#which is to say it's absolutely thorny and the kinds of questions it unleashes are exactly why I'd say

[duckprintspress]

in your Rules and Guidelines you say mildly dubious consent is okay. is mildly dubious consent like. for instance, the non-monster is in a situation where they are non-consensually given or sold, but they are received by a monster who gives them as much choice as they could possibly have under the circumstances, courts them with their consent, and is only ever interested in maintaining the non-monster's overall wellbeing?

is that mildly dubious in a correct way? or is that too dubious?

Hey anon!

While there's no solidly definable line between mildly dubcon and dubcon, it's all spectrum, we generally use "mild dubcon" to reflect cases where consent is fairly clear but not explicitly given. The kind of "I just couldn't resist any more, so I kissed him, oh thank fuck he's into it" kind of situation. It's mostly included as an option for this anthology on the assumption that there's a lot of types of monsters and consent will likely look different for different creatures, and some monsters may not be capable of human speech and therefore unable to give explicit spoken consent. We want people to know that if they want to write a story where consent looks different than the standard explicit consent in human/human relationships, we're all ears for that.

I know that this description of "mildly dub con" is so close to consent that most people wouldn't even tag for it; it's just a choice that we've made as a press, as some readers are uncomfortable when consent isn't explicit. We absolutely do not require explicit consent for our stories, and consent also doesn't have to be spoken to still be clearly explicit, and there are plenty of other examples I could give, the one above is just the instance that's come up most often in our tagging. Mild dubcon should still, ultimately, amount to: it becomes pretty clear that all involved parties are into it, even if it's not clear at first, and there's no mindfuckery (such as power dynamics, magic, drugs, psionics, age difference, etc.) involved that'd make it harder for someone to give true consent.

As to a slave situation such as you describe, that's definitely a "power dynamic mindfuckery" case. I think it'd depend on the story and the characterizations where on the dubcon spectrum that would fall. If the slave creature really has no way out, I'd probably lean toward dubious consent (rather than mild) even if the courtship and everything was with their apparent consent. When one person is owned by another, their ability to give true consent is inextricably linked with that.

As long as the ownership situation exists, if the owned creature has no escape option and hasn't been freed... how much choice do they really have? What are the consequences if they refuse, and what would happen to them if they were actually free? Whether what you describe is mild dub con or dub con, or even extreme dub con or non con, would depend on the answers to those questions, in my opinion. Like, if the consequence for the owned entity is either enslavement or death, does any consent they give really mean much? Which isn't at all to say that being enslaved removes freewill, obviously it doesn't and a person who is enslaved can give meaningful consent, but as a reader, especially if I'm not seeing the story from the slave's point of view, I'd always have to wonder how much concern for their own wellbeing (understandably!) colors every decision they make. On the other hand, if the consequences for the owned entity is like, enslavement or mild inconvenience of some kind? That's different, because even the enslavement itself is sort of a choice and the entity has made that choice.

There's no hard-and-fast rule, and as I essentially acknowledged when I described what we categorize as mild dub con, I personally tag quite conservatively in this regard, but I'd say most master/slave situations would fall under more-than-mild dubcon, especially with the premise you've given, where the slavery was never the owned individuals choice (like, in BDSM/Total Power Exchange, that's an example of a master/slave relationship that could be 100% consensual. Such situations absolutely exist.)...but yeah, in a situation where the entire premise of the master/slave situation is nonconsensual, it's not that easy for me to see how the slave's choices won't at least somewhat be colored by their straits, especially if the consequences of non-enslavement are severe, especially if we don't see their point of view, and especially if the owner never frees them.

TL:DR It's not a dynamic I would recommend for this anthology, though I can definitely conceive of examples that follow this basic premise that would fall more under mild dub-con. It sounds like an interesting story and one I'd enjoy, just not really what we're looking for here.

-unforth

[evolutionsvoid]

Springshots are a species of insect that live in grasslands and open temperate environments. When compared to other giant insects that can walk these lands, Springshots are not a formidable size. When finished growing, a Springshot maxes at about the size of a human head.  The young start off quite small, only being about the size of your thumb. With time, though, they can quickly gain in size and mass, reaching their full size in just a few years. When it comes to group sizes, it is quite tricky to pin down their behavior. When observed in controlled environments, Springshots appear to live a solitary lifestyle. They do not seek out others of their kind, and only go to where the food is plentiful. This is what causes the dilemma, though. Since Springshots all seek out food rich areas, these solitary creatures inevitably run into more of their kind. Since food is their major concern, they do not waste energy on fighting or putting on displays, they just all scurry their way to their next meal. This causes locals and researchers to note large clusters of Springshots scuttling from one area to the other, which would confuse you into thinking that they live in large family groups. This just makes it an absolute mess when it comes to pinpointing their behavior. How does one classify a solitary creature that just happens to constantly group up with others of its kind unwillingly? They are raised to live by themselves, but just always happen to run into others. They don't seek them out, or try to keep with them. They just all happen to be heading to the same place. It is not like they need to travel in clusters to survive, as Springshots are rather good at deterring predators. Their carapace is quite hard, having exoskeletons that are tough as a crab's. Running up and down this shell are rows of wicked spikes, which are not as sharp as they appear. Though they look like they could shred skin, the edges are not sharpened and the tips are a bit blunted. Regardless, they do well at keeping predators away. No beast wants to try and bite something like that. A predator's best bet is to try and flip the insect over, in order to chew through the vulnerable underbelly. To combat that, Springshots have tough little legs that allow them to clamp down. You get them latched to a boulder, then you better call a golem over to dislodge them. There is a way to get them to come off of surfaces without having to use brute strength, but it is not a pleasant way if you aren't quick in your step.

