An Introduction to Altrel

I feel it important to consolidate the history of Altrel, which is the world in which most of my stories take place, into a guide for those who are curious.

Altrel is, for all intents and purposes, a clone of our world. The history of our world is mirrored in Altrel, and that is where the name ‘Altrel’ comes from. Altrel is an Alternate Reality of our world.

Hybrids

The primary difference between our world and Altrel are hybrids. Hybrids are what most think of as Furries: Human/animal hybrids.

These hybrids are said to have evolved alongside humans, though precisely what order is a bit difficult to track down. The prevailing thought is that hybrid evolution began roughly ten thousand years after human evolution. Some have disputed the ten thousand figure, but the evidence for these refutations have been meager.

The development of a hybrid is somewhat faster than that of a human. Puberty begins around the age of ten in the majority of hybrids and is completed by the age of thirteen. By fourteen a hybrid has matured to the point of an eighteen-year-old human. Hybrids do have a shorter lifespan, however, with the average age of natural death being sixty-five years old, though there are hybrids that have lived as long as eighty, but not without significant health complications.

While fourteen is generally considered the age of maturity for a hybrid, human civilization has somewhat stunted that. With laws that apply equally across hybrids and humans, and hybrids being required to attend schooling that matches that of a human, a fourteen-year-old hybrid may be seen as immature just due to the environment in which that hybrid is in. There are exceptions to this and those exceptions are what are termed ‘feral hybrids.’

Feral hybrids are hybrids who choose to stay outside of society. They are generally found in places where there are large expanses of unused land, and they work in a more pack like structure. These hybrids very rarely come into contact with humans and when they do they often choose to retreat rather than fight. Feral hybrids, however, will fight to protect their territory.

History of Hybrids and Humans

Hybrids did not, initially, join into society as we know it. It is theorized that hybrids joined human society around four-thousand BC, though there are some cave drawings that depict hybrids. Those cave drawings, however, have largely been seen as sightings and not of actual human/hybrid interactions. Evidence suggests that up until one-thousand AD, hybrids did not integrate but rather stayed within their own groups and worked with humans only for commerce or for mutually beneficial creations.

Unique Development Trait of Hybrids

There is one rather unique stage of development that a hybrid passes through. This stage starts as early as three years old and lasts until puberty begins. This stage has been termed the ‘pair bonding’ stage and is associated exclusively to male hybrids. The reason this stage does not occur within females is not known, though studies have been on-going.

The pair bonding stage is when two male hybrids, who are together for long periods of time (play-dates, child-care settings, parental acquaintances, etc.) will bond. This bond moves beyond what we, as humans, call friendship. The relationship resembles a more romantic relationship, with affection being common. This affection can take many forms, though the primary forms are holding hands, licking, kissing and cuddling/snuggling. This bond is a life-long bond, and evidence of this has been seen in nursing homes. Bonded pairs do break apart at times, and this break up is extremely painful to both individuals with some thoughts that it may even cause premature death.

Up until puberty, there is evidence that a secondary bond may be formed. While not as strong as the initial bond, many of the same behaviors have been observed. These bonds generally form if the pair is separated for extended periods of time (IE moving.) More research is needed to prove the secondary bonds that have been observed were not merely due to the individual.

Do note: This pair bond is not to be confused with homosexuality. There is generally no sexual contact between the bonded pair beyond normal developmental sexual curiosity.

Conclusion

I hope this short document helps in understanding the world of Altrel and the behaviors of humans and hybrids within it.