Hiretsuna

Mio was born in the village of Myrasae to her Elnian Father and Shifter Mother. With Myrasae resting on the outskirts of the Fogcatcher Hills within the Myrkwood near the border with Insadmn, the control from the central authorities of the Illistrian Empire remained weak, and countless groups that acted in opposition to that authority were able to take root and grow. Growing up under the influence of one of these groups, the Society of Fang, Mio spent her childhood becoming indoctrinated against the idea of the Twenty-One Divine standing as equals and was instead taught of the superiority of The Beastlord. Her parents, members as well, ensured that her and her younger brother were kept in the grasp of the organization throughout their childhood, leading each to remain instilled with those beliefs as a core part of their being.

As Mio grew, she progressed through the ranks within the Society of Fang, being taught more and more about the The Hunter and his supremacy over Beasts and the natural world. How he alone ensured survival. How the One of Fang would ensure they kept on moving forward. Mio became enthralled, and at the age of 31 her ideas and preaching allowing the group to tie Myrasae being uneffected by the Cinderfall into the doing of The Beastlord, breaking her into the inner circle of the cult in the seat of the Fifth Fang. She finally had what she had been taught was the pinnacle of her life, but felt empty. Her brother and parents remained members of the group, but seemed happier as lower ranking members merely partaking in rituals and enjoying their home prayer. She had power. She had a voice. She had her belief. But with each passing day at the top her belief began to slip. Mio was able to bare witness to the plight of her home and how little the Society of Fang helped. Doubt had taken root and began to consume her.

Time progressed, and the organization set it's sight on bringing a new emissary of The Beastlord back into Creation's Rest, looking through the previously disregarded plans left behind by the previous First Fang, eventually settling on creating a vessel for the emissary to inhabit as their method of inception. Mio sat through these plans, not speaking, not listening, just simply wrestling her own thoughts. Was their action really the will of the One of Fang, or were they misguided? Could they even bring about the arrival of this emissary, or was the plan the First Fang laid out impossible in the first place? Those of the inner circle could sense her doubt, but moved forward without her, allowing her to return to her senses for the final act.

Mio discussed her concerns with her family, knowing she could trust them, asking if they had had moments of doubt in their group, and each gave a resounding no. The walk home with her mother was quiet outside of the brief discussion of a new priest arriving from the central authority who had been working to improve the lives of the townsfolk and the sound of the wind rushing south toward the Fogcatcher Hills. As they reached her home, and her mother turned back to return home herself, she parted with the words "doubt is normal, we all have moments of it, but only the brave admit to it". Mio dove back into the plans of the Society of Fang, trying to keep her mind off the doubt that would constantly creep back into her mind. She took an active role: watching the priest and recording his movements, learning the layout of the temple of The Dawnbringer, and even acted as the distraction on the night they enacted the plan. She stood before a statue to The Golden Light covered by a long cloak and shrouded in darkness, grabbing the young priest's attention to allow the Third Fang to knock him unconscious. The two dragged him into the Fogcatcher Hills where the group had set up the alter in a cave, the First Fang make cuts across his back, and Mio then assisted in tying his body to the alter of sandstone, suspending him over a shallow basin of water. Each of the Fangs, First through Fifteenth including Mio, stepped outside and slaughtered a sacrificial lamb, returning only once covered in the beast's blood. The First Fang waited for the Priest to come too before beginning the ritual. "You denied our god", the First Fang spoke. "The Twenty-One hold no sway here, only the One of Fang, the Master of Beasts, only he can hold sway over us. You interrupted our hunt for a new vessel for his emissary, and as such, you shall take that role." With those words, each of the Fangs stepped forward, and drove a dagger into his chest, carefully avoiding his heart and lungs while leading blood to pour from the wounds. Each Fang except the Fifth. Each except Mio. They watched his blood flow into the basin below and a large Lycanolouse crawl up and dig itself into his lower back. Once he lost consciousness, the First Fang turned back toward Mio, shouting "The amount of blood... if it was not enough, it will be on you" as he walked off in a mix of satisfaction and anger. Third Fang helped Mio drag the unconscious and infected Priest out into the nearby hills, trying to help comfort her as they left his body alone to complete the transformation.

Night turned to day, and after the Priest had returned to town that morning and fled to his home, the First Fang came to visit Mio. "I may have been hard on you after the ritual, however, not enough blood was spilled to complete the transformation that night, and arguably it was caused by your hesitation" he said with a hint of dissatisfaction, but before she could respond he continued. "I have a way for you to return to the One of Fang's good graces. Follow the Priest. Ensure the transformation continues progressing, and keep us informed. The priest is moving, and as the transformation takes root, he wont be resting in one place for long. Do that, and we can keep you within the seat of the fifth fang..."

First Fang left without uttering another word, exiling Mio without explicitly doing such, and holding the proof of her life's work hostage in one fell move. She headed north after the priest, following him to Elnor then deep into the western lands of Esteron, occasionally joining into Mercenary groups to keep a closer eye on him. The further west they traveled, and with each letter back to Myrasae sent, even through the doubt that had taken root in her mind roused more and more, her desire to prove her place among the Fangs grew as well. She would prove herself, at any cost.