Sisters of the Claw

There are many ways to keep unruly children in line.  Some parents resort to punishments.  There's something to be said about a tanned backside that will make children think twice about unwanted behaviors.  Other parents force children to perform menial or mind-numbing tasks - digging, cleaning, scrubbing, or simply staring at a wall.  However, in every village, tribe, or clan throughout the world, human, elves, dwarf, orc, goblin, or others; there are warning to the children to behave, or the Sisters of the Claw would get them.
It would be humorous if the stories weren't true.
The Sisters of the Claw is the broader term for the collection of Witch covens that dot the landscape throughout the world.  They are loosely affiliated with each other in that they want to protect each other, but at the same time have no issues overseeing a threat to a neighbor if it makes their Coven more powerful.  Each coven is dedicated to a different clawed beast.  Known Covens include the Sisters of the Raven, Sisters of the Tiger, and even the Sisters of the Dragon.  
Each Coven has their own set of rules, expectations, and abilities that make it difficult to identify potential known threats.  Some Covens are dedicated to simply gaining more power in any manner necessary.  Others are dedicated in the gathering of knowledge; the powerful that comes from such knowledge being a secondary benefit.  Others have a penchant of maintaining balance of the natural order becoming fantastic herbalists and working well with druids at times.
The part about working with the Sisters is that you really don't know what you're going to get.  A seemingly harmless Sister asking for you to help her figure out a problem might end up with you being dissected so she could figure out the intricacies of the human heart.  This is why they are so scary.  There is really no right or wrong, there is simply the Coven, and the path to advancing the Coven's directive.
As far as their dedication goes, the Sisters will almost always have some aspect or affiliation to their declared Coven beast.  Sisters of the Raven might be able to see through the eyes of a Raven.  Sisters of the Tiger might have the strength of the Tiger, and Sisters of the Dragon might be able to breathe fire.  Each Sister is given her gifts in a different way after she has garnered the attention of the beasts.
Like the name implies, all known Witches are female.  Exactly what happens to men who find themselves in the clutches of the Witches?  Those are the stores told to children to keep them in line....