Unwilling Prey knowing someone who could easily eat them

[Marco]

Do you think that the prey would at least be careful around the potential pred, or would it depend on things like the scenario and their relationship?

Like for example, if the prey had never seen the pred actually eat anyone before, but could still tell that they could easily do so (like the prey has seen the pred eat actual food in an unrealistic "one gulp" way) would they be aware that the pred is at least capable of doing eating them that way, and be extra careful not to say or do the wrong thing or would they just assume they'll be fine as they're not food (but still be aware that the pred is capable?)

Also if they were friends or more, would that affect how the prey feels, like would they be more convinced they wouldn't be eaten or would they still be careful?

I realise that species and whether or not the idea of vore is known in the scenario would play a part too.

[Noxyoursox]

I think it would depend on how much they trust the pred/how trusting they are in general. Prey with a more anxious personality would be a lot more likely to worry about it, while more relaxed or naive prey would probably not think about it much. Also depends on whether any close calls have happened and how the pred behaved in that situation (did the pred seem worried for the prey, or did they joke/not care?)

[sevensix]

I'm not sure how you could call yourself "friends" with someone while being constantly afraid that they'll eat you.

[donutbrittle]

I'm not sure how you could call yourself "friends" with someone while being constantly afraid that they'll eat you.

You couldn't. For a friendship to exist in that case would require complete trust on the part of the potential prey, whether that trust is misguided or well-placed. Should such a friendship be built, the act of predation would become a betrayal of the most abhorrent kind. Which I'm sure turns some of you on, but just to throw in my data point, would just make me angry (because if I ran into that in, say, a story or comic, it would mean someone's not tagging).

[Ixtili]

I'm not sure how you could call yourself "friends" with someone while being constantly afraid that they'll eat you.

You couldn't. For a friendship to exist in that case would require complete trust on the part of the potential prey, whether that trust is misguided or well-placed. Should such a friendship be built, the act of predation would become a betrayal of the most abhorrent kind. Which I'm sure turns some of you on, but just to throw in my data point, would just make me angry (because if I ran into that in, say, a story or comic, it would mean someone's not tagging).

I mean it depends what you mean by betrayal doesn't it? Now I'm not saying in the real world that wouldn't be a clear cut black and white betrayal in every sense of the word.
But in vore the "betrayal" tag always seems to indicate disdain or repressed hatred or apathy for the prey. Whereas I like predators that are obsessively fatally adoring.
That's the thing about vore, alot of people aren't interested in the reality of the emotions but the fantasy. This means that there are some tags that even if they logically would describe something I like I often don't seek those tags out because they come with pretty community specific cliches attached.

[granblue]

Does it count if they're dealing with the classic 'call of the void'? I love it when they know that their friend is more than large enough to swallow them whole, and even gulps down other folks, but they still can't help but hang out with them anyway. The idea of getting gulped down themselves is equal parts absolutely terrifying and strangely intriguing, and the overwhelming cognitive dissonance over the whole thing is enough to make them light-headed, leaving them constantly trembling and blushing and getting all flustered when their pred friend is around. Especially when their friend often teases them about how scrumptious they look, or lets them rub their belly while some stranger wriggles around within. If I had a prey friend like that, I'd definitely tease the hecc out of em.

If they're 100% against the idea, though, I can't see why anybody would hang out with someone who might swallow them.

[Speedyblupi]

Obviously this would depend on the setting and the characters. Sometimes a character would have to stay with a potential predator and deal with the risk, and there could be any number of reasons for that. Maybe they're really good friends and they trust the potential predator, maybe they think they could fight off the predator if it tried to eat them, maybe they're working with the predator in a dangerous situation and think it's worth the risk or that it's their only option?

I think suspecting a friend might eat you can be a good basis for a story. "Team tasty" in pokémon mystery dungeon explorers is an example where I've seen it outside of a vore context. I've recently been imagining a relationship where a predator and prey are partners, they roleplay vore, but the predator doesn't actually eat the prey because they're friends. There are a lot of interesting things you can have between a predator and prey in a situation like this - letting the prey watch the predator eating other people, and having a sort of BDSM relationship where the predator threatens and teases the prey, but doesn't actually eat them.