In bear society, those who speak the loudest must be prepared to defend their beliefs with claw and fang, and the differences between the sexes in this regard has influenced the stratification of their roles. Bears are known for their numerous powerful males and their gusto for leadership. Their talent for equipment forging is virtually unmatched. Less well known are the geldmales; they are often foragers and can be credited with the discovery of translocation. Occasionally they are called upon if the combat situation is dire. While females raise the cubs, they are far from weak, even in such a domestic position a female can – and is expected to be able to – hold her own in a fight.

Courtship Rituals

Courting among bears can be described as brutish, yet refined. It is done to find lifetime mates and is first initiated by the male. If a male finds a female he fancies, he makes his interest known. A willing female can accept and there is no conflict.

Not every courtship goes so smoothly however. Should she be uninterested, the female chooses a geldmale to represent her in paw-to-paw combat against the male. Should the male win, he gains the female as a mate, and the geldmale as a partner in his care.

If the geldmale does not wish to represent the female, ve must best her in combat. Should ve fail, the two are coupled, and the geldmale is given some time to recoup before combat with the interested male. Should ve win, ve is not required to represent the female.

If a geldmale beats the male in combat, the male gets turned away, and if the female and geldmale are not yet coupled, the geldmale gets the choice in whether or not the two are coupled.

If there is no geldmale to represent the unwilling female, there can be no further courtship.

The rituals in the event fall in line with the mentality that a male can have what he pleases as long as he's strong enough to take it. It virtually eliminated offspring-limiting injuries to females. It also ensured that if a geldmale became unable to perform vis usual duties, the male would be vis caretaker, and pick up the extra duties. In this way, the male must ensure he is not only strong enough to take what he wants, but also capable of caring for what he earns.

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