candis', both moving in faster tempo now. Moaning as they roared as equals, heavy ribbons of raptor semen deposited deeply into Candis as she slammed down, sitting on his chest and heaving quick gasps in orgasm.

As both relaxed and looked at each other, exhausted grins and grunts were shared. They had done it. They had accomplished their trials, with the torso laid upon Candis' back and the legs brought along as snacks for the journey back. It was only early afternoon as the pair arrived to warm cheers from the crowd. Upon the stage near other half eaten carcasses was laid what was left of the panther and his bloody tool. "The Ryoushi tribe recognizes the family of Candis and Haitau Itisai, may they raise a grand generation to protect the next." It was honorific, it was beautiful to stand before the entire tribe together. Haitau's hand entwined with Candis' as they stood, painted in red and their natural color before the entire tribe.

Years would pass without incident, and from Candis would come four small raptor children, Females who would be taken to the long aged fields. There with Candis they would hunt rabbits and gophers amidst the tall flowing grass, occasionally bringing a dead rabbit or gopher to her as a gift, which she would snap up in one quick bite.