You could use a stick of firewood like the tent stake and with the rocks.  I have never had much of an issue with my tie ropes fraying, even when tieing to rocks.  I also tie to small shrubs, trees, branches nearby.  I use a clove hitch near the base of the plant, it seldom slips and even small brush has a firm footing in the soil and generally doesn't pull out.  If you have a free standing tent you often don't have to tie it down at all.  I throw my gear inside to hold mine down on a windy point and run one tether-tie to something solid to make sure it doesn't actually start to cartwheel across the campsite.   ;)