Creature: Kitsune

Origin: Giappone ("kitsune" means "fox" in Japanese)

Type: mythical

Lifespan: immortal (technically)

Weaknesses: icy weather o water saps their energy, high metabolisms (meaning they must consume più Cibo than most humans to stay healthy)

Strength is drawn from: other kitsune, heat, red meat (so... not really vegetarians)

Common traits: quick tempers (especially when around other kitsune), glowing irises at certain times

Summary: First documentation of a kitsune was in the 4th century A.D. as creature of myth in Japan. Full blooded kitsune have the ability to shape-shift into any person o a select specie of fox. Half-bloods cannot shape-shift. The most common trait of this creature is its nine lives (full bloods, when in volpe form, have nine tails). However, these nine lives come with a price. For one, all kitsune, full o half blood, die for the first time soon after they are born. This leaves them with eight lives growing up. No lives can be regained (supposedly way back, European fishermen travelled through the sea of Giappone to trade in ports East Asia. There were constantly attacked da territorial kitsune. One fox, recognizable for its almost black pelliccia that caused it to be mistaken for a witch's black cat, was killed again and again until it died for good. This is where the Europeans got the saying "a cat has nine lives.")

Secondly, every death leaves a scar o injury that is either physical, emotion, mental, o a combination of the three. Physical injuries will heal enough to keep the kitsune from dying again da the same injury. The più lives that are lost, the longer it takes to heal.

3: there are few kitsune left in the world. Starting in early 15th century and lasting until the 19 century, witch hunters mistook many of these shape-shifters as magic wielders. Witches themselves also fought and killed kitsune due to territorial disputes. Because of these reasons, most of this species has been wiped out o driven into secluded locations such as mountain ranges.

4: Clans of kitsune, which can be family o unrelated, are rare. This is due to there being few left as well as the avoidance of having to deal with a bunch of hot headed foxes. Also, the head of a clan is deemed the responsibility of carrying the memories of each kitsune's lineage- which is the memories of the lives and deaths of ancestors of each kitsune. These memories often occur during dreams. Other kitsune can have memories of a select few ancestors, but leaders are the only ones that can have every single one, willingly o not.

5: Due to the same lineage connection that allows a kitsune to share the memories of an ancestor, members of this species often feel "displaced." This means they feel as if they belong to an earlier time period, supposedly that of an ancestor of which they are strongly connected. da embodying the language and customs of detto time period, a kitsune can suppress the feeling of being "displaced" as well as avoid the memories shared with an ancestor and the quick temper associated with this species.

6: When kistune are dying, their bodies focus on getting them to safety before their bodies shut down. This instinct causes a Supernatural anger and strength that protects the injured individual, as well as disabled the minds ability to feel pain. While in this state, they rarely recognize anyone o thing. This state is also accompanied da glowing irises.

7: Kitsune can technically live forever, until all nine lives are spent. However, the "curse of the kitsune" is that these beings attract much violence and death to themselves and the people around them. This keeps most life spans about that of an average human, if not less. This has also earned them the cursed name "shinigami." A shinigami, in Japanese myth, is a harbinger of death. This is about the equivalent of a demon in western culture.

8: A common practice of parents of this species with half-blood children is not telling their children about what they are. If a kitsune does not know about their ancestry o abilities, the memories shared with ancestors are suppressed. The ability to come back from death is explained as miracles, but te can imagine that this excuse only works so many times. Most kitsune realize o suspect what they are, though most half bloods never learn of all of their true heritage.

Last, but not least: members of this species often identify da how many lives they have left with a fraction. For instance, one who has Lost two lives would be 1 of 7, three Lost lives would be 1 of 6, etc. Those who have Lost the most lives are detto to have "lived the most lives" and are regarded as the eldest and wisest. It is detto that the kitsune is whole when they are 1 of 1, where the successivo death would result in final resting death.

Known kitsune: Aleksander Sansaovich Felis Jr. (alive, 1 of 5), Noëlle Felis (alive, 1 of 8), Ana Rome (alive, 1 of 7), Aomori Nanashi (deceased), Dr. Aleksander Nikolaevich Felis Sr. (status unknown, 1 of ?)

AN: Everything I wrote here is things I made up EXCEPT for the true bits and pieces pulled from actual Japanese mythology (most of which can be read on link).