Kanima
A species which exists as the result of mutations occurring during a turning (usually, although not exclusively, a Werewolf turning).
Kanima are considered a mutation, rather than a natural variation, due to the fact that Kanima lose themselves completely when they turn, retaining none of their human memories or personality. Kanima are capable of independant action, but seek a Kanima-Master to control them and help them to make sense of the world.
It is believed that the kanima mutation occurs when the bitten person lacks a strong sense of self, meaning they have nothing to tie them to their human identity. This is supported by the fact that Jackson Whittemore was able to be cured of his kanima status via his emotional connections to his girlfriend, best friend, and brother.
Myths from South America suggest it is possible for a human to chose to become a kanima, in order to take revenge, but these have not been extensively studied outside the tribes where these myths originate. The fact that kanima are far more common in South America than in Europe or North America suggest these myths are true, however.
The driving goal of a kanima is to punish murders, and new kanima cannot harm anyone who is not a murderer. However if a Master controls the kanima long enough, they will eventually gain sufficient control that they can force the kanim to take innocent life.
A kanima can only be permanently killed by feeding it the blood on an innocent person killed by the kanima. However, since kanima cannot take innocent life, this makes them virtually indestructable. Matt Daehler was killed by Lydia Martin because he had taken human life when he was part-way through the transformation from human to kanima, when he still possessed human-like free will.
The magic governing kanima punishes a Kanima Master who commits murder, as evidenced by Matt Daehler being transformed into a Kanima after killing Jessica Bartlett and Jackson Whittemore.
Kanima possess two forms, which have sometimes been compared to Beta and Alpha werewolves. In their initial form, they are a humanoid who can shift freely between human and kanima forms. However, if the kanima is killed by any method other than the ingestion of the blood of an innocent person, they enter a coccon, from which they emerge in Alpha form. And Alpha kanima possesses wings and is capable of self-powered flight, but cannot return to their human form.
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