Despite having strong legs and a shell made of spikes, they are not the favorite defense of a Springshot. No, the Springshot has a better way to scare away predators. Tucked underneath their bodies is something like a tail, an extra appendage of chitin and muscle. The "tail" remains mostly under its body, held close so that it does not drag on the ground. This specialized appendage is only brought into use when a Springshot is threatened. When a beast approaches, the Springshot will "click" this appendage into place. Somehow it seems to lock it into a framework of muscles that are wound up tight. When the "tail" is snapped into place, it sits parallel to the main body. When the predator draws close for a bite, the Springshot will release this pent up energy and let the "tail" fly! The "tail" strikes the ground and will launch the Springshot like a stone from a catapult! The force that is exerted is incredible, with the Springshots able to launch themselves at a forward distance of almost 10 meters! And that is only if something isn't in their way! When fired off near a snooping critter, the Springshot will barrel into them like a thorny shotput. Those blunted spikes won't feel so dull then! The force of their flight will allow their spikes to tear through hide and scales, and their projected mass can leave nasty bruises. I have heard from colleagues that they have witnessed Springshots knocking hounds out cold! Nothing ruins an appetite faster than your meal punching you square in the face! This amazing method of theirs works in different ways. If they are successful in striking their foe, the predator will most likely run off. Even if they miss, though, they will have launched themselves out of harms way, giving them a chance to flee. I say this, because Springshots don't exactly have much control over their flight. When they release their "tails," it is like unleashing a giant spring. They have no control over which direction they go or how far they fly. They just point in a general direction and hope for the best! Sometimes, their defensive methods actually land them in more trouble! I have heard stories of Springshots launching themselves into rivers or lakes. I have even heard of Springshots striking trees when they fly and their spikes sticking them to the bark! That has to be a sight to see! Though I have covered this amazing mechanism in terms of defense, I have not yet covered the strangest thing about it. Their "tails" are fired off so that they can scare away predators or flee from danger, but that is not all it can do. You see, the amount of force they launch themselves is quite incredible, to the point where it can be deadly. When attacked by a small reptile or mammal, say a raccoon, a direct hit of a Springshot launch can actually kill the animal. One thorny, solid blow to the skull and they are dead as a doornail. The Springshot did not mean to kill them, it was just trying to scare them away. It is a shame that the predator is dead, but hey free food! I may have not mentioned this earlier, but it was first believed that Springshots were strictly herbivorous. They prefer to cut down grasses with their mandibles and munch on their roots and greens. However, this view is changing, as it seems Springshots are leaning more towards opportunistic omnivore. When an attacker is killed by a Springshot's launch, the insect will not leave a free meal to rot. It will begin to feed on the downed opponent. When they are moving about in a cluster, the whole group will converge upon the corpse and feed. A foe looking to find a bite to eat in a group of Springshots may unintentionally make themselves a meal for them! This by no means is an intentional hunting method for the Springshot, just pure chance that they quickly take advantage of. The question is: how long before that is no longer the case? What if Springshots were to find out the usefulness of such a method? What if they discovered that their cluster size and strength could help bring down prey in a consistent manner? Imagine! Clusters of Springshots roaming the grasslands, finding suitable prey and then beating them to death with a hail of spiky bodies! It could work! The question is, are the Springshots smart enough to figure it out? And is that something we should actually hope for? Though a good source of migraines and concussions, people have found good uses for the Springshots. The main resource to gain from them are their tough shells. The exoskeleton can be hulled out and used for a variety of things. I have seen them used for armor, like shoulder pads and knee pads. I have even seen a merciless pugilist use them like a cestus (Needless to say, it was not a legal fight)! The plated sections can be divided, allowing one to put singular pieces on a variety of surfaces. I have seen clubs and maces being constructed with these shell fragments, and some farmers have put these chunks on fences to ward off intruders. Humans, fairies and dryads all find uses for these shells. For us dryads, we have found uses for the whole thing. When hollowed out, the shell of a Springshot makes a wonderful bowl and a nice decorative piece for any end table. You flip that thing on its back, fill it with soil and some seeds and you get a lovely potted plant! Great for herb gardens or single flower plantings. Also perfect for bashing a thief's skull in when they sneak in at night. On a less pleasant side, Springshot shells have seen much use when dryads are pulled into battles or wars. When the times come when we must take up arms, these will quickly make their way onto the battlefield. Like I said before, they are great for making weapons and armor. They also are good projectiles. Hollow them out and fill them with hardened sap, and you will have a solid weapon to launch at enemies. Used in slings and launchers, they can be fired off with enough strength to dent helmets and cave skulls. Even if the blow doesn't kill the opponent outright, it will soon. Since their spikes can easily open wounds, dryads always love to cover the shots with poison or ivy oil. The liquid seeps into the cuts and will take out the opponent hours later. Long ago, when the demon hordes tried to cleanse the surface, these poisoned weapons were used against them. As our kind fought to survive the burning legions, we turned to any weapon we had. Poisoned Springshots were one thing, but shells filled with deadly spores were another thing entirely. With the right mix, one could release a cloud of infectious spores that rooted itself into raw flesh and fed on rot. Many demon camps knew this weapon well, as we rained them down on their heads as they slept. Hey, I know it sounds super bad, but you have to remember what was at stake at the time. The demons fought to please their gods, the dryads fought to prevent their own extinction. When pushed to the edge of oblivion, dryads can be cruel, merciless fighters, and that is how we roll. We are the ones who always give peace a chance, but once that chance is up, the fight is on. Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian