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Personally I like when the fur color is similar to or matches the hair of the human form.

Being Human, from the clips I've scene, seem to do a pretty good job as well. None are perfect, but still well done.

Which Being Human? The BBC original or the American crap remake? I can tell you the BBC version was fantastic and blood curdling. The American... ugh. Just. No.

Another thing the films I listed have in common, they're all done with make up and/or the use of suits. The more realistic looking werewolf. CGI rarely ever cuts it for me. I like the ones in Van Helsing though. They were better detailed and a more monster looking wolf and not a pure wolf, or fuzzy faced wolf. Cursed is okay considering they had to do what they could after loosing most of their work from some accident and the suit parts looked AMAZING. American Werewolf in Paris... what can I say about it. It failed as a sequel (having NOTHING to do with American Werewolf in London), and the mullet-wolves weren't the best or even very good, but the horror factor and story made up for it.

I'm currently working on a book having to do with werewolves and I use the full transformation version, though with my own little twist to it.

I am pretty sure it was the BBC version because it was amazingly gruesome. Not one-hundred percent sure since it was just a clip on youtube I watched while doing some werewolf research.

On a note about American Werewolf in Paris, I only just recently saw it so it was the first thing to come to mind. Haven't seen American Werewolf in London in quite a while and all I honestly remember is the little boy at the zoo. "A naked American man stole my balloons." XD But I'm glad I'm not the only one who though the wolves looked like a they were the victims of a bad 70s haircut. I really just meant the transformation near the end on the underground train. I though it was done really well. Yeah, the wolves were odd looking, to say the least, but the story was amazing and more romantic than most 'Paranormal Romance' stories. :lol:

Something not really mentioned yet, but what are people's opinions on the mind of the person when they are in 'wolf form,' whatever that means to you? Personally, I like to lean towards the 'giving into animal instincts' route rather than 'blood thirsty monster' since I like my werewolves to have at least a little bit of humanity to them. I'm not a fan of a werewolf still retaining human thoughts and emotions as a wolf because that pretty much destroys the horror of the wolves. However, I don't really like the other side of the spectrum were a person jumps at the throat of anyone near them. I like them to pretty much act like a real wolf. Yeah, that often means the werewolf still rips out a jugular or two because they feel trapped or scared, but it also provides the opportunity to flee instead of fight.

Kiba from Wolf's Rain having white fur and yellow eyes in wolf form, and black hair and blue eyes in human form, always annoyed the crap out of me! I don't know if the manga explains why, but the anime didn't and it was always very distracting.

I'd love to hear what your 'own little twist' is. I'm also working on some story ideas dealing with werewolves, and I have been watching and reading everything I can get my hands on. I'm always interested in hearing other people's take on the creatures.

I sent you a pm, since I'm not sure it's a good idea to post it on this topic xD

I'm afraid you may not entirely like the werewolves in my book but... Here's a description of it all the same ^^;

Zachary Chase has a secret. It is one he was born with yet does not know what it is. Now, suddenly faced with knowledge that seems impossible, Zac is faced with an oncoming obstacle he could never have predicted he would come in contact with. When the supernatural stacks up against him and all the odds seem to be fighting his triumph, can this once ordinary teenager save the day? Or will he be lost to mysteries he used to think were just fiction?

-

I'm still working out the details, but I was basically going to have two types of wolves. There are the rare ones which are born as werewolves and can only be so if they are born under a crimson (eclipse sort of thing) full moon. They are considered the "pure" werewolves, who can shift into a full wolf form, which is slightly larger than an average wolf but not so large to surpass a human being. They can come up to about chest length, maximum.

Then there are the 'rogue' werewolves, those that are created by blood to blood contact with the pure werewolves. Because the pure wolves have grown with the crimson moon within their system, they are immune to its bad effects and therefore have a much more cognitive and human train of thought in their wolf form. The rogues, however, since they are suddenly introduced to a foreign entity in their body, become more deformed and are still able to complete a transformation, but it is not as full as the pure werewolves'. Because of this, they are more rugged looking and more prone to animal instinct.

The rogues are able to infect others too, but in doing so they pass on a worse form of the original 'virus'. The further the bloodline goes, the worse the werewolves that form are, if they even survive. Eventually, if the bloodline goes far enough, those wolves at the end of the line - if any - are created more primal and bloodthirsty than both the pure wolves and the rogue wolves. They aren't too big in number, since most of the rogues try their best not to infect others too often, but they're populous enough to be given a name.

Aaaand that name I haven't come up with haha. I was thinking something along the lines of evil/bloodthirsty but sjdlxcm

This is (kinda) what each looks like:

The one in the center left would be a pure, the one on the far left would be a rogue, and a bloodthirsty would look a lot like the rogue but with a slightly arched back, bloodshot or red eyes, slicker fur (depending), and usually much skinnier/thinner. So the bloodthirsty ones would be a lot like the center right picture except they would be on all fours rather than upright.

Sorry it took me so long to reply. I felt the obligation to go in search for some interesting visual aids after reading your message.

