Another character, this time an NPC for Silver and Bone at deviantart.

silver-and-bone

The artist is

Personality:

Erin rarely reveals her true feelings, though generally she is very curious and generally happy to live. She’s insistent on freedom and making her own way, but rarely recognizes when she’s being used by Father Angelo, one of the few people she genuinely trusts. Even her other packmates she never truly identifies with, coming up with ‘cute’ nicknames for each of them instead of really emotionally connecting. She will lie easily with little guilt, but she’s generally non-violent. Her animal mind tends to dominate, especially around the full moon, and is more violent than she is, though usually only in reaction to her property being taken.

Background:

Erin’s mother was a drug addict, having five children all with different fathers. They lived on a tribal reservation, her mother spending the subsidies earned from the tribe’s stipend on drugs instead of food. A few of Erin’s siblings were taken by the state, but due to clerical issues she and a younger half sister where both forgotten and left behind to fend for themselves while their mother was taking longer and longer heroin trips. The younger sister was taught to cook the mother’s heroin, while Erin herself found food.

At first she ‘stole’ from her neighbor, an elderly woman who left food out conveniently for the children. But she passed on Erin’s fifth birthday and things got more desperate. She tried stealing from other neighbors, but they wouldn't tolerate it and when they found things missing they'd come yell at Erin’s mother who would beat the poor girl before sinking back into her stupor. Erin was out one day when she was eight when an explosion in the kitchen set the house on fire and took both her relative’s lives. Instead of seeking help, Erin ran.

She found herself in the middle of Fargo, where she practiced the art of pickpocketing, and burglary in order to keep herself fed. She lived largely on the streets, homeless though she learned quickly how to take advantage of people’s assumptions of children’s innocence so long as she kept herself in clean clothing. A few police officers caught on to her, and she moved on to another city, and then another until she found herself near Angelo’s church.

She stole from his church collection box, which Angelo took notice of, and started leaving things for her to steal intentionally, and then notes, making requests of exchange, different tasks she could fill for payment. It eventually turned into an informal job, and she took joy in her ability to steal and manipulate without getting caught, it also helped she continued to look far younger than she really was even as she aged.

When Erin was 16, one of the tasks for Angelo sent her out of the city to a man who lived on his own off in the mountains. Angelo had tasked her with retrieving a jewel encrusted silver crucifix he claimed the man had stolen when he had given up his life as a priest. She cased the place, trying to get a sense of the old man’s behavior, but she couldn't make sense of it. His seemingly nocturnal habits were unpredictable and numerous, so she tried to sneak in while he was sleeping instead of out, knowing at least then he wouldn't stumble upon her if she was careful.
Her first entry she found no sign of the thing, having to run off when the man stirred. She grew convinced that something more was going on, eventually observing him open a trap door to a cellar in the cabin.

She tried this time waiting til she didn't see him in his bed hoping he’d gone out. Under the full moon’s light she snuck into the cellar, inside was a shrine of sorts, the crucifix on the wall, but she didn't notice when a clawed hand yanked her, tearing a large swath in her clothing, and jaws clamped down on her, shaking her about before tossing her towards the shrine.

She grabbed for the crucifix, being sharp and stabbed at the monster which stumbled away flailing. She escaped with it, bleeding rather profusely, eventually finding herself unconscious by a stream near the base of the mountain. When she woke the next day she was feverous, shaking and sick, her wounds raw and jagged, and then a hand grabbed at her, the man yanked her to her feet and dragged her back to the cabin.

Surprisingly, he treated her until her fever broke and her wounds sealed completely, keeping her in his bed tied up. He took the crucifix back from her, though he didn't seem to ask why she had come there, just grumbled angrily to himself about how stupid she was. Eventually he left her alone locked inside, heading to the base of the mountain on foot. She took the opportunity to wiggle out of her restraints, took the crucifix again, and broke herself free from the cabin.

She turned the next full moon, changing into a monstrous raccoon. It was a while before she got the animal in her head under control, but eventually she did, mastering both the hybrid shape learning how to change fully into the animals guise. She found her new instincts and abilities increased her success as a thief and never looked back.