Bloodthirsters

"There, I saw it. Its eyes glowed a vicious yellow, its enormous paws traced lightly over the snow. I stood, frozen in fear. It lifted its head to stare at me. The thing shifted slightly, and brought its front paws up. Then I could see. Those weren't paws, they were more like hands. Hands with five claws, each about 5 inches long. The thing crept silently towards me, the only sound it made was its ragged breathing. How horrid it smelled! As it came closer, blood and death began to fill my nose. I couldn't move. How could I escape a Bloodthirster? Suddenly it stopped, and drifted slowly down into the snow. It no longer moved, but the vicious glow still stayed in its eyes like a fire." - Sileus Sylvester Smite, Werewolf Researcher

Bloodthirsters are a species of feral werewolves that live in the north western hemisphere. While they are often confused as lone civil werewolves in the skinshifter form, they are not at all. Bloodthirsters are very dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs necessary.
While it is often said that Bloodthirsters are extinct, this is not the case. While it matters little if they are extinct or not, as they live too far north for any regular to stumble upon, it is very common to find bounties or reward offers for people who want pelts. These bounties often offer half a million dollar for the pelts or other parts of a Bloodthirster.
Bloodthirsters have a trait that is very uncommon with werewolves, especially feral ones: eyes that glow constantly. While the glow is often yellow, it has also been observed that there are silver/white and red eyed Bloodthirsters. These werewolves are given names for based on the color of their eyes. The ones with yellow eyes are called Common Bloodthirsters, the ones with silver or white eyes are called Platinum Bloodthirsters, and the red eyed werewolves are called Ruby Bloodthirsters. Interestingly, a Bloodthirster's eye never loses its glow. This often leads it to being the center pieces of jewelry when used for such purposes.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Bloodthirsters are tall, muscular beings, averaging a height of about 7 feet tall. They are the core body of a wolf, but they stand on two strong, stable legs. Their hands are about a foot wide, and their feet are about two feet long.
Both skeletons and real-life observations reveal that Bloodthirsters do not have foot claws. However, the claws on their hands can be up to 7 inches long.
Bloodthirsters are noted for having teeth that are 5 inches long and 2 inches thick.

Biological Traits

Bloodthirsters have very thick fur and thick fat under the skin to protect against the cold of the Dark North. While their life span is truly unknown, several studies suggest that it may be double or triple the life span of an average civil werewolf, which puts them of a range of about 200-300 years. However, this cannot be tested. This is because whenever a Bloodthirster is taken into captivity, they die anywhere between a few hours to a few months from a mysterious condition.
Bloodthirsters are on average 7 feet tall, weigh 700 pounds, and are 4 feet long.
An odd trait observed in some Bloodthirsters is some have a dark mask on their face, even as their fur grows silver. These particular Bloodthirsters fetch more on the fur market and are also referred to as "Tainted Silver Bloodthirsters." This mask trait cannot be seen on younger Bloodthirsters.

Genetics and Reproduction

While one cannot keep track of a Bloodthirster for long enough and still be alive, it is commonly believed that a Bloodthirster cannot reproduce and instead must be made as a result from unfortunate events that occur to a werewolf during the early stages of acquiring Werewolfism, some form of dark ritual, or through bad luck.

Ecology and Habitats

It cannot be determined if Bloodthirsters need the cold or not, as they have been chased to the Dark North anyway. However, it is observed that these werewolves tend to stand around or crawl in snow with lowered heads, likely to avoid showing their glowing eyes.
It can be assumed that Bloodthirsters can no longer live in hotter climates, as their pelts are very thick to survive the Dark North.
Unfortunately, Bloodthirsters cannot be observed in captivity. In a few hours to a few months, a Bloodthirster held in captivity may die from unknown causes.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Bloodthirsters are not know for being omnivorous, but so far they are considered solely carnivorous. They seem to both scavenge frozen corpses or hunt any living thing that enters the Dark North. While one may not find the remains of any of a Bloodthirster's meals, these werewolves aren't known for being very clean while eating, and tend to leave behind blood.

Biological Cycle

One can get an average of a Bloodthirsters age by the shade of their pelt. Newer / Younger Bloodthirsters have very dark pelts, often almost black, while older Bloodthirsters have almost white furs. While the Dark North never truly changes, it is noted that pelts from these werewolves that are hunted in the winter are thicker than those in the summer, which means than Bloodthirsters still have some shedding.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Their fur, if harvested, fetches not only a high price on the market, but is also very good for making clothing and blankets. There have been various fights over Bloodthirster fur blankets and clothes.
Their eyes, teeth, and claws are also often used in jewelry. Various Tribe Alphas may wear a necklace of teeth and claws to show their status.

