Heat Cycles in Wolves
All female Wolves experience a heat cycle like bestial wolves and dogs do. For infected shifters the first heat cycle will come shortly after the first change, the same as with shifters from a human/Wolf pairing since their first change often doesn't happen till after puberty. In Wolves that are born to Wolf/Wolf pairs their first heat will come with puberty. After that the cycle will regulate to once or twice a year and last anywhere from 5-14 days, with 6 or 7 being the norm. This is not the only time when a female Wolf wants or can have sex, but it is the time when she's biologically driven to mate, regardless of her sexual habits the rest of the year.
During the first three days of her heat cycle, the she-Wolf may become irritable, snappish, and aggressive, like a terrible case of PMS. After that though, unmated females will be driven by the need to find a mate. This indicates they have reached the receptive stage of their heat. This can be shown in various ways, with constant flirting, obvious advances towards male Pack members, or the very obvious sexual displays of a few uninhibited individuals. It depends on the individual, their control, and their comfort levels. The receptive stage is usually one to two days long, followed by three or four days of a very euphoric, mellow "honeymoon" period when the she-Wolf is still biologically motivated to mate frequently, but is no longer attracting the instinct-driven attention of any male but the one she selected during the receptive stage. The sexual relationship may or may not last past the heat period, depending on the pair-bonding process discussed elsewhere. Pair-bonding often follows a heat-pairing, sooner or later, but the two are not inexorably linked. A she-Wolf may have several heat-pairings with different males before she finds the male with whom she is drawn to pair-bond. Or, she may pair-bond with the male she favors with her maiden heat. It is a circumstance as individual as the Wolves involved.
For mated females, it's a time when they may get very possessive of their mate, and the heat can be a time for them to demand that their mates prove themselves still worthy, via the male's attentiveness towards their mate. For the Wolf part of the brain, if a mate is inattentive it could be a signal to the female that she needs to look elsewhere for a mate. This is the only time they may step out on their mate in a display of displeasure, which can cause some serious fights, though this is a very rare occurrence (and usually leads to the dissolution of their pair-bond at the next moon).
For the Loba of the Pack, her heat cycle, which is her estrus cycle, is driven by the need to mate and reproduce since she is the only one in the Pack who will produce young. If the Lycaon and Loba agree that more children are needed than they are willing to produce, they will choose which mated pairs will have permission to become fertile and reproduce. The male is always fertile, but the female's ability to ovulate is completely controlled by the wishes of the Lead Pair, through the hormones of the Loba.
For male Wolves, this can also be an aggressive time. An unmated, willing female in heat is a draw for them, even more so if their human form is attracted the she-Wolf. If two or more males show interest in a female in heat, fights often break out to curry favor of the female Wolf. Most male Wolves will feel the draw, but they won't necessary feel the need to act upon the draw. Again it depends on the individual. For males that are mated, they usually grow very possessive, and very protective of their mates. For the less controlled, they will often attack without thinking if another male comes too close to their mate. Due to these uninhibited, dangerous responses between the males and females, there's usually only one or two going into heat at a time to limit the amount of territoriality and aggression.
During the first three days of her heat cycle, the she-Wolf may become irritable, snappish, and aggressive, like a terrible case of PMS. After that though, unmated females will be driven by the need to find a mate. This indicates they have reached the receptive stage of their heat. This can be shown in various ways, with constant flirting, obvious advances towards male Pack members, or the very obvious sexual displays of a few uninhibited individuals. It depends on the individual, their control, and their comfort levels. The receptive stage is usually one to two days long, followed by three or four days of a very euphoric, mellow "honeymoon" period when the she-Wolf is still biologically motivated to mate frequently, but is no longer attracting the instinct-driven attention of any male but the one she selected during the receptive stage. The sexual relationship may or may not last past the heat period, depending on the pair-bonding process discussed elsewhere. Pair-bonding often follows a heat-pairing, sooner or later, but the two are not inexorably linked. A she-Wolf may have several heat-pairings with different males before she finds the male with whom she is drawn to pair-bond. Or, she may pair-bond with the male she favors with her maiden heat. It is a circumstance as individual as the Wolves involved.