I won't go into any actual ideas that I have for stories since I have too many to count and would probably just bore you, haha, but anyways, here's a brief look at my version of the werewolf. (And I promise that I won't steal any of your amazing ideas.) Speaking of which, I really like them all! It's very well-thought out and makes sense, well, as much as the supernatural can. Maybe you could call the 'evil' werewolves just Blood Wolves? I've always thought the name had a nice ring to it and I think it would fit in well with your Pure Wolves and Rogue Wolves. I dunno, just a suggestion.

Anyways, I have pretty much shared all of my interpretations of werewolves on the topic and on rps we've done together, so I'll try not to go into too much detail on general facts and stuff that you probably already know. However, I have put a lot of though and research into this and I've pretty much got an answer for anything, so I tried to fill this with interesting and unique facts.

The Moon Effect
As always, they are affected by the moon and the fuller it is, the harder it is to resist the change. For the most part, the majority of wolves change three times a month and very few can control themselves enough to transform only one night, but it is possible. During the new moon, the wolves can't completely change. They are less prone to 'fang out' and other such things (explained later) during the week of the new moon, but they are often more irritable since they feel weakened without the advantage of the moon being so close. Some deal with the vulnerability better than others. To completely change into a wolf takes time and is often very painful. The less resistance, the easier the transformation becomes, but it is never considered easy or pain-free.

Morning After
A werewolf will normally remain in their wolf form until the moon sets and the sun rises, though it is possible for a wolf to turn back into a human with the moon still out but that takes great strength of will and body. As the night goes on, the wolf pack will normally run and hunt together and patrol their territory just as a normal wolf pack would do. Then, they will find a place to lay together in a 'heap' to sleep away the affects of being a werewolf. As morning comes closer, the werewolves slowly transform back into their human selves, normally not feeling pain because they are unconscious. When they wake up, though, they will be very sore. The morning after a full moon is very lazy for the pack, normally consisting of waking up in the late morning and lazily dragging themselves back to their homes where they will most likely nap until late into the afternoon.

Appearance
After the transformation, the werewolves are pretty much the same weight as their human form (Law of Conservation of Matter/Mass and all that physics junk) which results in werewolves that are slightly larger than real wolves. Fur color depends on the person's skin tone and hair color, though they'll always be a natural wolf color. Eye color is almost all the same no matter if a person has blue, brown, or green eyes; the irises naturally turn into a golden yellow unique to werewolves that sets them apart from the dark brown to amber color of normal wolves. Other key differences between werewolves and normal wolves are wider, shorter muzzles, larger eyes that allow more of the iris and whites to be seen, larger paws and longer claws, and a generally less furry and fuzzy appearance which (combined with the taller height) gives the illusion of being much skinnier. In their humans forms, most werewolves just look like regular people, though the psychological effects of being infected can sometimes lead them to live a rugged, unclean, out-doors-y lifestyle that one would expect of a werewolf, but this is only sometimes the case.

The Infection
Becoming a werewolf isn't as simple as just being bitten by another werewolf. First off, the werewolf must be transformed in order to spread the infection through saliva. Also, just because a person is bitten by a fully transformed werewolf doesn't mean they will become a werewolf; the infection acts similarly to a virus and must infect enough cells of the human before their body fights it off. The bite wound is often nearly fatal and a good part of those bitten are actually killed. However, if the 'virus' is strong enough to fight off the body's immune system and the body if weak enough to allow it to but strong enough to stay alive while the infection spreads, a werewolf will be created. The person is often sick, weak, and usually unconscious for the first few days afterwards, but once the cells of the body have been infected and strengthened, the body will quickly heal itself in no time at all. The person will be very sensitive to the moon and will often transform before completely healing. The first week or two is a painful, confusing hell, but as time passes, the werewolf will grow used to the cycle of the moon and be able to control the urge to change every time their adrenaline rises.

Affects On Personality
The infection can have strange affects on the minds of individuals. Most will go through a state of depression that can last anywhere from a month or two to years afterwards. Some never get over it. This is mostly caused by the fact that the werewolf often has to leave their family without any explanation or, if they are brave enough to confess what they are to their family, rejection from their loved ones. Joining a pack helps the most with this, though some will try to live alone which usually only deepens the depression. Another common effect is less patience and a higher temper which often diminishes as the werewolf learns to control their wolf side. Some cannot handle feeling so unstable and so powerful at the same time and can easily turn violent at the slightest of annoyances. When a wolf starts to become more and more like a horror movie monster, killing people again and again, a pack will most likely step in and restrain or kill the troublesome wolf.

