[h3]Shape-shifters[/h3]
Closely related to Lycans or werewolves Shape-shifters are just as common on Erellon. They appear to be human most of the time but they always have at least one more form and occasionally have two. It’s always an animal and they are always either a prey animal or an predatory animal, never both if they have two animal forms. If they have two forms they will almost always have a wild and a domestic version of their animal form. If they have a wolf then their third form would be that of a medium or large sized dog. Occasionally though, someone will come along and they have two different animals completely, say a badger and a mountain lion. 

Male Shape-shifters are easily identified by their mating marks. When males reach maturity, generally around 20 years old or so, they gain what is referred to as a mating mark. It generally runs from just under their ear and jawline over their shoulder and either down their arm or onto their chest and then ribs. The stronger the male the more intricate the mating mark, no one mating mark is the same as another. Some are smaller while others may reach all the way up onto the male’s jaw and to their temple. These are generally higher ranking males within their social groups and tend to be very dominate in their behavior. 
Female’s are a little less easy to identify, it is thought that they do not gain mating marks until they are mated to give males insight as to who is and who isn’t very thoroughly guarded. It reduced fights among males which prevented injuries and fatalities that could have been avoided. This was also thought to protect the precious few females that were present on old earth from being harassed by other races when they didn’t have mates to protect them as they tend to be very slender and delicate. 

All Shape-shifters are much stronger than they appear to be and have accelerated healing rates and are rarely sick but males tend to be much stronger than females and much larger. Most males are well over six feet tall while females tend to be around 5’ 6” though rarely taller than 5’ 10”. 
Shape-shifters are born with a destined mate, when they meet this mate the attraction is almost instant and the closer they become the more visible and prominent the mating mark will be on the female. It will solidify when the mating ceremony is preformed and often becomes brilliantly colored and almost metallic looking and the male’s will color to match allowing other females to know he is taken.
Unlike Lycans, Shape-shifters do not have to “phase” or change forms on the full moon though many of them do because of tradition.