For mated females, it's a time when they may get very possessive of their mate, and the heat can be a time for them to demand that their mates prove themselves still worthy, via the male's attentiveness towards their mate. For the Wolf part of the brain, if a mate is inattentive it could be a signal to the female that she needs to look elsewhere for a mate. This is the only time they may step out on their mate in a display of displeasure, which can cause some serious fights, though this is a very rare occurrence (and usually leads to the dissolution of their pair-bond at the next moon).
For the Loba of the Pack, her heat cycle, which is her estrus cycle, is driven by the need to mate and reproduce since she is the only one in the Pack who will produce young. If the Lycaon and Loba agree that more children are needed than they are willing to produce, they will choose which mated pairs will have permission to become fertile and reproduce. The male is always fertile, but the female's ability to ovulate is completely controlled by the wishes of the Lead Pair, through the hormones of the Loba.
For male Wolves, this can also be an aggressive time. An unmated, willing female in heat is a draw for them, even more so if their human form is attracted the she-Wolf. If two or more males show interest in a female in heat, fights often break out to curry favor of the female Wolf. Most male Wolves will feel the draw, but they won't necessary feel the need to act upon the draw. Again it depends on the individual. For males that are mated, they usually grow very possessive, and very protective of their mates. For the less controlled, they will often attack without thinking if another male comes too close to their mate. Due to these uninhibited, dangerous responses between the males and females, there's usually only one or two going into heat at a time to limit the amount of territoriality and aggression.
Pregnancy in Wolves
Shifter pregnancies are quite different from human pregnancies, and each species of shifter has slightly different gestations. Among Wolves, the only breeding female shifter in a Pack is the female half of the Lead Pair, though there are a few exceptions to that. The most common exception occurs if the Lead Pair wish to expand the Pack's gene pool and don't want to take it upon themselves, they will allow other mated couples to breed. The other exception, even more uncommon, is a pregnancy in a female Wolf who was born of a human/shifter coupling.
Very rarely, a female Wolf from a shifter/human pairing can bear young outside of the permission of the alpha pair, and can be impregnated by human and shifter males. Pregnancies sired by a male human are usually miscarried or reabsorbed within the first trimester.
Girls who come from a human/shifter pairing are tested for fertility when they enter puberty, whether she shows signs of menstruation or shifts for the first time. If the girl is fertile outside of estrus, she is allowed to reproduce only with the Lead Pair's permission; otherwise, she is expected to strictly adhere to safe sex practices.
However, children from these pairing are rare in most Packs, usually only totaling one or two if any in most Packs. Since these children are so rare and most often nonexistent that test is sometimes overlooked as an understanding of the biological workings of a female from that pairing isn't common knowledge. In Packs that have them, usually only the Pack physician or the leaders of the Pack are made aware to ensure the Pack's balance and that normal Pack laws are upheld. Females in the Pack who get pregnant without permission will usually spontaneously abort, regardless of their genetic makeup or gynecological set-up. A benign miscarriage is the usual result when a female from a shifter/human pairing breeds outside of a mate bond or the alpha pair's permission.
Very rarely, a female Wolf from a shifter/human pairing can bear young outside of the permission of the alpha pair, and can be impregnated by human and shifter males. Pregnancies sired by a male human are usually miscarried or reabsorbed within the first trimester.
Girls who come from a human/shifter pairing are tested for fertility when they enter puberty, whether she shows signs of menstruation or shifts for the first time. If the girl is fertile outside of estrus, she is allowed to reproduce only with the Lead Pair's permission; otherwise, she is expected to strictly adhere to safe sex practices.
However, children from these pairing are rare in most Packs, usually only totaling one or two if any in most Packs. Since these children are so rare and most often nonexistent that test is sometimes overlooked as an understanding of the biological workings of a female from that pairing isn't common knowledge. In Packs that have them, usually only the Pack physician or the leaders of the Pack are made aware to ensure the Pack's balance and that normal Pack laws are upheld. Females in the Pack who get pregnant without permission will usually spontaneously abort, regardless of their genetic makeup or gynecological set-up. A benign miscarriage is the usual result when a female from a shifter/human pairing breeds outside of a mate bond or the alpha pair's permission.