Children
It is a very rare occurrence, but it is not unheard of for a werewolf to have a child. In order for the werewolf 'virus' to be passed on, though, the mother must be a werewolf. Therefore, it is possible for a male werewolf to have a child with a female human, but the child will not be a werewolf. It is also possible for a female werewolf to have a child with a male human, and the child will also be a werewolf. (This has to do with lots of science-y things and the fact that a mother and child basically share all their body systems during pregnancy and the 'virus' is potent in all body fluids, the child is naturally affected while in the womb and not killed because the mother's immune system protects the baby from dying). In the majority of causes, the baby will be miscarried before the werewolf mother even knows she's pregnant because a fetus over eight weeks old cannot survive during the mother's transformation. There are some cases where the mother will figure out she is pregnant early enough to attempt to prevent the miscarriage. This means not fully transforming for at least eight months straight. This takes lots of determination and strength that most do not have, so werewolf mothers are truly the best of the best. They are usually very protective parents and sometimes will not even let other members of her pack (even the father) near her child for weeks after birthing. Usually this over-protective motherly instinct fades after a month or two, and she is able to trust a human care-taker to tend to her baby during the full moon.

Daylight Changes
During the day, werewolves cannot fully transform into their wolf selves since the moon isn't there to push them into phasing, but emotions can affect their appearance all the same. Common changes are sharp black nails that lengthen into slight claws (slightly like this without the tattoo things), pupils expand and irises turn golden (sorta like this or this or this), and teeth grow into slight fangs (like this). Strong emotions are usually the cause for the change such as sorrow, jealousy, rage, anxiety, and sometimes even extreme happiness.

Pack Life
There are several different types of packs that depend on the kinds of wolves living in the group and how the leading pair (or Alphas) run things. Most wolves live in the same pack as the one who infected them. These packs tend to be of a rather large size and consist of varying ages. A pair or two of Alphas oversee the entire pack, being in charge of discipline and solving domestic issues. They usually attempt to carry on normal lives (go to school, go to work, buy a house, pay taxes, and all that good stuff) and are a very close group of individuals even if there are lots of them. There are also packs whose Alphas are born werewolves. These leaders tend to be very prestigious and the alpha status is passed on from child to child. These packs tend to be rather small and consist of the Alpha pair, their child, and a few infected werewolves that they pick up on the way. These packs tend to shy away from the public and usually take residence in abandoned houses and properties and usually view humans as lower than themselves. However, there are also just as many packs of this type that will try to blend in with the human world as well. While these are the two most common types, each pack can be run very different and have their own unique traditions and rules. There are also less common packs with strange habits like a collector pack (led by one Alpha who collects new wolves by kidnapping and infecting humans), polygamist pack (usually led by an Alpha Male who will take in newly infected female wolves though could also work vice versa), and slave packs (usually keep humans as play things and servants and have a dreadful out-look on normal humans). There are also the lone wolves who often spend their time searching for a pack to join out of survival instinct, but if a lone wolf is on his or her own for too long, they can become hateful of packs and dangerously unpredictable and unstable.

Affects Of Silver
For whatever reason, the werewolf virus reacts very badly to silver. Because the virus is everywhere in the body of a werewolf, even simple contact with the pure substance can damage the body of a wolf greatly. Depending on how pure the silver is, touching something made of silver causes an irritating itch to an agonizing burning sensation that will cause blisters and burns on the skin if left there long enough. Simple skin contact isn't lethal, though. Silver is only deadly once it reaches the blood stream. If enough silver enters the blood that the body's strengthened immune system can't fight it off, the silver will eventually stop the heart of the werewolf. It spreads though the circulatory system like venom and can easily be tracked by the trail of black it leaves behind, the symptom of the body fighting off the silver and turning the blood such a dark color that the veins appear to be black or dark blue. The only known antidote to silver poisoning is a witch's potion that is devilishly hard to get a hold of, especially if the werewolf in danger is not friends with a witch. Silver poisoning is almost always a death sentence.

A Cure?
There is no known cure for the werewolf 'virus.'

Some visuals that are helpful in understanding the transformation process. None are really perfect, but they give a general idea.
http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Werewolf-transformation-216497820
http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Transformation-131604619
http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Sweet-Insanity-290038657
http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Wolf-Change-I-8942852
http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Transformation-Design-48945731
http://dirktiede.deviantart.com/art/Transformation-Study-131175552
http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Werewolf-barbarian-30697033

I'm gonna reply to all y'all, but this one in particular is first!



The manga goes into even less detail than the anime does LOL Maybe I can explain it a bit better.

The wolves in Wolf's Rain aren't "werewolves". They're literally just wolves, but they've adapted so that their human forms are simply an illusion, hence the scenes where they seem to change from human to wolf in the blink of an eye, or if say they're in wolf form in a crowded city, but no one is paying any attention to them. Their "human form" is just a trick on human eyes. Kind of similar to the legend of transforming foxes, cats, tanuki, or the less-advanced form of transformation of the chameleon and squid.

So I'm guessing the human forms they have are of their own choosing. Which would make me have to question Tsume's taste in attire (leather pants and a belly shirt? Really? C'mon)

This is (kinda) what each looks like:

The one in the center left would be a pure, the one on the far left would be a rogue, and a bloodthirsty would look a lot like the rogue but with a slightly arched back, bloodshot or red eyes, slicker fur (depending), and usually much skinnier/thinner. So the bloodthirsty ones would be a lot like the center right picture except they would be on all fours rather than upright.