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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/41333
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/41333
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

For a fiction story of mine (probably fantasy, if I had to categorize it), I've set it in a world that is in some ways similar to Earth, and in other ways very dissimilar from Earth. In place of humans, there's a race of sentient, intelligent creatures that have evolved from carnivores. In doing so, they have retained many traits of their ancestors, and many such traits (including the ability to hunt without anything more than one's natural weaponry) are held in high regard. I _don't_ want to introduce humans, at least not generally.

If you want a more established comparison for the species, though that's not books, I guess the culture of the [Hirogen of Star Trek](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Hirogen) is kinda-sorta similar, except that unlike the Hirogen, the species of my story is not a spacefaring species.

Particularly in this case, this species has morals quite far from what's normally seen in humans. For one thing, threats, even death threats, are far from uncommon in normal interaction, especially between individuals and groups that do not know each other.

What they _aren't_ is savages. They don't go around killing just for fun. They do care very deeply about those close to them. And even when threats are made, the entire intent is generally to ideally _not_ have to back them up with actual action; much of it is ritualized, but it is rituals with the knowledge that one _may_ need to back it up with actual action.

So one individual may tell another something along the lines of "I will kill you", and while this might not mean literally "no matter what else happens, I will end your life", it can absolutely mean something along the lines of "I am ready and willing to end your life, unless you back down and show me that you recognize that I can end your life if I want to". All the above said, if at that point the individual being threatened decides to instead take their chances, _then_ it becomes a fight to clear surrender or to actual death of either; if the individual who made the original threat misjudged the situation, it's their life that's on the line. So while not uncommon, such threats are not taken _lightly_ by anyone involved.

That's all well, as far as that is concerned. But **what are good techniques to introduce traits like these to a reader,**  **without** turning it into an infodump or making them come across as savages for the less-than-friendly parts?

I'm open to suggestions that only work in certain points of view, as well as general techniques.

Original score: 20