#oestrus

(Notes: This is a writing prompt that @natsora generously challenged me to do. The criteria was a Shiara fic with the following prompts,

Im sorry, I’m so sorry. Passing out A makes a mistake and b pays the price.

Since I was tagged for a WIP Wednesday, I decided to do this as a whenever because its obviously isnt Wednesday. And I wanted to let you know, I was working on it. :))

Our story begins... Illium 2185

Work… it had been increasingly difficult to do the closer the day came around. 

Shepard… 

Liara sat at her desk, eyes focused not on the wealth of information coming through the vid screens but the single holo picture of her newly resurrected lover. Emotions roiled within, leaving her feeling as if she were fighting a maelstrom. Trepidation at today's agenda left the normally cool headed Asari… rattled.

It bothered her that she found herself unable to jump in, when all she wanted was what they had lost… no, what she had lost. For two years she grieved, fell apart, experienced hurt so deeply that it had felt as if she could die from it. In her delirious need to fill the holes left in her soul she had hunted for Shepard… found her, and even gave her to a terrorist organization on the slimmest chance that she could be brought back. 

How many times did she feel she had betrayed her love for that desperate act? How much more hurt had she heaped upon herself for the actions she had taken? How many more was there yet to be had?

When Shepard had reached Illiam she had been beside herself with emotions… ones that mirrored the ones she felt now. Were there really words for them? 

Liara sighed, forcing herself out of the chair trying to find any distraction, but emerald eyes haunted her. That day Shepard came… she had wanted more than that kiss. The needs that filled her had damn near pushed her into an early unwanted heat… it’s madness had clawed at her, raking across the soul, drawing blood. If Shepard had been alone would she have had the fortitude to tell her no? Did she have that strength now?

Goddess she felt crazy…

Soul sickness was a terrible curse… still she pined for her mate. Hungered for the bonds that had been, cried for the home that was... it left her terrified what would happen if she let herself have this concession. That kiss had nearly undone her…

The madness bubbled so near the surface Liara found herself suddenly considering the time allotted to her with her Léaina and how hard it would be to bump it up. ‘Calm down Liara…” She murmured, forcing herself to take a deep breath… in through the nose, out through the mouth.

An action she repeated several times even as she made a mental note of how close it was for Shepard to arrive. A truly counter productive experience if ever she had one… Growling in frustration Liara  found herself bringing up her omni tool  to send a quick note to Soteria, asking if she would be able to help with the time allotment change for her next session. 

To her surprise, her Léaina sent back a quick response, one she did not anticipate at all. “I’m calling you… pick up.” Second’s later her omni tool said just that.

With a spike to her vitals she answered, and prayed silently to Athame that the quiver she felt did not register in her voice. 

“Liara speaking.”

“Hey sweetheart.” 

To her surprise a sense of relief filled her the moment Léaina Soteria spoke in that warm contralto voice.

“I have this feeling your day is a lot more stressful than you anticipated. So, I wanted to personally remind you that you have my time whenever you need it, for whatever reasons, not only because of your Oestrus cycle. If you feel you need to move up tonight, or tomorrow, we will do that. Even if you need to talk, I am here for you; my Cria. I know from last time that you are going through something stressful, because of this, I felt it pertinent to remind you, I am here.”

As if sensing Liara’s mental state she continued.

“I want you to put one hand on your stomach, and one on your chest, when you breathe in, push the hand on your stomach out, hold it… and out through the mouth.”

When Liara had done this deep breathing exercise it had felt as if she were gulping air to no effect, now, under Léaina Soeteria’s guidance she slowed the breath down, holding it as Soteria continued the instruction.

“As you do it again, I want you to focus on feeling your pulse begin to slow, the tension in your neck dissipating as you relax your shoulders.”

She drew in that breath, holding it for a count of three before expelling it through pursed lips.

“And a final breath…”

With Léaina Soteria’s guidance she was able to find the calm that she had blasted out the airlock while thinking about Shepard.

(End for now)

Special Notes: I write all my Asari with the premise that they go into Heat for their reproductive cycle. I find it a fascinating contrast to their big brains, and perhaps a necessary evolutionary adaptation for long lives and low birth counts. It is called their Oestrus cycle. They become attractive to other species who can smell these changes in them, and to eachother... while also having an insatiable desire to mate. Because of this they have a class of highly trained Asari called - Léaina - Trusted women who help asari through their heat. There are private Leaina and commercialized Leaina. They are guardians & protectors, psychiatrists, and spiritual advisors. Léaina  literally means Lioness in greek :P it felt like the right choice.

They have sanctuaries called Den’s where those afflicted with their oestrus will go, to protect them from the madness of themselves, and others affected by it. They can be a single room sanctuary or a large commercialized den where many rooms and many Léaina work.

Cria - is ACTUALLY the name of a baby alpaca, like cats have kittens, but i wanted it to be a word one said that meant they were someone who the Léaina not only felt responsible for, but also attached to. Like their little ones who needed protection, guidance and help when necessary. I thought what better than the name of a baby under a mothers care? :3c

Anonymous said to @ask-drferox: I am curious about estrus cycles, so weird questions ahead. What does an animal with estrus cycles go through in puberty? What does estrus "feel like" to an animal? Cramps? Mood swings? Any bleeding? Nausea? Can they take medicine to alleviate symptoms? What happens to animals that have young when they're still undeveloped/in puberty? I know with teen parents in people it can be really dangerous to have a child.    

For a lot of animals there’s a continuation between ‘childhood’ and puberty. Humans are an uncommon example where our childhood is so drawn out.

You’ve got to remember in these conversations that the human situation is different. We menstruate, which means we’re bleeding at the infertile phase of our cycle, clearing everything out. Estrus, where some animals bleed, but some don’t, is the fertile phase of their cycle.

As such, an animal in estrus isn’t generally going to be cranky, moody and antisocial. They’re going to be more social and in the mood to get it on. They are generally more tolerant of other members of their species coming to call.

Occasionally you get an animal who goes the opposite way, and becomes less social or even aggressive on estrus, but I’ve mostly seen it in dogs and about half of them have had abnormal ovaries when spayed. Livestock who are aggressive in estrus wont be kept around very long, and are probably not going to pass on their genetics.

Ferrets are a notable case of an induced ovulator, which will stay in estrus until mated... and that ever increasing oestrogen level can kill them with bone marrow suppression. There are medications that can be used to bring them off estrus and end it early, or some breeders use a vasectomised male.

Ibexes fight during the species’ oestrus cycle in the Ein Gedi nature reserve along the Dead Sea in Israel

Intact bitches do ‘bleed’ from their vulva when they are in heat, at least a little, though this is not the same as a menstruation.

Where’s my billy gone?

I witness a touching affiliative display by Happy approaching Perdie peacefully to sniff her face. Perdie immediately went into defensive mode, hackles up, head ready to butt, but Happy didn’t want to butt, just sniff and explore her. After a little nervous circling, Perdie calmed down and let Happy stand next to her, then nibbled her toggles. 

Since Georgette grew up and started asserting her dominance, Perdie hasn’t had much affiliative touching with her herd companions, although they often browse and stand close together. Happy and Georgette often sit together touching and seem to have maintained the sisterly bond despite Georgette’s competitiveness.