EMBER

Fox/Ghost | They/them 

They were born In the winter with two other siblings, their mother barely surviving the process due to the harsh weather that reached even Into their den and the lack of food. None of them were supposed to survive, Ember's mother barely surviving for the next few weeks on the scraps of food their father brought until he eventually realised the futility of this and abandoned them to die. Their mother passed only two weeks after her kits were born, leaving them to bury themselves In her fur and wait for death. 

Ember wasn't like their siblings, however, and refused to give up that easily. They had seen the way their mother had ravenously bit Into the underweight prey their father brought them, understanding from the moment that they had opened their eyes that they too must do the same some day. With the last bit of strength they had left, Ember tore Into the flesh of their mother. Their siblings were horrified, but couldn't do anything but watch as Ember reduced chunks of meat from the corpse until they were full. It provided little nutrition, but It allowed them to survive, unlike their foolish siblings; who had sat and shuddered In the corner of the den until they too had passed on. 

Ember managed to survive a few days on the rotting bodies of their family, until they took their chance to escape the den on a mildly warmer day In the spring. They continued to survive on the corpses of dead animals frozen In the woods, barely surviving each night until they came across a group of humans. This group took pity on them, and raised Ember on their food Into their adulthood, believing they had taught a beast to become a pet. Ember feigned Innocence for their few years with the humans, though deep down they knew that they were still a monster, filled with an Instinct to kill. 

They finally gave In to this Instinct one night, sneaking Into the tents of their masters and ripping their throats out one by one. A few had managed to flee, but Ember got what they wanted. The campsite remained their home for a few weeks as they feasted on their prey, gnawing down on the meat until they reached the bones. While they had killed the humans who had been the only ones to truly care for them, they still showed their appreciation and gratitude for everything they had done by devouring every part of them. Nothing was wasted, and Ember left the piles of bones In the centre of the campsite, where the fire had once warmed them all, before leaving.

More and more years passed, with Ember chasing after groups of humans that were foolish enough to camp In the forests, feasting on their scraps and killing them when they managed to get close enough. Eventually though, they grew tired of the taste of humans, wanting a change In their life. This lead to them meeting a few fellow foxes over the next year or so, hunting with them and allowing the other to form a bond with them, until they slaughtered their 'friends' when they got the chance. When they finally mastered their ability to hunt, they became blinded by their greed and power, slaughtering any creature that came In their way and collecting their skulls as trophies. 

In their mind, they were a God. That was until a brave creature put an end to their ruthless killing, tearing Ember's face off. They had begged for death as agony overtook them, but the creature showed no mercy, forcing Ember to become a ghost. 

Now they protect the forest they were hunting In, trapped within the trees for eternity as an emotionless and faceless beast, soaked In their own blood (the black Ink) and the blood of their victims.