Signs and Symptoms
Because their biology is so different than that of a human, pregnancy in shifters is very different from that of human females. Their gestation cycle is roughly 6 months, and pregnancies often show a lot quicker, especially if the female shifter is carrying multiples. For shifters, multiples (casually referred to as litters) are the norm rather than the exception. Twins are most common, but triplets and quads aren't unusual or cause to flag the pregnancy as high risk. Quints and sextuplets aren't unknown, but they are rare and are high risk pregnancies, as one or two infants often are stillborn or die shortly after birth.
During a pregnancy a female shifter may or may not be able to shift for the first or second moon after conception. A shift is possible for the first moon after conception, with the second moon being more unusual. The exception to that rule is the pregnancy of the Loba. Often times the female Wolf destined to be Loba, (this situation does not apply to the rare female Lycaon) or in the running for Loba, will conceive during the heat cycle that is triggered when an unmated Wolf becomes Lycaon. In this case the incoming Loba, or Loba potentials will be able to shift at the second moon to ensure a Loba is chosen.
The symptoms can vary. Generally, for full-blooded genetic Wolves or infected shifters there is no morning sickness. Normally, the first sign is the inability to shift. It is a certain sign, as there is no other condition or circumstance that will disable a shifter's ability to transform.
Some of the common symptoms are breast tenderness and enlargement, leaking fluid from the nipples, abdominal swelling of course, probably cravings and a ravenous appetite. There may be marked revulsion to anything much except raw meat and viscera. It's usually the male partner who complains of his mate's mood swings, especially at the moons.
Towards the end of the pregnancy the female may be struck with in intense urge to nest (i.e. prepare for the baby or babies) and she may or may not tolerate the male or mate being around her, preferring the company of other females. Some females develop a fierce aversion to any male other than the mate being near.
For female shifters who are the offspring of a human/shifter pairing, pregnancy symptoms can either match that of a born or infected shifter, or they'll have symptoms very similar to those of a human pregnancy. Regardless of symptoms, their pregnancies last 6 months as the fetuses will have the blood of two shifters and develop as such. The babies may or may not be born in Wolf form, and for some of the offspring, their first shift may not happen till much later.
Once the pregnancy has come to term, the female shifter will be able to shift immediately, especially if her children can shift from the womb.
Most shifters prefer to breastfeed their young, and many who have multiples prefer to nurse in shifted form, as their lactating breast tissue is divided into four to six teats.
During a pregnancy a female shifter may or may not be able to shift for the first or second moon after conception. A shift is possible for the first moon after conception, with the second moon being more unusual. The exception to that rule is the pregnancy of the Loba. Often times the female Wolf destined to be Loba, (this situation does not apply to the rare female Lycaon) or in the running for Loba, will conceive during the heat cycle that is triggered when an unmated Wolf becomes Lycaon. In this case the incoming Loba, or Loba potentials will be able to shift at the second moon to ensure a Loba is chosen.
The symptoms can vary. Generally, for full-blooded genetic Wolves or infected shifters there is no morning sickness. Normally, the first sign is the inability to shift. It is a certain sign, as there is no other condition or circumstance that will disable a shifter's ability to transform.
Some of the common symptoms are breast tenderness and enlargement, leaking fluid from the nipples, abdominal swelling of course, probably cravings and a ravenous appetite. There may be marked revulsion to anything much except raw meat and viscera. It's usually the male partner who complains of his mate's mood swings, especially at the moons.
Towards the end of the pregnancy the female may be struck with in intense urge to nest (i.e. prepare for the baby or babies) and she may or may not tolerate the male or mate being around her, preferring the company of other females. Some females develop a fierce aversion to any male other than the mate being near.
For female shifters who are the offspring of a human/shifter pairing, pregnancy symptoms can either match that of a born or infected shifter, or they'll have symptoms very similar to those of a human pregnancy. Regardless of symptoms, their pregnancies last 6 months as the fetuses will have the blood of two shifters and develop as such. The babies may or may not be born in Wolf form, and for some of the offspring, their first shift may not happen till much later.
Once the pregnancy has come to term, the female shifter will be able to shift immediately, especially if her children can shift from the womb.
Most shifters prefer to breastfeed their young, and many who have multiples prefer to nurse in shifted form, as their lactating breast tissue is divided into four to six teats.