Facial characteristics

Bloodthirsters have surprisingly small jaws. Their mouths are thin and narrow, barely allowing any room for their teeth. This is thought to be because Bloodthirsters don't necessarily hunt with their teeth anymore.
Bloodthirsters also have darker fur around their eyes, and glowing eyes. Despite what is commonly believed, the glow cannot assist in their view in the world; rather, it hinders it.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

While Bloodthirsters tend to wander a lot, it seems that their wandering isn't good for interacting. Some Bloodthirsters live thousands of miles apart; it is a wonder than an entire species can live in the Dark North. However, the Dark North isn't fully explored.

Average Intelligence

It cannot be truly observed how intelligent Bloodthirsters are, considering they cannot be held captive and they rarely interact with each other at all. So they are given the guess as other feral werewolves are given: slightly below the intelligence of a civil werewolf.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Bloodthirsters are actually nearly blind. Their eyes glow, however this does not assist in any form of night vision. To overcome this inhibition, however, they have developed enhanced hearing and sense of smell. It can oddly be noted that Bloodthirsters are almost completely silent, as it may be of assistance to their hearing, and produce almost no odor besides that of blood from a recently killed meal.
It is rumored that Bloodthirsters often wander, either on hunts or to better know their surrounding to be able to tell when something's off. It is also rumored that they may have some form of echolocation, but this cannot be confirmed from studies.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

While Bloodthirsters are not known for conversing, they do seem to care about some form of beauty. While they cannot always brush their pelts, they try to keep it as tidy as possible. Lighter pelts also seem to show some form of superiority, especially if a Bloodthirster has a dark mask to go with this lighter pelt. This appearance often leads to the connection to the Bloodborne werewolves.

Relationship Ideals

While there have been only a few discovered "couples" or "friends" with Bloodthirsters, they seem to act similarly. Often the two werewolves can be found nuzzling each other, keeping watch for each other, finding meals to each other, assisting the other if they have been wounded, and playing with each other. It seems that Bloodthirsters, like more common civil werewolves, care for another of their species. Whether or not this is a form of the preservation of the species cannot be determined.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Bloodthirsters are not known for howling or being very long-distance social. However, whenever a blood moon pierces the clouds in the Dark North, one can hear the ghastly and gruff howls of werewolves who have not howled in many years.

History

Like with most feral werewolf species, not much is known about Bloodthirsters. However, they seem to be related to another feral werewolf, The Bloodborne. It is theorized that the Bloodthirsters must have some relation to the Bloodborne, especially because of the mask on the Silver Tainted Bloodthirsters.
Another oddly similar trait of the Bloodborne and Bloodthirsters is their glowing eyes. While the Bloodborne can actually use this trait to see in the dark, Bloodthirsters seem to have lost the ability to use their glowing eyes because they are too bright for them.
According to an old legend and various old art, there are depictions of the Bloodborne in North America; however, the same art also commonly includes fierce hunting of such beings for their meat and superior furs. Unlike their civilized brethren, the Bloodborne were chased out from excessive hunting. These feral werewolves were chased upwards, until they disappeared entirely.

A Bloodthirster by shadowthesilverfox

Scientific Name

Hemato-canis occidentalis

Origin/Ancestry

A subspecies of feral werewolf, commonly thought to have a connection to the now extinct Bloodborne

Lifespan

200-300 years, perhaps

Conservation Status

They are not under conservation because they are considered dangerous. In fact, there are often bounties and rewards for anyone that brings in the pelt or body of a Bloodthirster. They are considered a threat to every species.

Average Height

7ft - 8ft ~213cm - 244cm

Average Weight

600lb - 800lb ~272kg - 362kg

Average Length

4ft - 5ft ~10cm - 12cm

Average Physique

They are well muscled to support their own weight. Bloodthirsters are also known to have curved spines, and end up hunching forwards.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

While Bloodthirsters are often very dark, there may be a chance that there are some werewolves with lighter fur tones. These werewolves that are lighter, often lighter brown, are referred to as Cinnamon Bloodthirsters. As a Bloodthirster ages, their fur becomes whiter, and these Bloodthirsters are called Silver Bloodthirsters. A specific coloring feature on some Bloodthirsters, particularly viewed on ones of lighter fur, is called a "taint." When this taint is observed on a Bloodthirster, is becomes "Tainted." For example, a yellow eyed Bloodthirster with a taint would become a Common Tainted Bloodthirster. A Cinnamon Bloodthirster with a taint would become a Cinnamon Tainted Bloodthirster. This is the naming pattern for all types of werewolves with a tainted marking. However, slang from fur merchants tend to shift words around, such as is observed in the Tainted Silver Bloodthirster. It is still the same as a Silver Tainted Bloodthirster, it is simply a slang-term for it.

Geographic Distribution

• The Dark North

Walk style

Interestingly enough, Bloodthirsters can walk both bipedal and quadruped. Their large limbs often cause problems while walking on four legs, but walking on two requires them to hunch over slightly, not allowing them to stand at full height.